“until the Executive shows that it can deal with the matters already devolved..”

A good round-up of the political parties’ reactions to yesterday’s events, and the surrounding circumstances, in this iol report. Firstly, from the SDLP’s Margaret Ritchie

“It is increasingly a manifestation of republican frustration at the failure of Sinn Féin to deliver what it promised to its own movement”

From Sinn Féin’s Pat Doherty

“Nationalists and republicans will once again be disappointed by the attitude being displayed by the SDLP.”

The DUP’s Nigel Dodds

“Any commitments that were given by the government to Sinn Féin are a matter for the government, but the DUP made the situation perfectly clear before we left St Andrews, that we had not agreed to any dates for the transfer of powers”

And the UUP’s Reg Empey

“I say again that until the Executive shows that it can deal with the matters already devolved it should not be taking on more, especially a portfolio as contentious as justice.”

And, separately, from the Alliance Party’s David Ford

“We need to see complete commitment to the democratic institution in Northern Ireland before a portfolio as serious as justice can be devolved.”