The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's cross-community party

 David Ford

Venue will make no difference to hopes of political progress - Ford

5.15.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 31st Aug 2006

Portrait-yellow: FORD David (photography: Allan Leonard)

Alliance Leader, David Ford

Alliance Party Leader David Ford has called on the UK and Irish Governments to bin the idea of taking intensive all-party talks outside Northern Ireland, and said the venue will make no difference to hopes for progress.

David Ford stated: "People do not want to see politicians living in luxury in some country house, they want to see them making progress right here at home. There is no reason that meaningful talks could not have already started at Stormont.

"We need to get serious and get real about this progress. Reform of the institutions so that they work properly, agreement from all sides on justice and policing, and progress on a financial deal are all necessary within a matter of weeks. We cannot afford to waste any more time travelling to distant venue. We need to get on with it right here, right now."

ENDS

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