The Assembly Election is not about how the Executive will govern Northern Ireland but if it will, Alliance Leader Naomi Long has said.

Mrs Long was speaking as the party launched its manifesto for the forthcoming poll, which outlines a series of measures Alliance is calling for to tackle issues such as the health service, cost of living crisis, fighting the climate emergency and educating young people together.

She said people could send a message on May 5 about their priorities by voting for Alliance.

“Political instability and repeated collapse of the institutions have wasted time and energy away from what we should be concentrating on. Instead of fixing our health service, ensuring people can heat their homes and healing division, other parties have focused on political stunts, games and brinkmanship,” she said.

“A generation ago, the people of Northern Ireland came together to say yes to the historic opportunity of the Good Friday Agreement. However, the progress the Agreement promised has never been fully realised due to poor political leadership. But that can begin to change on May 5.

“This election is not about how the Executive will govern Northern Ireland but whether it actually will. A vote for Alliance is the strongest endorsement people can send that they care about the institutions and want them to deliver for everyone in our society. A politics which focuses on delivery, not drama. Together, we can make it happen.”

Alliance's Assembly Election 2022 manifesto is available here.