Quotes by Mark Durkan

“We are two months on from the IRA statement and 64 months on from the deadline for completing (weapons) decommissioning in the agreement. The scrapping of IRA weapons is long overdue. It needs to happen now without further delay. The longer the IRA strings this out, the more it damages the Good Friday agreement.”

“Remember among the people trying hardest to prevent the election of first and deputy first ministers were people who couldnt contain themselves when they were taking ministerial office just a few days ago.”

“the most edifying exercise.”

“on-off engagement with the IICD is no less discouraging than the UUPs on/off commitment to the political institutions.”

“The Eaga Partnership has done a very, very good job because it doesnt just raise a very important problem, it actually brings forward practical solutions.”

“What we had this morning was hope. By this afternoon hype, and now this evening its a debacle.”

“There should be no space or excuse for continued criminal behavior of any kind.”

“We want to see a credible report telling us there is no current or ongoing illegal activity from the IRA.”

“That means calling the bluff of all those parties standing in the way of progress and calling time on their delaying tactics. It means ending the destructive politics of side deals and concessions that is holding us back and taking us from the agreement that the people of Ireland voted for.”

“For us that has to mean the Government has to return to the Good Friday Agreement as the baseline document in any negotiations we have.”