People voted for government, so let's govern, says Foyle MLA Mark H. Durkan

Mr. Durkan, speaking after officially signing the Stormont roll on Monday afternoon, said that those who came out in such large numbers on March 2 voted for government and that it was the duty of new MLAs to deliver.

He said: “I was proud to sign the roll of membership at the Assembly today as a representative of the people of Foyle.

“When people came to the polls earlier this month, they voted for change. They voted to change the face of government and to change the way government does its business. We all now have a duty to deliver on that powerful mandate.

“The significance of today is muted against the context of the ongoing negotiations to restore power sharing government.

“People voted for a government here, a government that will deal with the crisis in our health service, address the threat of Brexit to our economic and social security and improve the lives of everyone in our community.

“That cannot be achieved by handing power back to a hard-Brexit Tory government in London.

“I am committed to playing whatever part I can to ensure that devolution is restored and power remains with people here and their elected representatives. That is the challenge we face in the weeks ahead. It is a challenge we must meet.”