Alliance Leader says Executive is built on the quicksand of St Andrews side deals

12.00.00pm GMT Fri 18th Jan 2008

Commenting on the revelations on Ian Paisley Jnr at St Andrews, David Ford has said that the side deals could be a potentially devastating blow to the credibility of the Executive.

David Ford said: "The recent revelations about Ian Paisley Jnr's antics show that the St Andrews talks did not produce an agreement, it was merely a series of side deals between Tony Blair and the two parties he saw as important.

"It would be tempting to call for full disclosure of all these side deals but given the track record of the parties involved this seems pointless.

"It raises massive concerns not just about the probity of those involved but the long term viability of the structures of government.

"St Andrews was meant to be the solid foundation for this administration, but it now appears that these foundations were actually quicksand.

"These side deals are a potentially devastating blow to the credibility of the whole Executive. Confidence in this administration is crumbling.

"Alliance, and the United Community Group, will continue to provide a strong and principled opposition to these kind of antics from the Executive."