SINN FEIN Member of the Legislative Assembly Martin McGuinness accused the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) today of acting in bad faith on welfare rights and said his party will oppose the new Welfare Bill in the assembly.

The Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister said that the DUP had reneged on its commitments in the Stormont Agreement to protect the most vulnerable people in society.

Mr McGuinness said: “Since the turn of the year, Sinn Fein has engaged proactively and positively to ensure full implementation of the agreement.

“We have honoured our commitments and have worked constructively to put in place the welfare protections agreed last December.

“This package protects children with disabilities, adults with severe disabilities, the long-term sick and children in large families,” he said.

The minister warned welfare rights were a red-line issue for his party.

“We have faithfully supported the implementation of the agreement on the floor of the assembly,” he noted.

“However, the DUP has acted in bad faith and is reneging on its commitments.

“If the DUP wants to strip benefits from children with disabilities, from adults with severe disabilities, it needs to explain and justify that.

“Sinn Fein certainly will not accept that approach.

“The DUP has attempted to effect Tory welfare cuts by subterfuge, but at the heart of this crisis is the ideologically driven attack on the welfare state by the Tory-led government in London.

“As we have repeatedly stated, Sinn Fein will not be part of any agenda that punishes the most vulnerable in society,” he said.