“We are speaking to companies who are looking to invest in Northern Ireland, because we have young people, very willing to work and we just need to build on that trajectory upwards”.
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This prompted severe rebukes both from Mr Adams and the Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as they entered the talks at Stormont House.
Northern Ireland’s parties are being called into talks next week to resolve the political deadlock in Stormont.
Later she’ll meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan and representatives from the North’s five main parties to discuss the situation. “If the issue of the paramilitary involvement is not resolved, then there will be no overall agreement”. The institutions are at risk if this process fails.
If an institution similar to the Independent Monitoring Commission which assessed paramilitary ceasefires was restored it would ask different questions, Ms Villiers said.
The British Government has chose to legislate on welfare reform in Northern Ireland if the Stormont parties can not reach agreement.
Politicians are due to debate a Sinn Fein motion today condemning the murders of former IRA members Jock Davison and Kevin McGuigan and calling on anyone with information to pass it on to the police.
The killings have overshadowed wider issues at Stormont, where divisions over the implementation of controversial welfare reforms have already plunged the devolved Assembly into financial peril.
The warning came as the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) announced it would withdraw from discussions unless the status of the IRA was resolved.
There will be no further meetings of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive – unless there are “exceptional” circumstances – amid a political crisis over the alleged shooting of a man by the Provisional IRA.
“His position is a muddle and clearly being made up as he moves along”.
On the suspension of the Assembly and political institutions, Ms Villiers reiterated she did not believe it was the right thing to do at the moment although noted all options would be kept open if circumstances changed ” dramatically “.
Mrs Villiers said direct Westminster legislation on welfare policy would be a last resort but told MPs it could not be ruled out. “I think that decision would be above her pay scale”, said the Sinn Féin president.
David Ford, leader of the cross-community Alliance Party, said his team was in determined mood.
“We will not be there”, he said.
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Leader Mike Nesbitt says his party will only engage in the talks if the existence of the IRA is the first point of order.
