DUP welcome New Year statement

In a statement on Monday the DUP said, however, that there were many issues still to be resolved.

“The agreement on welfare reform will, hopefully, prevent drastic cuts to our education, police, health and other public sectors. The Stormont government is our only hope for a positive future for Northern Ireland and we would encourage support for the current leadership in agreeing a positive way forward for this country,” they said.

In her New year message Ms Villers said she hoped 2015 would be a year of renewed confidence for Northern Ireland, when politics worked, the economy continued to grow and society got stronger and more united, although she also acknowledged that there were significant challenges ahead.