Northern Ireland’s devolved government has reconvened and appointed Michelle O’Neill as first minister in a historic moment for Sinn Féin and Irish nationalism.
The former Democratic Unionist party leader, Edwin Poots, has been elected as speaker by members.
The devolved government reconvened on Saturday after the DUP walked out of Stormont on 3 February 2022 in protest against post-Brexit trading arrangements that it said undermined the region’s place in the UK. The party agreed to end the boycott this week after its leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, wrung concessions from the UK government that smoothed the so-called Irish Sea border.
After a meeting of party leaders on Friday, Donaldson said: “We are looking forward to the assembly meeting, going through the formalities, getting devolution restored.”
There were calls on social media for loyalist protesters to picket the Stormont estate, outside Belfast, to protest against the DUP’s deal with London, which was described as a sellout.
O’Neill, Sinn Féin’s deputy leader, became first minister in accordance with a May 2022 assembly election in which the republican party overtook the DUP as the biggest party, a seismic symbolic and psychological shift.
A DUP member of the legislative assembly (MLA) will occupy the deputy first minister post, which has equal authority but less prestige. There has been speculation hat Emma Little-Pengelly, the DUP assembly member for Lagan Valley, will fill the post while Donaldson, an MP, remains at Westminster.
O’Neill has pledged to be a first minister “for all” and made conciliatory gestures towards unionists. However Sinn Féin’s leader, Mary Lou McDonald, said Irish unity was now within “touching distance”.
Sinn Féin, the DUP, the Alliance and the Ulster Unionist party will share ministerial positions using the D’Hondt mechanism based on party strengths, with the exception of the justice ministry, which is decided using a cross-community vote. The Social Democratic and Labour party will form the executive’s opposition.
O’Neill said in a post on X: “This is an historic day. It is about the future. It is about working together to deliver for workers and families, and creating new and exciting opportunities that ensure our children and grandchildren can achieve their dreams and ambitions in life.
“As a first minister for all, I am determined to lead positive change for everyone, and to work together with others to progress our society in a spirit of respect, cooperation, and equality.”
The executive faces a daunting list of problems including a fiscal crisis, crumbling public services and eroded faith in democracy.
Stormont’s restoration will release a £3.3bn package – including pay rises for public sector workers who have staged multiple strikes – that the UK government had made available, conditional on the revival of institutions set up under the 1998 Good Friday agreement. Donaldson said the parties would seek additional…
2024-02-03 09:33:23
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