Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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STORMONT BACK TO WORK
Foster and O’Neill lead new Executive
Assembly sits for first time in 3 years
NORTHERN Ireland’s MLAs got back to work yesterday as the Stormont Executive sat for the first time in three years.
DUP chief Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein’s Northern leader Michelle O’Neill were sworn in as First and Deputy First Minister.
In a day of ceremony after agreeing a deal to end the stalemate on Friday evening, ministerial posts were shared out among all five main parties.
The last Assembly collapsed in 2017 in a split over the RHI scandal and the Irish language.
Parties take their seats & pledge to focus on future
MINISTERS were yesterday appointed to the Executive after power-sharing finally returned to Northern Ireland.
DUP leader Arlene Foster resumed the First Minister role she lost when the last administration collapsed in 2017, while Sinn Fein’s Stormont leader Michelle O’Neill is again the Deputy First Minister.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who are expected to visit Northern Ireland next week, hailed the local politicians for a backing a compromise deal to revive the institutions. The
DUP has also taken the economy, education and agriculture ministries, Sinn Fein the finance and communities portfolios, while the SDLP, Ulster Unionists and Alliance Party fill infrastructure, health and justice respectively.
The Assembly sat once again yesterday afternoon after the landmark agreement to restore devolution. MLAs were in the chamber for around three hours to conduct the business of electing and appointing speakers and ministers.
Mrs Foster said she was “deeply humbled” to be reappointed as First Minister. She added there was plenty of blame to go around for the three-year power-sharing impasse, but insisted it was now time to look to the future.
Significantly, given one of the key disputes at the heart of political crisis, Mrs Foster made reference to an Irish language phrase in a speech that struck a conciliatory tone and stressed the need to work together going forward. She said: “We have
many differences – Michelle’s narrative of the past 40 years could not be more different to mine.
“I’m not sure we will ever agree on much about the past, but we can agree there was too much suffering, and that we cannot allow society to drift backwards and allow division to grow.
“Northern Ireland is succeeding in many ways. It’s time for Stormont to move forward and show that ‘together we are stronger’ for the benefit of everyone.”
Despite the titles, Mrs Foster and Mrs O’Neill hold equal standing at the top of the ministerial executive.
Ms O’Neill said it was a “defining moment” for Northern Ireland. She said she was honoured to follow in the footsteps of the late Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister.
She said: “After three years without functioning institutions with the five parties forming the new Executive, it is my hope that we do so united in our determination to deliver a stable power-sharing coalition that works on the basis of openness, transparency and accountability, and in good faith and with no surprises.”
Mrs Johnson said it was a “momentous day”.
He added: “As we begin a new decade, we can now look forward to a brighter future for all in Northern Ireland with an Executive that can transform public services and improve people’s lives.”
Mr Varadkar hailed the politicians for backing the deal. He added: “I look forward to working with representatives in Northern Ireland as they begin working together again on behalf of all people in Northern Ireland.”
Former US President Bill Clinton – who helped pave the way for peace – said he was “thankful” to see the Assembly restored.
The current US administration also welcomed the deal, with UK ambassador Robert Wood Johnson insisting the US would remain a “friend and partner” of the people of Northern Ireland.
Alliance did not have the electoral strength to take up a ministry by right but the DUP and Sinn Fein invited the cross-community party to fill the
justice ministry which is allocated
by a different process to the other portfolios.
The DUP’s Gordon Lyons and Sinn Fein’s Declan Kearney were selected as junior ministers in Mrs Foster and Ms O’Neill’s Executive Office.
Sinn Fein’s Alex Maskey had been elected as the new speaker of the Assembly, while the DUP’s Christopher Stalford, Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs and the SDLP’s Patsy McGlone are deputy speakers.
The inclusion of all five of the main parties is a significant development. The last Executive did not include the three smaller parties.
It’s time for Stormont to move forward and show ‘together we are stronger’ for all ARLENE FOSTER
DUP LEADER’S SPEECH IN ASSEMBLY YESTERDAY