108-403: Lowercase "d" per here . The Northern Ireland Executive ( Irish : Feidhmeannas Thuaisceart Éireann , Ulster Scots : Norlin Airlan Executive ) is the devolved government of Northern Ireland , an administrative branch of the legislature – the Northern Ireland Assembly , situated in Belfast . It is answerable to the assembly and was initially established according to the terms of
216-577: A Constitutional Convention on 1 May 1975, for which the SDLP won 17 seats and 24% of the vote. The UUUC however won a majority of seats and votes, the Constitutional Convention made no progress and the British Government brought it to an end in early 1976. Later that year on 1 September SDLP member Denis Mullen was shot dead at his home. Following the failure of the Constitutional Convention
324-594: A caretaker capacity until January 2020, when the parties signed the New Decade, New Approach agreement and an Executive was subsequently established. When Democratic Unionist Party First Minister Paul Givan resigned in line with his party's protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol , The Northern Ireland Executive collapsed again. No agreement on power-sharing was made after the 2022 Assembly election , and from October 2022 to February 2024, Northern Ireland
432-408: A cross-community vote , under consociational principles. That process was changed following the 2006 St Andrews Agreement , such that the first minister now is nominated by the largest party overall, and the deputy first minister is nominated by the largest party from the next largest community block (understood to mean "Unionist", "Nationalist", or "Other"). On 17 June 2021, despite a letter from
540-484: A Campaign of Civil Disobedience in response to the introduction of internment the previous week. This involved the withdrawal of SDLP representatives from public bodies, the organisation of a rent and rates strike and SDLP MPs participating in a 48 hour hunger strike outside 10 Downing Street. The SDLP held its first annual conference in Dungiven on 23 October that year. The party adopted its draft constitution, Eddie McGrady
648-709: A New Ireland” in its manifesto. This, with the assistance of the Irish Government, was realised in the creation of the New Ireland Forum in March 1983. It was a forum “all democratic parties which reject violence and which have members elected or appointed to either House of the Oireachtas or the Northern Ireland Assembly ”. The SDLP, along with Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael and Labour all joined. The Forum met for
756-622: A capital 'D'). This was also adopted in 1999 for the logo of the OFMDFM. Several weeks after Martin McGuinness took up office as Deputy First Minister in 2007, civil servants in his department began asking the Assembly's Hansard team to replace the capital 'D' with a lower-case 'd', pointing out that the title was rendered that way in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 , the legislation which established
864-541: A child poverty strategy in March 2011. The wider anti-poverty strategy was carried over from direct rule in November 2006. As of November 2011, neither an Irish language strategy nor an Ulster Scots strategy had been adopted. The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure states that a Strategy for Indigenous or Regional Minority Languages "will be presented to the Executive in due course". The original Northern Ireland Executive
972-451: A consultative Assembly be established. John Hume labelled the proposals as unworkable as they offered no realistic prospect of power-sharing or offered any role for the Irish Government. In May of that year the SDLP secured a seat in Seanad Éireann as new Taoiseach Charles Haughey appointed SDLP Deputy Leader Seamus Mallon to serve as a voice for Northern nationalists. As the elections to
1080-651: A cross-community vote. Following the Northern Ireland Assembly election held on 5 May 2011, a third Executive was formed on 16 May 2011 with the same five parties represented. Alliance for the first time gained administration of a department under the D'Hondt system, in addition to the Department of Justice. Peter Robinson of the DUP and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin were nominated by their parties and appointed as First Minister and deputy First Minister on 12 May 2011. Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister opposed
1188-565: A department shall at all times be exercised subject to the direction and control of the Minister". Ministerial powers can be conferred by an Act of the Assembly and ministers can also exercise executive powers which are vested in the Crown . Ministers are also subject to several limitations, including the European Convention on Human Rights , European Union law , other international obligations of
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#17328383805191296-596: A deputy First Minister. In 2018, Arlene Foster stated that the ongoing political deadlock was caused by Sinn Féin's insistence on an Irish Language Act that would grant legal status to the Irish language in Northern Ireland, which Foster's party refuses to allow. The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2019 was passed by the UK parliament on 10 July 2019 and became law on 24 July. The main purpose of
1404-590: A devolved Assembly in Belfast and the Oireachtas in Dublin to plan for the integration of the island. The first major electoral contest for the SDLP were elections to Northern Ireland’s 26 new district councils , held on 30 May 1973. The SDLP won 13.4% of the vote and 82 seats, becoming the second largest party in Northern Ireland and the largest party in the districts of Derry , Magherafelt and Newry and Mourne . Other nationalist parties failed to achieve much success, leaving
1512-656: A letter "... voicing no confidence in her leadership", Foster resigned as party leader on 28 May 2021, and as First Minister in June 2021. Her successor as the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , Edwin Poots , said he would not become the First Minister. Instead, DUP MLA Paul Givan was nominated for First Minister by Poots. Despite concerns by Sinn Féin that an Irish Language Act would not pass, following talks with
1620-457: A new executive was announced (three weeks after assembly election). For the first time in the assembly's history, parties that were entitled to ministries (i.e. UUP, SDLP and Alliance) chose instead to go into opposition following a recent bill providing parties with this choice. This meant that the executive was formed only by the two major parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin, and thus giving them more seats in
1728-486: A new party. They were joined on 10 November by a second Senator ( Claude Wilton , Ulster Liberal Party ), bringing the total parliamentary party to eight members. Gerry Fitt was chosen to lead the new party while John Hume was appointed its deputy. Paddy Wilson also became the party’s first General Secretary. The smaller National Democratic Party dissolved itself in October of that year and encouraged all its members to join
1836-546: A policy of abstentionism , the SDLP MPs have always taken their seat in the Westminster parliament . The party's first MP was leader Gerry Fitt who was already a sitting MP when the SDLP was founded. The SDLP's best result was in 1992 general election when they won four out of 17 seats. Its worst result was in 2017 when they lost all their seats. In 2019 they won two seats. Although not abstentionist, SDLP MPs have protested
1944-581: A referendum on power-sharing. The anti-power-sharing Unionists united under the UUUC banner and won 11 seats, with Gerry Fitt being the only pro-power-sharing MP returned, dealing a critical blow to the fledgling Executive. The Executive eventually collapsed after 5 months following several weeks of the Ulster Workers’ Council strike . Attempting to find agreement, the Secretary of State called elections for
2052-496: A result of this dispute Fitt resigned as SDLP leader. On 28 November John Hume was elected as his replacement, and Seamus Mallon became his deputy. The SDLP eventually made the decision to attend the Atkins conference, on the condition that there would be parallel discussions involving the "Irish dimension". These talks, like others, failed to reach agreement. Following the death of Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Frank Maguire and
2160-533: A unitary state, federal/confederal state and joint authority were rooted in previous SDLP policy and went on to influence the policies of the Irish Government and the major political parties in the Republic in relation to Northern Ireland in the following decade. In the general election in June 1983 the SDLP failed to regain the seat in Belfast West it had lost when Gerry Fitt resigned from the party. However, John Hume
2268-516: Is the chief legal advisor to the Executive, appointed by the First Minister and deputy First Minister, and may also attend Executive meetings. First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland#Capitalisation of ⁘deputy⁘ The first minister and deputy first minister of Northern Ireland are the joint heads of government of Northern Ireland , leading the Northern Ireland Executive and with overall responsibility for
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#17328383805192376-433: The Democratic Unionist Party chairman and other senior party members, DUP leader Edwin Poots nominated Paul Givan as First Minister and Sinn Féin re-nominated Michelle O'Neill as Deputy First Minister. On 4 February 2022, Givan resigned as First Minister, which led to O'Neill automatically ceasing to hold office as Deputy First Minister. The offices remained vacant until the appointment of O'Neill as First Minister,
2484-511: The Nobel Peace Prize later that year for their efforts in securing the Agreement. As a result of the Agreement, elections to a new Northern Ireland Assembly were held in June 1998; the SDLP emerged as the second-largest party overall, and the largest nationalist party, with 24 out of 108 seats. The party was then returned to government later in the year when a power-sharing Executive
2592-499: The Northern Ireland Act 1998 , the First Minister was elected by the Assembly on a joint ticket with the deputy First Minister through a cross-community vote . It was created to enable the leaders of the main unionist and nationalist parties to work together, with guaranteed joint representation of both main communities. For the purposes of a cross-community vote, MLAs were designated as unionist, nationalist, or other. The nominees for First Minister and deputy First Minister required
2700-650: The Northern Ireland Act 1998 , which followed the Good Friday Agreement (or Belfast Agreement). The executive is referred to in the legislation as the Executive Committee of the assembly and is an example of consociationalist ("power-sharing") government. The Northern Ireland Executive consists of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and various ministers with individual portfolios and remits. The main assembly parties appoint most ministers in
2808-665: The Northern Ireland Assembly ( MLAs ) and two members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom . The SDLP party platform advocates Irish reunification and further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom. During the Troubles , the SDLP was the most popular Irish nationalist party in Northern Ireland, but since the Provisional IRA ceasefire in 1994, it has lost ground to
2916-609: The Socialist Group in the European Parliament. The new Conservative Secretary of State, Humphrey Atkins , invited Northern Ireland parties including the SDLP to a conference on the future of Northern Ireland. There was intense debate in the SDLP whether or not to attend a conference which would not discuss any all-island dimension, with Gerry Fitt wanting to attend regardless of any discussion on an "Irish dimension" while many others, including John Hume, refusing to attend. As
3024-758: The St Andrews Agreement in October 2006, the appointment procedure was changed to allow for: This procedure, which removed the need for a joint ticket between the unionist Democratic Unionist Party and the nationalist Sinn Féin party, was used to appoint Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness on 8 May 2007. It was again used to appoint Peter Robinson (DUP) alongside McGuinness on 5 June 2008 and again on 12 May 2011, and to appoint Arlene Foster (DUP) alongside McGuinness on 11 January 2016, also to appoint Foster alongside Michelle O'Neill on 11 January 2020, as well as to appoint Paul Givan alongside O'Neill on 17 June 2021. The new rules from 2006 also state that, if
3132-502: The St Andrews Agreement of that year. On 9 May 2016, the number of ministries and departments of the Northern Ireland Executive was reduced, leaving the following departments: At the same time, various departments were renamed as follows: The following departments were dissolved: In contrast with Westminster system cabinets, which generally need only be backed by a majority of legislators, ministerial positions in
3240-589: The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and some Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) members favour a move towards voluntary coalition in the longer term but this is currently opposed by Sinn Féin . The executive cannot function if either of the two largest parties refuse to take part, as these parties are allocated the First Minister and deputy First Minister positions. However, other parties are not required to enter
3348-622: The Windsor Framework . Sinn Féin was the largest party in the Assembly after the 2022 Assembly Election , but the Unionist parties were the largest designation in the assembly. The Minister of Justice is now the only Northern Ireland Executive minister elected by cross-community vote. All other ministers are party appointees, with parties taking turns using the D'Hondt method . The First Minister or deputy First Minister may also appoint another Northern Ireland Executive Minister to exercise
Northern Ireland Executive - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-498: The local elections held a few weeks later the SDLP also increased its vote share but lost seven seats. After the election Alban Maginness was appointed Lord Mayor of Belfast , becoming the first nationalist to hold this position. Following changes of government in Ireland and the UK talks reconvened in autumn of 1997. The SDLP participated in these talks alongside other parties. Agreement
3564-794: The republican party Sinn Féin , which in 2001 became the more popular of the two parties for the first time. Established during the Troubles, a significant difference between the two parties was the SDLP's rejection of violence, in contrast to Sinn Féin's then-support for (and organisational ties to) the Provisional IRA and physical force republicanism . The party was founded on 21 August 1970, when six Stormont MPs ( Gerry Fitt , Republican Labour Party ; Austin Currie , Nationalist Party ; Paddy Devlin , Northern Ireland Labour Party ; John Hume , Ivan Cooper and Paddy O'Hanlon , Independent) and one Senator ( Paddy Wilson , Republican Labour), joined to form
3672-675: The Anglo-Irish Agreement was strongest and subsequently managed to win Newry and Armagh, where deputy leader Seamus Mallon won the seat from the Ulster Unionists. This success continued into the 1987 general election where the SDLP’s support for the agreement saw its vote rise to levels last seen when the party was first founded in the early 70s, mostly at the expense of Sinn Féin. In addition to holding both their current seats, Eddie McGrady won
3780-407: The Assembly approached the party announced that although it would contest the election, none of its representatives would take their seats. The election , held on 20 October, mirrored the SDLP’s performance in the local elections the previous year as the party won 18.8% of the vote and took 14 seats. The decision by Sinn Féin to stand also had an impact on the SDLP vote as the party, considered to be
3888-402: The Assembly must consult political party leaders in the Assembly (who are often also ministers) before deciding whether the subject is a matter of public importance. Successful petitions will then be considered by the Executive. The number of ministers and their responsibilities can be changed when a department is being established or dissolved. The proposal must be made by the First Minister and
3996-636: The British Government’s White Paper, elections were held to the new Northern Ireland Assembly on 28 June, where the party won 19 out of 75 seats and once again emerged as the voice of the nationalist community, increasing its vote share to 22% of the vote. Negotiations occurred throughout October and November on the formation of a new power-sharing Executive to govern Northern Ireland with the SDLP, UUP and Alliance taking part. On 21 November Northern Ireland Secretary of State , William Whitelaw , announced that agreement had been reached on
4104-467: The British government they agreed to renominate Michelle O'Neill for deputy First Minister. However, 24 of the DUP's 28 MLAs voted against Givan, leading to Poots' resignation as party leader. Separately, between 12 February 2000 and 30 May 2000, and 15 October 2002 and 8 May 2007, however, devolution was suspended, and along with it the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister. The Office of
4212-699: The DUP Jeffrey Donaldson announced that the DUP would restore an executive government on the condition that new legislation was passed by the UK House of Commons. On 8 May 2024, Conor Murphy stepped down as Minister for the Economy . First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that Deirdre Hargey will serve as an interim Minister for the Economy . Ministers are assisted by backbench "Assembly private secretaries" (equivalent to parliamentary private secretaries ). The non-political Attorney General for Northern Ireland
4320-474: The DUP denounced the term as "republican speak" and it is not used in legislation. Jim Allister , the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice , long called Robinson and McGuinness "the joint first ministers", to highlight the joint nature of the office and to demonstrate his opposition to the power-sharing arrangements. With the restoration of power-sharing in 2020, Sinn Féin started describing
4428-486: The Executive (with the exception of the Department of Justice which was given to an Independent Unionist MLA, Claire Sugden , due to this appointment needing cross-community support). The Executive is co-chaired by the First Minister and deputy First Minister. Its official functions are: Executive meetings are normally held fortnightly, compared to weekly meetings of the British Cabinet and Irish Government . Under
Northern Ireland Executive - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-567: The Executive and formed the Official Opposition for the first time. Ministerial positions were proportionally allocated between the DUP and Sinn Féin, with independent unionist Claire Sugden serving as Minister of Justice. The government collapsed on 16 January 2017, after Martin McGuinness resigned in protest over the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal . His resignation sparked a snap election as Sinn Féin refused to re-nominate
4644-476: The Executive was re-formed with Arlene Foster as First Minister and Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill as deputy First Minister following the New Decade, New Approach agreement. All five parties joined the government; other ministers include Edwin Poots (DUP); Robin Swann (UUP), Nichola Mallon (SDLP), Gordon Lyons (DUP), and Declan Kearney (SF). Alliance Party leader Naomi Long was appointed justice minister. At
4752-437: The Executive will "seek to agree each year, and review as necessary" a Programme for Government incorporating an agreed budget. The following programmes for government have been published to date: The following budgets have been published to date: Under the St Andrews Agreement , the Executive is obliged to adopt strategies on the following policy matters: The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister published
4860-545: The Executive's Ministerial Code, ministers are obliged to: The Ministerial Code allows any three ministers to request a cross-community vote. The quorum for voting is seven ministers. The current system of devolution has succeeded long periods of direct rule (1974–1999 and 2002–2007), when the Northern Ireland Civil Service had a considerable influence on government policy. The legislation which established new departments in 1999 affirmed that "the functions of
4968-420: The Executive. The ministers' policy responsibilities include: Two junior ministers assist the First Minister and deputy First Minister in carrying out the work of Executive Office . They are jointly accountable to the First Minister and deputy First Minister. The incumbent junior ministers are Aisling Reilly ( Sinn Féin ) and Pam Cameron ( Democratic Unionist Party ). As originally established under
5076-603: The First Minister and deputy First Minister became the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland . There were also two 24-hour periods of suspension on 11 August 2001 and 22 September 2001. to allow timetables for negotiation to restart. Devolution was suspended from 10 January 2017 to 10 January 2020. Ulster Unionist Party Social Democratic and Labour Party Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin During
5184-792: The Good Friday Agreement, along with the Northern Ireland Assembly. Various ways of translating the titles "First Minister and deputy First Minister" into the Ulster Scots dialects have been attested in official communications, including Heid Männystèr an tha Heid Männystèr depute , First Meinister an First Meinister depute , First Meenister an First Meenister depute and First Minister an First Minister depute . The second position has been written as "Deputy" or "deputy" First Minister, due to differing preferences by civil servants (and potentially ministers), although
5292-665: The IRA announced a ceasefire, followed shortly afterwards by the loyalist paramilitaries. Hume, Adams and Reynolds met in Dublin and publicly shook hands. The SDLP Leader called for peace negotiations to begin without delay. Throughout 1995 the SDLP continued to engage in talks with the Irish and British Governments, and with other political parties to establish formal all-party talks. They suggested appointing former US Senator George Mitchell to oversee an international body on arms decommissioning. The Government then established this body which produced
5400-466: The Irish Government to agree a collective way forward. Negotiations began in early 1985 and concluded on 15 November with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Although the agreement was supported by the SDLP, it faced considerable opposition from Unionist parties. Fifteen Unionist MPs resigned their Westminster seats forcing by-elections in January 1986. The SDLP targeted constituencies where support for
5508-566: The Nationalist Party's policy of abstentionism and sought to fight for civil rights within the Stormont system. However, the SDLP quickly came to the view that Stormont was unreformable, refusing to attend the state opening on 18 June 1971, and withdrawing altogether in response the shooting dead of Seamus Cusack and Desmond Beattie in Derry on 8 July. On 15 August the SDLP announced they would lead
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#17328383805195616-551: The Northern Ireland Executive are allocated to parties with significant representation in the Assembly. With the exception of justice, the number of ministries to which each party is entitled is determined by the D'Hondt system . In effect, major parties cannot be excluded from participation in government and power-sharing is enforced by the system. The form of government is therefore known as mandatory coalition as opposed to voluntary coalition where parties negotiate an agreement to share power. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP),
5724-501: The SDLP and outside. The talks would eventually lead to the Downing Street Declaration by British Prime Minister John Major and Taoiseach Albert Reynolds , which laid the ground for a ceasefire and negotiations. Throughout 1994, SDLP representatives continued to face attacks from paramilitaries, as loyalists burnt out Joe Hendron’s car while Councillor John Fee was beaten by Republicans outside his home. On 31 August
5832-597: The SDLP as the largest party representing the nationalist community. Paddy Wilson, the SDLP’s General Secretary and councillor in the new Belfast City Council was murdered on the 26 June , two days before the election to the new Northern Ireland Assembly. Wilson and another woman, Irene Andrews, were killed by the UFF, a codename for the UDA. John White was later convicted for his part in the killings. Following publication of
5940-529: The SDLP continued searching for a long term solution, at times engaging in talks with the UUP. In 1977 the party issued a policy document titled "Facing Reality". This called for the party to put a stronger emphasis on the "Irish dimension". In response to this perceived move away from the party’s Labour values Paddy Devlin , then party chairperson, resigned from the party. In 1978 SDLP deputy leader John Hume presented his proposal for an "agreed Ireland". In contrast to
6048-453: The SDLP forming an electoral pact with Sinn Féin . SDLP Leader John Hume stated that this would only be considered in the event of an IRA ceasefire and Sinn Féin agreeing to end their policy of abstentionism . The May 1997 election yielded mixed results for the SDLP. The party increased its vote share to its highest ever level, however lost their seat in Belfast West to Sinn Féin. In
6156-536: The UK, a requirement not to discriminate on religious or political grounds, and having no power over reserved and excepted matters (which are held by the United Kingdom Government ). Ministerial decisions can be challenged by a petition of 30 Northern Ireland Assembly members. This action can be taken for alleged breaches of the Ministerial Code and on "matters of public importance". The Speaker of
6264-496: The UUP and SDLP protested that Alliance was not entitled, under the rules of the Good Friday Agreement , to fill the portfolio and refused to support this move. However, Alliance leader David Ford was elected Minister with the support of the DUP and Sinn Féin. On 26 August 2015, the UUP announced it would withdraw from the Executive and form an opposition after all, in response to the assassination of Kevin McGuigan . On 25 May 2016
6372-488: The absence of a political settlement. The current Executive was provided for in the Belfast Agreement , signed on 10 April 1998. Designates for First Minister and deputy First Minister were appointed on 1 July 1998 by the UUP and SDLP, respectively. A full Executive was nominated on 29 November 1999 and took office on 2 December 1999, comprising the UUP, SDLP, Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin . Devolution
6480-449: The agreement between their two parties on 26 March 2007. Paisley stated his intention to resign on 4 March 2008. His Deputy as DUP leader, Peter Robinson was ratified as Democratic Unionist Party leader designate on 17 April 2008 and became First Minister on 5 June 2008. Arlene Foster succeeded Peter Robinson as DUP leader on 18 December 2015, and as First Minister on 11 January 2016. After more than 20 DUP MLAs and four DUP MPs signed
6588-399: The bill was to prevent another election and keep Northern Ireland services running in the absence of a functional devolved government. However, two Labour MPs, Conor McGinn and Stella Creasy , added amendments that would legalize same-sex marriage and liberalize abortion law (both devolved issues) if the DUP and Sinn Féin could not come to an agreement before 21 October. On 11 January 2020,
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#17328383805196696-408: The capital 'D' still appears in some places, and a spokesman confirmed on 20 March 2008 that the office had "no plans" to change the OFMDFM logo. However, the Assembly committee that scrutinises their work is now listed as the "Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister". Ultimately it was decided that McGuinness should be referred to as the deputy First Minister, unless all
6804-451: The capitalisation of the title has no constitutional consequences in practice. The first two holders of the office, Seamus Mallon and Mark Durkan , were both referred to during their periods of office as "Deputy First Minister", with a capital 'D'. In the Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, which established the executive in Northern Ireland, the two positions are spelt "First Minister and Deputy First Minister" (with
6912-480: The composition and functions of the new Executive, with the SDLP entitled to four of the eleven members and a further two non-Executive office holders. Agreement was still to be reached on many other aspects of the White Paper, particularly regarding the Council of Ireland. Following discussions between the British Prime Minister and Irish Taoiseach , as well as the political parties, it was announced on 9 December at Sunningdale that an agreement had been reached on
7020-405: The current political situation in Northern Ireland, improving public services in both jurisdictions of Ireland, such as healthcare and education, and bringing about further unity and co-operation of the people on the island and arrangements for a future poll on Irish reunification . Claire Hanna , MLA for Belfast South and party spokesperson on Brexit, quit the assembly group as a result. In
7128-416: The deputy First Minister and be carried by a cross-community vote in the Assembly. The number of departments was initially limited to 10 but this increased to 11 upon the devolution of justice. Ministers are disqualified from holding office if appointed to the Government of Ireland or as the chairman or deputy chairman of an Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) committee. The Good Friday Agreement states that
7236-415: The executive even if they are entitled to do so; instead, they can choose to go into opposition if they wish. There were some calls for the SDLP and the UUP to enter opposition after the 2007 Assembly elections , but ultimately the two parties chose to take the seats in the Executive to which they were entitled. In 2010, an exception to the D'Hondt system for allocating the number of ministerial portfolios
7344-470: The executive, except for the Minister of Justice who is elected by a cross-community vote . It is one of three devolved governments in the United Kingdom , the others being the Scottish and Welsh governments. In January 2017, the then deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness resigned in protest over the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal and the Northern Ireland Executive consequently collapsed. The governing of Northern Ireland fell to civil servants in
7452-471: The expense of Sinn Féin, who voters began to turn away from following a number of IRA atrocities. In the European Election that June, John Hume increased the SDLP vote to 25%. In April 1992 the SDLP reached their electoral high point, as Joe Hendron won the Belfast West seat at the expense of Gerry Adams. The SDLP now had four MPs. In late 1992, knowledge of talks between John Hume and Gerry Adams became public. The talks were criticised by many, both within
7560-412: The first Irish nationalist to be appointed to the position, and DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly as Deputy First Minister, on 3 February 2024. Lowercase "d" per here . The First Minister and deputy First Minister share equal responsibilities within government, and their decisions are made jointly. The First Minister is, though, the first to greet official visitors to Northern Ireland and shares
7668-459: The first session of the assembly, Foster stated that it was "time for Stormont to move forward". The new speaker of the Assembly was a member of Sinn Féin. The collapse of this Executive led to the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election . On 3 February 2022, Paul Givan resigned as first minister, which automatically resigned Michelle O'Neill as deputy first minister and collapsed the executive of Northern Ireland. On 30 January 2024, leader of
7776-501: The first time on 30 May with five SDLP members: John Hume, Austin Currie, Joe Hendron, Eddie McGrady and Seamus Mallon. Submissions were taken from sectors, individuals and organisations across the island of Ireland, examining the long-term future of the island. After a year of work the Forum published its report in May 1984, detailing three possible structures for a new Ireland. The three options of
7884-504: The functions of the office during a vacancy; currently for a continuous period up to six weeks. Vacancies have occurred on four occasions to date: In the Irish language, the literal translation of these positions is "Céad-Aire agus an leas Chéad-Aire". The titles appear in both English and Irish in published literature by the North-South Ministerial Council, one of the "mutually inter-dependent" institutions laid out in
7992-402: The joint appointment. On 16 May 2011, 10 other Executive ministers (with the exception of the Minister of Justice) and two junior ministers were appointed by their political parties. The Minister of Justice was then elected by the Assembly via a cross-community vote. On 26 August 2015, the UUP withdrew from the Executive in protest over the alleged involvement of members of the Provisional IRA in
8100-410: The largest party of the largest designation happens not to also be the largest party in the assembly overall, then the appointment procedure would be as follows: This method of selection was first used in 2024, after the DUP ended its Stormont boycott following agreed changes with the UK government regarding post-Brexit trading relations affected by the Northern Ireland protocol and the implementation of
8208-412: The lead up to the 2022 Assembly election , party leader Colum Eastwood played down the partnership stating, "The SDLP stands on its own two feet." This led people to commentate that the partnership is no longer active, with comments from as early as 2020 determining that it had been "quietly forgotten". The partnership officially ended on 28 September 2022. In contrast to Sinn Féin , which follows
8316-502: The murder of Kevin McGuigan Sr. Danny Kennedy MLA's position as Minister for Regional Development was later taken over by the DUP, thereby leaving four Northern Irish parties in the power sharing agreement. On 10 September 2015 Peter Robinson stepped down as First Minister, although he did not officially resign. Arlene Foster took over as acting First Minister. Robinson resumed his duties as First Minister again on 20 October 2015. Following
8424-567: The new party. Additionally, individual members and branches from other parties joined including from the Irish Labour Party , Nationalist Party, Northern Ireland Labour Party, Republican Labour Party and Ulster Liberal Party. The SDLP contested its first election in a by-election for the Belfast St. Anne’s seat on 12 November. Their candidate Gerry Laverty won 24.2% of the vote in the traditionally Unionist seat. The SDLP initially rejected
8532-553: The office. Some believe that the case change was advocated to highlight the fact that the position holds the same power as the position of First Minister, but a spokesman for McGuinness said that neither McGuinness nor his advisers had asked for the change. Speaker William Hay ordered the change and the capital 'D' was no longer used in Hansard references. Officials edited the department's archive of press releases to make that change (despite its use by Mallon and Durkan when in office) but
8640-468: The other letters in the title are in capitals. Confusion isn't completely resolved however; if McGuinness wrote to the Assembly committee that scrutinised his work, his note would have a letterhead that comes from the "Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister", but he would get a reply back from the Committee for the "Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister". In official language,
8748-399: The party issued its first major policy document, entitled "Towards a New Ireland". It recommended that the British Government issue a declaration that it would recognise that Ireland is better off united, and that as an interim proposal Northern Ireland should be administered jointly by the British and Irish Governments. It also proposed the establishment of a National Senate drawn equally from
8856-563: The periods of suspension, the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland assumed the responsibilities of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party ( SDLP ; Irish : Páirtí Sóisialta agus Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre ) is a social democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland . The SDLP currently has eight members in
8964-451: The political wing of the Provisional IRA, took 10.1% of the vote and 5 seats. As a result of Seamus Mallon’s membership of Seanad Éireann he was removed as a member of the Assembly and a by-election was held in Armagh the following spring. The SDLP called for a boycott and amidst low turnout the UUP won the election. In the lead up to the 1982 Assembly election the SDLP proposed a “Council for
9072-610: The position as "joint head of government". Following a referendum on the Belfast Agreement on 23 May 1998 and subsequent the Northern Ireland Act 1998 , the Northern Ireland Assembly was established in 1998 with a view to assuming devolved powers from the Westminster Parliament . On 1 July 1998, David Trimble (UUP) and Seamus Mallon (SDLP) were nominated and elected First Minister and deputy First Minister designates respectively. Eventually, on 2 December 1999, power
9180-550: The positions are sometimes abbreviated to FM/dFM . Sinn Féin started using the phrases "Joint First Minister" and "Co-First Minister" in 2009 to describe the deputy First Minister to highlight the fact that the First Minister and deputy First Minister operated in tandem. Martin McGuinness used the term Joint First Minister himself when he arrived for a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in February 2009;
9288-460: The possibility of a merger or electoral alliance with the SDLP. In January 2019, the SDLP membership were e-mailed on the issue with the text "continuing on as normal is not an option", a reference to the party's declining fortunes. In February 2019, at a special party conference, the members approved a partnership with Fianna Fáil , the main opposition party in the Republic of Ireland. Both parties shared policies on key areas, including addressing
9396-503: The prospects of amalgamation with Fianna Fáil . Little came of this speculation and former party leader Margaret Ritchie, Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick rejected the idea. Speaking at the 2010 Irish Labour Party national conference in Galway she said that a merger would not happen while she was leader – "Merger with Fianna Fáil? Not on my watch." After his election as Fianna Fáil Leader in January 2011, Micheál Martin repeatedly dismissed
9504-520: The remaining elements of the White Paper, including the implementation of a Council of Ireland. On 1 January 1974 the Northern Ireland Executive took office, with Gerry Fitt as Deputy Chief Executive, John Hume as Minister of Commerce, Paddy Devlin as Minister of Health and Social Services and Austin Currie as Minister of Housing, Local Government and Planning. The SDLP faced its first Westminster election shortly afterwards in February in what became
9612-459: The running of the Executive Office . Despite the titles of the two offices, the two positions have the same governmental power, resulting in a duumvirate ; the deputy first minister, is not subordinate to the first minister. Created under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement , both were initially nominated and appointed by members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on a joint ticket by
9720-505: The same title as their counterparts in Scotland and Wales . Specifically, they are tasked with co-chairing meetings of the Northern Ireland Executive , "dealing with and co-ordinating" the work of the Executive, and the response of the administration to external relationships. The First Minister and deputy First Minister agree the agenda of Executive meetings and can jointly determine "significant or controversial matters" to be considered by
9828-550: The seat of South Down from Enoch Powell, finally ending his political career. In January 1988 SDLP Leader John Hume began a series of secret talks with Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams which lasted until August of that year. The following year local government elections were held. These elections saw the Party’s best result at a local election since its foundation, winning 21% of the vote and 121 seats. These came mostly at
9936-403: The selection of hunger striker Bobby Sands as a candidate in the following by-election the SDLP decided to withdraw Austin Currie as their candidate. The election was held on 9 April and Bobby Sands won the seat by a slim margin. As the strikes went on, SDLP leader John Hume met Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to ask that she concede some of the demands of the hunger strikers. No agreement
10044-536: The signing of the Fresh Start Agreement , Peter Robinson announced his intention to stand down as leader of the DUP and First Minister of Northern Ireland. He subsequently resigned as DUP leader on 18 December 2015, being succeeded by Arlene Foster . Foster then took office as First Minister on 11 January 2016. The fourth Executive was formed following the May 2016 election . The SDLP , UUP and Alliance Party left
10152-574: The support of: This procedure was used on 2 December 1999 to elect David Trimble ( Ulster Unionist Party , UUP) and Seamus Mallon ( Social Democratic and Labour Party , SDLP). Following several suspensions of the Northern Ireland Executive, Trimble was not re-elected on 2 November 2001 due to opposition from other unionist parties. He was subsequently re-elected alongside Mark Durkan (SDLP) on 6 November 2001; on that occasion, three Alliance Party of Northern Ireland MLAs redesignated from 'other' to 'unionist' to support Trimble's nomination. Following
10260-525: The two main options at the time of full integration into Britain or full withdrawal, Hume’s solution proposed the British government declaring that its aim was to bring the main traditions in Ireland together in reconciliation. After years of little progress 1979 brought considerably more action for the SDLP. A vote of confidence in the Labour Government failed in March that year. Gerry Fitt abstained on
10368-639: The vote as the Government had failed to act on the Bennett Report into RUC interrogation techniques. In the following general election, the Conservatives came to power in Westminster and Fitt held his seat in Belfast West. In June that year the first direct election to the European Parliament were held. The SDLP candidate was John Hume who won a seat with 25% of the first preference vote. He went on to sit in
10476-468: The “ Mitchell Principles ” which parties will be required to meet if they were to enter talks. Following this, the Prime Minister John Major announced details of an election to a Forum which will comprise the parties involved in talks. The election took place in May 1996 where the SDLP took 24% of the vote and 21 seats. Leading up to the next general election there was some speculation on
10584-509: Was devolved and Trimble and Mallon formally took office as joint heads of the Northern Ireland Executive . On 6 November 2001, Mark Durkan (SDLP) became deputy First Minister after Seamus Mallon's retirement. The Executive and the two positions were suspended between 15 October 2002 and 8 May 2007 following a breakdown in trust between the parties. On 8 May 2007, Ian Paisley (DUP) and Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin) were appointed First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively in line with
10692-485: Was elected the party’s first chairman while Sheila Carson becomes its first secretary. Several motions were passed including committing the party firmly to socialism, supporting the parliamentary party’s decision to withdraw from Stormont and condemning the 11-plus. After the abolition of the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1972, the SDLP emerged as the largest party representing the nationalist community. On 20 September
10800-606: Was elected to the House of Commons for the new constituency of Foyle . The following year Hume also retained his seat in the European Parliament. Throughout the 1970s and 80s SDLP leader John Hume used his connections with influential Irish-American politicians Tip O'Neill, Ted Kennedy, Daniel Moynihan and Hugh Carey to push the SDLP’s analysis of the division and conflict on the island of Ireland. The “Four Horsemen” and other senior politicians persuaded President Ronald Reagan to encourage British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to work with
10908-407: Was established for Northern Ireland. The SDLP took office alongside the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and Sinn Féin , and the SDLP's Seamus Mallon became Deputy First Minister alongside the UUP's First Minister, David Trimble . Upon Mallon's retirement in 2001, Mark Durkan succeeded him as Deputy First Minister. There had been a debate in the party on
11016-532: Was established on 1 January 1974, following the Sunningdale Agreement . It comprised a voluntary coalition between the Ulster Unionist Party , Social Democratic and Labour Party and Alliance Party of Northern Ireland , with the UUP's Brian Faulkner in the position of Chief Executive. It was short-lived, collapsing on 28 May 1974 due to the Ulster Workers' Council strike , and the Troubles continued in
11124-444: Was finally reached on 10 April 1998 when the SDLP, seven other parties, the British and Irish Governments signed the Good Friday Agreement . In the subsequent referendum the SDLP campaigned for a “Yes” vote, with SDLP leader John Hume appearing onstage with U2 frontman Bono and UUP leader David Trimble . The result was a resounding victory for the “Yes” campaign, who secured 71.12% in Northern Ireland. Both Hume and Trimble won
11232-589: Was forthcoming. When Sands died, the SDLP also stood aside for Owen Carron, who also won the seat by a narrow margin. The hunger strikes also had an impact on the electoral fortunes of the SDLP. In local government elections in 1981 the SDLP vote share fell to 17.5% as nationalist voters began to support more candidates from parties like the Irish Independence Party and Irish Republican Socialist Party . In Spring 1982 Northern Ireland Secretary of State Jim Prior proposed “rolling devolution” by which
11340-581: Was governed by civil servants. On 3 February 2024, Sinn Féin 's Michelle O'Neill was appointed First Minister, the first Irish nationalist to be appointed to the position, with DUP 's Emma Little-Pengelly as deputy First Minister. The Executive (and the Assembly) were established in law by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 that followed the Good Friday Agreement and its basis was revised by the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 that followed
11448-433: Was led by the DUP and Sinn Féin, with the UUP and SDLP also securing ministerial roles. However, the Executive did not meet between 19 June 2008 and 20 November 2008 due to a boycott by Sinn Féin . This took place during a dispute between the DUP and Sinn Féin over the devolution of policing and justice powers. Policing and justice powers were devolved on 12 April 2010, with the new Minister of Justice won by Alliance in
11556-523: Was made under the Hillsborough Castle Agreement to allow the cross-community Alliance Party of Northern Ireland to hold the politically contentious policing and justice brief when most of those powers were devolved to the Assembly. Devolution took place on 12 April 2010. Under D'Hondt, the SDLP would have been entitled to the extra ministerial seat on the revised Executive created by the devolution of policing and justice. Accordingly, both
11664-501: Was suspended for four periods, during which the departments came under the responsibility of direct rule ministers from the Northern Ireland Office : The 2002–2007 suspension followed the refusal of the Ulster Unionist Party to share power with Sinn Féin after a high-profile Police Service of Northern Ireland investigation into an alleged Provisional Irish Republican Army spy ring. The second Executive formed in 2007
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