Stephen Farry: Reform of Stormont could kick-start devolution

Political parties who are willing to form an Executive in Northern Ireland should be allowed to do so in order to kick-start devolution, Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry has said.

The North Down MP was speaking ahead of an adjournment debate he is bringing to the House of Commons on Tuesday, focusing on the operation of the Assembly and Executive.

The powersharing institutions at Stormont are currently not operating after the DUP refused to support the nomination of a speaker or a First and deputy First Minister as part of its protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Previously, in 2017, Sinn Fein pulled down the structures by quitting over a row about a botched green energy scheme.

The 1998 Good Friday peace agreement saw the creation of a system that requires the biggest political bloc of unionists to share power with the biggest bloc of nationalists in a mandatory coalition.

Currently, an administration cannot be formed unless the biggest unionist party and the biggest nationalist party agree to participate in it.

But the cross-community Alliance Party has suggested that the right to nominate a First or deputy First Minister should pass to the next largest group if a political party refuses to participate.

Alliance emerged as the third largest Stormont party, after Sinn Fein and the DUP, following the recent Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

The party is also proposing restricting the use of petitions of concern, where Assembly votes have to be conducted on a cross-community basis.

Mr Farry said if changes did not happen, a cycle of crisis and collapse would continue in Northern Ireland politics.

He said: “If we don’t see even modest reform, we will inevitably just repeat that process of crisis and collapse in future.

“We have recently written to both the UK and Irish Governments, outlining our proposals for reform of the Assembly and Executive in a bid to secure the long-term future and stability of the institutions.

“The case for change is indisputable and uncontroversial.”

He added: “Those proposals do not alter the fundamental principles of the Good Friday Agreement but are significant enough to restore public confidence in the institutions, while kick-starting devolution by allowing those who wish to form an Executive to do so, instead of holding hostage the best interests of everyone in our society.

“Our current system is not an acceptable way to govern and is no longer functioning. If we want stability and future proofing, we know what needs to be done.”