Recommendation 14

Despite what political realities may have dictated in 1998, there is no justifiable reason why the titles of First Minister and Deputy First Minister should not be formally known as ‘Joint First Ministers.’ There is little dispute over the equal powers of the offices and there is consensus that the separate titles can infer a senior and a junior, with potentially distortionary electoral consequences. There is also agreement that the when the Executive Office functions well, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister are seen to be acting jointly in the best interests of Northern Ireland. The misleading titles ascribed to these roles run the risk of positive power- sharing outcomes being diluted. Furthermore, an accurate representation of the jointness of the offices would, 25 years on, reinforce the Agreement’s principle of parity of esteem between the two main communities and send a signal that the Executive Office acts in the interests of them both. This could begin to restore faith in the institutions at a time of crisis.