Source · Select Committees · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Rejected
Paragraph: 89
Legislate to elect Joint First Ministers by two-thirds Assembly supermajority.
Recommendation
Therefore, we recommend that the Government, in close consultation with the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland parties, legislates to amend the Northern Ireland Act 1998 such that the two holders of the office of Joint First Minister are elected by the Assembly on a supermajority basis of two-thirds, with nominations open to any two MLAs of any two parties who run on a joint slate. This change would take effect from the beginning of the next Assembly mandate.
Government Response Summary
The government rejected the recommendation to legislate for the election of Joint First Ministers by a supermajority, stating that a review or amendment of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is not being considered at this time. It views such a proposal as a significant departure from cross-community protections.
Paragraph Reference:
89
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
Rejected for now. Given the recent restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive, a review of the Agreement, or amendment of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is not being considered at this time. The Government recognises the challenges the report highlights in balancing cross-community governance with institutional stability in Northern Ireland. The Government’s long-standing approach is to work with the locally elected parties in Northern Ireland, on the basis of cross-community consent, to make necessary changes to the governance arrangements in Northern Ireland to enable the more effective operation of the institutions. The New Decade New Approach deal of 2020 and the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022 are examples of addressing concerns. Discussion on the titles and nomination process for First Minister and deputy First Minister has been ongoing since the St Andrews Agreement in 2006. The way the Executive operates requires the First Minister and deputy First Minister to work together. The proposal to nominate the Speaker (Presiding Officer) of the Assembly and to nominate “Joint First Ministers” on a supermajority basis would represent a significant departure from the original cross-community protections of the Agreement, which the Government believes would require significant consultation and consideration. We remain committed to upholding the long established three-strand approach to Northern Ireland affairs, meaning that any reforms to the devolved, strand one, institutions are primarily for the Northern Ireland parties and the UK Government, while ensuring the Irish Government were engaged in the event of substantive reform.