Northern Ireland

Sinn Féin and DUP to defer NDNA showdown until the autumn say Stormont insiders

Michelle O'Neill said she wanted more than 'fluffy words' from Edwin Poots. Picture by David Young/PA Wire
Michelle O'Neill said she wanted more than 'fluffy words' from Edwin Poots. Picture by David Young/PA Wire Michelle O'Neill said she wanted more than 'fluffy words' from Edwin Poots. Picture by David Young/PA Wire

SINN Féin and the DUP are expected to defer any potential crisis in the institutions until the autumn, according to Stormont insiders.

It is understood that both parties are keen to avert a showdown next week that could jeopardise devolution.

The resignation of Arlene Foster following tomorrow's British-Irish Council is expected to trigger a week of intensive negotiations over Irish language legislation and other commitments in last year's New Decade New Approach deal.

It has been suggested that if the DUP do not consent to bring forward Irish language legislation soon then Sinn Féin will refuse to back Paul Givan's nomination as first minister.

However, The Irish News has been told that both parties are determined to avoid the "nuclear button" and that a collapse of the institutions, similar to that surrounding the RHI scandal in 2017, has been ruled out due to the challenges posed by Covid and what one Stormont source described as "housekeeping in both parties".

The rift within the DUP has been widely publicised in recent weeks but Sinn Féin has its own internal difficulties, which were recently exposed by the ousting of veteran republican Martina Anderson in Foyle.

There has been widespread speculation that the party is seeking to address difficulties in other constituencies ahead of an assembly election.

Sinn Féin's southern contingent is also eager to avoid any adverse publicity that a collapse of the institutions would bring, as it would impact badly on the party's election ambitions in the Republic.

A Sinn Féin spokesman said speculation of a post-dated deadline for the DUP was "news to me" but Stormont sources have indicated that both parties are "shadow boxing" and that "after the usual hype" the nominations for first and deputy first ministers will be agreed.

"Sinn Féin has its eyes on Mary Lou being taoiseach and they won't let anything jeopardise that - hence the leader's recent hands-on approach at Stormont," the source said.

"Both parties have their own internal housekeeping to deal with, while neither of them wants to be associated with collapsing the institutions, for whatever reason, as we emerge from a pandemic."

Irish News columnist Brian Feeney said he believed the parties would agree a "calender of operations" that would see "give and take on a range of issues".

"It looks like there'll be a post-dated deadline rather than an immediate one, which enables the parties to bed-in and for Sinn Féin to manoeuvre itself onto the moral high ground ahead of any potential collapse," he said.

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill yesterday said she wanted more than "fluffy words" from Edwin Poots on his commitment to deliver Irish language legislation.