Opinion

The Irish News view: Though they fizz with rage against progress, the doom-mongers and naysayers must know they have lost the argument

Sinn Féin ready to make history as Donaldson gives green light for Stormont return against minor unionist opposition - but as an insult, ‘protocol implementer’ lacks the potency of ‘Lundy’

PACEMAKER BELFAST. 01/02/2024 Jamie Bryson says the incoming DUP deputy first minister will be “debasing themselves” by becoming joint head of an administration with a legal duty to build and operate border posts. The loyalist said that whoever in the party accepted that role would be “implementing the subjugation of the Acts of Union”. In a fiery speech in Moygashel Orange hall, he rounded on Sir Jeffrey Donaldson whom he said would struggle to convince grassroots unionists to support his deal when he couldn’t even convince his party colleague Lord Dodds.
Jamie Bryson told a meeting in Moygashel Orange Hall, Co Tyrone on Thursday night that the incoming DUP deputy first minister will be “debasing themselves” by becoming joint head of an administration with a legal duty to build and operate border posts
By The Irish News

The way has now been paved for a historic first. On Saturday, Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill will become the first republican or nationalist to serve as First Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Of course, as Sinn Féin itself has frequently pointed out in the past, the structures at Stormont mean that the First Minister and Deputy First Minister exercise joint and equal power. The symbolism, however, is unavoidable.

Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill speaks to the media outside Grand Central Hotel in Belfast after a meeting with the Tanaiste. PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN
Michelle O’Neill will be the first nationalist or republican first minister (Colm Lenaghan)

Despite Sinn Féin’s strong performance in the May 2022 Assembly election, where it topped the poll with 27 seats and a 29% vote share, Ms O’Neill has been unable to take up the role because of the wretched self-serving DUP boycott.

Its end is within touching distance. On Thursday, MPs backed the legislation linked to the Safeguarding the Union deal between the British government and the DUP.

Unsurprisingly, it encountered little challenge. Parliament has previously voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Windsor Framework, of which the Donaldson deal is essentially a refreshed version, with added red, white and blue.

Afterwards Sir Jeffrey Donaldson wrote to Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey – who must surely be looking forward to retiring properly – to tell him that there was now the basis for MLAs to vote for a new Speaker, the essential first step to establishing a new Executive.

Parliament has previously voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Windsor Framework, of which the Donaldson deal is essentially a refreshed version, with added red, white and blue

Party leaders are due to meet on Friday to discuss the key issues awaiting ministers – the outline of a programme for government, essentially – although the challenges are well known.

Crashing power-sharing for two years has damaged our public services, accelerating the drift caused by earlier political dysfunction, including Sinn Féin’s three-year collapse of the institutions.

Will this be the Executive which finally takes health and social care reform seriously? How will it approach the hikes to our rates bills, and the other so-called revenue raising measures the British government wants to see in exchange for its £3.3 billion funding package?

PACEMAKER BELFAST. 01/02/2024 Jamie Bryson says the incoming DUP deputy first minister will be “debasing themselves” by becoming joint head of an administration with a legal duty to build and operate border posts. The loyalist said that whoever in the party accepted that role would be “implementing the subjugation of the Acts of Union”. In a fiery speech in Moygashel Orange hall, he rounded on Sir Jeffrey Donaldson whom he said would struggle to convince grassroots unionists to support his deal when he couldn’t even convince his party colleague Lord Dodds.
It was sitting room only at a meeting in Moygashel Orange Hall to denounce the DUP's deal to return to power-sharing

It should be noted that Sir Jeffrey still faces dissent from within DUP ranks. Whether it is committed enough to make the move from the comfort of the benches in the House of Commons and the House of Lords to the draughty platform of an Orange Hall alongside Jim Allister and his fellow travellers remains to be seen.

Though they fizz with rage against progress, the doom-mongers and naysayers must know they have lost the argument; as an insult, ‘protocol implementer’ lacks the potency of ‘Lundy’.