NORTHERN IRELAND’S fourth Assembly since the signing of the Belfast Agreement in 1998 gathers at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, today with some acrimony expected over how the Northern Executive ministries will be allocated.
For the first time the Alliance party will be entitled to a ministry under the d’Hondt proportional system of apportioning ministries after Independent unionist for East Derry David McClarty said last night he would not rejoin the Ulster Unionist Party.
Had he returned to the UUP, which de-selected him in his constituency, the Ulster Unionists with 16 Assembly seats would have been entitled to two ministries – the same number it held in the last Northern Executive. But his decision means it must be satisfied with just one department.
“I stood as an Independent, the people elected me as an Independent and I will sit as an Independent,” Mr McClarty said.
He acknowledged he was in a strong bargaining position with his party but despite overtures from the UUP including from leader Tom Elliott he decided not to retake the UUP whip.
“I am well aware that my position is such that I could ask practically anything that I want, whether a ministry, a committee chairmanship, or whatever. But this is not about me, this is about what I feel is best for the people who have elected me,” added Mr McClarty. “If I went away from that I would lose a great amount of credibility.”
He said Mr Elliott’s much-criticised election count description of Sinn Féin supporters as “scum” was a “consideration” in his decision but not a “major consideration”. Not only will his decision be disappointing for the UUP and Mr Elliott but the reduction in ministries will further accentuate how poorly Ulster Unionists performed in the Assembly and local elections.
The DUP with 38 seats will be entitled to four ministries, excluding the first minister post and a junior ministry, which it will also take. Sinn Féin with 29 seats will have three ministries plus the deputy first minister post and a junior ministry. The ministers will be appointed on Monday at Stormont.
As the 108 MLAs come together at Parliament Buildings for today’s noon sitting of the Assembly there is likely to be annoyance among UUP and SDLP members that with 16 and 14 seats respectively they each will be entitled to just one department while Alliance with eight seats is likely to have two ministries.
Alliance not only will be due a department under d’Hondt but it is also expected that in a separate cross-community Assembly vote Alliance leader David Ford will be returned as minister of justice for at least another year.
Today Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness are due to be renominated and appointed as first minister and deputy first minister. The Assembly is also meeting to appoint a new speaker.
The DUP wants to reappoint its Foyle MLA William Hay. It is understood, however, some Sinn Féin members are arguing Sinn Féin deputy speaker in the last Assembly Francie Molloy should take the post.
During the last Assembly the former DUP first minister, the Rev Ian Paisley, suggested the speaker position could be alternated between the DUP and Sinn Féin from Assembly to Assembly.
Discussions between the DUP and Sinn Féin at senior level to resolve this matter were continuing last night. Meanwhile, SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie has expressed confidence she will remain in her post, saying she had no intention of “considering her position” after her party dropped from 16 to 14 Assembly seats.
