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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Stormont crisis: Northern Ireland Assembly adjournment to be discussed | Stormont crisis: Northern Ireland Assembly adjournment to be discussed |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Stormont committee is to meet later to discuss adjourning the Northern Ireland Assembly. | A Stormont committee is to meet later to discuss adjourning the Northern Ireland Assembly. |
| DUP leader Peter Robinson said his party would resign from the Stormont Executive if the committee did not agree the proposal or if the government does not suspend the institutions. | DUP leader Peter Robinson said his party would resign from the Stormont Executive if the committee did not agree the proposal or if the government does not suspend the institutions. |
| It follows a political crisis sparked by the murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr. | It follows a political crisis sparked by the murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr. |
| This deepened after the arrests of three senior republicans on Wednesday. | This deepened after the arrests of three senior republicans on Wednesday. |
| Sinn Féin's northern chairman Bobby Storey is one of the three republicans being questioned about the murder. | Sinn Féin's northern chairman Bobby Storey is one of the three republicans being questioned about the murder. |
| The Police Service of Northern Ireland's Chief Constable George Hamilton said last month that Provisional IRA members had a role in Mr McGuigan Sr's murder. | The Police Service of Northern Ireland's Chief Constable George Hamilton said last month that Provisional IRA members had a role in Mr McGuigan Sr's murder. |
| Sinn Féin has denied this and maintains the Provisional IRA no longer exists. | Sinn Féin has denied this and maintains the Provisional IRA no longer exists. |
| The chief constable also said there was no evidence at that stage that the killing had been sanctioned at a senior level of the organisation. | The chief constable also said there was no evidence at that stage that the killing had been sanctioned at a senior level of the organisation. |
| Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said what was needed was "positive leadership" and a "willingness to sort out these problems". | Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said what was needed was "positive leadership" and a "willingness to sort out these problems". |
| "There is only one republican organisation that is Sinn Féin, there is only one leadership ard chomhairle [party executive]," he said. | "There is only one republican organisation that is Sinn Féin, there is only one leadership ard chomhairle [party executive]," he said. |
| "The IRA has gone." | "The IRA has gone." |
| Stormont business committee | Stormont business committee |
| The committee has 10 members drawn from the five main parties, is chaired by the speaker and includes party whips. | The committee has 10 members drawn from the five main parties, is chaired by the speaker and includes party whips. |
| It generally meets once a week while the assembly is sitting. | It generally meets once a week while the assembly is sitting. |
| Its main function is to consider what business is to be scheduled for assembly plenary sessions, held on Monday and Tuesday. | Its main function is to consider what business is to be scheduled for assembly plenary sessions, held on Monday and Tuesday. |
| The speaker is Sinn Féin's Mitchel McLaughlin and it he has the power to allow a recall of the committee. | The speaker is Sinn Féin's Mitchel McLaughlin and it he has the power to allow a recall of the committee. |
| Votes on the business committee do not require cross-community support but straight majorities. | Votes on the business committee do not require cross-community support but straight majorities. |
| Committee members cast their votes in proportion to their parties' strengths in the assembly. For example, DUP members wield 38 votes, representing the number of MLAs in the assembly group. | Committee members cast their votes in proportion to their parties' strengths in the assembly. For example, DUP members wield 38 votes, representing the number of MLAs in the assembly group. |
| Last week, the DUP's request for an adjournment of the assembly was rejected because it only won support from Alliance and was therefore outvoted by the combined votes of the SDLP, Sinn Féin and UUP. | Last week, the DUP's request for an adjournment of the assembly was rejected because it only won support from Alliance and was therefore outvoted by the combined votes of the SDLP, Sinn Féin and UUP. |
| DUP Finance Minister Simon Hamilton said the situation was "very difficult" but said he thought a resolution was possible. | DUP Finance Minister Simon Hamilton said the situation was "very difficult" but said he thought a resolution was possible. |
| "It is not business as usual, it cannot be business as usual," he said. | "It is not business as usual, it cannot be business as usual," he said. |
| "We need to have space for talks... we have had murder now being investigated. | "We need to have space for talks... we have had murder now being investigated. |
| "It highlights the seriousness of the situation." | "It highlights the seriousness of the situation." |
| Stewart Dickson, Alliance, said he had been told the business committee would meet at 14:00 BST. | Stewart Dickson, Alliance, said he had been told the business committee would meet at 14:00 BST. |
| "First of all we would be encouraging the parties to return to talks via the secretary of state, but we also believe that it's important that there is space for that to take place in," he said. | "First of all we would be encouraging the parties to return to talks via the secretary of state, but we also believe that it's important that there is space for that to take place in," he said. |
| "If an adjournment would assist that and would assist the assembly to continue to allow those talks to take place, then we would be supporting a motion to adjourn the assembly for a fixed period of time." | "If an adjournment would assist that and would assist the assembly to continue to allow those talks to take place, then we would be supporting a motion to adjourn the assembly for a fixed period of time." |
| In a tweet, Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald said: "Anyone who believes that you save the institutions by closing them down is deluded." | |
| Analysis Mark Devenport political editor | Analysis Mark Devenport political editor |
| The political difference between adjournment and suspension is that adjournment would be a voluntary decision by the parties of the assembly - that would not necessarily be as big a deal as suspension. | The political difference between adjournment and suspension is that adjournment would be a voluntary decision by the parties of the assembly - that would not necessarily be as big a deal as suspension. |
| In that scenario, the secretary of state would be in control of the institutions and she would decide how long it would last. | In that scenario, the secretary of state would be in control of the institutions and she would decide how long it would last. |
| If we have an adjournment, the DUP, Sinn Féin and indeed the other ministers who are still in office, continue in their jobs. | If we have an adjournment, the DUP, Sinn Féin and indeed the other ministers who are still in office, continue in their jobs. |
| A suspension would mean not just the assembly, but also a suspension of the executive and the ministers | A suspension would mean not just the assembly, but also a suspension of the executive and the ministers |
| Grave mistake | Grave mistake |
| As the DUP are the largest party, the power-sharing institutions cannot operate without them. | As the DUP are the largest party, the power-sharing institutions cannot operate without them. |
| Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said it would be a grave mistake on the part of the British government to suspend the institutions. | Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said it would be a grave mistake on the part of the British government to suspend the institutions. |
| The SDLP have not definitively stated their position. | The SDLP have not definitively stated their position. |
| Speaking ahead of a meeting with Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny in Dublin on Thursday morning, party leader Alasdair McDonnell said they would be talking through the "various issues involved". | Speaking ahead of a meeting with Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny in Dublin on Thursday morning, party leader Alasdair McDonnell said they would be talking through the "various issues involved". |
| "We are going to do what we feel is in the best interests of the whole community and we will do whatever we can," he said. | "We are going to do what we feel is in the best interests of the whole community and we will do whatever we can," he said. |
| "Sinn Féin and the DUP have put us in this position. A lot of immature premature decisions have been taken that are disproportionate." | "Sinn Féin and the DUP have put us in this position. A lot of immature premature decisions have been taken that are disproportionate." |
| Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said the only way his party would support an adjournment was if Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams "injected some honesty" about the "status of the IRA in 2015". | Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said the only way his party would support an adjournment was if Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams "injected some honesty" about the "status of the IRA in 2015". |
| 'DUP ploy' | 'DUP ploy' |
| "If Sinn Féin's refusal to be honest is to result in a breakdown, we support suspension over adjournment, for one simple reason," he said. | "If Sinn Féin's refusal to be honest is to result in a breakdown, we support suspension over adjournment, for one simple reason," he said. |
| "With adjournment everyone keeps their salaries and privileges, their status and staff. I can think of nothing that will focus minds more than unemployment." | "With adjournment everyone keeps their salaries and privileges, their status and staff. I can think of nothing that will focus minds more than unemployment." |
| Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said attempts to adjourn the assembly were "cosmetic". | Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said attempts to adjourn the assembly were "cosmetic". |
| "Mere adjournment of the assembly is a DUP ploy to keep Sinn Féin in government," he said. | "Mere adjournment of the assembly is a DUP ploy to keep Sinn Féin in government," he said. |
| "Adjournment mean ministers carry on strutting the stage as ministers. All it means is that they are not accountable to the assembly. | "Adjournment mean ministers carry on strutting the stage as ministers. All it means is that they are not accountable to the assembly. |
| "There is a party in government that is linked through the IRA to murder on the streets." | "There is a party in government that is linked through the IRA to murder on the streets." |