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| Northern Ireland Faces Crisis as Unionist First Minister Resigns | Northern Ireland Faces Crisis as Unionist First Minister Resigns |
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| DUBLIN — The fractious power-sharing provincial government in Northern Ireland came perilously close to collapse on Thursday as Peter Robinson, leader of the majority party, followed through on his threat to resign as first minister. It was the latest chapter in a political crisis prompted by police claims that the Irish Republican Army is still active a decade after it said it had disbanded. | DUBLIN — The fractious power-sharing provincial government in Northern Ireland came perilously close to collapse on Thursday as Peter Robinson, leader of the majority party, followed through on his threat to resign as first minister. It was the latest chapter in a political crisis prompted by police claims that the Irish Republican Army is still active a decade after it said it had disbanded. |
| Mr. Robinson, who heads the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, was joined by all but one of his fellow Democratic Unionist ministers in the 15-member executive branch of the legislature, the Northern Ireland Assembly. Under the system of proportional representation used in Northern Ireland, the multiparty executive branch cannot function if either of the two largest parties fails to participate. | Mr. Robinson, who heads the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, was joined by all but one of his fellow Democratic Unionist ministers in the 15-member executive branch of the legislature, the Northern Ireland Assembly. Under the system of proportional representation used in Northern Ireland, the multiparty executive branch cannot function if either of the two largest parties fails to participate. |
| The move came after the legislature refused to vote to suspend assembly business pending an investigation into the allegations, as Mr. Robinson had demanded. It creates some breathing space over the next week for the British and Irish governments to find a way through the impasse, but given the party’s actions, it seems in no mood to compromise. Mr. Robinson must renominate his ministerial team within seven days or call assembly elections. | The move came after the legislature refused to vote to suspend assembly business pending an investigation into the allegations, as Mr. Robinson had demanded. It creates some breathing space over the next week for the British and Irish governments to find a way through the impasse, but given the party’s actions, it seems in no mood to compromise. Mr. Robinson must renominate his ministerial team within seven days or call assembly elections. |
| Mr. Robinson said the assembly needed to adjourn to discuss the fallout from the killing of Kevin McGuigan, a former I.R.A. member, on Aug. 12 and the subsequent arrest of senior members of Sinn Fein, the majority Irish nationalist party in the assembly and the former political wing of the I.R.A. | Mr. Robinson said the assembly needed to adjourn to discuss the fallout from the killing of Kevin McGuigan, a former I.R.A. member, on Aug. 12 and the subsequent arrest of senior members of Sinn Fein, the majority Irish nationalist party in the assembly and the former political wing of the I.R.A. |
| Last month, Northern Ireland’s police chief, George Hamilton, said that while there was no evidence that the organization had sanctioned Mr. McGuigan’s murder, some individual current and former I.R.A. members “continue to engage in a range of criminal activity and occasional violence in the interest of personal gain or personal agendas.” The killing of Mr. McGuigan was apparently in retaliation for the murder of another former I.R.A. member, Gerard (Jock) Davison, in May. | Last month, Northern Ireland’s police chief, George Hamilton, said that while there was no evidence that the organization had sanctioned Mr. McGuigan’s murder, some individual current and former I.R.A. members “continue to engage in a range of criminal activity and occasional violence in the interest of personal gain or personal agendas.” The killing of Mr. McGuigan was apparently in retaliation for the murder of another former I.R.A. member, Gerard (Jock) Davison, in May. |
| Chief Hamilton’s comments enraged unionists, as the I.R.A. had declared itself out of business 10 years ago, renouncing violence and giving up its arms. Many former I.R.A. members, now rubbing shoulders with the unionists in the government, vehemently deny the I.R.A.’s continued existence. | Chief Hamilton’s comments enraged unionists, as the I.R.A. had declared itself out of business 10 years ago, renouncing violence and giving up its arms. Many former I.R.A. members, now rubbing shoulders with the unionists in the government, vehemently deny the I.R.A.’s continued existence. |
| Last week, the minority Ulster Unionist Party resigned from the executive branch over the issue, citing distrust of Sinn Fein. | |
| But unlike the Democratic Unionist Party, it lacks the numbers to cause a government collapse. | |
| At a news conference after his resignation, Mr. Robinson called on the British government to suspend the assembly, saying, “The fact that a leading member, or leading members, of Sinn Fein have been associated with a murder indicates to us very clearly that those are unacceptable circumstances, and we cannot do business as usual.” | At a news conference after his resignation, Mr. Robinson called on the British government to suspend the assembly, saying, “The fact that a leading member, or leading members, of Sinn Fein have been associated with a murder indicates to us very clearly that those are unacceptable circumstances, and we cannot do business as usual.” |
| Only one Democratic Unionist minister, Arlene Foster, did not resign, which leaves the party with a toehold in the government. Mr. Robinson said she would remain as finance minister and acting first minister “to ensure that nationalists and republicans are not able to take financial and other decisions that may be detrimental to Northern Ireland.” | Only one Democratic Unionist minister, Arlene Foster, did not resign, which leaves the party with a toehold in the government. Mr. Robinson said she would remain as finance minister and acting first minister “to ensure that nationalists and republicans are not able to take financial and other decisions that may be detrimental to Northern Ireland.” |
| The legislature’s failure to agree on an adjournment creates a virtual suspension of the multiparty government institutions that have been in place in their current form since 2007. The assembly, which was created as a result of the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement, has been suspended several times in the past, sometimes for several years. On those occasions, Northern Ireland reverted to direct rule from London. | The legislature’s failure to agree on an adjournment creates a virtual suspension of the multiparty government institutions that have been in place in their current form since 2007. The assembly, which was created as a result of the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement, has been suspended several times in the past, sometimes for several years. On those occasions, Northern Ireland reverted to direct rule from London. |
| But on Thursday, the British government moved swiftly to rule out a suspension. Nisar Hussain, a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron, said Mr. Cameron was “gravely concerned” about the situation but had told Mr. Robinson that it would not be right to introduce emergency legislation to suspend the assembly. | But on Thursday, the British government moved swiftly to rule out a suspension. Nisar Hussain, a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron, said Mr. Cameron was “gravely concerned” about the situation but had told Mr. Robinson that it would not be right to introduce emergency legislation to suspend the assembly. |
| “They discussed options for what more the U.K. government could do to comprehensively address all remaining paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland,” Mr. Hussain said. | |
| “The prime minister said that there should be a return to the spirit that had seen politicians show such leadership over the years to deliver a peace process that has inspired people across the world.” | |
| On Thursday night, three former I.R.A. figures arrested in connection with the McGuigan murder were released without being charged, the police said, just one day after their detention. One of them, Bobby Storey, is a senior leader of Sinn Fein who is widely regarded as a close confidant of its president, Gerry Adams. | On Thursday night, three former I.R.A. figures arrested in connection with the McGuigan murder were released without being charged, the police said, just one day after their detention. One of them, Bobby Storey, is a senior leader of Sinn Fein who is widely regarded as a close confidant of its president, Gerry Adams. |
| So far there have been 16 arrests in the case; one person has been charged with arms offenses and the rest have been released unconditionally. | So far there have been 16 arrests in the case; one person has been charged with arms offenses and the rest have been released unconditionally. |
| Alasdair McDonnell, leader of the minority nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party, said it voted against the motion to adjourn because party members did not believe that it would have bought the necessary time. | Alasdair McDonnell, leader of the minority nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party, said it voted against the motion to adjourn because party members did not believe that it would have bought the necessary time. |
| “Adjournment would not have added anything,” he told journalists outside the assembly building after the vote. “When the adjournment was over we would still have been drifting toward suspension. The adjournment was not the solution, and we looked at this long and hard.” | “Adjournment would not have added anything,” he told journalists outside the assembly building after the vote. “When the adjournment was over we would still have been drifting toward suspension. The adjournment was not the solution, and we looked at this long and hard.” |
| At a news conference after the vote, Mr. Adams said Sinn Fein should not be blamed for the murder of Mr. McGuigan. | At a news conference after the vote, Mr. Adams said Sinn Fein should not be blamed for the murder of Mr. McGuigan. |
| “We are not responsible for criminal elements out there,” he said. “Those who are against equality, harmony and peace and those who killed Kevin McGuigan are the only ones who will benefit by bringing down these institutions.” | “We are not responsible for criminal elements out there,” he said. “Those who are against equality, harmony and peace and those who killed Kevin McGuigan are the only ones who will benefit by bringing down these institutions.” |
| The Irish foreign secretary, Charlie Flanagan, said the collapse of the government would serve no useful purpose and appealed to the parties to think hard about the consequences over the weekend. | The Irish foreign secretary, Charlie Flanagan, said the collapse of the government would serve no useful purpose and appealed to the parties to think hard about the consequences over the weekend. |
| “It’s a sad day for Northern Ireland and a sad day for politics,” he said. | “It’s a sad day for Northern Ireland and a sad day for politics,” he said. |