…By Henry George for TDPel Media.
Alliance leader Naomi Long has expressed concerns over the inherent instability of the Stormont Assembly, calling for comprehensive reforms to ensure good and stable governance.
During a hearing with the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, she also questioned Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris about the prolonged period without fully functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland.
DUP’s Protest Action Leaves Assembly Effectively Collapsed
The Assembly remains in a state of collapse due to protest action by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has stated that the DUP will not re-enter devolved government until the UK Government addresses unionist concerns regarding the Brexit settlement.
This recent instability follows a three-year collapse of the Assembly after the resignation of former Sinn Fein deputy first minister Martin McGuinness in 2017.
Fundamental Weaknesses in the Structure of Stormont Institutions
Naomi Long highlighted the frustrating and disappointing reality that, 25 years after the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, Stormont is increasingly unstable.
She emphasized the “fundamental weaknesses and instabilities” within the institutions, noting that the largest parties, Sinn Fein and the DUP, exert disproportionate control over the Executive.
Smaller parties, on the other hand, must negotiate with the bigger parties to advance their agenda, while the larger parties are not required to negotiate or compromise.
Need for Reform to Achieve True Collectivity and Stability
The Alliance leader argued that the power dynamics and disparity between parties make it challenging to achieve genuine collectivity in decision-making.
While reform of the Assembly is not a precondition for her party’s return to government, she emphasized its necessity for good and stable governance.
As time passes without a functioning Executive, the situation worsens, with implications becoming increasingly serious.
Urgency for Reform as Impending Crisis Looms
Naomi Long stressed the urgency for reform, suggesting that preparations for institutional changes should be concurrent with efforts to restore the Executive and Assembly.
She warned that by November of this year, the crisis could become irrecoverable within the next three years, with the situation deteriorating every passing month.
Long called for serious consideration of relatively simple proposals to reform the institutions and enable good government, emphasizing that stable governance should be a collective goal for all parties involved.