The DUP has decided not to remove Michelle O’Neill as Northern Ireland’s First Minister, instead announcing a series of measures against Sinn Féin following the ongoing Drumcree dispute.
The decision was reached following a meeting of senior DUP officials on Thursday, 29 October, amid growing pressure within the party to take stronger action against the Sinn Féin vice-president.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson confirmed that Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly will remain in office but will no longer participate in joint engagements with Michelle O’Neill.
The decision means that Stormont will continue operating, although relations between its two most senior officeholders have deteriorated significantly.
What has the DUP decided?
The party has outlined a seven-point response to the controversy.
The main measures include:
– Michelle O’Neill remains First Minister, with Emma Little-Pengelly continuing as Deputy First Minister.
– Joint engagements suspended: Little-Pengelly will no longer attend joint official engagements with O’Neill.
– Westminster intervention: The DUP is calling for stronger sanctions against political parties and ministers who breach their responsibilities.
– Police investigation: The party is demanding accountability and transparency surrounding the Drumcree protests.
– Assembly opposition: The DUP intends to use parliamentary mechanisms, including Petitions of Concern, where applicable.
– Stormont talks: The party wants time-limited discussions aimed at restoring confidence and stability.
– Unionist cooperation: The DUP is calling for greater cooperation between unionist parties ahead of the 2027 Assembly election.
Several of these measures are political proposals rather than changes that have already taken effect.
Why hasn’t the DUP removed O’Neill?
Under Northern Ireland’s power-sharing arrangements, the positions of First Minister and Deputy First Minister are linked.
If the DUP withdrew Emma Little-Pengelly from her position without a replacement being appointed, Michelle O’Neill would also cease to hold office, leaving the Executive unable to function normally.
However, Gavin Robinson has resisted calls to take that step.
He has argued that collapsing the institutions would have serious consequences for public services, public sector pay and efforts to resolve Northern Ireland’s budget difficulties.
Robinson has also refused to rule out taking further action should the dispute continue.
Divisions within the DUP
The decision follows public disagreement between senior DUP representatives over how the party should respond to the Drumcree controversy.
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has repeatedly called for Michelle O’Neill to be removed from office.
Lockhart resigned from the DUP’s party officer team last week amid disagreements over the leadership’s approach.
South Down MLA Diane Forsythe subsequently backed calls for O’Neill’s removal, arguing that stronger consequences were necessary.
Robinson’s decision to suspend joint working, rather than withdraw from government, represents an alternative approach to the demands made by those party colleagues.
Why is Drumcree causing this dispute?
The controversy follows protests on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown during September.
The protests prevented a contentious Orange Order parade from travelling along the predominantly nationalist road.
Michelle O’Neill and other senior Sinn Féin representatives participated in demonstrations supporting local residents.
The DUP has accused Sinn Féin of disregarding the rule of law, while O’Neill has defended her involvement.
Police are investigating the unnotified demonstrations, and several Sinn Féin representatives, including O’Neill, have attended voluntary interviews.
The investigation does not mean those interviewed have been found guilty of a criminal offence.
The Northern Ireland Secretary subsequently banned the parade, with the High Court upholding that decision on Wednesday.
Major economic meeting cancelled
One immediate consequence of the DUP’s decision is that Northern Ireland’s First Minister will not attend Friday’s economic summit in Glasgow in her official capacity.
O’Neill and Little-Pengelly had been expected to meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and other devolved leaders.
Discussions were also expected to address Stormont’s ongoing budget difficulties.
Little-Pengelly has requested a separate meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss Northern Ireland’s financial position.
O’Neill criticised the DUP’s decision, describing it as “reckless and irresponsible”, and accused the party of placing its internal political difficulties ahead of Northern Ireland’s interests.
Meanwhile, Robinson has insisted that O’Neill must face consequences over her involvement in the Drumcree dispute.
What happens next?
The immediate threat of Stormont’s collapse has been avoided, but several important questions remain unanswered.
– Will the British Government consider the DUP’s proposed sanctions?
– How long will the suspension of joint engagements continue?
– Can the Executive continue working effectively while its two leaders refuse joint appearances?
– Will further disagreements develop within the DUP over the decision?
– Could the dispute affect political cooperation ahead of the May 2027 Assembly election?
For now, Michelle O’Neill remains First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly remains Deputy First Minister, and Northern Ireland’s devolved institutions continue operating.
However, with joint political engagements suspended and the DUP refusing to rule out further action, the dispute surrounding Drumcree remains unresolved.
ENDS