The Return of Northern Ireland Power Sharing: What It Means

After two years without power sharing, Northern Ireland is finally getting back on track. The DUP says a deal to restore the Northern Ireland power-sharing could be wrapped up in days. Not that it’s perfect or anything, but it might just be enough to get things moving again. The Brits are promising it won’t mess with Brexit either. So, what does it all mean for Northern Ireland? Power sharing returning after a long hiatus could bring some much-needed stability.
Northern Ireland has had a tumultuous history of division and conflict, but there have been moments of cooperation. Power-sharing, where political representatives from both sides of the sectarian divide share governance, has been attempted several times since the 1970s.
The first power-sharing government was The Sunningdale Agreement, formed in 1973, but only lasted a few months before collapsing. The agreement faced opposition from unionists, who felt it gave too much power to nationalists.
The Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985 followed. It was an attempt to improve cooperation between the British and Irish governments. It gave the Irish government an advisory role in Northern Ireland but was opposed by unionists and did little to involve both communities directly in governance.
After decades of conflict, the breakthrough Good Friday Agreement of 1998 established a power-sharing assembly and government. For the first time, unionist and nationalist parties agreed to share power to govern Northern Ireland. This model lasted over two decades and brought lots of stability and cooperation.
After more than two decades of power-sharing, in February 2022, the government suddenly collapsed. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), representing unionists, walked away from Stormont in protest over post-Brexit trade rules. For over two years, the assembly sat empty.
When the UK left the EU, special trading rules were put in place to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The DUP argued these rules created a de facto trade border in the Irish Sea, weakening Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.
They demanded the rules be scrapped. The British government refused, and the DUP withdrew from power-sharing in retaliation. For 26 months, Northern Ireland was left without a functioning government. Public services suffered, and workers went on strike demanding pay increases granted in the rest of the UK.
Historian Davidson expressed optimism to EatNews about Northern Ireland’s political trajectory as negotiations to restore power-sharing governance approach a resolution. After two years of stagnation, the DUP suggests an agreement could be imminent, promising to rejuvenate Northern Ireland’s legislative process without impeding Brexit agreements. Davidson believes this advancement could herald a much-needed period of stability for the region, marking a significant step forward after a long period of uncertainty.
Behind the scenes, the DUP was deeply divided over walking away from Stormont. Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson faced fierce opposition from hardliners when he decided to return to power-sharing. During a critical five-hour DUP meeting, details were leaked on social media, exposing the depth of splits within the party.
Finally, after two years of deadlock, a deal has been struck. The DUP has agreed to revive the institutions of power-sharing in exchange for concessions on the Irish Sea border. Northern Ireland will once again have a functioning government, with Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill as First Minister – a historic first.
One of the DUP’s biggest issues was that the Protocol created trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The new deal will ensure goods moving from Britain to Northern Ireland are not subject to customs declarations or checks. This should alleviate fears that Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market was being undermined.
Furthermore, the deal gives Stormont a greater say over how the Protocol is implemented. A new governing body will be set up with representation from the UK, Ireland and Northern Ireland to discuss any issues with how the Protocol works. The DUP has pushed for Northern Ireland to have more control and input into the rules that directly impact it. This concession helps address that concern.
Other wins for the DUP include a review mechanism for the Protocol and a commitment that it will not be used to impose further divergence between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK without Stormont’s consent. The DUP sees this as a way to guard against any sort of future arrangements that could separate Northern Ireland from Britain.
While the return of power-sharing is historic, the government remains on shaky ground. Deep divisions remain, and another collapse is possible if challenges arise. Michelle O’Neill, taking up the position, shows that the old divisions are fading, with voters judging politicians more on their abilities and policies rather than their religious or political backgrounds.
The return of the power-sharing government is a positive step forward for Northern Ireland after years of political deadlock. However, the agreement raises as many questions as it answers about what comes next for Brexit, the DUP’s influence, and power-sharing itself.
The coming days and weeks will reveal the details of the deal and how it will work in practice. All sides will be hoping for an agreement that can provide long-term stability for Northern Ireland.