Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to resign

Resignation: Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will resign
Fiona Simpson9 January 2017
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Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister Martin McGuinness is set to resign in protest over a botched renewable energy scheme.

The Sinn Fein veteran's move, which will come into effect at 5pm on Monday, is likely to lead to a snap Assembly election in the region.

Mr McGuinness announced his decision after his partner in government, DUP First Minister Arlene Foster, repeatedly refused to step down to facilitate a probe into the ill-fated Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) - a scheme that has left Stormont facing a £490 million overspend.

He said his Mrs Foster has a "clear conflict of interest" in the scandal, the BBC reported.

Mr McGuinness's move comes hours after Mrs Foster accused him of playing a political game of chicken and warned she would not blink first.

"If he is playing a game of chicken, if Sinn Fein are playing a game of chicken, and they think we are going to blink in relation to me stepping aside they are wrong - I won't be stepping aside," she said.

"And if there is an election, there is an election."

While Sinn Fein had been due to formally call for Mrs Foster to step down in an Assembly debate next week, there had been speculation the party would pull the plug earlier.

Mr McGuinness, who has been experiencing health problems, confirmed that on Monday afternoon.

"It is my firm view that the DUP's handling of this issue has been completely out of step with a public mood which is rightly outraged at the squandering of public money and the allegations of misconduct and corruption," he wrote in his resignation letter to the Assembly's speaker.

"The public are demanding robust action and accountability but the DUP, in particular its leader Arlene Foster, have refused to accept this."

The structure of Stormont's Executive Office means a First Minister cannot hold the position without a co-equal Deputy First Minister.

Mr McGuinness's resignation means Mrs Foster will no longer be First Minister.

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