The new deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is Michelle McIlveen MLA, party chairman Lord Morrow has confirmed. Party leader Gavin Robinson has also been re-elected.
In the first of a new series of UK-Ireland summits, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Taoiseach Micheal Martin have spoken about their desire to further develop the relationship between the islands. They have agreed a range of commitments that they will take forward to 2030.
The announcement of the Programme for Government has been delayed after an Executive meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning was postponed, after Alliance Minister Andrew Muir said he hadn’t seen the updated document after ministers were asked for feedback.
Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister has confirmed she will travel to Washington for St Patrick’s Day. Emma Little-Pengelly will be there without First Minister Michelle O’Neill after Sinn Fein announced they would not be attending.
Sinn Féin has announced that they will not be attending St Patrick’s Day celebrations at the White House, in what they call a “principled stance in response to the call for the mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza”. The DUP say the decision is “short-sighted and counterproductive”.
The new Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health has been announced as Mike Farrar, a former senior leader at NHS England. He will replace Peter May in April, who is retiring from the Civil Service.
Councillor Aoife Finnegan will replace former Economy Minister Conor Murphy as MLA for Newry and Armagh, after he was elected to the Seanad Éireann last week. She has served as a councillor for Slieve Gullion since 2020.
Finance Minister John O’Dowd has announced an allocation of over £17 million to Stormont departments to help deal with the impacts of Storm Éowyn. The Department for Infrastructure received over £8 million to assist their clean-up operation.
Following Conor Murphy’s successful election to the Seanad, Sinn Féin has announced a reshuffle of their Executive Ministers. Liz Kimmins joins John O’Dowd and Caoimhe Archibald on the frontbench – but all in new departments.
