Sinn Fein backs powersharing deal which returns Northern Ireland government

Deal was published by UK and Irish governments on Thursday night, three years after the collapse of devolved institutions

Sinn Fein has given its backing to a powersharing deal to allow the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland after three years.

With the DUP having already signalled its support for a draft deal proposed by the UK and Irish governments, the republican party’s endorsement means the two parties will re-enter an executive in Belfast.

The wide-ranging deal, published by the governments on Thursday night, contains compromise solutions to the vexed disputes at the heart of the 36-month shutdown of the devolved institutions, such as legislative provisions for Irish language speakers.

It also includes what the UK government has insisted will be a major Treasury-funded financial package to tackle a host of acute problems facing a public sector that has been floundering amid the governance vacuum.

Announcing the breakthrough on Friday evening, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said: “We now have the basis to restore powersharing, and we’re up for that.

“There’s no doubt there are serious challenges ahead; the impact of Brexit, austerity and other pressing issues.

“But the biggest and most significant challenge will be ensuring we have genuine powersharing built on equality, respect and integrity.”

Boris Johnson said the deal was “a great step forwards for the people of Northern Ireland and for restoring public confidence in stable devolved government”. The breakthrough also paves the way for “much needed reforms to public services,” the prime minister added.

Under the terms of the deal, the new executive will also take action to reduce spiralling hospital waiting lists; extend mitigation payments for benefit claimants hit by welfare reforms; increase the number of police officers on the beat; and resolve an industrial dispute involving teachers.

The last DUP/Sinn Fein-led coalition government collapsed in January 2017 over a row about a botched green energy scheme.

That row subsequently widened to take in more traditional wrangles on matters such as the Irish language and the thorny legacy of the Troubles.