Sinn Féin has reaffirmed its commitment to the Northern Ireland Executive, with First Minister Michelle O’Neill assuring the party will not withdraw from the power-sharing government. The comments come amid growing concerns about the stability of Stormont and calls for institutional reform.

O’Neill, who is also Sinn Féin’s deputy leader, addressed the issue during an event in Ballina, County Mayo, on Sunday. She emphasized that exiting the Northern Ireland Executive would result in the British Government assuming direct control over public services, a scenario Sinn Féin seeks to avoid. “Walking away would mean handing control of our public services over to British Government ministers. That would be disastrous and Sinn Féin is not going to do that,” she stated.

The remarks respond to recent warnings from Sinn Féin senator Conor Murphy, who highlighted the risk of the Northern Ireland government collapsing without changes to existing institutional arrangements. Murphy expressed concern that failure to reform could cause “the wheels” to come off the administrative framework governing Northern Ireland.

Sinn Féin’s stance follows a period of heightened political tension in Northern Ireland, where disagreements within the power-sharing Executive have raised questions about the future of devolved governance. The party’s insistence on remaining within the Executive signals a commitment to maintaining local control rather than triggering direct rule from Westminster.

Efforts to reform the institutions are ongoing, with various parties and the UK and Irish governments engaging in dialogue aimed at addressing structural challenges. Sinn Féin’s pledge to stay in the Executive suggests a preference for negotiation and reform over withdrawal, underlining the complex political dynamics at play in Northern Ireland.