Martin McGuinness has resigned from his position as Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

Paul Moore

Martin McGuinness has resigned from his position as deputy First Minister effective from 5pm today.

McGuinness’ decision to step away over the Democratic Unionist Party’s handling of a renewable energy scheme in the North is expected to herald a new election.

Here is McGuinness’ resignation letter in full…

Over ten difficult and testing years, in the role of deputy First Minister, I have sought with all my energy and determination to serve all of the north and the island of Ireland by making the power-sharing government work.

Throughout that time, I have worked with successive DUP First Ministers and, while our parties are diametrically opposed ideologically and politically, I have always sought to exercise my responsibilities in good faith and to seek resolutions rather than recrimination. I have worked tirelessly to defend our peace process, to advance the reconciliation of our community and to build a better future for our young people.

At times I have stretched and challenged republicans and nationalists in my determination to reach out to our unionist neighbours. It is a source of deep personal frustration that those efforts have not always been reciprocated by unionist leaders. At times, they have been met with outright rejection.

The equality, mutual respect and all-Ireland approaches enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement have never been fully embraced by the DUP. Apart from the negative attitude to nationalism and to the Irish identity and culture, there has been a shameful disrespect towards many other sections of our community. Women, the LGBT community and ethnic minorities have all felt this prejudice. And for those who wish to live their lives through the medium of Irish, elements in the DUP have exhibited the most crude and crass bigotry.

Over this period successive British governments have undermined the process of change by refusing to honour agreements, refusing to resolve the issues of the past while imposing austerity and Brexit against the wishes and best interests of people here.

Against this backdrop the current scandal over the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) has emerged…

McGuinness goes on to robustly criticise First Minister Arlene Foster’s ‘conflict of interest’ around the RHI Scheme, railing against her refusal to gauge the public mood and step aside, adding that her position ‘is not tenable’.

Big news from Belfast: SF’s Martin McGuinness resigning as deputy first minister. Power-sharing has effectively collapsed. Election looming.

— Hugh O'Connell (@oconnellhugh) January 9, 2017