Foster accuses Sinn Féin of ‘playing political chicken’

First Minister Arlene Foster has accused her Sinn Féin partners in government of playing a game of political chicken, insisting that she will not step aside.

It comes amid the ongoing row over a green energy scheme which could cost the public purse hundreds of millions of pounds.

Over the weekend, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams left little doubt that Sinn Féin would bring down the powersharing institutions – likely prompting a snap election – if the impasse was not resolved.

His party has repeatedly called for Mrs Foster to stand aside to allow for a full investigation into the handling of renewable heating initiative scheme.

“If the First Minister does not take the actions that society desires and deserves and which a sustainable process of change requires, then Sinn Féin will bring this ongoing and totally unacceptable state of affairs to an end,” Mr Adams said, at a party meeting on Saturday.

But the DUP leader has again refused to budge.

In an interview with the Impartial Reporter, Mrs Foster said: “If Sinn Féin 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.

“And if there is an election, there is an election.”

Mrs Foster also expressed hope Sinn Féin might temper their stance, claiming they had done so over previous political crises.

“They make all sorts of threats and make all sorts of points and then they come back to reality and we deal with the situation and we find a solution,” she added.

Stormont's independent Justice Minister Claire Sugden has suggested a compromise position whereby Mrs Foster would remain in post during the preliminary stages and only step aside if the interim report found she had questions to answer.

The RHI issue will undoubtedly be on the agenda as DUP politicians convene at Stormont on Monday afternoon for their first weekly party meeting of the New Year.

Assembly members and a number of MPs are expected to attend as Mrs Foster addresses them in private on the crisis rocking the foundations of the devolved institutions.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has also confirmed that it has now lodged its motion of no confidence in DUP Speaker Robin Newton.

The party’s chief whip Carál Ní Chuilin said: “The performance in the Assembly on 19 December was a shambles and totally compromised the independence and integrity of that office.

“The Speaker should be above reproach and independently accountable to the political institutions.

"However, he is acting without regard to the integrity of the office and, as such, his position is now untenable.

“He is now part of the problem and an integral part of the unfolding crisis and he should resign immediately.”