The Fourth Executive was, under the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, a power-sharing coalition.
Following the 6 May 2016 elections to the fifth Northern Ireland Assembly, the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin remained the two largest parties in the Assembly.
Notably for the first time in the assembly's history, parties entitled to seats on the executive could instead opt to go into formal opposition. The UUP, SDLP and Alliance all took up this option, leaving the DUP and Sinn Féin to form a government.
The 4th Northern Ireland Executive was formed on 25 May 2016. It lasted less than a year, and collapsed on 16 January 2017 following the resignation of deputy First Minister McGuinness in protest at the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal.
4th Executive of Northern Ireland OfficeNameTermPartyFirst MinisterArlene Foster2016–2017DUPDeputy First MinisterMartin McGuinness2016–2017Sinn FéinMinister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural AffairsMichelle McIlveen2016–2017DUPMinister for CommunitiesPaul Givan2016–2017DUPMinister of EducationPeter Weir2016–2017DUPMinister for the EconomySimon Hamilton2016–2017DUPMinister of FinanceMáirtín Ó Muilleoir2016–2017Sinn FéinMinister of HealthMichelle O'Neill2016–2017Sinn FéinMinister for InfrastructureChris Hazzard2016–2017Sinn FéinMinister of JusticeClaire Sugden2016–2017 Independent Unionist
See also List of Northern Ireland Executives Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 2016
References