Events from the year 2024 in Northern Ireland.
Incumbents First Minister of Northern Ireland: Vacant (until 3 February) Michelle O'Neill (since 3 February) deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland: Vacant (until 3 February) Emma Little-Pengelly (since 3 February) Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Chris Heaton-Harris (until 5 July) Hilary Benn (since 5 July)
Events January 1 January – Figures released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland show there were a total of 71 deaths on Northern Ireland's roads during 2023, the highest number for eight years. 2 January – Provisional data released by the Met Office indicates 2023 was the second warmest year on record in the UK behind 2022, with Wales and Northern Ireland experiencing their warmest year on record during 2023. 8 January – The High Court in Belfast dismisses a libel case brought against writer Malachi O'Doherty by Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly over two radio interviews during which O'Doherty claimed Kelly had shot a prison officer during the 1983 Maze Prison escape. Kelly was tried and acquitted for the shooting in 1987, and has always denied responsibility, although the officer concerned has claimed Kelly fired the shot. The junior doctors' union, the Northern Ireland Junior Doctor Committee, is to ballot its members on industrial action over pay, which is significantly lower than that for junior doctors in England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. 14 January – Gerry Murphy of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) tells BBC News NI's Sunday Politics that it will evaluate next steps after a one-day strike planned across several sectors on 18 January, although such action is not endorsed by major unions involved in the dispute. 15 January – Road gritters belonging to the GMB and Unite unions announce a week-long strike from Thursday 18 January, coinciding with a period of cold weather and snow in Northern Ireland. 17 January – The current session of the 7th Northern Ireland Assembly is suspended following the failure of Democratic Unionist Party to support nominations to elect Mike Nesbitt (UUP) or Patsy McGlone (SDLP) to the role of Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly. 18 January – Around 100,000 public sector workers in Northern Ireland stage a one-day strike, affecting public transport, education and healthcare services. Demonstrations also take place in Belfast, Derry, Omagh and Enniskillen in what is billed as Northern Ireland's largest strike for 50 years. 19 January – The High Court in London rules that former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams can be sued in a personal capacity by victims of IRA bomb attacks in England. 23 January – Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announces the deadline to call the next Northern Ireland Assembly election will be extended until 8 February to allow the DUP to hold further talks about restarting the Northern Ireland Executive. 25 January – The remains of a teenage boy found at Bellaghy peatland in County Londonderry could date back to 500BC, police have said. 29 January An urgent meeting of the DUP executive is called following the passing over the deadline to restore power sharing at Stormont. The DUP endorses a deal aimed at restoring the Northern Ireland Executive. Colum Eastwood, the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, says he "cannot in good conscience" attend this year's St Patrick's Day celebration at the White House because of the US response to the Gaza war. 31 January – 2024 Northern Ireland Executive Formation: Details of a deal between the UK government and Democratic Unionist Party aimed at restoring the Northern Ireland Executive are published. It includes reducing checks and paperwork on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
February 1 February – A Statutory Instrument paving the way for the Northern Ireland Executive to be re-established is passed by the House of Commons. A one-day transport strike takes place in Northern Ireland, affecting bus and train services; school support workers also stage industrial action. 3 February – 2024 Northern Ireland Executive Formation: The Northern Ireland Assembly meets to elect a new Speaker. Edwin Poots, a former leader of the DUP, is chosen to be the Assembly's 7th Speaker. The Northern Ireland Executive is restored after the DUP ends its two-year boycott; Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill is appointed as First Minister, becoming the first nationalist politician to hold the post, while the DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly is appointed deputy. SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole is nominated as Leader of the Opposition. Justin McNulty is suspended from the SDLP for leaving the Assembly sitting early to manage Laois GAA at a Gaelic football match in Wexford. 4 February – Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrives in Northern Ireland to visit ministers following the restoration of the Executive. 5 February – Sunak visits Stormont along with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to mark the restoration of the Executive. 6 February – The Public Prosecution Service confirms that two former British Army soldiers who handled the IRA agent known as Stakeknife will not be prosecuted over a series of kidnappings and murders as there is insufficient evidence to support a case against them. Families who use the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice urge MLAs to intervene at plans to cut the number of beds at the hospice. 8 February – The Public Prosecution Service confirms that a former soldier, known as Soldier F, is to face prosecution for the murder of Patrick McVeigh in Belfast in 1972, as well as six counts of attempted murder. Three other former soldiers will also be prosecuted for attempted murder. Health Minister Robin Swann confirms he will be the Ulster Unionist Party candidate for the Westminster constituency of South Antrim at the next general election. 9 February – First Minister Michelle O'Neill attends a police graduation ceremony at Garnerville in East Belfast, becoming the first Sinn Féin politician to do so. The Department of Health announces that funding for the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice has been reinstated, but that this will not reverse plans to reduce the number of beds. A man, aged 44, is charged with the attempted murder of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in February 2023. 12 February – First Minister Michelle O'Neill rules out introducing water charges for Northern Ireland during her time in office. 14 February – First Minister Michelle O'Neill rules out increasing the regional rate by 15% to raise revenue. Assembly member Patrick Brown is censured by the Northern Ireland Local Government Standards Commission following an investigation prompted by his criticism of the process for a senior appointment at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, which were posted on social media. 15 February – DUP councillor Luke Poots is disqualified from holding public for four years by the Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner following a conflict-of-interest over a planning application. 16 February – First Minister Michelle O'Neill appears as a guest on RTÉ's The Late Late Show, where she says she wants to attend events important to the unionist community because it is important for politicians to "step outside of our traditional comfort zones". 19 February – Junior doctors in Northern Ireland vote to take industrial action, and a 24-hour strike is announced for 6–7 March. 20 February – Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd announces that construction will begin on the A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass in the summer of 2025. 21 February – The Unite, GMB and Siptu unions announce plans for a three-day strike on Translink bus and train services from 27 February. The Public Prosecution Service announces that a former RUC officer connected with the Ulster Volunteer Force's Glenanne gang will not face prosecution for ten Troubles-era murders due to lack of evidence. Following a trial at Belfast Crown Court, Daniel Sebastian Allen is sentenced to at least 29 years in prison for killing four people in a house fire in County Fermanagh in 2018. Allen had previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his partner, Denise Gossett, by reason of a suicide pact, and to the murders of her son Ronan, daughter Sabrina, and Sabrina's young daughter Morgana. 23 February – Sammy Wilson announces his resignation as DUP Chief Whip at Westminster. Following a trial at Antrim Crown Court, Jennifer Lennox of Portglenone is sentenced to three concurrent 11 month terms in prison for possession of ammunition in suspicious circumstances, and for two counts of possession of articles for use in terrorism, all of which are suspended for three years. Police had found 54 balaclavas and 118 bullets at her house. 25 February – A planned 72-hour strike on Translink bus and train services planned for 27, 28 and 29 February is called off following negotiations, and the receipt of an improved pay offer, which union members will now be balloted on. 26 February – Healthcare workers and civil servants in Northern Ireland are offered a 5% pay increase by Stormont. 27 February – First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly attend a women's football match at Windsor Park between Northern Ireland and Montenegro. 28 February – The High Court in Belfast rules that conditional immunity from prosecutions for Troubles-era crimes, contained in the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, is in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. 29 February – First Minister Michelle O'Neill announces the Executive has agreed to raise the Regional rate by 4% from April. A group of estate agents announce they will stop posting properties on PropertyPal, Northern Ireland's largest properties-for-sale website, after PropertyPal announced an increase in the fees for posting advertisements.
March 1 March – SSE plc, Northern Ireland's largest supplier of gas, announces it will cut its prices by 22.8% from April. 4 March – Funding for Northern Ireland's only free specialist counselling service for victims of sexual violence is extended for a year as a replacement provider had not been lined up in time for the expiry of the contract with Nexus on 31 March. 5 March – Andrew Muir, the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, announces that American XL bully ownership will be restricted in Northern Ireland, with owners required to obtain an exemption certificate, while the dogs will need to be muzzled and on a lead in public. 6 March – Junior doctors in Northern Ireland begin a 24-hour strike over pay, the first time they have staged industrial action. 7 March – A report into the Troubles-era British Army spy known as Stakeknife concludes that he probably cost more lives than he saved. 10 March – The Police Service of Northern Ireland issue a fresh appeal over the murder of John Haggan, a police constable shot dead at Dunmore Greyhound Stadium in Belfast on 10 March 1994. 12 March – The Unite, GMB and Siptu unions have voted to reject a 5% pay offer from Translink, together with a one-off payment of £1,500 for the 2023–24 financial year. 13 March – Translink says it has no more money to offer a higher pay increase after public transport workers rejected an offer of 5% the previous day. The Advertising Standards Agency bans a video by TikToker Danielle Walsh in which she drank four VK cocktails in under 90 seconds. 15 March – Trade unions representing transport workers agree to re-enter talks with Translink over their pay dispute. 16 March – Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister announces a formal "partnership" with Reform UK at the next general election. 17 March – Northern Ireland Paralympic runner Jason Smyth and professional dance partner Karen Byrne win RTÉ's Dancing with the Stars.