Paul Givan nominated by DUP's Edwin Poots as Northern Ireland's new first minister

Lagan Valley Assembly member Paul Givan on June 8 was announced as Northern Ireland's new first minister. According to the Guardian, Edwin Poots, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader, named Givan as the next first minister amid tensions within the party. Now, the 39-year-old on Monday will take over from Arlene Foster, who was ousted as DUP leader in April after an internal revolt, and will become the youngest person to lead Northern Ireland. 

On Tuesday, Poots made the widely unexpected announcement in the Great Hall at Stormont amid turmoil within the DUP that threatens to destabilise the power-sharing executive and assembly at Stormont. A number of DUP members have quit over concerns about the party’s direction since Poot’s election last month. Therefore, he also made other ministerial announcements, including Foyle MLA Gary Middleton as the junior minister in the Executive Office, Strangford MLA Michelle McIlveen as education minister, replacing Peter Weir and North Antrim MLA Paul Frew as the economy minister, replacing Diane Dodds. 

All the new ministers will now take their posts from Monday. The time will allow Arlene Foster, ousted as party leader in a putsch in April, to effectively bow out as first minister on Friday at a British-Irish Council meeting held in her home county, Fermanagh. The seven-day period is also allowed for the approval of a first minister and deputy first minister by power-sharing partners Sinn Féin and the DUP.

Following the announcement, Givan said that there was a “huge responsibility” that comes with the position. He said that he has a “huge task” when it comes to tackling waiting lists and “we need to get to work”. Givan added that now there should be an “effective transition” that needs to take place next week so that he has a “smooth delivery of governance”. Givan said it was a huge task to follow DUP founder Ian Paisley, and his successors Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster, whom he referred to as "giants".

About Paul Givan 

Givan was one of the early names to be tipped for the post of first minister in the eventuality of Edwin Poots winning the DUP leadership contest. He has previously served as a special adviser to Poots, both when he was minister for the former Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and when he was environment minister. Givan’s own assembly career began in 2010 when he was co-opted in the Lagan Valley constituency to replace Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who became an MP.

The 39-year-old was the chairman of the Stormont Justice Committee. He became a communities minister in 2016. Givan found himself at the centre of a political row in 2016 over his decision to cut funding for an Irish language scheme. He had endorsed Poots' bid for leadership of the DUP.

(Image: Twitter)