Arlene Foster’s push to restore the assembly has come too late

Had she shown a modicum of humility and stood aside temporarily when the RHI scandal surfaced, which many people wished and hoped she would do, there is a strong possibility the assembly would still be functioning.

No one could have disagreed with Martin McGuinness when he said on the eve of his resignation that they had had enough of the arrogance of Arlene Foster and the DUP.

Perhaps she took seriously elements of the English press which lumped her in with Theresa May, Nicola Sturgeon and Angela Merkel when referring to the emergence of women in western politics.

It may not have been easy returning to Fermanagh no longer a member of that illustrious group but it would have been for the greater good, something which should trump all other considerations.

At least she can always claim to have been the first female (Joint ) leader of Northern Ireland, and perhaps even the last.

AC Thompson, Dungannon