, ▁but ▁F oster ▁rejected ▁any ▁suggestion ▁of ▁her ▁ste pping ▁aside . ▁After ▁the ▁vote , ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁put ▁a ▁motion ▁to ▁the ▁Assembly ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁that ▁would ▁call ▁for ▁F oster ▁to ▁step ▁aside ▁from ▁her ▁role . ▁Northern ▁Irish ▁legisl ation ▁allows ▁for ▁a ▁first ▁minister ▁to ▁step ▁aside ▁for ▁six ▁weeks . ▁Form er ▁First ▁Minister ▁Peter ▁Robinson ▁and ▁former ▁deput y ▁First ▁Minister ▁Martin ▁Mc Gu in ness ▁have ▁done ▁this ▁in ▁the ▁past . ▁ ▁Imp art ial ity ▁of ▁the ▁Spe aker ▁ ▁The ▁constitution al ▁im partial ity ▁of ▁the ▁Spe aker ▁was ▁called ▁into ▁question ▁by ▁opposition ▁parties ▁because ▁he ▁allowed ▁F oster ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁minister ial ▁statement ▁without ▁agreement ▁with ▁S inn ▁F é in . ▁ ▁As ▁F oster ▁and ▁Mc Gu in ness ▁hold ▁equal ▁roles , ▁they ▁both ▁must ▁agree ▁on ▁issues ▁before ▁acting ▁in ▁their ▁capac ities ▁as ▁First ▁and ▁deput y ▁First ▁Minister s . ▁ ▁Newton , ▁who ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁D UP ▁M LA , ▁said ▁he ▁took ▁Spe aker ' s ▁independence ▁" ext rem ely ▁seriously ". ▁ML As ▁compla ined ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁" und erm ined ▁the ▁principles ▁of ▁power - sh aring ▁by ▁perm itting ▁the ▁first ▁minister ▁to ▁speak ▁without ▁the ▁agreement ▁of ▁the ▁deput y ▁first ▁minister ". ▁ ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁were ▁equally ▁inc ensed ▁by ▁the ▁Spe aker ' s ▁bl at