Michelle O'Neill
Mid Ulster · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“We are shocked and deeply saddened for both the victim of the horrific incident in north Belfast and the people who have been impacted on by the disorder that we have witnessed since. There is absolutely no justification for racism, violence or intimidation.”
“It is the latest chapter in a political psychodrama. It has been playing out in Westminster for forever and a day but particularly over the past 10 years. Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of Brexit, which inflicted so much damage to the wider economy. We are now on the verge of having a seventh British Prime Minister in 10 years.”
“We cannot look at things in isolation. Whether it is the refugee integration strategy, the framework or the legislation, all those things need to move together and at pace.”
“I agree with the Member about the ugly language that was used to describe some people in our community. Like the Member, I have met many people from the black and ethnic minority community in recent times. I do that on an ongoing basis, but I did so recently given what happened over the last number of weeks.”
“There is not just one answer to it, as the Member knows. We need to come at it from every angle. That could be a policing response initially, for which additional funding was secured. I agree that this is the third year in a row in which we have had that type of racist behaviour on our streets. Likewise, I would describe it as a pogrom.”
“Building on that progress, the Executive Office is contributing £3·3 million towards the Derry on the North Atlantic Museum, which is due to open in 2027 and will further enhance Ebrington’s role as a heritage and tourism destination. <BR /> <BR />Ebrington is also continuing to develop as a vibrant events space.”
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“Yes, I would be delighted to visit the Brantry Area Rural Development Association, because it is projects like those that make a real difference. They get right into the heart of the community: they talk to young guys about their role in this; help them to understand everyday misogyny; assist them to make the right decisions; and show them that they have a role in turning the tide. I would love to visit. The benefit and beauty of how we have rolled out the strategy is that it filters down to a community level, so, yes, I will take up that invitation.”
“Far too many women here — it happened as recently as last week — are losing their lives in what is a deeply ingrained misogynistic society. We are making progress, but, of course, we have an awful lot more to do. It will take all of society working together for us to be successful.”
“We launched our strategy in 2024. It is one of the areas in which the Executive are very much united. Ending that scourge is a top priority for all of us around the Executive table and for all Executive parties. As the Member knows, our strategy is based on prevention and early intervention. Some of the work that we have seen thus far is making a real and positive difference. The change fund has invested over £3 million to empower community and voluntary organisations that are working, at grassroots level, to tackle the root causes. The Power to Change campaign has been really powerful. It was launched by TEO, Justice and the PSNI to challenge unacceptable attitudes and reduce harmful behaviours among men and boys.”
“I have been very clear in saying that I do not concur with those words. They were her words, and I will not answer for someone else's words.”
“Those are not my words. They are not words that I would ever use. My job is to try to build a more prosperous society here; to create opportunities and employment; to make this an inclusive society; and to work with others to govern in the best interests of people. That is very much my focus as everybody's First Minister.”
“The Palestinian people always had and continue to have the right to determine their own future. I sincerely hope that this is the beginning of the end. I sincerely hope that everyone involved will play a constructive role in securing peace and justice.”
“Yes. We have already seen a lot of volatility, even since the ceasefire was announced. Absolutely, I urge all sides to faithfully implement the ceasefire agreement and, in doing so, to negotiate in good faith. That must mark a turning point not just for the people of Palestine but for people across the entire Middle East and guarantee a durable peace process for the Palestinian people and the wider Middle East, including an independent Palestinian state. We need to see a two-state solution. <BR /> <BR />The root causes of the decades-long conflict between Palestine and Israel, which we all know, must now be addressed. This opportunity must be taken. The solution has to include the total withdrawal of the Israeli military from Gaza and the West Bank, and an end to the illegal occupation and apartheid.”
“<BR /> <BR />The devastation that we have all witnessed for the past two years is completely inhumane, and the absolute priority — you are 100% right — has to be getting aid to those people by allowing through the aid, support, equipment and everything else that is required to help the Palestinian people.”
“There was a glimmer of hope last week with the ceasefire announcement, and we very much welcome the return of the Palestinian and Israeli political prisoners and hostages and their being reunited with their families. However, that needs to be built on, and eternal vigilance is needed because we all watch on in absolute horror and dismay when we see Israel's genocidal war against the Palestinian people. That is an outrage to international opinion; it is a flagrant breach of international law; it is state-sponsored famine; it is ethnic cleansing; it is displacement of people; and it is the biggest humanitarian disaster of our time. Israel has very much weaponised hunger, relentlessly slaughtered women and children and forcibly destroyed the majority of Gaza, making it uninhabitable.”
“There are two different questions. Yes, Casement Park will be started, and yes, Casement Park will be built. I will work night and day to ensure that that is the case. <BR /> <BR />When it comes to Andrew Muir's comment, "Battle a day" are words that he decided to use. There is no doubt that the Executive arrangement is challenging, but we are in there every day, fighting the good fight on behalf of the people; we are in there every day, taking on the challenges; and we are in there every day, trying to deliver for people whilst others stand on the sidelines and just bicker.”
“Yes. Casement Park remains a flagship project of the Executive and we are actively working to make it happen. The project must be built for all the reasons that the Member is only too aware of: there is the economic benefit from the construction, and the investment in Gaelic games is long-overdue. I assure you that I continue to work night and day to ensure that it is done.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, junior Minister Reilly will answer that question.”
“It is important that that has the chance to be aired, and it is important that we see how much more progress we can make.”
“Yes. We have made good progress by identifying that area, and we are making a difference by investing £55 million in early learning and childcare for 2025-26, but, of course, we have much more to do. We want to deliver more and support more parents. Up to this point, we have delivered £8 million in savings to parents. That makes a big difference across the board, but we want to do more. We have expanded preschool education and will expand it even more in September 2026. Incrementally, we are making a difference. I want us to be as ambitious as we can be to support working families. Childcare is one of the things that become the biggest bill in the house and is so challenging for so many people, but we have made progress in that area. The Minister of Education will publish the childcare strategy and bring it to the Executive.”
“We have committed £3·2 million to community-led initiatives under the ending violence against women and girls strategy; delivered 14 of the 37 actions to protect and restore Lough Neagh; allocated £129 million through the transformation fund to reform public services; and established an office of AI and digital to drive innovation. That includes £61 million to expand primary care multidisciplinary teams over the next five years, supporting an additional 680,000 people. <BR /> <BR />We have undertaken a range of engagements to see at first hand how the Programme for Government priorities are making a difference and are progressing on the ground. It is encouraging to see the progress to date. However, we have much more to do to continue to do what matters most in driving positive reform and transformation and improving people's lives.”
“We have made substantial progress in advancing and agreeing a new Programme for Government and have secured £1·3 billion of new funding from the Treasury. We have launched the childcare scheme, saving working parents £8 million and expanding support from 15,000 to 24,000 children through a £55 million investment. We have delivered over 100,000 additional outpatient appointment diagnostic tests and inpatient procedures via waiting list initiatives, passing the 70,000 target for the mandate. We have invested £45 million via the regional balance fund to boost regional growth and over £20 million in the skills fund, supporting over 9,000 individuals and 1,000 employers through a range of training initiatives linked to our economic priorities.”
“An immense amount of work has already informed the key themes that are set out in the current draft of the investment strategy. Those themes were shaped by over 400 engagements. There was wide-ranging engagement through formal public consultation, findings from equality and needs impact assessments and extensive engagement with Departments and wider stakeholders. Some key considerations still need to be worked through to finalise the strategy. It remains under consideration, but we hope to bring it to the Executive in the very near future. The timeline for its approval and publication will then be a matter for the Executive.”
“Just last year, we led an academic delegation to North Carolina. As part of the new international relations strategy, there will be an opportunity for us to work more collaboratively. We are in a small part of the world where we all know one another. Our strengths include our connectedness and agility. For example, where industry has a need, we can work with our local universities and have a partnership between academia, government and industry. That needs to be at the core of the new international relations strategy, and we need to look for opportunities to collaborate and do things together.”
“Our overall economic growth is estimated to have been 3·5% over the past year, compared with a 1·4% increase in Britain. That is a strong performance in spite of the rising costs of doing business and uncertainties such as restricted access to labour, the introduction of the US tariffs and the constraints on public investment that have been imposed by London. It is testament to the resilience and adaptability of our local businesses and to Dr Caoimhe Archibald's leadership of the Economy Department.”
“As I said, at the heart of the economic plan is a focus on productivity, targeting resources at seven high-potential sectors and using dual market access to drive export growth. Also at its heart is investment in talent with the launch of a new skills action plan. That will take time. When trying to harness those new investments, it takes a bit of time to see the positive impact of the approach, but we are already starting to see that coming through. In the two years since the Windsor framework came into effect, the export of goods has increased by 2%, compared with a decline of 9% in Britain. Cross-border trade between North and South has reached a record £12 billion, up by 7% in one year. That shows how much things are changing.”
“I do not agree with what you said. The heart of the economic plan, project and strategy that the Economy Minister has developed is very much about growing a strong economy. The Member can see all the opportunities that have been created over the 18 months since the Executive were formed. We will continue to create opportunities and jobs and grow the economy to make people's lives better. That is at the heart of the strategy. Regional balance, equally, is at the heart of the strategy, in order to ensure that prosperity is felt across the board. The really good examples of job creation that we have seen in recent days are to be celebrated, and there are many more to come.”
“Just this month, we met the Italian and German ambassadors to explore closer links between our countries. In the past year, we have had similar conversations with Ministers and ambassadors from all sorts of areas, be it the US, China, France, India or Japan, as well as leading an academic delegation to North Carolina to build our reputation and attract inward investment. We had the Open in July, when the eyes of the world were very much on us. That promoted us among global business leaders and strengthened our reputation. We are very much becoming a destination of choice.”
“Since we have been in post, attracting inward investment to help grow our globally competitive and sustainable economy has been one of the Executive's key priorities. As First Minister and deputy First Minister, we have taken an active role in promoting our region and all that it has to offer as a great place to live, work, study and invest. We have been working together with the Economy Minister and other Executive colleagues to show that we are open for business internationally and to support our local companies that contribute so much to driving growth and innovation here. <BR />In the past 18 months, we have taken that message to representatives of the world's leading economies, many of whom have come here to visit us to see for themselves just how far we have come.”
“<BR /> <BR />Looking ahead, I want to see that continue to strengthen. We want to continue to grow and expand those areas. We also have the Shared Island Fund, which the Member will know about, as it funded the Narrow Water bridge project in her constituency. So many projects are now being advanced as a direct result of that. That is really good, practical cooperation, and we can build on that in the time ahead.”
“As I said, in addition to the 30 plenary meetings, over 330 meetings of the Council have taken place. That shows sustained engagement across all the areas of cooperation. It is very much about laying strong foundations for closer engagement and collaboration and for planning. There is so much to be gained from working together on the practical, everyday issues and improving people's lives, be it across health or education. The new area that we are now talking about is how we can collaborate on ending violence against women and girls. We share that common cause, because it is such a huge problem across our island. We also talked about emergency planning and preparedness. If the pandemic taught us anything, it was that we need to have really strong collaboration across the island.”
“We will make a full report on that meeting and the NSMC institutional meeting that took place on the same day to the Assembly in the near future. <BR /> <BR />Looking forward, arrangements are in the process of being finalised for a full series of NSMC sectoral meetings that will take place before the end of the year. At those meetings, Executive colleagues will engage with their opposite number in the Irish Government to discuss the various areas where we can work together for mutual benefit.”
“Through the NSMC joint secretariat, our Department supports the delivery of all activity under the auspices of the North/South Ministerial Council. The North/South structures are fully operational, with Ministers regularly meeting their counterparts in the Irish Government to take forward activity that benefits both jurisdictions. Just last Friday, we attended the thirtieth plenary meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council, which was hosted by the Taoiseach in Dublin. We had a very good agenda for that meeting, and we discussed topics including business and trade; infrastructure and investment; emergency planning and preparedness; and ending violence against women and girls, all of which are areas where there are opportunities for us to work together with the Irish Government to deliver better outcomes for our people.”
“There has been considerable engagement across all those bodies, because it is important, as I said, that we join up all the dots. A lot of work is happening at an Invest NI level and a tourism level. We are in 25 key locations globally with Invest NI, and we have our three offices in Brussels, the US and Beijing. You have to overlay all those areas of work, and that is what you will see as the product and the outworking of the investment strategy itself.”
“Looking ahead, our new international relations strategy will build on all those engagements and look at the changing picture in a post-Brexit world. Given what is happening internationally, there is a lot on which to reflect. I hope that, in the coming period, we will be back here discussing our international relations strategy.”
“As I have already referred to, even in the past month alone, the deputy First Minister and I met the ambassadors of Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Belgium, Finland and Estonia, as well as the EU ambassador to Britain, Pedro Serrano. Through all such engagements, we take the opportunity to promote trade, tourism, higher education, digital industries, cybersecurity and fintech, as well as our unique access to both markets. <BR /> <BR />We have our offices in Washington DC, Brussels and Beijing, all of which play a key role in promoting our interests as we continue to strengthen our reputation as a world-class destination in which to work, live, invest and study. Moreover, we have 25 Invest NI offices in key locations globally.”
“As the Member knows, we share a position on that. There will, however, be no joint Executive Office position on the issue. The council will therefore not get joint Executive Office correspondence. We received a letter from the council to let us know about the motion and to invite comment from us. <BR /> <BR />The reality is that international relations are not a devolved matter but an excepted matter for the British Government to deal with. As I said earlier, we conduct ambassadorial engagements, but the operation of military aircraft and their use of airports is not devolved to here. Personally, I concur with the position that Belfast City Council adopted.”
“We continue to take every opportunity to show that we are open to having partnerships that support our economic growth and that deliver outcomes for all our citizens.”
“The international relations strategy is under development and will intersect with broader Executive and departmental strategies and actions. The strategy will be important for setting out our longer-term approach to global engagement. Our officials have engaged extensively with partners in local government on its development. They host quarterly discussions with representatives of each local council to ensure a shared awareness of incoming visits and the work of our overseas offices. That encourages local engagement on the development of our international relations policies and on the design of programmes for visiting delegations. Our officials work to ensure that delegations can visit all our local councils and witness at first hand the varied sectoral expertise, tourism offering and opportunities for investment.”
“As I said previously, I do not comment on how others choose to conduct themselves in a public forum. I also encourage the Member not to be selective in what he chooses to pick out. It is important that we deal with the past holistically, that people with information come forward and that we find a way in which to heal the wounds of the past, but we will do that only if we work together instead of point-scoring.”
“I will continue to lead the way in that regard, and I know that many others in the Chamber are committed to doing so as well.”
“The Member will be aware that, towards the end of last week, the British Government published the legislative text. I think that we are all taking a look through that to ensure that it does what it needs to do, which is command the support of victims and survivors. Equally, we want to ensure that it is human-rights compliant. Through legislation, there is an opportunity to help all those people who have been affected by conflict, but it has to be the right legislation. It has to meet the tests and command the confidence of victims and survivors. <BR /> <BR />Reconciliation is the work of all of us who are elected to the House. Through that work, we should all step outside our comfort zone, reach out to one another and do everything that we can to build a better future.”
“I set out in my original answer the work that we are carrying forward in our Executive Office to support victims and survivors, and we will continue to do that work. Comments made by other commentators in a podcast or any other public forum are for them to answer for.”
“We would be much better working together in this Chamber to try to heal the wounds of the past and build a brighter and better future.”
“I thank the Member for her question and also for the tone in which she presented it, because it is important that we reflect on the fact that at the heart of this conversation are people who have been impacted on and hurt by conflict. We must never forget all those who lost their lives or were injured or, indeed, families who still deal with grief. I have said in the Chamber many times that I regret every single loss of life in the conflict, and I will work every day with others to ensure that we continue the work of reconciliation and continue to support our victims and survivors. The Member is absolutely right to highlight the fact that the pain of victims and survivors should never be used to score points in this place or to reopen old wounds time and time again, week after week.”
“As the Member knows — I have said it on many occasions in the House — there were many injustices and tragedies in our past. Our job is to try to heal the wounds of the past. Our job is to try to ensure that we support victims and survivors. Many people have been impacted on by the conflict here. We should not be selective. Equally, we should not try to pawn victims for political point-scoring in this place. Let us work together to support all victims and survivors.”
“Recent comments quoted in the BBC 'Borderland' podcast are a matter for those who were interviewed. Our Department has been representing the interests of victims and survivors for many years. We remain committed to ensuring that their needs are met. A key commitment in the victims and survivors strategy is to provide support for victims and survivors and their families as they move forward from experiences of the past. The strategy also recognises the importance of truth and justice and the need to work towards greater societal recognition of the hurt, loss and trauma of our past. We will continue to provide support for victims and survivors in dealing with the legacy of the past and will take a flexible approach to deal with changing needs and circumstances.”
“Yes, we raised that issue at a recent meeting with a British Government Minister whose name escapes me just now. We had a discussion about youth mobility. Clearly, there is a whole new strategic focus, with a new partnership arrangement between the British Government and the EU, and the youth mobility scheme is built into that. Our young people should be afforded the opportunity to have that freedom of movement, so we will continue to make that case.”
“That is why it is important that we continue to reach for all those opportunities to create jobs and grow our economy. We have that unique selling point, and we have to maximise it. That is at the heart of the work of the Department for the Economy through Dr Caoimhe Archibald. <BR /> <BR />With regard to international relations more generally, in the past month, we have met a considerable number of ambassadors who are choosing to visit here to talk about areas of partnership and areas where we can engage and grow international trade. We need to continue to grab on to the dual-market access and maximise it to our benefit.”
“In short, yes, absolutely. You mentioned the TCI conference. That was a conference last week that I and the Taoiseach spoke at. The theme of the conference was clustering and how we work together. I took the opportunity to talk about the manufacturing and engineering growth and advancement (MEGA) network, which is a fantastic example of advanced manufacturing companies coming together across my constituency and neighbouring constituencies. That is a really good example of how, collaboratively, we can work together. <BR /> <BR />You mentioned our having dual-market access, and I spoke about that at the event. The fact that we have unique access for local businesses to trade freely with the EU and British markets — two of the world's largest — gives us access to more than 500 million customers and a net worth of £6 trillion.”
“Yes. We are moving closer to finalising an international relations strategy, which will focus on all our international relations but, in a post-Brexit world in particular, our relationship with Europe more generally. Certainly, there is a recognition that Europe remains one of our most significant partners for trade, investment and cultural exchange. <BR /> <BR />Our international relations strategy is going to be supported by thematic and regional delivery plans, and that is all going to be important. We are engaging constantly with an ever-increasing number of ambassadors who are choosing to visit here and to talk to us about building relationships. That is going to be really important. I am hoping to come to the House in the near future with a new international relations strategy.”
“That will be important in setting out our longer-term approach to global engagement.”
“We do not underestimate the importance of having a strategic focus on Europe as our closest neighbour. Following Brexit, our officials continue to explore how best to engage strategically to manage the challenges of our new relationship as well as maximise the opportunities that it presents. That work has been considered as part of the development of the new overarching international relations strategy, and it will intersect with broader Executive and departmental strategies and actions. <BR /> <BR />We live in an increasingly interconnected world, one where developments and decisions elsewhere impact on us directly. If we are to drive prosperity and tackle disadvantage across our communities and deliver on our Programme for Government ambitions, we must engage with key international partners.”
“We are working our way through the legislative process at the moment. The unique aspect of the scheme is that there will be two payments: one upfront payment and a payment that will come at a later stage after the public inquiry. That is unique compared with any other scheme, because it includes that first payment. It is important that we get that payment to victims and survivors as quickly as possible. They have been waiting for far too long to get to this juncture. We are determined to get that payment made as quickly as possible once the legislation has gone through the Assembly. I am hopeful that we will be able to make progress on that fairly soon.”
“Our work on that is ongoing. The Committee for the Executive Office is working its way through the legislation. It is a huge area, and we want to get it right. We are determined to do everything that we can to support all victims and survivors. I am glad to say that we are making some progress on erecting a plaque in the Great Hall. We made a commitment to do that and are hopeful that we will be able to do so in the autumn. That is another advancement in that area.”
“It is important that we continue with all our business engagements. It is right and proper that we do so and that we have the message that we are open for business and that we are a great place in which to live, work and invest. That is our continued message when we engage with many. That is the appropriate approach from us, as an Executive Office, and from the Economy Minister. <BR /> <BR />I noted the engagement that we have had on investment with all international investors and with people who are big players from different countries. However, do not sell your soul for short-termism, going to banquets and sipping champagne whilst people in Gaza starve.”