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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“The 10 schools affected could represent a significant number of children not being in school, so we want to make sure that their doors are opened again as quickly as possible.”
“There has been significant damage, and the most recent figure that I read was that 154 schools have reported some level of damage. That, however, can mean everything from damage to ridge tiles to more significant damage. I might have said "up to 20 schools" earlier, but 10 schools did not open today for a combination of reasons. The Department continues to work with NIE to restore power to those schools. Those schools are, where possible, trying to do online learning, but they have to be a priority: we have to get our children back into school. In the meeting this morning, NIE committed to continuing to work with the Department of Education and the Education Authority to ensure that schools are prioritised. We are told that the Education Authority's maintenance department is working at pace to deal with the most critical repairs.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ultimately, we need everyone to be reconnected to the power supply, because the situation is causing a hindrance to some water supplies. The generators will be helpful. The deputy First Minister and I have made the case for getting additional generators so that we can respond to some of the immediate water pressures, and there is a willingness for suppliers to work with us. We have been successful in securing additional generators, and we believe that there are more to come. I hope that they will get people connected to water as quickly as possible. <BR /> <BR />On a more general point, every service has been pushed to get people connected as quickly as possible. We will not rest until that is the case.”
“I will answer in reverse order. We will have to work out the financial implications. Our priority is to get the work done to get the response out there, and we will then have to deal with the cost. There was, however, no question whatsoever of our not responding in the way in which we have. There will be local solutions in every area, so I am loath to get into discussing your constituency, apart from to say that our local councils are working hard. Anyone who is unsure should go online to nidirect to see what is being provided. The west has been particularly hit with water issues, so getting water out to people is crucial. We all have questions for the agencies in the aftermath of the storm, but our priority for now is to get people the support that they need.”
“We will continue the good effort of the weekend in the coming days to get people back up and running and reconnected.”
“Yes. Some people had a triple whammy: no electricity, no water and no mobile service. I had no mobile service for a while on Friday. It is causing huge challenges for people. I assure you that we are engaging with every agency responsible to get people reconnected as quickly as possible. The storm has caused widespread network outage. Lots of MLAs will have contacted all the energy providers and mobile companies. We will continue to do that at a central level, because it is important to get people connected as quickly as possible. Sitting with no water, no electricity and no phone service is a pretty dire situation for anybody. Unfortunately, for some households, that is their position today. We assure people that we are doing everything that we can to push all agencies to do everything that they can.”
“The purpose of the cell — the group that is looking at the issue of vulnerability — is to look at everything in the round: exactly what we need and where we need it. In Scotland, the power company has chosen to make the goodwill payment, including supporting people to get accommodation. We have also asked for that here. We will continue to engage on that throughout today. Obviously, over the weekend, our focus was on the immediate response and the fact that there was danger to life, limb and property. That was where we needed to focus. Now, we are very much in the recovery phase, where we are looking towards what we can do to support vulnerable people out there.”
“<BR /> <BR />This morning, we have put it to NIE directly that we believe that there needs to be a goodwill payment to assist people to get through this period. We will continue to engage with NIE. The Department for Communities has stood up that response to work with councils to help to fund them to provide services in a localised way. We are particularly concerned about people with chronic health conditions, people who were recognised as being vulnerable and people who have become vulnerable. I assure you that there is a dedicated team working in that area.”
“Thanks for that. We are increasingly concerned about that area. There are people who were vulnerable before the storm and people who became vulnerable during the storm, particularly four days in with no electricity or heating or, perhaps, access to a warm meal. There is a dedicated work stream to try to reach the most vulnerable in our society, and we are prioritising efforts to restore power to those homes. It is particularly difficult. That is why we are coming at it in a number of ways. We have our drop-in centres; I encourage all MLAs to use their platforms to promote those drop-in centres so that people know where they can go and what they can get at each of the centres. We are also asking the public to continue to be vigilant, as they have been, and to look out for vulnerable people.”
“The most recent position, as of this morning, is that approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people are without water. Water teams were mobilised as soon as it was safe to do so and will continue to carry out repairs until all assets are operational. Generators have been deployed to various sites, and teams have been identifying and repairing damage to equipment as they reach it. Bottled water has been distributed at a number of leisure centres in impacted areas. <BR /> <BR />That gives a high-level assessment of where things stand in those four key areas. Our response to the storm is very much a live-play scenario that we continue to work our way through, taking a multi-agency approach.”
“As of this morning, 65,000 customers remain without electricity. NIE has escalated its staff cohort and now has 1,000 staff on the ground providing support to try to get customers' electricity restored. Over 210,000 people have had their electricity restored, which is really significant progress, although that is not to take away from the fact that many people are sitting without electricity and have been for four days, which is a hugely challenging situation for them all. We continued to meet NIE over the weekend to ensure that everything that can be done is being done and that NIE has everything that it needs to respond to the emergency. <BR /> <BR />The storm has had a significant impact on NI Water assets, as a direct result of loss of electrical power or through damage to equipment.”
“That was a huge stretch in the work of DFI staff, and we welcome that. <BR /> <BR />More than 100 schools — maybe as many as 154 — have reported damage to their property, ranging from minor damage to fences and missing roof tiles to much more significant structural damage. It is estimated that approximately 100 schools are still without power. NIE has confirmed that it will, where possible, prioritise schools that do not have power. We met NIE this morning to make that case. Potentially, up to 20 schools are listed as closed today. Hopefully, we will improve that picture as quickly as possible. <BR /> <BR />At the peak, there was an unprecedented level of power outage: 285,000 customers were without power as a direct result of the storm. There were over 5,000 individual faults in the network that needed to be assessed and resolved.”
“We want to continue to engage with the British Government to build on the request. I have engaged with the Tánaiste directly about practical support, but we all face similar challenges at the moment. <BR /> <BR />The facts and figures will change over the coming days as we get more power and water restored, but I want to give an update on what we knew as of 10.00 am today. <BR /> <BR />There were 2,600 incidents recorded on our roads as a result of the storm, resulting in a large number of road closures. Although the main strategic road network has now opened, there are still around 100 closures with many roads remaining blocked, 60 of which require NIE assistance to remove electric cables and poles. On Sunday, 80% of the road network covered by winter service was able to be treated.”
“We reiterate our message to everybody to check in on family and friends, people in your street and your neighbours, who may be experiencing difficulties. <BR /> <BR />The community assistance centres are there to help. As always, we are grateful to local government for the centres and how quickly they were able to stand those up and for the support that they provide. We are also grateful for the support that has come and is coming over to assist NIE in the task of restoring power. That is specialist work. We ask people to take great care around electricity cables, because many are still down. Please, do not take any risks, and, please, stay safe. We will continue to monitor the situation and work collaboratively with all stakeholders, as it is of great concern to us all.”
“For our part, we have been closely engaged with the British Government to secure additional resources for NIE; we have engaged with the Prime Minister directly; we have had COBRA meetings; we have had Executive meetings; and there have been regular updates within our system across all our civil contingencies. In significant events such as this, the initial response is vital, as is the recovery phase, which we are now moving into. Our structures for civil contingencies have involved local government at the outset, then the PSNI, DFI and the Department for Communities. That partnership and multi-agency working is essential and, again, is much appreciated. What matters most, of course, is the impact on our citizens, especially the vulnerable.”
“<BR /> <BR />Across the Executive, all of our Ministers have been engaged in that effort, and I thank colleagues for that collective focus. In the interconnected world that we live in, that has been absolutely vital. Roads, schools, power, connectivity and hospitals do not exist without one another, and the effort has been huge. Our front-line workers have been really wonderful and will continue to make a strong effort in the coming days.”
“I thank you and your staff for facilitating this important strategic statement on the back of the unprecedented events over the weekend. I apologise to Members that we got the statement delivered to them only in the past short while. We are in live play and are actively responding to the storm as we speak. <BR /> <BR />The storm has had an unprecedented impact across the entire island of Ireland as well as Scotland and northern England. It has left our citizens without power, water and access to communication. Some of our MLA colleagues will have experienced that themselves, and we have all seen and heard about the impact on our constituents. We wanted to come to the Assembly today to confirm our commitment to getting everybody's services restored as quickly as possible.”
“We have started that work. Unfortunately, it has taken us a bit longer than we all would have wanted. In June 2024, Ministers agreed to run a new competition to appoint a Commissioner for Public Appointments. Preparations are well progressed. Since the previous commissioner stepped down from her role, the day-to-day business of the office, including the provision of advice and guidance, has continued. That has not, however, extended to the statutory regulatory duties of the post, which only a commissioner can undertake. Public appointments have continued to be made in the intervening period, and the OCPANI code of practice continues to apply.”
“I have answered the question. As I have said before in the House — I said it when I took up post as First Minister — I am sorry for every lost life, without exception. That is my position. We need to be a bit more sensitive. If Members look at the trauma-informed strategy for victims and survivors that we produced, they will see that it talks about recognising differences and the different perspectives on the past. That is important for healing. I encourage all Members to take that approach instead of trying to point-score politically off one another. Let us be consistent, and let us try to work together to heal the wounds of the past.”
“That would be a better prize for everybody whom we collectively serve.”
“I have made the point that we should be sensitive to the fact that, when we talk about individuals who were killed in the course of the conflict, regardless of how or by whom, it is important to be respectful of the fact that they are individuals with a family: a mother and a father, siblings and perhaps children. We should be sensitive to the fact that everybody has a right to remember their dead and to do so in a dignified way. My job, as I have said, is to try to deal with the past in a way that allows us to be as comprehensive as we can and that brings truth and justice to as many families as possible, but I also want to be somebody who looks to the future — the next 10 or 20 years — and who tries to make this a better place and to create a better society: one that is inclusive and free from sectarianism and racism.”
“I want us to create certainty and stability for the business community, and, where issues are identified, we should try to find a resolution to them.”
“We were a long time in a period of uncertainty. It then took us a long time to get to the point at which we had the Windsor framework. The mechanisms that have been agreed are agreed. They are the democratic mechanisms through which to deal with the issues. The Stormont brake will not be pulled on this occasion, but let us continue to find a resolution to the issue that was identified. Let us be pragmatic about it instead of grandstanding or trying to be overtly political about it. We are where we are because we have been taken out of Europe against our wishes — that is my personal view — and we have to deal with the consequences of that in a post-Brexit world. That is what we are dealing with.”
“When issues are identified, we should find pragmatic and reasonable ways in which to deal with them. The Secretary of State has made his call, as he can, on the Stormont brake. We now need to find ways to make things work. Where pragmatism is required, let us find ways to do that. Let us not have stop-start; let us create the stability and certainty that the business community requires. Where we find issues, let us use the mechanisms that we have to raise them in order to get a resolution.”
“We have had over 70 public engagements and 1,400 consultation responses. That is a lot to get through. We have been working our way through those, analysing them as they have come in as opposed to waiting to the end. That, hopefully, will allow us to move to the next stage. The final document will, in the main, reflect the consultation responses that we received, particularly on the bigger issues that came up repeatedly.”
“We are working on it as we speak. We have an Executive meeting this week, but I am not yet sure whether it will make it to that meeting. Needless to say, we intend to get it published ASAP. I hope that that will be in the coming weeks.”
“I believe in all families having justice and truth. That is why we have to find a way to properly deal with the past. We had that with the Stormont House Agreement, but, unfortunately, others walked away from it, mainly the British Government and yourselves. <BR /> <BR />We have to acknowledge that we have so much hurt and pain from the past. Let us help every family to move forward and not pick and choose whom we want to help and support. I am committed to looking towards the future and to helping people to heal — not to forget but to heal. I have said that from day 1, and I am absolutely committed to that. I want us to build a better future and not burden today's children with yesterday. I want us to help people to heal. Let us try to find a way to do that together.”
“There is no escaping the fact that we have had a very turbulent and difficult past. It is also very important that we remember that much trauma and suffering has been inflicted on so many people across our society. My job, as a political leader in 2025, is to try to heal the wounds of the past and allow a space for us to be respectful of each other, of our life journeys and of what we believe. It is important that we create that space for each other. I am committed to doing that, and I ask the Member to join me.”
“Again, this is a personal view and not that of the Executive Office. My view has always been that the Assembly and Executive Review Committee is the place in which we should do that work, and my colleagues should participate accordingly.”
“As you know, there is not, perhaps, a collective view on reform in the Executive Office. My personal view and that of my party is that the Assembly and Executive Review Committee should do its work and that that is where we should have those conversations. I am absolutely committed to playing my part and that of the party in the conversation on how we can make sure that the institutions are fit for purpose and work in the best interests of the people whom we serve.”
“I do not have the exact details in front of me, but promotion of the scheme to ensure that people are alerted to it has been wide-ranging. It has been done in various ways, including online and in publications. A lot has been done. I do not believe that concerns have been flagged with us that we have not reached large swathes of people, because so many have come forward. However, as with all these things, we want to listen. I just want us to get it right, because those people have been failed at every turn. It is important that, when we are able do something, we do something that is positive, that is important for them and that is exactly right for them.”
“We are going through the research. We will then have to make decisions based on the information that comes forward. We want the process to be inclusive. It is important that we ensure that all the voices that want to be heard are heard. I will take the question away. If you have identified particular issues, I would like to hear about them, because it is important that we get it right. It is the third part of the institutional abuse work, and we need to get it right. The research projects are under way, but, as I said, if there are particular issues, please, let me know.”
“One year in, a lot of good things have been delivered by the Executive — things that we can be proud of and that help make people's lives better — whether it is childcare, the Magee task force or the announcements on the A5, the Cookstown bypass or the Enniskillen bypass. The list of what has been achieved in the first year is extensive. <BR /> <BR />Have we more to do? Absolutely. Will we get there and make more positive strides forward? Yes, we will, because the four parties of the Executive are committed to ensuring that that is the case.”
“My personal view on Casement Park is well known and has been rehearsed over and over again in the House. I want the Communities Minister to move and work with the GAA to complete the project. The GAA community deserves nothing less. I want to invest in sport. Sport should be a big unifier, not something that divides us. <BR /> <BR />We will bring a statement on the legislative programme to the House. We have asked Ministers to update us on their legislative programmes for the rest of the mandate. We hope to be able, in the short period ahead, to set that out for the House.”
“I am absolutely committed to ensuring that Casement Park is built. It is one of the outstanding projects. It must be done, and I will ensure that we continue to raise it until the project is completed. I believe in investment in the west of the city. It will be an enormous booster for the economy and for sport. It is long overdue, and it must be built.”
“We have made strides forward to change that. We have achieved hundreds of millions of pounds of additional funding because of the Executive's work. Is it enough? No, because we had a poor starting point in that 14 years of austerity crushed our public services. <BR /> <BR />We have a lot of work to do. Not everything will cost money; sometimes it is about doing things better. However, there is no doubt about this: 52% of our entire Budget goes to the health service, and that will only keep increasing if we do not transform. Let us all work together to make sure that we transform our health and social care system.”
“Money matters to being able to invest in our health service. On day 1, when we entered the Executive in February of last year, we collectively made it clear that the funding model that we had was not fit for purpose.”
“I am here to do business. I am here to work with Executive colleagues, and I am glad that, as we approach the 1st anniversary of working together in the Executive, we have delivered tangible benefits for the wider public. I am committed to being here every day. I am committed to working with others, I am committed to making politics work, and I would not be here if that were not my objective.”
“There are a lot of things that we can do better, such as supporting our domiciliary care workers who work in the community and keep people well and at home. We all know the ideas, but we need to see a written plan that we can all sign up to.”
“Yes. We all know that there are no quick fixes, but we also know that the ingrained problems across health and social care have been there for a long time. We need a transformation plan on paper that people can understand. We need to talk to the public about how we will improve their health outcomes. That requires a collective effort from us, but we need a written plan that we can talk to people about. <BR /> <BR />The immediate focus has to be on stabilising the health system, but core to that is a plan with measurable targets; that is clear. There are fine examples across our health and social care system of things that work really well. Acute Care at Home is an absolutely excellent initiative that brings care to people's homes and prevents them being hospitalised. We need to ramp that up.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are funding the health system with over half of our budget; yet and all, the health outcomes are not improving. That has to change. There needs to be a plan to fix that. I will be constructive, and I will work with the Health Minister to get us to the right point. As an Executive, we discussed last week how we could work with the Health Minister, but we need to see a plan that we can all sign up to. Transformation is absolutely where it is at: we need to transform our health and social care system. There are things that work really well in our system and things that do not. We need to see a plan to fix our health system that we can all sign up to.”
“We had a collective Executive discussion on that last week. We can all say that the situation facing patients right now is not acceptable. The situation facing our Health and Social Care workers is not acceptable. The winter comes every year, so we should be prepared and ready. I want to be helpful to the Health Minister, and the collective will of the Executive is to work together to transform our health and social care system. We need to have a plan to work towards. We have engaged with the Health Minister and will continue to do so, because the public at home want to know when the health system will get better, when they will be able to access their GP and when they will be able to get hospital care if they need it. There is more to be done, and the public will be better served by a collective effort on the health system.”
“If you are eligible, please take up the flu vaccine, which has now been extended to everyone over the age of 50. We continue to work together on the reform and transformation of the health and social care sector, including the urgent need to reduce waiting times. As with all commitments in the draft Programme for Government, it is one of our shared ambitions, and its importance has been discussed frequently by the Executive.”
“One of our key priorities as an Executive is the health and well-being of our people. We are committed to working together to deliver the transformation needed to deal with the pressures facing the health and social care system. <BR /> <BR />Following a recent meeting of the Executive, we issued a statement on winter pressures. We acknowledged that this has been a particularly difficult winter across the health and social care system, with high rates of hospital admissions and flu. We also thanked Health and Social Care (HSC) staff, carers and the community and voluntary sector for their tireless work over this difficult winter. <BR /> <BR />As an Executive, we fully understand the impact of long waiting times on patients and their families. We encourage people to take any steps that they can to stay safe and well this winter.”
“I do not believe that our Department has had any direct discussions, but I am sure that there has been engagement across other Departments, such as the Department of Justice. I know that we are collaborating at official level, given that it is important that we pick up what works well elsewhere, learn from it and do it here. If there has been direct engagement and I can give you any further information, I am happy to respond to you in writing.”
“We will be able to have an understanding of how quickly we have advanced the pledges that we made for the first two years of the strategy. I look forward to getting that review. I am confident that what we set out from September through the strategy is already coming into play. Funding is being announced for the local change fund and will be announced for the regional change fund over the next number of days.”
“Yes. The strategy was about how we can work collectively to end the scourge of violence against women and girls. Coordinating the delivery and success of the challenge funds that we are launching is about how we can work collaboratively with the people who are already on the ground and have the expertise and skills to deliver the message about prevention really strongly. Collaboration has very much been embedded in the strategy from the outset. The sector was part of the design of the strategy itself and is part of the oversight structures for its delivery. I look forward to that. <BR /> <BR />Time moves quickly. We launched it in September. We are due our first review six months in, which is next month.”
“That seems to be going well. It seems to be a success. <BR /> <BR />In parallel with all that work, we have engagement with the community and voluntary sector on strand 2, which is the regional change fund. Plans are progressing. I hope that we will be able to launch that over the coming days.”
“No issues have been raised with or elevated to us, for sure. Officials have engaged with all 11 councils on the proposals for strand 1 and the local change fund itself. Applications opened in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council on 6 January and will open across all the other councils between now and March, with delivery commencing from April 2025. That is really good news. Councils are willing to play their part. They are considering proposals to use in-year funding to build momentum for the local change fund, how they will raise awareness around ending violence against women and girls and how they will build the capacity of the community and voluntary sector. Who better than our councils, which are close to the grassroots delivery and the projects that are on the ground doing that work every day, to do this?”
“The strategy aims to bring that joined-up coordinated approach, whether that is across councils or working with the Executive and all Departments on their responsibilities. The fund is consistent across all councils, so it is important that we are joined up. It is important that we support projects on the ground that make a real difference. There may be differences of approaches in different areas, such as rural versus urban, and different factors at play, but there is a fair degree of consistency in how it will be rolled out across councils. One council has already launched, and the rest will launch before March.”