London: Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill made history on Saturday by being appointed Northern Ireland’s first nationalist prime minister, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
Politicians gathered in Northern Ireland’s Stormont parliament to appoint a range of ministers to the devolved executive government as a power-sharing deal was reached after almost two years of political deadlock.
Michelle O’Neill has been appointed as Northern Ireland’s first minister, and Emma Little-Pengery of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has been appointed deputy prime minister.
This comes after the DUP ended its boycott of Stormont after agreeing a new deal with the UK government on post-Brexit trade rules.
In his first speech as a first-time minister in Parliament, Mr O’Neill said today had “opened the door” to a shared future.
“Despite our different outlooks, different views, and future constitutional positions, this is a gathering for all Catholics, Protestants, and dissenters,” she said.
O’Neill said they needed to share power because collectively they were responsible for guiding and delivering for “all our people, all our communities.”
“As an Irish republican, I am British and have a tradition of trade unionism, and I am committed to working with and in good faith my colleagues who value trade unions,” she added.
Mr O’Neill said it was the first time a nationalist had been elected Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, adding: “My parents and grandparents’ generation could never have imagined that this day would come.”
“This place that we call home, this place that we love. Who we are becomes different depending on whether we’re from the North of Ireland or Northern Ireland, whether we’re British or Irish, both or neither.” she added. – Bernama