Political leaders need to step outside our comfort zones – O’Neill

Stormont First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said she wants to attend events that are important to the unionist community, stating that political leaders in Northern Ireland need to “step outside of our traditional comfort zones”.

Ms O’Neill told of her pride at attending an event this week on The Shankill Road in Belfast alongside Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

The Sinn Fein politician became the first nationalist First Minister of Northern Ireland when the Stormont powersharing institutions were restored almost two weeks ago.

During an appearance on RTE’s The Late, Late Show, Ms O’Neill said she had been getting on well with the DUP’s Ms Little-Pengelly, stating they had had a positive first two weeks in office.

She said: “We’re both tasked with leadership, given that responsibility to lead and we’re determined to do that together.

“We want to work together, we have come from two very different political backgrounds, two different lived experiences, two different outlooks for where we think we should be in the future, in particular in relation to constitutional change. But that’s alright, isn’t it?

“It’s fine to have that different viewpoint but also working towards day-to-day things like public services, health, education, childcare – and this week was a great opportunity for us because we both prioritised childcare.

“We went into a childcare setting in north Belfast, and we also went into a childcare setting on the Shankill Road.

“I believe that’s the first time that a First Minister and a deputy First Minister have ever stood on the Shankill Road side by side visiting a project.

“I was pleased that we were able to do that, but I don’t think Emma or I looked at the children in north Belfast or the children on the Shankill and thought for a second that they were different, they are children and everything that we’re doing is about building that better future for them.

“So I just thought that that was a fabulous thing for us to do.”

Ms O’Neill said she had an open mind about accepting any invitations to attend events from the unionist community as First Minister.

She said: “I would gladly receive invitations to anything that anyone wants to send me one for.

“I just think it’s important that we all step outside of our traditional comfort zones and find ways to reach others out there.

“I’m a Republican, I’m very comfortable in my own skin.

“I know who I am and what I want to achieve, but I also think that if we’re going to lead and be political leaders in today’s society, 26 years on from the Good Friday Agreement, then we all have to be focused on the future.

“I do think things that are very important symbolically, in particular for those from the British tradition, for example, myself attending the Queen’s funeral, or King Charles’s coronation, that’s really really important if I’m going to represent everybody in society and I believe that I can fairly represent everybody in society.

“And I want to demonstrate that not just by saying that, but by doing things that actually really mean something to people.”

Ms O’Neill was also asked if she would attend IRA commemorations during her time as First Minister.

She said: “We have a very tragic past, a very difficult past where so much hurt and injury has been caused, many injustices out there. I think we have to respect that everybody has a right to remember their dead and we should just be respectful of that and create that space for each other.”Clearly, I am First Minister for everybody now. I will be very true to that pledge that I’ve made.

“So any invitations that I would take up but always be very mindful of the office that I hold because I want to represent everybody fairly.

“And that includes Republicans because I think that’s important to say also, I want to represent the community that I come from and the background that I come from, but I can also do that and also represent everybody else there in society.”