O’Neill and Little-Pengelly deny ‘toxic’ relationship is hindering delivery

Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly have denied that a “toxic” relationship in the leadership of the Stormont Executive is impacting on delivery.

The First Minister and deputy First Minister appeared together before their scrutiny committee on Wednesday where they were told the public perception of the Executive is one of “unedifying bickering”.

MLAs returned to Stormont this week following the summer recess.

However, the two largest parties in the powersharing Executive quickly became embroiled in a row over whether the Army should attend a jobs fair.

The Army had been due to attend the event in Londonderry but withdrew after some Sinn Fein, SDLP and independent councillors objected.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said earlier this week he believed Sinn Fein vice president Ms O’Neill had demonstrated she was not a “First Minister for all” and needed to show leadership. Ms O’Neill responded by telling Mr Robinson to “butt out” and respect the council decision.

At the start of the meeting, Executive Office Committee chairwoman Paula Bradshaw detailed a number of areas she said the Executive had failed to make progress in.

She said: “What we are seeing is a lot of very unedifying bickering between political representatives from both your parties.

“I would put it to you that we are not seeing progress on these pieces of work because I think it suits both your parties politically to keep this place divided and to keep people suspicious of each other.”

Both Ms O’Neill and the DUP’s Ms Little-Pengelly said they disagreed with that assessment.

Ms O’Neill said: “The real work here is about being focused on building a good society, a fair society, an inclusive society.

“That means building on good work being done up to this point.

“I share some frustration about some things not being able to be done as quickly as I would potentially like them.”

SDLP MLA Sinead McLaughlin asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister how they could improve Executive relations.

She said: “I have to say I am really, really dismayed at how toxic this environment is in this place.

“We have only returned, this is our third day back and it is not a nice environment.

“There is a great deal of toxicity and we can see it quite clearly in ministers’ statements and statements in the Assembly.”

Ms O’Neill said: “I think the real question for ourselves is are we delivering on a day-to-day basis on the issues we have identified that are our priorities, which is the programme for government – the answer to that question is yes.

“It is a shorter mandate, we are halfway through. At that halfway junction I am proud to say that we launched a programme for government. I am proud to say we have secured an additional £1.3 billion in finances for public services, we have launched our childcare package, made huge strides forward.

“Have we more to do? Absolutely.”

Ms Little-Pengelly said: “We will have differences, there will be differences across the parties.

“At the heart of all of this, 99% of time is spent getting on with things, pushing things through the department, trying to get that delivery.”

Ms McLaughlin responded: “The wider community are not feeling those measures taken have been successful enough to change their lives.

“People are not seeing that advancement and improvement.”

Turning to the row over the Army jobs fair, the SDLP MLA asked Ms Little-Pengelly if she agreed with the views expressed by her party leader.

Ms McLaughlin said: “If it is your view as well I am concerned we cannot deliver any good targets and outcomes if you are both locked in to a way that is absolutely toxic.

“There is no business out there which could do business if directors in the boardroom had that toxic relationship.”

Ms Little-Pengelly said: “So much of what we have done is showing that collegiate approach, but also dealt with where we have differences in a mature way.”

DUP MLA Brian Kingston asked Ms O’Neill if she believed people had a right to pursue a career in the armed forces.

Ms O’Neill said: “The DUP might not like the outcome of the local councillors in Derry City and Strabane, but in my opinion it is the right outcome, it is the right thing to do for the people of Derry, and I think everyone just needs to move on.”

Mr Kingston responded: “I think that is an appalling comment.”

He added: “You are not giving leadership to help society move on.

“For someone who has talked about healing the wounds of the past, you are perpetuating the wounds of the past.”

Ms Little-Pengelly said: “The First Minister referenced in her answer to an earlier question that there shouldn’t be any no-go areas and yet the councillors in Londonderry have created a no-go zone for the British Army.

“I think it is absolutely wrong to tarnish the armed forces in this way.”

Independent MLA Clare Sugden said the Executive looked “volatile”.

She said: “I think it would be unforgivable if we didn’t see out the end of this mandate and I would like to see a commitment from both of you that that wouldn’t happen.”

She added: “There may be four parties but there is one government, and I don’t see any form of collective responsibility.

“Even listening today it is disappointing at how divided, how polarised, you seem to be.

“In the last number of days, weeks and months it feels so toxic, and the people out there don’t want to see that from us.”