Michelle O’Neill becomes first nationalist to be sworn in as First Minister of Northern Ireland
SINN Fein’s Michelle O’Neill becomes the first nationalist to be sworn in as First Minister of Northern Ireland.
She said yesterday at Stormont after the DUP agreed to a return to power sharing: “Today opens the door to the future — a shared future.
Her dad, Brendan Doris, was a jailed IRA member, while her cousin, Tony, was shot dead by the SAS in 1991.
Ms O’Neill apologised “without exception” for “all the lives lost” during the Troubles.
She said: “We must make power-sharing work because collectively, we are charged with leading and delivering for all our people, for every community.
“The days of second-class citizenship are long gone. Today confirms that they are never coming back.
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“As an Irish republican, I pledge co-operation and genuine honest effort with those colleagues who are , of a unionist tradition and who cherish the Union.
"This is an Assembly for all — Catholic, Protestant and dissenter."
The ’s Emma Little-Pengelly is the new Deputy First Minister.
Taking up the post, she said she and Ms O’Neill come from “very different backgrounds”.
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But Ms Little-Pengelly said she will work “tirelessly to ensure that we can deliver for all in ”.
