Michelle O'Neill

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Michelle O'Neill
MLA
O'Neill in 2022
First Minister of Northern Ireland
Assumed office
3 February 2024
Preceded byPaul Givan (2022)
Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
In office
11 January 2020 – 4 February 2022[a]
Serving with Arlene Foster & Paul Givan
Preceded byMartin McGuinness (2017)
Succeeded byEmma Little-Pengelly (2024)
Vice President of Sinn Féin
Assumed office
10 February 2018
PresidentMary Lou McDonald
Preceded byMary Lou McDonald
Minister of Health
In office
25 May 2016 – 2 March 2017
Preceded bySimon Hamilton
(Health, Social Services and Public Safety)
Succeeded byRobin Swann
Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development
In office
5 May 2011 – 6 May 2016
Preceded byMichelle Gildernew
Succeeded byMichelle McIlveen
(Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
Mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone
In office
June 2010 – June 2011
Preceded byFrancie Molloy
Succeeded byKenneth Reid
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Mid Ulster
Assumed office
7 March 2007
Preceded byGeraldine Dougan
Personal details
Born
Michelle Doris

(1977-01-10) 10 January 1977 (age 47)
Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland
Political partySinn Féin
Spouse
Paddy O'Neill
​
​
(m. 1995; sep. 2014)​
Children2
WebsiteOfficial website
^a O'Neill left the role of DFM when Arlene Foster resigned as FM on 14 June 2021. She was reappointed DFM alongside FM Paul Givan on 17 June 2021.

Michelle O'Neill (née Doris; born 10 January 1977)[1] is an Irish politician, serving as the First Minister of Northern Ireland since February 2024.[2] She had previously served in office as deputy First Minister from 2020 to 2022.

O'Neill served on the Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council from 2005 to 2011. In 2007, she was elected to represent Mid Ulster in the Northern Ireland Assembly. She served as the first female Mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone from 2010 to 2011. She has been serving as Vice President of Sinn Féin since 2018.

In 2011, she was appointed to the Northern Ireland Executive by deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development. In 2016, she was promoted to Minister of Health.[3][4][5][6][7] In January 2020, she became deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland after the New Decade, New Approach agreement restored the power-sharing executive.

O'Neill automatically relinquished her office following Paul Givan's resignation as first minister on 3 February 2022.[8] Sinn Féin became the largest party after the 2022 Assembly election, putting O'Neill in line for the position of First Minister of Northern Ireland; however she did not take up the position until two years later because the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) refused to nominate a deputy First Minister, citing its opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

On 3 February 2024, O'Neill was appointed First Minister of Northern Ireland. This marked the first time that an Irish nationalist has held the title of First Minister in Northern Ireland.[a]

Background

O'Neill was born in Fermoy, a town in County Cork, Republic of Ireland.[9] She comes from an Irish republican family in Clonoe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Her father Brendan Doris was a Provisional IRA prisoner and Sinn Féin councillor.[10] Her uncle Paul Doris is a former national president of the Irish Northern Aid Committee (NORAID).[11] A cousin, Tony Doris, was one of three IRA members killed in an ambush by the Special Air Service in 1991.[12] Another cousin, IRA volunteer Gareth Malachy Doris, was shot and wounded during the 1997 Coalisland attack.[13]

O'Neill attended St. Patrick's Girls' Academy, a Catholic grammar school in Dungannon, Tyrone.[1] She subsequently began to train as an accounting technician, before pursuing a political career.[1]

Political career

Early career

O'Neill became involved in republican politics in her teens,[10] assisting her father with constituency work in his role as a Dungannon councillor.[11] She joined Sinn Féin after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, at the age of 21,[1][12] and started working as an advisor to Francie Molloy in the Northern Ireland Assembly. She kept this role until 2005,[14] when she was elected to represent the Torrent electoral area on Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council, taking the seat which had been vacated by her father.[15] O'Neill was elected as an MLA for Mid Ulster in the 2007 Assembly election, succeeding her Sinn Féin colleague Geraldine Dougan.[15]

While a backbencher in the Assembly, she sat on Stormont's education and health committees.[16] In 2010, she became Mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone.[17] O'Neill was the first woman to hold the position of Mayor, as well as one of the youngest people.[10] She held the council position until 2011.[15]

Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development

O'Neill succeeded Michelle Gildernew as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Northern Ireland Executive after the 2011 Assembly election.[18] One of her key decisions in the role was the relocation of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's headquarters from Belfast to a former British Army barracks in Ballykelly, County Londonderry in a bid to decentralise civil service jobs.[19] The decision overruled an internal report on the matter, which recommended Strabane as a more appropriate location.[1]

In December 2013, the High Court quashed a decision by O'Neill to reallocate 7% of Common Agricultural Policy funds to rural development projects that had been favoured by environmentalists.[20] The court ruled that she was in breach of the Ministerial Code, having not sought the necessary permissions for the transfer from the Executive.[20]

Minister of Health

O'Neill replaced the DUP's Simon Hamilton as Minister of Health following the 2016 election. After eight days in office, she announced she would be scrapping the lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood in Northern Ireland.[21] On 25 October 2016, O'Neill unveiled a document titled Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together, a ten-year plan which is based on the findings of the Bengoa Report and aims to modernise the health and social care system.[22]

Vice President of Sinn Féin

O'Neill with deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in 2014

In January 2017, when Martin McGuinness resigned as deputy First Minister in protest against the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal, and said that he would not stand in the resulting snap election, O'Neill was chosen as Sinn Féin's new "party leader in the North".[note 1][5][25] The fact that she was favoured for the leadership ahead of former IRA member Conor Murphy marked a notable break in the leadership's direct association with the organisation.[12][26]

In the 2017 Assembly election that followed McGuinness's resignation, O'Neill was returned to the Assembly, topping the poll in Mid Ulster and with a 20.6% share of first-preference votes.[27][28] In March 2017, she called for a referendum on the reunification of Ireland "as soon as possible" in response to Brexit.[29] O'Neill led the Sinn Féin side in the inter-party negotiations that followed the election, aiming to restore a power-sharing coalition in Northern Ireland, but said at the end of March that the talks had failed, and Sinn Féin would not nominate her for the position of deputy First Minister.[30][31]

In February 2018, O'Neill became vice president of Sinn Féin, succeeding Mary Lou McDonald, who became president following the retirement of Gerry Adams.[32] In November 2019 she faced a leadership challenge from John O'Dowd, winning with 67% of the vote.[33]

Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

In January 2020, O'Neill was appointed deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.[34] She automatically lost her position on 14 June 2021 when Arlene Foster resigned as First Minister,[35] and regained it three days later when she and Paul Givan were nominated as deputy First Minister and Deputy First Minister respectively on 17 June 2021. In February 2022, O'Neill once again lost her position as deputy First Minister with the resignation of Paul Givan as First Minister.[8]

First Minister of Northern Ireland

O'Neill, as First Minister designate, meets with First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf, November 2023

Designate (2022–2024)

Following the 2022 Assembly election, Sinn Féin won the largest number of seats with 27 seats, becoming the largest political party in the Northern Ireland Assembly.[36] Their unionist counterparts, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) came second with 25 seats.[37] As a result of being the largest party, this put O'Neill in line to become the First Minister of Northern Ireland, and the DUP leader to become the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.[38] However, O'Neill did not take up the position until February 2024 because, as part of its opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol, the DUP refused to nominate a deputy First minister and there was therefore no functioning executive of Northern Ireland.[39]

In August 2022, O'Neill was asked in a BBC interview whether it was right during The Troubles for the Provisional IRA "to engage in violent resistance to British rule". O'Neill was criticised for her response, "I think at the time there was no alternative, but now thankfully we have an alternative to conflict, and that is the Good Friday Agreement – that is why it's so precious to us all."[40]

In September 2022, O'Neill broke with Republican tradition to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.[41]

In May 2023, O'Neill attended the coronation of King Charles III, saying, "Well obviously I wanted to be here. We live in changing times and it was the respectful thing to do, to show respect and to be here for all those people at home, who I had said I would be a first minister for all. Attendance here is about honouring that and fulfilling my promise."[42]

Under her leadership, Sinn Féin has led most NI opinion polls for the next UK general election.[43]

First Minister (2024–present)

Further information: 2024 Northern Ireland Executive formation

On 30 January 2024, the Democratic Unionist Party announced their willingness to return to power-sharing. This paved the way for O'Neill, as nationalist leader to be sworn in as First Minister of Northern Ireland.[44][45][46][47] O'Neill assumed office on 3 February 2024, becoming the first ever Irish nationalist, republican or Catholic to hold that position. In her Stormont acceptance speech, she again broke with republican tradition, by using the term, Northern Ireland. She pledged in her speech to represent all and to show respect to the royal family.[44][48][49][50] On 5 February, O'Neill held meetings with Rishi Sunak, Chris Heaton-Harris, Leo Varadkar, and Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive. High on the agenda is the request for higher funding for the Provence in excess of the £3.3 billion package already pledged from the HM Treasury.[51]

Legal issues

In May 2023, O'Neill pursued a libel action against former DUP councillor John Carson for defamation; this followed a comment he had made on social media in April 2021, and for which he later apologised.[52] In November 2023, the High Court ruled, "no award of damages is payable" as her reputation remained intact. The court recognised the comment was "abusive, highly offensive and misogynistic" but concluded it fell short of being defamatory. Both parties were made responsible for their own legal costs amounting to over £12,000 for each litigant.[53] Judge Bell, concluded that it was a minor case, that should never have reached the High Court. Carson was suspended by his party for three months, when the local government commissioner for standards, found 'Mr Carson had breached the code of conduct for councillors' and they imposed a similar sanction.[54]

Personal life

O'Neill became pregnant at the age of 15 and gave birth to her daughter when she was 16. She completed her A-level studies at her Catholic grammar school and went on to train as a welfare rights adviser. She married Paddy O'Neill when she was 18 and they have two children together. She separated from her husband in 2014. O'Neill became a grandmother in 2023.[55][1][14][56][44]

Electoral history

Northern Ireland Assembly elections

Year Constituency Party First-preference votes % Result
2022 Mid Ulster Sinn Féin 10,845 21.0 Elected
2017 Mid Ulster Sinn Féin 10,258 20.6 Elected[57]
2016 Mid Ulster Sinn Féin 6,147 15.1 Elected[57]
2011 Mid Ulster Sinn Féin 5,178 11.9 Elected
2007 Mid Ulster Sinn Féin 6,432 14.5 Elected

Notes

  1. ^ O'Neill has been variously described as Sinn Féin's leader in Northern Ireland,[23] or leader in the Northern Ireland Assembly;[24] Sinn Féin stated her title was "party leader in the North".[23]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Michelle O'Neill: Who is Sinn Féin's new Northern leader?". BBC News. 23 January 2017. Archived from the original on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  2. ^ Hughes, Brendan; Fox, Matt (3 February 2024). "Stormont: Michelle O'Neill makes history as nationalist first minister". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  3. ^ "New northern Sinn Féin leader tells both governments to step up to the plate". Sinn Féin. 23 January 2017. Archived from the original on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  4. ^ "We stand for equality, respect and integrity – O'Neill". Sinn Féin. Archived from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  5. ^ a b Moriarty, Gerry (23 January 2017). "Michelle O'Neill takes over as new Sinn Féin leader in North". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Mid Ulster". ARK.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  7. ^ "The Northern Ireland Assembly". niassembly.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  8. ^ a b Kearney, Vincent (3 February 2022). "Paul Givan resigns as NI First Minister". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Michelle O'Neill – Acceptance speech as Leas Uachtarán Shinn Féin". Sinn Féin. 10 February 2018. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  10. ^ a b c "5 things you should know about Michelle O'Neill, the new Sinn Fein leader at Stormont". The Irish News. Belfast. 23 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  11. ^ a b Breen, Suzanne (23 January 2017). "How does SF's Michelle O'Neill measure up to Arlene Foster?". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast. ISSN 0307-5664. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  12. ^ a b c McDonald, Henry (23 January 2017). "Michelle O'Neill: new Sinn Féin leader marks republican sea change". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 24 January 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  13. ^ Barnes, Ciaran (20 February 2017). "Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill 'has no problem condemning criminality' after cousin convicted of fuel laundering". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast. ISSN 0307-5664. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  14. ^ a b Lonergan, Aidan (23 January 2017). "Who is Michelle O'Neill? Meet the new leader of Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland". The Irish Post. London. ISSN 0959-3748. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  15. ^ a b c "Mid Ulster – Michelle O'Neill profile". Sinn Féin. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  16. ^ Young, Connla (21 January 2017). "Who is Michelle O'Neill?". The Irish News. Belfast. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  17. ^ "Sinn Fein lady Mayor in Dungannon". Tyrone Times. Retrieved 23 January 2017.[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ "Michelle new Agriculture Minister". Tyrone Times. 20 May 2011. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  19. ^ "Department of Agriculture's Ballykelly HQ plans unveiled". BBC News. 30 April 2015. Archived from the original on 28 May 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  20. ^ a b Simpson, Mark (30 December 2013). "Michelle O'Neill will not challenge legal judgement". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 May 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  21. ^ McDonald, Henry (2 June 2016). "Northern Ireland to lift ban on gay men donating blood". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  22. ^ "O'Neill launches 10 year vision for Health & Social Care". Department of Health. 25 October 2016. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  23. ^ a b Breen, Suzanne (23 January 2017). "Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill poised to be selected as party's new leader in Northern Ireland". Irish Independent. Dublin. ISSN 0021-1222. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  24. ^ McDonald, Henry (19 November 2017). "Search for new Sinn Féin leader begins after Gerry Adams steps down". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  25. ^ McDonald, Henry (23 January 2017). "Sinn Féin names Michelle O'Neill as new leader in Northern Ireland". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  26. ^ McKeown, Gareth (23 January 2017). "Michelle O'Neill set to be named new Sinn Féin leader at Stormont". The Irish News. Belfast. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  27. ^ "Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill tops poll in Mid Ulster". ITV News. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  28. ^ "NI Assembly Election 2017 Result Sheet – Mid Ulster (XLS)". The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland – EONI. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017.
  29. ^ "Michelle O'Neill calls for 'urgent' referendum on Irish unity". BBC News. 13 March 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  30. ^ "NI political talks have run their course, says Sinn Féin". BBC News. 26 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  31. ^ McDonald, Henry (26 March 2017). "Northern Ireland power-sharing talks break down". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  32. ^ Preiss, Bert (2020). Conflict at the Interface: Local Community Divisions and Hegemonic Forces in Northern Ireland. LIT Verlag. p. 97. ISBN 978-3643911919.
  33. ^ "Sinn Féin: O'Neill polled 67% in deputy leadership contest". BBC News. 22 November 2019. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  34. ^ "Stormont deal: Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill new top NI ministers". BBC News. 12 January 2020. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  35. ^ "Arlene Foster urges NI parties to stick to language deal". BBC News. 14 June 2021. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  36. ^ "Northern Ireland: Sinn Fein secures historic election win". DW. 7 May 2022. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  37. ^ "Northern Ireland Assembly Election Results 2022". Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  38. ^ Neville, Steve (8 May 2022). "Michelle O'Neill: Her path from Fermoy to Northern Ireland's first minister". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  39. ^ "Michelle O'Neill elected first nationalist First Minister in 'new dawn' for Northern Ireland politics". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  40. ^ Rainey, Mark (3 August 2022). "Michelle O'Neill's 'no alternative' to violence comment provokes backlash". News Letter. Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  41. ^ "Fermoy's Michelle O'Neill breaks long standing republican tradition to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral". 19 September 2022. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  42. ^ "Michelle O'Neill: I wanted to be at King Charles' coronation 'to show respect'". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 6 May 2023. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  43. ^ "Sinn Fein 'on course to hit new general election high': new poll". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 13 November 2023. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  44. ^ a b c Carroll, Rory; correspondent, Rory Carroll Ireland (3 February 2024). "Michelle O'Neill: Sinn Féin leader from IRA family who has vowed to respect royals". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  45. ^ "NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris says 'all conditions in place' for return to power-sharing at Stormont after DUP deal". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 30 January 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  46. ^ "Northern Ireland: A new dawn ushered in by a republican first minister". BBC News. 31 January 2024. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  47. ^ Northern Ireland has sworn in its first Irish Nationalist leader, Michelle O'Neill | ABC News, archived from the original on 5 February 2024, retrieved 5 February 2024
  48. ^ "Michelle O'Neill elected first nationalist First Minister in 'new dawn' for Northern Ireland politics". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  49. ^ "As it happened: Michelle O'Neill becomes First Minister of NI". RTE. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  50. ^ "Northern Ireland's new first minister Michelle O'Neill 'contests' claim Irish unity is 'decades' away". Sky News. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  51. ^ "PM and Taoiseach make flying visits to Belfast". BBC News. 5 February 2024. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  52. ^ "Michelle O'Neill wins libel action against DUP councillor who said she should be 'put back in her kennel'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  53. ^ "Michelle O'Neill awarded no damages over kennel remark". BBC News. 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  54. ^ "John Carson: DUP councillor suspended over Michelle O'Neill post". BBC News. 10 October 2022. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  55. ^ "First Minister Michelle O'Neil". 3 February 2024. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  56. ^ Preston, Allan (6 February 2017). "Being a teenage mother turned me into a stronger person, reveals Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast. ISSN 0307-5664. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  57. ^ a b "Mid Ulster Northern Ireland Assembly constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.

External links

Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Mid Ulster
2007–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development
2011–2016 		Succeeded byas Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Preceded byas Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety Minister of Health
2016–2017 		Vacant
Office suspended
Title next held by
Robin Swann
Preceded by Vice President of Sinn Féin
2018–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
2020–2022 		Vacant


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