Little-Pengelly criticises O'Neill as nationalist first ministers to meet
Little-Pengelly criticises O'Neill as nationalist first ministers to meet
Hayley Halpin - BBC News NIMon, September 14, 2026 at 7:35 AM UTC
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The Deputy First Minister has accused republicanism of attempting to "weaponise the role of the first minister", as Michelle O'Neill is due to meet the first ministers of Wales and Scotland to discuss ways of "working more closely".
In Northern Ireland, the first and deputy first minister have identical powers and responsibilities.
Little-Pengelly criticised O'Neill for attending Monday's talks.
"She has not sought any agreement or permission from me to travel, attend or sign anything as First Minister. She would have needed to do so to do anything as FM," the deputy first minister said.
For the first time since devolution began, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have first ministers who want to leave the United Kingdom.
On Sunday, O'Neill confirmed she was meeting with SNP leader John Swinney and Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth in Cardiff on Monday.
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"We're coming together because we all want to break free of the shackles of Westminster," she said in a video posted on social media.
"We're coming together at a moment of hope and opportunity for all our people. What we want is self-determination. What we want is to be able to decide our own future, and to bring that into the hands of our people" she said.
"So these are big moments of change, big moments of hope, and there's a lot to do together."
The meeting comes two days after US President Donald Trump said he would love to see a united Ireland.
'Not on behalf of Northern Ireland'
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, Little-Pengelly said "we need to be very clear" that O'Neill is "meeting in her political role as a member of Sinn Féin, as the leader of Sinn Féin of the north, as she would described it herself, not on behalf of Northern Ireland, she's not signing anything on behalf of Northern Ireland".
"I looked very carefully at what was briefed out, what was reported, it was being reported out as if this was a summit of first ministers," Little-Pengelly said.
"It is not a summit of first ministers. She may be first minister, which is of course a joint role along with myself, but she is there absolutely in a Sinn Féin capacity."
Source: “AOL Breaking”
