Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said she is “comfortable” with the deputy First Minister attending the White House later this month.
Ms O’Neill previously announced she was not planning to travel to Washington DC for St Patrick’s Day.
She said that she, along with her Sinn Fein party colleagues, will take “a principled stance against the threat of mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza”.
Last week, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly confirmed she will travel to Washington DC.
Last year Ms O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly were lauded in the US capital as they travelled together to attend St Patrick’s Day events only weeks after the powersharing institutions at Stormont were restored.
Speaking during questions for the Executive Office at the Stormont Assembly on Monday, Ms O’Neill said that she and Ms Little-Pengelly will both travel to North Carolina with a Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce trade delegation next week, before the deputy First Minister goes on to Washington.
Ms O’Neill also confirmed an invitation had been received for the White House.
She said she was comfortable with Ms Little-Pengelly attending when she is not.
Responding to a question from People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll, Ms O’Neill said she had taken the decision as First Minister not to attend events at the White House this year.
“That’s my decision, a decision I don’t take lightly, but a decision I’ve taken as a principled stance because I believe it’s the right thing to do at this moment in time.
“I think there are times whenever there’s a responsibility on all of us to call out injustice, and this was that moment.
“So, I’m very comfortable with my decision, equally comfortable with the fact that the deputy First Minister has a different view and will travel to be part of the White House reception and other events this year.
“That’s entirely her call and I’m comfortable enough with that decision.”
Mr Carroll also pressed Ms O’Neill on Taoiseach Micheal Martin’s attendance at the White House.
Ms O’Neill responded by saying it is a different situation for the Taoiseach, who will have the opportunity to engage directly with US President Donald Trump.
“That’s an opportunity that he has to take because only he will have that opportunity to have that one-on-one time, and I hope that he does take the opportunity to drive home the message, the depth of feeling that’s felt right across Ireland in terms of how people feel about what’s happening in Palestine,” she said.
“The recent commentary by the US administration, in particular in terms of the taking of Palestinian lands, the removal of the Palestinian people off their lands, the fact that they have moved away from a two-state solution, which is a solution that we all want to see achieved, is something that he needs to be very firm on in terms of any engagement with the US president.”
