O’Neill Says DUP Blocked Her From Glasgow Economic Forum

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill stated that Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has blocked her from attending the Economic Forum in Glasgow. O’Neill said she was scheduled to represent the region at the event on Friday. She expected to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney, Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth, and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The leaders were set to hold a side meeting at the forum. O’Neill and Little-Pengelly also planned to discuss the Stormont budget with Burnham.

O’Neill released a statement on Thursday. She posted on the social media platform X that the blocking was a reactive stunt. She attributed the move to internal pressures and electoral problems within the Democratic Unionist Party. The statement came as members of the DUP’s main decision-making body met. They were considering the party’s next steps amid political fallout from the Drumcree parading dispute. Senior DUP figures remained divided on how to respond to police investigations of O’Neill and other party colleagues. The investigations relate to their participation in an allegedly unlawful protest last month.

O’Neill described the decision as reckless and irresponsible. She said the approach meant the people of the north would not be represented in Glasgow. She noted that the Economic Forum was taking place the following day. O’Neill claimed the DUP struggled to embrace equality and respect Irish identity. She argued that the party had difficulty accepting that a nationalist and republican holds the office of First Minister. She stated it is for the people, not the DUP, to decide who represents them.

O’Neill said she contacted the British Secretary of State to make her position clear. She vowed to continue protecting peace and progress as First Minister. She recently attended a police station for an interview. She defended her presence at the Garvaghy Road protest in Portadown. The protest aimed to prevent a contentious Orange Order parade from proceeding down a predominantly nationalist road. The road is located near Drumcree Church.

Carla Lockhart, the Upper Bann MP, has called on the DUP leadership to withdraw Little-Pengelly from the Stormont Executive. Such a move would force O’Neill from her post due to the joint nature of the powersharing structures. This would effectively collapse the devolved administration in Belfast. The executive would no longer meet to make significant decisions. Departmental ministers could remain in post for up to six months. The Northern Ireland Assembly could continue to sit. DUP leader Gavin Robinson has resisted pressure to pull Little-Pengelly out. He argued that imploding the Executive would damage unionism.

Lockhart resigned as a party officer last week over differences with the leadership. Other DUP members have suggested ending Little-Pengelly’s participation in joint engagements with O’Neill. The dispute stems from a Parades Commission decision to allow the Orange Order to parade down the Garvaghy Road. This would have been the first time in almost 30 years. The decision prompted a two-week standoff at the site. The parade did not take place due to the number of protesters. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant overturned the commission’s decision and banned the procession. A High Court judge upheld his decision on Wednesday.

Police have invited individuals reasonably suspected of committing offences to attend interviews. The unnotified protest was staged on September 27. Sinn Féin TDs Pearse Doherty and Matt Carthy attended a voluntary interview in Belfast on Thursday. They are the latest of several Sinn Féin and People Before Profit representatives interviewed by the PSNI. Doherty said he and his party are proud to have stood with the Garvaghy Road community. He stated that standing up for what is right is always the right thing to do.