Michelle O’Neill with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness earlier today. Pacemaker Press photo.
By Irish Echo Staff
Michelle O’Neill has been announced as the new leader of Sinn Féin in the North.
O’Neill, from County Tyrone, met reporters today flanked by party president Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness who recently announced his resignation as Deputy First Minister.
Mr. McGuinness subsequently announced that he would not be running for reelection to the North Assembly in the March 2 election, this due to health issues.
"For me to be selected to lead our party in the North is truly the biggest honor and privilege of my life,” said O’Neill at the press gathering.
And she stated: "I have no doubt that I am following in the footsteps of a political giant in Martin McGuinness. And it's not just republicans that think that, as we have witnessed over the course of the last few weeks.
"Over the course of the last number of weeks, while others shouted from the sidelines it was Sinn Féin that stood up and confronted corruption.
“It was Sinn Féin that called a halt to the arrogance and the intolerance of the DUP.
"Arrogance and disrespect has no place in society. Financial scandal, incompetence or waste of public money cannot be tolerated.
"In the aftermath of the election, there can and will be no return to the status quo.
O’Neill said that Sinn Féin was only interested in participating in the power sharing institutions if they delivered for all of the North’s citizens and operated on the basis of equality and respect.
"Sinn Féin is seeking in this election a stronger mandate to enter forthcoming political negotiations come March to defend your interests and put firmly the people’s social, economic and political interests first,” she said.
"What we are seeking is respect and equality for all of the people. And what we are seeking is integrity in the political institutions.
"That is what Martin McGuinness stands for. That is what Sinn Féin stands for. That is what I stand for."
