‘No armed groups should exist in this day and age’ – O’Neill

First Minister Michelle O’Neill insisted that no armed groups should exist in Northern Ireland in this day and age (Paul Faith/PA) - (PA Archive)

First Minister Michelle O’Neill has insisted that no armed groups should exist in Northern Ireland in this day and age.

Ms O’Neill, who is the vice-president of Sinn Fein, said any engagement with groups that are active in today’s society should only be on the basis of asking those groups to disband.

The modern day Sinn Fein was historically associated with the Provisional IRA from when the terrorist group was founded in 1969.

In 2005, the IRA released a statement announcing the end of its “armed campaign”, however some speculation has continued over whether the group’s Army Council remains in existence, and whether it has any influence over Sinn Fein.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill appearing before the Stormont Executive Office committee on Wednesday. (NI Assembly/PA)

Executive Office Committee chairwoman Paula Bradshaw asked Ms O’Neill to clarify this during the meeting of the committee on Wednesday afternoon.

Raising the Executive Office’s remit on supporting victims and survivors of the Troubles and ending the control of paramilitarism through the department’s Communities In Transition Programme, Ms Bradshaw asked for reassurances that the IRA Army Council has no influence over Sinn Fein.

“What reassurances can you give to this committee that this is not the case in terms of determining the priorities nor actions of the Executive Office,” she said.

Ms O’Neill responded saying “party political issues are not for this committee” and contended Ms Bradshaw had made a “party political statement”.

Ms Bradshaw responded saying: “I feel that for the public record that this is maybe a question that people would like to ask, that the work that comes out of the Executive Office is purely in line with what is needed by the people, by the Executive as a committee itself.”

Stormont Executive Office committee chair Paula Bradshaw during a meeting of the committee on Wednesday. (NI Assembly/PA)

Ms O’Neill said: “The Executive Office takes its responsibility very seriously.”

Sinn Fein MLA Caral Ni Chuilin interjected to describe the question as “completely ridiculous”, but Ms Bradshaw defended it as a “legitimate question”.

Ms O’Neill continued to say: “The Executive Office discharges all of its responsibilities very seriously, particularly when it comes to tackling criminality.

“There should be no paramilitary groups that exist in this day and age. I think that’s a shared endeavour that we all should ensure.

“Any engagement with any groups that are active in today’s society should only be on the basis of asking those groups to disband.”