Eimear Flanagan & Raymona Crozier
BBC News NI
PA Media
Archibald moves from minister for finance to minister for the economy
Caoimhe Archibald has been appointed economy minister in a Sinn Féin Executive reshuffle following Conor Murphy’s resignation.
Former infrastructure minister John O’Dowd is to fill Archibald’s previous brief of minister of finance, and his previous job will be filled by Liz Kimmins.
Murphy stepped down from Stormont after being elected to the Seanad (Irish parliament’s upper chamber).
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said she was very confident in the team and said that Archibald would “lead” on correcting what she called the “underfunding” of Stormont.
Emma Little-Pengelly and Michelle O’Neill have been in government together for a year
Speaking on the anniversary of the return of the Stormont institutions on Monday, First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said the Northern Ireland Executive had achieved “significant” progress.
But they added there is “much more to do” to improve public services.
O’Neill told BBC News NI the four-party coalition is doing its best and must put its “shoulder to the wheel”.
Little-Pengelly said big issues like health waiting lists were never going to be eradicated in one 12-month period.
“But we’ve made a really strong start,” she added.
Devolved government was restored at Stormont exactly 12 months ago after a two-year gap due to a stand-off over post-Brexit trade rules.
O’Neill said they had made “huge strides forward” including securing nearly £500m in extra funding for public services and settling public sector pay disputes.
“We have prioritised investing in our public sector workers by ensuring their pay awards were made, that was a day one priority and we’ll continue to do so.”
The first minister added that the situation in health was not acceptable but does not believe the executive had ‘”left it all” to the health minister.
“We know this is an area that will require significant investment and that’s why it has got over half of the budget” she added.
O’Neill said the challenges in the health system have existed for a long time and described the situation as “trying to turn a tanker”.
Little-Pengelly said the executive needs “a plan” from the Department of Health to tackle the
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