Northern Ireland’s first minister says she would rather see money invested in public services than in ‘weapons of war’

Michelle O’Neill said the international community should focus on working towards ‘negotiation and peace settlements’ Credit: Liam McBurney/PA

Daniel Martin Deputy Political Editor03 March 2025 9:29pm GMT

The Sinn Fein first minister of Northern Ireland said she had been “incredulous” that the British Government had put in an order with a Belfast plant for missiles for Ukraine.

Sir Keir Starmer announced on Sunday that the Thales plant in east Belfast would supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth up to £1.6 billion.

But Michelle O’Neill, the vice-president of the republican party, said she would rather see the money invested in public services than in “weapons of war”.

During the Troubles, Sinn Fein was the political wing of the IRA, which killed 1,800 people between 1969 and its final ceasefire, in 1997.

In the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Ms O’Neill said she had been “incredulous” at the deal at the time of public service cuts, winter fuel payment cuts, national insurance rises and inheritance tax changes for farmers.

“I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services,” she said.

The first minister also said she had felt the focus of the international community “should always be to work towards negotiation and peace settlements”.

“Our own example here will tell us that,” she added.

Sir Keir said on Sunday that the lightweight multirole missiles would be made at the Thales weapons plant in Belfast, creating 200 jobs.

“This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now and [to] strengthen Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes,” he said.

The missiles, which are capable of flying at 1.5 times the speed of sound and striking targets more than 3.7 miles away, can be used to attack enemy vehicles, boats and drones.

Earlier, during a press conference at Stormont, Gavin Robinson, the DUP leader, said the deal would be “hugely significant” for the Belfast workforce.

Mr Robinson also described the heated Oval Office confrontation between Donald Trump, the US president, and Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, as “appalling”.

However, he said political parties who would be boycotting events to mark St Patrick’s Day in Washington, but who said the White House visit of Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach, should go ahead, “can’t have it both ways”.

“It is a hugely significant order,” he said.

“It builds on not only the work that has been done to encourage defence contributions and spend in Northern Ireland, but it also recognises the significant contribution Thales has made to the ongoing efforts in Ukraine.”