Debate contribution: First Ministers: Joint Title

Debate contribution by Mr Matthew O'Toole on 22 September 2025.

MLA: Mr Matthew O'Toole
Party at the time: Social Democratic and Labour Party
Date: 22 September 2025
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: First Ministers: Joint Title
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5123665

Text

First Minister, you are First Minister. I asked for your opinion. I did not ask what the AERC is doing. I am on that Committee, so I know. The differential between those titles was born out of unionist insecurity, to be blunt, in 1998. It was a continuation of the top-dog supremacy politics of the Orange state that you and I both want to move away from. Do you agree with me and with yourself, because in 2020, you called yourself the joint First Minister, and with your predecessor, Martin McGuinness, that it is time to abandon that kind of top-dog politics and move toward a joint title?

108 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Part of an exchange

This follow-up belongs to: Topical question AQT 1561/22-27.

Assessment

Not analysed

This is the same MLA’s follow-up within the exchange on their own question. It is analysed together with that question and is not counted separately, so one question is never counted twice.

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