First minister 'incredulous' over Ukraine missile deal

First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said she is "incredulous" at a UK government deal for a Belfast factory to supply air defence missiles to Ukraine.

The Sinn Féin vice-president said that "rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services".

The Thales missile factory is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth up to £1.6bn, the UK government announced on Sunday.

It will involve recruiting 200 additional staff.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the order as he laid out a four-point plan to "reach peace and defend Ukraine".

In the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, O'Neill was asked by independent assembly member (MLA) Claire Sugden whether she supported the deal.

The first minister said she found it "incredulous" at a time when "public services are being cut left, right and centre".

She added: "At a time when we've endured 14 years of austerity, at a time whenever winter fuel payments are being cut from older people, at a time when lots of small local businesses are going to go to the wall because they can't afford the national insurance hikes.

"At a time whenever our farmers are worried because of the inheritance tax, I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services."

O'Neill said she believed "the focus of the international community should always be to work towards negotiation and peace settlements".

"That's my approach to these things," she added.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said people should be "very proud" of the aerospace and defence industry in Northern Ireland.

She was responding to a question about O'Neill's comments from Steve Aiken of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).

Referencing efforts to support the economy, he asked: "How can we say that when the first minister today when asked the question about bringing in £1.6bn worth of investment into Northern Ireland and 200 extra jobs, found it incredulous?"

In response, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) minister said: "We have a fantastic aerospace and defence industry in Northern Ireland, and so much of that is around supporting people to secure peace.

"We do all want to see peace. We want to see a peaceful outcome negotiated."

She told assembly members: "We should be very proud of the world-class products and contribution that they are making in very, very important areas."

DUP East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson said the first minister's position on Ukraine is "entirely contradictory".

"She can't on one hand warmly welcome that there is "no ambiguity" about European support for Ukraine and on the other, criticise the supply of missiles that gives practical effect to that support," he added.