i am delighted that michelle o'neal is a leading sinn .o'neal is a leading sinn fein and she will be the next first minister. hervision fein and she will be the next first minister. her vision and foresight and drive has created an atmosphere in parliament which means it can work, so let's make it work. another ma'or si . n work, so let's make it work. another major sign of — work, so let's make it work. another major sign of change _ work, so let's make it work. another major sign of change is _ work, so let's make it work. another major sign of change is the - work, so let's make it work. another major sign of change is the success i major sign of change is the success of the party which is neither unionist nor nationalist. alliance is set to move up from place to third. its leaders say voters had sent a firm message.— third. its leaders say voters had sent a firm message. they want to see a government _ sent a firm message. they want to see a government that _ sent a firm message. they want to see a government that works - sent a firm m

. >>> this would see michelle o'neal take the role of first minister.d earlier, i spoke to the president of sinn fais fein if she felt that northern ireland was closer to reunification with the republic of ireland? >> within this decade, we will see constitutional change on the island of ireland and it's my absolute determination that that change will be entirely peaceful and entirely democratic and orderly. so, we have been saying to the go. in dublin and indeed in london, that the preparation for constitutional change in ireland needs to begin now, there will be no prize for anybody irrespective of their political stripe for burying their head in the sand. we need to be aware of the immense economic and social and cultural opportunities that will be afforded to us, to the island of ireland and to us as an island nation in the coming years and i really want us to grasp those opportunities and for everybody who calls this island home to benefit from that change. >> so, while it's a historic night their northern ireland, it's a potentially decisive one f

as vice president, michelle o'neal looks set to be ireland's first republican minister. >> today ushersew era which i believe presents us all with an opportunity to reimagine relationships necessarily on the basis of fairness, on the basis of equality, on the basis of social justice. irrespective of religious, political, or social backgrounds, my commitment is to make politics work. >> and journalist peter taggart joins me live from belfast. peter, we heard sinn fein there promising a new era. they've said, quote, this is a significant moment of change. so how far does this victory get them on their long path to reunification? >> reporter: well, they obviously would see it as a boost. a lot of their supporters would see it as a boost. of course, the system of government here is a joint, a power-sharing government between republicans and unionist british politicians. the breakdown, sinn fein is the biggest party, and that's the first time that an irish nationalist or irish republican party has been the biggest in the history, the 100-year history of northern ireland. 27 lawmakers, 25 for