Michelle O'Neill says new era for NI with new leaders at helm

It's a new era for Northern Ireland with a new generation of leaders at the helm, according to Michelle O'Neill.

The first and deputy first ministers are in Washington DC ahead of St Patrick's Day celebrations.

They will take part in a series of events before attending the annual ceremony at the White House on Sunday.

Speaking to an audience of Irish-Americans on Wednesday night, Ms O'Neill said she hoped to seize the opportunities of the Windsor Framework.

She also pledged to continue to work for prosperity.

"A new generation of leaders are at the helm and we're all about building that better future, that shared future, for everyone," she said.

Ms O'Neill also said society in Northern Ireland is moving forward, and urged the Ireland Funds dinner attendees to "help us deliver that hope and opportunity we're so desperate to try to bring about for all of the people we collectively serve."

Joining Ms O'Neill on stage, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly continued the positive partnership reflecting on the pair's contrasting backgrounds.

"We stand here tonight, Irish and Ulster Scots representing the two great traditions of our island," she said.

"We are determined to set a positive tone for all identities."

Mrs Little-Pengelly thanked the audience for being with the people of Northern Ireland "through the difficult times" and hoped they would continue their journey adding that Northern Ireland was "open for business".

Politicians in Northern Ireland recently returned to power-sharing devolved government after a two-year gap.

The first and deputy first ministers have denied they have had to compromise their political identities in their new roles.

Michelle O'Neill said "none of us are being asked to surrender who we are" and said we should "have the courage to be comfortable in our own skin".

Speaking alongside Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly in their first joint sit-down interview with BBC News NI, Ms O'Neill was responding to the challenges they both now face in office.

Ms Little Pengelly echoed those sentiments and added that as joint ministers they "are not planning to fail".

"Moving forward we won't agree on everything and there will be challenges," she added.

Speaking in Washington after the annual Northern Ireland Bureau breakfast, Ms O'Neill reinforced that Emma Little Pengelly was the joint head of government and she has been keen to send that message out in all her meetings in the US and Northern Ireland.

A delegation from Trade NI - an alliance of retail, hospitality and manufacturing representatives - are also in Washington.

Manufacturing NI's chief executive Stephen Kelly said there has been "massive interest" in Northern Ireland so far.

He told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme the delegation are hoping to build relationships and establish long-lasting connections to secure more investment for the trade sector.

"For the first time in a long time, there's a stake placed in the ground for Northern Ireland," he said.

"This pitch here is about tourism, it's about actually Northern Ireland companies selling more in the US and we've seen increasingly now businesses from Northern Ireland making investments in the US.

"So this is about trade, it's about tourism, as well as about bringing jobs home."

Mr Kelly added the recent return to devolution and NI's "unique" dual-market access has fascinated potential investors.

"They know that 10 million, 20 million, 30 million dollars of investment is going to be safe, and Northern Ireland's a good place to put it," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday the taoiseach (Irish prime minister) said any reform of the political institutions in Northern Ireland should happen before the next assembly elections.

Leo Varadkar said any changes, such as how first and deputy first ministers were elected or the capacity for one party to have a veto, should happen before voters go to the polls again.

However, he added that Stormont parties would need to agree on any changes. Mr Varadkar also acknowledged that elections were "a while away".

Responding to those comments, Ulster Unionist Mike Nesbitt warned there's a need to be careful when it comes to reform.

"If you speak to the 90 MLA's who all know if it collapses again perhaps it will be for a generation and very, very few want that outcome," he told BBC News NI.

"On reform, I'm certainly prepared to look at but there's a certain element of a be careful what you wish for, because St Andrew's did not work out well.

"We need to be careful of how we manage that."