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NORTHERN IRELAND FIRST Minister Michelle O’Neill is expected to meet the UK’s King Charles at Windsor Castle later today.
The Sinn Féin vice president will be accompanied by deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, with the duo to set to take part in a meeting that will also involve Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the first ministers of Scotland and Wales.
Charles’s discussions with the figureheads of the UK’s devolved governments are expected to involve discussions around upcoming issues facing the different nations.
O’Neill previously met Charles when he visited Northern Ireland in 2022 after the death of his mother, Elizabeth, and she also attended his coronation the following year.
A Sinn Féin spokesman told PA:
“As First Minister, Michelle O’Neill has been invited to a political engagement in Windsor Castle, hosted by the British King today, Wednesday 12th February.
“This event will be attended by the British Prime Minister, the First Ministers from Scotland and Wales, and the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
“This is an opportunity to advocate for the best interests of people and communities on our island.”
It is understood the invitation included an overnight stay at Windsor but O’Neill has decided to stay at another location.
The decision has drawn the attention of the British press, with The Telegraph sticking the decision on its front page.
Under a headline ‘Sinn Fein’s first minister snubs King’s invitation’, it said it would have the first time a senior Sinn Féin member had stayed overnight at a royal residence since the Troubles.
With reporting by Eoghan Dalton
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Fully completed early 2020?? Another year of it. Soul destroying every day
@Brian Dunne: The main work on the M7 is due to finish in 4 weeks. The rest if the work is mainly around the Sallins bypass and the new junction 10 exits
These boys would have it knocked out and be home within the first night…. https://youtu.be/KrPgXYrNGG4
@⚡ Seánie ⚡: except the video says it took them 21 days, and the chaos caused by trying to get 200 excavators up the N7?
Surely an early April Fools joke? 25km/h is a ridiculously slow speed
@Stingray Jones: it is to do with worker safety.
@Stingray Jones: advisory only… Not enforced… Limit is still 60 km/h
@Finbarr Barry: from the article ‘speed limit in force of 25km/hr’. Key words being limit and force, but hey, it’s your speeding ticket
@Vocal Outrage: Gardai said in yesterdays article it’s not enforceable but is advisory.
@Ian Breathnach: about 2 years ago there were roadworks near where I lived, 50km/hr limit during works, temporarily dropped under an advisory limit to 25km/hr for 2 weekends, I got the ticket doing 40km/hr. Strangely enough the judge didn’t agree with your logic of it being un-enforceable, although, he didn’t increase the fine or points
@Vocal Outrage: doubt you went to court as there must be a bye law to prosecute… Advisable speed limits do not have bye laws enacted
@Finbarr Barry: if not enforceable you could still be done for dangerous driving
@Finbarr Barry: ah, so you counter-argument is to simply call me a liar, very mature. Perhaps, just perhaps, you don’t understand the law as well as you think?
Ah here
@kokonutter: i agree
Are some speed freaks (being polite) here seriously suggesting they want to barrel through busy roadworks ?
25 km/h is an advisory… The speed limit is still 60 km/h
@Finbarr Barry: are you sure though? the traffic is getting diverted off onto sliproads &even on motorways sliproads have 50km /h speed limits.so 25 on a sliproad with roadworks going on sounds about right
@Dean Anderson: The Minister for Transport issued a direction to road authorities under section 95(16) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 in February 2007 with respect to a range of non-regulatory traffic signs. Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual was superseded by an updated version which allowed for the erection of signage stating a cautionary speed limit in the vicinity of Road Works. These speed limits are purposely different from legal speed limits and always display a speed limit that ends in 5, for example 35 km/h (22 mph), 45 km/h (28 mph), etc. They are not legally binding on drivers but it is likely that in the event of a road traffic accident that the issue of if they were being complied with, would be taken into account.
@Finbarr Barry: again, use of the word limit, it would be termed something like maximum advisory speed, but a limit is just that, a limit
No diversion in place this morning at 4am when I travelled that stretch. Sailed through it.
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