First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said that the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy was a top priority for the Executive as she reflected on her first year in office.
The Sinn Féin Vice President was one of a number of politicians to issue a New Year message.
In her reflections, Ms O'Neill said that the return of the Assembly and Executive marked a moment of possibility.
"Whether you’re from Pomeroy or Portaferry, the Shankill Road or Ballymurphy, as First Minister for all, I am committed to representing you and delivering hope and opportunity for you and your family," she said.
"My guiding principle is to serve everyone equally across our community, working relentlessly to make a real and positive change in people's lives.
"We’ve made significant progress on key issues that affect people right across society."
The First Minister reflected on a number of developments throughout the year including progress on the A5, additional funding for health and education and progress on the expansion of Ulster University's Magee campus.
Michelle O'Neill also drew attention to the number of women who were murdered in Northern Ireland this year.
"Tragically, 2024 saw seven women murdered in the North. Behind every death is a family left shattered by grief. As a society, we must and can do better," she said.
"That’s why launching the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy was a top priority for this Executive and why I will continue to ensure the strategy’s targets are delivered. We all share a responsibility to challenge the misogyny that enables such heinous crimes to persist.
"Women should feel safe in every street, town, and city across this island."
Michelle O'Neill asko called for society to come together to deliver "a future where our children can realise their full potential— with access to good jobs, a roof over their heads, and lives full of exciting opportunities."
"Together, we’re building a brighter and better future—one that we can all be proud of. A future defined by prosperity, progress, and positivity.
"As we write the next chapter, let’s stay united and chart this path forward together. I recognise there is still much to do, and I am more determined than ever to continue delivering strong leadership and positive change.
"Let’s embrace the opportunities ahead, united in purpose, as we build a brighter future for everyone who calls this island home."
Meanwhile, in her New Years message, SDLP leader Claire Hanna reflected on the election of Donald Trump and the ongoing situation in Gaza.
"2024 has been an important year for Northern Ireland. We finally saw the return of the Stormont institutions, had a Westminster election in the Summer and many closely followed the recent elections in the South. Our political landscape is broadening as our world becomes smaller and I know that many are concerned by the election of Donald Trump in the US and have watched on in horror at the genocide in Gaza," she said.
"For far too many families living in Northern Ireland 2024 has been a struggle. For those on a health waiting list, trying to get care for their child with special educational needs or failing to secure a home, things can sometimes feel impossible, like there’s nowhere to turn. Next year I hope to see the Executive move forward from positive images and vague proposals. It is past time they turned their attention to using the power they sought and won at the ballot box to meaningfully change people's lives. Finances will never be all that we need, but the Executive have agency, billions to spend and time before the next election.
"The SDLP will continue to take seriously its role as opposition, holding the Executive to account constructively while also using our platform in Westminster to support and advocate for Northern Ireland. We will also deepen and broaden our work on a new Ireland based on reconciliation, ambition and social and global justice.
"As a party, we'll enter 2025 with hope and purpose - realistic about the scale of the challenge and up for the work it involves."
2025 must be the year the local institutions finally see reform and we remove the possibility of ransom politics, Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA has said.
She said although 2024 had seen the return of the Assembly and Executive, issues still remained on the table, which were exacerbated by the possibility of another collapse in future.
“As a party which rightly criticised the DUP for collapsing the institutions and Sinn Féin for doing likewise before, we very much welcomed their return. However, Alliance was always clear restoration was not a silver bullet to resolve all of the challenges still facing us as a society,” she said.
“That includes putting public finances on a more sustainable footing, delivering health transformation and stabilisation, making our streets safer, tackling education underfunding, ensuring we have a thriving economy and building a vibrant, prosperous and united community.
“While having two Alliance Ministers in the Executive has allowed us greater influence and control over the work to address some of those challenges, the legacy of our system and previous collapses means it is often an uphill battle, and the constant risk of further collapse remains live.
“The institutions are as stable as they were the day before the last collapse. That ongoing instability has caused immeasurable damage, not only to public confidence but also to our public services, finances and our community.
“The need for institutional reform to remove the ability of any single party to hold us all to ransom and paralyse the entire system in the process remains pressing.
“With new Governments in London and Dublin and relative stability here, 2025 offers an opportunity outside of crisis and chaos to reflect on how we can improve the stability of the institutions and make progress on reform to end ransom politics for good. The people we serve deserve nothing less – together, we need to deliver for them.”
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