Carál Ní Chuilín
North Belfast · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“To continue the theme of undermining public confidence and public effectiveness, I ask you this, Minister: why do you and your DUP colleagues continue to block the 'good jobs' Bill, particularly the measures for parents whose babies require neonatal care and, indeed, other measures that will support workers who are struggling with the cos…”
“At the end of the day, guns were used to kill Catholics — Davy Payne; surface-to-air missiles in South Africa and Paris and then some. I will give the deputy First Minister another opportunity not to deflect but to condemn her party's involvement in Ulster Resistance and with the red berets that they wore.”
“I thank the Minister for that response. I have a close family relative who is in need of a SPiMS unit in an Irish-medium school but cannot access one in North Belfast at all. Apart from access in P4 and P5, they will have to go to an English-speaking school, even though Irish is their first language.”
“You mentioned some of the issues that are important: trade union representation, the banning of zero-hours contracts and employees being able to have their tips and service charges. Anyone who cannot get behind these proposals needs to be clear — concerns for some, and hiding behind the industry for others.”
“First Minister, I know that, recently, you were in Ardoyne for the sod cutting of the new £3·4 million purpose-built youth facility for Ardoyne Youth Enterprise. Further to your response to Brian Kingston, can you give us an update on that project and, indeed, any others?”
“I agree 100%, Linda. That is something that we all agree on. We met many people. The Bill was published and was based on the report of the truth recovery process.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,734 lines we hold for Carál Ní Chuilín, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 7 of 55.
“I appreciate the Minister's response and the fact that he is working with Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta on the end-to-end review. My experience in my constituency office is that a lot of concerns are being raised by parents and guardians about the delays. I appreciate that the delays are across the board, but can the Minister update me in writing about the current status of the end-to-end review with CnaG?”
“I ask the Minister to reconsider that with his colleague, Minister Swann, because a multidisciplinary team is there to do that. For a child not to be able to express themselves in their first language is putting them at a further disadvantage. I ask that the matter be reconsidered.”
“about this issue. It is really important. The need for a bespoke service does not come from community relations or anybody else; it comes from the ground up. They have got it. Let us recognise that when we look at funding. We should not only congratulate them on their achievements thus far but make it easier for them to do that really hard work on our behalf.”
“We want to be productive in the change that comes forward, and we want to do it together. Above all else, we'll listen to you". I am delighted to say cúpla focal”
“It was the communities who spoke to their neighbours, the youth groups and the mother-and-toddler groups, went to the libraries and worked really hard to get that done. They are doing the same thing in Girdwood, North Queen Street, Duncairn Gardens, the Limestone Road and Clifton Street. Unfortunately, there are about eight interfaces, but four of them are still particularly problematic. As Brian Kingston knows, they are problematic because a small cohort of young people are determined to cause trouble. <BR /> <BR />The overarching sense of a need for better funding for good relations is the elephant in the room. We need to mop up all of that in different Departments and give good leadership. We must say to those areas in particular, "We see you. We know who you are. We value you.”
“From there, it goes on and on. It becomes intergenerational and harder to crack. What I have seen this past lot of years compared with what I saw in previous years is that people are doing this. They were doing co-design and co-production well before we were talking about it. As Paula said, communities are often ahead of us political leaders. They have been doing it for some time. <BR /> <BR />I want to mention North Belfast. Regrettably, we have an interface right through a park, but that has now opened up. I remember David Ford being there when it opened up, and, in fairness, he recognised the communities, but the communities were not recognised enough by officials then. It was the communities who took the risks.”
“The children, young people and residents who are involved in youth work do it together. They may do single identity work, but, when it comes to evaluating and making sure that there are enough staff and diversionary youth workers, they do it together. That is greatly appreciated, and it is worth putting it on record. That occurs across the communities. I have seen it. Young people take risks when there is a lack of political leadership. They will continue to do that. We need to continue their funding at the very least. We all need to review what will happen to good relations or whatever. <BR /> <BR />There are also economic impacts. Without T:BUC, Communities in Transition (CIT) and the Engage programme, some young people in particular are extremely vulnerable and could get involved in the criminal justice system.”
“Do they still have the ability to coerce and control young people and cause sectarian problems? They absolutely do. Regrettably, I saw that as recently as a couple of weeks ago in North Belfast.”
“There is a lot that we could say. In 10 minutes, you kept yourself to fairly confined words. First, we need to discuss a couple of things. This is the elephant in the room: there is still sectarianism out there. We agree on that. There is also a lot of focus on sectarianism, particularly in working-class and deprived areas. We recognise that, but we also need to deal with the middle-class sectarianism that has gone on for a long time. <BR /> <BR />I put on record my thanks to the many people who, throughout all sorts of years, have continued to show leadership in interfaces. I also want to talk about the elephant in the room, particularly when we are talking about tackling paramilitaries through Communities in Transition (CIT). In the area that I represent, it is armed criminal gangs. We need to call that out as well.”
“Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le Páirtí na Comhghuaillíochta as an rún thábhachtach seo a mholadh. Tacaím leis an rún.”
“<BR /> <BR />I will pursue this because, at the minute, funding is across at least three Departments, and women on the ground and their families are facing a negative impact as a result. We need a bespoke service. We need to look at the examples shown by the Grace Family Centre in north Belfast, the Falls Women's Centre in west Belfast and other women's centres to see the networks and try to give them support, because it is absolutely disgraceful that, in 2024, children have been lifted from their beds in the early hours and bundled into cars wrapped in quilts, and the support that they get afterwards is absolutely an uphill climb. That is something that none of us are happy to have on our watch.”
“through the process. <BR /> <BR />As part of other debates, we had a discussion around funding, particularly for Women's Aid and that, and I think that everybody across the House recognised how important that was. However, there is an underbelly to some of the funding that is awarded to some of the groups, and that is that it is women, particularly in the women's centres and, indeed, the women who volunteer, who are supporting, accompanying and giving bespoke support to women who often find themselves having to get emergency accommodation not only outside their own constituency but outside the city. Women who have children are also navigating their way through social services and then trying to deal with the trauma of experiencing domestic violence.”
“I want to raise the issue of an increase in domestic violence. I have been on the record in speaking about this before, most recently around the strategy to end violence against women and girls. In North Belfast, since the end of COVID, there has certainly been a marked increase. It is exclusively women I am talking about. That is not to say that men do not experience domestic violence; it is just that I am talking about my experience in the constituency. For women who cannot get a non-molestation order, for whatever reason, there is a certainly a red flag”
“You have partly answered my question, in that you mentioned large local companies. Will you, however, ensure that the assured skills academies will, in conjunction with the potential opportunities that big companies and, indeed, FDI may bring, continue to have your support for local opportunities?”
“I also recognise that the funding for our health and social care staff and workforce planning is not where it should be. In fact, it is quite poor. We have heard about the impact of COVID, but these challenges were there prior to COVID and have been exacerbated by it. It is imperative that Ashton Community Trust, Start360, the mental health navigators and the Belfast Trust get the additional funding to continue the service. I appeal to the Minister and the strategic planning and performance group to make sure that not only that project but others are continued after 31 March.”
“<BR /> <BR />Yesterday, during Question Time, the Health Minister was asked about a lot of community and voluntary groups, including those that are based in different health and social care trusts, and about what happens after 31 March. From speaking to the staff in accident in emergency, as well as to the families and individuals who have been supported through the service, I know that it will be much more difficult if that funding and that partnership are not just continued but expanded after 31 March. Ideally, I would like to see the service being extended to the Mater Hospital in north Belfast. <BR /> <BR />In the context of the Protect Life 2 suicide prevention strategy, the "card before you leave" scheme and all the other services that are there to protect people at their most vulnerable, there are partnerships.”
“I wish to raise the issue of mental health support in our emergency departments. The community navigators, who are probably better known as the "Pink T-shirts", provide a service that is based in the Royal Victoria Hospital emergency department. They have been working there since December 2021. It is a service that is provided by the Ashton Community Trust and Start360 in Belfast. They work in conjunction with accident and emergency nurses, doctors, consultants and the mental health liaison team to support individuals. They really are the de-escalation service for people in crisis. When those people are assessed, they are referred on for either a medical intervention or additional mental health and support.”
“I thank the Minister for his response. He knows me well enough to know that I am not saying this lightly, but that will not mean anything to families, the police or community groups who are in ED from Thursday to Sunday or Monday with people who are struggling or in crisis through drugs or alcohol or both. When the budget is confirmed, will the Minister give more security to those very services that are under threat, including to the staff, who are working under extreme pressure in our emergency departments right across the North?”
“I agree with Andy Allen on the need for a stand-alone housing outcome. We all look forward to seeing the Programme for Government. Perhaps the deputy First Minister can give us more details on how the PFG outcomes will be measured.”
“I thank my colleague from North Belfast for raising the issue. I am glad that the Minister mentioned that she would welcome a bid from the Minister of Health for a more secure funding model for the hospice. Will she raise with him the fact that there is a need for a business case for more sustainable funding not just for the Children's Hospice but for the adult hospices, rather than relying on end-of-year bids to get some sustainability?”
“I appreciate the amendment from my two colleagues, but I would like to see us send very clear and resounding support to ending gender-based violence against women and girls. Like the rest of my colleagues, I support the amendment and ask that we support the amended motion.”
“Michelle, on behalf of the Executive and as First Minister, has said that we will gather up that work and try to get the strategy sorted out. We have the framework, we need to get the strategy sorted out, and we need to have an action plan. The gift in all this is that we need to be able to see it. I pay tribute to everyone who spoke. Cheryl Brownlee spoke about the abuse that young boys and young men get as well. Regardless of where it is or where it emanates from, we want to call a halt to all of that. <BR /> <BR />I will end on this note: it is not just about all of us around the Chamber agreeing for the sake of agreeing. I believe that this was an honest and credible debate.”
“In fact, as elected reps, we had to go and meet the police about the abuse that we received and our personal safety. I have to say, giving credit to everybody, that we were there to support each other, regardless of our positions politically. That is what we do as women, I would like to think. We will fall out and disagree, but when it comes to calling out abuse, violence and intimidation, we need to do that for everybody, not just for some. <BR /> <BR />I thank Paula Bradshaw, the Chairperson of the Committee for the Executive Office, and Connie Egan, the Committee's Deputy Chair, for setting out what happened in the previous mandate. I have heard today that, in the previous mandate, a lot of work was done.”
“Most people know that I am very straight, but I would never, ever deliberately go out to cause people harm and offence. I have been subject to it in here, as have many others, and it needs to stop. People who persist with that are nothing but cowards, and they need to be called out. <BR /> <BR />Deirdre Hargey, Linda Dillon and others mentioned the issue around mother-and-baby homes and the Magdalene laundries. That is our shame. That is our nation's shame, and we must ensure that not only does it never happen again but that those who were responsible have to restore financially. The people impacted now span three, four or five generations, and we need to put our arms around them and give them support. <BR /> <BR />Diane Forsythe, unfortunately, is no stranger to vile abuse, and she called out what that was like for her.”
“Women who have retired are providing a befriending service to people who need it most, and that is really admirable. <BR /> <BR />Many Members, particularly Deirdre Hargey, Sinéad McLaughlin and Sorcha Eastwood, mentioned the toxicity around the debate on ending violence against women and girls. Sorcha made that point in particular. Brian, in his winding-up speech, responded to Harry's intervention about how we behave in the Chamber. We are all used to the cut and thrust of politics, but it is belligerent to shout at people from the corner or from a sedentary position, or to put things up on social media with some vile commentary. That adds to people having permission, not that they need it, to abuse, insult, offend and intimidate others. Each of us has a responsibility to be courteous, and I include myself in that.”
“Those people are trying to help people at their time of most need. We need to look at that as a priority. <BR /> <BR />I also want to mention other women's organisations that I personally worked with throughout and after COVID. They include the women's centres whose staff took huge personal risks going into people's homes to try to help them and worked with the PSNI and the courts. They went to court with women and were there for them throughout that journey when no one else was. We need to mention those women, and I want to take this opportunity to mention, in particular, the Falls Women's Centre and the Grace Family Centre, which are in west Belfast and north Belfast respectively. I know that each of us will have many other examples.”
“It is archaic and like something out of a Charles Dickens film or book. We should refer to it as the "first speech". Connie Egan made hers. I met her mummy in the canteen, so there are two generations of women listening to the debate. Let us hope that we can have a third generation of women coming here and drop that term. While it is not sexist— men make their maiden speeches here as well —I just think that it is crazy biscuits, to be fair. <BR /> <BR />Anyway, I return to the issue of domestic violence. All the organisations that are trying to help people who are at their most vulnerable had their funding cut or removed. Many Members, including Michelle, the First Minister, spoke about the need around Women's Aid. Indeed, most contributors did so. That in itself should go to the point about vulnerability.”
“It is only when you think of it in those human terms that you start to realise the gravity of what we are all dealing with. <BR /> <BR />Unfortunately, far too many people have lost their lives or been murdered as a result of domestic violence or people feeling that it was somehow acceptable to kill women in the street, as in the cases that were mentioned. All Members who spoke said that we need to change the culture and the narrative so that violence against women and girls is not acceptable. For that reason alone, one of the good things to come out of the debate will be the people who are watching us or listening to us hearing how collegiate and sincere we all are about this matter, not that we need to be reminded of that. <BR /> <BR />I do not want to seem pernickety, but I would love us to change the term "maiden speech".”
“People who have been here before and added to the whole discussion, particularly in TEO and elsewhere, will know that the issue went into Justice, Communities and Health. Although TEO is leading on the strategy, everything that we do on it has to be cross-departmental in outcome. I have faith that that will be the case. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, the need for money is at the centre of the matter. However, the majority of contributors mentioned the horrendous and shocking statistics. For example, 75% of 16-year-olds who were surveyed had experienced street harassment and had felt ashamed, embarrassed, harassed or humiliated. As many contributors said, they are us, our daughters, our sisters, our friends and our colleagues.”
“That in itself shows the lengths to which some people have gone to research the issue, and we can use it as a reference point. When we tabled the motion, we knew that the response would be the one that we had today. Our party made it a priority to table the motion in one of the first sitting days after restoration, simply because, if you cannot see it or hear it, you cannot either be it or believe it. While many people look down on the No Day Named List for motions, a lot of people need to be able to recognise themselves in all our words. That is really important. <BR /> <BR />When Emma Sheerin moved the motion, among her first words was the comment that the motion was a cross-party initiative that should enjoy cross-party support. That was not her being presumptuous.”
“to every Member who spoke. I recorded that there were something like 19 contributions to the debate, including my winding-up speech. I was delighted to see a collegiate approach and the contributions that everybody made, which were sincere, honest and very credible. I pay tribute to both the male DUP contributors: Harry Harvey moved the amendment and Brian Kingston made the winding-up speech on it, which was important. That will be appreciated, not only by those in the Chamber but by the many other people who are watching the debate. <BR /> <BR />I thank Kristine Gillespie from the Research and Information Service and the many people in the Public Gallery from the WRDA and Women's Aid for the massive information pack.”
“In addition to the areas that the Minister outlined, will he provide us with some security about how he will work with Minister Simon Harris on ensuring that not only those who are looking at innovation but students who are looking at further and higher education can enjoy that right across the island?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagra.”
“Thank you, First Minister, for your response to Kate Nicholl's question. Will the First Minister provide an update, as best she can, on the refugee integration strategy and say how that fits into everything now?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chéad-Aire as ucht a freagra.”
“Paula, thank you for giving way. To give some reassurance, PRONI is governed by all the ECHR articles, including articles 2 and 8. Once you make a freedom of information request, your file is open for everyone. I introduced a non-FOI route, which is open just to the person making the request, and there is compellability. It is not as though PRONI can decide to withhold documents. If it is going to withhold anything, that would happen only under article 2 redactions. That is all.”
“This was sort of raised previously, but I ask the Speaker's Office to look at the Hansard report of today's debate. It is completely inappropriate for a Member of the legislative Assembly to accuse the Senior Civil Service of dipping into a budget. That has specific connotations. <BR /> <BR />I have a second point of order about the Member's comments. It is inappropriate to say what you feel all the time. Calling someone names in that context was not only churlish but unbefitting. I ask that those two points of order be looked at after the publication of today's Hansard report.”
“Had they brought a prayer of annulment on an issue that caused an inequality, as Chris and Sinead spoke about during the debate on the FETO Bill, I could have appreciated that, but, no, they want to try to ensure that anyone who is a Gaeilgeoir and who, as a ratepayer, wants use to public services will be discriminated against and will be offended. This is nothing short of sectarianism. It is racist and bigoted, and anybody who votes for this today is bigoted. Sin é. Go raibh maith agaibh.”
“No, I will not give way. I normally would give way to you, but I have heard enough. <BR /> <BR />The issue at hand is tóg é agus tiocfaidh siad. You build it and they will come. I heard Jim Wells talk about burning public money. I did not hear anything about the cost to each Department resulting from the fact that there is no Executive to make a decision on £300 million. Not one word. We did not hear one word about hospital waiting lists or the £184 million that will not be spent on the cancer strategy. Nothing. Not one word about the growing mental health crisis, let alone the cost-of-living crisis. There was not one word from the Members who brought this prayer of annulment, which, by the way, they are perfectly entitled to do.”
“No. <BR /> <BR />— £261,000. <BR /> <BR />Robbie, tá náire ort. You need to be embarrassed for trying to blame Sinn Féin for what other people may do thousands of miles across the Atlantic.”
“OK. Tá brón orm faoi sin. <BR /> <BR />The Member for North Antrim might be right about what he described as "vigorous". That is fine. The public record is the public record. However, the public record in this place from the Members opposite is nothing but disgraceful when it comes to the Irish language. It is absolutely nothing but disgraceful. It is sectarian, racist and bigoted. Sin é. That is what it is. Do not try to twist this concern around —”
“Thank you, Pat, and sorry for confusing you with Jim Wells.”
“Thank you for the extra minute. <BR /> <BR />I watched the Committee meeting and saw that every other Committee member was completely appalled at what they were seeing and hearing. It was very clear that an official with the status of being able to write business cases and make decisions made a decision in line with NDNA. That is completely in keeping with the job of anyone at that grade. That is a completely appropriate use of public money.”
“With my colleague Aisling Reilly, I will vote against this ridiculous motion. <BR /> <BR />I do not sit on the Finance Committee, so when I saw the motion in the Order Paper, I looked at the recording of the Committee meeting. I was not shocked at the behaviour of the two Jims. They have been described as two characters from 'The Muppet Show', but anybody who watched that Committee session will have seen their faux outrage about £261,000. Where was the outrage when the Department for the Economy incentivised people financially to burn public money?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagra. I thank the Minister for his response to Dolores. The Minister has outlined the role of the MDTs and the psychological and mental health support services. Will the Minister give everyone here an assurance that there will not be a postcode lottery for those services, given that getting access to MDT clinics, if they exist, and getting on the waiting list, particularly for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult services in mental health, is really difficult?”
“Thank you, Sinead. On the point about accessing information, I am sure that, like the rest of us, you watched the apologies that were made here. A lot of the religious orders are all-island in nature. The Irish Government put a seal on those records: Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael supported that. I assume that you would support the notion that they need to look at that again. We cannot have families getting access to the records on one part of the island when that access is being refused on another part of it. I just want to get that clarity from you.”
“It is just that the normal repository for public records is a public records building. One of the reasons why Linda and others tried to table amendments was to ensure that those who are responsible for records under the Public Records Act 1923 put them in the public records building so that families and individuals can access them.”
“Given where we are now in the mandate, the Committee acknowledges that the changes to be made to Standing Order 42A cannot be made before the end of the mandate, but, with the Assembly's agreement today, they should be able to be brought forward as soon as possible in the next mandate. Therefore, on behalf of the Committee on Procedures, I am pleased to commend the motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee acknowledged that that particular recommendation is not within its gift to deliver. However, it was clear from the inquiry that procedural enhancements were needed with regard to LCMs, both internally, here in the Assembly, and externally in information and communication between British Government Ministers, Ministers here and other Assembly Members. <BR /> <BR />Lastly, the Committee makes recommendation 7 for improvements to be made with regard to the overall transparency and openness of the LCM process. During its inquiry, information could be difficult to find and, indeed, track. Therefore, the Committee recommends:”
“We also took the opportunity to bring the matter to the attention of MPs in recent meetings with the Westminster House of Commons Procedure Committee. Members of that Committee seemed unaware of how little engagement there can be with devolved legislatures at times, not to speak of the pressures of the time frames associated with carrying out the scrutiny of LCMs. From a Westminster perspective, LCMs are rarely mentioned. The position of devolved legislatures does not appear to be given any significant consideration. I took the opportunity to highlight to those MPs that, from a devolved perspective, the occasional lack of advance information and adequate time for scrutiny is completely unsatisfactory and, indeed, appears disrespectful.”