Michelle O'Neill
Mid Ulster · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“We are shocked and deeply saddened for both the victim of the horrific incident in north Belfast and the people who have been impacted on by the disorder that we have witnessed since. There is absolutely no justification for racism, violence or intimidation.”
“It is the latest chapter in a political psychodrama. It has been playing out in Westminster for forever and a day but particularly over the past 10 years. Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of Brexit, which inflicted so much damage to the wider economy. We are now on the verge of having a seventh British Prime Minister in 10 years.”
“We cannot look at things in isolation. Whether it is the refugee integration strategy, the framework or the legislation, all those things need to move together and at pace.”
“I agree with the Member about the ugly language that was used to describe some people in our community. Like the Member, I have met many people from the black and ethnic minority community in recent times. I do that on an ongoing basis, but I did so recently given what happened over the last number of weeks.”
“There is not just one answer to it, as the Member knows. We need to come at it from every angle. That could be a policing response initially, for which additional funding was secured. I agree that this is the third year in a row in which we have had that type of racist behaviour on our streets. Likewise, I would describe it as a pogrom.”
“Building on that progress, the Executive Office is contributing £3·3 million towards the Derry on the North Atlantic Museum, which is due to open in 2027 and will further enhance Ebrington’s role as a heritage and tourism destination. <BR /> <BR />Ebrington is also continuing to develop as a vibrant events space.”
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“Today marks 90 days since the Assembly election was held, where the public voted for change and gave all the parties represented in the Chamber a mandate to form a Government and to set a Budget to give workers and families a break. The DUP, through its continued boycott of the institutions and its failure to accept the democratic outcome of the election, is denying the public the representation to which they are entitled and that they deserve. It is wholly unacceptable, it is untenable and it cannot continue. The Good Friday Agreement is the governing constitutional framework under which this part of the world operates. It is the rule book, if you like. It must therefore be fully applied and upheld. This is a test of power-sharing and equality for the DUP.”
“Those who disrupt the present and threaten our future need to realise that there is no going back; only forward.”
“<BR /> <BR />When the Assembly, Executive, North/South bodies and east-west relations were all restored in January 2020, there was a shared commitment to deliver public services, societal reforms and a future that our people need and deserve. Over that period, we demonstrated that, when there is a unity of purpose and when parties work together with determination, we can deliver for the public whom we serve. As I stand here today, I am ready to work with others and lead an Executive to make politics work for everyone and demonstrate that real change is possible. Working together, we can prioritise health, housing and education, and we can create more jobs in a stronger economy. We can build a more progressive and modern society that is based on fairness and equality.”
“The stark figures that we saw last week from the Department of Health show that almost 360,000 people are now on a waiting list. We need an Executive in place to reduce waiting lists, to hire more doctors and nurses, and to fund vital mental health and cancer services today. <BR /> <BR />We in Sinn Féin are committed to making health the Executive's number-one priority for the next three years. We are committed to investing in health, tackling waiting lists and ensuring that you can get access to your GP when you need to do so. We need to protect the health service and resist Tory underfunding and attempts to dismantle the NHS. People, rightly, want their politicians to work together to prioritise those very important issues.”
“<BR /> <BR />Last week, we had welcome news that Wrightbus had secured a deal to supply 60 hydrogen buses to Germany over the next two years. That illustrates the benefits that our continued access to the EU single market is yielding for our local businesses, our economy and job creation. <BR /> <BR />All parties, and also the British Government, should respect the democratic outcome and now fully support the application of the Good Friday Agreement through power-sharing and equality. The DUP standoff is with the public, not with the European Union. The standoff is with those people who are crippled with pain, waiting for treatment and surgery on the NHS, who voted for us to tackle the waiting lists by investing an extra £1 billion in our health service.”
“<BR /> <BR />Since the election, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have both visited Belfast and met the parties. I told Boris Johnson that the Tories are cynically using the people of the North and their democratic institutions as bargaining chips in their attempt to renegotiate with the EU. They do so for narrow party interests. The majority of people voted democratically to stay in the EU; they rejected Brexit. There was certainly no consent to leave. The majority of new MLAs elected to this Chamber support the protocol, believe that it is workable, if given the chance to be implemented, and believe that, where any issues exist, they can all be resolved within the framework of the protocol and the Joint Committee.”
“I congratulate both Tyrone and Derry. I have the pleasure of representing east Tyrone and south Derry; it was a good day for the constituency. Well done to all involved. <BR /> <BR />Today marks 26 days since the people voted and gave the parties represented here in the Chamber a mandate to constitute the Assembly, form an Executive, agree a Budget and allocate £420 million from the Executive's bank account into the pockets of workers and families to help to alleviate the burden as a result of the cost-of-living rises. The people have spoken, and they now want action. They do not want protest. They want the parties and every single MLA elected to this democratic institution to get their sleeves rolled up and get down to business.”
“Finally, I will say a few words to you, Mr Speaker, as this is your last sitting of the Assembly. Thank you for encouraging us all to exercise civility and restraint throughout your tenure as Speaker. It has helped to achieve better community relations inside the Chamber and, also importantly, outside in our wider community. Your four decades of dedicated public service leave a legacy of which many politicians would, rightly, be proud. We thank you for that. I also acknowledge your good wife, Liz, who is in the Gallery. As we all know, elected life can be very challenging. We all very much recognise that we need our family's support. Thank you for everything that you have done.”
“We in Sinn Féin will continue to turn up and work in partnership with willing partners to deliver for people today and every day.”
“It is time to agree a three-year Budget and to invest an extra £1 billion in our health service immediately. Workers and families are facing really hard times because of the cost-of-living crisis, and that demands our immediate action, not protest. <BR /> <BR />Mr Speaker, this is our hour of decision. Not tomorrow and not for a moment longer can the DUP deny democracy, punish the public, boycott this Assembly and the Executive and prevent us from putting money into people's pockets. Every party in the Chamber told the electorate that they would turn up on day 1. The DUP has failed on day 1. The people and businesses here want to have confidence and hope for the future, so it is now time to look forwards, not backwards.”
“There is absolutely no reason that we should be in a rolling crisis, even for one second. Over the past two years, the Assembly and the Executive have delivered, and we have proved that politics and power-sharing here can work when we give leadership, deliver good public services, champion difference and inclusion and oppose division. Those are my values also. <BR /> <BR />The democratic outcome of the election must now be respected. Today, we stand ready to elect a Speaker and form an Executive, and I stand ready to take on the leadership of the Northern Ireland Executive as a First Minister for all in a Government who work for all the people. It is the job of our heroic doctors, nurses and NHS staff to treat and care for patients, but it is our job as politicians to fund that service properly.”
“First, I congratulate all colleagues across the Chamber on their successful election results, and I welcome everybody to this Assembly. We look forward to working together in the time ahead. It is truly a special honour for any of us who holds elected office to represent the communities from which we come. We carry the hopes and expectations of workers, families and businesses. They are relying on us to work together in a spirit of cooperation and to deliver real change. <BR /> <BR />The public will, rightly, be watching on today as they juggle their work and family responsibilities. They are struggling to manage their household budgets, and they are watching on in the hope that the parties in the Chamber have the maturity and the courage to shoulder our responsibilities, get down to business and act in the common good.”
“The British Government approach must ensure safe and seamless entry on humanitarian grounds with no conditions applied. We all want to see a de-escalation of Russian aggression and conflict, including a ceasefire, and dialogue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's officials, aimed at restoring peace and respect for international law, must be achieved as they meet at the Belarusian border today and in the days ahead.”
“BP has withdrawn its stake as the biggest foreign investor in Rosneft, at a cost of $25 billion. The EU must act and impose sanctions on such a scale that there can be no doubt that Putin and his oligarch supporters will pay a huge price for choosing a course of military conflict over dialogue and diplomacy. Russian diplomats and apologists for Putin who are based in London and Dublin should be expelled today, without delay. <BR /> <BR />Turning to the people of Ukraine, we have all witnessed and been very saddened to see the harrowing scenes of families being divided and forced to flee their land and homes, clutching a child in one arm and, perhaps, all their belongings in the other. We must all welcome with open arms those who are fleeing. There must be no visa restrictions on those being forced to leave their homes.”
“Freezing the assets of Russia's central bank to limit Russia's ability to access its overseas reserves is critical. Limiting the sale of citizenship via golden passports, which allow wealthy Russians to become citizens, and identifying and freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and companies is imperative. <BR /> <BR />Australia has imposed sanctions on over 300 members of the Russian Parliament who voted to authorise sending Russian troops into Ukraine.”
“We need sanctions that can end Russian aggression against Ukraine and force a complete withdrawal of Russian military forces. The sanctions announced to date against the Russian Federation and the oligarch elites who are close to President Putin have come from the EU, the US and the British Government. However, they are not deterring the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which we know is escalating, with Putin making a direct threat by ordering his nuclear forces to move to a higher state of alert. <BR /> <BR />Removing selected Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) messaging system to cut them off from international financial systems and harm their ability to operate globally is a welcome measure.”
“I, like all of you, am deeply saddened and troubled by what has unfolded before the eyes of the world in recent days and by the absolute misery and total devastation that is being directed at the people of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin and his military regime. The military threat to peace, security and the well-being of Ukraine is a global threat to us all. It is a brutal attack on Ukrainian sovereignty, international law and democracy. <BR /> <BR />Today, I want all parties to join in utterly condemning the actions of Vladimir Putin and his regime against the Government and courageous and dignified people of Ukraine and extend our solidarity to them. Our solidarity with Ukraine must take the form of support for significantly strengthened sanctions against the regime of President Putin.”
“Robin, you have been passionate about the issue the whole way through, and I commend everybody for bringing us to this point. It has opened up the necessary debate and the healthy conversation that we all should have with our families, friends and loved ones. <BR /> <BR />We know the impact that organ donation can have on so many families. Well done to everybody for getting us to this point. As we come towards the end of the mandate, it is an incredible and life-saving legacy. On this important day, we say to everybody: continue to have the conversation. I am so glad that we have got to the Final Stage.”
“Today is a hugely positive day. I commend everybody who has worked together to get us to this point. This legislation is vital and life-saving and will make a huge difference to the lives of so many people and families who are waiting for a transplant. If there was ever a reason for politicians in this place to unite and join together, this was one. It has been a fantastic campaign, and I give all credit to wee Dáithí and his parents, Seph and Máirtín, for being the face of the campaign and taking us to this point. I know that they are watching eagerly. It is about much more than our passing the legislation today, however, because that is not their only achievement. The very fact that we are talking about organ donation is crucial.”
“There is a wide range of important legislation before the Assembly that we should protect and progress to completion: laws on climate change and organ donation, the Integrated Education Bill, the Autism (Amendment) Bill, abortion services, safe access zones, a ban on fracking, the extension of welfare protections, the anti-stalking Bill, the Private Tenancies Bill to protect those in rented accommodation, and many more. <BR /> <BR />Those are hugely important issues that have real-life impacts and consequences. Sinn Féin wants to work with the other parties to ensure that they are taken forward in the limited time that we have left in this mandate. I stand ready to do that important work. Whilst time is of the essence, progress is still possible across a range of areas. That should be the singular focus of the Assembly in the weeks ahead.”
“The Executive will not meet as a result of the DUP First Minister resigning from office. However, Ministers will stay in Departments and discharge their duties, and the Assembly, to which Ministers are accountable, will function, dealing with the important issues that matter to the public. <BR /> <BR />The DUP's actions in unilaterally resigning from the Executive are reckless. They have caused concern and uncertainty for businesses, workers, families and campaigners on many important issues. They have caused real hurt and trauma to the victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse. While the DUP must bear responsibility for that, those of us who are serious about showing responsible leadership and delivering for people can and should seek to salvage what we can from the chaos that the DUP has caused.”
“Together, we have a job of work to do. We need a step change in order to challenge the scourge of everyday sexism and misogyny that exists and expose the behaviours of perpetrators, whether it is at home, in the workplace or online, because, unfortunately, this reaches into every sphere of life. What we are about is delivering an enforceable approach that exposes, at all times, all forms of male violence against all women. That has to be our key objective in what we do next. We need to build, as I said, on the momentum that has been created as a direct result of the attention that has been brought to the issue because of Ashling Murphy's horrific death.”
“I totally agree with the Member. Ashling's murder speaks to the vulnerability of all women when they are alone in the public space. There is no doubt that Ashling's tragic death has prompted many women, me included — I said this last week — to think about our everyday routines, what routes we take, where we go, how we do it, how we exercise and how we do the basic things.”
“We have to stand together because we have to say together that enough is enough. This is a necessary first step in changing how women are viewed and treated in this society.”
“Put simply, yes; I absolutely do. There are simply no words to convey the cruelty and the injustice of what happened to Ashling Murphy and to far too many other women like her. My heart still goes out to her family and all who loved her. <BR /> <BR />We can all acknowledge that the treatment of women and girls has been nothing but shameful across this island, and you and I know that we need to call that out whenever we see it. I feel that we are at a tipping point — that is maybe the way to put it — and that we need to break the silence that facilitates violence in the home and threatening behaviours. We need to expose and call out the behaviour of men towards women and girls — our mothers, our daughters, our sisters and our aunts — that causes the fear, the feeling of discomfort and the anxiety that are a continual barrage.”
“The First Minister and I hosted a round table on 14 October that included representatives of six institutions identified in the Hart report. That was specifically about contributions towards the cost of redress. Since that meeting, the independent facilitator, Paul Sweeney, has undertaken a series of bilateral discussions with the respective institutions. We have received a preliminary report from Paul Sweeney and have agreed that further work should now be undertaken on a proposed framework to seek contributions towards the cost of redress. It is ongoing and necessary work.”
“I am also pleased to say that, as of 31 December, 2,081 applications had been received, with £30 million paid out in redress. We know that the Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) continues to support victims and survivors who have registered for support, so I hope that the Member can see that we are making progress across all the Hart recommendations. I am committed to ensuring that that continues and that the needs of victims and survivors, in the first instance, are continually met.”
“As the Member knows, the date for the public apology has been set for 11 March, and I am glad that we were able to announce that last week. I am committed to ensuring that the apology is delivered in a manner that is meaningful to victims and survivors. People have asked me over the last number of days, "Why did you announce a date to make an apology?". It is, first, to allow time to make sure that it is meaningful, and, secondly, it is important that we allow the victims and survivors that short number of weeks to be ready and to be well informed about what we intend to say. <BR /> <BR />On the other recommendations, I am pleased to say that the review of the redress process has now started, and the commissioner is taking forward discussions on the memorial.”
“I concur, and I acknowledge the challenge that is being faced, particularly in the agriculture sector. More needs to be done, and, as a political party, we have written. I do not think that we have written jointly on that, but we could perhaps do that together.”
“Your colleague raised that issue earlier. As I said, the Finance Minister, Conor Murphy, has been calling for a reduction in VAT. That is doable. There is no reason for it not to be done, so I urge the British Treasury to do it.”
“In the period that we have just come through, in the aftermath of the death of Ashling Murphy and the outpouring of grief from that but, even more than that, the anger at the fact that misogyny still exists in such a systemic way, that a political leader should be engaged online in what he deems to be jokes — I do not deem them to be jokes — leaves me incredulous.”
“You are absolutely right about the need to stamp out online violence. We call on and will continue to call on social media companies in particular to do the right thing. They have a moral and corporate responsibility to ensure that those who are engaged in misogyny, sexism, online abuse and threats are blocked from their services. We should not be subjected to that sitting in our home whilst online, providing a public service and doing our job as an elected representative. None of us deserves to be abused in any way whatever. <BR /> <BR />For those in political leadership to engage in that everyday sexism and think that it is a joke is disgusting in itself. That is not political leadership. Political leadership is calling out things whenever they are wrong. In this case, misogyny online is a huge problem.”
“The Member is right that that legislation has been published. Our officials are working on it. Department of Justice officials are keeping all Departments up to date on what it looks like and will mean for us here. Justice is engaged, and it has that cross-party work in order to look at the roll-out of the strategy. Let me get an update for the Member, and I will write to her to tell her where that sits. As we learn more, however, Departments will be kept abreast of all developments.”
“I thank the Member. That is so important, because, as the Member will agree, carers are unsung heroes on many occasions. The benefit that they bring to their loved one, family member or friend — the person whom they care for— could not be quantified if we as a Government were to provide that care. They need to be supported, but, in order to get the polices, strategies and supports right, we have to understand how many carers we have and the nature of that care — young or old, still at school or working, full-time or part-time — so I concur with the need to have a register. I will probably have to correspond with the Health Department on its current plans. I am not sure, but I am happy to take that on as an action.”
“They never had an on-off time. They never had a time that the person for whom they care was back in, in the normal way of things prior to the pandemic, and that needs to be fixed quickly.”
“I will write to the Member to give her more accurate information about where we are with those programmes. I am all for expanding such programmes. They are crucial interventions that help people, particularly in the early years, as we know how formative those early years are. I am more than happy to look at that. <BR /> <BR />I concur with you. Given that we are in a more positive and hopeful position with the pandemic, the situation surrounding carers needs to be urgently reviewed. I know many families that still do not have access to day care for the person for whom they care or even access to their day opportunities. That is not acceptable and now needs to be reviewed. I urge the Health Department to look at the policy urgently and to support the families who found themselves in trying times for the whole two-year period.”
“Again, I am more than happy to look at the correspondence. I have a very open-door policy. I meet many people, both those with whom I agree and those with whom I do not agree. I am more than happy to talk about how we can invest in our sports and to take a look at the correspondence.”
“I do not have a list of my correspondence in front of me, so I will have to confirm to the Member in writing whether we have that correspondence. I am more than happy to do so.”
“We have to learn to walk before we can run. The Department of Health has guided us the whole way through on the need for and effectiveness of the restrictions. We do not want to have to use restrictive powers. We do not want to be in that space, and, if we can avoid it, we will. We have always said that we will keep things in place only for as long as they are necessary. Let us get to the meeting on 10 February and review all those things. The pandemic has thrown us many curveballs. I hope that we do not get any more, but we have to have the ability to respond if that were to happen. Let us hope that we do not have to resort to any additional measures in the future and that we keep going like one-way traffic.”
“The Member is right: we will meet on Thursday afternoon. Any further lifting of restrictions is not intended at this point. We have identified 10 February as our next point for review. It is fair to say that there is fair degree of cautious optimism about where we are. We were able to make some strides forward last week, and I hope that we continue in that vein. As I keep repeating, a lot of uncertainty surrounds a pandemic, but it looks like we are following a more hopeful path. Hopefully, we can all see the light at the end of the tunnel that people talk about. Our next review of the restrictions that are left will be on 10 February. Of course, we had baseline restrictions in place until 23 January. We brought in additional measures, and they have now been drawn back. Our next staging post is 10 February.”
“With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, junior Minister Kearney will answer that question.”
“Of course, the majority in this democracy and this House are opposed to Brexit and are for making the protocol work, for certainty and stability, for job creation, for a more prosperous economy and for the best interests of the people who live here. <BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that divergence is going to increase over time. We have been dragged out of the EU against our wishes. That is going to become hugely problematic for us to manage. Our officials continue to work to develop a whole list of actions and key tools to mitigate and limit the potential impact of policy and regulatory divergence, but it is going to increase over time. That is a direct outworking of Brexit. <BR /> <BR />Anyway, we will get on with the work of trying to manage that as best as we can. We have been working our way through it, and we will continue to.”
“Of course, we are stuck with Brexit because you and your party helped to deliver it, but we have been trying to mitigate the worst —”
“<BR /> <BR />The figure of £100 million is stark, and it graphically highlights and exposes the scale of the loss of EU financial support. We have relied on that support, and it has underpinned many areas of work. Whether programmes are economic, agricultural, community or educational, they are all equally impacted. It is for those on the Benches opposite who championed Brexit against the democratic wishes of the people to take responsibility for the scale of the financial loss on the ground from its outworking. I always found it quite ironic that the Ministers and party who championed the hard Brexit are out shouting about the loss of funds to the Department that it leads at this time. The irony is not lost on the groups that are massively impacted by the loss of funding.”
“I thank the Member. I know of her passion for our constituency, and there is no doubt that she will always fight Workspace's corner well. It is an excellent project, and I am glad to have been able to visit it on many occasions. There is no doubt, whatever way you cut it, that the prospect of a net loss of £100 million of European funding will have a huge impact on to a lot of groups, including Workspace and not just on the groups and the work that they do on the ground but on the Executive's finances. Normally, the Executive had a say in what that money funded, and it was complementary to the work in the Departments. Now, as a direct result of the delivery of Brexit, a huge challenge faces so many groups out there.”
“That is a good suggestion. Why not? We need to look at how we can best input and have a say in the things that affect our lives every day. I am up for looking at ways to manage our input and ensure that it is meaningful. Also, our input needs to be at the right time, not at the end of a process. Our input needs to be up front so that we make a meaningful impact. I am happy to take that on board.”
“<BR /> <BR />Our officials continue to engage with their colleagues in relevant Whitehall Departments to gain the clarity required on the proposals and the other issues being discussed in the ongoing negotiations. <BR /> <BR />Arrangements to manage the relationship with the EU are currently in place through the withdrawal agreement governance structures. Information on the legislation in the protocol is exchanged via the joint consultative working group, which our officials attend. In addition, Departments here are afforded the opportunity to see and provide input into the British Government's explanatory memoranda process on EU legislative proposals.”
“We welcome the EU’s proposal of 13 October 2021 for enhanced engagement with authorities and stakeholders here on the protocol and its corresponding recognition that we need to be more engaged in shaping and bringing into force EU legislation applicable here. However, further clarity is needed as to how proposed arrangements would fit into existing governance structures and the role of the Executive. <BR /> <BR />We raised those concerns with David Frost on four occasions when the First Minister and I met him to receive updates on the negotiations towards the end of last year. Following Lord Frost’s resignation, Liz Truss took over the role of chief negotiator, and we will also raise our concerns with her.”
“It remains an open wound on this island, and it is vital that the voices of women, girls and their now adult children are heard. That will be really important in the development of the inquiry.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I know that she is very passionate about the issue. I am always conscious that, when we speak about the issue, we always acknowledge in the first instance that our thoughts are very much with the mothers and their children who were treated in what can only be described as the most barbaric, inhumane and disrespectful way in all the institutions across this island and other islands. <BR /> <BR />We always have to remember that this is about women who have had their babies stolen from them. This is about child trafficking. This is about a cover-up by the Church and state. The recent publication of the report very much speaks to that and to the real lived experience of so many women.”