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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“As the Member rightly said, the majority across the Chamber, just like 56% of people across the North, did not vote for Brexit. We did not want it. It would have been better if it had never happened, but it was forced on us by this British Government. It is ironic that the same DUP that demanded a hard Brexit now opposes its consequences. I encourage both sides to continue dialogue so that a solution is found. There are always mechanisms through which to find solutions. I prefer people to remain constructive and to try to find a resolution.”
“I thank the Member. As I said earlier, there is a responsibility on those of us in political leadership to demonstrate leadership and not to engage in scaremongering that has little basis in reality and is more about pandering to the lowest common denominator. We have already seen how some of that anti-protocol rhetoric has whipped up fears and tensions, particularly at interface areas, and that has ended up in violent scenes on our streets. <BR /> <BR />Again, I encourage all Members across the Chamber that we be measured and ensure that our commitments are based on reality and not political sabre-rattling, particularly as Members know full well that the protocol is necessary to mitigate the worst impacts of Brexit.”
“On tackling antisemitism, we always have to ask ourselves: are we doing enough? Is there more that we can do? What can we do to challenge biased attitudes in society? We have many programmes for good relations and for reaching out in other areas. I will continue to speak to officials to make sure that we are doing everything that we can. Certainly, if the Member has any ideas on that front, I will be more than happy to listen to and engage with them.”
“That is why conversations and dialogue are important and why I absolutely encourage there to be a positive outcome to the talks between the British Government and the EU. Of course, we would not be having those conversations if we did not have Brexit, which was championed by the Member's own party. We are where we are, however. I hope for certainty, progress and stability. That is what our people want, and it is certainly what our business community wants. I spent the past days speaking to business leaders, and the clear message from all of them was this: provide us with certainty and stability. They want an agreed way forward. They certainly do not want the triggering of article 16.”
“We have to support all traditions and cultures. The Member referred to the Jewish community and the issue with kosher meat, which is, of course, something that we want to ensure that we get a resolution to.”
“Executive Office Ministers will participate in the event, and the First Minister and I will also contribute to the commemoration event that is taking place in London on 27 January 2022.”
“Holocaust Memorial Day is a poignant commemoration. It is a time to remember the millions of people who were persecuted during the atrocities of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, and, importantly, it is a reminder to all of us of the need to end discrimination and bigotry in all its forms. The Executive Office leads on Holocaust Memorial Day on behalf of the Executive. A commemoration event will be held at Belfast City Hall on 26 January 2022. That event will be delivered by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, with support from the Executive Office and district council colleagues. Due to the pandemic, in-person attendance will have to be limited, but the event will be streamed live to ensure that it is accessible to as many people as possible.”
“<BR /> <BR />My priority is keeping businesses open and safe; I want to keep every door open, but I also want to make sure that there is a safe space behind it for people to enter. We will continue to work with hospitality and every other sector to support them as best we can, whether that is practically, by way of guidance and advice, or, where we can, financially. I spent the weekend speaking to representatives of the Treasury in various meetings. We are making the case, very strongly, for financial support, because we want to have the resource to provide that.”
“It is about safety for the business owner, but it is also about safety for the wider public and giving them the comfort of knowing that, when they go into a premises, there will be a safe environment. Your party is absolutely out of kilter with the rest of the Assembly, who are behind the public health message. If ever there was a time for a united front on the public message, it is today, because we face a very difficult period in the weeks ahead with the new variant coming on stream. We are probably about two weeks behind what is happening in England and Scotland, and they are getting into very difficult territory. We are going to be overwhelmed with the new variant very, very soon.”
“I have always recognised the challenge that the pandemic has presented for all our sectors, particularly hospitality and tourism, which are the sectors that were impacted on particularly throughout the past, almost, two years. There is no doubt that it has been a challenging time. As I referred to earlier, we have tried our best to mitigate the worst impacts — certainly, the worst financial impacts — but, unfortunately, we could never replace all the money that those businesses would have made in their normal run of business. <BR /> <BR />I very much support what has been proposed by the Department of Health. I am on message with the Health Minister on how we are trying to keep businesses open and safe.”
“I thank the Member for that question. Obviously, language rights were blocked in the Assembly, for some time, by the DUP. However, I am very glad that we found a way to go around that, and we now have a commitment to delivering the language and culture Bill. That is the whole package, because the whole package is important: the cultures and identities of us all need to be respected. Our officials have had a technical briefing from the NIO officials, and we continue to raise the issue with the Secretary of State. We expect, and want, to see progress on the issue in the coming weeks. It is important that the political commitment is delivered on. I congratulate groups like Conradh na Gaeilge that continue to keep the issue high on the agenda with the British Secretary of State.”
“However, as the Member knows, the blocking of NSMC meetings is also unlawful. It represents a failure to comply with the law and the ministerial code, which requires Ministers to participate in the three elements of institutions in the Good Friday Agreement. <BR /> <BR />I will continue to provide steady, responsible and progressive leadership and will focus on the issues that matter most to all our people.”
“I absolutely do. Playing politics with the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement by threatening this institution and blocking NSMC business whilst attending the British-Irish Council in Wales speaks to the DUP's hypocrisy and dysfunction. At a time when our healthcare workers, local communities and families are looking for certainty, particularly in the midst of a global health crisis, to say that the approach of threatening to walk away from this institution is reckless would be an understatement. <BR /> <BR />The public have the right to and want a functioning Assembly. They also want the all-island institutions to work alongside the east-west institutions. Functioning government and political stability are vital to managing our way through what are unprecedented times with the global health pandemic.”
“The First Minister and I were unable to attend the summit, but we were represented by Minister Poots and Minister Hargey respectively. On 30 November, Minister Poots made a statement to the Assembly on the discussions at the summit, and a copy of that was provided to all Members. The statement outlined the main theme of the summit, which was indigenous and minority languages in early years education. Other topics of discussion were COVID recovery, future relations with the European Union, the recent COP26 conference, and building on the value of the British-Irish Council as a forum for cooperation and the exchange of information.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, junior Minister Kearney will answer this question and question 6 with it.”
“The British Government clearly are not listening to the victims and survivors, political parties and civic society across this island, because we are united in saying that the British Government's proposals are wrong. The British Government should pull back from their proposals to place state forces above the law through an amnesty. We have made and will continue to make that clear to Brandon Lewis. As I have said to the Member before, I would much prefer that he would join me in trying to build a better future for all of the people who live here.”
“First, let me say that we all have a role to play in providing our own political leadership to make sure that we heal the wounds of the past and understand that we are dealing with a society where hurt has been caused to many, many people and where people are sitting at their dinner tables without their loved ones. It is harrowing, and you would not want to be in their shoes. There is an onus on all of us in political leadership to work together to heal the wounds of the past and to properly deal with the past. If the British Government think that, by pushing it under the carpet, it will go away, that is not the case. We all know and can point to many examples of intergenerational trauma as a result of conflict. We must deal with the past and not burden the young people of today with yesterday. Let us build for a better future together.”
“That this British Government are, as you say, wilfully ignoring the voices of victims despite the universal opposition to their amnesty proposals is a cause for real concern, so, without further delay, the British Government must withdraw the amnesty proposals and implement the Stormont House Agreement in a human rights-compliant manner. I will continue to make that point directly to Brandon Lewis.”
“We know that those proposals, if legislated for, signal an intent to close down legal avenues to justice, and, in truth, they are a real affront to all victims and survivors. <BR /> <BR />I have no doubt that denying truth and justice to families like the Rowntrees is the desired intent of the proposals, and, as Members know, the British Government's proposals are a major unilateral departure from the Stormont House Agreement and are worse than the mechanisms deployed by Pinochet's military dictatorship in Chile.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Of course I commend the Rowntree family as they, like so many other families, have campaigned for nearly 50 years, seeking answers on the British Army killing by rubber bullet of their 14-year-old loved one, Francis, first, through their inquest in November 2017, which found that there was no justification for the use of lethal force, and now through the civil action against the British Ministry of Defence. However, with the publication of the British Government's Command Paper of 14 July, such outcomes would no longer be possible because, as well as providing for an amnesty, the intention is to halt inquests, civil cases and investigations.”
“We note the concerns that the Members of Congress expressed to Secretary Blinken in their letter of 10 November about the British Government's proposals announced on 14 July this year to introduce legislation for dealing with the legacy of the past. We also oppose the present legacy proposals.”
“I assure everybody that the First Minister and I are speaking to Treasury and making the case strongly for COVID moneys, should we need them again.”
“That was done at a point time. As we know, we have paid out considerable funding not just to that sector but to many sectors and rightly so, but, as I said in answer to the supplementary question, there is no way that the Executive can mitigate the worst impacts of the pandemic. All that we can do is do our best to support people. <BR /> <BR />Given that there is an ongoing situation with travel, particularly with new travel restrictions as a result of the omicron variant and the impact that that will have on the industry, I encourage the Economy Minister to come forward and have that discussion, if there are things that we are able to do. I will be realistic, however, and point out that, last year, we had COVID moneys that we were able to deploy to support businesses and that, this year, we are not in the same scenario, unfortunately.”
“The scheme that you refer to is, again, the responsibility of the Department for the Economy and falls under its policy remit, so I do not have a say or an input into what it will do now as a result of not going ahead. The funding was found from within the Department's budget, so I assume that it will now reallocate it under the normal departmental financial practices.”
“<BR /> <BR />The cost of living crisis flags up the need for us to address societal inequalities and to look after the most vulnerable, those who are lonely, people in housing need, those in poverty, the families of those with a disability and workers on low incomes. Looking after those in greatest need must be at the core of future recovery planning. That means that we will have to do things differently, work more effectively and listen to people. We owe it to all our people to make that happen, and I am committed to working with Executive colleagues to do that.”
“I absolutely agree with the Member that tackling the high levels of poverty, inequality and disadvantage across our communities must be at the core of the Executive's approach to recovery. I am particularly aware, as we all are, of the societal and economic impact of the pandemic, especially on women, many of whom are in low-paid, precarious employment or have lost their job. We have all seen and heard about at first hand the impact of the rising cost of living on families who already struggle day-to-day to make ends meet. They now have to make difficult choices about heating their home and about the food that they purchase. I am certainly committed to doing all that I can with Executive colleagues to support people through this difficult time.”
“I hope that there is the ability to support the industry, particularly given that we again face increased travel restrictions, which impact on people's decisions on whether to travel.”
“<BR /> <BR />The case is well made, and it is the policy responsibility of the Department for the Economy to step forward and bid for a scheme. The Executive have funded the Economy Department's strategy for the way forward.”
“I concur with the Member and understand the depth of the challenge that is faced by the travel sector. That is why, given that no scheme was brought forward by the Department for the Economy, we intervened and brought forward a scheme. I am glad that we were able to pay out £1·2 million. It would have helped individuals such as the gentleman to whom you refer. <BR /> <BR />It has been so difficult throughout the pandemic. At best, we can only mitigate its worst effects. We have not been able to compensate everybody entirely. That is the challenge. Other supports have been open to the gentleman to whom you refer and to the industry. They include everything from rate relief to the £10k and £25k schemes, the microbusiness hardship fund and, more recently, the COVID restrictions business support scheme.”
“<BR /> <BR />While no consideration is being given to a further specific scheme for travel agents by TEO, the Executive have funded in full the Department for the Economy’s comprehensive economic recovery action plan for this financial year. The Executive have also agreed the COVID recovery plan, which is designed to accelerate economic, health and societal recovery to deliver sustainable economic development for all. <BR /> <BR />Any further scheme would be a matter for the Department for the Economy to consider.”
“Hopefully, I have communicated with our deaf community to let them know that we are an inclusive Assembly and we represent their interests. <BR /> <BR />The travel agents scheme 2021 was one of a number of support initiatives that the Executive agreed to support vulnerable but viable businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although TEO took forward the travel agents scheme, we have no statutory or policy responsibility for travel agents or the travel sector, other than the delivery of the one-off coronavirus support scheme. The travel agents scheme has now concluded, and, in total, 165 — 87·3% — grant payments were made to applicants, totalling £1·208 million.”
“With your indulgence, a Cheann Comhairle, I would like to briefly sign, given that this our first Question Time with sign language.”
“I concur that this is a shameful truth in our history. I think that we all recognise that, as we stand here today, the journey has been very long and very difficult for the victims and survivors. We all readily acknowledge the abhorrent failure and the trauma that was inflicted on women and girls. Now is the time for us to respond and to show them that we hear them and are listening to them; that we acknowledge what happened and acknowledge that it was wrong, and we are going to work with them on redress. We have taken on board all the recommendations, including funding a redress scheme, so the political priority is there, and we have to find the money to do the right thing by the victims and survivors.”
“It is time for them to do the right thing. It is time for them to pay for and support the redress that victims and survivors are entitled to. We will engage with them on their contribution. However, we will legislate to compel, and that is important. It will not be a question of saying, "Will they or won't they?". They will be compelled to comply if they do not comply.”
“Yes, of course, and that is why the way in which we are responding to and taking on board the panel's recommendations, particularly on our having the statutory inquiry and then the panel work, will allow the individual to decide which part they wish to be part of, and it is very important that their identity is protected through all that. No one will be compelled; people will have a choice of which avenue to take or they can participate in both. That is essential if we are going to allow victims and survivors to participate in a way that is meaningful and important to them.”
“That is a very important point. The Member is right to highlight the need for an all-island approach to the matter and for that cooperation, particularly in cases where babies were moved across jurisdictions. We know that that is the real experience of so many. The panel has made a recommendation that we should cooperate with the Irish Government in order to get maximum possible access to information, and I can say that that process has started at official level and that it will intensify in the period ahead. I have also raised it with the children's Minister in the South, and we will continue to raise it. It will be really important for us to get that joined-up approach exactly right because it will have an implication for people getting full access to all their information.”
“I agree. The principal point — it has to be done correctly — is so important. This morning, we said to victims and survivors that we will work with them through the consultative panel. I do not have a time frame per se, but I assure you that we will do it as quickly as possible. I stand before you, and before the victims and survivors, and say that we will do it right and do it justice.”
“I send that message to them today, because it is important, as we get to this point, of acknowledging and accepting the things that we need to do, that they hear that also.”
“Yes. It is so important that people know, and I hope that I have demonstrated, that we will move at pace and that there will be no delay. We are talking about women having been treated in the most barbaric way. As one of the Members said earlier, it was child trafficking. It was a cover-up that involved both church and state. It is time to do the right thing by victims and survivors. <BR /> <BR />If you will indulge me, when we met victims and survivors earlier, one of the things that they said to us was, "Whilst our names might have changed in the past, we always mattered". They want to hear that from us, and I want to say to victims and survivors: you matter, and you always mattered.”
“Obviously we are concerned about that, given the passage of time and particularly given that those organisations deliberately set out to deny people, including victims and survivors, access to information. They perpetrated this violence towards women and then spent decades trying to cover it up. That does not bode well for confidence in their ability to do the right thing. I send the message again, very clearly, that all information should be restored. Victims and survivors are entitled to have access to their information. It is theirs, they have been robbed of it, and it is time to give it back to them. If we are going to be able to get a fulsome public inquiry and get all the information out there, that will be a vital component.”
“Let me to very clear to all the organisations that have a role to play: everybody should be preserving records. Organisations should not need to wait for legislation. That should be done today. There should be no delay. I believe that the Department of Health has encouraged all organisations, particularly those within the Health estate, or the Health family, if you want to call it that, to do so. However, it is important that the message is heard: we will legislate to protect records, but records should be secured today. That is important.”
“As I said, the Department of Health has started that work and instructed legal counsel. There must be legislation to underpin it, so it is about whether we can amend the Adoption and Children Bill to allow us to do that.”
“That is about, as I said, engaging with the Treasury in London and working up the legislation. <BR /> <BR />The Department of Health is also looking at doing a piece of work. A crucial area is that of people having access to their information and records. Victims and survivors universally accepted that as being a key area that needs to be addressed immediately. There cannot be another day of delay. One of the things that the Department of Health is looking at is whether it can amend the Adoption and Children Bill that is currently before the Assembly. Doing that would allow us to bring in that legislative change very quickly. <BR /> <BR />Hopefully, all of that demonstrates that there is no long-fingering of things here and that we are actively working our way through them as we speak.”
“Thanks for that. Again, as we know, victims and survivors have waited too long. One of the questions that was put to us this morning was on what the time frames look like and what we can expect. They have been failed at every turn and waited for so long, so one can understand the anxiety that there is. <BR /> <BR />We have agreed that there are some things that we can take forward immediately. The consultative forum that I have spoken about on a few occasions is a key recommendation in the report. There will be a meeting to discuss that later this afternoon, so we are actively progressing that. We have said that the independent panel will be in place within the next six months and that we will prepare the legislation to establish the public inquiry. We will also begin the work on financial redress straight away.”
“Even as we move towards bringing forward legislation on the public inquiry, redress etc, there are things to be considered, such as avoiding there being a knock-on impact on people's benefits. We will therefore engage with the Treasury and Revenue and Customs on that. <BR /> <BR />We need to do all that work now. It starts today, and there is to be no delay with that work. While we work up legislation, we will work our way through all of that.”
“I concur with the Member's commentary. There is a very shameful truth in our history out of what happened to far too many women and girls. <BR /> <BR />A number of things have yet to be decided on redress and, indeed, many other issues. We said that victims and survivors would be at the centre of it all. There are a number of matters that we need to develop further. Particularly on redress, we are looking at schemes in other jurisdictions and at how redress has been done elsewhere. We are talking on board successful examples and trying to avoid anything that has not worked elsewhere. <BR /> <BR />A lot of decisions need to be taken in the period ahead. Although there are a number of things to be decided over the coming months, it is important to say that we will not delay in trying to address them.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are coming towards the end of this mandate, and it will be the next mandate before the legislation can be introduced. However, that is not to say that we will wait until then. We will start work now and have the groundwork done so that we can hit the ground running in the new mandate.”
“Essentially, we are putting the public inquiry into legislation because it gives us the power, if we need it, to compel organisations to cooperate. As I said, we hope that that is not where we get to. We do not want to have to do that, but we will. I hope that organisations will cooperate with the panel and that that work starts now, ahead of the inquiry. We need to ensure that we have the legislation just in case we need it. <BR /> <BR />We will work to get this moving as quickly as we can. Furthermore, it is essential that there is appropriate consultation with victims and survivors. We have made a firm commitment to them that they will be at the heart of everything that we do. We want to talk to them about that.”
“People can choose to be part of either or both. The other leg of that work is the consultative forum, which is where victims and survivors will tell us what they need. That is where people will get support to approach the panel and make their contribution, whether in writing or verbally — whatever suits the individual. A crucial part of supporting victims and survivors is that we get that right. We will let them tell us what they need as part of the consultative forum.”
“Like the Member, I acknowledge that this day belongs to the victims and survivors who have campaigned for so long to get to this point. I reflected in my introductory comments some of the things that they told us in the meeting that we had before coming to the Chamber. They have described today as a momentous day, but what they expect from us in return is to hear what we will do and how we will drive this forward. We want them to hear that this is a priority and that we will deliver all the commitments that we have set out. <BR /> <BR />The Member asked how we would support victims and survivors, particularly through the public inquiry. We are doing something that nowhere else has done: a statutory public inquiry, which is more legalistic. Alongside that, however, we have the work of the independent panel.”