Joanne Bunting
East Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Their input was instrumental in shaping the Bill that the Assembly will shortly be invited to pass. <BR /> <BR />For those affected by the mother-and-baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and related pathways and practices, the process has taken too long, but we can be pleased that we got there, for the victims' sakes.”
“It is still cruel, disheartening and difficult to fully comprehend. I hope that the experiences of the many women who were affected by those institutions and practices will serve as a challenge to us all.”
“We thank all who participated in the Victims and Survivors Consultation Forum. We know that that has not always been an easy space, but we hope that, today, they can reflect on all their efforts with pride.”
“<BR /> <BR />To victims and survivors considering whether to engage with the redress service, I send an unequivocal message: the scheme exists because your experiences matter, and you need not face the process alone.”
“<BR /> <BR />Of course, the experience did not end with the institution itself; rather, for the victims and survivors — those women and children — the period has been a thread of pain that has woven its way through their entire lives.”
“It is not an exaggeration to say that today is a momentous day. It is an honour and a privilege for me to move the Final Stage of this important legislation on behalf of the First Minister and the deputy first Minister, junior Minister Reilly and, indeed, the Executive.”
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“I welcome the opportunity to speak as Chairman of the Committee for Justice on the Budget Bill. I declare that I have an immediate family member who works in the legal profession. <BR /> <BR />Throughout the past year, the Committee has scrutinised the Department of Justice's budget through regular oral and written briefings and updates. The 2024-25 Budget was described in oral evidence by senior departmental officials as the "most challenging" that the Department has ever faced, with the Executive having just £1 billion above funding baselines to allocate against reported pressures totalling over £3 billion across Departments. The permanent secretary also reported that the Justice budget has increased by only 13% over 13 years, with the block grant having increased by 53% over the same period.”
“Once again, I remind the House that 10 months have passed since the inquest, and I urge the ombudsman's office to release the report immediately.”
“It is a sad day when the victims have to fight for a report and use their funeral money to pay for legal action to try to obtain the report to which they are entitled — not once, but twice so far. Those involved should hang their heads in shame at this despicable treatment of innocent victims and know that I will not rest until Mr Black has that report in his hands and his questions are answered.”
“It should be an utter embarrassment to our system and those engaged in it that those people have been toyed with. "The report is ready." "Oh, no, sorry, it is not." "You will get it after the inquest." The inquest ends: nothing. "When will it come?". "In due course.". "We are not running down the clock", and yet, everything points to the fact that they actually are. <BR /> <BR />When will it come? We are now at 10 months of obfuscation and deflection over a simple question: "When will you publish?". There is no answer, no timeline, no information and no report. This has become a disgraceful charade, and as they delay and the pressure builds, they should know that, as time passes, the expectation on them for a report to be of value, depth and insight increases.”
“The coroner told the families that they would receive the report on the conclusion of the inquest last April, but here we are, yet another month on — some 10 months in total — and no report, no timeline for its publication other than "in due course" and nothing but a flimsy assurance from the Police Ombudsman that her office is not seeking to run down the clock and that Kingsmills remains a priority. Right? <BR /> <BR />Talk is cheap. It is action that counts, yet another month has passed with nothing. I assure the families and the Office of the Police Ombudsman that I will keep airing the issue and exposing the ticking clock, which we are told is not being run down to the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery, because I believe that, for those families, 49 years of waiting is frankly ridiculous.”
“That is what saved him from a final, fatal gunshot. <BR /> <BR />Members will also know that I work on behalf of Mr Black and the family of John McConville as they seek truth and justice, and that is my privilege. They may also remember that there is an ongoing campaign for the release of the Police Ombudsman's report into the investigation. I say "ongoing" because that investigation has been continuing for some 13 years, yet there is still no report forthcoming. Some of that time is understandable, as the coronial inquest was under way for 10 years, but there was nothing to preclude the ombudsman's investigator from continuing their work in parallel over that period. <BR /> <BR />Although the Office of the Police Ombudsman previously advised the families that the report was finished, that was retracted.”
“Once again, I will speak about the Kingsmills massacre, one of the most blatantly sectarian murders of the Troubles, in which 11 Protestant workmen were lined up against their van and mercilessly shot by the Provisional IRA in a military-style execution. There was a sole survivor. <BR /> <BR />Members have heard me previously describe, in much greater detail from the inquest notes, the full horrors of that cold, dark night, when young men, still in their teens, cried out for the comfort of their mothers' arms in their final moments, and where the groans of pain rang out into the night from the injured workmen before the gunmen callously walked through their bodies, which were strewn on the ground, to, in their words, "finish them off". Alan Black, through the pain of a body riddled with bullets, kept silent and pretended to be dead.”
“I know that the budgetary positions are extremely difficult and that there are many and significant competing priorities, but it is imperative that we get a grip on this before there is a catastrophic point from which we cannot return. At that stage, the cost will be considerably more, not just in capital expenditure. East Belfast deserves better. I urge the Minister to act and to act urgently.”
“I appreciate that there are considerable budgetary pressures, but East Belfast cannot and should not continue to be at the bottom of the pile when it comes to investment in the city and its people. The need for all capital infrastructure in East Belfast, waste water included, needs to be reviewed and planned for so that we do not fall even further behind our counterparts in other Belfast constituencies and can plan for the future and allow East Belfast to fulfil its potential. <BR /> <BR />I appreciate that the cost around the waste water issue is significant, but so will be the return on investment for many decades not only through rates but because there simply comes a point when throwing good money after bad in trying to fix the unrepairable, which is never a good idea, is just no longer viable.”
“<BR /> <BR />The flooding in Park Avenue in Dundonald in the mouth of Christmas is further evidence of a system that, for one reason or another, is not working for those who live in the area. People watched in horror as waste water and sewage entered their homes and cars, causing ruin that will take years to fix and will result in insurance problems. That has inflicted significant financial burdens on people and constant worry that it will happen again or that they will never be able to sell. For many, the feeling of sanctuary, safety and pride in their home has been completely destroyed. <BR /> <BR />Some of the issues are down to infrastructure ultimately, but proper management and preventative maintenance of what is there is also key, as are timely solutions when problems arise. Something must be done.”
“The lack of affordable and social housing cannot be addressed fully for the reasons that I have just outlined. The tower blocks are coming down, and people want to stay in their localities, but there is nowhere to put them. People are therefore moving away from their neighbourhoods, their families, their support, their local networks, their neighbours, their communities and the areas that they love. Even when one site is essentially replaced by another and the numbers on the usage of the water infrastructure are unlikely to change, it appears that that is still not straightforward enough for Northern Ireland Water to grant the approvals for the necessary connections easily. Such was the problem for a local school that I assisted recently.”
“It is true. <BR /> <BR />We have a significant housing problem, especially when it comes to affordable and social housing, because there are hardly any vacant sites left on which to build. What has that got to do with waste water infrastructure? Everything. When a site is identified, not only does planning take for ever, but Northern Ireland Water usually indicates that the system is at capacity, and so the multiple issues with connection commence. We have now learned that Northern Ireland Water has paused the living with water programme due to a lack of funding. <BR /> <BR />Waste water and sewerage infrastructure or the lack thereof is having a material impact on East Belfast's ability not only to grow but to accommodate those who were raised there and wish to stay.”
“The schools are full, the hospital is full, the roads are full and the park-and-ride is full, yet the truth is that East Belfast remains one of the most desirable places in which to live in the whole of Northern Ireland. I say that not out of natural bias but because it is right.”
“Moreover, the focus on East Belfast and the state of its Sydenham plant was alarming at best, not to mention exactly what is ending up in the Connswater river, where, in the famed Hollow, we have all attended many's a plastic duck race with community groups. On reflection, we may be shocked to learn the full extent of how bad things have become, although it is probably not a huge leap, given the issues that we have worked on in the constituency for the past number of years. I want to consider the wider effects, particularly on development and growth. <BR /> <BR />There is no question that East Belfast is at capacity in nearly every way that relates to capital infrastructure and development in general.”
“I am grateful to the Member for securing the Adjournment debate on this important topic. This evening's debate will provide a valuable opportunity for us, as local reps, to discuss the matter constructively and to air our concerns with a view to seeing improvement in our part of the city. I also congratulate the Minister on her promotion and wish her well in her new role. <BR /> <BR />Our waste water infrastructure in East Belfast is undoubtedly causing significant problems, with wider implications than might at first appear to be the case. The 'Spotlight' programme to which Mr McReynolds referred outlined some shocking statistics and a terrifying problem.”
“In recognising some of our flaws, I say that I fundamentally believe in Belfast and its possibilities. We just need to make sure that it is safe, clean, accessible, affordable and unbeatable.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also point out that the Belfast chamber has often felt that its issues have fallen between the stools, as parts of the city are divided and the city centre is divided across all four Belfast constituencies. That often results in the failure to consider the city as a whole, and we must address that. <BR /> <BR />Between the Assembly and the City Hall, there is plenty that we can look at and seek to improve. This is an opportune time to commend those who have put the pedal to the metal to make our city what it is. It is also the right time to advocate for the agreed 7,500 police officers whom we are supposed to have to ensure the safety of those who wish to enjoy all that our city has to offer and those who provide it. Without doubt, Belfast has much of which to be proud.”
“We are aware that drugs are being dealt openly, and it is increasingly common to find people in stupors on our streets at all times of the day. In the summer, I met members of the Belfast business community who are tortured by aggressive and repeat shoplifters, who are shameless about it, to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds per year per store. You might think that that does not relate to the night-time economy, but it certainly does, in that there are numerous convenience stores in the city. However, it has a wider impact on the general feel of the place, and, often, the feeling of safety and security can lead to an overall improvement in footfall. Delays in planning is another issue that is turning investors off and may likely be losing Belfast its edge in the next big thing: expansion.”
“I have hosted meetings between the police and the business community about that. I am under no illusions that we have to adopt a common-sense approach to personal safety, particularly in this time. However, recognising that there are some nefarious, desperate and simply bad people out there at times, having the lowest policing numbers ever places our people at risk. Thankfully, we are the safest place to live in the UK, but those of us who represent Belfast are acutely conscious of the fundamental need for the town to be a safe place to walk, to travel and to be out, especially for women — although I do recognise that men face their own barriers and risks. <BR /> <BR />Moreover, there is a significant and extant drugs epidemic.”
“The private sector is a really difficult place to be. Employers in Belfast have been hit with, essentially, the perfect storm. Their overheads for rent, rates and utilities, particularly electricity, have soared. Let us look at the cost of produce and the increase in the minimum wage and National Insurance contributions. Those cost increases are in circumstances when people are already struggling to rebuild post COVID, and they are having a dire effect. Businesses, retailers, pubs and restaurants are struggling across the UK. Record numbers of restaurants are closing their doors. Obviously, a great deal of that falls at the feet of the Government. However, there are some things that are most certainly in our gift. <BR /> <BR />Safety and security is a huge issue.”
“<BR /> <BR />We must have an eye to tourism but remain focused on our permanent customers, who are our constituents and citizens who love a good night out. As a proud east Belfast girl, I say this: what's not to love? For the enjoyment and employment of our citizenry and for our economy, it is imperative that our capital city has a thriving night-time offering, affording diversity of choice to all consumers. That is all well and good in theory, but it is not easily done. It hinges on other key factors in which we could be better. Transport is certainly one; affordability and offerings are others; but security and safety is absolutely key. <BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that Belfast is a great place. I commend those entrepreneurs who have started their own businesses, invested their own money and have to make it work to earn a living.”
“I am grateful to my party colleague for securing the Adjournment debate on this important issue, given that Belfast is our capital city. I am glad that the Minister for the Economy is here. <BR /> <BR />I will draw on some wider matters of import relating to our night-time economy. Belfast must be able to compete as a tourist destination with cities across the British Isles, Europe and the globe. We certainly do not have the weather as an advantage, so we need to put our best foot forward in other areas and play to our strengths. Our warm, welcoming natures and a strong sense of hospitality, combined with our vibrant social scene, fabulous hotels and quality eateries and produce are up there in making Belfast an attractive place for people to work and live in and to visit.”
“Given the Bar's decision to extend its strike, what engagement has the Minister had with the profession recently on the Burgess review? Whilst I am aware of the consultation, what more might be done to move all this towards a resolution in weeks rather than by the end of the consultation, which will be in months? What does she consider to be the social value of legal aid?”
“The very rationale for the establishment of women-only prisons was so that the specific needs of female inmates, some of whom will have experienced trauma or abuse, were met. That is another less-debated issue on the safety of women and girls, and we need to be able to have serious conversations about it and its implications. It remains abundantly clear to me that adult biological males should not be permitted into any women's safe spaces: not sports, not toilets, not changing rooms, not shower cubicles and certainly not prisons. We must take a stand and make a choice to protect women and girls, as we have pledged to do.”
“Ironically, when the Executive are focused on tackling violence against women and girls, consideration is still being given, on a case-by-case basis, to allowing biological males into what should be a safe space for women, and, worse still, that is being done in the full knowledge of the numbers of vulnerable female inmates who have been abused and, as a result, are traumatised and suffering from mental ill health and anxiety. Prison is already a daunting place, even in a single-sex environment. There may be some in the Chamber who are unable, or unwilling, to define what a woman is. We are very clear, and it does not involve having male genitalia. <BR /> <BR />Ultimately, the welfare of women in custody must be safeguarded, particularly given the vulnerability of some of the women who are in prison.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have points to make, so I am not going to engage in pettiness.”
“I am worried about women. I will give way.”
“I will make no apology for standing up for biological women or for stating that, when men decide that they want to identify as women, it is always the hard-won rights of women that are depleted and their safety diminished and compromised.”
“<BR /> <BR />Last week, the Minister kept her focus on the rights of transgender females. I, too, wish them to be treated with dignity and for them to be kept safe, as I wish for all prisoners, but I suggest that the Minister should also give due consideration to the rights and safety of adult human females and be very careful about self-identification. The Minister has been keen to rubbish recent reporting of the court ruling that touched on those issues, yet we have not had sight of the instructions that she had indicated were issued to governors providing guidance on the management of transgender prisoners in August 2022.”
“Of the 245 transgender prisoners in England and Wales who, as of 31 March 2024, reported their legal birth gender as male, 151 had been convicted of a sexual offence. We have therefore already seen, and should have learnt from, cases in England and Wales in which those convicted of rape and other sexually violent crimes self-identified as women and were placed in female prisons, to the severe detriment of biological female inmates, some of whom ended up being sexually assaulted as a consequence. That is so wrong. There was a subsequent public outcry, and, rightly, those woke policies and placements had to be reversed. I remain to be convinced that there can be any circumstances in which biological males should be able to serve their sentence in female prisons. Even the disparity in physical strength presents a difficulty.”
“To avoid a rerun of other Members inferring from that something that I did not imply last week, let me be explicit: I am not equating transgenders to predators. Rather, I am saying that sexual predators will exploit self-ID. Those who present a serious risk and threat to women will absolutely seek to exploit self-identification, and any loophole that they can find, for their own sinister ends. It is only a matter of time. They will claim to identify as women specifically for the purpose of being put in confinement with women, either to prey on them or to have what they envisage as an easier time in a women's jail. It has already happened in other parts of the UK, so why would we think that we in Northern Ireland would be exempt? We must take steps to ensure that women are not prey.”
“<BR /> <BR />The DUP will continue to advocate for the preservation of women-only spaces, including in our prisons, as a matter of principle and justice. Safety and safeguarding must come first. Allowing biological males to reside among the female prisoner population risks undermining those protections and could have serious consequences for the safety and dignity of women. <BR /> <BR />As I highlighted in the Chamber just last week:”
“I am grateful to colleagues for tabling the motion, which is on one of the most serious issues that women may face. <BR /> <BR />All prisoners — indeed, everybody within and without the justice system — should, of course, be treated with courtesy, dignity and respect. However, in many aspects of life, women's rights and safe spaces are being eroded. That is a very serious issue of great concern to the public, and we must set down a marker and have clear guidance and policies. Some would seek to accommodate the wishes of a very small percentage of society at the expense of half the population. We must decide whether we will protect the rights of 50% of society, or sacrifice their rights and safety for the sake of a minority of men who want to be women or regard themselves as such.”
“It will be important for there to be a comprehensive review of existing laws across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK so that where there are gaps, what more could and should be done and what best practice is on and beyond our shores can be established.”
“The pace of development with generative AI is concerning, and we must be in no doubt that the impact of its misuse could and likely will be far-reaching, including in cases of child sexual abuse, where the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the police cannot distinguish between an image of a real child and a generated image. Progress has been made on strengthening the police and legal response by including four new offences in the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. However, the pace at which technology advances is staggering, so we must ensure that the police have the means to tackle online abuse in all its forms and that our legislation keeps pace with technological progress in order to avoid loopholes.”
“In addition to the personal trauma that that will cause for our colleagues in elected politics and their families, it is concerning and sinister that such content may be used to attempt to influence the outcome of an election. <BR /> <BR />Technology to create explicit deepfakes without consent is readily available, with research showing that one in every three deepfake tools allows you to create deepfake pornography. That means that someone with access to the internet who has a clear photo of a person's face can make a deepfake video of them in less than 25 minutes.”
“For too long, the online world has been a deeply unpleasant place where people abuse others to the extreme, usually behind a cloak of anonymity. No one should be expected to accept that kind of disgusting abuse, particularly the vulgar abuse that is targeted at many females. <BR /> <BR />The DUP wants to see an improved response to the many forms of technology-facilitated abuse against women online. Far too many women and girls have experienced violence and harassment, including online, due to their sex. Indeed, shockingly, a 2023 study by Security Hero showed a 550% rise in deepfake pornographic videos since 2019, and evidence shows that these videos target women. Deepfake videos degrade, demean and deceive. During the most-recent Assembly election, some female candidates were subject to horrendously offensive deepfake content.”
“The internet is a great thing when it is used for good. However, it has also brought about and normalised some of the worst behaviours in human nature. The problem has worsened exponentially as technology has improved. That improvement, coupled with the advancement of AI, must be harnessed before things that are now out of control grow beyond any control. <BR /> <BR />The inception of social media brought about the horrific abuse of those who do not share the views of the ubiquitous trolls. Frequently, the aim is to intimidate, to embarrass and, ultimately, to silence. In the past few years, the situation has plumbed a whole new level of low. It is critical that there is action without delay before nothing meaningful can be done.”
“— must not be undermined by legislation that adds confusion or complexity. Ultimately, it is critical that the guilty are convicted but crucial that the innocent are acquitted.”
“Sexual offence cases are complex to investigate and prosecute, and we must enable and encourage victims to seek justice, ensure that prosecutors have the opportunity and tools to bring forward these cases, and equip jurors and the judiciary with an informed and impartial understanding of the law in these areas. We must ensure that everyone with a stake in the criminal justice system is treated equitably and fairly. The recent, steady, long-term picture of sexual offence prosecutions —”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst the motion focuses on two discrete elements that impact on the handling of prosecutions relating to violence against women and girls, there is one further point that I wish to make. We must remember that this is a societal problem requiring a collaborative, whole-society approach. Also, it should not be the case that the Executive's strategic framework on ending violence against women and girls translates into lesser focus and a lack of urgency on the part of the police, the criminal justice system and society in tackling harm against male victims of this terrible abuse. <BR /> <BR />However we proceed, we must do so with due care and diligence. It is essential that we get this right.”
“The outstanding commitment to provide jurors with rape trial myth education materials engages sensitive issues. We agree that Northern Ireland should await the findings and insight from the pilot in England and allow those to inform us. We will need to be clear what rape myths are, and what exactly the jury is being educated in. Jury education is fundamental and has immense power to sway or determine the outcome of any case. Therefore, it must be done in such a way that it does not constitute putting a thumb on the scale either way. Again, consultation is helpful and allows the public to engage in the debate, keeping those issues to the fore.”
“In those circumstances, it is going to very difficult for jurors to establish, one way or another, what the position is on consent, so there needs to be a discussion as to whether everything around this can be more straightforward and clearer. Additionally, consultation would prove valuable in that it should focus the public's mind on the issue of consent and allow for public discourse. <BR /> <BR />On rape myths education, a number of steps have already been taken by the Lady Chief Justice and the Courts and Tribunals Service to advance Gillen's recommendations for the trial education of jurors, particularly in respect of legal responsibilities in the use of social media. We welcome that, as will those who are affected by cases.”
“Also, rather than on a case-by-case basis, which can be a moveable feast, there should be a degree of certainty about what constitutes an offence and a breach of the law. There needs to be clarity about what are the reasonable steps to ascertain consent, and what constitutes a failure to take them — not just for jurors, the judiciary and lawyers but for society. <BR /> <BR />People navigating relationships in this difficult age need to be clear what the law is and what will be regarded as a crime. In some cases, it will be incredibly obvious. Unfortunately, those are not the cases that these recommendations seek to address. Moreover, in difficult cases, it is often likely that judgement on one or both sides will be impaired by drugs or alcohol.”
“That said, our proposal for consultation should in no way be regarded as an attempt to delay or limit progress towards providing better support to victims of violence against women and girls. <BR /> <BR />A sexual attack or sexual abuse is, to my mind, one of the worst things that can happen to a person; it is life-changing. Likewise, to be wrongly accused is also devastating and life-changing. That is why any move that we make must ensure that the balance within a trial setting is right and that the pendulum does not swing in one direction or the other. The focus must be on due process in which everybody concerned, and everybody looking on, can have confidence. Therefore, with regard to the defence of reasonable belief, however we move, we need to be very clear about what exactly in law is a failure to ascertain consent.”
“We are years further on, and there has been considerable learning since that was introduced. Society has moved on in some ways with regard to relationships and intimacy, so it would be helpful for the public to have their say. <BR /> <BR />From the outset, I wish to be clear that we in the DUP are committed to supporting measures that improve experiences of the criminal justice system for victims of violent and sexual crime throughout Northern Ireland. In particular, we want to raise confidence among women and girls who are victims of such abuse to pursue prosecutions, bring their perpetrators to justice and obtain the support that they need. Consultation, engagement and building a clear and informed evidence base for moving forward are necessary also to uphold the right to a fair trial for defendants in such cases.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. We agree with the thrust of the motion but have sought to add another layer to the process by inserting the need for consultation. The issues and rights are very sensitive, difficult and finely balanced, and it is imperative that everybody — complainants, victims, witnesses, defendants, families and society as a whole — can have confidence in the law, the justice system, due process and the right to a fair trial. Gillen came in post the rugby trial.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Is it in order for a Minister to wilfully misinterpret what a Member has said? The record will show that what I actually said during Justice Question Time was that self-identification presented an opportunity for predators to exploit the system. At no time did I equate or link trans and predators. It is interesting that, in labelling me and attempting to admonish me, the Minister ended up linking them by inferring something that was not there. I am confident that the record will show that I am not anti-trans. Instead, I am anti-predator.”
“I am really glad to hear the Minister say that. Does he accept that it is a matter of import for the public and that, whilst elements of it fall between his Department and the Department of Justice, it takes only one of them to move so that we can gather some momentum on this significant issue?”
“I am grateful to the Minister for that answer. He will be aware that there are a considerable number of cases of animal welfare and cruelty ongoing across Northern Ireland, and there are likely a great number of instances that go unreported and undetected. I am advised that, on average, each council area has only two dedicated officials to undertake every aspect of that work. What message is the Minister hearing from local government about capacity? What assessment has his Department made of current effectiveness? What more can it do to help?”