Justin McNulty
Newry and Armagh · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for challenging some of the narratives that are peddled in relation to immigration. <BR /> <BR />Minister, what steps are you taking to support community safety partnerships in addressing misinformation on illegal immigration and to help build confidence in how local criminality is being managed?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. I welcome the progress that has been outlined today on major waterways projects, including the Ulster canal project.”
“Will you commit to throwing your full support and that of your Department behind that effort by backing the establishment of the task force and by working proactively with local councils and partners, including the Department of the Taoiseach's Shared Island unit, to realise finally the enormous economic, tourism and environmental potenti…”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. We have all seen the deterioration of our high streets and streets in our towns and villages with the shift to online shopping. Vacancy and dilapidation are now sadly the norm. Will the review act as a stimulus for businesses on those streets in our towns and villages?”
“Absolutely. The Minister and the Department can never relinquish the reins of proper scrutiny. <BR /> <BR />The reclassification by ONS will mean that all trust ports can borrow, which will allow them the commercial flexibility to invest more in their infrastructure.”
“<BR /> <BR />The trust port model has stood the test of time and has worked well for the North. We can see the economic and social benefits in the local communities around the ports. In 2025, the DFI completed a review of the trust ports in the North to explore how the Department's policy on trust ports could be updated.”
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“, Jarlath Burns, beside him, to a team wearing jerseys made by an Armagh man, Padraic McKeever of McKeever Sports. The credit lies mostly with the players — the men in the arena.”
“<BR /> <BR />Yesterday was a wonderful day for Armagh Gaels, made more special by the fact that the Anglo-Celt Cup was presented by an Armagh man, Michael Geoghegan, Ulster president, with another Armagh man, uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael”
“While Aidan spoke, some of the families were revelling on the pitch and in the enclosure below, at home and abroad. It was their day as much as it was the players' day. Everyone will have loved the pictures on TV of Kieran McGeeney embracing his children after the final whistle. Incredibly, Geezer first stripped out for his county in 1988 and has been actively involved in playing, coaching and management at inter-county level every year since. All that I can say to that is this: wow. One of Geezer's strongest values is loyalty. There are people who have stood with him in the dark days and the bright days, some since the '90s. I will not mention names; they know who they are.”
“Most expressively, Aidan thanked the families of the players, who understand and support the commitment necessary to succeed as an inter-county footballer.”
“Aidan Forker, in his acceptance speech, thanked the management, coaching and backroom team; the county board; and the team's sponsors — Simplyfruit and Patrick McCann; Mullaghbawn's Aidan Strain Electrical Engineering; and Padraic McKeever of McKeever Sports — who have stuck with Armagh through thick and thin.”
“to the players, management team and county board. You have come agonisingly close in recent years, visiting the locker of hurt so many times in the Ulster Championship, but have kept going despite setback after setback. <BR /> <BR />Monaghan deserve an honourable mention. Despite the odds, they were valiant in defeat. I know that that is of little consolation. <BR /> <BR />On the final whistle yesterday, despite the torrential rain, there was an amazing outpouring of joy, celebration and pride among Armagh fans, who streamed on to the pitch in their thousands to see Aidan Forker and Aaron McKay lift the Anglo-Celt Cup.”
“In 2008, walking out of St Tiernach's Park in Clones after Paul McGrane had raised the Anglo-Celt Cup as Armagh captain, with Armagh having won six Ulster Senior Football Championship titles in the previous nine years, no one would have thought that it would be another 18 years before Armagh got their hands on the cup again. The Ulster Championship is by far the most competitive provincial championship, with six different counties claiming glory since 2005. The Armagh senior footballers famously won the Sam Maguire in 2024, but there was always a feeling that something was missing. Yesterday, the players and management completed the set. I want to say a huge comhghairdeas”
“Between April 2020 and March 2025, there were 20,000 public liability claims made for damage caused by potholes and road defects, costing £20·6 million in payouts. Surely that money would have been better spent on fixing the roads. Almost 50,000 defects were reported between December 2025 and February 2026. In 2025, 100,000 potholes were recorded, with the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area being the worst affected. Minister, are you driving on different roads than I am? Will you commit to getting the roads fixed and resurfaced before the bad weather comes?”
“What an incredible achievement by Eithne and Colin, and what a wonderful legacy for Kevin. Eithne and Collie, I wish you Godspeed. Go raibh míle, míle maith agaibh.”
“After having experienced huge difficulties bringing Kevin's remains home, Eithne and Colin wanted to make sure that there was somewhere to which grieving families could reach out for financial and practical support when facing the same situation. In 13 years, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust has helped return 2,500 loved ones home to their families from almost 100 countries. That is 2,500 families who have been touched by Eithne and Colin's kindness. Eithne and Colin have supported those families in some of their darkest, most challenging times by lifting the financial burden and that of navigating complex systems in order to bring loved ones' remains home. <BR /> <BR />Based in the Whitegates Business Park in Newry, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust is the only organisation of its kind in the world.”
“Today, I congratulate Eithne and Colin Bell as they prepare to step back from the day-to-day running of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust after dedicating 13 years to helping families to repatriate loved ones who, sadly, passed away while abroad. Eithne and Colin founded the trust in 2013 following the sudden death of their son Kevin in New York. In the depths of their grief, they decided to use the funds raised to repatriate Kevin to Ireland to establish a charity to help other families who found themselves in the awful situation where a loved one has died abroad. In doing so, they created a powerful and permanent legacy for their son Kevin.”
“Minister, the report lays bare the fact that our emergency departments are in a state of ongoing crisis, with excess deaths and corridor care becoming, sadly, the norm. Staff give their all, but they are often overwhelmed. There are adverse experiences of waiting for ambulances and waiting in ambulances, emergency departments and corridors. What immediate action are you taking to improve patient safety, Minister?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. I commend Katie Simpson's family, who are here today, for their bravery and for the dignity that they have shown despite their grief. Although they will, I am sure, welcome today's statement, the gaping chasm of grief and hurt that they are all feeling can never be filled. <BR /> <BR />Minister, will you provide more information on how you intend to develop and broaden campaigns on coercive control?”
“Minister, without strong central direction, procurement becomes fragmented, inconsistent and reactive instead of being strategic. Will you provide details of the oversight body that is charged with ensuring accountability, accessibility, performance monitoring and proper governance structures?”
“Will the Minister commit to providing well-resourced and contemporary training to teachers, parents and students on the ever-growing challenges and harms presented by the omnipresence of social media?”
“Teachers guide and inspire us with lessons from books and lessons for life. I have just watched a large group of primary-school students come into the Gallery wide-eyed and looking for inspiration, but I am sad to say that they will not have found much inspiration from the hate-filled exchanges between the two lead parties in our government: Sinn Féin and the DUP. <BR /> <BR />Some 91% of teachers surveyed in the North reported experiencing burnout, with 95% pointing to workload as a contributing factor. The independent review of teacher workload report points to social media as a partial contributor to increasing behaviour management issues and online abuse of teachers becoming all too common.”
“I recognise the bravery of the responding police officers in their rapid action to protect the community as well as the fast-acting and courageously selfless bravery of the individuals who stepped in to help diffuse the dangerous situation. I trust that everyone involved in the incident will get the help and support that they need.”
“On Saturday morning, in Cullyhanna in south Armagh, multiple reports from members of the public were made to the police about a man who was walking around covered in blood and armed with a machete. The alarming, frightening and dangerous scene had the potential to result not only in harm but even in fatalities. However, that was avoided when the police acted with appropriate urgency and arrived at the scene within minutes. Incredibly, with the courageous help of two community members, the police were able to seize the weapon and restrain the man. <BR /> <BR />The incident demonstrated how the police and the community can work together to keep people safe.”
“Minister, making families wait until the summertime for a mere £100 towards their heating costs, which is the Executive's belated and sole response to the energy crisis, does not cut it. I know that your party's perennial get-out-of-jail-free card is to blame the British Government, so is it fair to say that your party wants all the power and all the control but none of the responsibility?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. On Good Friday, I was contacted by a constituent who was really concerned about the safety of youths in Newry who were scootering in and out of traffic on their e-scooters. Does he agree that the Minister for Infrastructure and the Minister of Justice need to step up and ensure that proper regulation, standards and safety laws are in place to protect people on e-scooters and pedestrians as well as drivers? Does he agree that, as per Paul Doherty's suggestion in west Belfast, there should be defined areas in which e-scooters and scramblers can be used safely?”
“Last week, we heard the disturbing news that there were over 1,000 excess deaths in emergency departments in the North in 2025. Corridor care was referenced as a contributory factor, with staff, medical teams and patients often overwhelmed by overcrowding and long waits. Will the Minister commit to working towards the report's recommendation that corridor care be eliminated by the end of the decade?”
“I hope that the trust will implement plans to bolster staff recruitment. <BR /> <BR />I again express my sincere thanks to all the maternity workers at Daisy Hill Hospital for all that they do to care for mothers and babies. The importance of the work that they do and the expert care that they offer is felt by everyone who walks through the doors of the maternity ward. They are worth their weight in gold. <BR /> <BR />With the news that elective caesarean sections will continue at the maternity ward at Daisy Hill Hospital, mothers and families can be assured that their babies can be born in the same hospital where they were born and where generations of their families were born.”
“The news will be reassuring for the dedicated and extremely professional maternity teams not only at Daisy Hill Hospital but at Craigavon Area Hospital. The service that is provided in every ward and department at Daisy Hill Hospital is extraordinary, despite the resourcing challenges often faced by teams in our brilliant hospital. I thank all the hard-working midwives and maternity staff at Daisy Hill Hospital and Craigavon Area Hospital, who have always demonstrated a powerfully positive esprit de corps and extraordinary expertise, along with genuine care and support for expectant mothers and their families. <BR /> <BR />I recently spoke to the Southern Trust board about the importance of improving staff recruitment numbers to ensure that maternity teams experience the highest possible level of support in their jobs.”
“Mothers and families can rest assured that their babies will be born in Daisy Hill Hospital, the hospital in which they and generations of their family were born. I warmly welcome the confirmation from the Southern Health and Social Care Trust that elective caesarean sections are not due to be ceased at Daisy Hill Hospital. That confirmation was provided to 'Armagh I', amid rumours of proposals to end such provision at our hospital's brilliant maternity ward. Especially in the context of birth rates in Newry and Armagh and South Down being higher than birth rates anywhere else in the North, that rumour caused considerable worry and concern. <BR /> <BR />Over 800 caesarean sections were performed at Daisy Hill Hospital in 2025, which further demonstrates how important it is that we protect that vital life-saving and life-giving service.”
“I thank the Minister for giving way. We were very grateful for your interventions in respect of Scoil Spreagtha and for your continuing support for that scheme and the competence with which you acted to save that scheme and protect it going forward. Go raibh maith agat.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I say firmly that there is nothing to fear from the Irish language. Members of the Protestant community have been some of the biggest advocates of protecting our language and heritage. There is a saying in Irish: ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine. While it translates literally as "in each other's shadow we live", metaphorically, it means that we rely on each other for shelter from the storm. Would it not be better if that philosophy and approach to our shared language were to be adopted by your party and unionism in general? It is a language that is owned by us all.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. We are now more than three weeks in, and you have not yet met the hauliers. In the South, your party is calling for a motion of no confidence in the Government for not doing enough to address the fuel crisis, despite the Irish Government's announcing a further package of support worth over £500 million — that is half a billion, Minister. Will you table a motion of no confidence in your Executive here, who have not put forward any plan at all to tackle the spiralling energy and fuel cost crisis?”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for her answer. Yesterday, at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh, players, coaches, management teams, stewards, press and 16,000 fans were immersed in the blood and thunder — the cut and thrust — of the Ulster Championship at a brilliant venue. It was an epic encounter, decided only after extra time, with Armagh beating Tyrone by one point. Deputy First Minister, do you and the First Minister have any sense of regret or shame that you are denying a generation of Antrim Gaels a similar experience through your inability to deliver the Executive flagship project that is Casement Park?”
“He fought for fairness and for the marginalised, especially for children and the families of children with special needs. As Ceann Comhairle, he conducted Dáil business with fairness and evenness of hand, which was appreciated by all sides of the House. <BR /> <BR />I express my deepest sympathy to Teresa and to the couple's children, Fiona, Rory, Ardal, Neale, Shane and Dearbhla, to their wider family, including his sister, Sister Fionnuala, to his community and friends and to his Fianna Fáil family. I measc na Naomh go raibh sé.”
“<BR /> <BR />Rory was a solid friend of the SDLP down through the years. Alongside his cousin the late Paddy O'Hanlon, who was a founder member of the SDLP, he worked tirelessly to ensure the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. He achieved the highest positions in political life but remained anchored in his constituency, forging a warm bond with the people of Monaghan and Cavan, whom he represented with strength and enthusiasm for more than a generation. He had time, a word and warmth for everyone whom he met. <BR /> <BR />As a gifted doctor, Rory was a caring and empathetic man who sought to improve the lives of his patients and his community. As Minister for Health, Rory made improvements to the system that benefited people in their day-to-day lives.”
“On Easter Sunday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin gave the oration at the graveside of a great Irishman and proud republican, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, who was laid to rest at St Mary's Church in Mullaghbawn, at the foot of Slieve Gullion in the heart of south Armagh. Rory made his home in Carrickmacross, but he was a proud Mullaghbawn native. He never forgot his roots and the people whom he grew up with. He was a loyal Armagh GAA fan throughout his life. In his home, where he reposed, there were three objects on his coffin: a family picture, an Armagh GAA woolly hat and a Mullaghbawn Cúchullain’s woolly hat. Rory was a trusted friend and mentor, and his support and counsel will be sorely missed, as will his energy, his enthusiasm and his shining integrity. I will miss that sparkle in his eyes.”
“I hope that it will also write to Harry Diamond about his achievement, because what both men have done is extraordinary.”
“In 2025, he took home his first Masters title, making him the sixth man to sweep the board at the four major tournaments. With his incredible skill, determination and drive, Rory has now gone and done it again, becoming the fourth golfer to win the Masters in consecutive years and defend his title. That is an outstanding achievement, with the North being represented on a global stage. Rory, you have made this island proud. I wish you luck with your continued hard work and wonder what you can achieve next. <BR /> <BR />Rory is an important role model for kids. He spoke openly and emotionally yesterday about having and chasing a dream. What an extraordinary message that is for young people. His humility and down-to-earthness is also extraordinary. I hope that the Assembly will formally recognise Rory McIlroy's achievement and write to him.”
“It is hard to believe that two young men and best friends, Rory McIlroy and Harry Diamond, who were born and bred less than 5 miles from this place stepped on to the eighteenth green yesterday to win back-to-back Masters championships. It is absolutely incredible. I congratulate Rory McIlroy, who has made history by winning a second Masters title. It feels as though we have all grown up with Rory. I recall watching him as a youngster on 'Kelly' chipping golf balls in through the open door of a washing machine and being mesmerised by it. <BR /> <BR />Rory is no stranger to success. We all know that, by the age of 25, he had won three of golf's four major championships: the US Open, the PGA Championship and the British Open. He rose to the rank of number-one golfer in the world.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I have said already, Monica Heaney is here today, and I hope that the parties can give hope to her and all the families who have lost loved ones on the A1.”
“We can therefore talk about the A1 all that we like, but it will not proceed without the A5. The failure of the A5 project comes down to two Departments that were the subject of strong judgements by a judge in the North who stated what went wrong on that front. <BR /> <BR />Multiple questions remain. Why was the A1 project stalled? Yes, it was down to the A5, but why was it stalled? Who made the decision not to proceed with the A1 project? What happens to the pre-qualification stage now and to the tendering that has already been completed? Do the shortlisted contractors remain in place? What about the contract value? I heard the Member for Upper Bann John O'Dowd talk about greater legal protections for Executive projects. What have the Executive done on that front? How have the Executive progressed such protections?”
“Despite those legal failings, there have been more than 57 deaths on the A5 since 2006, leading to intense political pressure to proceed with the improvements.”
“which he said was "fundamentally at odds" with the case that they had previously presented. On breaching climate goals, the legal challenges brought by the Alternative A5 Alliance were upheld based on the project's failure to comply with the North's strict net-zero emission targets. The judge previously ruled that arguments about the project's approval were "irrational".”
“On their contradictory approach, the judge highlighted a:”
“In a damning ruling, High Court judge Mr Justice McAlinden accused Stormont Departments of being "unprincipled" and engaging in "gaslighting" regarding the long-delayed A5 road upgrade project in the North. The judge strongly criticised the Department for Infrastructure and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for their handling of the legal challenges surrounding the £1·6 billion, 58-mile project, which aims to dual the major route between Derry and Aughnacloy. <BR /> <BR />As for gaslighting, Mr Justice McAlinden stated that the Departments tried to introduce new, contradictory arguments during an appeal regarding the project's compliance with climate change targets, portraying them as their original position, which the judge deemed to be "entirely unfair and unacceptable".”
“However, the A1 has been plagued by tragic accidents, injuries and deaths, which have, in part, been due to the dangerous junctions and people crossing the dual carriageway. <BR /> <BR />The project has been planned since 2006, and it has had multiple iterations. A year ago, there was hope when Minister Kimmins announced that the project had gone past the pre-qualification stage, the shortlist for contractors had been agreed and the Department was going out to final tender. Then — bam — the A5 judgement pulled the plug on the A5 and the A1. It is telling that we have two parties in the Chamber whose Ministers are inextricably linked to that judgement. <BR /> <BR />I will read out parts of reports of Judge McAlinden's ruling on the A5 and what he said about the Departments.”
“Karl's mother, Monica Heaney, is in the Gallery this evening. Talk about strength, forbearance and determination: despite her pain and trauma, she has been a determined advocate for movement on that road improvement scheme over the past number of years. I cannot begin to empathise with the pain experienced by Monica Heaney and the families of the other 40 victims over the past 20 years. They hope that the road will be improved, but they are not seeing much from this place, unfortunately. <BR /> <BR />The A1 links the two largest cities on this island. It links many families, friends, commuters, tourists and all those who travel between Belfast and Dublin. The road is located on a strategically important transport corridor for our island that connects our two major cities. It should be a place of safety and connectivity.”
“The A1 junctions phase 2 scheme aims to provide further safety improvements along the A1 dual carriageway between Hillsborough and Loughbrickland. The improvements will include the provision of new grade-separated junctions, the closing up of all gaps in the central reservation and the provision of continuous central reserve safety barriers along the entire route. I thank the Member for Upper Bann for securing this Adjournment debate and the Minister for being here to hear it this evening. <BR /> <BR />Seven years ago, a young man was travelling along the A1, and he met traffic that was coming the wrong way. He had no time to react. His life was ended in an instant. We have all had near misses on that road, but Karl Heaney did not have a near miss that night. He could not escape what he came upon.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. There have been 72,000 physical and verbal attacks on health and social care staff in the past five years in the North — sometimes in circumstances where there is no blame, where Alzheimer's or mental crisis patients act unpredictably and violently towards staff — causing physical and emotional harm in the workplace. Earlier, the Minister mentioned moral injury as well. Is enough being done to keep staff safe?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. There were, of course, eight signatories from the island of Ireland to the US Declaration of Independence. Given the all-island dimension of the US's break from the shackles of the British Empire, has the Minister thought about President Trump's advice and considered a merger?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. We are joined in the Public Gallery by the brilliant students from St Clement's College in Limerick city. What a wonderful item of business for them to observe; I am sure that they have opinions on it. <BR /> <BR />The legislation does not impact on the price of alcohol in pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels; it is aimed only at the cheap, nasty stuff that is so destructive. The SDLP is strongly supportive of minimum unit pricing. <BR /> <BR />Minister, is it not a damning indictment of the Executive that yet another piece of important, promised legislation has fallen by the wayside?”
“Given the focus on delivery, will the Minister update the House on the extension of tourism brands the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East into northern counties?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. No child or young person should ever have to endure the insidious distress and hurt that is caused by bullies. <BR /> <BR />The Addressing Bullying in Schools Act introduced detailed reporting requirements for schools. What analysis has the Department undertaken to ensure that the collection of data on bullying is translating into measurable improvements in pupil safety and well-being, especially in the new context of potential 24/7 exposure to cyberbullies?”
“I rise to speak of a man who has brought unfathomable joy to countless people for over a generation. On St Patrick's Day, as we walked down Newry's Hill Street, we could hear the soothing tones of Irish traditional music. As we walked a little further, we could hear the steps and the taps, and, as we walked further, we could hear the clarity and direction of the céilí caller, Raymond Carroll. Raymond has been calling céilithe in Newry and all around the country on St Patrick's Day for 38 years. I note Raymond's mastery and expertise, and the joy and happiness that he has brought to so many dancers — from master dancers and virtuosi céilígoers to novices. He brings structure, organisation and joy to everyone involved, within minutes. Maith thú”
“Minister, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently found that only 5% of companies that invested in AI had a return on their investment. How confident are you that the Civil Service's use of AI will give value for money, and what steps have you taken to ensure that that is so?”