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.”
The complete record
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“That question was due for answer on 5 March. It is now 16 March. Why have the First Ministers not seen fit to answer my question about a crisis that is impacting on every household in Ireland?”
“On 2 March, I asked the First Ministers what plans they had:”
“Minister, as part of your Department's deliberations, is any consideration being given to restoring the corbelling to its intact state rather than putting in a roof light, which is there now, in order to create the more mesmerising experience of going into a dark chamber?”
“I have written to both Ministers to ask what they will do to bring our court cairn back to life, which would allow locals to access it and for it to become a global tourism feature. It has the potential to be a mesmerising place of wonder.”
“How about we rebuild the corbelling in its original form so that, when people crawl into the chamber, it is in darkness? It is a mesmerising experience as it is, but that would create an even more mesmerising experience. <BR /> <BR />Here is the rulya part. I wrote to the then Sinn Féin Minister for Communities in 2022 and asked her what she was going to do to restore the corbelling on top of the cairn on Slieve Gullion. She did not see fit to answer my question, so it is a bit rich for some Members to talk about other Ministers having responsibility. She did not even see fit to answer my question about the restoration of the wondrous court cairn on the top of Slieve Gullion. What a missed opportunity that was. What a mesmerising opportunity it now is for the Department for Communities and the Department for the Economy.”
“I also asked the Minister for Communities:”
“It is rulya that, as the Minister for Communities stated in response to my question for written answer, the South Cairn "remains closed for safety reasons". He stated:”
“Setanta was a boy who wanted to join the Red Branch Knights at Emain Macha. His uncle brought him in, and he became a great hurler and a great warrior. His uncle went to a feast at the house of Culann, the metalsmith, on Slieve Gullion. Setanta arrived late because he had wanted to finish his game of hurling. When he arrived at the fort, Culann's hound had been let out. Setanta, with his sliotar and his hurl, killed the hound and became Cú Chulainn, the hound of Cullan. Those two wonderful Irish myths are directly linked to Slieve Gullion. <BR /> <BR />I will use a word that the Member who secured the debate will identify with: rulya. It is rulya that the court cairn on top of Slieve Gullion has been closed.”
“When he crawled out of the lake on to its bank, he realised that he had been turned into an old, withered man, and he saw that the maiden was no longer a maiden but the Cailleach Beara: the wicked witch. She retreated to the passage grave. <BR /> <BR />When the warriors of the Fianna arrived, they wondered where Fionn was, but one of his other dogs identified him by his smell, and the warriors realised what had happened. They dug a trench from the lake to the cairn, and they threatened the Cailleach Beara, saying that, if she did not undo the spell, they would flood all of Ireland. She thought, "Oh, God: we can't let that happen", and she reversed the spell. Fionn was returned to his youth, but his hair remained white. <BR /> <BR />The other legendary story is that of Cú Chulainn.”
“It is told brilliantly by local historian Kevin Murphy, a former schoolteacher. He talks about the Cailleach Beara, who lived on top of the mountain and was the wicked witch. Fionn mac Cumhaill was chasing the wild stag in the Bog of Allen. The stag ran to the Cooley mountains. Fionn mac Cumhaill's dog Bran died, and Fionn mac Cumhaill then chased the white stag to the top of Slieve Gullion, where he came across a maiden who was crying at the lakeside. He said, "Why are you crying? What's the matter?". She told him that she had lost her ring in the lake. Fionn mac Cumhaill, heroic as he was, dived into its black waters and recovered the ring.”
“<BR /> <BR />When you get down on your hands and knees and crawl down the passageway into the chamber, you feel a real connection to our ancestors who built that monumental structure on top of our mythical mountain so many thousands of years ago. The fact that that passageway is aligned with the setting sun on the winter solstice makes it even more mind-boggling, special and unique. From my childhood, I remember RTÉ's Donncha Ó Dúlaing, God rest his soul, on his tour of Ireland, coming to the chamber with his high-tech microphone and recording device — a tape recorder — to record the myths and stories of local people. That was an amazing, mesmerising experience for me as a child. <BR /> <BR />Our mountain is steeped in legend. One of the most famous legends is that of Fionn mac Cumhaill, the leader of the Fianna.”
“I thank my constituency colleague for securing the debate. As someone who lives in and grew up on its foothills, I have a huge physical, emotional and spiritual attachment to Slieve Gullion and its prehistoric court cairn, which was constructed at its summit more than 5,000 years ago. I know that everyone from south Armagh feels the same way. We have a visceral connection to our mountain and to the cairn at its summit. It is part of who we are; it is part of our cultural identity; and it forms part of our very being. It was built before the pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge and the Acropolis of Athens. It was built thousands of years before Machu Picchu. Situated nearly 2,000 ft above sea level, the South Cairn is the highest surviving passage grave in Ireland.”
“I thank the Member for kindly giving way. Speaking of water quality, 20 million tons of raw sewage were pumped into our waterways by the Department for Infrastructure last year. That equates to 8,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools full of raw sewage pumped into our waterways by the Department for Infrastructure. Do you believe that an independent EPA could get to grips with that challenge?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, in our great constituency of Newry and Armagh, I highlight the residents of Boat Street, Newry; Derrybeg and Gantry Lane, near Newry train station; Green Road, Bessbrook; Monaghan Row, Newry; Windmill Avenue, Armagh; Castle Street, Armagh; and Edward Street, Armagh. They are at their wits' end trying to find parking outside their homes. Progress on a pathway for the introduction of a residents' parking scheme is welcome, but, as you have outlined, the process of assessing decisions, carrying out consultations and implementing the schemes is time- and resource-intensive. When can residents expect the introduction of these schemes?”
“Given the length of time that the dispute has been going on without resolution, when can the public expect it to be resolved? When will the Minister agree to positive mediation with the Criminal Bar Association to resolve the dispute for the benefit of all concerned, not least those who have been directly impacted on, particularly victims of crime and their families?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. It is reassuring for families, I am sure, that that is a priority for you and your Department, but they would like a timeline for delivery. I recognise the pain that those families have experienced.”
“Last night, at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, the SDLP tried to table an emergency motion on the dangerous state of our roads, where there are potholes galore, calling on the Executive to deliver on the Barton recommendations, which would vastly improve the state of our roads and fill the potholes. Minister, why did your party block that motion from being tabled and the debate being heard? Do you not believe that the state of our roads is approaching emergency status, given the dangerous potholes?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Our waste water infrastructure and treatment works are crumbling and inadequate. That has resulted in the stalling of housebuilding and led to major pollution incidents, with 20 million tons of raw sewage being released into our waterways annually. To what degree is the Minister confident that the Minister for Infrastructure's three-pronged approach will help us get to grips with the issue?”
“I fully support any measures that will positively disrupt the education system and allow children to learn, grow and thrive. Your statement was very comprehensive, Minister, but I am concerned that there is no mention of the adverse impact of social media on education, especially relating to mental health. Minister, can you confirm whether you have got agreement on your far-reaching proposals from your colleagues in the Executive?”
“Niamh, through your music and singing, through your trailblazing, through your exploration and genius, you are uplifting our souls and honouring the legacy of all those who have gone before you. Keep wowing the world, Niamh. We are so excited to see what comes next. Ádh mór ort, a Niamh.”
“On Saturday night, on a famous talent show, in front of millions of viewers, our own Niamh Noade, from the mountain roads in Lislea, wowed the world with a mesmerising musical performance through her reimagined cover of Alex Warren's 'Ordinary'. Niamh comes from two proud traditions: the Noade and Murphy traditions of Irish music, culture, drama, poetry, arts and community. With powerful Celtic musicality and her spellbinding skills on the harp, Niamh has spoken of Irish folk and traditional music as:”
“Last year, the Assembly passed a motion tabled by our party calling on you to lobby the Treasury to lower VAT on tourism and hospitality. Given the strain on the hospitality sector, will you outline what engagement and progress has been made on that?”
“Minister, will you provide a clear update on engagement with Fáilte Ireland regarding the expansion of the Ireland's Ancient East branding? What practical steps is your Department taking to ensure that areas that are currently excluded, including Counties Armagh, Down and Antrim, are not left at a competitive disadvantage?”
“Minister, does your Department hold any data on the downstream benefits of sporting participation, especially of embedding a culture of inclusive participation from early years, through school and beyond?”
“Does the Member agree that it is about much more than the economic impact? Can you imagine the feeling of young people coming out of the tunnel in Casement Park with the roar of the crowd, the raw nervousness, the excitement and the anticipation of the battle? You cannot buy that with money, Gerry.”
“<BR /> <BR />I say to the Executive that it is time to see cranes over Casement, not mere enabling works. The focus of the Assembly must be to hold the Executive to account on their flagship projects and on completing Casement Park. Building the stadium will bring joy to sports fans, as well as economic, health, community and social benefits to the North, and will generate massive sporting and national pride on the island. Let us get Casement Park built.”
“I will not give way to Timmy, because he has made his anti-GAA diatribe enough. <BR /> <BR />The motion is anti-GAA, but, more fundamentally, it is a distraction from the real crux of the matter: when will Casement Park be built? On 2 July 2025, I asked the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to detail any communications relating to Casement Park. That question from seven months ago was answered only this morning. A coincidence? I wonder. On 21 January, I asked the First Ministers a question for written answer about when construction was due to be completed, given the commencement of enabling works. That question was due to be answered on 26 January. Will it be answered six months later, possibly in July, as was the case with the previous question? When will Casement Park be built?”
“Are they on board with the proposal as it relates to Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park and the Kingspan Stadium at Ravenhill?”
“Delays to Casement are dreams denied. Ladies' Gaelic footballers dream of playing against Dublin; ladies' camogie players dream of playing against Cork; Antrim footballers dream of taking on Armagh; and hurlers dream of taking on Limerick on Casement's turf. That would be very special. So many young people dream of that possibility, but it is being denied because of delays. <BR /> <BR />Casement Park has the potential to be a huge source of community and social cohesion and pride. However, rather than honour that potential, the motion attempts to attack Casement Park before it is even built. The GAA has demonstrated demand for a 34,000-capacity stadium at Casement Park. I wonder whether Mr Gaston has consulted the chief executive of the Irish Football Association (IFA) and the chief executive of Ulster Rugby about his proposal.”
“From a social, community and economic standpoint, the completion of a 34,000-capacity stadium will stimulate significant positive economic multiplier effects, creating construction jobs, generating seat revenue, potentially providing a huge local economic uplift and attracting sports fans and tourists to the North. <BR /> <BR />Casement Park is more than just a stadium; it has the potential to become a hotbed for Gaelic games in the heart of west Belfast. It can become the beating heart of the GAA in Ulster. For too long, Casement Park has remained dormant and abandoned, causing the North to miss out on hosting major global sporting events and leading to an entire generation of hurlers, footballers, camogie players and ladies' Gaelic footballers missing out on the opportunity to play on Casement's hallowed turf.”
“I rise to speak about the powerful and positive impact that the redevelopment of the home of Antrim GAA — Casement Park — will have on the island as a symbol of hope and ambition, a beacon for sporting dreams and endeavour and a gateway point to Ireland's second-largest city. The benefits arising from a newly built world-class stadium at Casement Park in the heart of west Belfast will be immense. From a health and sporting perspective, thousands upon thousands of players will have a new stadium in which challenge themselves physically and mentally on the field of play. Players immersed in the grind, the commitment and the teamwork will build lifelong friendships while playing games of huge sporting and cultural significance on this island.”
“The Member might like to know that Belfast is the best in the North for potholes recorded, so he is one of the lucky ones.”
“Minister, I am very confused. I drove past the illegal Sinn Féin billboard this morning. It is still there, plain for all to see. Answers from your predecessor Sinn Féin Minister confirmed, in writing, that the illegal Sinn Féin billboard was on Department for Infrastructure land and that an enforcement notice had been served to Sinn Féin to remove its illegal billboard. That was in a response from your predecessor to a question for written answer in 2024. Will you detail what information you have received, and from whom, that demonstrates that Sinn Féin's illegal billboard at the Egyptian Arch in Newry is no longer an illegal Sinn Féin billboard? If it is not an illegal Sinn Féin billboard, whose billboard is it?”
“Something must be done urgently to make our roads safer and easier to navigate. Motorists, cyclists and pedestrians do not want more excuses from the Minister or her party. They do not want the potholes photographed or new technology that maps out where they are. They want the Minister to send somebody out with a tin of yellow paint and fill the bloody potholes.”
“I recognise the scale of the challenge faced by the Minister, but leadership means taking responsibility, and people need solutions. It is farcical for a so-called republican Infrastructure Minister to deflect blame indefinitely on the British Government and the bad Tories while our roads continue to crumble beneath us. <BR /> <BR />The recently announced £7·85 million winter recovery road fund is welcome. It presents an opportunity, but it cannot become another headline without delivery. The Sinn Féin amendment ignores the severity of the issue and merely pats the Minister and her party on the back for the worst potholes we have seen in a generation. No, we cannot support that. <BR /> <BR />The funding must translate into visible, durable resurfacing, not temporary patches that wash away by winter's end.”
“Every one of those people deserves roads that are safe and fit for purpose. Road maintenance is not a luxury; it is the core function of government. When potholes are left to multiply, when repairs are cosmetic rather than structural and when communities are told year after year to be patient, trust in public services erodes. People rightly ask, "Where are our taxes going?". <BR /> <BR />I have written to the Minister to detail the location of each pothole that was identified in response my social media post, and I again thank everyone who responded. Minister, I hope that you will join me in thanking the hundreds of people who took the time to outline the location of those dangerous potholes and that you will attempt to get the potholes filled and make the roads in our constituency safer.”
“Talk about being political. On that point — thank you for bringing it up — the Member who tabled the amendment, Mr Boylan, who is also from Newry and Armagh, asked our Minister 228 questions about roads. In this mandate, when there is a Sinn Féin Minister, how many questions has he asked? You can count the number on the fingers of two hands. Who is being political? <BR /> <BR />I have written to the Minister — I have lost my place. Forgive me. <BR /> <BR />The depth of the potholes is surpassed only by the depth of the frustration felt by our constituents in Newry and Armagh and across the North. It is a public safety issue. It is about the mother driving her children to school, the shift worker commuting before dawn, the farmer transporting livestock and the cyclist navigating traffic.”
“Constituents describe roads as resembling the crater surface of the far side of the moon. They talk about crater after crater, potholes within potholes and temporary fixes that break at the first sign of rain or frost. <BR /> <BR />Last Wednesday, I posted on social media to ask people where the dangerous potholes are across my constituency of Newry and Armagh, which is also the Minister's constituency. By the next morning, there were 500 comments that identified more than 300 locations — 300 hazards; 300 daily risks — in Newry and Armagh. I thank everyone who took the time to engage with the post. That is not anecdotal frustration; it is overwhelming evidence of systematic and systemic failure.”
“I welcome the motion and thank the Members who tabled it. Potholes are no mere inconvenience; they are a daily hazard for people in Newry and Armagh and in the North more generally. There are 6,281 reported potholes in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area and the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area. Across the North, there are 11,797 reported potholes in total. Minister, more than half the potholes in the North are in your constituency: what is going on? <BR /> <BR />My office is inundated with calls from constituents who are fed up with and furious at the state of our roads. They speak of burst tyres, cracked alloys and broken suspensions, as well as of danger avoidance, with cars attempting to miss craters having to swerve into the pathway of oncoming traffic. That is extraordinarily dangerous.”
“Was the 'Newry Next' proposal discussed at the North/South Ministerial Council meeting? Is it possible for PEACE PLUS funding to be accessed for that proposal's development?”
“Obviously, that plan's success is contingent on drainage investment.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, the 'Newry Next' idea is a big-picture proposal from Paschal Taggart and Ger Perdissat on the potential for 6,000 new homes in Newry and its districts, which is for Newry and people around that area first, is a plan on a plate, potentially, for the Executive.”
“I also pay tribute to all the teachers and the principal of Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School, and to the players' parents, clubs and communities. They all played a part in this wonderful achievement. I give a special mention to the Dromintee club, which had six players on the starting team and seven on the squad. That is just amazing. In the ilk of Jody Gormley, the players demonstrated a defiance and a refusal to accept defeat. It is a monumental achievement for each of the players and for the management team. Each of them can feel very proud of it and take huge confidence from it. I wish them well as they progress to the Hogan Cup and the finals on Saturday week.”
“Abbey, Abbey, Abbey. I am proud to speak about the victorious Abbey team who, on Friday night in the Armagh BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, won the MacRory Cup final replay. That is an extraordinary achievement, given that Abbey was 10 points down in the drawn match. The Abbey players and management team carried the hopes and dreams of so many on their shoulders. Coaches before them cleared the path, and some of them got to the mountaintop. Gerry Brown, Val Kane, Tony McMahon, Jim McCartan, Dr MacDonald and Pat Mooney. A special mention goes to Jody Gormley, whose initials the players wore on their jersey sleeves and whose character and legacy inspired this great victory. <BR /> <BR />I pay tribute to Abbey's coaches and management team: Dan Gordon, Kevin McKernan, Sean Gallagher, Mark Grogan, Robbie Hannan and Stephen Dyas.”
“I thank the Minister. You are very gracious for giving way. You mentioned the pressures on GP practices. At an all-party group last week, when discussing arthritis, it was said that long waiting lists are factories for disability — frighteningly so. GP practices have a major part to play in relieving waiting lists. What is the Minister's assessment of some GP practices not allowing scheduled appointments until March at the earliest?”
“Notwithstanding her previous answers, can the Minister fully explain the reasons for the delay in delivering the legislative changes to the police ill-health retirement scheme, which, hopefully, will prevent abuse of the system?”
“— help and, in doing so, have helped others to do the same.”
“Their work has helped to ensure that mental health remains not just a health issue but a societal priority. <BR /> <BR />While progress has been made, challenges remain in ensuring timely access to services and in continuing to break down the stigma. Organisations such as Aware are essential partners in that journey, strengthening communities through prevention, education and support and providing a lifeline and a lighted path in a safe and welcoming non-clinical environment. Today, I place on record my sincere thanks and those of my party, and, I am sure, of every Member in the House, to everyone who has contributed to Aware's journey: its volunteers, its staff and all those who have had the courage to seek —”
“It is impossible to mark this anniversary without paying tribute to the volunteers who are at the heart of Aware. Individuals give their time in the evenings and at weekends and listen without judgement. They create safe spaces for people at some of the most difficult moments in their lives. Many bring their lived experience. The fuel for their fire is often the personal challenges that they have overcome that enable them to be compassionate, empathetic and supportive and to be bringers of light for others. I also acknowledge the staff, trustees, supporters and partners who have ensured that Aware has continued to grow and respond to changing needs, particularly in recent years when demand for mental health support has increased significantly.”
“From that conversation grew an organisation built on a simple but powerful purpose: no one should have to face mental ill health alone. From humble beginnings, Aware was established as a charity grounded in lived experience, peer support and hope. Over the past three decades, Aware has grown to host 24 weekly volunteer-led support groups, alongside education and early intervention programmes that now reach thousands of people every year.”