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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“It is an honour for me to speak in celebration of a hugely significant milestone: the 30th anniversary of Aware, an organisation that has played a crucial role in improving mental health awareness and understanding, and providing support, education and hope across the North. <BR /> <BR />Thirty years ago, the landscape around mental health looked very different. Conversations about depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder were avoided. People who were suffering faced stigma, isolation and a lack of support. In 1996, at a time when services were underdeveloped and public understanding was limited, a small group gathered in a living room in Derry with a shared determination to help and support people living with mental illness.”
“Yes. Why was that cairn, which has potential to be a national and global tourism feature, not mentioned at the North/South Ministerial Council meeting in the same county? Will you commit to restoring the corbelling on the roof of that court cairn and to funding it as a —”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. At 2,000 feet, the highest surviving court cairn in Ireland, on the summit of Slieve Gullion, has been closed. It is more than half a century since, with the help of Sean O'Grady's tractor, that ancient monument was excavated. It has links with spellbinding mythology, such as the story of Finn McCool being tricked by the Cailleach Beara, who lost her ring in its depths. Minister, why was that court cairn, which has the potential to be a national and global tourism feature —?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. At 2,000 feet, the highest surviving court cairn in Ireland, on the summit of Slieve Gullion, remains closed. It is more than half a century since, with the help of Sean O'Grady's tractor, that ancient monument was excavated. It has links to wonderful mythology like the spellbinding story of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Cailleach Bhéara's ring lost in a nearby lake. Why was that court cairn, with the potential to be an amazing national and global attraction and experience, not mentioned at the tourism meeting in Armagh in the same county? Will you commit to funding that monument?”
“. Be very proud, because you have done your teachers proud, you have done your coaches proud, you have done your schools proud, you have done your clubs proud, you have done your families proud but, most importantly, you have done yourselves proud. Well done, lads. I am looking forward to another great contest on Friday night.”
“I rise to give praise to the two teams that played in yesterday's Danske Bank MacRory Cup final in front of 10,000 fans at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh. The Abbey took on St Patricks Academy, and the players from 33 different clubs put on an exhibition of skill, teamwork, athleticism, determination and mental toughness. A brilliant advertisement for Gaelic football, it was a game of two halves that, fittingly, ended in a draw. Those young players, who will all be back in class today, alongside their coaches and management teams, will face off again at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds under Friday night lights this Friday, and our appetites have been whetted in anticipation of another brilliant contest. I say to each of those players, maith sibh”
“Minister, the South Armagh business improvement group has reported 230 potholes that are causing damage and danger. County Armagh — your county — is becoming known as the "pothole county" because of its multiple craters in multiple locations that are akin to the far side of the moon. Thankfully, resurfacing works were completed on the Armagh Road coming out of Newtownhamilton, but those works stopped at the Keady junction as if that were the end of the world. Technology and investments aside, Minister, will you send somebody out with a can of yellow paint and a bit of tar to fill the potholes on the Armagh Road coming out of Newtownhamilton?”
“I thank the Minister for giving way. I have been to the transport museum, which you mentioned. Stanley Woods's TT exhibit there, featuring 14 trophies, is mesmerising. Such an exhibit could be included in the sports museum.”
“It is full already, but there are so many. Therein lies the beauty of the suggestion. It is a wonderful suggestion. There are so many sporting achievements that can be celebrated and bring huge pride to this island — not just to the North but to this island. It could be so positively unifying, and it is very much a suggestion that we should all get behind wholeheartedly to celebrate a nation that punches way above its weight.”
“Joey Dunlop's TT bike in Barry McGuigan's boxing ring. Jimmy Barry-Murphy's hurl alongside Ciara Mageean's camogie stick. Mick O'Connell's boots alongside Mary Peters' spikes and Kate O'Connor's medals. Rhys McClenaghan's pommel horse with Michael Carruth's gloves. Katie Taylor's gumshield, Kellie Harrington's boxing shoes, Kieran McGeeney's all-Ireland medal alongside Paul and Gary O'Donovan's oars — "pull like a dog". The "Chairman of the Boards'" vest. Rory McIlroy's golf clubs alongside Caroline O’Hanlon's Armagh kit. Teddy McCarthy's dual medals, and Cora Staunton's Mayo jersey. Martin O'Neill's Nottingham Forest jersey, and Charlie Smith's ball from his first successful field goal for the New Orleans Saints. <BR /> <BR />Any other suggestions? I could go on and on. There are so many possibilities here.”
“The gains and the developmental opportunities from participation and involvement in sport at any level are enormous, from mental and physical health to lifelong friendships to healthy competitiveness and the culture of teamwork that is cultivated amongst players. The mental toughness that is gained through involvement in sport means that it is a really positive environment for growth. <BR /> <BR />A sports museum would be the ideal arena to honour the accomplishments of sportsmen and sportswomen across this island, and I emphasise the all-island nature of what I think a sports museum should involve. What exhibits might be included in such a museum? I am open to other suggestions from Members, but can you imagine Sonia O'Sullivan's spikes from her World Championship victory in Gothenburg alongside Pat Jennings's gloves from Spain '82?”
“I thank the Members who tabled the motion to honour the importance of sport in Ireland through a sports museum in the North. We have an incredibly rich history of greatness in sports on this island, and that is of a cross-border nature as well, with cross-border achievement. With Olympic athletes being able to perform under any flag, their successes are celebrated across this island in a very special and unique way, and it is so important that we honour that success and those achievements and honour the unifying nature that sport offers this island. <BR /> <BR />Sport defines communities, sports stars are celebrated for their wins and venerated as heroes, and sport is a huge source of local pride. For children, young people and adults alike, sport is an opportunity for incredible self-development and community building.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, I know that humility is not a virtue abundant in the Sinn Féin war chest. Last week, I raised with you the concerns of hotel owners, coffee chains, publicans and business owners who said that your proposed rates hikes were shutdown increases. Businesses and I welcome your U-turn, but will you now clarify which one of us did not know what they were talking about, and will you take the opportunity to apologise to business owners and to me?”
“Minister, with storm Chandra wreaking havoc across the North, I send my support to your Department's Roads Service, Water Service, Translink teams and the emergency and health workers, who are all desperately trying to manage the mayhem. I hope that everyone can stay safe. <BR /> <BR />I warmly welcome any legislation that will help to save lives on our roads. Unlike storm Chandra, the legislation did not drop out of the sky, with primary legislation having been passed in the House in 2016. I do not put the fault at your door, Minister, but can you explain why there has been such a delay in bringing forward the legislation? Lives have been potentially lost as a result of the delays.”
“For the First Minister and deputy First Minister to sit on their hands and not make a decision on the recommendations of this courageous report adds to the trauma and heartbreak that victims and their families continue to endure.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does the Member agree that time is running out for the victims and survivors of clerical abuse at the hands of monsters such as Paul Dunleavy and Malachy Finegan, as well as for those survivors' wives, husbands, children and families?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Although there is no specific reference to CAR-T in the statement, I welcome the fact that it has been raised at the North/South cancer policy and strategy group on a number of occasions since Catherine Sherry's passing from blood cancer in May last year. Catherine's birthday would have been next week. Notwithstanding your previous answers, Minister, what progress has been made on planning for the delivery — not the business case — of CAR-T in blood cancer units in Belfast? What progress has been made from a cross-border perspective on CAR-T, as referenced in the minutes of the group's meeting of 25 October?”
“This is not the first time that the Minister has accused me of not having a clue about what I am talking about, but I am up for robust debate and a bit of argy-bargy: I love it. To clarify, and to correct the record, however, it is not me who is going on about this: it is the business owners, hotel owners, coffee chains, publicans and restaurateurs. The Minister is, therefore, telling them that they do not have a clue what they are talking about. If that is what he wants to say, that is fair enough.”
“Enjoy your laugh and then get on with it.”
“Minister, I have spoken to hotel owners, coffee chains, publicans and businesses who say that your rates hikes are a scandal and a disgrace. They say that nobody can afford them; they are not fair; jobs will be lost; and town centres will be further gutted. They say that your proposed rates hikes are the final nail in the coffin and will increase the shutdown. Minister, are you telling me that they do not know what they are talking about?”
“I am sure that the Minister will agree that further uncertainty over sports funding will have impacts way beyond workforce retention and affect participation and competitiveness. Will he provide an update on commitments to introduce a multi-year funding programme for NI? Moreover, can he assure us that sport will not be the poor relation for him and the Executive?”
“Planning in the countryside is on the go-slow or has stopped. I know that that is not the Minister's responsibility — it is the responsibility of the Minister for Infrastructure — but the planning response team in the NIEA, which is within the Minister's purview as a statutory consultee, states that it will no longer provide detailed responses to "any requests for updates" or undertake any prioritisation of representations made. Is the Minister concerned about that? If so, what will he do about it?”
“— in the mornings, when I drive past and see the billboard that Sinn Féin erected? You have taken your logo off it — fair enough — but it is still a Sinn Féin billboard.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Will you examine the record of what the Member for South Down said when she stated that the corriboard poster has been removed. It is clearly a JCDecaux-style, Sinn Féin, illegally erected billboard, which was definitely still there, as of this morning. Will the Speaker make a determination on whether it is appropriate for the House to be misled by the Member from South Down?”
“<BR /> <BR />South Armagh already has Sinn Féin corriboards of 6 feet by 4 feet in every gap in a hedge and at every road junction in every village and town in every community. They are littering our beautiful villages and towns and our wonderful countryside. You cannot be doing that, lads. I urge the Minister for Infrastructure and her Department to take seriously the issue of illegally erected Sinn Féin billboards. Such constructions have the potential to cause serious damage, and the appearance of giving leeway to one's own party to break the law has no place in a democracy. You cannot be doing that, lads.”
“The double standards and the precedent implications of the lead party of government's refusal to remove its illegal billboard are far-reaching, especially when you think about wee Mary, who is trying to put an extension on her house for her disabled son but has to jump through planning process and building control hoops; about Johnny in south Armagh, who cannot put an extension on his shed to grow his business because of planning enforcement; and about businesses in Newry that cannot put a wee sign on their shop because of overzealous planning enforcement. It is an uneven playing field. That is not how things should be. It undermines the credibility of political leaders. You cannot be doing that, lads.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee also asked who would be responsible in the event of the catastrophic failure of the illegal Sinn Féin billboard. Would it be the Department or Sinn Féin corporate? You cannot be doing that, lads. The non-responses that we received from the Minister completely sidestepped the vital issues of justice and safety and show contempt for and disrespect to the Committee for Infrastructure, the Assembly and the rule of law. You cannot be doing that, lads. <BR /> <BR />The lead party of government cannot impose its agenda irrespective of how it affects the whole democratic process. It is not unreasonable for people and communities to want to see parties and Ministers in charge abiding by and implementing the rule of law.”
“The Department has no plans to remove the illegal Sinn Féin billboard, and there are certainly no plans from Sinn Féin to remove its illegal billboard. You cannot be doing that, lads. <BR /> <BR />The Minister was asked how her Department had evaluated the billboard as being of low risk to public safety. She said that no formal assessment had been completed on the safety of the illegal Sinn Féin billboard. We are supposed to trust in the alleged safety of an illegally constructed billboard that has been built on a busy road junction beside a protected structure that is within 50 metres of the main railway line on the island on the basis of no evidence. There has been no formal assessment whatsoever. That is not how vital departmental decisions that impact on the safety of road and rail users should be made. You cannot be doing that, lads.”
“What are the safety implications of that construction without the appropriate permission and of that same illegal Sinn Féin billboard's remaining in situ near a busy road junction and railway line? You cannot be doing that, lads. <BR /> <BR />Who in Sinn Féin in Newry and Armagh received the enforcement correspondence from the Department seeking the removal of the illegal Sinn Féin billboard? Was it the Minister, who is responsible for that enforcement? The Minister has refused to answer the question, making one wonder who is in charge. Is the Minister answerable to the Committee for Infrastructure and the Assembly, or does she take orders from someplace else? You cannot be doing that, lads. <BR /> <BR />We asked the Minister what plans there are to remove the illegal Sinn Féin billboard.”
“By constructing and refusing to take down its illegal Egyptian Arch billboard, Sinn Féin demonstrates that it is willing to break the law and to continue to break the law with impunity. You cannot be doing that, lads. Why did Sinn Féin blank out the display on its illegal billboard during the Irish general election? <BR /> <BR />The Committee for Infrastructure, of which I am a member, has written to the Minister with several questions about Sinn Féin's illegal billboard at the Egyptian Arch. What permissions were sought from Translink in advance of constructing the illegal Sinn Féin billboard on Department for Infrastructure property within 50 metres of the main railway line on the island?”
“I came to speak on the motion wondering, "Is this for real, or are we in the twilight zone?". I could approach the unbelievable reality from a position of righteous indignation — I would be justified in doing so — but it feels more like an episode of 'D'Unbelievables', because it is just that: unbelievable. <BR /> <BR />I begin by unequivocally affirming my dedication to building a united Ireland for all — here, lads, it will take more than a billboard at the border to unite the island — and to speaking out against genocide in Palestine. Some of the messages on the illegal Sinn Féin billboards that the motion targets are not ones with which I disagree. I take issue, however, with illegal and potentially dangerous constructions that ignore the law and enforcement correspondence from a Department.”
“Two groups in Armagh, the Callan River Wildlife Group and Friends of the Folly River, have done enormous work on biodiversity protection for fish, otters, woodpeckers and kingfishers. What supports are there for groups that are doing the hard grind on the ground to protect endangered species?”
“When the warmth of summer arrives in late April into May, I enjoy nothing more than walking in the foothills of our mythical mountain Slieve Gullion and hearing the call of the cuckoo. Last year was the first year in many years that I did not hear the cuckoo. I firmly support the concept of turning the curve on biodiversity loss by 2030 and welcome any strategy with that ambition, but it must be about delivery. Two groups in Armagh, the Callan River Wildlife Group and Friends of the Folly —.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. I am disappointed, however, that there is no mention in it of the Newry canal. The Newry canal has the potential to become a new blue-green artery through our countryside, connecting to Carlingford lough and, potentially, ultimately the Shannon estuary. Where are we with that, please, Minister?”
“Is it not a terrible shame that, for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann coming to Belfast in August 2026, Casement Park is not complete? There will be no events in Casement Park. Is that not a shame?”
“Minister, it is clear that you have not read the report, because it proposes solutions, through existing funding mechanisms, to the infrastructure challenges that are faced. It would not put strain on existing services but create more services and more homes. <BR /> <BR />The report, authored by businessmen Paschal Taggart and Ger Perdisatt and endorsed by Martin McAleese, is a plan on a plate for your Executive. Will your party and your Executive commit to fully and properly exploring that exciting proposal, which could be a game changer not only for Newry but for the North and this island by moving us towards a unified, new Ireland, which I am passionate about, and which, I hope, you, your party and your Executive can lead us towards?”
“Minister, I offer you my condolences on the loss of your dear friend, colleague and mentor Mickey Brady.”
“A family man first, Mickey Brady's hallmarks were his cordial and friendly nature; his history and storytelling; and the advice that he gave to people who needed help. <BR /> <BR />Politics is a tough business: Mickey stuck with it for 17 years, which takes stamina and fortitude. Dedicated to his beloved Ballybot, Mickey came from a well-known and respected Newry family. I offer my sincere sympathies to his family and to his friends, colleagues and community. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”
“Mickey Brady, a man from a different strand of republicanism than me, was a proud a Newry man and a proud Irishman. He did his best to represent the people of Newry and Armagh as an MLA and as an MP. Mickey was one of the first paid welfare advice officers in the North, and the advice that he provided was very popular and vital for people. The relationships and the trust that he built stood him in good stead when he entered electoral politics.”
“It is wonderful that, today, Macmillan Cancer Support has been made the Assembly's charity of the year. That will have such a positive impact on the Macmillan team and so many people and on multidisciplinary teams. <BR /> <BR />Minister, it has taken so long to roll out multidisciplinary teams in areas that do not have them that those who have had them for over a decade now question their effectiveness. What conversations have you had with existing providers to extract learning for future roll-outs?”
“Whether it is Casement Park, the A5, the A1 junctions, the new children's hospital, the new maternity hospital, all-island rail upgrades, lack of investment in vital waste water infrastructure — I could go on and on — failure to plan and deliver investment has cost us dearly. When will the investment strategy finally be delivered?”
“Minister, you said that guidelines on school uniform rights have been revised, yet many parents of children with ASD still say that rigid uniform policies are causing anxiety and exclusion. Why does your Department still lack clear and enforceable protections for those with sensory needs?”
“Minister, "Casement Park will be built" was the rallying call of your Executive's First Minister. Casement Park is, of course, an Executive flagship project, but, sadly, it remains derelict. It is astonishing, therefore, to see a £27·3 million allocation for the development of Casement Park being handed back unspent. What is going on?”
“On a point of order, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I wish my constituency colleague Willie Irwin well on this, his last day in the Chamber after more than two decades of dedicated service to the people of Newry and Armagh. He has been a fearsome advocate for farmers and their families. Willie, you will be sorely missed. We shook hands in the Great Hall in front of the Christmas tree: you still have that farmer's grip. Best of luck for whatever is next. Take care.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Minister, the current funding model for NI Water is not fit for purpose. You know it, your Department knows it and the industry knows it. Industry has told you that. What is the plan to ensure that funding is in place to allow NI Water to connect new houses, schools, hospitals and commercial, hospitality, retail and industrial developments?”
“I wish my constituency colleague and her family a happy Christmas in the run-in to the magical season of festivities.”
“— to fill the potholes, not take pictures of them.”
“The Mineral Products Association asked for £20 million as a minimum to enable essential maintenance and repairs of our crumbling road network, which has potholes galore, even though a winter freeze has not happened yet. The MPA asked for £20 million; you bid for £19 million and were allocated £13 million. What does that mean for the safety and state of our roads? You talked about your bells-and-whistles mapping system, but how long will it take to map the road network? Surely —”
“I hope that every family, especially children, get to experience the magic and the joy of Christmas. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for his statement, and I hope that it delivers on its promise to deaf and disabled people. Does the Minister anticipate any necessity for training public servants in the delivery of the disability strategy in order to achieve the eight outcomes, as outlined?”
“Further to the Member's question, can the Commission outline whether all MLAs and staff will receive updated cyber awareness training to ensure that internal capacity matches the scale of the threat?”