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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“The ongoing saga surrounding Casement Park is not just a matter of bricks and mortar; it is about promises made, opportunities squandered and a vision for a new North that remains unfulfilled. Recent revelations have cast a glaring light on the inertia that has plagued the project. Hidden files now brought to public attention indicate that, by May 2024, the UK Prime Minister had all the necessary information to make a decisive call on Casement Park's funding, yet, action was conspicuously absent. The delay was not due to a lack of clarity or data; it was a choice to sideline a project of immense sporting, cultural and economic significance. The recent revelations that key information was withheld from the public and decision makers by the Department for Communities are not just troubling; they are indefensible.”
“First Minister, Casement Park, which would, you said, be built on your watch, has been in limbo for well over a decade. While there seemed to be an improvement in the mood music over the weekend, with your colleague the Communities Minister's attendance in the box at the Athletic Grounds for Armagh's all-Ireland group stage victory over Derry, progress has been scarce. <BR /> <BR />When you raised the subject of Casement Park with the British Prime Minister, what capacity and standard of stadium did you push for? Will the new Casement Park be capable of hosting international sporting events as well as being a home stadium for Antrim Gaels? When will it be built?”
“The Minister will know how long and how hard people campaigned for cervical cancer screening. After the smear scandal in the Southern Trust, will he outline what measures are being adopted to ensure accurate, consistent and timely screening? Is outsourcing a part of that?”
“Minister, do you agree that the pillaging of global treasures and artefacts by the British Empire is not really defensible and that all artefacts of cultural and symbolic significance should be returned to their place of origin? For example, the Elgin Marbles should be returned to the Greeks by the British Museum: does the Minister agree?”
“Minister, you mentioned the success of the North West Cancer Centre and the ongoing cooperation and expansion of radiotherapy services at Altnagelvin Area Hospital on a North/South basis. With regard to the Taoiseach's Shared Island Fund and the cross-border dimension, was Daisy Hill Hospital and its prime location to serve as a cross-border hub with a specialism discussed?”
“This Budget fails the integrity test. This Budget fails the delivery test. This Budget fails the hope test. What else would you expect from a Sinn Fein/DUP-led Executive?”
“<BR /> <BR />The Budget reflects not just what is in the Executive's bank account but what they view as a priority, what informs their values and what, they believe, our people deserve. Irrespective of how the Executive parties spin it, there is no escaping the reality that the people whom we represent deserve better than this Budget. They deserve better than broken promises and mediocre leadership. They deserve better than warm words, posters and platitudes while schools, roads and hospitals crumble around them. Through the Budget, the Executive are sending a message to patients, parents, pupils and pensioners of, "Wait your turn. Accept less. Be grateful for crumbs". That is not a message that the SDLP will stand behind. Those are not our values, and we cannot support this Executive Budget. This Budget fails the ambition test.”
“Travelling around some of our rural roads, especially in south Armagh, is akin to travelling along the surface of the moon, given the scale of the craters and the potholes. This year, we were told that £105 million will go to NI Water. That might sound impressive, but the fact is that NI Water needs five times that amount just to stand still. As a result, development has been stalled, because the infrastructure cannot cope. Those are not abstract technical issues; they are barriers to new homes, businesses and investment. The Executive cannot be taken seriously when they claim to support growth while underfunding the very infrastructure that growth depends on.”
“Sinn Féin and the DUP said that they would improve access to special educational needs provision and would ensure fair funding and build more schools, yet, today, schools are being told to cut classroom assistants, scrap breakfast clubs and delay repairs to buildings that are falling apart. Children with additional needs are being failed year after year, time and again, due to a lack of assessments and resourcing and a complete lack of urgency from the Executive. The Executive talk about giving our people the best start in life, but their Budget and their inertia all but ensure that some will not even get off the starting blocks. <BR /> <BR />Both parties spoke in 2022 about boosting our infrastructure: roads, digital connectivity, water.”
“The DUP pledged to support construction jobs and invest in housing infrastructure, but here is the reality: just £100 million is earmarked for social housing. That might sound like a big number, but it is not even a drop in the ocean compared with what is needed to deal with a housing list of over 45,000 people. Every week, I speak to young couples who have given up on owning a home, parents who are raising children in temporary accommodation, pensioners in damp, unsuitable housing and families who are buckling under the weight of extortionate rents, dreaming of a home of their own but with no light at the end of the tunnel. How can the Executive claim to be building a better future when they are not even fit to build enough homes?”
“It estimates that the cuts will be equivalent to the loss of 10,000 staff. Waiting lists have not been reduced; they have grown. The people who were promised action are waiting months, sometimes years, for care. Behind every statistic is a mother waiting on cancer treatment, a child waiting for speech therapy or a carer waiting for support that never comes. That is not transformation; they are broken promises. <BR /> <BR />Going back to the previous election, Sinn Féin promised 100,000 homes over 15 years.”
“Talk about giving with one hand and taking away with the other, although it is not surprising from this Sinn Féin/DUP-led Executive. That is a threat to front-line services. There are theatre closures, cancelled operations and vacant posts going unfilled while patients languish in hospital corridors and on waiting lists. The Confederation for Health and Social Care said that the Budget is:”
“We are being asked today to support a Budget that is supposed to shape the future of the North but, instead, reads as a list of missed opportunities and broken promises. In 2022, people in communities across the North were promised that things would change. Sinn Féin and the DUP told them that their health service would be rebuilt, that their children's schools would be properly funded and that the housing crisis would be confronted head-on. Three years on, this Budget tells a very different story. <BR /> <BR />Let us start with an issue that touches every family in this place: healthcare. At the previous election, Sinn Féin and the DUP promised an extra £1 billion for health. Today, what do we have? The Executive have found an additional £331 million from the last fiscal year, but trusts will have to find £400 million in savings.”
“What work has been done to identify charities from which the Executive commission services that may suffer an impact from the loss of EU funding? How might that jeopardise commissioned services? What steps are being taken to mitigate that impact?”
“I wrote to the Minister about the fund in March. At that time, he could not tell me the number of applications to the fund or the total value of funding applied for through applications to it. Does he have those figures now? What action will he take to reduce any unmet demand? Does he have any figures that quantify the downstream value of active participation in sport from a grassroots level across the board?”
“Minister, two GP practices in south Armagh are being or are on the cusp of being managed by the trust. With the managing GP having stepped back from Maphoner surgery in Mullaghbawn, locums and the trust are managing that practice. In Rathkeeland House surgery, in Crossmaglen, the managing GPs are scheduled to step back at the end of August. That is 10,000 patients being impacted. Minister, what are the implications of your statement for the possibility of implementing and starting new managing GPs in Maphoner surgery in Mullaghbawn and Rathkeeland surgery in Crossmaglen? How will that impact on my constituents in and around Mullaghbawn and Crossmaglen?”
“Given our tight financial situation and the fact that the British Government's Employment Rights Bill includes no proposals on paid carer's leave, how do you plan to ensure that funding is available to fulfil your promise to make paid carer's leave a reality?”
“Can the Minister give details of how the place-based partnerships are being established? What measures is his Department taking to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved in this critical programme?”
“First Minister, your colleague, the other First Minister, believes that the horrendous and futile violence of the past was justified, and her party believes the same thing. Do you believe that it is justifiable that many victims of that violence are languishing, unable to access justice or the permanent disablement payment scheme, and are suffering physically and mentally with pain and impairments?”
“Minister, since you took up your post, I have been tormenting you about the reintroduction of the cross-border healthcare scheme. Along with other Members, I was seeking to represent the desires and needs of our constituents who have been languishing on waiting lists, in fear and, often, in pain and with impairments, so this will bring huge hope and relief to those people. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you mentioned the implementation plan for the introduction of mega clinics, and you also said that no hospital will be closed, which is wonderful to hear. That will be reassuring for the people of Newry, south Armagh and south Down. Will Daisy Hill be a mega-clinic under the implementation plan?”
“Does the Minister agree that InterTradeIreland should be proud of its achievements since its formation, often outperforming its own expectations, and that that has been powerfully positive to see? Does the Minister also agree that extolling and building on the successes of bodies such as InterTradeIreland, which provide significant enhancement to people's lives across the board, represent a more inclusive and constructive way of building support for a new, united Ireland than a narrow approach always with a tribal focus?”
“Today, Minister, the House will debate a Sinn Féin motion on voting rights in the North for the election of the president of Ireland. I and my party wholeheartedly support that. We are quite disappointed, however, that, although you mentioned in your statement the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway coastal route and how those tourism brands will be coordinated, there was no mention of Ireland's Ancient East. I am trying to understand why discussion about that brand was not tabled at the North/South Ministerial Council meeting. Where is progress on that, given that Ireland's Ancient East was included as a priority in your 'Delivering the Economic Vision: A three year forward look and 2024/25 Action Plan' for completion by January 2025?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does he agree with the construction industry's premise of, "No drains, no cranes"? All development is being halted because of lack of capacity in the system. Housing, infrastructure, schools, hospitals and factories have all stopped being built because we do not have capacity.”
“I love a bit of craic in the Chamber, but is there one rule for the DUP and another for everybody else, whereby its members can ask a supplementary question that does not relate at all to the original question? A bit of clarity on that point would be appreciated.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Minister, I encourage you to contact Alan Black to share with him those warm words about him. Will you commit to petitioning the Secretary of State to launch a public inquiry into the Kingsmills massacre to reassure victims that there is no hierarchy of victims?”
“Meanwhile, they overspend by millions and billions, failing through their lack of organisation, lack of vision, lack of joined-up thinking and lack of determination to make progress on our shared future by moving this place forward so that we can unite the island. They are interested only in pointing the finger and blaming others. The Executive parties are parties of blame, of making excuses and of passing the buck. I am sick of it.”
“Sinn Féin tried to assert the rights of opposition parties in Dublin, but it does not like any scrutiny at all in Stormont. It is all about making excuses and passing the buck. Expert pass the buck-ers: that is what Sinn Féin Members are. <BR /> <BR />We hear Executive parties waxing lyrical about getting projects across the line or, in many cases, to the starting blocks, but there has been little or no scrutiny of and even less talk about the chronic overspends and colossal delays caused by inefficient government and the, frankly, chaotic delivery structures that have been allowed to persist. Departments work in silos, defending their own turf rather than delivering shared outcomes. <BR /> <BR />The parties are good at blackguarding. They are experts in that when it comes to small issues that can rile the public.”
“Who said that? The First Minister said that. Casement Park has not been built. Casement Park was not built in time for the Euros. There is no sign of Casement Park being built. There is no direction on Casement Park. It stands still. A generation of Antrim footballers, hurlers and ladies footballers is missing out on the opportunity to play on Casement's hallowed turf because of false promises by this failing Executive. <BR /> <BR />Sinn Féin's spokesperson for excuses and passing the buck has questioned the SDLP Opposition's proposals and the lack of proposals being brought forward. This is a proposal: get with the programme, Sinn Féin, get with the programme. The SDLP has produced multiple policy papers. We will pass them on to Sinn Féin so that it can maybe plagiarise more of our policy — slow learners.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Does she intend to review the current penny wise, pound foolish approach to pothole repair policy in order to ensure that her Department is delivering long-term value for money and improved road safety and to allow for the more practical and efficient use of maintenance staff who are under-resourced and worked to the pin of their collars?”
“First Minister, you have been highly vocal in public about the goal of achieving Irish unity, yet, with your hands on the levers of power in the North, you have taken few, if any, tangible steps towards formally advancing preparations for unity. The Irish Government, through the Shared Island unit, have pumped billions of euros into uplifting and uniting communities North and South. Why are you, when in power, treading water on Irish unity and a citizens' assembly? Why has there been such a gap between your words in public and your actions in government?”
“In 2018, he won his first Players Championship title: boom. In 2025, he has become the first European and the first Irishman to win the Grand Slam in golf: boom. <BR /> <BR />For him to have such achievements is incredible. It is wonderfully positive and powerful that a man from just a few miles from here has done that. It is worth recognising that he is also a huge contributor to charity. Now that the shackles are off, we are all so excited to see where he goes from here. It is so exciting for Rory McIlroy, for his family, for the North, for Ireland and for Europe. Well done, Rory.”
“Rory McIlroy, one of the few Irishmen who, as a sportsman, unite the House, is a world-class competitor. He has demonstrated that, if you have a dream and pursue it with passion and a relentless determination to improve every day, you can achieve anything. As a young boy, he told the world that his goal was to win the Grand Slam. What incredible confidence for a young man of that age to have said so. It is incredibly positive and powerful that he has gone on to do it. <BR /> <BR />In 2007, he turned professional: boom. In 2009, he had his first European Tour win at the Dubai Desert Classic: boom. In 2010, he got his first PGA Tour victory at the Wells Fargo Championship: boom. In 2010, he made his Ryder Cup debut: boom. In 2011, he got his first major championship win at the US Open: boom. In 2016, he won his first FedExCup title: boom.”
“As a world leader, he acknowledged and defended the dignity of every human being, and, in doing so, he brought his Church back to the people. <BR /> <BR />So many words have been offered here and elsewhere to acknowledge and celebrate the legacy of the late Pope Francis. Ultimately, however, the real tribute to Francis will not come from online posts or speeches in Chambers such as this; his true legacy will be found in the millions of lives that he touched across the globe, in how he sought to tear down the structures of injustice and in the acts of kindness that he inspired across the world in people of all faiths and none. May his memory guide us forwards towards a future marked by compassion, humility, solidarity, love and peace. I measc na naomh go raibh sé.”
“I express my sadness and sympathies on the passing of Pope Francis. I offer my condolences to all those who mourn his loss. Today, we gather to honour the life and extraordinary legacy of Pope Francis, a man who demonstrated the quiet power of humility and compassion. He reminded us through word and deed that a society is judged not by the wealth or eminence of its most powerful but by the dignity afforded to its most vulnerable, downtrodden and bereft. <BR /> <BR />Francis demonstrated courageous leadership on the biggest issues of our time, such as protecting our environment. He spoke out against poverty and inequality, offering support to refugees and asylum seekers, showing genuine compassion to the LGBT community and condemning the Israeli violence and destruction committed against the Palestinian people.”
“thank God that your mic is now working. No pun intended, boom boom. <BR /> <BR />Minister, we are told that many young people aged 18 to 24 are experiencing trauma resulting from violence and paramilitary threats. That is not a legacy issue; it is happening now. What work has been done with the Justice Minister to prevent such violence and to support the young people who are being affected?”
“In the past week, there have been fires other than those in the Mournes. In south Armagh, there were fires in Fathom and in Dromintee. About five years ago, there was a serious forest fire on Slieve Gullion. The Irish Air Corps was engaged to pick up water from Camlough lake and drop deluges on the fire, helping to quell the flames effectively. Has the Minister been in contact with the Irish Air Corps about the Mournes fire?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Has the Minister given any consideration to learning from the success of the Atlantic Link enterprise campus and having more enterprise zones in the North to tackle dereliction?”
“That means investing in our hospitals, improving facilities and ensuring that healthcare professionals have the tools and resources that they need to deliver the high standard of care that our citizens deserve. I urge the Assembly to support the motion, and I call on the Minister of Health to prioritise redevelopment and provide proper resourcing to Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital. Our communities deserve nothing less.”
“If we are to provide a healthcare system that is fit for the future and meets the growing demands of our communities, we need to ensure that funding is allocated fairly across all trust areas and, indeed, within trust areas. Craigavon Area Hospital can become a better hospital if Daisy Hill Hospital is supported to become a better hospital. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the ongoing engagement between the Southern Trust and the Department of Health regarding the future of Craigavon Area Hospital. However, it is now time for action, time for the Minister of Health to approve and allocate the necessary funding for redevelopment. We cannot afford to delay any longer. <BR /> <BR />Healthcare is a fundamental right, and we owe it to the people of the North to provide them with the best possible care.”
“It is clear that that is unsustainable. The hospital must be redeveloped now. <BR /> <BR />It is not just Craigavon Area Hospital that requires our attention. As many in the Chamber know, Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry also plays a pivotal role in the health and well-being of people in the Southern Trust area. Daisy Hill has been under increasing pressure for years, and it is time that we recognised the need for greater investment and support for Daisy Hill Hospital as well. Let us see ambition for Daisy Hill Hospital, and I hope that soon it can become a hub hospital, serving its natural hinterland on a cross-border basis. <BR /> <BR />Craigavon and Daisy Hill hospitals are critical components of our healthcare infrastructure, yet both face significant challenges that cannot be ignored any longer.”
“Daisy Hill should also become a centre of excellence, with the supporting consultants and medical expertise. <BR /> <BR />Despite the completion of a master plan for the redevelopment of Craigavon Area Hospital in 2016, we have seen little progress in the years since. That delay is simply unacceptable. The report published by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust in 2023, following the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a dire picture. Ageing equipment, inadequate clinical accommodation and a shortage of essential facilities such as beds, theatres and endoscopy space create conditions in which patients are at greater risk of infection. The situation not only jeopardises the health and well-being of citizens but puts enormous pressure on dedicated healthcare staff, who work tirelessly, often in challenging and unsafe environments.”
“and stresses the pressing need to advance the redevelopment of Craigavon Area Hospital, a project that has been far too long awaited. <BR /> <BR />Craigavon Area Hospital is a vital hub for healthcare in the Southern Trust, providing essential services to 250,000 people across Armagh, Dungannon, Lurgan and Portadown and huge swathes of Counties Armagh, Tyrone, Down and Antrim and beyond. That is a quarter of a million people whose health needs rely on Craigavon Area Hospital as a first port of call, and we are eternally grateful for the service provided by the often-overburdened staff at Craigavon. <BR /> <BR />I was disappointed that the DUP Member for Upper Bann did not give way. I wanted merely to support her call for Craigavon Area Hospital to become a centre of excellence. That I agree with wholeheartedly.”
“I speak as a proud parish-pump politician. My parents' generation was raised and survived on buckets of water drawn from the parish pump. The parish pump was at the heart of daily life for families and communities. The parish pump was a lifeline. <BR /> <BR />Craigavon Area Hospital is a lifeline hospital. Daisy Hill Hospital is a lifeline hospital. I support the motion, which addresses a critical issue that has significant repercussions for the lives of people in my constituency and beyond. The motion highlights the vital need for sustained capital investment in the hospital network. Specifically, it calls for urgent action:”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. In 2015, the Minister's party — the DUP — along with Sinn Féin and the Alliance Party tripped through the Lobbies together to hand welfare powers over to London. To what extent has that vote impacted on our ability to help the most vulnerable people and mitigate the harshest of cuts that impact on them?”
“Given that the police are investigating the delivery of intimidating, paramilitary-branded letters to residents in Lisburn, how can the Executive's efforts to tackle paramilitarism be improved? Clearly, there is much still to do.”
“Allow it to serve its natural hinterland of Newry, south Down and south Armagh, and, on a cross-border basis, north Louth and Monaghan; that is the solution.”
“— we can make a real difference in the lives of countless individuals who depend on that vital service. <BR /> <BR />Of course.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have heard much about the need to transform the health service, and we have seen the steady shift of services from Daisy Hill Hospital to Craigavon Area Hospital, but a key consideration that seems to be have been overlooked is the fact that the healthcare infrastructure of the region is only as strong as the connectivity that supports it. We need to ensure that the people of south Armagh and Newry and surrounding areas can access Craigavon Area Hospital without unnecessary delay or hardship. By addressing those infrastructure challenges —”
“Additionally, for patients who require regular visits for treatments such as dialysis or chemotherapy, the current transport options are simply inadequate. <BR /> <BR />Improving the infrastructure in the region is not just about making travel more convenient; it is about improving health outcomes. By enhancing the transport links between Craigavon, south Armagh and Newry, we can reduce delays, improve access to healthcare and ensure that no one is left behind due to logistical barriers. It could include investing in the upgrading of key roads, expanding public transport services and exploring new modes of transport, such as shuttle buses or patient transport services that are tailored to hospital visits.”