Jonathan Buckley
Upper Bann · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Sinn Féin's representatives in the European Parliament voted against proposals aimed at strengthening the management of illegal immigration and facilitating the return of failed asylum applicants — those who entered countries illegally — to designated return hubs outside the European Union.”
“Last year, Sinn Féin, alongside the open-border brigade of the Alliance Party and the SDLP, voted against my motion in the Assembly that called for action to address concerns about illegal and uncontrolled immigration.”
“People want an immigration system that is controlled, credible and properly enforced whilst ensuring that the genuine, heartfelt, lived experience and concerns of local citizens are at the heart of the debate. That is not an unreasonable position to take.”
“I highlight yet another example of a political party claiming to represent the views of people across the island of Ireland yet taking a position that is fundamentally out of step with the concerns being expressed by a vast number of people across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and, indeed, the rest of the United Kingdom, and t…”
“The Minister is aware and is, in fact, on record as having suggested that organised drug crime is happening in prisons. I have previously raised that matter in the Assembly.”
“Minister, I am sure that you agree that we cannot continue to leave residents in limbo. There has to be some progress on the matter. A number of unfinished developments have been lying stagnant for a long time, but the number is so small that it would not require that great an amount of money to ensure adequate facilities for residents, e…”
The complete record
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“Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you, Minister. Will the Minister outline the potential benefits for patients of introducing that system? How can we safeguard against errors being made through the wrong medication being prescribed?”
“Thank you. Driver behaviour and, in particular, speed is the biggest cause of deaths on our roads. Minister, the current legislation is restrictive with regard to speed reductions on busy rural roads, and that urgently needs to be addressed. I welcome what the Minister said, but will she, please, indicate when we will see progress on the issue to ensure that fewer lives are lost on our roads?”
“The installation and maintenance of road signage is important to all road users. The Minister will be aware that a recent BBC report showed that dozens of "Londonderry" and "Welcome to Northern Ireland" signs have been damaged and vandalised. Does the Minister condemn that? Will she act urgently to ensure that they are repaired promptly?”
“What about the hurt that was caused? There was no comment. Then again, Sinn Féin is used to coming to the aid of international terrorism. It has been the lapdog and fanboy of terror gangs across the world. Mr Sheehan had the gall to talk about his position — he, a convicted terrorist and a man who went to visit Hamas. <BR /> <BR />We will take no lectures. This party will not be dictated to about who our Ministers shall be. They are put in place courtesy of the electorate that votes for us, and Minister Givan will continue to represent —”
“We all know what today's discussion is really about. Comrade Gerry Carroll has Sinn Féin by the nose and is dragging it to the leftist extreme, as he often does in this place. It was once said that when the herd moves, it moves. My goodness, it has moved this morning, because right on cue, their useful lackeys in the Alliance Party and the SDLP are right behind them to support an extreme leftist cause. Who are they supporting? Gerry Carroll used to say that he stood up to fascists; today, he stands with them. <BR /> <BR />Let us not forget that most disgraceful tweet, which, by the way, no Sinn Féin Member has ever once condemned or criticised in the House. What did he say? He said, "Victory to the Palestinian Resistance", with a fist in the air, whilst 1,200 people had been executed by Hamas. That was the reality.”
“It and the past week's attacks on the Education Minister are barefaced and brass-necked. Why? It is because he had the audacity to visit the state of Israel and to visit a school in Jerusalem — an integrated school where Arabs, Christians and Jews are all educated together.”
“On many occasions, the House has debated the conflict in the Middle East, and not unlike many democratically elected Parliaments across the world, we have differing views. That is the essence of parliamentary debate. That is the essence of democracy. We should all be able to agree that there has been an untold loss of innocent human life, but today's debate is not about that.”
“<BR /> <BR />The evidence in this case was the same confused and contradictory evidence that had already been dismissed, so we must ask this: why did it go back to court in the first instance? Therefore, I say to those, such as Colum Eastwood and members of Sinn Féin, who have championed the process that the enormous public cost, the emotional cost and the damage done to the trust in our judiciary system lies on you. We will never allow the history of the Troubles to be rewritten. We will honour the truth; we will honour their sacrifice; and we will ensure that those who served with dignity —”
“Whilst I respect the desire and urge for every innocent victim to seek justice and truth for their loved one, we must be honest: this was never an attempt to get to the truth. It was about propaganda, pure and simple; an attempt to rewrite the narrative of the past; an attempt to recast the characters of hero and villain. In the version pushed by the parties opposite, our armed forces, which stood between terrorism and us throughout the Northern Ireland Troubles, were painted as the aggressor, whilst those who planted bombs, pulled triggers and murdered the innocent were portrayed as freedom fighters. Many of them sit in the ranks of the party opposite with the assurance of a letter of comfort from Tony Blair in their back pocket.”
“I welcome the not guilty verdict in the case of Soldier F, an elderly veteran who has been put through years of unnecessary turmoil for what can be described only as a show trial. Many years ago, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) made it clear that the evidence was confused and unreliable and was therefore unlikely ever to result in a prosecution or a conviction. That was not enough for some, however. Those determined to use the courts for political ends pressed on. They pushed for a judicial review (JR) and then went to the Court of Appeal, forcing the PPS to reconsider, and we therefore had the spectacle that many in the republican movement wanted and had long yearned for: a British soldier being brought before the courts.”
“I thank the Minister for taking action. Despite what Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance think, there is a hierarchy of housing access in Northern Ireland that often works against local people. The Minister knows the issue that the concentration of HMOs has caused in my community in Portadown, where their proliferation has changed the character of the town in which I live. One of the bigger issues, however, is dispersal rates, with Belfast having the second-highest rate in the entire UK of asylum seekers who have been dispersed from hotels into accommodation. Does the Minister agree that those who have concerns are not far-right or racist and, indeed, that the issue has added to housing stress in Northern Ireland?”
“They are real jobs in real communities, and they deserve better than to be treated as pawns in a political game with no regard to people's livelihoods. <BR /> <BR />No one should stand by and allow such matters to go unchallenged. Our wider economy is being undermined to appease a small section of anti-Israel voices. The role of the Economy Minister is not to act as Sinn Féin's foreign affairs spokesperson; it is to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland, and that means supporting economic growth, not stifling it on the basis of partisan politics.”
“On the one hand, Sinn Féin parades about as a responsible custodian of the Northern Ireland economy but, on the other, blocks businesses' routes to market, and it cannot resist the temptation to promote a bitter, twisted ideology that has resulted in it not being able to publicly welcome 1,000 jobs from Bank of America and in blocking other investment. It is the politics of the student council, not a serious party of government. <BR /> <BR />Let us be clear: the decision was made without any consultation with the Northern Ireland Executive. It was made without transparency and without regard for the 9,000 people employed in our aerospace, defence and security, and space sectors. The decision was both controversial and cross-cutting. Those are industries that generate in the region of £2·2 billion for our economy.”
“I remind the Chamber what it means to be the Economy Minister for Northern Ireland. It is a role that comes with serious responsibilities — responsibilities to promote investment, support job creation and grow sectors that sustain our economy. It is not a platform for advancing narrow political ideologies, nor is it a position to unilaterally decide what international trade relationships Northern Ireland should or should not have. Yet that is exactly what we have seen from the Sinn Féin Economy Minister, who last week instructed Invest NI not to support companies that are involved with Israeli defence contracts. They have even suggested that Northern Ireland should be excluded from any UK-Israel trade talks.”
“I thank the Member for giving way and for highlighting how a system can be abused and create tension in otherwise settled communities. Does he agree that the imposition of Irish language signage, without cross-community consent, is an exact example of the kind of significant and controversial issue that should always be referred to the Executive in this place and to ensure community consent in council settings?”
“I thank the Minister for giving way and for highlighting what potential support is there, but will he accept that, whether it is the farm sustainability transition payment or others, the feeling among the industry is that the support available is far below the costs associated with both production and price volatility and that, if we want to ensure the growth and sustainability of the industry, there needs to be more intervention? Is that something that the Minister will consider or has considered during his time in office?”
“There is a significant case to be made that such an intervention should be targeted at those who replant orchards for the benefit of the apple industry. There is also a great need to get that small number of producers together in a room — I know that that has happened previously — to try to ensure that the processors do not have the whip hand when it comes to setting a price for their product. That is important and is certainly something that government can do to help. <BR /> <BR />I look forward to what the Minister has to say. I again thank the Member for securing the debate. If we are to ensure that the industry not only survives but thrives, there must be tangible support packages in place to benefit the growers who will stick with the industry.”
“In recent times, the attraction for people across Northern Ireland of coming to orchards to view what produce they have to offer and the spin-offs such as cider production has been a source of real encouragement. Wildlife has prospered in many areas due to the significant presence of orchards. <BR /> <BR />Before the debate, I spoke to apple growers and asked them, "If one thing could be done to help you, what would it be?". My colleague alluded to the variety of support schemes that are in place or could be in place and the need to integrate something related to the planting of orchards into the single farm payment. We know that planting trees has a significant positive spin-off for wildlife and the environment.”
“Some of them were old by the time that I grew up and have, therefore, been replaced. The problem is that many in the industry took the decision not to replace old orchards with new orchards, and farm diversification has led many away from the sector. However, many proud families are still determined to ensure that the industry survives. Much good work has been done locally to enhance the tourism opportunities related to the apple, particularly the Bramley, including the Apple Blossom Sundays and accompanying tours. <BR /> <BR />My wife is from Lisburn. She had never seen an orchard until we started to court and she came down to County Armagh. I thought to myself, "That's very strange", because I could not have imagined life without them, given my locality.”
“It was an infamous task among local families at this time of year. I think of the many farmers who are performing such a task even as we speak. <BR /> <BR />Apple growers face significant issues. The big one, which we in the Chamber cannot solve, is weather conditions. The industry suffers from weather volatility, which can affect crops and prices year-on-year. It is hard for apple growers to have a steady and sustainable income when there is such volatility. We have price volatility based on demands elsewhere. It was alluded to that, whilst we produce a large tonnage of apples locally, we are largely susceptible to global forces when it comes to the import of apples. <BR /> <BR />The age of orchards is also an issue. When I was growing up, there were orchards everywhere in and around my home area.”
“I had not planned to speak, but, as a proud son of the "Orchard County", it would have been remiss of me had I not added something to the debate. I thank the Member for Newry and Armagh for bringing the debate. Like me, he probably has many fond memories of growing up in the "Orchard County" and knows how important the apple has been to our county for generations and how symbolic it is of our county. Mr Irwin alluded to the fact that about 90% of apple growing now takes place in my constituency of Upper Bann. I have effectively lived among the orchards all my life, and they are a cause for immense pride locally. North Armagh has certainly demonstrated its worth in its growing potential, and its fertile ground has sustained many generations. I have picked apples, and my father and grandfather picked apples.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. I have said previously that current climate change targets are an act of infrastructural vandalism when it comes to delivering timely projects. Notwithstanding what the Minister said about the A5 and her inability to speak specifically to that — I welcome the fact that there is an appeal — has the Minister, her Department or, indeed, her party given consideration to amending current climate change targets to ensure that, in the future, unrealistic targets are not a noose around the neck of infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Will he agree with me that, in one example recently, it was released by the Justice Department that one case in particular has been waiting to go to trial for 15 years?”
“Further to that point of order, for clarity, if a Member rises to their feet, and there is still time left in the 30 minutes, they would be called, but it might be for a shorter time under the 30 minutes. Is that right?”
“On a point of order, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I seek clarity from the Speaker's Office. The Business Committee allocates up to 30 minutes for Members' Statements. If a Member rises during that 30-minute time slot and there is still time remaining, will that Member be called or not?”
“I encourage Members to understand that and stick to that principle.”
“<BR /> <BR />I remind Members across the Chamber that, just because somebody is Jewish, that does not necessarily mean that they agree with the actions of the Israeli Government. Just like people in Northern Ireland, they can have all types of opinions, which they are entitled to hold, but they should never become the focus. They should never be drawn into what is, in many cases, antisemitic behaviour that spills out from what may have been, at the beginning, well-intentioned protest.”
“As has been mentioned, we know the scars that many of Northern Ireland's law enforcement personnel continue to bear because of the things that they witnessed as a result of terrorism in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />We have a vulnerable Jewish community in Belfast. Anybody who takes the time to talk to them will understand their sense of vulnerability. They have been subject over many years to, in some cases, low-level antisemitic attacks and, in other cases, horrific forms of antisemitic behaviour. There have been headstones defiled, attacks on businesses and online antisemitic rhetoric directed at a small and vulnerable community. As has been mentioned, we stand in full solidarity with them not just today but in the days to come.”
“There is universal condemnation of what happened in Manchester. It was a horrific attack on a vulnerable community. We must set it in context: those people were murdered because of their religion. It is every community and every family's worst nightmare, and we are thankful that it did not result in further deaths. One of the most horrific aspects of what happened in Manchester is that, had it not been for the brave actions of one of the victims, who essentially barricaded the door, countless more deaths could have occurred. <BR /> <BR />It is relevant to Northern Ireland because, regardless of our community background, we all know the trauma caused by terrorism. Many of our families have been affected by it. We know that actions taken in a moment can haunt and traumatise a family for years to come.”
“Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I say clearly that the flotilla was a stunt. If we talk about the stunt, it is in these terms: if you want to deliver aid, deliver it through legal routes that can have a genuine impact and help get the peace.”
“<BR /> <BR />We can get into a debate about disinformation and what occurred, but if we are serious, and if the flotilla's point was to bring about an end to the conflict in the Middle East, why are we not talking today about the potential genesis of a global peace plan that could potentially end the conflict in the Middle East? It is a peace plan that has been endorsed by the Arab countries in the region and the participants in the conflict. That is where the focus should be. <BR /> <BR />As we listen to some of the rhetoric surrounding what was a stunt —.”
“<BR /> <BR />If the noble aspiration of the flotilla was to deliver aid — it is a very noble aspiration, by the way, to deliver aid to anybody in distress — another piece of disinformation is that there was no mention of the fact that, prior to being intercepted by Israeli forces, there was a call for people who wished to have aid distributed to go by the legal route, which was to the Israeli port where the aid would be looked at and be provided to the people of Gaza. Those are the facts. That was on a loudspeaker for all to hear. The participants knew before they even got aboard the flotilla that they would not be allowed to breach the blockade. They were told where they should go to ensure that their aid would have an impact. Those are the facts.”
“What we have heard so far is an act of disinformation, to begin with. First, illegal kidnapping? Not just because the Member for West Belfast says that it is. The truth is that the interception was under maritime law. That is the first bit of disinformation that I would like to debunk. The second bit is that those participants were held in brutal conditions. That does not bear out when we look at some of the footage of those who intercepted the vessels. If we want to talk about brutal conditions, there is no mention of some of the hostages who have been kept in tunnels since 7 October. If we want to talk about brutal conditions, what about those who are still suffering the impact of the war in the Middle East? That is where the focus should be.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I totally agree with him on the point about having a police presence, but, after concerts, they often fail to follow up on evidence for prosecuting those who peddle drugs to vulnerable individuals.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I share the concern about encouraging anybody to take drugs, no matter whether it is one type or another. I raised the example earlier of the death of my young constituent. The mother described to me how the police action has been limited due to lack of resource and how authorisation is pending from a senior officer on whether to allocate funds to take on the case. Does the Member agree that that is a wholly inadequate approach for a mother who is grieving the loss of a son?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. One of the key points that she raised is the desire to ensure that we prevent deaths. Just this morning, I spoke to a mother who lost her young son at a concert in Belfast due to drugs. She talked about the qualifications of those who were employed on-site to monitor the drug overdose, which were wholly inadequate — in fact, some training was lacking. Also, the transportation from the festival to the hospital was so bad that she believes that it contributed to her son's death. Does the Member believe that that issue should also be looked into with urgency?”
“Has the Minister any statistics on the quantity of illegal meat entering Northern Ireland and on the route by which it comes? Is it by sea, by air or principally by land through the Republic of Ireland? Is he aware of any attempts to bring in live animals by smuggling?”
“— believes that that is in some way on an equal footing?”
“Are the 10 victims of Kingsmills, Protestant men who were lined up on a road in south Armagh and killed because of their religion, in some way to be equated with the very men who shot them? What about 22-year-old Mary Travers, who was murdered by the Provisional IRA as she left Mass with her family? Are we in some way to believe that the Alliance Party, in supporting Gerry Kelly's amendment —”
“<BR /> <BR />Does the Alliance Party really believe that a paramilitary bomber, regardless of their creed, is in some way to be equated with an innocent victim of terrorism across Northern Ireland? If we follow its logic to its natural conclusion, we find that it really is a sad indictment of how far that party has travelled. No longer is it the party of the middle road but a party that is prepared to put the victim maker on an equal footing with the innocent victim. <BR /> <BR />Banbridge is a major town in my constituency. In 1982, the Provisional IRA detonated a no-warning car bomb there. It killed 11-year-old Alan McCrum. Are we in some way to believe that the man or woman who planted the bomb is equal to young Alan McCrum?”
“I begin by placing on record my deepest sympathy to the family of Ian Milne, who passed away suddenly just yesterday. Ian was a big character who often went above and beyond. He was known across the Chamber, and he will certainly be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his sons Andrew and Stuart. <BR /> <BR />Last week, the House stooped to a new low. The Alliance Party helped and voted to remove the word "innocent" from a DUP motion rejecting amnesty for terrorists. We all know that Sinn Féin and Alliance are like Siamese twins when it comes to voting in this Building. However, to side with convicted bomber Kelly's definition of a victim really is a new low, and for Naomi Long, the Justice Minister, to have doubled down on that definition on the radio really does beggar belief.”
“<BR /> <BR />I notice that there has been nothing about immigration from Sinn Féin, the SDLP or Alliance. That does not bother them. They want to cover it all in the word "Brit". Be under no illusion: we will oppose that system. There should be no carve-out for Northern Ireland under a policy that should not exist in the entirety of the United Kingdom. However, what would Sinn Féin say if the Republic of Ireland were to make such a statement?”
“My reasons are clear: the DUP opposes digital ID cards because we do not want to be part of big-government, invasive, snooping technology that has the potential to be abused. Alliance, the SDLP and Sinn Féin oppose the cards because of four letters: Brit. That is not lost on us. <BR /> <BR />The DUP will oppose the policy because it is not in the national interest: the interest of the people of the entirety of the United Kingdom. To say that it would reduce illegal immigration is utter gaslighting. If the PM were serious about addressing illegal immigration, he would deploy strong border enforcement; he would stop boats; and he would stop the abuse by the legal profession in making a mockery of UK law by interpreting policy and legislation on asylum seekers in such a way as to enable them to come by the boatload.”
“To introduce such a policy is evidence, if it were ever needed, that the PM is everything that George Orwell predicted: a pound-shop Tony Blair.”
“I am not too old to remember a time in the House when Alliance, Sinn Féin and the SDLP were drooling at the prospect of a Labour Government. How has that worked out for them? Farming has been destroyed; businesses have been taxed to death; pensioners' pockets have been targeted; the economy is on its knees; illegal immigration is soaring; and now digital ID. Who could not have seen that one coming from the sister party of the SDLP, which called for nurses to be sacked during the COVID pandemic? <BR /> <BR />Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Starmer? We see through every element of the flawed policy. I have a passport, a driving licence and a National Insurance card. I have the basic apparatus that allows me to be a citizen in this United Kingdom.”
“Over the weekend, it got worse, when a national newspaper had a sensationalist headline about Heather Humphreys's family's former Orange links. Is that the approach that republicans take to anybody from a unionist tradition? Has the mask slipped? Be assured that unionists know exactly how they would be treated in a so-called new, inclusive Ireland.”
“It is the result of sustained social, cultural and, at times, violent pressures that are simply not acknowledged in the narratives presented by the Irish political class. <BR /> <BR />Just two weeks ago, we paused to remember the anniversary of the Tullyvallen massacre, when five innocent Orangemen were murdered in cold blood by republican terrorists. Those wounds have not healed, and they should never be forgotten. We have a "Bury your head in the sand" approach from the Irish Government when it comes to legacy, facilitating and protecting terrorists who skipped across the border, terrorised communities and destroyed innocent lives. We have border bogs that still hold the bodies of certain individuals who have never had the comfort of a simple burial.”
“<BR /> <BR />Heather is from County Monaghan, a place not far from here or the communities that I come from and represent, but one wonders if her perspective has been shaped and moulded by her place in the Dublin establishment politically, rather than the everyday lived experiences of the many Protestant families who live in border counties. For those families, the picture is very different. Their story has often been one of exclusion, quiet and vocal discrimination and gradual erasing. Whole communities, once vibrant and confident, have dwindled. The sharp decline in the Protestant population of border towns and villages has not been by accident; in many cases, it has been by design.”
“How many times has unionism been told of a mythical new Ireland that will be inclusive of all our cultures and traditions? How many times have we been told by Sinn Féin and the SDLP and by some quiet voices — they are getting louder — in the Alliance Party about that myth? Members may be aware that, at the weekend, Heather Humphreys launched her campaign for the Irish presidential election. In doing so, she described herself as a symbol of Ireland's tolerance and inclusivity towards Protestants and unionists.”
“In Belfast and in London and in cities and towns across his beloved USA, Charlie's name is being lifted up and remembered. His impact was nothing short of seismic as it helped to reignite conservative family values right across the world not in anger but in reason. He gave a voice to the unheard. He empowered people, young and old, including here in Northern Ireland, to question and to challenge. He reminded them that they are not wrong to think differently. Charlie's legacy will endure. It will inspire a boldness in those whom he touched. A new generation will honour him not by retreating into silence but by speaking truth. Thank you, Charlie Kirk.”