Emma Sheerin
Mid Ulster · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“Given what we have seen unfold across the North in recent weeks, it is important that we acknowledge that they are people with particular vulnerabilities who are particularly sensitive and, with that in mind, consider our language.”
“No, I will not give way. You have rambled on for long enough in this place. <BR /> <BR />When it comes to the early clauses of the Bill, I, like others, put on the record our appreciation of the work of Geraldine Hanna and our support for the intent of Part 1 of the Bill, which puts the role that she has been carrying out impeccably thus…”
“I thank the Minister for clarifying that immigration is an excepted matter, which means that it is the responsibility of the British Government and nothing to do with the House.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Members will be aware that the DUP and some of its lackeys in the UUP cynically used petitions of concern, two weeks ago, to block rights for children.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak at the Second Stage of the Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill. I am proud to be from a party that consistently supports the best available human rights advice on all matters.”
“For many years, Donaldson used his position of power to abuse and to escape justice. He presented himself as a role model. We now know that that was bogus and that his public persona was a deception.”
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“Following the further tragic news of yet more deaths of females in the North — indeed, I was on my feet earlier today in the Chamber to speak about that — can you outline your commitment to the ending violence against women and girls strategy on which your Department is leading?”
“I welcome the draft regulations. As referred to by the junior Minister and the Chair of the Executive Office Committee, a lot of work has already been done on this important piece of legislation. It would be remiss of me to not honour the work of former MLA Pat Catney, who invested a lot of time and energy in the issue. It is a good example of how we can deliver for people when we all work together across the House. In so doing, we tackle a real struggle for women, particularly women who are living in poverty. It gets to one of the intersectional elements of discrimination against women and girls. <BR /> <BR />The regulations will bring some ease to people's daily lives. At one of the most challenging times in any woman's life, they will make women's lives that wee bit easier, and that is to be welcomed.”
“Misogyny, rape jokes, sexist remarks, commentary about women's appearance, the othering of women and the subjugation of women are commonplace in the North of Ireland. It is our job to tackle that situation; it is our responsibility to call it out and to see an end to the behaviours and the attitudes that lead to another newspaper article about another tragic loss. <BR /> <BR />I want to see our strategy implemented, and I want to see us all working together so that we no longer have to stand in the Chamber and send condolences to another family. This afternoon, I take the opportunity to tell everybody affected by the most recent loss on the streets, just last week, that we hear their stories, feel their pain, send our deepest sympathies and commit ourselves to never seeing this happen again.”
“I will speak about an issue that brings me no joy whatsoever. Forty-two women and girls have been murdered in just under eight years in the North of Ireland: 42 women and girls, with their lives ahead of them, destroyed in a heartbeat. The North is, and has been for some time, one of the most dangerous places in Europe to be a girl, and the most dangerous place for many women is in their own home. After every death — every brutal murder — a lot of well-meaning people go to vigils, do a lot of hand-wringing and send condolences and sympathies. All those things are important, but they are not enough. We have to take action. Violence against women and girls is ingrained within our society, it is ingrained within all societies worldwide, and it has been for centuries.”
“That leaves us in a situation where, although a pupil may live within three miles of their closest available school, because of the curriculum that it offers, particularly at A level, that school might not be suitable for them. On the other hand, we have constituents who live more than three miles from all schools who are offered a bus pass to the school of their choice, based on their subject preferences. There is a discrepancy and disparity there, with pupils being discriminated against, unable to access the subjects that they need to study to get into university, because of a bus pass. At a time when parents face rising costs across the board and we are trying to support parents with the cost of childcare, we cannot impose the cost of a bus pass on them. I urge the Minister to look at the criteria and to apply them more fairly.”
“An issue that is affecting an increasing number of my constituents and that we see coming in waves every summer is bus passes for rural dwellers. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to put a question for oral answer to the Education Minister in the Chamber, but, unfortunately, I was not able to ask him my supplementary question on the review of the home to school transport policy. <BR /> <BR />I am receiving loads of messages and phone calls from very frustrated parents who find themselves between a rock and a hard place because the Education Authority does not normally consider the range or nature of the curriculum that is offered when it gives out bus passes.”
“In 2012, the former British Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged shocking levels of collusion in the murder of Pat Finucane. We know that that was not the only case in the North where collusion was at play. Is the deputy First Minister confident that the public inquiry will deliver the truth that the Finucane family so deserves and expose the practice of British state collusion?”
“<BR /> <BR />All these things and the work that has been done blasts a lot of the misconceptions that people have about politics in the North. We all have different ideologies; we all have different political perspectives; but we are all united in wanting to see the best for the people whom we represent, and we all want to deliver for the people who have put us here. The draft Programme for Government is a brilliant example of that, and I urge people to feed into the consultation and have their views heard.”
“Again, a commitment to sort that out — I know that work has begun there — and a cross-departmental approach to the issue are fundamental to good government and to us all working collaboratively together. I could go through all nine priorities, because they are all examples of that. I was particularly pleased to see ending violence against women and girls outlined as a priority, and work has begun on that strategy. Last week, the Committee heard from the First Minister and deputy First Minister and the junior Ministers about the updates that we will receive on that work. We want that epidemic to end in the North of Ireland; we do not want the North to continue to be one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman.”
“<BR /> <BR />Anybody who has listened to me in recent weeks will know that, as a Mid Ulster MLA and someone who lives in south Derry, we have seen a significant problem with water quality recently, which is a result of the problems that we have in Lough Neagh. I was delighted to see that an action plan for Lough Neagh features as one of the priorities in the draft Programme for Government. It is vital that that work starts, because we know that those problems will not be solved overnight. Years and years of underinvestment and decline have led to those problems, and we need to work together to fix them. <BR /> <BR />Similarly, as constituency MLAs, we have all had people contact us about the rising cost of childcare and the pressure that that puts on working families.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak about our draft Programme for Government, which is out for consultation until 4 November. It is vital that as many people as possible respond to that consultation and have their views fed in. As Mr Harvey outlined, the announcement of our draft Programme for Government on 5 September was a good news day for the North, the Executive and everyone in the Assembly. It was also a key indication of everyone working together to solve the problems that we all face in our constituencies and deal with the issues that our constituents bring to us. If you look at the priorities in the Programme for Government, you see that it tackles the issues that we all face.”
“In other examples around the world, we have see how, when progressive voices are included at the table, we have more progressive politics and better and more informed solutions to problems that we face. That is another reason that our 16- and 17-year-olds should be granted the right to vote. They have an important contribution to make to society, and that should be reflected in our electoral system. <BR /> <BR />I agree with those who have spoken in favour of extending voting rights. Obviously, Sinn Féin, coming, as we do, from a place in the world where, at one stage, the right to vote was not even granted to every 18-year old, a right that a civil rights campaign eventually saw extended, would like to see more people involved in our democratic process and the franchise being extended. I urge Members to support the motion.”
“We do not know how to tackle those pressures, and we need the views of our young people when we are trying to do so. For that reason, they should be included in the electoral process.”
“Look at, among other things, social media, the prevalence of bullying, peer pressure and the rise of drug and alcohol abuse in our communities.”
“<BR /> <BR />We in Sinn Féin believe that we should extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds because they work, pay taxes and contribute to the system, and, therefore, they should have a say in how we are governed. This is fundamental to many of the debates in the Chamber about equality, inclusion and rights: in order for us to recognise people's views, they need an opportunity to have their say. We cannot govern for people and take on board their particular perspectives if they are not included in the democratic process. For that reason, 16- and 17-year-olds should be able to vote. <BR /> <BR />We know that teenagers now face pressures that most of us could not begin to imagine. I will counter that by saying that I might be closer than some in the Chamber to understanding their particular pressures.”
“I support the motion and the amendment. I take on board the point that the Member for North Antrim made when she proposed the amendment. She said that we should not refer to children as "the future", and I totally understand what she was saying. However, I find it impossible to disagree with Whitney Houston. I believe that "children are our future", but it is what you infer from that. It is not about saying to children that the future will be theirs at some stage and that they should just wait until that time. Instead, it is about recognising that our young people should have a say in what their future looks like, and that gets to the heart of what the debate is about.”
“Minister, will you commit to working with the AERA Minister to ensure that the action plan for Lough Neagh is implemented as a matter of urgency?”
“Minister, I know that, like me, you have been working closely with NI Water over the past week or so to alleviate the concerns of all our constituents about the water. You have outlined that the issue is the result of years — decades — of neglect of Lough Neagh, in particular, and that is why we have the situation with blue-green algae and the problems that people are finding with their water.”
“Minister, can you advise when you intend to bring your policy proposals to the Executive?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an fhreagra sin.”
“Minister, I thank you for your answers thus far and associate myself with the condolences that you passed on to the families of all the women who have been murdered recently. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the statement. It is particularly relevant given the actions of the past few weeks to which you referred. Minister, can you comment on whether you will give specific consideration to the groups of women who are at particular risk of violence such as our LGBTQI+ women, women from ethnic minority backgrounds and other women who may be at the margins of society?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chead-Aire as a ráiteas.”
“The problem is not one of recent making; it is the result of decades of underinvestment, and it is a good reflection of the importance of the prioritisation of the AERA Minister's action plan for Lough Neagh and the fact that we all need to work together to solve the current crisis at Lough Neagh. <BR /> <BR />I call upon NI Water to act as urgently as it can on the requests of my constituents. Different constituents have reflected to me that their requests for individual water testing have not been met as promised. I put to the House how seriously we feel about this crisis because water is a basic human right. When we make a cup of tea, we expect it to taste like tea and not like blue mould.”
“I rise to raise an issue that has been brought to me by hundreds of my constituents over the past fortnight. Some of the words that have been used to describe our tap water in south Derry include "musty", "very stale", "not drinkable", "rotten", "rank", "it tastes like dirt" and "it tastes like blue mould". I have not had to rely on the words of my constituents to tell me what the water is like because when I turn on a tap in my house, I can see, smell and taste it for myself. <BR /> <BR />Over the past fortnight, I have been in constant contact with NI Water about the situation. I have contacted NI Water on an almost hourly basis, reflecting the requests, concerns and worries of my constituents. I accept its assurances that the water is safe to drink, but the fact and reality of the situation is that the water is not drinkable.”
“Thanks to the Minister for that answer. Minister, you referred in your answer to the mandatory ammonia reduction strategies, which, obviously, farmers will be required to adhere to. What consideration have you given to the cost of doing that, particularly for smaller farmers, and the practicalities of that sort of machinery in areas of natural constraint? I am concerned that that might work against farmers who are trying to break into an industry that is calling out for producers.”
“No one is born with hate in their heart; it exists and grows only through ignorance and fear and by allowing misinformation to win. When those who know better do not challenge it or call it out, they become compliant in allowing a narrative that is wrong to win out. We therefore have a responsibility as leaders in our areas to stand together against it and call it out. We must send the message today that we are opposed to this violence and that hope will win over hate.”
“<BR /> <BR />To our ethnic minority communities, I say that we support you, we stand with you and we defend your right to a life free from intimidation and discrimination. We see your fear and send solidarity to you. We value you. We see the part that you play in our society. You are a part of our society, and we want it to stay that way. You make our society a better place, and you are a part of us. Those who incited the violence will not win. People who have been responsible for criminal behaviour in recent days must be held to account by the PSNI and our justice system. There is an onus on us all as leaders in our communities and as elected representatives to stand together and call this out. <BR /> <BR />Discrimination has no place in our society.”
“I am glad that we stand together today in response to some of the worst days that we have seen in our society recently. It is important that we do so to send a strong message that we are united against hatred, racism and Islamophobia and that love and hope will prevail over hate. It is important that we send a message to the racist thugs who have attempted to destroy parts of our community over recent days and weeks that we will not tolerate it, that what they are doing is wrong and that it must stop. It is racist, sectarian and Islamophobic and it does not represent the people whom we represent. If we are to take society forward and build a better future for everybody, we must send that message and condemn what we have seen.”
“Thanks, Minister, for that commitment. Some classrooms in Holy Family Primary School have been in operation since 1890. Generations of families have used the same classrooms, and grandparents were in the same building as their grandchildren are now. In the interim, if it is not a new build straight away, could we see some sort of help for the dilapidated building that is there?”
“As you outlined, Minister, community transport is vital, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalised in rural communities. Will you provide detail on your plans for increasing the accessibility and sustainability of community transport?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagra.”
“In that context, do you agree that it is really important for Invest NI and the Executive to maximise and focus on the benefits and opportunities that come from dual market access?”
“<BR /> <BR />Sinn Féin has made it clear where it stands on the issue. We want to see this progressed. This is a time for action, and we want to see that happen without delay.”
“We have a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable. We know, as the proposer of the motion outlined, that the LGBTQI+ community has been marginalised, ostracised and physically and verbally discriminated against by successive Governments here and across the world. We need to change that, and this is one step in doing so. <BR /> <BR />Conversion therapy and everything that surrounds it legitimise homophobia. It tells people that they are wrong simply for being who they are. None of us should want to associate ourselves with that. We should outlaw it. We should tell people clearly, particularly our young gay people, that we do not want it to continue, that they are valid and that they have the same rights as anyone else and should be free to live their life as who they are.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. <BR /> <BR />I support the motion and welcome the opportunity for the debate. Obviously, a similar motion was supported by the House in April 2021, so we know its position on harmful conversion therapy, and we know that the majority of MLAs in the Chamber support a ban, which is to be welcomed. <BR /> <BR />I remind Members that an awful lot of the work has already been done, so it is time for action here. When my party colleague Deirdre Hargey was in the Department, she carried out an awful lot of the research on conversion therapy. A lot of that has already been done, and what we need now is action. <BR /> <BR />This is really about protecting people's human rights. Everybody has the right to a life free from harassment, and we all should prioritise that.”
“Minister, how is your Department supporting childcare providers specifically?”
“Gabahaim buíochas leis an Aire as a freagra.”
“First Minister, you have outlined the need for a total and unequivocal ceasefire. Do you agree that the Irish state's eventual recognition of the Palestinian state is a very good first step and a historic moment in our support for the Palestinian people?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chéad-Aire as an fhreagra sin.”
“Minister, thank you again for your renewed commitment to ensuring the provision of services for victims and survivors. May I ask for an update on the victims' payments scheme, please?”
“I tell the migrant worker population that has made its home there and in the surrounding areas across mid-Ulster that we do not tolerate or condone the racist graffiti that we saw daubed on shopfronts across Cookstown at the weekend and that the people of mid-Ulster stand in solidarity with all who have made their home there, welcome them and recognise the contribution that they have made. The negativity that surrounds those sorts of incidents and the impact that they have on people's mental health cannot be ignored, given the week that is in it.”
“It is particularly poignant that STEPS's 12th anniversary occurs at the end of this week, given that our community has recently been affected by the tragedy of suicide once again, the second in just over two months. <BR /> <BR />It is an important conversation to have, and it is something that we need to speak about in order to break the stigma of suicide and to support one another. I congratulate all those who volunteer for STEPS on the various initiatives that they run, from hillwalking to yoga and Pilates, and the counselling that they provide, but there is still an awful lot for us to do. <BR /> <BR />It would be remiss of me not to mention the incident over the weekend in Cookstown.”
“I rise on a somewhat bittersweet note to congratulate STEPS, a mental health charity in my area, on its 12th anniversary. STEPS was founded almost 12 years ago — it is having a celebration at the end of this week — to address the epidemic that we have in our area. At that time, Draperstown was the suicide capital of mid-Ulster, and the community, including some concerned families and people who had been affected, came together to try to break the stigma of suicide; to raise support for those affected by it, including those who had lost loved ones; to tell people that it was OK not to be OK; and to help people with mental ill health.”
“Can the junior Minister advise how the recently developed framework to end violence against women and girls will help deal with the immediate pressures and challenges?”
“When it comes to any suggestions that people have regarding that or any work that we can do, Sinn Féin is committed to delivering for the people who put us here, and we want to work collaboratively with all MLAs to do that. The motion is important, and it is a good opportunity for us all to rededicate ourselves to the public service in which we operate.”
“We have all stood at the vigils and have bemoaned the fact that this is the second most dangerous place in Europe to be a woman. We want to end that and to see work on that delivered. <BR /> <BR />We want to build fair and appropriate housing. We want to solve the problems with our waiting lists. We all have constituents coming to our offices having waited for years for routine surgery, which is massively damaging their health. We want to work collaboratively with everyone in the Executive and all MLAs to solve those problems. We want to transform public services and build a better economy.”
“As four parties working together and with help from those on the Opposition Benches — we welcome constructive costings, reflections and considerations — we know the things that face our constituents. We know the problems that people bring to us every day, whether they are about passports, potholes or more challenging situations, and the things that we want to give particular focus to. Those include solving the problems in the childcare sector and making childcare affordable for working families; increasing SEN provision so that the parents who come to us at their wits' end every summer telling us that their young child has not got a nursery or primary school place will find that that is no longer the situation; and ending violence against women and girls.”
“I speak as an Irish republican, and my frustrations with that system and how this place is funded do not need to be rehearsed. We know that we are funded below need in the North and that that has been the case for a significant number of years. That is the context in which we operate.”
“I support and welcome the motion. It is important for us all as MLAs to take stock of what we want to see achieved in the mandate and to set out our priorities clearly. Obviously, a Programme for Government is fundamental to that. <BR /> <BR />At the beginning of the session, in February, we were in a challenging situation. We are all representatives of our areas, and we are all put here by the people. We work for and with the people. We know the issues that face our constituents, and we are human beings, so we see human suffering, and most of us will be moved by that and want to do something to help people. <BR /> <BR />The first thing that we achieved as a four-party Executive was a fair pay settlement for public-sector workers. That was in the challenging context of the Tory austerity that we have been living with for 14 years.”
“The mothers with empty arms and the children without their parents: what does their future look like? Even when this is finished, they will maintain the scars for the rest of their lives. It does not bear thinking about. <BR /> <BR />We have to stand in solidarity and call for an immediate ceasefire without any considerations. We must see an end to this. There is a duty and an obligation on us to call for that, put pressure on the western Administrations who fund and support this and make people see what is right. Palestine will be free, and we in Ireland send our solidarity to the people of Gaza.”