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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“I thank the Member for giving way. In their contributions, he and the previous Member to speak are getting to the heart of the matter. We do not want anyone to be discriminated against. Other Members have referred to community background or Irish identity, but that is not what the debate is about. We are saying that one cohort in society should not be elevated above all others, and that is why we cannot support the motion. We have reiterated that a number of times.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Other Members have referred to the perceived disadvantage or challenges faced by ex-servicepeople. Is the Member able to outline for me specific challenges faced by people as a result of being abroad with the armed forces that are not faced by migrant workers who come here and have difficulties accessing services?”
“Apologies: I said clearly at the start, in clear English, that we oppose the motion. I have no issue in articulating that. I have said that no one should be disadvantaged, but the motion calls for one section of society to be given extra support. It goes beyond the meaning of "due regard", and I have stated that clearly.”
“It is an unnecessary request and something that we cannot support.”
“Obviously, the 1998 Good Friday Agreement copper-fastened our right to be Irish, British or both, and there has to be a reflection of the fact that people have a right to reject symbolic elements of the armed forces covenant. Obviously, I fall into that category. <BR /> <BR />We have to oppose the motion because it requests that one section of society be held in higher esteem than others. I reiterate that we do not want to see anyone discriminated against or disadvantaged because of their past service in the British Army, military, forces or whatever the case may be. We do not need duplication of services; we already have a Victims' Commissioner whose role is to engage with public services and ensure that those who have served in the British Army can access the support that they need.”
“I rise to oppose the motion on the basis that it promotes inequality and pits one group in society against others, which is something that my party opposes. Sinn Féin supports the provision of public services on the basis of objective need. We believe that there should be equality of opportunity and equality of access to public services across the board. We should treat everyone equally. <BR /> <BR />The objective of the motion is to ensure that nobody faces disadvantage, and we wholeheartedly agree with that. No one should face disadvantage because of their political ideology or their background, but, problematically, the motion goes much further in requiring the Executive to go beyond the meaning of "due regard" in the armed forces covenant.”
“I have spoken to school principals and teachers who are really concerned about the TransformED programme and listening to so-called experts from elsewhere with worse records than we have in the North. The events of the past week or so, which have not cast this place or the Department in a positive light, are causing real concerns for the people whom we all represent. The Minister would do well to consider all of that and to show a bit of humility.”
“That refers to the childcare issue, but it also touches on the care of our elderly population and people caring for relatives. The lack of domiciliary care packages feeds into that as well, which is another thing that is most keenly felt in rural constituencies. We also know that it has a negative impact on our economy, because it keeps people out of the workforce. A lack of respect is felt by the people who are in that workforce: it is a vocation, but it is treated as an unskilled job, which it is not. <BR /> <BR />To reiterate what has already been covered by my colleagues about the commitment that our Ministers have made on the budget, we want to see delivery on this, and we want to see a move away from what has been a regressive start from the Minister.”
“Yes. I was going to touch on that, because, again, there is another specific issue with people accessing transport and childcare before and after school. That is difficult to access. <BR /> <BR />It is heartening to see that, across the Chamber, everybody wants to see delivery on the issue, and, again, it is regrettable that the Minister referred to party politics when that is not the objective of the motion. It is about delivery. All parties across the House will table motions to try to see their objectives achieved, and that is why we tabled today's motion. <BR /> <BR />Members have touched on the fact that this is an equality issue, and we know that it predominantly affects women. We do not know the cost of unpaid care across the North, because it is unpaid, but we know that it is massive and is often left to the women in the families.”
“Unlike Kate, I have neither chick nor child and cannot speak from personal experience on the issue of childcare and how costly and uncomfortable it is for many working families across society, but constituents bring the problem to me. I know — we have all heard it — that the cost of childcare and the lack of childcare that is specific to children's needs, with the rise in additional needs in children and children being educated through the Irish-medium sector who cannot access childcare that is appropriate for them, are causing real problems in homes across the North. That is what we want to see being addressed.”
“I welcome the opportunity to make a winding-up speech on the motion, which we tabled because we want to see action on the issue. We are at the close of what has been a particularly difficult day, when ideology has perhaps been the focus in some people's minds. For us, it is about doing the right thing for the people whom we represent. <BR /> <BR />I note that the Members opposite snigger and laugh. The people who have contacted us in recent days are not sniggering or laughing. They are really concerned and really worried. I speak to teachers and parents weekly, and they are concerned about the direction in which the Department is going. We tabled the motion because we want to see delivery for our constituents.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“I note that the Minister did not answer my colleague's questions. Why would B'Tselem state that a genocide is happening in Gaza if that is not true? Where is the Minister's humanity?”
“We all stand in one another's shadow, and the workers united can never be defeated. That is a lesson for us all going forward.”
“She reflects the will of the majority of Irish people in standing with the people of Gaza as they suffer genocide by an apartheid Israeli state. She shows us on the world stage to be a compassionate country whose people care about others and have genuine charity and kindness in our hearts. Catherine rose above the negative campaign that was fought against her and showed that being true to yourself and honest in your politics can conquer any hate-filled drivel that comes at you. <BR /> <BR />Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine.”
“We are known across the world for our soundness, and that is what Catherine is: sound. She understands the issues that are affecting working people and how we can address them when we work together. <BR /> <BR />Catherine's election is an indicator of support for Irish unity; indeed, Irish unity was a key theme of her campaign. I was struck by the number of people across the Twenty-six Counties who expressed almost sympathy with me as an Irish woman from the North who did not have a vote for my president. However, I will be proud to call her "my president" when she is sworn in, and, hopefully, our next presidential election will see that franchise extended to us all. <BR /> <BR />Catherine Connolly stands with the underdog and the downtrodden.”
“I am happy to join Gerry in congratulating Catherine Connolly, our new president-elect, and I was delighted to take part in canvassing for her throughout the country. This discussion is a stark contrast to the previous one. The election was an example of positivity rising above negativity and of good conquering evil, and that should give all of us in the House heart. <BR /> <BR />People talk a lot about labels and politics being ideologically separate at the minute, but Catherine Connolly is the epitome of what it is to be on the left. She is a genuine worker on the ground, and she understands the issues that affect the Irish people North and South. That is why the people felt such a closeness to her and voted for her in their droves. She reflects what it is to be Irish.”
“That is what the motion calls for. I hope that we will speak with one voice across the Chamber today — that we will have universality — in passing the motion and asking for a clear message to go from the Executive to the British Government that we want to see that delivered now.”
“We talk every day about supporting people with complex needs, including through work that needs to happen in our schools around special educational needs (SEN), and that is a real, tangible example of actual support that allows people to get into employment. It needs to be extended. <BR /> <BR />This is not a debate about the pros and cons of Brexit. I have a clear perspective on that. My party has been consistent on the harm that has been done here as a result of that decision, which was not of our making. The debate is about what we can do now. We need to have a united voice in going to the British Government and asking for replacement funding and for certainty now. We want to see our businesses, local enterprise groups and support networks and agencies being given certainty so that they can plan for the future.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Go Succeed programme is run by the Department for the Economy and supports local small businesses and allows people to start up. I know that that is supported by the likes of the Workspace Group in Mid Ulster. If that is not extended, there will be real implications for the people who have been able to benefit from it and who are trying to plan for their business, which might want to avail itself of such support. There are programmes for people with learning difficulties and disabilities who need that wee bit of help to get into employment. They have been supported thus far, but there will be knock-on implications for those people and their families and for the people who employ them.”
“I know from meetings with them and the people who benefit from the schemes that the Workspace Group and others run that this is having a real impact and is causing real anxiety for our constituents. <BR /> <BR />We were told that, when we left the EU, we would not lose out and that all of the funding that we had would be replaced. That has not been the case. We had a cliff edge almost three years ago, when there was an awful lot of concern because we did not know whether the programmes would be extended. We have had some replacement funding, but it has not been to the level that it was. Studies have been done to ascertain the exact value of the shortfall, but the estimates of £20 million per year give you an idea of just how critical it is for those whom we represent.”
“As a rural MLA who represents Mid Ulster, I see numerous examples across the board, including the LEADER approach, the rural development programme (RDP) and the common agricultural policy (CAP), of funding streams that we have lost and have thus had to scramble to replace. <BR /> <BR />The motion refers to the European social fund (ESF) and the replacement funding that was supposed to come but did not come in the way in which we would have liked. That is having real-life implications for the people whom we all represent. There are groups in the Assembly today, including the Workspace Group from my constituency; I see Alex and Adele up there watching on.”
“The motion relates acutely to Brexit. There have been many debates about Brexit in the Chamber, across the North and beyond in the run-up to the decision that was made by the UK Government to pursue that agenda and since. We will have different narratives as to how that has played out, which is fair enough. Some people had a clear perspective on the issue of leaving the EU and decided that they wanted to support that and were comfortable with it, but the issue that we are discussing today is a clear example of how that decision has been objectively bad for the North. Leaving the EU has left us with serious economic consequences, most acutely through a loss of funding. Across the North, we were net benefactors from the EU.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Minister, can you outline what types of project are coming forward?”
“First Minister, creating a globally progressive and sustainable economy is at the heart of the Programme for Government. What work has been done to progress that?”
“It will be positive to see the Bill pass its Second Stage today. We will progress the legislation and work together to deliver the best for everyone involved.”
“I will speak briefly in support of the legislation. I welcome the support for the Bill from the Members of other parties who have spoken already. The closure of the scheme was a commitment in NDNA. At that stage, all the main parties that signed up to that were clear that they wanted to see the scheme close. The Minister is trying to do that in a way that best suits the public purse and the people who entered the scheme in good faith, who, in some ways, have been collateral damage in the fallout from the mess that was made of the scheme at the beginning. It is important that we bear that in mind. <BR /> <BR />As the Bill goes through the Committee, we will have the opportunity to scrutinise the fine detail. I welcome the commitment from the Minister that the team who are working on it will make themselves available.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does he recognise that he has just stated that the Irish Government are a Government? Theirs is a sovereign Parliament, while this is a devolved institution in which we are working along with others. Your party was in that position at one time, so that reality has to be considered.”
“Most of the crushing and screening equipment produced in the world comes out of our wee part of the country. That has been done without proper infrastructure or government support. Those firms have worked away on their own, and that ingenuity is amazing. <BR /> <BR />The message from across the Chamber is that we all support this and want to see it prioritised. Our Minister is committed to that.”
“My colleague Mr Delargy has already outlined the fact that the natural hinterland for Derry city is Donegal, and a barrier has been put in place there that is still having ramifications today. We need to address that. Realistically, we are not going to see the economic prosperity that we all want to see until we are in a new and revised Ireland. That is something that we have to battle with. However, it should not mean that we cannot make progress in the interim. That is what my party colleagues are trying to do. <BR /> <BR />As others have outlined, areas of the North that traditionally did not receive investment or support were oftentimes left to their own devices. In that gap, we have seen a lot of very impressive indigenous businesses thrive without support. I see that in my own area. Mid-Ulster has a massive engineering sector.”
“They also then assume that I am from the city, which I am not. I am from mid-Ulster, which has also suffered very badly as a result of a lack of investment down through the generations. We in Sinn Féin want to change and address that, and that has been pursued by our two Ministers who have held the Economy brief since we took that on. As I have said, it is a priority for everybody in this Chamber and in the Executive, and addressing regional imbalance is mentioned in our Programme for Government. We should all support that. <BR /> <BR />When we look specifically at the north-west of the country, it would be remiss not to refer to the fact that partition has had a very negative impact on and really serious implications for that part of Ireland.”
“I am struck by the commonality across the Chamber during this debate, and I welcome that. <BR /> <BR />As others have said, the Members for Foyle often talk about Derry, but it strikes me that we have something in common when it comes to how Derry is discussed. We are all saying the same thing but are just saying it differently. Our language differs when we refer to Derry, and it differs when we talk about what we see as the priorities for regional balance. I am also from Derry, albeit a different part of Derry, and this is one of the most frustrating parts of my life. When I meet somebody new and tell them that I am from Derry, I get two common retorts. One is, "Is it 'Derry' or —?" I immediately cut that off, because if I called it something other than "Derry", I would have done so.”
“Minister, will you give us an update on the Power to Change public awareness campaign?”
“I was delighted to attend its open day back in the spring, and meet so many really inspiring young people who are refreshing in their outlook, taking the bull by the horns, learning new trades and getting into fields of work that were not even in existence when I was at school, such as robotics, AI and different technologies, and learning how to adapt and develop their skills in all that. <BR /> <BR />I will not repeat everything that has already been said. This has been a collegial debate. We are all on the same page. We all want to see our young people afforded more opportunities and improve their skills. In that regard, I support the motion and the amendment.”
“I commend schools, particularly those in my constituency, that think outside the box and engage with local businesses to show our young people opportunities beyond the traditional academic route. I think particularly of St Colm's High School in Ballinascreen, which, last year, held a job fair. It invited local employers and got young people talking to people whom they will potentially work with in future. It was about showing young people that there are different routes to success and different career paths open to them and that it is not always about following the GCSE, A-level and university route, which often does not work for people. <BR /> <BR />I also highlight the work of South West College (SWC) in the Mid Ulster District Council area. It does a lot of work on apprenticeships.”
“Like others, I support the motion and welcome its coming before the House. It is on an issue that we all deal with when we are contacted by constituents, and it is important that we highlight the role of Alma White's campaign for support for young people with special and additional educational needs, because that support often falls between two stools. <BR /> <BR />My colleague Mr Delargy outlined how the Department is working on that, and we want to see progress made. Change is needed to the Department of Education funding models under which our schools are almost pressured into keeping on for A levels students who perhaps know that doing A levels is not the right fit for them.”
“I did not say that; I said that I welcomed their contributions.”
“It is important that we strengthen our rail and road connections so that people can access our airports across the Twenty-six Counties more easily. It makes sense for us to be joined up here. We want to increase tourism to the island of Ireland. We want to see people coming in, whether that is via Dublin or Belfast, and travelling across the border, as we all should do, frequently and easily. <BR /> <BR />I want to point out in particular the Minister's commitment to City of Derry Airport, which is obviously in line with her objectives on regional balance. My colleague Pádraig Delargy and Sinéad McLaughlin outlined that when talking about increased funding, the Heathrow Airport route and the other routes that were mentioned. That is progress, and we would like to see it go further. We agree with the spirit of the motion.”
“I am tempted to begin by saying that I agree with everything that the Member for Lagan Valley said, and, of course, what my colleagues from Derry outlined on the broad objective of the motion. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, we are an island nation, and that means that we rely on aviation and fly more than we might like, given our commitments to the climate. However, it is a requirement here that if you want to go elsewhere, you often have to fly. In the spirit of what Mr Honeyford said, it is important that we have an aviation policy — our Sinn Féin Minister in the Department for the Economy has already committed to such a policy — but one that works with our partners across the Twenty-six Counties. That makes sense.”
“Minister, will you outline what the Department and Tourism NI are doing to enforce the regulatory compliance of Airbnbs and short-term lets?”
“Minister, how much will be paid in compensation for the scheme?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a ráitis.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does the Member agree that a person's community background, ethnicity or race is absolutely irrelevant to their inappropriate behaviour or whether they are a perpetrator of sexual violence?”
“Minister, I know that, along with my party colleague Councillor Ian Milne, you met a lady in my constituency, Stella McGinn, whose daughter, Caitlin-Rose, tragically lost her life getting off a school bus. I thank you for doing that. Will you outline the steps that you are taking to improve road safety, particularly for children?”
“<BR /> <BR />There is a duty on us to call this out for what it is and to stand against it. Members have reflected on the fact that the protest outside this Building yesterday called for action. The protestors asked us to bring motions to this Chamber. History will judge us all. If your heart and your conscience are not screaming at you now, and if your moral compass is not telling you right from wrong, think about how you will be reflected in history. Let that guide you. What we are doing here is not much, but it is all that we can do. We will continue to do that until the Palestinian people have peace and justice.”
“They have no freedom of movement, no reliable electricity source and no clean running water. Their schools are provided by charities. That is the reality. <BR /> <BR />The last time that we had this debate in the Chamber, in June 2025, Members on the opposite Benches talked about their tours of Israel and the hospitality that they received. Well, it is well for ye. I tried to go to Palestine in 2014 but the Israelis were bombing them from the sky then too, and we could not get in. Friends of mine — Killian Feehan, who is now an SDLP councillor, and Dáire Hughes, the Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh — have both been previously and told me the stories of what they witnessed there. They described the brutal Israeli occupation that kept people hemmed in. We all know that that did not start on 7 October 2023.”
“<BR /> <BR />"Nuance" is not a term that I typically associate with unionism in the North of Ireland, but, today, I have yet again heard people attempting to apply nuance to the starving of men, women, children and babies. Let me be really clear: there is no nuance to the forced starvation of babies. There is no context, lecturing or posturing that you can apply to that to make it right. If you are starving a baby, you are the one in the wrong: it is that simple. <BR /> <BR />The context, for those who want to hear it, is this: 77 years of occupation. A people were literally forcibly removed from their homes. They left their houses and watched those same houses being given to someone else. Since that time, they have been detained on a strip of land the size of County Louth. Where they go or what they do is dictated by their identity.”
“This is upsetting, and I cannot understand how anybody would not be upset by it. <BR /> <BR />I can accept that there are political viewpoints that you might not comprehend but that you have to recognise as being valid if they do no harm, but the racist rhetoric of the Israeli state does harm. It has done immeasurable harm. It has dehumanised an entire race of people, which has allowed the world to facilitate their genocide. <BR /> <BR />People say that the definition of insanity is doing same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. I do not know whether, in continuing to present this argument and ask for humility and humanity in response, it is we who are insane or those who blindly follow the coloniser regardless of the outcome, but somebody is wrong.”
“We have almost moved past talking about the bombing of hospitals, because there are nearly no hospitals left in the Gaza Strip.”