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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“It is an escalation of a decades-long attempt to completely obliterate an entire population of people. It is a man-made famine, live-streamed on our phones. It is about the first group in history to experience their genocide being broadcast in real time and to still not be believed. We, on these Benches, believe the Palestinian people, and we stand with them. <BR /> <BR />How much more suffering do you need to see before you will believe them and stand up against it? Where is your humanity? I do not profess to be a better Christian than anyone else in the House, but I know right from wrong. This is the current death toll in Gaza: 64,522 people. Of those people, 393 starved to death, and 140 of those were children.”
“Some Members who are sitting across the House today appear to be bored by the fact that Sinn Féin is still talking about this matter. We cannot believe that it is still happening. That is why we are still talking about it, and, just to be clear, we will continue to talk about it until it stops. On top of that, we again hear calls for balance. I reiterate this: when babies are starving to death, there is no balance, there is no place for balance and we cannot call for balance. <BR /> <BR />It feels futile to stand here and talk about this. It feels as though nothing has changed since the previous time that we discussed it in the Chamber, but, of course, things have changed. It has got worse. What we have seen over the past 23 months has been mischaracterised by many as a war. It is not a war. It is a one-sided attack by an apartheid state.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“I thank the Member for giving way, unlike the Member for East Belfast. Earlier, you mentioned problems that businesses have faced. The Economy Committee took a presentation from the FSB following the report that it produced, and we were told, as the report outlines, that just over 700 businesses contributed to it out of 140,000 businesses across the UK.”
“We live in an increasingly uncertain world, which provides economic challenges. Does the First Minister agree that we need the Executive to focus on growing our economy and maintaining linkages with key international partners?”
“Minister, I know that, like me, you will be acutely aware of how much many of our local producers rely on immigration to survive. Will you comment on the many benefits that we see from immigration into the North?”
“The Bill will go some way, hopefully, towards doing that and supporting businesspeople who sometimes feel that, due to circumstances beyond their control, they have come into difficulty and that that should not define the rest of their career or their life. <BR /> <BR />I therefore welcome the Second Stage, and I hope that the Bill progresses further.”
“, I formally endorse the Committee Chair's remarks on the sad passing of your father. <BR /> <BR />As the Committee Chair outlined, we took evidence and got very helpful advice on the Bill from one of the Minister's officials. During a very informative evidence session, the official answered all the questions that were put to him in a concise yet detailed manner. We should acknowledge and thank Jack Reid for that. <BR /> <BR />A lot of the points about the legislation have been covered in the contributions from the Minister and the Committee Chair, including the fact that the Bill is about modernising our processes here. Since coming into post, the Minister has made a real effort to support local businesses and has outlined clearly the move towards regional balance, supporting our indigenous economy and trying to level the playing field.”
“Minister, I am sure that you are familiar with the principle of "Nothing about us without us". In light of that, will you explain why you are proceeding with the sexual orientation strategy without meeting the co-design groups?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an fhreagra sin.”
“The deputy First Minister outlined that the focus was on AI. Will she outline the proposed benefits and outcomes for the public sector from using AI?”
“No, I will not — of the people of Palestine. <BR /> <BR />As of two days ago, there were 377,000 people reported missing, and 178 journalists have been murdered — two of those were Israeli. There is no balance there. This is not balanced. No fuel entered the Gaza Strip in three months; aid was blocked for months; and flour was delivered to people and they were attacked upon its arrival. <BR /> <BR />Those people have for decades used the watermelon as a symbol because they were not allowed to fly their flag. They have been completely suppressed. One day, everyone will have been against this. We in Sinn Féin always have been, and today is an opportunity for the Assembly to add its name to that list.”
“Those people are living under occupation. They are a couple of miles from the sea, and they have never seen the beach. They are not allowed to move freely within their own country. That is where we are. That is what is happening, and the world is moving along. People refer to taking cues from Instagram and TikTok: that is how we see what is happening, because the mainstream media are "other siding" every element of the debate, talking about balance where there can be no balance. Whataboutery does nothing to end the suffering —”
“Mr Beattie speaks of balance, and other Members have spoken about how they view all children as being equal. It is the continued misrepresentation of the situation as a conflict that allows for those children to be murdered. It is not a conflict. It is not a war; it is a genocide. It has been going on for decades. The Member for East Belfast, who is no longer in the Chamber, referred to Hamas as having started this. Hamas did not exist in 1948. This did not start on 7 October 2023, and that is what the motion is about. It is about reflecting the fact that it is the result of years and years of oppression of a people. <BR /> <BR />Talking about bomb shelters that some people have access to, the Palestinian people have tents. The bombs are raining down on them, and they are in tents. They have been in tents for years.”
“More and more products and companies are being added to that list every day. It is widespread, and it is all around us. It is not a war. There is no balancing it. It is a decades-long assault on a population — a population that we in Sinn Féin have solidarity with and have had for decades. I am proud of that. <BR /> <BR />The character of some of my colleagues has been assaulted today. Just as the people of West Belfast and South Belfast have given Miss Hargey and Mr Sheehan repeated mandates, we are proud of their record on rights and what they stand for. I am proud to call them colleagues, and I want to put that on the record. <BR /> <BR />Mr Beattie speaks of balance —.”
“Just one wee second. <BR /> <BR />Political ideologies based on racism, sectarianism and hatred in your heart. I will never understand that or see it as being valid. Those views thrive on ignorance and misinformation, and that is what the debate that we are having today is based on. <BR /> <BR />The Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people has been allowed to happen because of ignorance, misinformation and propaganda. The mainstream attitude to the way it has unfolded has allowed it to unfold. The impunity offered to the Israeli Government is what has allowed them to murder over 52,000 people. That is what has allowed it to happen. We have to stand against it. Those views originate in capitalism and control of the people, as evidenced by how difficult it is to follow BDS, and anyone who has attempted to will see that.”
“Since coming to the House, I have had conversations with people of all persuasions and with different opinions from mine on a range of issues, There are political ideologies that I do not understand, but I recognise their validity. I understand that there are people who want to remain within the Union of the United Kingdom. It is something that I cannot understand, but I see it as having merit and as a valid political objective. However, there are political ideologies that I will never understand —.”
“You can change. Just as the Member said, you can turn your face and think about the facts that are laid in front of you and you can change your position.”
“I have listened with intent to today's debate on a motion that we proposed in the hope that this would be an opportunity for a reasonable debate in which people would consider their position. I urge the Members on the opposite Benches to think about the position that they have taken today. Just because you have always been on the wrong side of history does not mean that you have to stay there.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. He has helpfully outlined Sinn Féin's position on its desire to see a moratorium. That is what the current Economy Minister called for. She went into the Department after her predecessor, Conor Murphy, had already explored whether one was possible, saw that it was not and initiated a review. I outlined that in my contribution.”
“— and I urge everyone to join us in that endeavour.”
“<BR /> <BR />Sinn Féin will continue to advocate for the protection of our landscape and for a licensing regime that is transparent, accountable and guided by the principles of sustainability and public interest —”
“In my part of south Derry, given our proximity to the aforementioned plans, we met experts, took advice from scientists and, on the back of that, drafted a motion to bring to our party Ard Fheis; that motion subsequently became party policy. <BR /> <BR />Of course, gold and silver prospecting licences are a separate conversation. They are not managed locally. They remain within the remit of the British Crown Estate. That fact alone serves as an insight to what is wrong with our current political arrangement. We do not control our own affairs. I feel that it would be better for everyone who feels that way and agrees with us in that regard to work together with us to change it, rather than to take cheap and misguided political shots.”
“<BR /> <BR />From the responses to the consultation, the view of the people is clear. That must be respected, and the legal requirement to grant the licences in spite of the evidence against doing so is testament to the need for change that we are implementing. I hope that all Members across the House will be supportive as the process is worked through. <BR /> <BR />On a separate issue, some headlines have confused matters, so let me state this clearly for the record: we in Sinn Féin remain completely opposed to any plan that would allow private companies to mine our hills for gold and silver. Our opposition to that is based in evidence. <BR /> <BR />Since 2016, Sinn Féin representatives have been raising serious concerns about the proposed gold mine in the Sperrins, which is an area that, you will all know, is very dear to me.”
“I rise on behalf of Sinn Féin to speak to the motion. In doing so, I hope to bring some clarity to the debate. The process of issuing mineral licences is archaic, convoluted and complex, so much so that it appears that the Opposition do not understand how it works. So, let me enlighten you all. <BR /> <BR />As it stands, there is no legal framework to introduce a moratorium on the issuing of prospecting licences referred to in the motion. The framework that we are bound to is out of date and lacks transparency. To change that, when Sinn Féin came into the Department for the Economy, it initiated a comprehensive review of all mineral licensing policies. The aim is to introduce a system that is fair and accountable and a method that prioritises local communities and the environment over the interests of corporate bodies.”
“We extend solidarity to and commend the bravery of those who took part in the Madleen's attempt to break the blockade, and we again criticise the piracy of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which illegally arrested those on board. <BR /> <BR />As tomorrow dawns close, we commend the defiance of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh and his bandmates, who took a stand for humanity despite massive personal risk to their careers and reputations. Whilst Israel commits war crimes and starves babies to death, there is a responsibility on anyone with a platform to stand up and speak out against it. When we are able to watch live-streamed genocide on our phone screens, we should be able to speak up and stand against it. We commend all who do so and encourage anyone who has not done so thus far to start.”
“I am almost in disbelief at the continued genocide of the people of Palestine in Gaza. Just as the Israeli apartheid regime prevails, so does the suppression of any voice that dares to stand against it. We watch on as Israel murders and literally starves women, men and children to death. As the international community complies with the narrative and agenda of a rogue state, we can see the colonial systems kick into gear to silence anyone who dares criticise what none of us should be able to bear. <BR /> <BR />We in Sinn Féin stand in solidarity with all those who took part in the Global March to Gaza over the weekend, particularly the Irish contingent, and we bemoan the fact that the Egyptian authorities blocked their entry. Similarly, we congratulate and commend all those on board the Freedom Flotilla.”
“Minister, thank you for the statement. Like others, I welcome it, and I want to place on record my appreciation of the campaigners, such as Alma and others, who have done so much. Can you give some additional information about how the assessment and support model will work in real time?”
“Minister, how does the positive work of Tourism Ireland contribute to our economy in the North?”
“That required compensation, but those farmers have lost their ANC payment, which was the buffer that allowed them to continue. I do not want to see that group of farmers being punished further, so I ask the Minister to consider what has been said, look towards more sustainable solutions, work with our farmers and listen to what they are telling us and give a clear direction that will —”
“<BR /> <BR />For example, some of the things that have been laid out in these proposals regarding the low-emission slurry-spreading equipment that will be mandatory by 2029 — as my colleagues have already pointed out — are not going to work on the average hill farm. It is not going to work on rough ground, it is not going to work in the sort of mountain area that I was reared in, and it is completely unaffordable for those farmers to have that cost put on them. We are talking about a group of people for which our way of food production has changed and moved to a more intensive type of farming to cater for what society has asked for. We have seen a reduction in the number of cattle on the hills, which meant them turning towards the only viable means of farming.”
“I attest very clearly that blaming a population that is already working in a volatile industry, and which is a very vulnerable group within society, is not the answer. As somebody who comes from a hill farm in the Sperrins, I can see, through generations, that our farmers have, on many occasions, had to respond quickly to different policy directives — often written by people with limited experience of agriculture or understanding of the factors that affect the average farm — and change their way of life on that basis. I speak specifically for hill farmers, who are always the last to benefit and who always work in the most difficult conditions.”
“any longer than three minutes anyway. <BR /> <BR />Like my colleagues, I support the motion. People will know that this is very close to my heart, coming from a farming family as I do. In the area that I represent, the issue of water quality is also very close to my heart. People may remember that I raised on several occasions in the Chamber, last year and the year before, the issues with the water that was coming from Lough Neagh, which affected many of my constituents. Therefore, I am clear that we need to address the issues of water quality. We know that the factors that have caused that problem were long in the making, with years of underinvestment and mismanagement of the lough.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Tá tú maith go leor”
“I am glad that you were able to work it out from the document in front of you. Will you detail what work the Executive Office has done to progress those bodies?”
“Go raibh maith agat, agus gabhaim buíochas leis an leasChéad-Aire as a fhreagra sin.”
“Absolutely. The Dublin Government are mismanaging their wealth, but we have funding available that could help us. As far as I am concerned, it is completely unjustifiable for us to refuse it. It is for the Members across the way to justify refusing it if they vote against the motion.”
“I thank the Member for her intervention. It shows that we are arguing about semantics. The point is that we can look at the bigger picture and at what we would all like to do in the long term. I have a very clear political ideology that brought me to the House, as do others, but the reality is that there are groups on the ground that are struggling to pay their employees' wages and cover their budget at the moment, yet there is funding available —.”
“That is where our public services are at as a result of 14 years of Tory austerity, and we now have more of the same from Labour. It is therefore unjustifiable that anybody would knock back funding in that context. I do not understand it. It should be an easy decision for us all, but some Members are looking a gift horse in the mouth, and that is not acceptable. <BR /> <BR />I appreciated getting some clarification on the amendment from the Member to my right. It is regrettable that, instead of placing the focus on where it should be, we have seen deflection. As my colleagues the Members for Upper Bann and South Down articulated better than I ever could, work has begun in the Department of Finance on increasing fiscal devolution to here. Sinn Féin has been completely unambiguous in our support of that.”
“When funding for that work is available and able to ease the pressure that those agencies are under, it is therefore completely unimaginable that any elected representative would refuse it. It is completely unimaginable that politicians who went to the people of the North for a mandate would turn it down in their face. I cannot understand it. <BR /> <BR />As part of that Committee evidence session, we heard from people who work in the Irish language community and who face, as other Members outlined, incredibly difficult budgetary situations. I have worked in my constituency with parents who have been put out of pocket so that their children can be educated through the medium of Irish because of the difficulties that our public services face. Even getting access to a bus service for children across the North is no longer guaranteed.”
“I totally agree with what the Member says. It baffles me. It makes no sense. <BR /> <BR />I was previously a member of the Executive Office Committee, and we took evidence from Foras na Gaeilge and tha Boord o Ulster-Scotch during a Committee meeting. On that afternoon, we heard about the important work that both agencies do in their communities. As somebody who is interested in history and in how we all came to be here, I find their work to be important and, indeed, integral to the identity of us all. Even when it comes to elements of it that I do not find to be particularly relevant to my life, I can at least identify and respect the fact that that work has value and therefore should be funded.”
“Thanks for the opportunity to make a winding-up speech on what has been a lively enough debate. As others mentioned, we had a depressing, almost predictable narrative from the same old corners in some parts of the debate. That is for Members across the House to justify to the people who elected them. <BR /> <BR />We tabled the motion for a simple reason, which is that increased funding is available. It would not cost the Executive anything. It would help and support a list of agencies, all of which work for the people whom we represent. However, because of an ideological opposition that, frankly, makes no sense, we are not accessing that funding. I am yet to hear any good reason from anyone on the Benches opposite for their continued opposition to increased funding for the aforementioned agencies.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“We need education, but we do not need to educate anyone at the expense of any other community, particularly one that has already had wrongs perpetrated against it. <BR /> <BR />That is what the motion is about. It is about recognising the fact that our museums have already given a clear commitment to the decolonisation of artefacts, where possible, and that they want to engage with countries around the world and, again, where possible, return artefacts. We want to support them in doing so. Through that, everyone involved will have a better experience. That is what the motion is about; it is not about bashing anyone. The past happened. If we are ever to deal with it, we have to talk about it openly and honestly and move on from there. That is what the motion calls for, and I would welcome support for it from across the House.”
“If we are to get to a place where the pain of those who have suffered in the past can in any way be rectified, we have to be honest about what caused it. There is space there for different people's accounts and narratives to be reflected. Our museums are doing good work in that regard, and they should be supported in that. <BR /> <BR />We want to offer people an authentic experience. We want to encourage more visitors to our island, and we want to bring people in and tell them the whole story, because we know that the hurt of past communities is exacerbated when their pain is not acknowledged or reflected. Others have referred to the fact that, when countries receive artefacts back and do so in a respectful way, that allows the story to be told in both places honestly.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion, and I welcome the support for it from across the House. I note that the party opposite has stated that it supports the returning of artefacts to their home nations, which is exactly what the motion calls for. The conversation thus far has been respectful, which is welcome. That is largely what this is about: respecting different narratives and reflections on the past and having an honest conversation. <BR /> <BR />We know that our museums offer so much. They are a tourism and education opportunity. Telling the story accurately while acknowledging past hurt and different perspectives on how events unfolded will always lead to a better education piece and a better tourism experience. That is key to what we are asking for here.”
“Minister, will you outline what your Department has done to improve regional balance?”
“Speakers from the legacy sector, the president of the GAA, Jarlath Burns, and others called on the British Secretary of State to do something different: to do the right thing. The murder of Sean Brown was traumatic for his family and for the community at the time in 1997, and that trauma has been exacerbated by successive British Governments, who have added to their pain by refusing them truth and justice. It is now time to stop the delay, do the right thing and announce a public inquiry.”
“, by people of influence from all across Ireland and, most importantly, by Bridie Brown, the widow of Sean Brown, who was cruelly murdered in 1997 as he locked the gates of his beloved Bellaghy Wolfe Tones club. <BR /> <BR />On Friday evening past, I joined thousands of people to walk behind the Brown family in an act of solidarity from St Mary's Church in Bellaghy to Páirc Seán de Brún. Thousands of Gaels walked behind Bridie and her sons and daughters in solidarity. They are Gaels just like Sean was. They are people who care about their community, the place that they call home, their club and their sport. They know that Sean was targeted because of what he represented. He was an ordinary Irishman who cared about Bellaghy and volunteered for so much of his life at his club. <BR /> <BR />The message on Friday evening was clear.”
“I repeat a call that a High Court judge, in the highest court in the land, has already made and that has been reiterated at appeal stage. The same call has been made by the Chief Constable, by various political leaders, by uachtarán Chumann Lúthcleas Gael”