Deirdre Hargey
South Belfast · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“His double standards, including his condemnation of and opposition to equality and rights for our LGBTQ+ citizens, have caused real harm to others. The revelations about his double life expose the staggering hypocrisy of the DUP's moral facade. We need to know whether failing to act sooner left more vulnerable people at risk.”
“One week ago today, Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sexual offences, including rape. That conviction was made possible only by the strength and resilience of the two victims who came forward and reported the abuse. Donaldson was an abuser. He abused children, but he also abused his position in politics and faith.”
“They now say that they knew about his behaviour, but, crucially, they did nothing to expose his inappropriate hypocrisy and double life. The 'Spotlight' programme and other reports have shown that senior members of the DUP — its most senior figures, including the then leader, Edwin Poots — were aware of serious issues and allegations abou…”
“It is therefore not credible to suggest that the intelligence agencies were blind to his compromised double standards and double life. <BR /> <BR />Those questions demand answers from the DUP leadership. They demand answers in the House from the deputy First Minister, who was closely associated with Donaldson.”
“It is clear that there is a huge disconnect between Whitehall and the reality that is being felt by people on the ground. A British Treasury policy that is managing decay, real-terms cuts and disastrous policy decisions such as Brexit or the funding of wars over public services comes on top of existing disparities between how public servi…”
“The answer is not the short-term fixes or cash injections that we have had in the past, which have allowed for the repeated Treasury script of record settlements and inability of the Executive to manage their finances — scripts that are often parroted in the Chamber.”
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“There appear to have been misrepresentation by Members in the House regarding £181 million that was returned to DOF. Can you clarify the situation, please?”
“Minister, you outlined some of the benefits of the Peace and INTERREG programmes. How can those be improved, particularly in terms of economic development outputs for socially deprived communities as well?”
“Thank you for your statement, Minister. Anything that encourages local businesses to grow is important. Will you outline when the changes to non-domestic vacant rating will be introduced?”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I would like clarity. You mentioned the Speaker's Office, as well as, potentially, the head of the Civil Service, doing a review. Will the terms of the Speaker's Office's review be made public?”
“It is therefore not credible to suggest that the intelligence agencies were blind to his compromised double standards and double life. <BR /> <BR />Those questions demand answers from the DUP leadership. They demand answers in the House from the deputy First Minister, who was closely associated with Donaldson. They demand explanations from every one of his colleagues who sits muted on the foreign Benches. The public have a right to know —”
“His double standards, including his condemnation of and opposition to equality and rights for our LGBTQ+ citizens, have caused real harm to others. The revelations about his double life expose the staggering hypocrisy of the DUP's moral facade. We need to know whether failing to act sooner left more vulnerable people at risk. <BR /> <BR />There are also serious questions to answer for others in positions of authority and power in religious institutions to which the allegations of abuse were disclosed. Why were those allegations not reported to the authorities? Why was the victim placed in front of the perpetrator? Moreover, questions must be asked of policing and of the British Government and their intelligence agencies. Donaldson was a member of the Privy Council. He had access to British Prime Ministers and highly classified material.”
“They now say that they knew about his behaviour, but, crucially, they did nothing to expose his inappropriate hypocrisy and double life. The 'Spotlight' programme and other reports have shown that senior members of the DUP — its most senior figures, including the then leader, Edwin Poots — were aware of serious issues and allegations about his behaviour — behaviour that compromised him and raised serious questions about his character. Not only were those serious red flags ignored but, incredibly, Donaldson was elected as DUP leader — the leader of unionism — and protected by a culture of cover-up and promoted as a paragon of morality. We need to hear how that happened, given that the truth was very different. <BR /> <BR />His abuse has caused lasting hurt and trauma to his victims.”
“One week ago today, Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sexual offences, including rape. That conviction was made possible only by the strength and resilience of the two victims who came forward and reported the abuse. Donaldson was an abuser. He abused children, but he also abused his position in politics and faith. Involved in the most sensitive of political negotiations, with access to political power and influence, how was an abuser able to rise to the highest ranks of political office as an MLA and an MP at Westminster and to become the leader of the largest unionist party, the DUP? <BR /> <BR />Since the court case, more shocking information has come to light regarding a pattern of behaviour that was kept hidden from the public by his colleagues, who worked with him, socialised with him, promoted him and followed him.”
“On the back of the recent disgraceful racist attacks in Belfast, what work is your Department doing to support staff across the Civil Service who were impacted on in order to ensure that they feel safe and supported at this time?”
“First Minister, you touched on your recent meeting with the racial equality subgroup. Do you agree that it is important that the voices of those with lived experience are taken into account when drafting the framework for race relations?”
“Thanks very much for giving way. You mentioned that the Executive need to have a plan in engaging with Westminster, but we had one when we agreed the fiscal framework and looked at the level of need. The fundamental flaw here is that, historically, we have been underfunded from the baseline. Unless we address that, we will come round to these issues year-on-year.”
“I urge everyone to support the amendment.”
“A multi-year Budget would allow for better planning of, greater investment in and the major transformation of our public services, but it cannot be built on the foundations of continued underfunding. I join the Minister in saying that we need to work collectively —.”
“'Oliver Twist' was about the elite punishing the poor, and that is what we are seeing now with Westminster fiscal policy. I am not surprised that the TUV is looking to the interests of the elite at Whitehall over the interests of people here who are struggling. The Member may be used to saying, "Yes sir, give me more", but we are not. <BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that we need an agreed Budget as soon as possible in order to have certainty and the ability to plan, and particularly to have the three-year Budget that the Minister has been trying to prepare. We also need to be honest that a multi-year Budget, while essential, can only deliver its full potential if it is supported by a fair and sustainable funding settlement.”
“Why should our citizens and our public services be treated as second class? That is why Sinn Féin's amendment is so important. It recognises both the scale of the fiscal challenge that faces the Assembly and the reality of continued underinvestment by the British Government. The Opposition say that they are not willing to stand by in this chaos. Why is it that they are willing to stand by in the chaos that is being created at Westminster? Is it because it is their sister party that is creating that chaos? As was said earlier, the public here will no longer be gaslighted. It is not good enough just to accept crumbs off the table. <BR /> <BR />That brings me to the TUV. I am not surprised that the Member tried to use an Oliver Twist analogy.”
“It is clear that there is a huge disconnect between Whitehall and the reality that is being felt by people on the ground. A British Treasury policy that is managing decay, real-terms cuts and disastrous policy decisions such as Brexit or the funding of wars over public services comes on top of existing disparities between how public services are funded here by the Executive and how they are funded in Wales and Scotland. That disparity causes us to lose out on an additional £1 billion to £3 billion annually. <BR /> <BR />The Fiscal Council's sustainability report backed up the analysis of the Minister and his officials over recent months. The motion makes no mention of that, nor that citizens here and our public services are an afterthought in Westminster fiscal policy. Why should we receive less funding here?”
“The answer is not the short-term fixes or cash injections that we have had in the past, which have allowed for the repeated Treasury script of record settlements and inability of the Executive to manage their finances — scripts that are often parroted in the Chamber. The crisis stems from a structurally flawed funding framework at the fiscal centre in Westminster. Short-term fixes will not resolve the fundamental issue. What we need is a shift towards long-term needs-based financial packages. <BR /> <BR />For me, of course, constitutional change would be the best overall reform that we could get. We know that fiscal policy at Westminster is being discussed in places such as Scotland and Wales as well, as they look to where their futures are better placed.”
“We know that if a Budget is not agreed over the summer, the permanent secretary in the Department of Finance has the legal power to authorise up to 95% of the 2025-26 spend. That is a legal safeguard that ensures that public services can continue to receive funding for that period. <BR /> <BR />The challenges are taking place against the backdrop of continued underfunding and significant financial pressures. For too long, our public services, workers and communities have been expected to do more with less. We will continue to manage resources responsibly, as the Minister highlighted, but there is a clear need for a fair and sustainable funding model that enables us to invest in the services that people rely on every day.”
“Thanks very much. I thank everybody who spoke in this important debate. It is important to point out at the start that the issue before us is not simply the absence of an agreed Budget. At the core of the issue is the absence of an appropriate Budget to fund our public services at the level of need. Those services continue to operate in a system of chronic underfunding, which has been imposed by consecutive British Governments. Indeed, the Fiscal Council's recent sustainability report makes that point very clearly. Whilst it highlights that operating without an agreed Budget is unsustainable, it also confirms that the Executive are not funded at a level that reflects our need, and that is having a profound impact.”
“Thanks very much, Minister. The grid connection policy is welcome because it will put money back into people's pockets. Can you provide a further update on the renewable targets and particularly on the renewable electricity price guarantee scheme (REPG), which will help to achieve those targets?”
“Thanks very much, Minister. It appears that some do not like working-class people or, indeed, trade unions. Trade unions play an integral role in the social and economic fabric here and have done so for well over 100 years on our streets. Do you agree that, in 2026, they still play a vital role in informing workers of their rights and, importantly, helping them to exercise those rights?”
“Thank you, Minister. Your Department's disability and work strategy sets out a commitment to investigate opportunities in the benefits system and benefit conditionality in order to help to address claimant fear or reluctance to participate in employment activity. While you are assessing what is happening across the water on Right to Try, what more can or will you do as part of the strategy to reassure claimants?”
“The Fiscal Council’s two statutory duties are to bring forward a Budget assessment report and a fiscal sustainability report. The rest of the operational decisions are down to the council, and that is the right course of action. The legislation before us today strikes the right balance. If the council wants to look at other wide-ranging societal issues, it has the independence to do so, and that ensures confidence in the body among the wider public. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for introducing the Bill, and I should highlight the fact that it was Conor Murphy, a Sinn Féin Minister, who established the Fiscal Council in 2021. We will continue to engage proactively with the council and others as we discuss our public finances.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome greater scrutiny from organisations such as the Fiscal Council, and it is important that they look at the broader issues going forward. As was touched on earlier, there have been some attempts to misconstrue the role of the council or to say that it is about trying to stop us from looking at the cost of division. I have spoken about those issues; I do not shy away from them. They are important. I have highlighted the fact that the cost of poverty is almost double the cost of division, but both are important areas for us to look at. There is nothing in the Bill to stop the Fiscal Council from looking at any of those issues going forward, which makes it all the more important that we have an independent council.”
“We should not shy away from that, and it is welcomed by Sinn Féin. As Steve Aiken mentioned, it is key to the discourse on where we are with the Budget. It is important that the general public know that we are not financed on the basis of need when compared with Wales and Scotland. The Fiscal Council’s work has shown that the Budget that comes from Westminster treats us as second-class citizens when compared with the funding for the other jurisdictions, and that is not acceptable. If we were funded to the level of need, we would have an additional sum of between £1 billion and £3 billion, which would go a huge way to alleviating some of the pressures that our public finances face at the moment.”
“Like everybody else, I welcome the Final Stage of the Fiscal Council Bill. It is good that we have got to this point. There has been some constructive discussion through the Committee and at each stage in the Chamber. As others have highlighted, this is putting the council on a firm statutory footing from where it was when it was established back in 2021. One important point that has been raised today in relation to some of the amendments is that, from the outset, it was always important that the Fiscal Council operate independently from the Executive, Departments, Ministers and, indeed, even the Opposition. That point is important: it is for the Fiscal Council to determine the work that it carries out. The council is about increasing transparency and adding to the public debate around our finances.”
“Minister, do you intend to legislate to amend the law on divorce and the dissolution of civil partnerships?”
“Minister, given the clear demand for integrated education and Irish-medium education and the failure of the Department to support either, do you accept that many families now see the DUP as being hostile to both integrated education and Irish-medium education?”
“We will now see the production of a baby loss certificate coming sooner rather than later. I commend the Minister, his team and, indeed, the Assembly as a whole.”
“The Member is absolutely right. It reflects that good work. We have heard from all the Members who have spoken so far about the good work that was done between the Minister, the Committee, the organisations and families on the ground and, of course, the Minister's team, who are here today. I want to give my thanks to all of them. It is an important issue, particularly for those parents who want their loss to be recognised. Not everybody does — it is important to say that. For those who do, it is important that they will be treated, and issued with certificates, just like anyone else who loses a loved one. It is an important step. It shows the importance of the Assembly in passing legislation that meets the needs of our communities and society more broadly.”
“I welcome the progression of the regulations. Back in early 2024, when these institutions got back up and running, the then Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, set out her intention to bring forward legislation and, importantly, create a certificate scheme. I am delighted that, following the legislation that the current Finance Minister, John O'Dowd, introduced in 2025, we now have the regulations that will see that happen. As other Members have mentioned, that was on the back of a motion in the Chamber and engagement with families and lobby organisations out there that are impacted on by the issue. I want to say thanks to them —.”
“Minister, last year, when you released tranche 1 of the fund, you said that it would make a real difference to improving health outcomes, supporting children with special educational needs and improving the justice system. Do you believe that tranche 1 has achieved those aims?”
“We have an alternative: constitutional change whereby our future interests would be decided by people here. In the interim, we will continue to work and fight for our public services and for a fair funding settlement that meets the needs of our workers, families and local businesses.”
“In recent weeks, again, they stood together to highlight the challenges of the current Budget, and they have asked for a direct meeting with the British Government and the British Prime Minister to discuss the dire fiscal situation. It is time for the British Government to proactively and meaningfully engage with the Executive. The British Government must change their direction of travel and properly fund our public services. <BR /> <BR />Recent elections in Scotland and Wales have shown what we have known in the North for a long time: Westminster has not acted, does not act and will not act in our best interests. We will not wait for Westminster. We will not be the afterthought in their regressive decisions, and we will not stand by and watch while the Government there manage decline and insular politics.”
“That is on top of a crumbling NHS and waste water infrastructure that has been privatised and stripped of funding: out of the public purse and into shareholders' pockets. Despite the funding challenges here, we have stood against such privatisation of our waste water infrastructure or any attempt to shift the financial burden to workers and families. Inside and outside the Chamber, others have championed water charges, cutting wages and sacking public-sector workers. Sinn Féin will continue to resist those regressive policies. <BR /> <BR />As I have said, last year, the Executive stood together when arguing for a needs-based funding formula.”
“That was disproven when the Finance Minister secured the fiscal framework and an acknowledgement that we were indeed funded below the level of need and that our need would rise to 124%, which, of course, it did. However, that is still below what Scotland and Wales get. <BR />The Barnett formula drives fairness on the basis of comparison with services delivered in England, but we know that our history, our geography and, indeed, our need here are not reflected by that formula, nor are they comparable with those of people who live in England. We must also recognise that, recently, the British Government had to give English councils over £2 billion because they, too, were struggling with the budget that Westminster had given them to sustain their public services.”
“The same disconnect is shown in the British Government's attempt to respond to the fiscal situation here by repeating their script that the Executive have received a record settlement and need to agree a Budget and just make the tough decisions — language and a script that the Opposition here are only too happy to adopt and to parrot. <BR /> <BR />We know that the funding formula used here is flawed, and it is people here who feel the consequences of that. Last year, the Finance Minister, with the support of the Executive, laid out to the British Government the underfunding situation and our level of need. The British Government again attempted to distract and to parrot the old lines that we get more money here than those who live in England.”
“That was followed by COVID and the cost-of-living crisis, which, due to the illegal war in Iran, has been sharpened in recent months by spiking fuel costs that are hurting workers, families and communities. Our public services here are not immune to those global shocks, as we see from that spike in fuel costs. <BR /> <BR />We have witnessed the British Government's failure to respond to those rising costs and the hardship across our community. That shows a complete disconnect between Whitehall and the reality on the ground felt by communities, workers, local businesses and, of course, our front-line public services.”
“I welcome the debate and, indeed, the Fiscal Council's report and the Committee's work over the past couple of months. Members have touched on presentations and comments on the Budget from the likes of the NERI. They all highlight the starkness of the Budget situation that the Executive find themselves in. It is a constrained financial position that means, put simply, that we do not have the appropriate amount through the block grant to deal with the demand and pressures on our public services. That has been exacerbated, as was said, by over 15 years of austerity during which successive British Governments have stripped out vital public services and resources.”
“I can attest to the fact that Strangford is a lovely part of the world. Minister, as part of your consideration, will you look to review the sailings, specifically the early morning ones?”
“That builds on the recent review of the ICRIR, which highlighted severe flaws at a leadership level around culture and governance issues. That is also reflected by the fact that most families here are not engaging with the ICRIR, despite its best efforts. To command the confidence of families, any legacy process must be independent, victim-centred, human rights-compliant and free from political interference or the abuse of national security restrictions. Sinn Féin will continue to stand with families throughout the process.”
“The British Government's own acknowledgement that the ICRIR needed to be replaced is reflected in the legacy Bill that is going through Westminster at the moment, where the intent is to replace it with the Legacy Commission.”
“Last week's judgement at the British Supreme Court was a disappointing result for families who have campaigned for decades for truth and justice. The judgement has caused them grave concern and will make their job harder in the search for truth and justice. It is clear that the British Establishment is closing ranks to protect national security interests by way of protecting British state forces. That judgement will undoubtedly be followed by other legal challenges and potentially a challenge to the European Court, leading to further delay and trauma to families who have already been campaigning for decades. <BR /> <BR />The judgement on the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) is another area of major concern.”
“The council would have flexibility under the Bill to look at some of those areas, but it is down to the council — this is the independence point — to pick an area in order to delve into the issues.”
“Importantly, it sets up the Fiscal Council to continue its valuable work and to look at areas that it feels are beneficial without being steered by the political will in here but being steered by the council itself and the expertise that it contains.”
“The council should have the independence to determine its own course of work. It also means that the council can respond to what matters when it matters, without being tied down or fixed and, indeed, without prescriptive legislation. Putting that role in the Bill would present challenges for the future. If we were to go too far in prescribing what the council must do, we would risk its ability to adapt and to focus on emerging issues and challenges. Going back to the independent nature of the structure, that would also risk prescribing what we allow the council to work on in future. <BR /> <BR />For those reasons, as Jemma said, we will not be supporting the amendments. I believe that the Bill, without the amendments, strikes the right balance between accountability and independence.”
“The Bill already gives flexibility to look at issues where they are relevant. That flexibility is important. I do not think that anybody is shying away from conversations on the cost of division or other issues. We have debated those issues in the Chamber in the past year, and I made the point that segregation on the basis of social class has a more extensive impact on outcomes, or lack of them, for people in our community. Those costs are almost double the projected costs of segregation on religious grounds. <BR /> <BR />There are important issues that we need to raise, but I do not think that that is the role of the Fiscal Council. It can look at issues, but I do not think that we can predetermine at this point or, indeed, in legislation what it should look at.”
“I am just providing a flavour of some of the conversations that we had in Committee. I know that it is an issue that you have raised in the Chamber previously. <BR /> <BR />The same applies to amendments about Programme for Government alignment and looking at the wider economic impact. Those, of course, are important issues, as has been highlighted, but it is not the Fiscal Council's job to look at them. Expanding its remit in that way would stretch its capacity. We have talked about the team's capacity and about making sure that we maximise the team. However, it is there to do the core work that the council has been set up to do. <BR /> <BR />There are amendments that deal with duplication. There was mention of looking at the issues of climate change and the protocol.”
“In doing so, they could undermine the very independence that gives the council its value. We already have mechanisms in place to support parties, so we should be careful not to duplicate or dilute existing work.”
“An important focus of the Bill has been on ensuring that the council operates independently. That was the subject of a lot of the discussion as we deliberated over the Bill, and it is the reason behind several of the amendments. <BR /> <BR />As we consider the five amendments, it is important that we keep coming back to the Fiscal Council's main role and function. Importantly, its role is to be independent and to provide objective analysis of the sustainability of our public finances. The Fiscal Council is not there to be drawn into political positioning or to take on functions that may sit elsewhere. Some of the amendments, particularly those to do with costing party political proposals, cross that line, which risks pulling the council into the political arena.”