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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“That did not mean that you had to agree with a perspective that you found difficult, but that perspective had a place and it was represented, and the approach was inclusive. <BR /> <BR />I believe that that can be done now. All the parties in Belfast City Hall marked key occasions, including the centenaries of the signing of the Ulster covenant, the First World War, the Battle of the Somme and the 1916 Easter Rising. Do you know what, folks? The sky did not fall in. People came together and marked those occasions, and then we moved on to the next process, which was about re-imaging.”
“I was directly involved in looking at the memorabilia in that building, which, because of the building's history, came from a predominantly unionist perspective. The DUP, UUP, Alliance, the SDLP and Sinn Féin all sat in on that process. We had a historic centenaries working group, and work was done on the display of memorabilia. I was directly involved in each of those groups. Through that work, we came up with a set of principles and an agreement, which the five political parties signed up to, to recognise the different narratives that pertained to the conflict and the impact that it had on our history. That meant that we could mark those occasions, and when we looked at the decade of centenaries — from 2010 to 2020 — we did so in an inclusive manner that respected all the different perspectives and traditions.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I said, those spaces can take many forms, such as gardens, cenotaphs, statues and plaques. They are located across all our neighbourhoods. They also reflect the diverse narratives around the cause of, and factors that sustained, our conflict. They are a recognition that we have a contested past that emanates from that conflict. People who have been impacted on by the conflict can often have different, as well as shared, lived experiences. We may not agree with each other on the narratives and perspectives, but we can listen and understand others' narratives and the impact of the conflict as we attempt the process of understanding and reconciliation. <BR /> <BR />I will give the example of City Hall in Belfast, which Ciara Ferguson touched on.”
“We see that across our society, whether it is in memorial gardens or on plaques or cenotaphs that are in public spaces, government buildings or our communities. In republican areas, as in others, there are memorial gardens located in communities that have an emotional attachment to, and acceptance of, them, as those who are being remembered were often from those very communities. Those areas provide a space for remembrance and reflection, particularly for relatives, friends and the local community. They are often community initiatives that are financed, constructed and maintained by the community. Of course, that act of remembrance and reflection takes place right across our community, and those spaces often provide a sense of acknowledgement and reflection to those communities that have been impacted on by our recent conflict.”
“The motion rightly acknowledges that people should have the right to remember the dead. That approach was recognised in the FICT report, which stated:”
“These are important issues that we are discussing here today. The FICT report states:”
“Minister, you spoke about the new pyramid system of accreditation. The Committee heard the concerns of Community Restorative Justice Ireland and NI Alternatives about level 1, the ethos of adhering to the peace process, working with the PSNI etc and the fact that there may be gaps. Can you assure us that that will not be the case?”
“We stand with teachers and teaching unions and the young people who go to school here; indeed, we stand with the wider community, which, I believe, is also repulsed by the Minister's actions. We do so lest we forget Israel's war crimes against the Palestinian people and the Education Minister's attempts to sanitise them. The community sees that, and we support its call for you to go, Minister.”
“That is the context in which Paul Givan made his visit. More importantly and sickeningly, he boasted about it on the airwaves in the midst of 50,000 children having been murdered and injured; over 500 teachers having been murdered; international law having been broken and ignored; a forced, man-made famine; forced displacement; and, most grotesque of all, a genocide. Anyone who calls this a pantomime needs to take a serious look at themselves. This is not a pantomime; it is about a breach of international law and the genocide being committed by the Israeli state. <BR /> <BR />Those of us here today who support the motion stand with international law and international human rights organisations that have called out the actions of the Israeli state.”
“At my constituency office, I have been inundated with messages, not just from nationalists and republicans but from right across the community in South Belfast and, indeed, from East Belfast as well. That anger and those sentiments are backed up by international condemnation of Israel's actions, including by international courts, which have made rulings of war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
“In recent weeks, a UN rapporteur who oversees the inclusion of women and children has said how the actions of the Israeli Government towards the Palestinian people normalise atrocities globally. What a stark and depressing statement. Indeed, during the Minister's visit to Israel and to the school in the occupied territories, there was another IDF attack on Gaza, which killed six children. I wonder whether the Minister praised the IDF on that visit. <BR /> <BR />In this context, the teaching unions have rightly condemned the Minister's actions. The wider community has condemned them and, as others have reflected, condemnation has come from across the community.”
“<BR /> <BR />Over recent days, we have also heard the well-known phrase, "lest we forget", as part of remembering those wars. We should all understand and never forget those periods of global history and that we need to learn from the past. Oh, how we have forgotten. International law has been torn up by Israel, or set alight, as in the words of Israel's Defence Minister: "Gaza is burning". That Minister, along with the Israeli Prime Minister, has been issued with an international arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for war crimes against the Palestinian people. The Education Minister visited a regime that has war crimes warrants out for their arrest, for war crimes against the Palestinian people. <BR /> <BR />Where do these actions leave international law?”
“If only that were true. Publicising the message that East Jerusalem is a normal society is political propaganda. It is a message that is consistently given by the Israeli state, a political propaganda message that this Minister chose to parrot and that breaches international law. <BR /> <BR />I once spoke in the Chamber of one of the political speeches that most inspires me, made by Tony Benn, the late British MP, on the Iraq war. He spoke of his lived experience as a child in Britain during the period of a world war and the impact on his community. He spoke of 24 October 1945, when the United Nations Charter was passed, and how that generation was determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war — an era that enacted human rights law and standards.”
“Where the Minister visited, there is systemic discrimination against the Palestinian people. The court advised states to avoid any action that would maintain the current situation, but you ignored that advice. Indeed, the British Government, along with other Governments, also see this as illegal activity by Israel and have issued advice pertaining to that. Yet this Education Minister thought that he would flout that advice and use the Department of Education's resources in promoting his visit. The Minister stated:”
“On 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered a landmark opinion that the occupation of Palestinian territories is against international law. It is unlawful, but still this Minister chose to visit and to promote his visit on his departmental website. The ICJ further stated that Israel's:”
“Last week, the Minister stated in the Chamber that he was formally invited by Israel — a trip that was planned and organised by the Israeli embassy. That was a political visit and an Israeli-paid-for propaganda visit that was planned well before the Minister made his disturbing speech from the Back Benches the week before he went to Israel, thanking and praising the IDF. Remember that over 50,000 Palestinian children have been murdered or injured in Gaza, and almost 500 teachers have been killed at the hands of the IDF. An enforced Israeli-made famine has taken place in Gaza, and the army enforces its Government's policy of starving an entire population. <BR /> <BR />That is the context in which the Minister visited the Ofek School, situated in East Jerusalem, which is in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
“I thank the proposer of the motion. We in Sinn Féin are glad to support it. <BR /> <BR />I am concerned by the opening and ending to the Minister's statement, because I thought that he was here as the Education Minister to serve all our community, not speaking as a unionist politician. I ask you to reflect on that. Minister, you are here as the Education Minister, and that is about representing all the communities here, be they unionist, nationalist, republican, loyalist, minority ethnic or those from the Palestinian community who are here. You are to represent all the communities that make up our society. <BR /> <BR />The Minister's decision to use his visit to Israel and to use departmental resources to promote a visit in the occupied territories is wrong, and, I believe, political.”
“My point is that, if you looked at social class, you would pick up not only those people but everybody else. You would not elevate one over the other; again, it would be done on the basis of objective need. That is the core theme of our point and, unfortunately, our opposition to the motion.”
“When we look at issues affecting those in working-class communities, whether they are a working-class British Army soldier, a working-class republican or a working-class migrant, we see that they are discriminated against not because of those characteristics or backgrounds but because of where they were born and their social class. That has a bigger impact on inequalities in health, education, childcare, where people live and how long they will live. I would much prefer to have a conversation about social class, because that would have a bigger impact and address those issues on the basis of objective need, rather than lifting one need above another.”
“That is your perspective, Steve. I never mentioned two communities. I spoke about there being different perspectives and narratives in the community here. We have a conflicted history. It may be your army, but it certainly is not mine, albeit my history does not run in straight lines, as I have shared. <BR /> <BR />Even though my father was tortured by the British Army and died early as a result of those injuries, I do not agree that anybody in our community or across society should be discriminated against, whether that is in housing or health. Such inequalities have to be addressed on the basis of objective need. Another Member mentioned changing the protected characteristics in section 75. If there was to be any change to that, the biggest issue to address in order to have an impact on inequality would be social class.”
“He was arrested under the Special Powers Act and then interned and tortured. We are still grappling with the impact of the conflict here and with how to resolve those issues.”
“Thank you to those who have spoken. Emma highlighted that we will oppose the motion. I had not intended to speak, but I have been listening intently to all the contributions. As Matthew touched on, we are a society that is emerging from decades or, going back, centuries of conflict. As a result, although people have spoken passionately about veterans and the British Army being their army, that is not reflective of all of society here. It is important to say that. <BR /> <BR />We have a complex and layered history, which means that these things do not run in straight lines. I had a great-grandfather who fought with the British Army in the First World War. He joined the British Army in Ireland as a young person. My father was tortured in Palace Barracks, not too far from here, in the early 1970s.”
“I speak as a woman with experience on those issues, so yes.”
“Thank you, Minister, for coming to the Chamber. That is a serious case in which a family was impacted on and failed by the agencies that were there to protect them, as the coroner set out. They were failed again 13 times in the pre-release testing. I welcome the apology and the fact that you will meet the family. That is important. What proactive steps can you take to ensure, as well as to show that family and, indeed, others, who are also their priority, that no other families will be failed? You outlined a number of steps. Will you give a timeline for those as well, please?”
“As you touched on, it is good that there is an indication that somebody is interested in the building, but, if that sale does not go ahead, do you foresee difficulties with its sale because of the listing?”
“That is why we are approaching it in the way that we are. It is good to see the Bill at Consideration Stage. I look forward to continuing engagement at Committee and with other Members in the Chamber.”
“<BR /> <BR />On the issue of cost, the Minister has outlined from the outset — he did it at the Committee, and I know that he did it when he introduced the legislation — that the scheme would be done with compassion and that, at the initiation of the scheme, there would not be a charge when someone applies for a baby loss certificate. It was always important that the certificate scheme would sit alongside all the other certificate schemes that the Department has responsibility for.”
“<BR /> <BR />Some have attempted, through the amendments, to create division and, indeed, to narrow the approach. At the Committee, I reflected on the treatment of women across the island as a result of ideology and ultraconservative views on all these issues. I warn that we have to learn the lessons of the mother-and-baby homes, forced adoptions and other issues that have impacted on women, as well as the attempts to demonise women and their wider family circle. <BR /> <BR />From the outset, the legislation was intended to cater for all those who have lost. It was to be done with compassion and, most importantly, the certificate scheme should reflect the wishes of those who have experienced that loss. The Minister has delivered on that, so I do not agree with the amendments that attempt to divert from that thrust.”
“The introduction of a baby loss certificate scheme has been welcomed across the board by all those whom we have met and taken evidence from. <BR /> <BR />I agree with other Members that clause 8 and the schedule are an important part of the Bill. In essence, they address and rectify an inequality that exists in the legislation. They will allow for couples who are unmarried or who are not civil partners to have access to the same registration process, regardless of whether they are same-sex or opposite-sex couples. I agree with keeping it as flexible as possible and not being restrictive in how people in society choose to live. That is the right thing to do, and I will oppose any Question that attempts to remove it and thus allow the inequality to continue.”
“I thank the Minister for this legislation, and I welcome the fact that the Bill is now at Consideration Stage. The Committee has taken a good approach so far. We all see the importance of progressing the legislation and, importantly, putting it on a firm footing. <BR /> <BR />This compassionate legislation has been broadly welcomed by all those whom we have engaged with in Committee and outside of the Committee as individual MLAs. Importantly, it replaces the temporary provisions that were implemented at pace during COVID. We have listened to the lived experience of those who have suffered loss and the impact that it continues to have on them. We have also heard how recognition is an important step for many.”
“It reflects not only the vibrancy of that wider community but its hopes and aspirations to build a sustainable Castlereagh South that is connected and that intersects with other areas while also delivering for the needs of the residents, not just the current residents but the residents who will be living there in the next 10, 20 and 30 years. We need to ensure that the infrastructure investment that we put in now is future-proofed to meet those future needs. I welcome the Adjournment debate, and I look forward to working with everyone here to ensure that we deliver for the residents in that area.”
“As I say, the greenway and the Glider, along with enhanced Metro services, will be significant projects over the next period, and I want to work with the community, the Minister, the council and, indeed, with the local reps who are here this afternoon, and Edwin, who could not be here, to deliver and ensure that we build a safe, sustainable, accessible and connected transport and infrastructure system in the Castlereagh South area. <BR /> <BR />It is a vibrant area. We were at the Down county final on Sunday, watching Carryduff, and you can see how even one small sports team — we have soccer teams and others too — is playing a role and attracting young people.”
“Another key area of infrastructure is connectivity and pedestrianisation, and, importantly, linking local services and green spaces. That is why the proposed Carryduff greenway project is a game changer in the area. The Department previously provided the council with funding for a feasibility study and for design costs to work up the project in more detail. The council recently re-established the Carryduff working group to look at that project, and I am keen to see the proposals from that extensive work. Castlereagh South is an expanding area, and we must all ensure that it has appropriate infrastructure. I welcome projects that have been delivered so far and the important projects that are in the planning and design phase.”
“When roads are closed for long periods, residents get annoyed. Once the roads have opened, however, particularly Knockbracken Road, you see why it was important for the changes to be made.”
“That shows that, if the public transport is there, the local community will definitely make use of it. As the next iteration of the Glider scheme into the area develops, I ask the Minister to engage with Translink to look at extending the Metro service to Carryduff, so as to align with the Glider development. <BR /> <BR />The Minister's recent announcements about the late-night bus services pilot, which will see an increase in services into Castlereagh South, and on bus prioritisation over the Christmas period, are welcome. As Kate touched on, we have seen completed schemes at Purdysburn Road, Mealough Road and Ballynagarrick Road and the Saintfield Road and Knockbracken Road junctions, while works are ongoing at Ballymaconaghy Road. Whilst those schemes are welcome, it is about how they are sequenced.”
“The expanding nature of the area, with many housing developments agreed or progressing through planning, has increased demand for local infrastructure services, including greater access to public transport, walking and cycling. There are schools, sports teams and amazing community organisations in the area, so road safety is important, as is connectivity between each of those infrastructure elements and the housing developments that surround them. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the Minister's recent public transport announcement about the Glider phase 2 start — an investment of £48 million in south and north Belfast — and her commitment to see the full Glider project delivered. The number of users of public transport in Castlereagh South has increased over the past couple of years.”
“Thank you to Kate for bringing the Adjournment debate. Castlereagh South sits within the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council area at the south-east side of Belfast. It is a growing community, particularly in Carryduff, Four Winds and Newtownbreda, with an increased demand for housing and the associated amenities. You just need to look at the council's planning portal to see the growth that has taken place and what is planned for the months and years ahead. <BR /> <BR />The area sits within the wider road infrastructure network for commuters and public transport users from outside Belfast. Thus, it acts as a key connector to more rural communities.”
“We all want to build a fairer and stronger rates system that supports public services and, importantly, treats people with dignity.”
“There must be a balanced solution that includes enforcement and recovery, where appropriate, but also compassion and support, putting in support measures for those who struggle to pay. That is the approach that Sinn Féin sees and that Minister O'Dowd is delivering. <BR /> <BR />When we look at the full picture in context, we see that the numbers tell a different story. Over the past six years, more than £8 billion has been collected, with uncollected amounts totalling around 2%. We are aware that arrears are reducing. As I said, last year, we saw the biggest increase in rates collection. That shows that the interventions that are being introduced work. <BR /> <BR />Addressing the issue of unpaid rates is not about blame; it is about responsibility and solutions, recognising that progress is being made.”
“As the Minister outlined, nearly £13 million is currently being repaid through active payment plans, helping people to meet their obligations in a manageable way that can be responsible for government pursuing what is owed without punishing people who are already struggling. It is simply unfair that many families and businesses pay their rates on time, often under great financial pressure, while others avoid that responsibility. That undermines confidence in the system. <BR /> <BR />Not all unpaid rates are the result of avoidance or unwillingness to pay, however. It can be down to some of the realities of the cost of living that people face, which I spoke about, and to the impact that the interventions that the British Government have made have on our small and medium-sized businesses.”
“Sinn Féin welcomes the Minister's forward-looking approach, which recognises that, while the system for collection of rates must improve, it must also be fair, transparent, adapted to the realities that ratepayers face and must ensure that the most vulnerable are protected. Those with the broadest shoulders have a responsibility to bear some of the burden, and there is a question to be asked about how to go about that in a fair and balanced way: those with a bigger income and bigger home need to pay higher rates, and we need to look at more mitigations for those who are struggling to meet their bills. <BR /> <BR />One of the most important points that I will make today is about balance.”
“That includes the continuation of rural ATMs to help sustain that important local service in rural communities, which we as a Committee have heard about in recent months; ongoing rates relief for low-income households; and protection from excessive burdens for the most vulnerable in our communities and families. <BR /> <BR />The Finance Minister has overseen an overview of the strategic review of the rating system that examines the system in its entirety and looks at the forms of relief that are offered, vacant property charges and other issues. The Finance Committee has had briefings on the reform programme in the past couple of months and even in the past week. The Finance Minister has also engaged with the Committee and is due in front of it again before the Christmas recess.”
“Many businesses have also faced difficulties, while some have failed. Like households, businesses have struggled under the pressure. <BR /> <BR />The Minister of Finance is taking real and practical steps to tackle those challenges and is ensuring that the most vulnerable are not further impacted on. First, the 2024-25 period saw the highest-ever level of rates collected here in the North. That is a positive note that reflects the focused work of the Department and LPS to improve billing, collections and recovery. In the previous financial year, £1·63 billion in rates was collected. The Minister has also ensured that support for those who need it most has been maintained and strengthened.”
“I thank the proposer of the motion, which raises important issues. Sinn Féin fully recognises that rates are a vital source of public revenue. They are the only form of taxation that is available to us here, and that means that we have to look at this critically. We have to get the system right and ensure that rates are collected fairly, efficiently and in a way that supports rather than burdens families and local businesses. That has been the Minister's priority. <BR /> <BR />Years of Tory austerity have seen public services ripped apart and stripped of vital resources and funding, and global economic uncertainty and failures have contributed to increased pressures on many households here in meeting their essential needs, particularly as we are going through another cost-of-living crisis.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. HMOs have presented issues for well over a decade, particularly in areas such as the Holylands in South Belfast and in other inner-city communities. However, I am concerned with the Minister's framing of the question. He looks at one small area that is not reflective of the concerns that those communities raise: concerns about the economic system that drives profit in housing over the needs of communities. I know that, because of the restrictions on HMOs in, for example, the Belfast City Council area, landlords are now switching to temporary let accommodation. Minister, if you want to build a fairer housing system, what work is being done to address the issues more broadly to ensure that we can deliver housing for people, no matter what their community background, ethnicity, religion or gender is?”
“Thanks very much for your answer, Minister. What else is being done to control Airbnb rentals in areas of high housing demand?”
“Thanks very much for your answer, First Minister. The PSNI's Chief Constable and, as you said, the domestic courts have also called for an inquiry into Sean Brown's murder. Do you therefore believe that the needs of victims should be at the core of the wider process?”
“I thank the Minister for bringing the motion to the House. As other Members have said, it is progressive legislation that was brought in during COVID, and its functions will be made permanent because of the moves that the Minister has made. It is just that the moves have taken place during Baby Loss Awareness Week. The Committee heard a lot of the lived experience of parents who have suffered the loss of a baby, and the addition to the permanent legislation, which will include a baby loss certificate scheme, has been welcomed by those parents and, more generally, the public. It is good that we have progressed to this stage, and I hope that we will see the progressive legislation made permanent without further delay.”
“— we are keen to work with the Minister, and —”
“We will work with the Minister and across the Chamber to deliver that. Consistent access to justice, including legal aid, is a core public service, not a privilege. We must ensure that the justice system is properly resourced and that the agreements that are being negotiated with the profession are implemented as soon as possible. Defending the rights of all in the justice system is important, so —”