Sinéad McLaughlin
Foyle · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“After decades of silence, being believed matters; having your experience acknowledged matters; and knowing that society finally accepts the truth matters deeply. That is what, I hope, the legislation provides. <BR /> <BR />Throughout the process, I wanted to ensure that, where we could strengthen the Bill, we did.”
“Today is an important day because it is a day of accountability. I welcome to the Gallery all of the birth mothers, all of the adult adoptees and all of their family members. I thank everyone who has journeyed with you and loved you throughout the process.”
“As time passed, I believed that the original figure no longer reflected the recognition as strongly as it should have done, so I was pleased that Members from across the Chamber supported that amendment.”
“Behind every clause is a person; behind every amendment is someone's lived experience; and behind every decision that we make in the Chamber are people who have spent years carrying the consequences of decisions that they never made. That is why the legislation is so important.”
“It is often Members who receive the attention in debates such as this, but good legislation depends on the dedication and expertise of many people working quietly in the background. Today, we complete the legislative journey, but we should not pretend that justice begins and ends with the passing of a Bill.”
“We are here because survivors refused to accept that their stories would remain untold. We are here because they never stopped asking for what should never have been so difficult to receive in the first place: recognition, dignity and justice.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,912 lines we hold for Sinéad McLaughlin, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 12 of 39.
“They must engage with the process fully: morally, financially and publicly. True accountability cannot be optional. Yes, the state must acknowledge its role, but so must the religious bodies that profited from the control and suffering of women and children. <BR /> <BR />I am concerned about how the Bill addresses adoptees who were born to women in the institutions. While they are eligible for a redress payment, access to their personal records and birth history and information about their identity are not legislated for in the Bill. Yes, the Bill references the investigation of adoption and fostering arrangements, but that is not the same as guaranteeing adoptees the right to know who they are. Too many adopted people still live with gaps in their story. That is not redress. Redress without full truth is not justice. It is not enough.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill is due to enter Committee Stage tomorrow, and I am committed to carrying out rigorous scrutiny to ensure that the final legislation meets the needs of all those affected and delivers meaningful, survivor-centred outcomes. At this early stage, however, I cannot ignore the serious concerns raised by the current Bill. I am deeply disappointed that the religious institutions that ran many of those homes and were responsible for systematic abuse and neglect are not being compelled to contribute financially to this redress. Can we stand here and truly say that the state alone should carry the entire financial burden? Those institutions caused immense pain and lifelong trauma. They cannot be permitted to remain silent and unaccountable. It is not enough for those institutions to express sorrow in vague terms.”
“<BR /> <BR />As a member of the Committee for the Executive Office, I have heard many heartbreaking testimonies from mothers and adoptees who found themselves placed in the mother-and-baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses. Today, I welcome the progress in having the Bill before the House. I thank the many women of Birth Mothers and their Children for Justice, who have had to fight so hard for this inquiry and redress, for their powerful tenacity. <BR /> <BR />The Committee is clear about the significance of the legislation, especially in responding to the recommendations made by the truth recovery design panel in 2021. I place on record my thanks to the panel for its dedicated work on this vital issue.”
“I am glad to see this Bill before the Assembly. It is long overdue, and it is owed to the women, girls and children who were forced to endure decades of silence, shame and stigma in mother-and-baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses. The state failed them; we failed them. <BR /> <BR />The Bill presents a long-awaited beginning, a first step towards recognition, acknowledgement and truth. We acknowledge one of the greatest scandals in Ireland's history: the removal of children from their mothers, driven by deeply misogynistic values and a punitive, judgemental system. Women and their babies were treated cruelly. Indeed, many were humiliated, and some were excommunicated from the altars of their churches across almost every parish in Ireland. Of course, many young women found that they were also estranged from their families.”
“The Department must take responsibility for its repeated failings, and the Executive must finally show leadership and deliver the A5 in full, without delay and with urgency. Anything less is a betrayal of the people whom we serve.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is not just a technical failure but a failure that has cost lives. The A5 is one of the most dangerous roads on the island. Families were promised action. They were told that change was coming. Those promises have been broken, and, while we delay, communities in the north-west suffer the consequences. The A5 is a lifeline for safety, regional growth and all-island connectivity. It is as much about economic justice as it is about public safety. Let me be clear: if the road were to run through Belfast, it would have been built years ago. The truth is that the north-west is still waiting for the same level of investment, the same urgency and the same political will. <BR /> <BR />Today, I say to this to the Executive: enough. The time for excuses is over.”
“I will speak about the disaster that is the A5. What we have witnessed with the A5 is nothing short of government failure. It has been 18 years since the Executive first gave the scheme the green light, yet not an inch of road has been delivered. The delays are not down to bad luck but are the result of systematic failure by the Department for Infrastructure and the Executive to deliver critical infrastructure. Time and again, legal challenges have succeeded because the Department did not do its job properly; because the statutory processes were mishandled; because climate responsibilities were ignored; and because the basics — the absolute basics — were not done right. The judge made it clear that it was as a result of a series of shortcomings and shortcuts taken by the Department that his judgement, reached yesterday, was shocking.”
“It calls on us to align our actions with our environmental commitments. Words alone will not restore public trust or protect our planet. <BR /> <BR />We should be leading the way on a green industrial strategy, with clean energy, circular economy principles and sustainable development at its heart. The public are not opposed to development; they are opposed to the wrong kind of development. They want protection not exploitation. Let us listen, let us lead and let us act in the public interest.”
“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case of inconsistency. The Minister recently floated the idea of increasing tuition fees here, while Sinn Féin campaigns to abolish them in the South. What kind of doublespeak and doublethink is that? It damages public confidence. <BR /> <BR />The motion gives the Assembly an opportunity to correct course. It calls on the Minister:”
“When we look at the renewable heat incentive (RHI) scandal, in which a renewable scheme encouraged waste, at the ongoing pollution of Lough Neagh and at illegal dumping at Mobuoy, where local communities had to fight for accountability, we see that this licensing decision allows for the same pattern of disregard for public concern and environmental risk. <BR /> <BR />The Minister has argued that exploration does not equal extraction and that there are no lawful barriers, but the public are not reassured by such technicalities. They understand that, where exploration starts, mining often follows. Worse still, the decision contradicts the Minister's previous position. Before taking office, she called for a moratorium on new licences until the regulatory framework was reviewed. That is a matter of public record. What changed?”
“The Department received 2,163 consultation responses, of which 2,153, or 99·5%, were objections. What happened? The Minister ignored them. If we consult the public and then dismiss their views, we undermine trust in our institutions and our democracy. This is a slap in the face for the local communities that care deeply about the land that they live on, the water that they drink and the environment that they want to pass on to their children. The decision is part of a wider failure to protect the environment.”
“I rise to express deep concern and disappointment about the Economy Minister's decision to approve seven new mineral prospecting licences across Counties Tyrone, Armagh and Fermanagh, effectively opening the door to full-scale mining in some of the most beautiful and environmentally sensitive parts of our region. That decision is fundamentally at odds with the direction that our society needs to take. At a time when the Programme for Government (PFG) promises climate action, biodiversity restoration and a green economy, the Department for the Economy is enabling extraction practices that risk polluting our water, scarring our landscapes and locking us into an outdated model of development. <BR /> <BR />The public's opposition to the proposal was overwhelming.”
“<BR /> <BR />We call on the Communities Minister and the Economy Minister to work together to produce, by October, a joint multi-year funding and delivery strategy that ends short-term, opaque and unsustainable funding for arts organisations, recognises their value and places them at the heart of a better approach to boosting our economy. The strategy should include clear, transparent funding criteria, guarantee fair support across all regions and be co-designed by the sector. That is why we tabled today's motion, and I hope that it will receive broad support. <BR /> <BR />The Programme for Government does not mention the arts once. There is not a single reference in it to artists' enriching our communities and driving our growth. That is political —”
“I want to see every region get proper arts funding and every artist be supported, but I also want to be assured that the arts potential in our city — a city that most Members know to be bursting with creative potential — is properly supported. Realistically, how can we say that it is when organisations such as Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company and others have had their funding cut or, in many cases, removed completely or when the Riverside Theatre in Coleraine faces closure? Regional balance is not about everywhere getting an equal slice of the pie, not that we have to worry about that in this case. It is about the gap between the investment in places and their potential.”
“Simply cutting arts funding is penny wise and pound foolish, and it should form no part of the Government's agenda. Unfortunately, when I listen to the Communities Minister, I do not get a sense that he understands the sector's economic potential. Last week, the Minister very graciously detailed the differences between population sizes and the quantum of arts funding. He seems to have no problem with the fact that Belfast receives 70% of all arts funding. Moreover, by making such basic comparisons between population and arts funding, he totally neglects his responsibility to understand the arts as a lever to help address and redress economic disadvantage and how funding should be tailored to the places with most potential. <BR /> <BR />Derry is the second city of this place. It receives 12% of the funding.”
“<BR /> <BR />That failure is reflected in the level of funding allocated to our arts sector, across the North. Northern Ireland receives the lowest per capita investment in arts funding of all the UK nations. Per capita, the arts in Northern Ireland receive just £5·07, which is half of what they receive in Wales, where the investment is £10·51 per head. In Ireland, the equivalent body to the Arts Council receives four times the level of commitment from the Irish Government, while the Arts Council here has detailed that government investment in the arts fell by £10 million in real terms between 2011 and 2023. That is self-sabotage, particularly when we think about our return on investment, and it should be stopped. We see a 23% return on every penny invested in the arts.”
“While news headlines, as we have seen over the past week, are too often about the worst aspects of Northern Ireland's society, our culture represents some of the very best. <BR /> <BR />The arts are also a huge boon to our economic prosperity. A 2023 report found that, in 2022, the creative industries contributed £49 billion to the UK economy and supported nearly one million jobs. That is enormous. The economic power of the arts has been recognised in other places. Recently, the UK Government announced the £270 million Arts Everywhere fund to create jobs and build creative skills for young people, yet, in Northern Ireland, we still fail to realise that economic possibility or the multiplier effect that arts investment can have throughout society.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. In Northern Ireland, the arts are one of our region's greatest strengths. I suspect that there is very little disagreement on that among the parties in the Chamber. In each corner of Northern Ireland, from theatre halls to arts centres, the arts build bridges, spark dialogue and bring people of all backgrounds together. They act as a quiet engine for our peace, holding a mirror up to our society in ways that can move us to laughter or bring us to tears in equal measure. Many of us swell with pride when people from outside Northern Ireland talk of the region's cultural assets, including shows such as 'Game of Thrones', 'Blue Lights', 'Line of Duty' and, of course, 'Derry Girls'.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your statement. I represent a city that has very high levels of deprivation. Does the draft strategy propose ensuring targeted interventions to fight regional imbalance? Is it your vision to have investment in and specific interventions for constituencies such as Foyle?”
“I call on every Government, every international actor and every voice of conscience to demand immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access, protection for medical staff facilities and supplies and a coordinated plan for a long-term reconstruction of Gaza's health system, led for and by Palestinians. This is not politics; this is humanity, and it is time that we chose to defend it.”
“Some 41% of kidney failure patients have died during the war; 477 patients died waiting to travel for treatment that they never received; 60 children have died of malnutrition in a world of abundance; yesterday, more than 20 people were murdered as they queued for food. Let me repeat that: children are dying of hunger, and patients are dying because they cannot access care or because the care that they need no longer exists. Access to humanitarian aid and medical support is not a luxury; it is a legal right and a moral imperative. <BR /> <BR />Today, I say with deep conviction that we cannot claim ignorance. We know what is happening. It has been documented; it has been testified to; and it has been witnessed by doctors and aid workers alike. What we lack is not evidence: what we lack is action.”
“Twenty-two of Gaza's 38 hospitals are out of service; only 30 of 105 primary care centres are still functioning; bed occupancy is at 106%, which means that patients are lying on floors and corridors or cannot get anywhere at all; and over 47% of essential drugs and 65% of medical consumables are gone — completely out of stock. The surgical infrastructure has been decimated. In catastrophic conditions, only 50 operating rooms are functioning, which is down from 104, and just nine oxygen stations out of 34 remain partially operational. Gaza has no functioning MRI machines, and only seven CT scanners remain. <BR /> <BR />Behind those numbers are human lives.”
“Once again, I rise with a heavy heart and a clear call to conscience. What is happening in Gaza is not just a humanitarian crisis but a full collapse of human protection and public health. We must name it for what it is: a moral failure by the international community. Earlier this month, a number of doctors from British medical teams returned from Gaza. They shared a stark picture of conditions on the ground — evidence-based, first-hand and beyond denial. <BR /> <BR />The statistics from the Gaza Ministry of Health speak for themselves, and they should shake us.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. I acknowledge and welcome the fact that you sided with the SDLP in opposing the raising of tuition fees. However, that stance alone will not solve the underlying financial crisis that faces our universities. When will you finally publish the overdue higher education funding review, and, crucially, what fully costed options will you bring forward in this term to deliver a sustainable settlement that will spare our students and institutions ever again having to bridge gaps that have been created by the Department's lack of funding?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. The projects are almost two months behind schedule. As part of June monitoring, the Minister's Department has indicated a reduced requirement of £8·9 million in relation to the economic regional growth fund. This is the first year of that fund, and, already, she has indicated a significant underspend. That delay and underspend are symbolic of the Executive's continual failure for the subregions, particularly the north-west. Why has that happened?”
“Minister, based on that, do you believe that more funding should be removed from the arts sector in Derry? That was the suggestion that you made in the House.”
“You did. You qualified it with percentages of population against percentages of funding.”
“Minister, you failed to answer the question that my colleague asked about whether you would commit to visiting the Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company, which has lost 100% of its funding. It is not the first time that you have raised the issue of Derry getting too much money for the arts —.”
“Local residents and businesses have raised concerns with me about ongoing issues on the site, particularly around cleanliness, access to toilets and illegal parking. Given the new entrants — Alchemy and Ernst & Young — that are now based there, and events such as the one that you have just spoken about, it is really important that the site is clean and safe for everybody who shares it. What is your Department doing to ensure that the site is safe and welcoming?”
“Thank you, Minister, for your welcome statement today. Will the Minister ensure that the systemic issues that were exploited by the criminals to make millions and millions of pounds have been addressed, as recommended in the Mills review? BBC Radio 4 journalists investigated the issue and suggested that something on this scale could have been carried out only with the involvement of organised crime: what is your view on that?”
“We must demand action, an end to arms sales and a clear international commitment to peace, because, every hour that we delay, another child goes hungry, another mother mourns and another family is shattered. History will ask us, "What did you do?".”
“<BR /> <BR />The people of Gaza have been left abandoned by much of the international community, and Europe, including the British Government, is failing in its duty. While leaders express concern, arms continue to be sold to Israel. That is not neutrality but complicity. We urgently need a full and immediate ceasefire, the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid and a return to meaningful peace talks: talks that are grounded in justice, dignity and equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis. Peace cannot be built on the rubble of homes and the graves of children, however. It cannot be achieved while aid is withheld, while journalists are silent and while international law is ignored with impunity. I stand with those across these islands who are calling for an end to the horror. We must demand more than words from our Governments.”
“This morning, doctors in Gaza described scenes of total carnage as at least 27 people were reportedly killed by Israeli fire at an aid distribution centre. Hospitals are overwhelmed, medical staff are working in impossible conditions and casualties are mounting by the hour. In 2025, we are witnessing the deliberate blocking of aid, which is being done in full view of the world. It is not a natural disaster but a man-made atrocity. Let me be absolutely clear: the denial of food, water and medicine to civilians is not just a moral outrage but a breach of international law. The Israeli Government and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) cannot be allowed to use the provision of humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip in negotiations. Aid is not a tool of revenge but a lifeline.”
“I wish to express my horror, heartbreak and anger at the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Since 7 October, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of them women and children; over 15,000 people have been arrested; entire families have been wiped out; cities have been reduced to rubble; and, now, in perhaps the most horrifying development of all, children are dying of starvation.”
“They need action and reform, and they need government to finally be on their side. Northern Ireland can be a great place to do business. We have the talent, creativity and determination, but that potential will continue to be wasted if we remain on the path of delay and denial. We must act now before more businesses are lost, more workers are laid off and more communities are hollowed out. The Executive need to take action today, stand up for local businesses and jobs and do what it takes to turn the crisis around.”
“I understand that these are difficult problems, but they are solvable if there is the political will to solve them. The Executive must stop sitting on their hands. We can take real, practical steps: investing in energy infrastructure and delivering the North/South interconnector to reduce costs; reforming business rates so that they reward investment and support our town centres; fixing our waste water infrastructure so that we can unlock development; and, crucially, reconvening the high street task force to create a joined-up, cross-departmental strategy to back local businesses. <BR /> <BR />That is why today's motion matters. It asks for the bare minimum in response to a crisis that is already well under way. Its asks should not be controversial; they should be common sense. Our businesses do not need more warm words.”
“The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned that the UK Budget will leave businesses carrying the weight of an astronomical quarter of a trillion pounds in new taxes. While the increase in the employment allowance is welcome, the FSB has said that the Budget contains little to inspire growth or entrepreneurship. Retail NI has also raised the alarm, setting out a five-point recovery plan that includes the reconvening of the high street task force; the creation of a cost of doing business advisory forum; and planning reform to support town centre revitalisation. <BR /> <BR />The message is clear: Governments, at all levels, must act to address that perfect storm. Despite those urgent calls, little progress has been made.”
“Those are not theoretical issues; they are barriers to growth, plain and simple.”
“<BR /> <BR />The National Insurance hike is only part of the problem, and I have seen first-hand how the current challenges compound that. Our energy prices are among the highest in Europe due to underinvestment in our grid and delays in delivering the North/South interconnector. Our business rates system is outdated, antiquated and unfair, punishing regeneration instead of rewarding it. Our broken waste water infrastructure is blocking new homes, stalling commercial investment and deterring business expansion.”
“Those are the people and organisations that care for us when we are sick, support our most vulnerable, feed our families and keep the lights on in our towns and villages. Failure to support them is failure to support the very fabric of our society. When local businesses close, it is not just the closure of a shop but the loss of jobs, local services, pride in our place and confidence in our economy. It is another blow to towns such as mine in Derry. We see businesses in my Foyle constituency close every week not because they are mismanaged but because the conditions in which they are expected to survive have become impossibly hostile. Derry should be thriving, and our high streets should all be full of life, with shoppers, tourists and local entrepreneurs, but, instead, they are filled with vacancy signs.”
“<BR /> <BR />While other Administrations across the UK have introduced targeted support or fiscal interventions to shield their businesses, the Government in Northern Ireland have let time pass. They have allowed pressure to mount and have compounded the crisis through inaction. The result has been devastating. We have the highest share of workers on the minimum wage in the UK: one in 10. That means that a part-time worker on the minimum wage now costs an employer 14% more to employ. For small businesses that are already battling to stay open, that is an enormous burden. <BR /> <BR />The crisis is not just hitting retail but is hammering the voluntary and community organisations, our GP practices and dental surgeries, our hospitality and tourism employers and our creative and cultural industries.”
“<BR /> <BR />A report by Ulster University called 'The impact of the increased Cost of Doing Business' lays bare the scale of the challenge. Let me tell you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, it makes for grim reading. The report warns that the combined effect of National Insurance contribution increases and changes to the national living wage will fall hardest on Northern Ireland for three key reasons: our average earnings are lower than those anywhere else in the UK; we have more people who are employed in low-paid work; and our community and public service providers have limited scope to absorb further cost increases. That is not just a statistical anomaly but the result of years of political failure by Governments who have either been absent or unwilling to act.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. Local businesses across our region are suffering. They struggle to pay their bills and face relentless pressure from online competition and falling footfall on our high streets. Now they are being hit again, this time by a steep rise in employer's National Insurance contributions. However, let us be clear: this is not a new issue but a crisis that has been building for years. Businesses across the region are still reeling from the impacts of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis that followed. Those are not abstract forces but real pressures that are felt every day by traders in our town centres, local employers and the workers and families whom they support.”
“Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Women, in particular, and families who go through the family courts feel that the operation of the system is failing them. The work that you outlined is really useful, and the fact that the scoping exercise is under way is really helpful. Do you have any practical suggestions that we could explore so that families can get help more urgently at that time? A commitment of additional funding to support those who are going through the system would also be helpful. Is any of that on your to-do list?”
“I completely agree with the Minister's expression. My son-in-law is waiting for open-heart surgery. I am absolutely flabbergasted by the contents of the report that we have heard about today. They will literally have my daughter's heart in their hands when they operate. Is the Minister able to give us any information about any disciplinary procedures that are going on at the moment in order to address this? We really need to give assurances to all those people in our communities who are waiting to go in that they will be OK and will be looked after. The treatment that my son-in-law has received to date has been exceptional; he could not praise it enough. Today, however, I am really worried.”
“Mr Speaker, I add my congratulations and formally welcome you to the club. <BR /> <BR />We are falling far behind Britain and the South on equality protections: that is unacceptable in 2025. Will you introduce any legislation in this mandate that will close the gaps?”
“It is time to stop viewing cooperation through the lens of us versus them, because it is not about green or orange but about delivering public services, tackling poverty and building an economy that gives hope to young people in Derry as much as it does to young people in Dublin or Drogheda. Let us stop wasting time on vacuous motions and get serious about reform. Let the Executive act as though they want to govern, and not as a collection of parties trying to out-grieve one another.”
“<BR /> <BR />When we have devolved government, we are trapped in a model of siloed Departments that rarely collaborate, even in a crisis. Just last week, former First Minister Arlene Foster told the COVID inquiry that she did not believe that test, trace and isolate was a cross-cutting issue: that speaks volumes. It is not a one-off but the mindset that infects decision-making in this place and across the Executive. Childcare is siloed, climate change is fragmented and regional balance is probably ignored. We must build a system that promotes shared outcomes, not turf wars. <BR /> <BR />The offer of additional North/South funding is a threat to no one. It is an opportunity. It is an invitation to build partnerships based on need, not on tribal balance sheets.”
“<BR /> <BR />Behind those statistics are real people: people who are watching their income stagnate while prices soar; people whose winter fuel payments have been slashed; and people with disabilities who have been told they must accept less support because that is the price of political choices in London. What about here? What choices are we making? We cannot pretend that additional funding from Dublin — welcome though it may be — will paper over the deep cracks in how this place is run. We need serious, systematic reform that ends the cycle of political walkouts and suspended devolution. In 2017, it was Sinn Féin; in 2022, it was the DUP. Every time that a party throws in the towel, our health system suffers, our schools suffer, our economy suffers and our people suffer.”
“Why has that not been prioritised? <BR /> <BR />I am tired of hearing that things are someone else's fault. We are more than a year into this Executive, yet the problems feel exactly the same; in fact, in many cases, they are getting worse, because the governing mindset has not changed. Let us take a sober look at the facts: our public services are on their knees; our National Health Service is under unbearable strain; our education system is stretched to breaking point; and our community and voluntary sector hangs by a thread. All of that is happening while the Executive's well-being dashboard shows that only 14 out of 51 key indicators are moving in the right direction. That is a damning indictment of the Executive's failure to govern with purpose.”