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.”
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“I appreciate the complexity of closing down the RHI scheme, but has the Minister been able to communicate with the 1,200 businesses that are engaged with the project about imminent closure — or not imminent closure? They have to make other arrangements, and it is important that they are informed the whole way through the process of closure.”
“At the Economy Committee last Wednesday, we were advised by a senior civil servant that there was not an adequate business case for the expansion of Magee. She specifically said that there was no business case, no funding and no desire to do it at this time, based on the unfinished business with the north Belfast campus of Ulster University. Does the First Minister have an opinion on whether this is a priority for the Executive?”
“You talked about engaging with other sectors throughout the process. Will there be a formal structure whereby you get advice from academics and businesses in order to plot the way forward in the coming months?”
“Over the next few months, I appeal to all Members and to the Executive to work together. We need to protect our economy in Northern Ireland. It is weak as it stands. We need to support the business community in these uncertain times and work collectively to protect the interests of all.”
“Friday 31 January at 11:00 pm was a moment that the people of Derry and across the North never wanted to see. We were forced out of the European Union against our wishes. We deeply regret that decision, but the UK has now left the European Union. Today, the real work begins, and the battle over barriers will begin. It is clear from Prime Minister Johnson's conversations over the weekend and earlier this morning that he believes that some of the barriers are worth it if they free up the UK to make trade deals around the world. That causes a real problem here in the North. <BR /> <BR />The EU has made it clear that any member that leaves the club will not have unfettered access. The two dominant issues will be the level playing field and governance. Any divergence will cause a border in the Irish Sea.”
“That is true, Mr Speaker, and nowhere is it more important than in the city of Derry, where poverty levels are much too high. It is a failure that I am determined to challenge. That is at the core of my new role in the Assembly. Thank you, Mr Speaker.”
“— economic self-harm. <BR /> <BR />I will end by quoting the Irish economist John FitzGerald, whose recent analysis of the North's economy was that, to improve the economy, the most important steps are:”
“We need certainty around our future arrangements, but we need to prepare for Brexit. Our economy is weak, and we have poor productivity due to underinvestment in physical and human capital, especially in my city. We must build our skills to build our economy. Our second city needs a full-sized university of 10,000 students. We need to retain more of our talent instead of exporting it. Limiting the size of our university is a terrible act of —”
“However, I am pragmatic. The UK leaves the EU on 31 January — 11 days from now. We need to play the ball where it has landed. The SDLP and the North did not want a land border in Ireland, and nor did we want a watery border in the Irish Sea. All Members must work hard to ensure that the withdrawal agreement guarantees unfettered access for not only Northern Ireland goods moving to GB but goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. There are competing narratives out there. The EU Commission will protect the single market and the customs union. It has said that the EU import and export formalities will need to take place. We need to understand what they are. <BR /> <BR />I do not like the withdrawal agreement Bill. It gives the UK Government too much power over Northern Ireland.”
“I was the vice-chair of the Remain campaign for Northern Ireland back in 2016 while being chief executive of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce. Economic forecasts predicted that Brexit would damage Northern Ireland, especially in the border counties. Sure enough, last week, the Ulster Bank said that Northern Ireland is now in recession. Thank you, Brexit. <BR /> <BR />While Northern Ireland faced the challenges of Brexit, we had a political vacuum, and our business leaders stepped up. They tried to make sense and tried to make contingency plans, with little or no information. Businesses are not orange or green; they just want to get on with things. I want the Assembly and Executive to work more closely with the business community — with all communities — and academics, and to move ahead with the implementation of Brexit.”
“I was born, was reared and raised a family in my home town. I love my people and my place in Derry. I am passionate about our city, which is full of potential. Derry is a beautiful city, where the Wild Atlantic Way meets the Causeway coast. We are surrounded by the hills of Donegal on three sides. We are a cross-border region that is steeped in history and heritage. If walls could speak. I have lived in Derry in the very worst of times and I have lived in Derry in the best of times, but I really believe that better times are ahead. I commit to the Assembly that I will work very hard to make the best of times better in the future. <BR /> <BR />I support the motion. There is no good version of Brexit. Brexit is bad for our economy and bad for our citizens.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is an honour to be called to make my maiden speech, particularly on this very important issue. Before I speak in support of the motion, I hope that Members can allow me a small indulgence, because I want to talk about my city and my constituency. <BR /> <BR />First, it is my privilege to carry on the mandate of my predecessor and party leader, Colum Eastwood. Colum is a superb politician, showing the value of properly representing the Foyle constituency in Westminster, for Derry and for all of Northern Ireland. I am proud of my party leader. The SDLP has new energy, but we stand on the shoulders of some of the greatest leaders in Ireland: John Hume and Séamus Mallon. We have a strong history of civil rights, as peacemakers and as Europeans. It is part of our DNA. <BR /> <BR />I am a Derry girl.”