Martin McGuinness
Mid Ulster · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“It was noted that full sectoral audits had been carried out by Departments of the Executive and the Irish Government to identify impacts, risks, opportunities and contingencies that may arise following the UK's intended withdrawal from the EU.”
“<BR /> <BR />We welcome the establishment by Minister Heather Humphreys and Minister Chris Hazzard of an Ulster canal advisory forum, which met for the first time on 23 September 2016.”
“That is something that has never been previously asked. It is interesting that the Member has chosen to call for that. From our perspective, we will have a discussion.”
“We also have 220 people now employed at that centre. They are people of the highest specialisms imaginable in medicine. The dedication that they have to that centre is absolutely amazing.”
“The big decision that was taken by both Administrations at the North/South Ministerial Council meeting — by the Executive Office, the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs — was to put a high-level working group of civil servants in place to deal with the challenges that clearly lie ahead.”
“<BR /> <BR />The oversight board led by Dick Spring and the interdepartmental group set up in both jurisdictions have worked hard to get us to this stage, and I can give assurances that our Executive will continue to give their support to ensure that we deliver the best bid possible.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,155 lines we hold for Martin McGuinness, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 11 of 24.
“We are not there yet — there is still a considerable amount of work to be done — but making politics work and coming to agreements such as the agreement that we are trying to forge at the moment can, on the other side, send a very powerful message to those in our society who believe that violence represents the best way forward that it is the road to no town. What represents the best way forward for us is working institutions, people being prepared to work on reconciliation processes and people working to ensure that we provide foreign direct investment and support for our indigenous businesses. If we can get our act together on all of that, I know that our young people can have a bright future and will not be rich pickings for those who would criminalise them and drag them into activities that will see them end up in prison.”
“It is all part of the challenge that we face. In my role as deputy First Minister over the past eight years, I have been threatened by paramilitaries. My life has been threatened by so-called republicans in different parts of Ireland. My home has been attacked. My wife has been verbally abused in the streets. I know what people face when dealing with those matters, but I have not bowed the knee to any of the people who make such threats; in fact, when they issue threats, it makes me stronger. We are trying to move from a position of recognising that we are in a society emerging from conflict into a post-conflict situation.”
“I hear some barracking from the other side of the House from people who have been less than constructive in the work of peace-making and reconciliation, but I will ignore that for the moment. There is a serious discussion taking place, and the outcome of all of this will hopefully see an approach that finds favour not just in the House but in the community.”
“What is required over the next while is for all politicians in the House to join us in our approach to bearing down on those who thought it was a good idea to lift a gun and go out and shoot Jock Davison and Kevin McGuigan in east Belfast. I think that —”
“There have been many discussions over the last eight or nine weeks, and they have all been very inclusive — the round tables, bilaterals and trilaterals that have taken place. In the discussions that I have had with the First Minister, we have effectively recognised the problem that we face in terms of opposition to these institutions, opposition to the peace process and opposition to all the political parties in the Assembly. Do I think he is serious about coming to an agreed approach that bears down in an effective way on the activities of those who would plunge us back to the past? Yes, I do, and I think that he believes that I am serious.”
“I will stand with all democratically elected politicians in the House against violence, against armed gangs of all descriptions, against criminality of all descriptions and against all paramilitary organisations. It is always possible that you will end up with recriminations when questions like that are asked in that fashion, but it is not lost on the community that I come from that, over the past two or three years, unionist politicians have had absolutely no difficulty standing alongside the UVF in north Belfast.”
“The only way to defeat that is to make politics work, but in making politics work there is a duty and a responsibility on all politicians to stand together, as I have stood with unionist politicians over the last eight years, against both the loyalist extremists and the so-called extreme republicans who would try to plunge us back to the past.”
“As I have said, emerging from that has to be an agreed approach by all the parties to how we will stand together against paramilitarism, armed gangs and criminality. I am 100% behind that. It is unfortunate that, in the course of the debate, some sight has been lost of the Davison and McGuigan families, who suffered so grievously as a result of the actions of the criminals who took the lives of their loved ones. <BR /> <BR />Yes, there is a huge responsibility, and I hope for a successful conclusion to the discussions that we are involved in that will feature an agreed approach by all the parties in the Assembly. That is essential. There are people on the extremes of so-called republicanism and so-called loyalism who are still determined to use violence to promote their objectives.”
“The Member will be as aware as any other of the delegations to the discussions that have been going on for the past eight or nine weeks that that is a serious issue that we are dealing with.”
“Junior Minister McCann will take this question.”
“<BR /> <BR />The issue of the NAMA portfolio is the subject of an investigation in other areas, and my sense of it is that we can move forward with considerable confidence that people who are looking at committing their businesses or establishing new ones here in the North will continue to pursue those objectives.”
“We have been very successful over recent years in showing that we are open for business. Quite a number of delegations from all over the world have come here. I think that all of them have been very impressed, to the extent that we have brought in more foreign direct investment than at any other time in the history of the state. Of course, the First Minister and I, along with Arlene Foster, when she was in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, have been very much involved in engaging with world business leaders, particularly in North America. A lot of those investments that are taking place and will take place in the future are down to those important engagements.”
“The First Minister and I have been very much involved in a lot of discussions that have taken place at the Finance Committee. Other discussions are also taking place in Dublin. It is obvious from the statements that have been issued by the Police Service and by police in the United States of America that what happened as a result of £7·5 million finding its way to a bank account on the Isle of Man is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation.”
“I was very saddened by the death of Declan McGlinchey. He was a young man who suffered grievously as a result of the conflict; he lost his mother and his father in that conflict. I feel a tremendous sympathy for his wife and seven children. For someone to die of a heart attack before the age of 40 is terrible for any family. <BR /> <BR />In the circumstances, it is quite obvious that Mr McGlinchey was very much a part of the GAA in the Bellaghy area. The decision of the GAA, along with other members of the community, to participate in the funeral, I think, does not indicate any sympathy for what people might think were Mr McGlinchey's views, which, previously, were in opposition to the work that we have been involved in in the Assembly.”
“It is something for all of us to be proud of.”
“In the aftermath of the qualification, I congratulated them, as I also held out hope and expectation that the Republic of Ireland would qualify along with them. They face two very testing matches at the weekend against Bosnia and Herzegovina. I hope that they will come through those. The two managers — the O'Neills — have done a fantastic job for the North and the South. <BR /> <BR />It will not come as a surprise to anybody in the House that, not on a political level but on a purely sporting one, I believe that a single team would be much more effective in Europe and in qualifying for the World Cup. That said, I applaud the achievements of our sportspeople North and South, and I have never been reluctant — nor has the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure — to congratulate teams from the North that have done well on the world stage.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will ask junior Minister McCann to answer this question.”
“I think that I did that in the last answer. I think that it is well over £50 million.”
“That really depends on the outcome of the next election. The next Programme for Government will be a matter for an incoming Executive, which the people will decide upon in that election. That said, work is ongoing to look at potential high-level objectives and identify possible delivery models and governance and accountability structures. In particular, we are exploring potential benefits of an increased focus on outcomes, through the development of an outcomes framework for the public sector. It is helpful that the development of the new structures in government and preparation for a new Programme for Government are progressing together so that future delivery of outcomes should benefit from better collaboration and decision-making with increased accountability.”
“<BR /> <BR />I would like to see a resolution of it, but that obviously depends on the collaboration and cooperation of all parties in the House. It was unfortunate that a certain Member from North Antrim, elements in the Ulster Unionist Party, some people in the DUP and others in organisations outside of the House effectively collaborated to prevent the construction of a peace centre, which would not have been a shrine to anything other than peace.”
“I think that the Member and her party will be very conscious of the fact that that was one of the very big Programme for Government commitments that we had agreed. The Member and her party should also be conscious that they, with others, led the way in undermining the development of that site. The Programme for Government commitment was about the construction of a peace-building and conflict resolution centre on the site, as well as the further development of the site through, for example, the relocation of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society from the King's Hall to the Maze. It has obviously moved forward very decisively, and a fantastic future is in store for it as a result of that move. We have been to the site on several occasions through its agricultural show in the last couple of years, and it is going from strength to strength.”
“They represent the largest investment in constructive community relations in our history and are a positive statement of our intention to build a better shared future. In addition, engagement with Europe has increased, exceeding targets by drawing down over £95 million of competitive funds. <BR /> <BR />When the First Minister and I published the Programme for Government, we were very clear that it was an ambitious programme aimed at achieving deep and meaningful change in the quality of people's lives. Our record and delivery demonstrate that that was the right approach.”
“<BR /> <BR />Through Delivering Social Change, among other achievements, we have supported remarkable improvements in achievement in literacy and numeracy by our young people; we have improved and streamlined support to families with complex needs through a new network of family support hubs; and we have invested in growing the capacity of the social economy through the establishment of incubation hubs in locations across our communities. <BR /> <BR />Through the social investment fund, we have committed approximately £58 million to projects, which is 73% of the total fund. Under Together: Building a United Community, seven major good relations programmes have been put in place.”
“Of the 82 commitments in the Programme for Government, over 80% have been achieved, which is a significant improvement on the 70% achieved in the last Programme for Government. OFMDFM led on the delivery of 14 of the commitments, including some of the most complex and challenging issues in government. Our track record in delivery has been strong, in particular through the Delivering Social Change framework, the social investment fund and Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC). Those projects have brought new, innovative approaches and unprecedented levels of collaboration to bear on tackling the most invidious issues facing our communities.”
“There is a huge responsibility on the British Government to recognise that the money was taken back as a result of the difficulties that were presented to the promulgation of this case. They must also recognise the need for the community safety college, and that the Executive are determined not only to move the project forward but to point out to the British Government that they, too, could make a contribution.”
“The Member understands, as do I, and as did the previous Member who spoke, that this was a Programme for Government commitment. It has been impacted by the requirements of the different organisations that would locate at Desertcreat. Very shortly, we will take possession of a business case that will be brought by the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Health, and we will see what that brings. However, as I said previously, the First Minister and I have been committed to this project from the very beginning and we have remained true to it. <BR /> <BR />I am not pre-empting the outcome of any decision by the Executive, but paying for the project will be a matter for them to deal with.”
“I fully expect that this matter will be brought to the Executive in the coming days; certainly before the end of this month. The time frame for work to begin will depend on the Executive's decision, whatever that may be.”
“During the course of the very complex and extensive negotiations that are taking place, I think that the Member would be surprised if that issue was not raised. We certainly believe that the project would bring enormous benefits to the community safety services that we depend on. We are still committed to the project and to Desertcreat.”
“The big question will centre on the scale of that development. <BR /> <BR />The Member would have been in the House when I said that I was disappointed by the PSNI's attitude to its contribution to its aspect of the training college at Desertcreat, near Cookstown in County Tyrone. Over a period of years, it was obvious to me that there was little enthusiasm in the higher echelons of the PSNI for the policing facility that was on offer at that college, and that, if it ever came to fruition, the PSNI would not be determined to pursue that aspect. <BR /> <BR />We are now dealing with the needs of the different community safety agencies, whether it be the Ambulance Service, the Fire and Rescue Service or policing, but our commitment to the project remains.”
“The Member will know that the First Minister and I met a very large delegation from the constituency of Mid Ulster. We made it absolutely clear during our engagement that we were still committed to the development at Desertcreat.”
“We are committed to providing a community safety college that provides a high standard of training for our public safety services so that they can respond effectively to the needs of the whole population. This was a Programme for Government commitment by the Executive, and we remain fully committed to it. We have not had any recent discussions with the Minister of Justice on the matter. We understand that an updated business case is being prepared to take account of a review of the projected needs of the services involved. I expect that the Ministers of Justice and Health will present recommendations based on this business case to the Executive before the end of the year.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will ask junior Minister McCann to answer this question also.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, junior Minister Jennifer McCann will answer this question.”
“I do not think that that is an appropriate question. It obviously comes from someone who, since he came into the House in the first instance, has been hell-bent on trying to undermine the processes of the House. Obviously, the Member is dedicated to the overturn of all the agreements that have been made in the last eight years. Of course, he is a former member of the Democratic Unionist Party and decided, for whatever reason, to part ways. Clearly, when he parted ways, he walked off into the wilderness.”
“We all understand in this House that consultation is sometimes an indispensable part of the processes that we are involved in. I do not have the cost of all of that to hand, but I will write to the Member with the answer to that question.”
“As we move forward, hopefully to an agreement in the coming days, I hope that we can devise an approach and strategy that has all of us singing from the same hymn sheet to make it absolutely clear to anybody who believes that violence represents the way forward for all of us that we say no. We say that we will stand together and devise approaches and strategies to undermine those who would try to overturn the democratic and peace processes.”
“In the course of my duties as deputy First Minister over the last eight years, working with the Rev Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson in their capacity as First Minister, and working with four other Sinn Féin Ministers in the Executive, I do not ever recall anybody questioning any decision as having been subject to a group of people in a smoke-filled room. <BR /> <BR />I really do not think that the question is appropriate, but, in the context of the discussions that we are involved in, all of us recognise that there is a job of work to be done collectively by the Executive and by every Member in standing together against those who would try to plunge us back into the past. <BR /> <BR />In the course of the last eight years, the records of the five Sinn Féin Ministers are beyond question.”
“The time available does not allow me to list individually the bodies consulted by our Department during the policy development process. The OFMDFM equality scheme, which is available on the departmental website, provides a core list of 156 organisations that should be routinely consulted. <BR /> <BR />However, individual business areas are encouraged to add to that list as necessary to reflect the interests of particular stakeholders in the matter under consultation or if new groups or bodies emerge. The external bodies consulted may, therefore, vary in accordance with the subject matter and objectives of each consultation exercise.”
“No doubt, this will be the subject of a very serious investigation by those responsible for investigating these incidents. I think that the fact that 10 people lost their lives raises questions as to how all of us can consider, on the island of Ireland, the safety of all our citizens, particularly people in the Travelling community, given the conditions that some of them choose to live in and, on some occasions, live in as a result of not having the support that they deserve from government authorities. <BR /> <BR />It is terribly sad. It is heartbreaking, and, at this time, it is very important that we send a message to their families and to the community in that area that they are in our thoughts and prayers. Go raibh maith agat.”
“First of all, I thank the Speaker for the opportunity to address the appalling tragedy, which took the lives of 10 people — five of them under 10 years of age — at Carrickmines in south Dublin. The victims were Thomas Connors and his wife Sylvia, their children Jim, who was five, Christy, who was two, and five-month-old Mary; Sylvia's brother Willie Lynch and his partner Tara Gilbert, their children Jodie, who was nine. and Kelsey, who was four; and Willie Lynch's brother Jimmy Lynch. I extend my deepest sympathy and condolences to all their families and to the Travelling community. <BR /> <BR />It was a horrific incident, which took the lives of 10 people and has had a very profound impact on the local community and on the Travelling community in particular.”
“A range of complex issues is to be addressed in taking forward this work, the coordination of which will be for the strategic and operational groups. We also acknowledge that, in some cases, there will be cost implications for Departments and agencies. The position is that the UK Government will meet the first-year costs for accommodation and orientation support; they would also provide a contribution towards education costs. <BR /> <BR />We are seeking clarification about any health and social care costs that may arise. Based on receiving 350 refugees each year, it is estimated that first-year costs could be in the region of £1 million, rising to £6 million in total over three years. The Executive need to consider how those costs could be met.”
“We believe that this proposal would clearly demonstrate that, as a society, we have the capacity and maturity to react positively to a humanitarian crisis and extend the hand of friendship to those who are suffering. In doing so, we want to send a very powerful message about our support for Syrian refugees and our commitment to assist in this global issue. I am very comforted and pleased by the level of cross-party support in these institutions for that approach.”
“Under the Syrian vulnerable persons relocation scheme, we propose to welcome between 50 and 100 refugees by December, with the expectation that further groups will arrive on a phased basis. Welcoming a modest number initially will assist with learning and with the identification and resolution of difficulties. We recognise that we have an existing population of refugees and asylum seekers from Syria and elsewhere. We will continue to work with NGOs and stakeholders to understand the experience of refugees and asylum seekers and provide our support throughout. <BR /> <BR />We believe that there is a strong case for a refugee integration strategy to ensure a smooth transition between being an asylum seeker and a refugee.”
“Junior Minister McCann will take that question.”
“A pilot scheme will begin in, I think, the early part of next year. I hope that that will pave the way for a much extended programme to ensure support for people who are living in fuel poverty.”
“That matter is being treated very seriously. Indeed, it is a pity that we did not get to the next question — Steven Agnew's — before time was up on the first batch of questions, because it would have allowed me to explain what is happening in recognising the challenges that we face in ensuring that we support families to conserve energy and to ensure that carbon emissions are kept as low as possible through new processes that are being advanced on an almost weekly or monthly basis. Quite clearly, there is a proposal to ensure that grants are made available to families so that they can take best advantage of them to heat their homes. Loans are also available.”
“The Member touches on an important issue. With the changes in local government, including the reduction in the number of local government areas from 26 to 11, there is now a huge responsibility on councils to work in concert with central government to ensure that we are getting best advantage for local communities. Our officials are working with local government officials to ensure that that process is being taken forward in a way that delivers for society.”
“I know that the former First Minister is as excited as I am — I know that the Acting First Minister is definitely as excited as I am — about the prospects of the site being sold to people who will provide much-needed employment in the area.”
“It is an environmentally friendly facility that will replace the waste water treatment works that currently deals with waste from Ballykelly village. <BR /> <BR />It is a very exciting site. The level of interest in it is tremendous. We have placed the emphasis and focus on the provision of much-needed jobs for the north-west. After the Ballykelly site was handed over from the MoD to us, many people did not think that it would be of much use. There was not an awful lot of interest in it; in fact, there was a lot of criticism of the funds that we were spending to maintain the site. However, our position has been vindicated. The First Minister and I have been to the site. We always understood its potential to provide much-needed jobs for the area. I am very excited by it.”
“It is in the public domain that the Department has agreed to license part of the Shackleton site to a local film and TV production company on an interim basis, pending the completion of the sale of the site. It was, of course, open to that company to submit proposals as part of the open competitive process for the sale of the site. Demolition work is now complete in preparation for the relocation of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's headquarters. The relocation of DARD is expected to bring hundreds of high-quality public-sector jobs to the area. It will be a great boost for local businesses. In addition, NI Water has begun the process of purchasing part of the site for use as an integrated constructed wetlands.”