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 20 of 24.
“I absolutely agree with the Member. Any agreement short of a comprehensive one will be held up to public ridicule. We face huge challenges. As many people know, there are budgetary challenges, but there are also challenges in how we deal with the past, the whole issue of identity and parades. We just have to look at what happened on the streets over the past two years. I certainly do not want that to be repeated. That was specifically over the flag protest and the protest over the whole issue of parades. I have a very strong view that all of us in these institutions have a duty and a responsibility to agree a comprehensive way forward on all these very difficult issues, which, if not dealt with, could conceivably jump up to bite us in the coming years. The community deserves better than that.”
“Power over taxation rests with the Treasury and other institutions in England. From our perspective, we are keenly interested to see how that will be dealt with. I will not go into the detail of the discussions that we have had with the Treasury and others in the course of this exercise, except to say that there is a debate about fiscal levers and how they could be utilised to our advantage. That does not mean to say that there is an accord between each of us on how to deal with it; that would be the subject of negotiations and there would need to be agreement between ourselves and London. One issue that has been raised recently is that if we managed to create tens of thousands of new jobs and put people into employment, the taxation raised from that would be the subject of considerable discussion on how we could benefit.”
“All that remains to be seen. We are all conscious that the devolution of the power will mean that a very important discussion has to take place not only at the Executive but between the Executive and the powers that be in London, including the Treasury. As many Members will know, we have been involved in discussions on corporation tax over the last couple of years. Any complication that might flow from that will have to be addressed by the Finance Minister, the Enterprise Minister, the First Minister and me.”
“We went into the Haass negotiations on the basis of our position on the three main issues: the past, parades and identity. We compromised, but, sadly, others were not able to meet us in that compromise, which provided a way forward. I made it absolutely clear during those negotiations that, if we provided mechanisms to deal with the past, I for one would advocate that republicans and, indeed, others should contribute to a successful outcome that would deal with the whole issue of the past.”
“I am always confident of success, and I have been around the political process for long enough to know that the events of the last 30 or 40 years do not all come to my door. They come to the doors of many parties and participants, not least the British Government, previous Administrations in the North and those who supported the activities of the British Army, the RUC and British military intelligence. There was arms importation, collusion, manipulation of loyalist death squads, so it was down to many others. We must recognise, as we did during the Haass negotiations, the need for solutions and the provision of a menu of options for people to access so that they can find out the truth of what happened, for example, to their family. That is the big challenge for us all.”
“We need to ensure that we are all working very closely together over the next few days.”
“From our perspective in Sinn Féin, and in the course of the negotiations that we were involved in with the DUP and other parties in the St Andrews and Hillsborough talks, the past record of achieving things has been good. The last two years have been terrible and we rapidly need to put an end to that.”
“We have been round the mulberry bush with this for the last year and a half with the Haass/O'Sullivan discussions and the progress that was made there. The issues are very clear for all the parties. We all know what the issues are. The added complication is obviously the budgetary situation; the austerity agenda embarked upon by the coalition Government, which has a dramatic impact on a society emerging from the sort of conflict that we have emerged from over the course of recent times. <BR /> <BR />If there is a will, there is a way to ensure that these discussions are successful. People outside are crying out for that and they are crying out for leadership.”
“The time frame for the talks was determined by more than David Cameron. It appears to me, from the discussions that I have been involved in, that there is universal agreement that, if these talks are not concluded before Christmas, there is little or no prospect in its aftermath of our finding a way forward. It is absolutely vital that we conclude these discussions. I would like to see that done by the end of this week and that is what I am aiming for. <BR /> <BR />The fact that the Taoiseach and David Cameron have announced that they are coming here on Thursday is a very clear indication that people recognise that we are coming to the crunch in relation to these talks. It is not as if we are coming at all of this afresh.”
“With your permission, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, junior Minister McCann will answer this question.”
“Many of the allegations contained in the programme were neither factual nor impartial. Take the Gulladuff centre as one example. As I said, of the four trustees, three said that the building was not owned by Sinn Féin and that Sinn Féin did not own the site. However, the BBC decided to rely on one trustee, who was on public record not so long ago, at a public event in Derry — in the cemetery in Derry, I think that it was — as calling for me to be executed. I think that that raises all sorts of questions about how impartial the journalism was in all of this. The BBC should correct that.”
“It is absolutely essential that those communities be supported and have people in them who are in a position to provide not just a venue but support for them, particularly at a time of grief.”
“How money is targeted in social investment fund areas is a matter for the groups that were established to prioritise the benefits to the local community through funds from the social investment fund being utilised for the purposes of support for that community. <BR /> <BR />I have been in Gulladuff Hall quite a number of times. The hall is used extensively. I was there recently, when a member of the local community had died. The congregation at the church went back to the hall, where they were provided with sustenance. I have been at many other venues in the south Derry area, such as GAA clubs, that provide a similar service. <BR /> <BR />It is very wrong for people not to recognise the massive contribution that those halls and support services make to the local community.”
“That is not what we expect from impartial journalism.”
“'Spotlight' made an allegation that Sinn Féin was engaged in some form of fraudulent activity. That is not the case. Sinn Féin could have developed the site and rented it back to representatives, just like many other parties. In that case, local people, including Sinn Féin members, took the decision to develop the site for wider community use. That is a sustainable approach to community development. In the programme, three of the four trustees acknowledged that they, not Sinn Féin, owned the site. Of course, the BBC relied on one trustee, who is now a member of a so-called republican organisation, Republican Sinn Féin — a dissident group. That member, at a public commemoration in Derry city just a few short years ago, publicly called for my execution. I think that the attempt to smear Sinn Féin is very clear for all to see.”
“Neither the Department nor any of its arm's-length bodies has provided or administered funding to Gulladuff Hall or to the South Derry Cultural and Heritage Society.”
“With your permission, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, junior Minister McCann will answer the question.”
“However, the talks this week will tell the tale whether the institution goes forward or does not go forward in the medium and longer term. So, there are big challenges, but, in the context of knowing what to do with having the power devolved to us on corporation tax, I do not think that anybody in the Executive is under any illusions about how we need to take that forward. We have a plan that I think has the overwhelming support of the business community.”
“I know that the Member has his own, quite legitimate, agenda in relation to his Bill, and he has discussed it with the First Minister and me, as well as with other parties in the Assembly. I hope for a successful outcome to the talks this week. It is vital for the institution, for the Executive, and for the people out there who are looking for leadership from their politicians to get an agreement. <BR /> <BR />In trying to reach agreement, we have already achieved considerable agreement, particularly around budgetary issues. The fact is that all the parties in the Assembly are in favour of having the power to decide on the level of our corporation tax. Do we have the ability to deal with that? Absolutely. I think that we have.”
“<BR /> <BR />My own view is to agree with Nicola Sturgeon, the new First Minister of Scotland, that, in the event of a referendum, the devolved Administrations should have the right to their own referendum. Speaking personally, I do not think that there is any doubt whatsoever how the people of the North would vote: they would vote for us to continue with what has been a very productive relationship in respect of foreign direct investment with the United States and also with the European Union, which has been very supportive of us for a very long time.”
“Our focus, as always, is on how we can lower the unacceptable rate of unemployment that exists. Over the past 22 months, we have been very lucky that we have managed to lower the unemployment figures each month, but much more work needs to be done, particularly west of the Bann. The challenges that we face are challenges that require the support of different institutions. I know that when the First Minister and I have travelled for what has been a very successful exercise in attracting foreign direct investment from the United States, nearly all the major businesses that we have spoken to in the United States have talked about the importance of the relationship of this island with Europe. So, a debate in England on the prospect of a withdrawal from Europe is big stuff as far as we, Scotland, Wales and the South of Ireland are concerned.”
“I think that is good; it is absolutely essential that people have a very clear understanding of what we are getting ourselves into. In any circumstance where a power is devolved, the ability to use that power in whatever way we want resides with the Executive. I do not think that the Executive that we are part of is going to be in any way foolhardy about how we would utilise such a power. I know that the big debate is around whether we can afford it vis-à-vis the way in which Departments have been cut over recent times, but we are going into important talks over the next couple of days. We are speaking with a united voice in relation to the need for David Cameron to recognise that, when he comes here, he does not come as someone who is facilitating talks, but as a player in the talks and one with a particular contribution to make.”
“As I said, the important thing at this point is to get the power transferred. When that is done, we can decide on how and when it can be best utilised. Obviously, we must be satisfied that the prevailing economic conditions are conducive to any change in the rate. In the current context of savage cuts to our block grant, it is clear that the issue will need to be satisfactorily addressed. Nevertheless, I am in favour of all powers being repatriated from London. I noted George Osborne's comments during his autumn statement, but it is the Assembly and the Executive who should decide the terms and conditions of when any changes to the corporation tax rates are made. It is a big issue. <BR /> <BR />As I said earlier, there is a big debate going on out there; many different voices have been raised.”
“Just think what we could do if we had a lower rate of corporation tax. I know that there is a debate about it out there at this time, given the backdrop of the cuts that have come from London. People are talking about affordability, but, for us, it is about getting the power, and then our Executive will decide how we use that power.”
“I think that I have done quite a lot. I have been involved in all the discussions and have worked with the First Minister, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and the previous and the current Finance Ministers. I think that it is clear to everybody that there is cross-party support in the Executive, certainly among the major parties. I know that there is one or maybe two discordant notes, but the overwhelming majority of Members recognise that the prospect of us being in a position to create anything in the region of 50,000 new jobs would be of tremendous benefit to our people. Even against the backdrop of a world economic downturn and lack of corporation tax powers, we have, over the past couple of years, managed to bring in more foreign direct investment jobs than we have at any other time in the history of the state.”
“The published autumn statement states that the Government will introduce legislation in this Parliament subject to satisfactory progress in the cross-party talks.”
“Securing powers to lower corporation tax is a key priority for the Executive to promote the growth of the local economy. We believe that the devolution of rates-setting powers would enable us to rebuild and rebalance the economy towards greater private sector and output growth. Reducing the corporation tax rate should increase foreign direct investment and domestic investment, expand our economy and bring greater numbers of higher value-added jobs. There should be linkages to the wider economy through increased spending, growth and rising incomes, and this should result in a larger private sector. <BR /> <BR />Any future decision to reduce the corporation tax rate here will mean a reduction in the Executive's budget.”
“With the resources that are available as a result of the cuts from London, Departments will obviously have to decide how to prioritise to ensure that we deliver, as best as we possibly can, support for front-line services.”
“The draft Budget, which is out for consultation, presents huge challenges for every single Department in the Executive. None of us is under any illusions about that. It is also very important to remember that, when people speak about the challenges that we face and talk about cuts from the Executive, the cuts are actually being made in London. The decisions are being made in London by the coalition Government, and they are dictating the ability of our Departments to deal with the huge challenges that we face across a range of issues. Of course, the Member will be very conscious that, prior to the last general election, the Ulster Unionist Party effectively signed up to what was a very negative, austere budgetary agenda that was coming down the tracks at the behest of the coalition Government.”
“We recognise that, this week, there is an opportunity to put directly — I think that it is much more powerful if it is done with the five parties represented, as opposed to just the First Minister and me — what we think is a very powerful case in relation to the particular, exceptional challenges that we face here. The problems that we face here are completely different from the challenges in the north of England, in Scotland or in Wales, and it has to be recognised that the strategy being adopted by the coalition Government is detrimentally affecting the work of our Executive and the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />The short answer is yes: it is much stronger if we are united. My sense of the discussions that the First Minister and I have been involved in is that we have a united approach among the five main parties in the Assembly.”
“The First Minister and I have long since recognised the importance of challenging the way in which our block grant in particular has been dealt with over the four and a half years that the coalition Government have been in power in London. It was at our initiative that we brought the five party leaderships together at a meeting in Stormont Castle during the last couple of weeks to discuss a joint approach to the huge challenges that all our Departments face as a result of the austerity agenda being deployed by the coalition Government.”
“We recognise that the historical institutional abuse inquiry has an onerous task and huge responsibilities, and I think the fact that we have been in a position to prioritise support for both the historical institutional abuse inquiry and victims and survivors is a very clear indicator of how much priority the First Minister and I place on the outcomes of these important exercises.”
“The draft opening budget of £65·4 million for the Department includes an allocation of £5 million for the historical institutional abuse inquiry — funding which previously would have been received in-year. The historical institutional abuse inquiry has been operating since 1 October 2012. In April 2014, the chair asked for and was granted an extension of 12 months in view of the increasing complexity of the inquiry, and it is now, as the Member said, expected to report by January 2017. This has been, along with support for the Victims and Survivors Service, a huge priority for the Department.”
“Funding for arm's-length bodies and programmes will also be impacted upon, and the emphasis will be on ensuring that statutory responsibilities are discharged, contractual commitments met and Programme for Government and ministerial priorities progressed as far as possible within the available resources. <BR /> <BR />While the Department will seek to ensure that impacts on front-line services are minimised, it will not be possible to fully protect budget areas from the impact of the proposed budget reductions.”
“<BR /> <BR />While the draft resource budget will allow the Department to make progress on a number of priority programmes, there will be very significant pressures across the Department's activities, including its arm's-length bodies. To deliver those further reductions, the Department will scrutinise its entire budget, including staffing, administration costs, funding for arm's-length bodies and funding for programmes. Within the Department, reductions of this magnitude will require cuts in staffing, and the proposed voluntary exit scheme will be important in that regard. Action will also be required to constrain costs and reduce discretionary spend.”
“The draft Budget proposals for OFMDFM include resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL) allocation of £65·4 million, in comparison with the 2014-15 opening budget of £65·8 million. This is a reduction of 0·6%. The allocation includes £5 million which is ring-fenced for the historical institution abuse inquiry and an allocation of £3 million for the Victims and Survivors Service. The impact, however, on the remaining areas of the Department's budget is a reduction of £8·4 million or 12·8%. Additional pressures of £1·7 million have also been identified, and that gives a total estimated pressure for 2015-16 of £10·1 million.”
“The Member raises the issue of how we can, in many ways, work with people in England, Scotland and Wales in relation to the health service. It is significant that he omitted to talk about how we can work on the island of Ireland with another health service that is much closer to us. The ongoing construction of the radiotherapy unit and indeed the new wing at Altnagelvin Area Hospital, for example, will bring huge benefits for everybody. Clearly, you can see that there is much more to be gained by us working on an all-island agenda as opposed to anywhere else. I am conscious that, prior to Michael McGimpsey standing down as Health Minister three years ago, he had in his possession a comprehensive report on how savings could be made on an all-island basis. I am not sure if that report has ever seen the light of day.”
“That is primarily a question for the Minister of Health. From our perspective, our focus at the minute is on what represents our biggest challenge, which is how we can resolve the difficulties around welfare.”
“If we are continually to be hampered by the ongoing predictions of more austerity coming down the line, that represents a real challenge that we all have to rise to.”
“<BR /> <BR />In dealing with the whole issue of how we provide for our people through a welfare system that is credible, does not increase child poverty, does not increase hardship for people with disabilities, does not further marginalise the already marginalised and does not further disadvantage the already disadvantaged, there is a huge responsibility on all parties involved in the talks to focus on the very real impact that the cuts that are coming from London will have on our Administration. There is also considerable frustration that, sometimes, when there is a debate on local radio, it almost gives the impression that the Executive are imposing the cuts. We can fund only what is within our means to fund.”
“In an earlier answer, I dealt with the reality that the First Minister and I and, indeed, others involved in the talks are exercised about the need to find agreement in this area so that we can move forward. It was, I suppose, encouraging to some that the Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, clearly indicated over the weekend that the British Government also had a contribution to make. I think that she actually used the word "compromise".”
“I will ask junior Minister McCann to answer the question.”
“The sooner we get on with the project, the better, because, as far as I am concerned, it has taken far, far too long.”
“Next year's Budget has catered for the £53 million that is allocated to the project. The statement that was issued on behalf of the Executive last Thursday is a very clear commitment that the construction of the Community Safety College is a huge priority for our Administration. I say that against the backdrop of comments that have been made on the requirements of the essential services that we depend on, such as policing, the Prison Service and the fire and safety authorities. <BR /> <BR />I think that, in all probability, the scale of the college will not be as originally envisaged, given the requirements and needs of the emergency services. The review that will take place over the next while will obviously have to deal with that. At the end of the day, the money has been allocated in the 2015-16 Budget. It is £53 million.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also think that we are all very conscious that we have seen quite a lot of the institutions of the state centred in the Belfast area. The decision by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, for example, to relocate the DARD headquarters to Ballykelly sends the important message to people west of the Bann that we recognise the challenges that face us in the ability to site important projects in those areas, as is also the case with Desertcreat. The political message that it sends about the acceptance of policing is one that we should not ignore.”
“I think the First Minister is content for me to answer this question. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, people will be conscious that the Executive met on Thursday. We did so on foot of the information that came out the previous weekend about the suggestion that the project be discontinued. The decision on the future of Desertcreat will have to be made by the Executive; it will not be made by anybody else. It is a Programme for Government commitment, and there is a huge responsibility on all of us to deliver on those commitments. Something like £12 million has been invested in the site, and there has been for some time a very reasonable expectation from the people in the area that the Community Safety College would be delivered in Cookstown, which, of course, would make an enormous difference to the economy of Cookstown and that part of mid-Ulster.”
“I remember a number of years ago, when Rhodri Morgan was the First Minister of Wales, he came to the Assembly and spoke in Welsh in the Senate Chamber. Nobody made a laughing stock of that or was in any way derogatory about it. That is where we need to get to. We need to recognise that we all have a responsibility to give leadership. I think that there are many politicians in the House, on both sides of the forum, who give leadership; unfortunately, there are still some who do not believe in giving leadership, and that is sad.”
“Nobody has anything whatsoever to fear from either the Irish language or from Ulster Scots. On many an occasion in this Chamber, Jim Shannon, when he was an MLA, spoke Ulster Scots. Not one person on this side of the Assembly laughed at that or made fun of it because we all recognise that we should have respect when people are speaking in a language of their choice.”
“<BR /> <BR />The one politician in the city who is out of sync with that is the Member who made those remarks. I am very conscious that there are, particularly among the unionist Benches, people who have a terrible hatred of the Irish language and, in fact, a hatred of all things Irish. I think that that is sad because I do think that also on the unionist Benches are people who are progressive and who recognise that working together represents the best way forward for all of us. Therein lies the hope. What we have to do is recognise that we need to work closely together to build a better future for all the people whom we represent. I think that, ultimately, people who harbour the sort of comments that were made last week are, effectively, those who will be left behind by that approach.”
“I have to say that I found the remarks made by the Member very disappointing indeed, and I think that they were not befitting of membership of this House. There has been considerable public debate about them, with many people asserting that they were racist. They were certainly bordering on the racist, and I think that there can be no place for them in this Chamber. We are all very conscious of the contributions of the particular Member over the lifetime of the Assembly. I come from the same city as the Member, a city that is determined to move forward and where all shades of political, religious and community people have worked together to improve the lifestyle of people in the city and to bring important gains for the city, which provide, I think, a solid foundation stone on which we can all move forward.”