Phillip Brett
North Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Paula has been a diligent Chair who has championed the interests of victims and survivors. I personally thank her for her work on the Bill. I pay tribute to Committee members, who also dedicated their time to the Bill, and to our Committee staff.”
“At the outset, I pay tribute to the Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone for her heartfelt and valuable contribution. As you rightly said, Mr Deputy Speaker, her family will be very proud of the contribution that she has just made. <BR /> <BR />Today marks a truly significant moment.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am therefore delighted to report to the House that a U-turn has been secured. This year, the Twelfth has been promoted through Discover Northern Ireland's social media channels.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill will establish a statutory public inquiry alongside a redress scheme, both of which are important. Their establishment recognises that there is a responsibility not only to uncover truth but to acknowledge the profound harm that was caused.”
“I warmly welcome the progress that has been achieved in the promotion of the Twelfth of July and our wider Orange and Ulster-Scots traditions by Tourism Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />Today's debate is not about rewriting history but about confronting history honestly. It is about recognising that vulnerable women and children were failed by institutions, by society and by the state.”
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“We will ensure that there is equality in Belfast. The unionist minority in Belfast will not sit down and be quiet in the corner as some of the parties here expect us to be.”
“If a member of staff disagrees with the policy to wear Irish language-branded uniform, they will be sent on cultural awareness training. Do you think that householders across Belfast, who pay hundreds of pounds on rates each month, want to see their rates spent on that? Do businesses in the Tribeca area, which see the city centre collapsing around them, want to see the thousands of pounds that they spend monthly spent on that? <BR /> <BR />The political commentary around it is that unionists should not feel intimidated or aggrieved. Let me be very clear: Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Alliance Party do not get to tell unionists and the people whom we represent how to feel. The policy is utter discrimination. That is why we, along with our colleagues in the Ulster Unionist Party and the TUV, have called it in. We will bring it to court.”
“to staff members. This, clearly, is not Northern Ireland; it is North Korea.”
“Despite a survey of Belfast City Council staff members showing that the majority of staff oppose the introduction of bilingual signage to their place of work or branding on their uniform, the parties opposite united to vote down a DUP amendment at last week's council meeting. <BR /> <BR />Fear not for those staff, however, because, page 4 of the 19-page policy document that was agreed by those parties states:”
“In Belfast, household and business rates continue to soar, our city centre looks like a bomb site, and our basic services cannot be delivered. Instead of addressing those issues, however, the parties opposite thought that it would be a good idea to commit at least £1·9 million of hard-pressed taxpayers', ratepayers' and businesses' money to enforcing a divisionary and discriminatory Irish language policy. <BR /> <BR />Not content with enforcing unwanted signage in residential streets across our city, the council's latest act has been to target council facilities and staff uniforms.”
“If that were any other religion anywhere else in Northern Ireland, it would be a national disgrace. Political parties of all traditions and none would stand up weekly and call it out. However, it seems that the Jewish community gets support only when attacks like this take place. <BR /> <BR />The local community has organised a vigil for 6.30 pm on Wednesday at the memorial on the Shore Road as an opportunity for everyone to come together to remember the victims of the attack but, more important, to show solidarity with that small but influential Jewish community. I am sure that the warm words in the Chamber today will be matched by action. I look forward to seeing all Members there on Wednesday evening.”
“Representing North Belfast has many honours, but one of the greatest, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, is that we are the home of the Jewish community. As has been articulated by my colleague Mr Kingston, we have a proud record of supporting that small but important community. <BR /> <BR />Just two weeks ago, I attended a packed event at the synagogue as the community raised money for important local causes and charities. One of the most shocking things about attending the synagogue was that there had to be police protection outside. The location of the fundraiser could not be released for fear of attack. Weekly, when our small but important Jewish community goes to carry out their acts of worship, they have to do so under the protection of security.”
“It needs to get on with developing the site and stop expecting the people of North Belfast and our wider city to accept second best.”
“As I have continually said, in no other part of the city would such a situation be allowed to drag on. I perfectly understand that market conditions have changed since the initial planning permissions were granted, but people can be expected to wait for only so long for the development to take place. We were told that it would be retail-led, but that changed to it being office space. The newest incarnation may be a housing-led development. All those uses are important and welcome, but the redevelopment needs to be delivered. <BR /> <BR />People, frankly, are fed up. It is not my job to make excuses for Castlebrooke; my job is to stand up for the people who elected me. They want to see action taken on the site. We should send a strong message from the Chamber today so that Castlebrooke is put on notice.”
“I think that we will hear colleagues say that that cross-party message is the strength of the case as we try to move it forward and have it delivered. <BR /> <BR />I also pay tribute to some of the business organisations that continue to raise this vital issue daily: the Belfast One business improvement district (BID) and Martina Connolly, who continues to champion the need for the redevelopment; the Cathedral Quarter Trust; Save CQ; and the Cathedral Quarter BID, led by Damien Corr. <BR /> <BR />As I said, progress has been made on the redevelopment of that part of North Belfast, but we need to see strong leadership from central government and the council. A clear message needs to be sent to Castlebrooke that it must use its development rights and planning permission, or it will lose them.”
“They say that success has many mothers and fathers, but, on this occasion, maybe failure does as well. I pay tribute to all political parties for their work on the issue. It is not an issue of my or my party's making, but there is genuine interest, from all sides of the House, in trying to move the situation forward. I pay tribute to our group leader on Belfast City Council, Sarah Bunting, who organised a number of meetings between me and Castlebrooke, so that I could make the need for development clear. Séamas de Faoite, Brian Smyth and Sinn Féin have all been involved in trying to move the situation forward, as has Michael Long from the Alliance Party. I give credit to all political parties for that.”
“<BR /> <BR />Other businesses in that area deserve a medal for how they have managed to continue operating, trading and investing in that part of the city despite the horrendous conditions in which they work. At the weekend, I walked up Lower Garfield Street. I know that the Deer's Head has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds to ensure that it has a great offering for locals and tourists. Yet, when people walk out of its doors, they are hit in the face with scaffolding, falling bricks and a disgraceful sight. The businesses in the area pay tens of thousands of pounds in rates every year. They employ our constituents, and the conditions in which they operate would not be accepted in any other part of our city.”
“It is a citywide interest, and I thank those from other constituencies who are present. <BR /> <BR />Progress has clearly been achieved in some aspects with Belfast City Council's decision to purchase the Assembly Rooms. That is a welcome step forward, but we need more details on it. If we are providing £2 million of ratepayers' money in Belfast to Tribeca's owners, Castlebrooke Investments, what conditions has Belfast City Council placed on it to develop the rest of the site? Handing over £2 million to a development company that clearly has no interest in taking the rest of the development forward is yet another waste of ratepayers' money.”
“The pedestrianisation of Hill Street next month, while a small step forward, shows the ambition of all sides and that, when we work together, we can deliver. <BR /> <BR />Although all that progress has been made, there is a glaring omission. The once bustling heart of inner-city North Belfast — North Street and the surrounding streets — now looks like a bomb site. It is a stain on our capital city, and I am, frankly, embarrassed by the current condition of what is now called the "Tribeca" site. Such blight would not be accepted in any other part of Belfast. I am not saying it just because the leader of the Opposition is here, but, if that site were on the Malone Road, it would have been dealt with a long time ago. The clear message from those who are honoured to represent North Belfast is that the issue now needs to be tackled.”
“In recent years, Crumlin Road Gaol has been redeveloped, and there is ongoing investment at Clifton Street Orange Hall, the forthcoming development of Belfast Stories, as well as the MAC, the Oh Yeah centre and the Cathedral Quarter. I could go on and on. Those places are the result of the dedication of the business men and women who have taken the lead and rebuilt our city. <BR /> <BR />The actions of government since the return of this place have also been welcome. I massively welcomed the huge progress that has been made on providing year-round, late-night public transport, which will be a massive regeneration for our part of North Belfast. When the Minister speaks, he might wish to say a little about his support for that initiative.”
“Like Members on all sides of the House, I got involved in politics because I love my community and the city that I am honoured to represent. It would be churlish of me not to recognise the massive progress that has been made in our city, particularly in North Belfast, over many years. A constituency that was once blighted by sectarian violence has been transformed, and, while we in that constituency face unique pressures, we continue to build back in the positive image that we all want to see. North Belfast now leads the way in our city's night-time economy offering. It is a cultural capital part of our city, and it has an offering for tourists and those who call North Belfast "home" alike.”
“<BR /> <BR />We also need to look at our apprenticeship scheme in Northern Ireland. Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I am sure that you, like me, are contacted almost weekly by young people who are unable to secure an apprenticeship place. It is now a case of it being not what you know but who you know. Apprentices tend to be those who have family connections or know someone in that trade. As a Committee, we need to continue to focus on how we ensure that all young people have the opportunity to get the apprenticeship that they deserve, and I know that the Minister is committed to that. <BR /> <BR />We will support the motion. That is how we build a stronger economy and a fairer society and ensure that Northern Ireland works for everyone.”
“The Member for East Antrim who will speak later also engaged in one of those courses, which are supported by the Department for the Economy and are an excellent resource. <BR /> <BR />Regrettably, however, the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) and the Public Accounts Committee have highlighted the slow pace of delivery of that strategy and pointed to a lack of alignment between Departments, which Mr Delargy has articulated in this debate and regularly at Committee. The issue needs to be fixed, but, in our view, the answer is not to abandon the 10X strategy or create another new layer of agencies and structures in an already crowded landscape; instead, we should focus on implementing the strategy properly and coming forward with additional support mechanisms for how we can do that. That is why we support the Alliance motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />It was the DUP Minister who delivered the 10X skill strategy, which set out a road map for how we could upskill and retain our workforce to meet the demands of the modern economy. Already, some contributors have articulated some of the outworkings of that strategy. It recognised the need to rebalance education towards STEM — the Minister of Education continued that through last week's announcement of additional bursaries for teachers who are in prime and important subjects — expand technical and professional pathways and embed a culture of lifelong learning. I encourage everyone, be they as young as Mr Delargy or older, to take advantage of the SKILL UP programme.”
“<BR /> <BR />The statistics that have been outlined by all previous contributors are stark. According to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), 25,000 young people in Northern Ireland are not in education, employment or training. That is more than one in eight young people between the ages of 16 and 24. That is not a sustainable position, because behind those figures are lives on hold and the potential of those young people being wasted. They are not feeling their actual value and are unable to utilise their full potential. At the same time, nearly 40,000 job vacancies were reported here in 2022, with more than a third left unfilled due to a lack of skills or qualifications among applicants. That mishmash must be addressed urgently.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate. The manner in which Members have contributed so far reflects the consensus that exists on our Committee. We want to see the best possible opportunities for all our young people in every corner of Northern Ireland. Yes, that includes the north-west, Sinéad: 100%. <BR /> <BR />As Mr Honeyford said, at the heart of the motion is the simple truth that, if we want to continue to grow our economy, we must invest in our people. Northern Ireland has been fortunate in attracting significant investment in recent years, ranging from advanced manufacturing to fintech and from aerospace to the creative industries. New jobs and opportunities have come to every corner of Northern Ireland, but opportunities are too often missed by our young people because the skills are not in place.”
“Our message to Belfast City Council is clear: although we are a minority, we will continue to speak up for the majority. I trust that the Alliance Party will once again U-turn on this disgraceful policy.”
“They want to be left alone by Belfast City Council, and they want the council to get on with its job of emptying bins, cleaning streets and proper play park provision. While the flawed policy rolls ahead, the cost continues to spiral. To date, £170,000 has been spent on those signs, with 1,200 still to be erected. That is money that should have been spent on overcoming the crumbling of Belfast city centre, where shops are closing and businesses are leaving. <BR /> <BR />Parties talk about respect, but the policy delivers the opposite of that by forcing minority rule on streets, when the majority have been ignored. When they do not like the answer that they get from the resident survey results, do not worry; they will resurvey until they get the results that they want.”
“In nearly nine out of 10 of those cases, the views of the minority trumped the view of the majority. That is not democracy; it is imposition. <BR /> <BR />Let us look at the facts. Signs were approved on Malone Valley Park and Eliza Street Close with support from just 15% of residents. On Upper Stanfield Street, it was 16%, and, at Wolfhill Gardens in my constituency, barely 17% of residents supported the change in signage. In each of those cases, the vast majority of local people did not back the change, yet the policy, championed by Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Alliance Party, was pushed through. <BR /> <BR />I have been contacted by residents from across North Belfast, from all backgrounds and traditions, telling me that they do not want that territorial marking.”
“For decades, those on the Benches opposite lectured the people of Northern Ireland against majority rule. They told us that it was unfair, undemocratic and oppressive, yet, today, in Belfast City Council, with the help of the Alliance Party, they will impose minority rule on the people of Belfast by introducing the scandalous policy that says that Irish language street signs can be imposed upon communities with just 15% support. Yes, that is right, Mr Speaker — just 15% support. <BR /> <BR />As revealed in the 'Belfast Telegraph' yesterday, since 2022, 228 streets have been approved for Irish language street signs, yet only 12% of those applications had the majority support of residents who live in those streets.”
“I appreciate the Minister's giving way. I seek some clarity. Your party colleague said that policy had now transferred to your Department. Will you outline when that policy transfer took place and when it was approved by the Executive?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I agree with a lot of what you have said. Do you not think that the current cap on Dublin Airport provides further opportunity to all airports in Northern Ireland?”
“That is why our motion today is important. <BR /> <BR />While I have some sympathy for a number of issues raised in the UUP amendment, particularly around a focus on North America and the ongoing campaign for pre-clearance in Northern Ireland, the removal of the route development fund and measurable targets would make our motion weaker. Therefore, I encourage Members to support the motion as it stands.”
“However, their efforts are being undermined, if we cannot even offer a direct flight to the very markets that we are trying to attract business from. <BR /> <BR />It is about ambition. It is about whether Northern Ireland wants to compete on the global stage, which is where we need to be. We need a comprehensive aviation strategy within the next three months. We need measurable targets for external sales, and we need a properly funded route development fund to secure the direct links to North America, Germany, France and Scandinavia that our businesses and our tourism sector need. Our airports are ambitious; our businesses are ambitious; and I hope that the Minister can set out her ambitious targets and plans for this important sector. Without improved air connectivity, our economy risks falling behind.”
“Over the last number of years, Belfast International Airport has made huge private investment, and the Department has supported the City of Derry Airport, but we have no joined-up overall approach that can ensure that those three airports, rather than competing with one another, can complement one another to ensure that they work together. The consequences of that are real. <BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland Export Forum has set an ambition to increase external sales from 45% to 60% of GDP by 2030. That is achievable, but only if we modernise our aviation policy and secure better global connectivity. Our teams in Invest Northern Ireland work hard daily. They have supported more first-time exporters, secured millions in contracts abroad and attracted new inward investment.”
“An aviation strategy, however, must treat all airports fairly and equitably, recognising their importance for regional balance and for ensuring that growth reaches every corner of Northern Ireland. What we have instead is no strategy to date, no policy intention to date and, unfortunately, delay from the Department in publishing a plan for Northern Ireland. That has led to ad hoc approaches being taken by different airports. Members from across the Chamber attended the launch of the master plan for Belfast City Airport last week.”
“The York Aviation report recommended urgent intervention. It highlighted the need for new and additional routes not only to North America but to Paris, Frankfurt and Copenhagen. It called for the creation of a route development fund to support those services, and it pressed for a clear aviation policy that sets out priorities and, more important, gives certainty to our airports. Yet, instead of grasping that opportunity, the Department has held round-table discussions but has not advanced a full-scale policy at this stage. <BR /> <BR />Let me be clear: for me and my party, this is not about one airport over another. Belfast International Airport, Belfast City Airport and the City of Derry Airport (CoDA) all have a vital role to play in Northern Ireland. They should see the benefits of increased connectivity.”
“Connectivity is not a luxury; it is a necessity. It is the fundamental foundation on which we attract foreign direct investment (FDI); it is the way in which we ensure that our world-class manufacturing, engineering and service firms can access export markets; and it is central to growing our continually expanding tourism sector, which benefits communities in every corner of Northern Ireland. Yet Northern Ireland remains the only region of the UK without a direct air link to the United States of America. That is an extraordinary position for us to be in, given the scale of our economic, cultural and tourism ties with the United States. Over 200,000 American tourists visit Northern Ireland every year, but 87% of them fly into Dublin. That is business that we are losing day after day.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. First, I thank the Minister for making herself available for today's debate. I know and appreciate that she had to rearrange a number of engagements, and I know the importance that she places on the issue. <BR /> <BR />For me, it is a simple but vital point that, without a proper air connectivity policy, Northern Ireland will never achieve its full economic potential. For more than a year, the Department for the Economy has had in its ownership the York Aviation report on air connectivity in Northern Ireland. The report made it clear that Northern Ireland has fewer direct international services than comparable regions, and its failure is costing us jobs, investment and tourists. The Department needs to come forward, because the economy is paying a price.”
“<BR /> <BR />Let me be clear, however: Mr Kingston and I, and the Democratic Unionist Party, will be a voice for people of all traditions and none in North Belfast in making it clear that we oppose the scheme. The DUP will oppose it and ensure that it is voted down in Parliament.”
“Since 2006, the party has been on the record, with our speeches and votes in Parliament making it clear that we will never support mandatory ID for the people of any part of the United Kingdom. <BR /> <BR />In North Belfast, which my colleague Mr Kingston and I are honoured to represent, over 3,000 members of the public have signed a parliamentary petition opposing the introduction of the scheme. It is a matter of deep regret for me and for those whom I represent that their voices will not be heard in a vote on the issue. Our Member of Parliament is more interested in pursuing his legal career than representing the people of North Belfast.”
“I am absolutely delighted that the DUP has been consistent and robust in its opposition to the policy.”
“Again, the TUV is in a tailspin on that issue.”
“They say that a week is a long time in politics. Mr Starmer's most recent announcement has sent political opponents of the DUP into a tailspin. Last week, when changing her latest deadline for a united Ireland and a border poll, Mary Lou McDonald said that decisions made at Westminster did not impact on the people of Northern Ireland, yet she flew off to the mainland United Kingdom to set out her opposition to the policy. The irony of that will not be lost on the people of Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Last week, in a radio debate with me, the leader of the TUV made it clear that he wants the Assembly collapsed and powers handed over to Keir Starmer. Now, Mr Gaston has articulated his opposition to Mr Starmer's remarks.”
“Some are more interested in protecting electoral transfers at the next election than standing with innocent victims, but our party and all right-minded people will always stand with them.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />They do not like the truth. They do not like justice, but I will give them the truth. The convicted cash-and-carry bomber will not take the opportunity for his colleagues in the IRA to give their information. That is who the Alliance Party is voting with. That is who you are going to troop behind, like you always do. <BR /> <BR />The record will be clear that some parties in the Assembly have no interest in innocent victims. If our party loses the vote today, we will continue to raise the issues. However, it is not our party that will be failed; it will be innocent victims, the length and breadth of the country, who will watch on in abject horror as parties unite to strip them out of the motion.”
“When the convicted cash-and-carry bomber had the opportunity to call out his IRA —”
“<BR /> <BR />We heard from Mr Sheehan that Sinn Féin is in problem-solving mode. I will give way to Mr Sheehan if he will call on his former comrades in the IRA to come forward and give all the information that they have about the killings that they were involved in. I will give him the opportunity to set that out now.”
“You will have the opportunity, Ms Bradshaw, to cast your vote in around 10 minutes' time. Victims across Northern Ireland will be watching how the Alliance Party votes on this because they are sick, sore and tired of being lectured by a party from on high that, when it has the opportunity to stand side by side with those victims, instead decides to stand with its friends and colleagues in Sinn Féin. <BR /> <BR />My two colleagues articulated very well why this party tabled the motion. We believe that all those responsible for terrorism in Northern Ireland, regardless of whether they were unionists, loyalists, republicans, nationalists, state actors or IRA informants sponsored by the British state, should come forward and give all the evidence that they have to ensure that they face justice.”
“Is it this party, which read into the record the names of victims across Northern Ireland of all traditions and of none who were murdered as a result of collusion by the Irish state? Again, that is met with silence.”
“That is the line that the Alliance Party claims that it is opposed to, and I will give way to any Member on the Alliance Benches who can reasonably articulate why those victims and those loved ones do not deserve to have the precondition of receiving justice from the Irish Government. There is absolute silence because Alliance has no answer. It has made it clear, as it does in every debate in the House, that, whatever comes forward from Sinn Féin, the Alliance Party, without precondition, will support it. <BR /> <BR />I want to turn to the comments made by the first Alliance Member to speak in the debate, who accused Members of engaging in childish behaviour. I will give way if you want to articulate who you were talking about. Is it this party, which is bringing forward the concerns of victims?”
“Your record will be clear in the House, and the Alliance Party's record will be clear in the House that it stood with victim makers when it could have stood with victims. <BR /> <BR />Of course, Sinn Féin will always have the cover of the Alliance Party, whether in the Executive Office Committee or here today. The deputy leader of the Alliance Party tried to wheel out the thinnest reason to oppose our motion, so I think that it will be useful to read into the record the exact wording. He stated that he objected to it because we lamented bilateral discussions between our Government and the Government of the Irish Republic, but our motion is clear. It:”
“The Member also outlined her opposition to an amnesty yet had no objections to royal pardons being handed to her Sinn Féin colleagues. She had no objections to amnesties being handed to Mr Kelly and others who bowed on bended knee to get the royal pardon from the royal prerogative of mercy. She criticised this party for the stance that we take on the definition of a victim and tried to indicate that she would force us to accept that the definition of a victim should be supported by this party. Let me be very clear. The DUP will never allow those who murdered and maimed to be equivalent to those whom they murdered, and that is what the Alliance Party, in supporting the Sinn Féin amendment, is doing. It is putting on the same level the Shankill bomber who blew himself up and the innocent people whom he was blowing up.”
“It was Mrs Dillon's colleagues who were the cowards who tried to break into the Royal Victoria Hospital to murder Mrs Dodds's dying child and murder her and her husband. So, we will take no lectures from the party opposite on that issue.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. From the outset, I pay tribute to my colleague Mrs Dodds, a Member for Upper Bann, who has been a strong and consistent advocate for innocent victims across Northern Ireland in this place and during her entire political career. Mrs Dillon, a Member for Mid Ulster, criticised Mrs Dodds for using the word "we" when talking about victims. Mrs Dillon may like to rewrite the past, but the great lady who is sitting in front of me is a victim of IRA terrorism.”