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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“The vital point is that we need to get this right. I had hoped to hear from the proposer of the motion on what the "support mechanism" mentioned in the motion would look like. There is an opportunity, given that funding will soon become available as a result of the forthcoming closure of the RHI scheme and the unused annually managed expenditure (AME) there. <BR /> <BR />Importantly, the words of the motion are what we are voting on, and the House needs to have some detail on what a support mechanism will or should look like, yet, when Members come here, they are asked to vote on proposals. The settled will of the Assembly could be that it wants a support mechanism, but we have no detail of what that would look like, how much it would cost and how it would move forward.”
“Grid connectivity policy is nowhere to be seen, and, as I said earlier, dispatch down rates continue to rise. That is where the focus of the Department for the Economy and the entire House should be. We do not need a piecemeal approach to energy. We need an overall strategy that deals with those fundamental issues.”
“It is clear that work on a biomethane strategy by the Department for the Economy is not going anywhere quickly. That speaks to the wider piece in energy. The renewable energy price guarantee scheme, which was meant to be delivered almost a year ago, is nowhere to be seen. Offshore wind policy, which was meant to be introduced in this mandate, has now been shelved by the Department for the Economy in this mandate.”
“Does the Member want in? No? OK, no problem. <BR /> <BR />In January 2025, I raised the issue with the Minister in an Assembly question asking for an update on the publication of the strategy. I was told that that would take place in 2026. One year later, I asked the same question, and the answer was:”
“We need only to read the comments of the Audit Office on the Department for the Economy's energy strategy, which show that £100 million has been spent to date, with only 1% of our targets met. <BR /> <BR />Biomethane may be part of an overall wider solution, but we need to see evidence-informed proposals from the Department. The issue has been part of a wider delay and malaise in the Department for the Economy, particularly in energy division. In 2022, the Department undertook a call for evidence on the production of a biomethane strategy. What have we seen since 2022? In those four years, we have seen absolutely nothing”
“I welcome the opportunity to once again contribute to a debate in the House on the issue of energy security. For these Benches and for this party, when we discuss the issue of energy, energy security and price control must be the top priorities. Today's debate allows us to have a discussion of the role that biomethane may play in a wider, realistic green energy proposal. <BR /> <BR />It is important to note the House's record and that of the Department when it comes to realistic and proportionate proposals on energy. Renewable energy consumption in Northern Ireland is falling and continues to fall. The dispatch down rate, which is the rate of renewable energy produced in Northern Ireland that cannot be used, continues to rise and has almost hit a record 30%.”
“As the Minister knows, there is no consensus around the level of those targets. The best way to provide assurance to business is to deliver projects that the business community wants. It wants to see an investment strategy from the Executive. We cannot have one whilst the road projects are going through the courts and are being shelved. Those targets are costing lives daily, and they are also costing millions of pounds in undelivered projects. When will the Minister wake up to the folly of those targets?”
“They know the truth that, when money comes from the Education budget, that means less support for children in the classroom. The same fantasy economics happens with regard to net-zero politics. Targets are announced and motions are passed, but, when the question is asked as to who pays for them, again there is silence. The life-saving A5 project, which was blocked as a result of votes in the House, has been met with silence. That is gesture politics, and ordinary people pay the price. <BR /> <BR />People are fed up with this charade. We need common sense in politics, and this party will continue to stand by that principle.”
“<BR /> <BR />We will continue to hold our national Government's feet to the fire and demand action on a UK-wide basis, but responsibility also rests with those in the House to act in the interests of the people whom we represent. Sadly, too many here are playing the same game by voting for things in the House that, they know, can never be delivered. Last week, parties backed a proposal for free school meal payments for some children over the summer period at a cost of up to £30 million a year. Let me be clear: everyone wants to support those in need, and that is a noble cause, but, when the Bill sponsor was asked how it would be funded, we were met with silence. When other parties were asked who would pay for it, we were again met with silence.”
“When hard-working people feel ignored, anger grows. The police must be cautious, proportionate and focused on keeping people safe while respecting a fundamental right of our democracy: the right to protest. However, those people are not asking for sympathy; they are asking one simple question: how can they survive? That is why it was important that, last week, the Executive supported Minister Gordon Lyons's proposal to provide £100 of direct support towards fuel bills for over 300,000 households across Northern Ireland, including families who earn too much to qualify for help but nowhere near enough to keep up with the rising cost of living. There is much more to do, but that is an important first step.”
“People across Northern Ireland are being squeezed from every direction, and the sad reality is that too many in politics are making the situation worse. Families are being punished every time they go to the petrol pumps. Small businesses watch as costs spiral, and farmers are being hit by soaring costs and tighter margins. It is no wonder that, across Northern Ireland, people are out protesting.”
“It is disappointing, therefore, that we have not heard from the Minister on the issue. I hope that, when she recovers, she will be able to come to the House, because this matter is of serious consequence. It points to a litany of mistakes and failures in the Department for the Economy: 300 jobs at Cantor Fitzgerald lost by the Minister; legislation from the Minister that is opposed by every major business organisation in Northern Ireland; and a Department that does not even know that it has £81 million. <BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland needs strong leadership in the Department for the Economy. Our institutions need strong leadership. Unfortunately, this is not the first announcement of jobs that have been lost under Sinn Féin. The House needs to hold the Minister to account. She is failing the people of Northern Ireland.”
“She chose delay and spin over solutions, and hundreds of workers are now paying the price for that. Sinn Féin cannot blame anyone else for this. The Minister owns this. The Department for the Economy is under the control of Sinn Féin. The responsibility for supporting ministerial direction in universities lies with Minister Archibald, and she cannot now point fingers at anyone else. <BR /> <BR />Let us be clear: the impact will not be felt just by those 450 members of staff. Students will feel the impact through reduced services not just in my constituency of North Belfast but in East Londonderry, Coleraine and Foyle, with the Magee expansion now clearly at risk. Those are not my words; they were the words of the permanent secretary of the Department for the Economy just three weeks ago.”
“Like the previous Member, my first thoughts are with the staff of Ulster University who have been impacted by the announcement and their families. Behind every post at risk is a person, a family and a future now placed in doubt. They deserve our support at this time. More important, they deserve answers, and the search for those answers leads directly to the Sinn Féin-controlled Department for the Economy. <BR /> <BR />The party opposite cannot plead ignorance on the issue. It was warned repeatedly that failure to deal with higher education funding would lead to exactly this outcome. Universities, their staff and representatives from across the House have raised concerns. The warnings were clear; the risks were known; and the consequences, unfortunately, were entirely predictable, yet the Minister chose inaction.”
“Minister, I appreciate your giving way. I support your call for a Budget. In your bids, how much have you asked for from the Minister of Finance in the forthcoming Budget specifically to focus on increasing NHS dental provision, above the £2 million that you have already articulated?”
“I promise that I will stand with you, Minister, to make the argument to get the funding that my constituents deserve.”
“More young dentists and those who have been in the profession for years are going to move completely into private practice because they are not seeing light at the end of the tunnel. <BR /> <BR />If the Minister is able to commit to putting together a business case for a review of the cost of services, I will be his biggest champion in trying to ensure that that funding is in place. Practitioners across North Belfast need to see that we have a Health Minister, Assembly and Executive who are committed to supporting them so that our constituents can receive dental practice support in their time of need. I urge the Minister to be positive, today, and to give the commitment that he will put together a business case to ensure that the funding is in place to allow our people across the constituency to get the dental services that they require.”
“We are now midway through April, so I hope that the Minister can provide some update on when the business case will be put together by his Department so that our providers can see light at the end of the tunnel. <BR /> <BR />It is not simply an issue for the Minister of Health to address. I encourage him to put together a business case to ensure that there is a properly funded package for dental providers, and I will then go with him to the Minister of Finance and every other Executive colleague to tell them that they need to give him support for the review, because the situation is urgent. It is a crisis, and if we continue down the track that we are on, more people in North Belfast will be unable to access the care that they need. More people will have long-term illnesses because they have put off the treatment that they need.”
“<BR /> <BR />The figures produced by the organisations that represent dentists show that dentists are also at breaking point. I will read into the record some figures from the British Dental Association (BDA) survey. Some 71% of dentists who responded to its survey disagreed that they were fairly remunerated for their work. Job satisfaction for providers of dental care in Northern Ireland is the lowest of anywhere in the United Kingdom. Some 80% of those surveyed described themselves as being under extreme pressure and unable to help everyone whom they wanted to, and the financial pressures are building and building. <BR /> <BR />We need to review the funding model for practices, particularly in areas such as North Belfast. The Minister promised he would do that by the end of March.”
“We are now seeing the real consequences of consecutive Health Ministers — consecutive Health Ministers — growing inequality in providing for our dental practitioners. The situation therefore demands urgent attention and meaningful action to ensure that every family can access the care that they need. <BR /> <BR />The ongoing decline of funded dental services in North Belfast is simply unacceptable and is having a negative impact on young people, working families and pensioners. For many working families, private dental care is not an option. They are therefore being abandoned by a system that should be there to support them. As one of the most socio-economically deprived constituencies anywhere in Northern Ireland, North Belfast has its unique challenges. People simply have neither the ability nor the funds to pay for their treatment.”
“I will put into context the reduction in the number of NHS-registered patients in North Belfast. In 2022, the number of children registered stood at 17,000, but that figure has now fallen to 15,000. In 2022, there were 57,000 adults registered, but that figure has now fallen to 42,000. Almost 20,000 people in North Belfast have lost their NHS provision in the space of three years, and, over that period, North Belfast has seen the sixth-largest reduction out of the 18 Assembly constituencies. <BR /> <BR />At a time when households are under significant financial pressure, more and more are being forced to put off essential treatment, because they cannot afford it. Access to healthcare should never depend on a person's ability to pay, yet too many in my constituency are being priced out of the very services on which they rely.”
“I pay tribute to the dentists and providers right across my constituency who have engaged with me on the issue. They have worked to ensure that they can support as many people as they can, but, frankly, they are now at breaking point. I have spoken to practice managers and providers who have maintained NHS dental places out of a sense of local loyalty and to provide continued care for the patients they have treated, in some cases for a generation, but, based on the support that they receive from the Department of Health, they can no longer do so to the service level required. <BR /> <BR />I pay tribute to the lobby organisations for dentists in Northern Ireland, some of which are represented in the Public Gallery today. They provided me with stark figures.”
“Those are but two examples out of the hundreds that my office has received that show the stark reality of what people are facing.”
“That is not to take away from the Minister's genuine commitment to the issue, but it is the lived experience of those in my constituency. <BR /> <BR />At the outset of my remarks, I pay tribute to a number of groups, organisations and individuals, the first of whom are my constituents in North Belfast. When I first launched the campaign just after Christmas, my office was inundated with people — young and old, working and retired — who were simply at their wits' end. Over 300 individuals shared their personal story with me about their desperate search for affordable treatment for them and their family. That shows the scale of the issue. <BR /> <BR />With your indulgence, Mr Deputy Speaker, I will read into the record a number of those examples. One constituent wrote:”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I raise the matter with deep frustration and genuine anger on behalf of those whom I represent, because the stark reality is that NHS dental provision in North Belfast is collapsing, with patient registration at an all-time low, providers being overworked and underpaid and my constituents being forced to either live in pain or register for private provision that they cannot afford. To be frank, the time for talking by the Department of Health is over, and the time for action is now. <BR /> <BR />The Minister stated to me last February that dental reform was one of his top priorities. If that is the case, I expect today that there will be action for my constituents. To be frank, the measures taken by the Minister to date have had no positive impact on the constituents whom I represent in North Belfast.”
“I thank the Minister for that. Will she commit, in the House, to discuss with the Minister for Infrastructure emulating clause 8 of the Crime and Policing Bill in England and Wales, which looks to strengthen legislation on seizure powers and reduces the amount of time that the police have to hold on to e-scooters before they are able to destroy them?”
“When we passed a pointless motion in the House calling for observer status for Northern Ireland in the European Union, it was ignored. If it makes Mr Kearney and others feel great to say that the motion went through, we will let that be the case, but it will be filed under "Thank you very much". <BR /> <BR />Let us remember that the funding is important, but the overwhelming majority of it is provided by our national Government, and that needs to be recognised in the House today.”
“I may still be young and fresh-faced, but despite my boyish good looks, I can remember a time when Sinn Féin shared this party’s position on Europe. Where was Sinn Féin on the Maastricht treaty? Opposed to it. Where was Sinn Féin on the Treaty of Rome? Opposed to it. Where was Sinn Féin on the Treaty of Lisbon? Opposed to it. However, once the United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union, Sinn Féin claimed to be the biggest cheerleader for the European project. The fact is that its record says something else. <BR /> <BR />I feel bad, but I want to break it to Mr Kearney that no one in the European Union is watching the debate here today. It will file the motion under the same letterhead that it did when we passed a pointless motion calling for an EU office, which was rejected.”
“<BR /> <BR />Although financial support from the European Union has been welcomed in the years since, we should not overstate its role in the Belfast Agreement. On Saturday, I read nonsense on Twitter when the deranged character Richard Neal claimed that the United States was a guarantor of the Belfast Agreement. This morning, I read the motion, and I was told that the European Union's support was vital to securing the Belfast Agreement. I will happily give way to those on the Benches opposite if they can articulate the role that the European Union played in securing the Belfast Agreement. No, because no such role existed. <BR /> <BR />The revisionism that takes place in the Chamber is, frankly, laughable.”
“Dr Aiken has made the point that I was going to come on to: PEACE PLUS funding is not an EU grant, as some have suggested. It is heavily funded by the UK Government to the degree of 75% and, indeed, the Northern Ireland Executive here in Belfast. <BR /> <BR />It is vital that the contribution made by UK taxpayers is properly recognised, and it is disappointing that neither the preamble nor the countless words in the motion contain a recognition that three quarters of the funding comes from our national Government in Westminster. With the majority of the funding coming from Westminster, engagement with our national Government will be crucial to securing any future investment and funding for Northern Ireland, and our Members of Parliament and in the House of Lords will continue to show up to engage on those important issues.”
“I will in a second, Dr Aiken. <BR /> <BR />Some 75% of PEACE PLUS funding is provided by the UK Government, which is not bad from what the party opposite describe as the "big, bad Brits".”
“We will continue to support measures that deliver real benefits to communities but we will not endorse attempts to politicise what should remain a programme that focuses on securing positive and tangible outcomes for our society and economy. <BR /> <BR />We welcome the investment, but let us remember that we, the UK taxpayer, make up the vast majority of the funding. Of course, that is not referenced in the motion because it does not suit the narrative that is being pursued by some. Some 75% of PEACE PLUS funding —”
“The Democratic Unionist Party recognises the tangible benefits that PEACE PLUS funding has delivered to communities across Northern Ireland, particularly at a grassroots level. We welcome the prospect of continued funding beyond 2027 and agree that clarity is needed on future allocations to give certainty to community organisations and their partners. However, the allocations must provide value for money and the outcomes must be a key consideration. As a party, we will continue to engage constructively to ensure that the programme strengthens stability, prosperity and community confidence across all parts of Northern Ireland.”
“Does the deputy First Minister agree that, if the Member for Newry and Armagh is looking for someone to blame for the hold-up at Casement Park, he would do better to look at his own Benches? First, sitting just two seats from him is the former Minister who unlawfully approved the previous planning application, which is the reason for the delay at Casement. Secondly, he might want to speak to the former MLA for West Belfast Mr Attwood, who protested outside Casement Park, saying that it should not be redeveloped.”
“The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 allows the Department to apply to the court for an order requiring a disqualified director to compensate creditors for losses incurred as a result of conduct for which he or she has been disqualified. That Act requires the disqualified director to pay an amount to the Department for the benefit of the creditors. The Department must then distribute the compensation to the creditors, and that is done by the insolvency service. The SR before us enables the Department to charge a fee for making the distribution. That is calculated on the basis of time spent by staff, and the relevant hours are set out in the regulations. The rule was considered by the Committee in February 2026 and was unanimously supported. I recommend that the Assembly approve it today.”
“Before addressing the motion, I thank the Minister for her kind words about and tribute to the former Deputy Chair of the Committee, Gary Middleton. The Minister's words are indicative of her good nature and the manner in which she treats colleagues. I thank her for that. I congratulate Julie Middleton on her elevation to this place. For the benefit of elements of the media, her name is "Julie Middleton", regardless of whom she may or may not be married to. The media would not have reported a man's marital status, but that is a point for another day. <BR /> <BR />As Chair of the Committee, I recommend that the Assembly support the statutory rule (SR) today.”
“<BR /> <BR />This is not the only planning permission scandal to face Sinn Féin in recent months. Just before Christmas, the constituency of the Infrastructure Minister, who is in charge of planning in Northern Ireland, witnessed the illegal erection of a Sinn Féin billboard. Rule-keeping and abiding by the law has never been a strength of Sinn Féin, but the public expect that, when Ministers make the law, they follow it. The public also witnessed the Provo show of strength during the COVID pandemic being prioritised over people's grief. They witnessed how portraits in City Hall were destroyed at a Sinn Féin-hosted event. <BR /> <BR />Members of the party opposite may think that the law does not apply to them, but they need to think again, because my party and the people of Northern Ireland will hold them accountable.”
“<BR /> <BR />Let us remember who Mr Bobby Sands was: a convicted terrorist who blew up a Protestant-owned furniture store and, being the coward that he was, fled and left his comrades who had been injured in the blast behind. Bobby Sands was no hero, yet that has not stopped Sinn Féin from trying to profiteer from his legacy, despite the pleas and claims from his family to leave the man alone. <BR /> <BR />The DUP group at City Hall have rightly called an emergency meeting of Belfast City Council to instruct that planning enforcement action is taken. The public will watch how the Alliance Party, the SDLP, the Green Party and People Before Profit vote on the issue. They expect their constituents and businesses across Northern Ireland to abide by the law, so I am sure that they will support DUP calls for enforcement against the statue.”
“"One rule for thee, another for me" is the deeply concerning and persistent pattern of late: the lawlessness, double standards and failure to comply with the rules and the law by the party opposite. Time and time again, we have seen one rule applied to Sinn Féin and another imposed on the law-abiding citizens of Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />An illegal statue to the terrorist Bobby Sands was erected without the required planning permission: a clear breach of the rules that the public and businesses across Northern Ireland have to follow, but not Sinn Féin. Attending the official opening of that crass memorial was none other than the First Minister for "no alternative", who said that she was delighted with the statue.”
“On Thursday, the Communities Minister will bring his paper to the Executive. Let us see whether your actions match your words: give us the money to support the people of Northern Ireland.”
“Yes. They moved seats to sit beside the Labour Party. I listened to the leader of the SDLP today on the radio. You would almost forget that she was elected to be a Member of Parliament, while she criticises the Assembly and the Executive. Where is the leader of the SDLP? What has she delivered while her sister party has been in government? Nothing. <BR /> <BR />We hear lectures from Sinn Féin. The people in my constituency of North Belfast are seeing prices increase at the petrol pump. Our care workers cannot afford to go to work, and people cannot get oil. Our Member of Parliament, rather than turning up and doing his job to fight for the people of North Belfast, is too busy earning tens of thousands of pounds in other employment. I and the people of North Belfast will take no lectures from you.”
“<BR /> <BR />When Keir Starmer was elected, we were told that the Opposition, as Labour's sister party, would be in a prime place to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.”
“It is no wonder that the Ulster Farmers' Union passed a motion of no confidence in your Minister; you have no idea what you are talking about. <BR /> <BR />I have to do the Opposition's job for them. Who was it who found out that the Executive had £81 million to spend? It was not the Opposition. It was not members of the Opposition on the Economy Committee. It was left to this party to fight for the funding. Mrs Dillon said, "Oh no, the money doesn't exist" and then, "Oh yes, it does exist". It is like Punch and Judy politics. Ms Sheerin can sneer and laugh, as she does when any unionist speaks in the Chamber, but that is because the facts hurt, and Sinn Féin does not like the facts.”
“It is disappointing that Mrs Dillon accuses me of being a liar and then runs out of the Chamber before I have an opportunity to respond. <BR /> <BR />My, my: the truth really hurts. The facts are clear: the net zero policies that some Members have championed year after year are now coming home to roost. Mr Honeyford got very angry during his deranged rant against the DUP without stating any facts, so let us give him some facts: since the legislation was rammed through by his party, £107 million has been set aside for net zero targets. Mr Honeyford, imagine what £107 million could do for my constituents and yours. What has been the impact of that legislation? A 1% reduction in energy targets. You have the audacity to come into the Chamber and try to lecture me and my colleagues on these Benches.”
“I appreciate the Member's giving way. I know that he has a passion for the issue. However, the Utility Regulator and even the Minister have recognised the vital nature of east-west interconnection. That is included in our amendment. It is not included in the motion, and I am not sure why. Can you set out for the House what aspect of the amendment in my name you are opposed to? I have not heard an articulate reason why you oppose it.”
“The Audit Office report makes it clear that the legislation and work that has been done to date have made no tangible impact on that. I want to play my part in transitioning to net zero, but getting up here every week, gaslighting the public and pretending that we will meet targets in 2030 while inflicting economic vandalism on the people of Northern Ireland is a ridiculous position to be in. <BR /> <BR />We have an opportunity to support an amendment that recognises the importance of continuing the use of fossil fuels while continuing to ensure that we play our role in transitioning towards net zero. The public deserve honesty from their politicians. Today, they have the opportunity to get it.”
“I say this to the Member for North Antrim: what is disingenuous is getting up here and saying that fossil fuels are terrible, we need to end their use tomorrow and we must have all our energy from renewables and then rejecting an amendment that makes it clear that we need to continue support due to the vital nature of fossil fuels and for those who are most in need. <BR /> <BR />By pursuing our current policies, Northern Ireland has the highest energy prices for businesses anywhere in Europe. That is impacting not just on my constituents but on Ms Mulholland's constituents in North Antrim. It is the result of the funding that we are ploughing into projects that have ultimately made no difference in achieving those targets.”
“Just because Members may not like the use of fossil fuels, that does not take away the essential nature of them. If we were to stop any use of fossil fuels, Northern Ireland would be in a blackout tomorrow. Was it not the Alliance Party that just yesterday called for energy support for customers who use oil? The last time I checked, oil is a fossil fuel. Perhaps, Alliance policy has changed from what it was yesterday, which was that the UK Government should fund fossil fuel support through oil for householders. Today, the party will not support it.”
“<BR /> <BR />Our amendment is reasonable. I have not heard why the Alliance Party will not support it. Ms Nicholl said that, by focusing completely on fossil fuels, we were being economically illiterate. We make clear in our amendment that there needs to be:”
“Otherwise, why would people have faith in these institutions when politicians read out scripted remarks claiming that we will reach those targets when, in fact, professionals who operate in the sector daily say that we will not meet them? <BR /> <BR />That does not mean that we give up and do not do everything that we can. That is why the Minister has my support in producing the renewable energy price guarantee scheme. It will be vital in attracting the investment that Ms Nicholl set out. That is why the Minister has my support in developing the North/South interconnector, trying to address the issue of dispatch down and developing an interconnection policy so that we can deliver not just the North/South interconnector but an additional east-west one that we need and that will benefit all our businesses.”