Debate contribution: Racism, Sectarianism and Xenophobia
Debate contribution by Ms Michelle O'Neill on .
- MLA
- Ms Michelle O'Neill
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 22 June 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Racism, Sectarianism and Xenophobia
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5638113
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I agree with the Member about the ugly language that was used to describe some people in our community. Like the Member, I have met many people from the black and ethnic minority community in recent times. I do that on an ongoing basis, but I did so recently given what happened over the last number of weeks. That has affected some nurses who work in our health service. Without their support and without them choosing to be here to work across our health and social care system, we would be in a much more dire place. We are grateful for the contribution that they make to our community. Political leadership starts with the language that we use when it comes to describing our community as a safe and welcoming place. People have to have space to be able to celebrate their culture, and we have to ensure that those are safe spaces. A lot of that will be done really well by our council hubs, because they are very connected to their communities and will understand the needs of certain communities. Whatever we can do, we need to make that space, because we are really good, warm and welcoming people here, and what I saw on our streets in recent weeks does not reflect who we are. I am sure that the Member will concur with that.
228 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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