Debate contribution: Stormont Institutions: Reform
Debate contribution by Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly on .
- MLA
- Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 7 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Stormont Institutions: Reform
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5669900
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The process that the Member refers to as "vetoes" is at the heart of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, and it is about inclusivity. It is about making sure that any significant, controversial or cross-cutting issue will not be decided by one party in isolation, which happened back in the early days. Indeed, it is the Executive's responsibility to look at those issues and find a consensus and agreement on the way forward. You cannot simply amend your way out of that or try to force consensus. It is about the spirit of people being able to come together, to have those conversations and to try to find accommodation with each other on very tricky issues on which they will have very different views. The system that we have is based on inclusivity and is absolutely grounded in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Let us try to do business better — absolutely — but let us not misdiagnose the issues.
158 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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