Debate contribution: Victims’ Payments Board: Oversight
Debate contribution by Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly on .
- MLA
- Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 5 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Victims’ Payments Board: Oversight
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5774160
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for his question. As I said earlier, leadership is exceptionally important. It is really important that we make clear that the acts of violence and terrorism of the past were absolutely wrong and that no person deserved to be injured or killed during the Troubles. There was always an alternative to injuring someone or taking away their life. We have seen, and not just in recent weeks, the commemoration and glorification of terrorists who carried out some of the most vile acts. As I referenced earlier during Question Time, we have the likes of Breandán Mac Cionnaith being taken in by not just Sinn Féin but the SDLP. They have stood shoulder to shoulder with that man, who is entirely unrepentant about his terrorist activity. He was prosecuted for bombing Portadown town centre and left Sinn Féin because of his opposition to the PSNI. We need to send a clear message that we support the rule of law, that we support the PSNI and that we certainly do not support terrorism and those who made the victims and survivors of this place.
186 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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