Debate contribution: Exclusion of the First Minister from Office under Section 30 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998
Debate contribution by Ms Liz Kimmins on .
- MLA
- Ms Liz Kimmins
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 12 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Assembly Business
- Heading
- Exclusion of the First Minister from Office under Section 30 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5786620
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Over the past number of weeks, we have witnessed some of the most regressive elements of loyalism and unionism, led by the unelected mouthpiece Jamie Bryson, who has no regard for the progress or the peace that we all want to see and which the vast majority of people here hold dearly. He has been stringing factions of the DUP along, not only in an effort to divide our society but dividing unionism in his wake. Let me say this, however: despite the vitriol that is being spouted and the reprehensible attempts to drag our communities backwards and revisit some of the most harrowing days of our past on the people of the Garvaghy Road, we have also seen the very best of our communities. People who are Catholic, Protestant, unionist, nationalist and other all came together with one unified voice and said, "No going back; not now, not ever". People stood in person and in spirit with the residents of the Garvaghy Road around the clock for almost two weeks, and that support continues to grow, not just across Ireland but across the world.
Those who sought to rip open that wound and rewind the clock in an attempt to assert the supremacy and domination that they feel they are entitled to are in the minority. Those who hark back to the past because they fear the future do not represent anyone but themselves. They would rather inflict pain and suffering and demonise the Garvaghy Road community than work with others for the benefit of all our children and grandchildren. Let me say this: not on our watch. I and my colleagues will always stand up for what is right. I am proud to have stood in solidarity with the residents of the Garvaghy Road and to have seen the leadership that my colleagues showed over past weeks, because that is not appearing from unionism. There will be no going back to the dark days on the 1990s. I remember, as a 10-year-old, the fear that the Drumcree disputes brought me, watching the news and learning about the deaths of the three Quinn children, who were the same age as me and my siblings at the time. I will not stand idly by and allow any community to be plunged back into that fear and anxiety, not least those who still bear the scars and trauma of that horrendous period. The people of the Garvaghy Road community did not ask for this; it was foisted upon them. What Jamie Bryson, Carla Lockhart and the Orange Order seem to have forgotten is that they are a strong, resilient and proud community who are determined to ensure that they will never be second-class citizens. The thousands of people who afforded them their support also sent that message loud and clear. I will not be lectured by Jim Allister's puppet, Mr Gaston, nor will I be lectured by the DUP, which is scrambling to distract from the series of scandals and investigations that are running rife through the party. Lastly, I will not be lectured by the unelected UUP leader, who has taken a wrecking ball to his own party. As for the investigation skills that he has displayed over the past few days and weeks, I would trust Chief Wiggum from 'The Simpsons' quicker than I would him with any investigation.
My advice to all of the above is this: sort out your own houses. Get your own houses in order and let the Garvaghy Road residents live in peace in theirs. Sin é.
593 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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