Debate contribution: Exclusion of the First Minister from Office under Section 30 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998
Debate contribution by Ms Diane Forsythe on .
- MLA
- Ms Diane Forsythe
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 12 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- 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 5787052
Read the official Assembly record
Text
We know that Deirdre Hargey is just shouting through her megaphone, as she has done over the past weeks. I am glad to have the opportunity to speak today. To be honest, those outside this place looking in to Northern Ireland now are looking at those Ministers and seeing that they are an absolute embarrassment to us here. We all know and have long known that Sinn Féin does not want Northern Ireland to exist, never mind to thrive. However, what Sinn Féin has put on display and embarrassed Northern Ireland with has really let down everyone, not just unionists. Today, the sheer lack of self-awareness and arrogance on display has been absolutely outrageous. There has been not a single reflection on the words of the motion or the Pledge of Office; no reference to the rule of law; no justification and no explanation of any of it. Sinn Féin Members said that they would not be second-class citizens, but it is OK for us to be second-class citizens with two-tier policing and two-tier court systems. What about the attempts to bully and terrorise Carla Lockhart, Jonny Buckley and Diane Dodds? They were absolutely outrageous. They treated them like second-class citizens. They tried to bully them, but they could not do it. They have now continued with an absolute slaughter of their characters. It is outrageous. The First Minister used slogans such as "No going back" and talked about not being dragged back, but Sinn Féin needs to look at itself and realise that it is dragging us back to the days of IRA terrorism. Really, what were the threats? They were threats of violence from the IRA and dissidents being back on the street, to which the First Minister is on record as saying that there was "no alternative". Sinéad Ennis listed a number of atrocities. She should look at the Narrow Water massacre, which occurred close to her office, and some of the other things that the IRA did in our community. Linda Dillon's comments were absolutely disgusting and outrageous, especially as she is from a party of terrorists and sex offenders that is also known for its paedophile cover-ups. On the point about dragging us back to violence, there are those from across the community, including younger people, who may have been manipulated by Sinn Féin's attempt to rewrite history. They are horrified by the blatant standing in the road, two fingers up to the law and the thuggish behaviour that has been on display. Another thing that the First Minister said was that we have a problem with her being First Minister because she is a woman. That is completely pathetic. She is not the first woman to hold the role, and she is in a joint office with the deputy First Minister, who is a better woman than she is. Sinéad Ennis referred to the First Minister as "gracious". That is absolutely laughable. Listen to the language. John O'Dowd talked about disgusting, vile language. What about the language of his mob? My colleague Phillip Brett read some of that vile language into the record. We heard what the unionist and loyalist communities were called, with the First Minister agreeing. The way in which you referred to the unionist community was absolutely disgusting. We hear you, and we see you.
Liz Kimmins referred to the leaders of unionism as unelected mouthpieces. It should not be lost on anyone that the leaders of nationalism — the unelected mouthpieces who are louder and clearer than everyone in this place — are in Connolly House and are dissident republicans. Look at yourselves. Look at your own. Look at your own —
— party and what you are doing.
The Economy Minister posted on social media calling on people to mobilise in the streets and join in the lawbreaking. That is outrageous. Who else would get away with that? We know that the Economy Minister has a record of losing jobs for Northern Ireland and being a disaster for the economy, but, if the outside world were looking in, it would see an Economy Minister saying, "Mobilise on the streets and destroy the place". How is that supporting any sort of jobs or investment for anybody here in Northern Ireland? Again, I refer to the Alliance Party and the failure of the Justice Minister to condemn the lawless behaviour at any point, and she has failed to show up today. To be honest, it is pathetic for any Alliance Members to be sitting here today, given that they prop up the pan-nationalist front in this place. They ran away when there was a motion of no confidence against one of their Ministers but have stayed for these motions today. Surprise, surprise: Matthew O'Toole and the Opposition will not support the motion today. They will support only motions that oppose DUP Ministers. Bad Paul Givan for going to Israel, and bad Gordon Lyons for trying to defuse riots, but Matthew O'Toole would not support the motion against the Alliance Minister and cannot stand up to Sinn Féin when it opposes the rule of law. That is absolutely outrageous, but we see them. The pan-nationalist front is on full display. Everyone can see it.
I absolutely agree. The mask, balaclava —
— or whatever it is has well and truly slipped, and that is there for everyone to see. I return to the motion and the Pledge of Office. My colleague has paperwork here about the Pledge of Office, and 13 of 19 items are crossed out. The sheer disregard for it is absolutely outrageous. Good and decent people from the PSNI have been in touch with me. They have been failed. They are really disappointed that police leadership has bowed the knee to Sinn Féin throughout. We should remember them as we look for a better way forward for law and order here in Northern Ireland. Some Members have suggested that the DUP is trying to distract, but it is very clearly Sinn Féin that is trying to distract. Look at the state of everything that it presides over. We talked about infrastructure and roads falling apart. Nobody can go anywhere in this country without seeing that. The Finance Minister has spent so much time running about after this issue, yet there are problems with rates and the Budget, which is where the focus should be. That is what the outside world sees when it looks in. Under the Economy Minister, there has been one disaster after another — we see that in the Economy Committee — with the cutting of college courses and loss of jobs. The catalogue of failures is clear for everyone to see. The one question that none of them has addressed is to do with the motion: do Sinn Féin Ministers support the rule of law? Do they support the PSNI? Do not underestimate the anger from all parts of the community at the sheer arrogance and blatant disregard on display today and which has been on display over the past number of weeks.
1,178 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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