Debate contribution: Garvaghy Road: Residents' Rights

Debate contribution by Ms Michelle O'Neill on 19 October 2026.

MLA: Ms Michelle O'Neill
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 19 October 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Garvaghy Road: Residents' Rights
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5795753

Text

There are some in political unionism — I say "some" — who want it to be yesterday, and that is not available to them. They want the days of domination and the days of the Orange state. That is not available to them. What we need to do is build on the progress of the past 28 years, keep our eyes focused on the future and condemn those elements in society who are trying to drag us backwards, including those people who, last week, threatened my own party colleague when he went to his place of work. When Paul Duffy received a threat, I did not hear condemnation from the Benches opposite.
I did not hear it. The selective condemnation that I hear quite often from the Benches opposite does not serve anybody's purpose. That is why I speak of the hypocrisy from those Benches. We need to protect the progress of the past 28 years. That is what I am determined to do. It is what I turn up to do every single day. We will not allow people to drag us backwards.

184 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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