Debate contribution: Election of Speaker and Deputy Speakers

Debate contribution by Ms Claire Sugden on 13 May 2022.

MLA: Ms Claire Sugden
Party at the time: Independent
Date: 13 May 2022
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Speaker's Business
Heading: Election of Speaker and Deputy Speakers
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 4140121

Text

Like others, Mr Speaker, I join in wishing you well in your retirement, whenever that may happen. You have been a fair Speaker, particularly in relation to smaller parties and independents, and, as someone who sits in this back corner, I appreciate the voice that you have given us. I certainly hope that your successor will also be mindful of those smaller voices, which, on their own, can sometimes be quite loud. Good afternoon, Members, and congratulations to each of you on getting elected last week. It is my pleasure to sit amongst you in the Chamber, and it is regrettable that it may be one of the last opportunities for a while to do that. I congratulate in particular the women MLAs who were elected. For me, the election campaign felt particularly brutal towards women. The fact that you saw it through and managed to get our numbers back to where they need to be — we are not there yet, but we are making steps towards that — is remarkable, so I congratulate you all. That was despite the abuse that some of you faced, which was unacceptable, and we should very much stand against that. I am now the longest-serving independent in Northern Ireland Assembly history, and that is a great honour for me. You may not recall it, because it is nearly eight years ago, but, in my maiden speech, I reminded Members to take responsibility for the power that they held. I will revise that to say this: take responsibility for the power that you have been gifted. There is a difference between the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive. The Northern Ireland Assembly is directly elected by the people of Northern Ireland. It is the people who have given you power, and the people want you to do a job. They want us to lead. They want us to take forward issues that matter to them and their families. The protocol is such an issue. It deeply saddens me that the protocol has become an orange and green issue, because the protocol affects everyone in Northern Ireland. The issues relating to the protocol are not insurmountable, but they require a cross-community approach or an approach from every Member to try to fix those issues. We will not do that by not sitting here. We are not a voice by not sitting here. It is important that we send a clear message that we, as Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, need to fix the issues that matter to people in Northern Ireland. It is disappointing that we are unlikely to elect a Speaker today. To me, the Northern Ireland Assembly is more important than the Northern Ireland Executive. It provides accountability. It provides a voice. It is representation for every member of Northern Ireland. I do not stand here to bring my views and baggage to the table. I stand here representing the constituents of East Londonderry, and each of you sits in your seat representing your constituency.
It is those people whom we will have to tell that we are not going to work next week. I really hope that we find a way through this situation, because Northern Ireland deserves better. I know that that is a phrase that is often used and almost misused, but Northern Ireland deserves better. That means fixing the protocol, but we need to do that together.

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

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