Debate contribution: Programme for Government
Debate contribution by Mr Colin McGrath on .
- MLA
- Mr Colin McGrath
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 13 May 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Opposition Business
- Heading
- Programme for Government
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4488669
Read the official Assembly record
Text
"I know that we have many shared priorities, and those will be reflected today, but we must deliver more. We must deliver more on affordable childcare to support workers and families, and more on social and affordable homes, because everybody has the right to call somewhere their home. We must transform our health and social care system and ensure that children with additional needs have first-class support." — [Official Report, Vol 153, No 1, p14, col 2].
Those are not my words but those of Michelle O'Neill, when she took up the role of First Minister on 3 February.
"We can agree that too many mummies, and some daddies, are having to give up work because childcare is too expensive. We agree that our teachers need to be supported and equipped to teach and that our public-sector workers need to be properly paid." — [Official Report, Vol 153, No 1, p16, col 2].
Those are not my words but those of Emma Little-Pengelly, when she took up the role of deputy First Minister on 3 February. Those words show strong aspirations, great ideals and a collective spirit and willingness to work together for a shared outcome. That is exactly what the people of Northern Ireland need at this difficult time, when our politics have been stagnant for two years, we have just emerged from a deadly pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis remains in situ. There was just one thing missing from the contribution of any of the Executive parties: a plan, a road map to get us from A to B and help us to see those priorities being delivered. I will be the first to say that photo opportunities were important: people needed to see our Executive as a single unit. However, there is a point when the Executive must park the photo ops and get on with the job of delivering, serving the public and meeting their aspirations and ideals. Just over two years ago, the four Executive parties set out their priorities in their manifestos: 'Build a Better Northern Ireland'; 'Together We Can'; 'Real Action on the Issues That Matter to You'; and 'Time for Real Change'. Is Northern Ireland any better after 100 days? "Together" — did you? Has there been any action on the issues that matter to the public or just the ones that matter to the Executive parties? Is it, "Time for Real Change", or has it been, "More of the same, and let's not be in a hurry"? For two years, the Executive parties met, and we all believed that they were discussing the Budget and a Programme for Government. When that became apparent, the SDLP left those discussions because it would not have been proper for an Opposition party to be part of the Budget discussions. It is not the job of the Opposition to do the Executive's work for them. Yet, here we are today, doing just that. We have laid bare the issues that the Executive parties promised on. They promised delivery for parents, public-sector workers — all of them — and working families across the North. To date, they have failed to deliver on their promises. Who is to blame? Well, it must be the Tories' fault, because they have not given us enough money. Yet, in the last 100 days, Executive parties have collectively racked up a bill of £1·5 billion in the motions that they have proposed. In my local newspapers, I see Executive party representatives demanding everything in the area, including the full restoration of everything in our local hospital, yet they know that they do not have the money to deliver on that. In 100 days, we will be at the tail end of August, with children preparing to go back to school. What do the Executive say to parents who are trying to sort out their childcare? What do the Executive say to the public-sector workers trying to afford school uniforms? What do the Executive say to the working families across the North whose children need a special educational needs placement? The public should not have to wait a single day longer. Delivery aside, it is time for some answers from the Executive.
Where is the Programme for Government?
706 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.06 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.80).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.04 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.03 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.06 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.80 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.06 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.52 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.40 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.04 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.03 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:27 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
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