Debate contribution: All-island Rail Fares

Debate contribution by Mr Phillip Brett on 3 December 2024.

MLA

Mr Phillip Brett

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

3 December 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

All-island Rail Fares

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4691397

Read the official Assembly record

Text

That is the first time that I have been cheered by the Sinn Féin Benches for my remarks

It must be true. The importance of public transport penetrates all forms of public life and all aspects on which the Executive want to work, be that delivering economic growth in all parts of Northern Ireland or, indeed, ensuring that we get the greener and cleaner society that will ensure that Northern Ireland continues to flourish. There have been important discussions about fares and pricing, but, before we get to that — the Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone made this clear — it is all very well to talk about the cost of fares, but, if you do not have access to train provision, the issue of pricing is very much secondary. In my constituency, North Belfast, an issue that my colleague Brian Kingston and I have been engaged in is that our constituency has a train station at one end, at Yorkgate, and a station at the other end, at Whiteabbey. All the communities who live in between, along the Shore Road and the Antrim Road, have absolutely no access to those services. They are expected to bear the brunt of the trains running at the rear of their homes throughout the night while getting no benefit from those public services. I previously wrote to the Minister about halts at Loughside and the Abbey Centre. I know that, given his constrained budget, he has committed to looking at new halts when the implementation of the all-island review has been completed. I encourage him to continue to look at that. I had worried that the debate would turn into a case of, "It has to be about the all-island rail review; it cannot be about the Union connectivity review", but there has been a degree of maturity in the discussion: all these issues matter, we as an island and a set of islands are interconnected, and our people who want to get to Dublin or London do not care about who funds it, about the manner in which we do it or about the auspices under which we travel. They just want a well-connected set of islands. It better serves all our constituents and all communities in Northern Ireland if we talk about a positive aspiration for what we want to be available to our people rather than retreating to simple tribal debates about who funds those issues.

Throughout the world, indeed. I think that the angry comments from People Before Profit come more from that party's election result in the Irish Republic than from anger at the motion. I will turn to Members' contributions. Mr Boylan for Sinn Féin clearly articulated the joint mission and aspiration of the Executive to continue to deliver state-of-the-art public transport to all parts of Northern Ireland. Mr McReynolds showed what an exciting weekend it must have been in the McReynolds household for him to have spent Saturday evening reading the motion and the amendment.

I will not comment any further on that.

The leader of the Opposition made a number of remarks, but given that he was chastised by the Principal Deputy Speaker this morning for turning up 28 minutes late to Members' statements and then trying to speak, then for walking in front of the Chair and the Principal Deputy Speaker during a debate and then for leaving after he made his contribution, I do not think that he needs any further chastisement from me at this stage.

I welcome the discussion that took place between the Member for Lagan Valley and the Member for Newry and Armagh; the debate was turning into a discussion between Mr Honeyford and Mr McNulty. Given that there is disunity on those Benches, perhaps one of those parties might want to join us next week and vote with the DUP on the continuation of the protocol arrangements. Given that there is clearly a fallout in that corner over there, you will be very welcome to join us in the Lobbies next week. Ms Armstrong, the other Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone who spoke, articulated very well the shared concerns of all the Members who have the pleasure of representing Fermanagh and South Tyrone. There is a clear ambition from all parties that they want to see the people of the most westerly constituency in the United Kingdom having access to the same services as those in any other part. The Minister, as always, was generous and flexible with his time, allowing Members to make further points of clarification. He articulated well the financial pressures that the Executive face in delivering public transport. In the past number of years, important progress has been made across Northern Ireland in delivering services. There is more to achieve, and, together, the Assembly can ensure that our transport services are fit for the 21st century.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:43 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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