Member's statement: Murder of Robert McCartney
Member's statement by Ms Joanne Bunting on .
- MLA
- Ms Joanne Bunting
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 12 May 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Murder of Robert McCartney
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4937338
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I rise in solidarity with the McCartney family, following yet another glorification event by Sinn Féin and attempt by the party to rewrite history. As a member of the Policing Board, I have met the McCartney family. I have read the transcript of the trial in the aftermath of Mr McCartney's murder, and I have read their book. Their brother's murder was brutal and merciless. The omertà that followed was shocking. Instead of being shown support and sympathy at a time of bereavement, that family could no longer reside in the area in which they lived. The whole situation was repugnant and eerily similar to that in the murder of Ian Ogle in my constituency, which was also all because of an accusation of looking at somebody the wrong way. The details of Mr McCartney's murder in the court transcripts are brutal and harrowing. His sisters' and partner's pain and anguish are understandable and deeply moving. No family should have to endure the added trauma of seeing the individual whom they believe ordered their loved one's murder being publicly honoured.
Sinn Féin seems to be wilfully deaf and blind to the impact on victims of the Provisional IRA of its weekly glorification roadshows. It is disgraceful and insensitive, though no surprise. Once more, it has reverted to its old, faithful routine of "Do as we say and not as we do". It is one glorification after another in circumstances where, on the one hand, literally millions of pounds of taxpayers' money are being spent by the Executive to tackle paramilitarism and move our society on, and, on the other hand, the biggest party in the Executive is hailing as heroes those who did the damage. The hypocrisy and double standards are shocking. Sinn Féin has the audacity to chide DUP Ministers for meeting those who are trying to steer people and groups away from paramilitarism, the past and criminality, while lauding those who murdered and maimed. We will take no lectures for encouraging people to change, start over and obey the law. The continued failure to hold anyone accountable for Robert McCartney's murder is a stain on our society. I have previously urged those with information to come forward directly to the police. I have also encouraged the police to speak to those who gave statements to third parties at the time, and I do so again. We in the DUP support the McCartney sisters and all innocent victims in their pursuit of truth and justice. We will continue to oppose all glorification of individuals associated with paramilitary violence, and we will press for a justice system that treats innocent victims with the dignity and fairness that they deserve.
449 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: 0.51 (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).
- The text criticises or condemns the framing or division (0.52).
- Subject area: Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism.
- The overall probability was moderate at most and none of the culture-war criteria was close to being met.
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 | 0.37 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.15 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.34 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.49 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.19 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.21 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.51 | Between thresholds |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing | 0.14 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it (chosen) | 0.52 |
| Adopts it | 0.34 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism | 0.95 |
| Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations | 0.04 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.01 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:22 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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