Debate contribution: Illegal Immigration: Impact in Northern Ireland
Debate contribution by Ms Liz Kimmins on .
- MLA
- Ms Liz Kimmins
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 20 May 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Illegal Immigration: Impact in Northern Ireland
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4964449
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.
I will not need 15 minutes, for many of the reasons that have been mentioned. From the outset, I want to explain my perspective on migration. Like that of my colleagues, it has been shaped by republican values and principles that are embedded in equality, economic and social justice, sovereignty, anti-racism and anti-colonialism, because, as some Members have said, we are talking about human beings. Anyone listening to the conversation and debate today could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. It is important to point that out. With regard to the contents of the motion, the overall responsibility for housing policy, including, as the previous Member to speak pointed out clearly, the regulation of HMOs, is primarily that of my ministerial colleague in the Department for Communities and local councils, not my Department. I am flabbergasted as to why I have been called here to respond to a motion that is for its proposer's colleague in the Executive. As has been pointed out, the strategic planning policy statement does not contain specific policy on HMOs.
There is not a whole pile more that I can say about that. If the Members want to learn more about it, they can, hopefully, ask their colleague.
As has been said, across the world, people are being forced from their countries by war, famine, the escalating climate crisis and persistent inequality. We can and must do much more to address those factors, which are causing more people to migrate. As others have said, some of the language that has been used today is particularly dangerous. I use the opportunity to send my solidarity to the families in my community in Newry who were verbally abused recently while taking their children to a play park. They are workers in our health service, workers in Daisy Hill Hospital. This language leads to that behaviour, because, from the outset, some do not know whether those people are legal, illegal or what they may be. They just hear the noise around the matter.
Go raibh maith agat.
Sorry, I have finished.
349 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: 0.14 (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 (0.97).
- Subject area: Immigration, asylum, race, ethnicity and Travellers.
- 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 | 0.17 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.04 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.04 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.10 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.37 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.14 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing | 0.03 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it (chosen) | 0.97 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Immigration, asylum, race, ethnicity and Travellers | 1.00 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:33 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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