Debate contribution: Bonfire Regulation

Debate contribution by Mr Phillip Brett on 16 September 2025.

MLA

Mr Phillip Brett

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

16 September 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Bonfire Regulation

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5111505

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. As someone who proudly attends 11 July celebrations, I can confidently and clearly say, as my party has consistently said, that the burning of flags, election posters or other offensive material is wrong, it always has been wrong, and it will never have my party's support. My community and I are proud enough of our traditions that we do not need to denigrate anyone else's to raise ours up. However, I fear that the motion is a blanket attempt to class all community celebrations across Northern Ireland as sectarian hate fests that the Members who tabled it want to eradicate. They want to eradicate and erode the proud unionist and loyalist traditions across Northern Ireland. There is no mention in the motion of the hundreds of bonfires that take place across Northern Ireland and pass off without incident. There is not one mention of the hundreds of people who engage in positive outlets throughout the year to ensure that our young people can be involved in that proud and historic practice. In my constituency of North Belfast, the transformation of bonfires in recent years has been commendable. We have young people who are being led by those who want to see a positive outlet for their future. In Rathcoole, we have the amazing RATH Community Group that shows our young people that we celebrate our culture and do not demean that of others. Work takes place throughout the length and breadth of North Belfast, but there is no reference to that in the motion. The cat was let out of the bag by the Opposition spokesperson: they do not want to see bonfires taking place — full stop. There is a clear message from these Benches, and, if we are the only party to say it, we will do so happily. There will always be bonfires in Northern Ireland, and my party will continue to support them. Does Ms Armstrong want to intervene, or is she just pulling a face at my comments?

Yes, of course.

If the Member had listened to the first 45 seconds of my remarks, she would know that I made it clear that attacks on any person are reprehensible. I have always stood against attacks on democracy. Unfortunately, others in the Chamber do not have the same record; indeed, they campaigned for terrorists to be released from prison. I turn back to the motion. Actions speak louder than words. We can have all the warm and woolly comments from the Alliance Party, Sinn Féin or the SDLP saying that they support the legitimate expression of culture, but let us look at their actions. In my constituency of North Belfast, Sinn Féin and the SDLP together acted illegally to have the Adam Street bonfire in Tiger's Bay removed because they did not want that small unionist community to be able to celebrate its culture and identity. Their actions were struck down by the High Court. Those were their actions, not their words. In Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, where we support bonfires that do not have flags or emblems, those parties, along with the Alliance Party, vote every year to remove the funding. Look at actions, not words. In South Belfast, we had great interest in the working-class community of the Village. Of course, there had been no commentary for years from those elected representatives about the lack of social housing in that constituency, which my party has fought for. However, when it comes to bonfires, they all appear, because they want to denigrate the unionist community. The motion tries to nitpick parts of the FICT report in order to denigrate the unionist community. Of course, there is no reference to the FICT study on the removal of illegal monuments, because other parties are happy to support the terrorist shrines across this country, which have a negative impact on community relations. Other Members mentioned the Féile an Phobail organisation but made no comment about its work on bonfires celebrating the IRA or about celebrating the Bayardo bombers and the 50th anniversary of those murders. My party will take no lectures whatever on te legitimate expression of culture and identity from any political party represented in the Chamber. The SDLP, Sinn Féin and the Alliance Party want to use every opportunity in the Chamber to do down unionism. My party will not stand by quietly and allow that to happen.

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

Assessment

Qualifying Parades, bonfires and commemorations

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:15 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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