Debate contribution: Audit and Re-imaging of Memorials

Debate contribution by Ms Sinéad McLaughlin on 11 November 2025.

MLA

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

11 November 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Audit and Re-imaging of Memorials

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5349709

Read the official Assembly record

Text

As Members have mentioned, many people in our society feel a deep need to remember those who have died. Memorials can play an important part in that, as a way for families and communities to pay tribute, reflect and remember, but how we remember matters. In a society that is still carrying the legacy of conflict, remembrance must be done in a way that is respectful, lawful and sensitive to others. What may bring comfort to one family can, for another, reopen wounds that are never truly healed. This is not about one community or another but about how we collectively choose to live together after conflict. If we are honest, we all know that there are memorials and murals across Northern Ireland that would cause deep unease if they were to be placed in a different area. For too long, the approach to the issues has lacked direction and political courage. There has been no clear process, no consistent standard and, far too often, no consultation with the people who must live beside such displays. Many memorials are erected without any lawful authority, appearing overnight in shared or residential areas, with no engagement and no planning. That is not how remembrance should be done in a democratic society. Communities deserve to have a say in what stands in their streets and in their public places. We also have to recognise that some of the displays are not about remembrance at all but about control. They are designed to mark territory, to intimidate and to signal who is in charge. The law is clear on it. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, it can be an offence to invite support for a proscribed organisation. Murals that glorify violence, display weapons or depict masked men can easily cross that line. They are not expressions of culture but hate expressions in a public space, and they provide a basis for police action. That is why my colleagues and I tabled an amendment to the motion, but, unfortunately, it was not accepted. It would have asked the Justice Minister to examine whether the PSNI's existing powers are being properly used to prosecute those who erect and maintain such murals and whether additional powers are needed. The PSNI has a role here not simply to observe but to enforce the law where it is being broken. I also acknowledge the work of the Executive's programme for tackling paramilitary activity and organised crime. A comprehensive review was carried out in 2020, which led to phase 2 of the programme beginning in 2021. The Executive agreed only recently to extend the programme until March 2027, after which it is expected to close. The Ending the Harm campaign has helped raise awareness of what paramilitaries do, but awareness alone will not end their activities. It has now been five years since the most recent review, and I believe that another should be undertaken to test whether the current approach is truly reducing the grip that paramilitaries still hold in some areas, because we all know that that grip still exists. Too many people still live under coercive control, where illegal organisations dictate who can speak, who can paint a wall and who can take down a mural. There are, however, reasons for hope. Across Northern Ireland, we have seen many paramilitary-style murals replaced with images of cultural, sporting or historical figures, often supported by the Arts Council. That is a positive example of re-imaging, where communities have been able to celebrate their identity in ways that are inclusive and non-threatening. It shows that change is possible when people are supported to take ownership of their spaces. What we need now is the political will to build on that. We need to make sure that remembrance is done lawfully, is dignified and is respectful and that the law is upheld when it is not. We have no issue with people celebrating their culture, but culture and commemoration can never be an excuse for glorifying violence or causing hurt. As we look ahead, we should support communities that want to re-image their areas, that want to move on from intimidation and fear —

— and that want to live side by side with dignity.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:38 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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