Debate contribution: Audit and Re-imaging of Memorials

Debate contribution by Mr Phillip Brett on 11 November 2025.

MLA

Mr Phillip Brett

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

11 November 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Audit and Re-imaging of Memorials

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5349776

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It has been a useful discussion, in which a lot of commonality and common ground has been found. I have the privilege of representing North Belfast, and the issue of memorials is evident across our constituency. I pay tribute to the work of and leadership shown by community organisations across the board that have devoted time and, sometimes in difficult circumstances, put their heads above the parapet to try to remove unwanted murals and insignia. I thank Queens Park Women's Group, Rathcoole CREW Women's Group, Tiger's Bay Community Group and to the bands in Rathcoole that have, on every occasion, stepped forward to work with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to have memorials to terrorists and recruitment posters for illegal paramilitary organisations removed. They have done so not for thanks or praise from me in the House but because that is what the local community wanted and they knew that it was the right thing to do. I am slightly disappointed that no representative from the Executive Office is here, because I had hoped that someone would come forward. There is some good news in that the Communities in Transition programme may be extended to other parts of my constituency. It does excellent work, but the false barriers that it has created make no sense. For example, CIT operates and does great work in the New Lodge, but, over the peace wall beside it, Tiger's Bay is excluded from that work. Those communities come together daily to work to overcome the issues, but they are unable to benefit from that scheme. Although we have come a long way in North Belfast, we still have a long way to go. As other Members have articulated, we have the unwanted annual Brian Robinson parade on the Shankill Road, which commemorates someone who killed an innocent person. I can stand here without fear or favour and say that that is completely wrong and should not take place. I just wish that others in the Chamber could get up and say that the memorial on the other side of the road to Thomas Begley, who blew up 10 of my constituents — men, women and children — should also be removed. It is important to focus on the progress that has been made here today. Ms Bradshaw, who opened the debate, brought personal experience, which is important in such issues. People such as Ms Bradshaw in her previous role play a vital role in communities. It is the community development workers who listen to the community and are able to bring fresh ideas, bring partners together and source the funding that is required to replace the murals. It is through leadership — through the role that Ms Bradshaw and others have played — that we have seen the work that has taken place across South Belfast. Ms Hargey highlighted the really important work that was done at Belfast City Hall. That was through agreement between the five political parties, but the key to it was additionality rather than removal. That is an important principle that we should all strive to uphold: rather than seeking to remove someone's history or something that they hold dear and that is legally in place, we should add to it to ensure that it reflects all parts of Northern Ireland. On this rare occasion, I will make no party political statements. I thank everyone here for their contributions to the debate. It has set a useful template that there is political consensus that Northern Ireland will no longer be held to ransom by the men and women of violence.

605 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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