Debate contribution: Ireland and Northern Ireland — A Joint Census Publication 2021-2022
Debate contribution by Ms Diana Armstrong on .
- MLA
- Ms Diana Armstrong
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 24 November 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Ireland and Northern Ireland — A Joint Census Publication 2021-2022
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5254582
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I have taken a few notes on what Members have said, and I will see whether I can read them. I thank the proposer of the motion, and I will make a few comments on what has been said. I listened to Matthew O'Toole, and I was pleased that he mentioned the South West Acute Hospital in County Fermanagh as being "criminally underused" and the potential there for cross-border usage. He said that the facility has not been used due to "distortions created by the border". He also paid tribute to and understood the east-west dimension: that was important. My colleague, Doug Beattie, expressed his struggle to see the validity of the motion and pointed out that population ebbs and flows in many ways, and we see that in the movement of people North/South and east-west. Diane Forsythe talked about the economic behaviours of people in her border county and said that the work of the Assembly should focus on public services, waiting lists etc instead of political point-scoring by Sinn Féin. Kellie Armstrong said that accuracy mattered in the sense that it must reflect today's realities, not yesterday's divisions. Pádraig Delargy also mentioned the movement of people and the opportunities that cross-border movement allows for using universities, and he acknowledged emigration and how we need to not lose young people from our society to opportunities overseas.
Timothy Gaston said that this turns consensus into a political manifesto, and, in wrapping up, David Honeyford said that using facts makes for better decisions for our lives and builds better opportunities for all.
I will make my own comments on the amendments. The Ulster Unionist Party welcomes the opportunity to discuss the Ireland and Northern Ireland joint census publication and the value that it offers in providing an understanding of the demographic and economic trends across the island. The motion rightly notes the scale of population change. It is important to recognise that the publication highlights the long-term historical context. The census confirms that, while the island's population has reached 7·1 million, that figure remains below pre-famine levels and reflects a profound demographic shift that has taken place over many generations. It is also important to note that the population of the South has not always been at its current level. For example, census records show that the Republic of Ireland's population in 1961 was under 3 million. That is significantly lower than today and illustrates how recent growth is a relatively modern development rather than being part of a continuous historical trend. The UUP recognises the importance of data to cross-border and east-west labour mobility. According to the publication, more than 18,000 people travel across the border daily for work, with 10,500 commuting southwards and 7,777 travelling northwards. Those flows demonstrate the interconnected nature of our labour markets, not only North/South but as part of broader patterns of movement across the UK and these islands in general. The existence of such mobility does not in itself define or predetermine constitutional outcomes. Rather, it reflects the practical realities of a modern, flexible workforce that is shaped by geography, opportunity and the common travel area. The motion notes:
"joint census publications can help to identify shared challenges and opportunities".
The UUP agrees with that. Reliable, jointly presented data helps all Administrations — Stormont, Dublin and Westminster — to better understand pressures on housing, healthcare, skills, transport and public services. It is clear that many of the issues highlighted in the publication, such as age demographics, workforce participation, housing pressures and regional disparities, are not unique to either jurisdiction and require serious, evidence-based policy responses rather than ideological framing. For those reasons, the UUP supports ongoing statistical cooperation between NISRA and the CSO. We must, however, emphasise that such collaboration should inform practical policymaking within the settled constitutional framework, respecting the principle of consent and ensuring that Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom remains fully recognised in an all-island analysis.
657 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: 0.11 (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).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.76).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.87).
- Subject area: Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty.
- 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 | 0.12 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.03 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.03 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.08 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.06 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.76 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.11 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.87 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.10 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.01 |
| Adopts it | 0.02 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty | 0.97 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.03 |
| 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 01:21 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.