Debate contribution: Executive Progress

Debate contribution by Mr Phillip Brett on 19 January 2026.

MLA

Mr Phillip Brett

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

19 January 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Executive Progress

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5322068

Read the official Assembly record

Text

It is always a great pleasure to have the privilege of speaking in an Opposition day debate. I agree with some of the items in the motion tabled by the leader of the Opposition. That is about the need to agree a multi-year Budget. This party and I are clear that we want to see a multi-year Budget agreed by the Executive; one that can be codified clearly with the Programme for Government, and one that puts the needs of my constituents and the needs of the constituents of every Member in the House first. The DUP will not be found wanting during that process to ensure that we have a Budget that meets those needs and those targets. I am also happy to speak in the debate because I can stand over the record of DUP Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive. It is important to put their achievements on the record because, having listened to some of the other contributors today, I feel that they have washed over them. Public-sector pay was one of the first items that the Executive and our Ministers prioritised. Teachers have received the pay that they deserve, as have our healthcare workers, with pay parity across the United Kingdom secured. Sign language legislation was one of the first Bills introduced by the House under the stewardship of a DUP Minister. While others jumped up and down, talking about language rights and minority rights, it took a DUP Minister to introduce that Bill. We also have, for the first time here, a childcare subsidy scheme, which helps working families in every corner of Northern Ireland; a women's World Cup secured for Northern Ireland as a result of the work of the Executive; a flagship Royal Portrush golf tournament, delivered last summer in the heart of east Londonderry, as a result of the work of the Executive; and late-night public transport all year round finally in place, delivered by the Executive. Members across the Chamber rightly called for the removal of intimidation points by the Department for Communities. That was delivered by the Executive and a DUP Minister, and legislation to remove problem tenants who are moved from one development to another, terrorising local communities, was introduced and delivered by a DUP Minister.

I could go on, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. The context in which the —.

I appreciate that. The Housing Bill, which will be approved by the Executive, will include that legislation. As we are talking about delivery, I will say that I had a look at the 'Belfast Telegraph' archive, which has a picture of Mr Mark H Durkan, who was, unlike me, a Minister. I read with interest that his decision-making process as a Minister was "irretrievably flawed", with the result that his decision on Casement Park was struck down in the courts. That was the record of the SDLP in the Executive. Hearing the leader of the Opposition speak, you would not have thought that, until two years ago, when the people of Northern Ireland voted their party out of it, they had been in government since 1998. Let us look at their record in the Executive. Mr Durkan, with his smiling face, was on the front of the 'Belfast Telegraph' when the Casement Park decision was struck down after he illegally approved it. There was another picture of the smiling face of Mr Durkan, who illegally approved the Belfast metropolitan area plan (BMAP), which was struck down in the courts. Ministers also presided over MOT fiascos. What did the previous SDLP Minister deliver for the people of Northern Ireland? A walking champion. That is the record of delivery. The leader of the Opposition invited me to go out on to the streets and speak to the public: I will put my record in North Belfast and that of my party against that of the Opposition any day of the week. We will see what happens in the election next year. Mr McCrossan can laugh, but I will quietly predict that, in my constituency of North Belfast and, indeed, in his of West Tyrone, the Democratic Unionist Party will secure many more votes than the SDLP. We will not support the Alliance amendment. I welcome the comments of the Alliance Member who called for better budget management and said that public money should not be wasted and that, indeed, commitments to spend public money should not be made when the budget is not there. I trust that, when she reflects on decisions made in Committees, she will follow the advice that she has put forward today. Government in Northern Ireland is not easy, and it is not perfect. We all know the alternative agenda that the SDLP would want to deliver if it were in the Executive. That is what is being delivered by its sister party, the UK Labour Party. The SDLP would support the stripping of winter fuel payments and the removal of welfare support, while the Executive have stepped forward to continue welfare mitigations, deliver winter fuel payments and protect farmers. It will saddle up with its sister party in London to deliver those cuts to the people of Northern Ireland. The Executive will ignore its nonsense and get on with delivering for the people of Northern Ireland.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:13 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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