Debate contribution: Executive Legislation Programme 2025-26: Update
Debate contribution by Ms Michelle O'Neill on .
- MLA
- Ms Michelle O'Neill
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 19 January 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Executive Legislation Programme 2025-26: Update
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5322198
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Thanks for the question. Yes, I can confirm that the Bill is at the policy development stage. There is ongoing engagement with the Office of the Legislative Counsel, and it is on track for introduction. We want to make sure that the legislation is fit for purpose in 2026 and beyond and to ensure that equality and rights are protected in our society. We are determined to work in our Department, across the Executive and across our communities and beyond to build a society that is defined by inclusion and a commitment to equality and human rights and a future where everyone can live safely and free from threat or harm. Yes, we are on track, and I am committed to ensuring that the legislation comes through.
127 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: 0.03 (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).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.99).
- 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 | 0.04 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.22 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.99 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.01 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.48 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.18 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.17 |
| Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations | 0.10 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.05 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:16 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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