Member's statement: Reval2026
Member's statement by Ms Diane Forsythe on .
- MLA
- Ms Diane Forsythe
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 2 February 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Reval2026
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5356144
Read the official Assembly record
Text
This day last week, I stood here to speak on Reval2026, details of which had broken over the previous weekend. I said that it was "ludicrous" and that it could have "catastrophic" consequences for our local economy. Last Monday afternoon, my colleague Phillip Brett brought a question for urgent oral answer to the House on the issue, and the Minister responded in what can only be described as a bullish manner. He told Members that nobody understood what they were talking about and —.
Thank you, Mr Speaker; I appreciate that. We started out that way, last week, and then the Finance Committee took evidence. We respected the professionalism of the valuers. The point that I want to make is this: throughout the Civil Service, we have professionals who make academic recommendations in their professional field, be that as accountants or valuers, and they bring those forward to Ministers. Ministers and their advisers need to take stock, listen to wider society and assess any economic impact before they push forward with decisions. The Minister said that he was in listening mode, and we have seen a U-turn on Reval2026. To that point, I hope that the Minister makes the same considerations on the multi-year Budget. I am concerned that he has taken forward the numbers, as he appears to have done on Reval2026, and rolled out his draft multi-year Budget without listening to others. We need to take a perspective of the wider public services and what it will mean for education and the health service. When numbers are presented to our Ministers, they are right to challenge, and they are right to take account of what they will mean for individuals and businesses across Northern Ireland. I welcome the fact that the Minister appeared to be in listening mode on Reval2026, but, as we look to the multi-year Budget, we must consider that we owe more to the people of Northern Ireland. Our voluntary and community sector needs security in its contracts, and our people are looking for better public services across education and the health service. We owe it to them to deliver on a multi-year Budget that means something for them. Therefore, I hope that the Minister is in listening mode to all those who have fed back: our school-leaders, who have come together to highlight those points; and our businesses that have highlighted what it means to them. The Minister has shown that he can make a U-turn, but is he in listening mode when it comes to the Budget?
424 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).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.93).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- 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 | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.93 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 1.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:18 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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