Debate contribution: Ministerial Code of Conduct

Debate contribution by Mr Colm Gildernew on 10 February 2026.

MLA

Mr Colm Gildernew

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

10 February 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Ministerial Code of Conduct

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5435252

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I thank the proposer of the motion. We support it. I am sure that we all remember the disgraceful hate-filled violence that erupted in towns and villages across the North last year. Shamefully, in Ballymena, a number of homes were attacked, and families were forced to flee the area, eventually finding shelter and safety in Larne Leisure Centre. The next day, Minister Lyons posted on Facebook, complaining that neither he nor any of his East Antrim DUP colleagues had been consulted about the decision to bring those families to the leisure centre the night before. The Commissioner for Standards ruled that Minister Lyons breached the code in two separate ways with his poorly judged Facebook post: first, by failing to demonstrate leadership in a sensitive and volatile situation, and, secondly, by failing to operate in a way that was conducive to promoting good community relations and equality of treatment. At no point in his post did the Minister show any compassion or empathy for the victims of that hateful violence, nor did he use his platform to encourage the protesters to stay at home. The commissioner's report states that Minister Lyons's message:

"included no expression of empathy for those who had been harmed or forced to flee their homes. This was an omission that, whether intentional or not, carries real weight. Ministers are expected to lead with compassion, particularly in times of crisis. Demonstrating empathy is not a courtesy; it is a fundamental part of responsible leadership. In moments of distress, the public looks to those in authority for reassurance and humanity."

As a Minister, his words carry significant weight. At a time when there was a need for clear political leadership, the Minister failed to show it. In addition to failing to show empathy, the Minister appeared to criticise the decision by the Housing Executive to use the leisure centre in an attempt to distance himself from the decision and, seemingly, to deflect any anger from protesters away from him and his party. The commissioner's report states:

"By speaking as a Minister, a local MLA, and a party representative all at once, the post blurred the line between public duty and party politics. This can make public statements appear politically motivated rather than focused on community welfare ... Minister Lyons’ blending of personal, political, and official roles raises questions about the integrity of his actions."

The Minister put his party political interests ahead of the public interest and of what was expected of him as a Minister.

I will not. To add insult to injury, the Minister has failed to show any regret or remorse for his actions; instead, he has attempted to deflect and evade responsibility by seeking to undermine the integrity of the office of the Commissioner for Standards and by painting himself as a victim of a political pile on. In the aftermath of the Minister's post relating to Larne Leisure Centre's being used as a temporary refuge for those fleeing their homes last year, the Communities Committee passed a vote of no confidence in Minister Lyons. That position has been fully vindicated. As I have said, we support the motion. We fully support institutional reform as we try to make our unusual political structures work better.

Yes. Go ahead.

I fully agree with my party colleague: that is the fundamental reform that is needed. To be clear, the commissioner's findings are only the latest in a long line of poor decisions and failures by the Communities Minister. To date, he has failed to develop an anti-poverty strategy; failed to deliver important social inclusion strategies, including gender and LGBTQ strategies; and failed to introduce an Irish language strategy. As with those who were forced from their homes in Ballymena and sought refuge in Larne leisure centre, it seems that, in the eyes of the Minister, those often marginalised people are invisible. However, make no mistake: the public saw what Minister Lyons was doing with his social media post, and they see what he continues to do by ignoring the needs of so many often vulnerable sections of our community in the North.

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

Assessment

Not qualifying

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:33 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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