Debate contribution: Illegal US and Israeli Attacks on Iran

Debate contribution by Mr Colin McGrath on 16 March 2026.

MLA

Mr Colin McGrath

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

16 March 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Illegal US and Israeli Attacks on Iran

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5449406

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Although the debate concerns events far beyond these islands, it is fairly obvious that the consequences are being felt directly by the people whom we all represent. What we are seeing in the Middle East is a serious and dangerous escalation. Lives, including those of children, have been lost. Civilians have been put in harm's way. Families across the region are living in fear and uncertainty about what is to come next. If we are serious about standing behind international law, we must also be serious about recognising the human cost when that law is ignored. The SDLP has been clear in condemning the illegal attacks, and we have also been clear in condemning the human rights abuses and lack of democracy in Iran. The two positions are not contradictory. International law has meaning only if it is applied consistently, regardless of who is responsible. The debate cannot end with foreign policy alone, because instability in the Middle East quickly becomes pressure on households here at home. We have already seen oil prices rise, and that matters more in Northern Ireland than it does in most places. More than two thirds of households here rely on home heating oil, and, when prices rise, people feel it immediately. Fuel poverty is already a reality for far too many families. Too many people are trying to keep their home warm while balancing bills that are rising faster than their income. When conflict pushes up energy prices, the impact is felt first not in markets but in homes across the North. It is felt by older people living alone, by parents trying to make ends meet and by workers who have little room in their household budgets. The debate is not distant from the responsibilities of the Assembly but, rather, speaks directly to the cost of living and how the Executive respond when people here are put under pressure by events that they cannot control. That is why the SDLP tabled its amendment. People expect Ministers to work together in such moments. They expect a clear plan, not mixed messages, and they expect the Executive to act to protect them from rising costs. Engagement has taken place between the Minister for the Economy and the British Government, and that is to be welcomed, but engagement alone will not protect families from higher bills. Even if additional funding is required, there is nothing preventing the Executive from preparing a support scheme now and being clear with the public about what will happen if prices continue to rise. Instead, in recent days, we have seen confusion, contradiction and far too much political infighting. Families who rely on oil to heat their home are worried about costs, yet they hear Ministers arguing with one another, rather than seeking solutions. The scenes from this morning's Economy Committee are an example of how not to do government here. An emergency meeting was called to discuss rising energy prices, but, instead of our hearing a clear plan to support households, much of the discussion focused on disagreements in the Executive. The meeting descended into political exchanges between the Chair and members of the Minister's party, with more time spent on point-scoring than on solutions. For anyone watching, it will have been deeply frustrating. People who are worried about the cost of heating their home expect leadership, not arguments. What we saw this morning reflects a wider problem: an Executive who too often struggle to act collectively and too often fail to respond with the urgency that situations such as this demand. That is why the SDLP argues that reform of these institutions is not an abstract debate; reform is about delivery and making sure that, when crises happen, the Executive are capable of responding quickly and in the interests of the people whom we serve. The motion and the SDLP amendment recognise both sides of the situation that we face: the need to stand firmly behind international law, and the need to protect families here at home from the consequences of a crisis that they did not create. I urge Members to support the motion and our amendment.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:13 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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