Debate contribution: Energy Prices
Debate contribution by Mrs Linda Dillon on .
- MLA
- Mrs Linda Dillon
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 13 April 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Matters of the Day
- Heading
- Energy Prices
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5483064
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I am sitting here wondering whether Jonathan Buckley and the DUP think that everybody out there is stupid. I can tell you that care workers who put diesel in their cars a couple of weeks ago at half the price that they are paying now are not stupid. They know that when Donald Trump did what he did in Iran, that is when the price of diesel doubled. That absolutely had an impact, but that does not mean that that is where the solution lies. I do not think that the solution for anybody lies with Donald Trump, unfortunately. Do not come into this place and try to convince us that your support for Donald Trump and his war policies — his war on people — does not matter, because it matters to people here.
It matters to the farmers, the hauliers, the care workers and those who are trying to deliver palliative care to people in their homes. It matters to all those people. It matters to people who are trying to travel to work, including teachers, nurses and doctors. Everybody is being affected by the situation.
Do not come in here and try to convince us to go along with your nonsense, because that is what it is. It is utter nonsense.
"Stupid" is the word; that is right. Jonathan, you need to look in the mirror. "Stupid" is the very word.
The solution is absolutely around the tax. We need to see a serious financial support package from Westminster. I understand why people are frustrated and want to protest. I absolutely would not want to negate anybody's right to protest, but go and protest where you need to protest. There is no point in affecting people here, because Keir Starmer does not give one damn if we block the Ballygawley roundabout or Sprucefield roundabout. He has never cared about the people of Newry, Omagh, Coalisland or anywhere else in this place. He has made very deliberate choices that ensure that we cannot provide for the people here. He already knows that we cannot provide for them, in light of the amount of money that he has given us. He has no intention of helping people here, unless he is forced to do so. My message to people is that, absolutely, they should protest but do so where it matters. Hit Keir Starmer where it matters and do not listen to the nonsense coming from across the Chamber that the war in Iran has nothing to do with the rising price of diesel.
That is nonsensical. Let me tell you, Jonathan, nobody is convinced that you are telling the truth.
They all know that what you are saying is lies, cover-ups and nonsense. That is exactly what Phillip did a couple of weeks ago when he tried to convince people about money that was provided to the Executive that was not available to them at all. Do not let the truth get in the way of a good story. That is how the DUP rolls.
507 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: 0.21 (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 (0.97).
- 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 | 0.09 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.21 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.31 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.20 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.45 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.21 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.97 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.01 |
| Adopts it | 0.02 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.93 |
| Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations | 0.03 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.02 |
| Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty | 0.01 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:17 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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