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With last evening's Newry, Mourne and Down District Council monthly meeting in Downpatrick expected to ratify the City of Sanctuary decision taken by Councillors at September's Active and Healthy Communities meeting, emotions were always going to be running high considering the divisions there are on the matter, not only in council but in the wider community.
Councillors had agreed at the AHC meeting 15 September to join the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network and to work towards formal recognition as a 'Council of Sanctuary'. The decision has been both welcomed and condemned by different parties hence the division.
On thing that didn't divide was the unanimous condemnation of the vile abuse that many Councillors, especially the female ones, had received in the months since the City of Sanctuary network proposal first appeared at the 7 July monthly Council meeting.
Appalling
Newry City Councillor Doire Finn has suffering a torrent of abuse and the stress and emotion was clear to see in her face and in her voice.
Cllr Finn said "I really would like to extend solidarity, particularly with my female AHC colleagues, because it has genuinely been appalling. And that is the only way that I can describe that to everybody in this chamber. Nobody, comes into politics, to have men calling them at midnight. Nobody, and nobody would like it."
Cllr Finn asked Councillors to ask questions if they were unclear as otherwise a vacuum is created where abuse continues. "it's unacceptable for any elected representative to come out of this chamber and to face what myself and other colleagues across this Chamber have done, for the past month. So let's have a conversation now, because I can't deal with any more of that, nor do I think I should have to."
Deliberate and Dangerous Lie
Slieve Gullion Councillor Pete Byrne opened the discussions on the AHC agenda item claiming that a deliberate misinformation campaign has resulted in a rise in abuse of Councillors. Cllr Byrne said "Council of Sanctuary status does not open the door to uncontrolled immigration. That is a deliberate and a dangerous lie."
"I'll speak directly to the DUP who know this to be the truth but have chosen to twist it. DUP, you have voted against even receiving more information about what the Council of Sanctuary Status entails, and then you went ahead and said it on a public platform and claimed that you weren't given the information. I want to say that it was false, that was dishonest, and worst of all, that has been used to fan the flames of hate."
Cllr Byrne spoke of a rise in abuse like never before with Councillors branded as traitors, female Councillors called tramps, pieces of sh*t, fat Cu***, rats, parasites, useless pathetic fools of women. "How do those who shout the loudest about making our town safe for girls and women square that with this brutal misogynistic abuse hurled at elected women in this chamber. They cannot claim to care about women's safety while standing silently as female councillors are subjected to violence through language "
Cllr Byrne continued "One of our councillors in the chamber, from a Chinese background, has been called a snake imported from there. Councillors have been accused of taking brown envelopes and being paid off to support the Council of Sanctuary, with one comment publicly going so far to state that councillors should be 'dragged onto the street' and continuing to say, 'I won't say what should happen to them, because if I do, I'll be put in jail'. This is not free speech, this is a coordinated campaign of threats and intimidation. And I ask directly the DUP, when you come in to speak, do you support this? Do you recognise that you've created a platform for this hate, for your own selfish political gains."
Cllr Byrne also claimed there is an attempt to vilify councillors who support inclusion, whether standing with the LGBT community, ethnic minorities or the people of Palestine. He said it's the same play-book being used here as by Nigel Farage and others across the world. "Blame immigrants for everything, housing shortages, GP, wait times, hospital pressures. Blame migrants, blame those who look different, create fear, distract people from government failure. So let's call it what it is, this is deflection. DUP control the department that oversees housing. They cannot stand over their own record, so they look for a scapegoat, and now they've chosen migrants, and those of us that stand with them are labelled as traitors. They give legitimacy to the falsehood that the Council of Sanctuary is a takeover by NGOs, another lie. I'll be absolutely clear on this, Council of Sanctuary status does not mean councillors are controlled by NGOs. That claim is as unhinged as it is false."
Cllr Byrne concluded "I want to speak to those in our community who have been taken in by this narrative. I see that you have real concerns. I understand that, about housing, jobs and healthcare, but blaming your neighbours will not build a single new home or open a GP surgery. Instead, I ask that you demand better from those who actually hold power. Demand it from the party, the DUP and others in government who have let you down. Don't let them use fear, your fear, to build their power."
Queue-Jumpers
Mournes Councillor Glyn Hanna took exception to Cllr Byrnes remarks. "To be quite honest with you, Chair, that is a rant, it is nothing else. It is an insult to me, my party, and everybody that works with us."
"We all work for the community no matter who or what it is. Pete, you're totally wrong on a lot of what you're saying. You're trying to blame ministers, you're trying to blame us that's sitting here. Yes I did go to that rally in Newry. I said a piece. I never criticised, insulted or as you say, implying that I threatened anybody. I never threatened a soul and for anybody that threatens or does anything on people, they're just totally wrong.
Cllr Hanna added "All you have to do is look at what's happening throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. What is happening? Is the people in the south of Ireland all wrong and misinformed that they're looking to try to protect their own community, where there's large numbers of illegal immigrants coming in. All I want and Henry's [Reilly] the same, is that our immigration is managed properly, and we only get into our country the ones that we need. We don't want all these people. For want of a better word, I'm calling them queue-jumpers. They're coming across the English Channels to try to get a hope of staying here, which is totally and utterly wrong. We need to protect our own resources. We're struggling at Stormont at this moment in time as it is. Money will only go so far, and the more people that come in like this, it's only generating more problems for ourselves. We have a shortage of housing. We have a shortage of healthcare. It's difficult to see a doctor, it's difficult to go to hospital."
Cllr Hanna spoke of being spat on and his party being called racists at the 'Locals First' rally in Newry in early September which he attended.
"You've never heard me say anything about the gay community. You've never heard me saying anything like that at all. I believe in live and let live. But at this point in time there is little resources to cover everything. If we keep bringing these people in, and you go to some of these towns down in the south of Ireland and over in the mainland as well. Once you open the doors to this here it has to be extremely well managed. All of us will end up suffering. All of us will suffer because we just cannot get our own resources, shall it only be to see a doctor, go to school, get children in a nursery school. There's all them things that cause a problem so at this moment in time, we will not be supporting this."
DUP 'The Voice of The People'
Rowallane Councillor Jonathan Jackson added "the reality is that there is an immigration crisis in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and we can also see that, with our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland as well, and further afield in Europe. Anybody who doesn't see that or recognise that, I don't know what planet they're actually living on. If Sinn Fein, the SDLP and the Alliance Party don't see that or don't want to recognise that, they are simply not living in reality. But even worse than that, they're not listening to the people out there in the community who are experiencing these issues and are experiencing the problems in their own areas. So they are, in fact, ignoring the very people that has elected them.
"The DUP do recognise that there is an immigration crisis, and we are listening to people's concerns in their communities, and we will be the voice of the people who have genuine concerns about the impact of illegal and uncontrolled immigration on their areas and their way of life, especially at a time of massive pressure on all our services, whether that be the health service, the schools, infrastructure. Our rate payers, just simply don't need this extra pressure of becoming a Council of Sanctuary, which could bring people here illegally, or putting pressure on these services."
He continued "Why would you bring forward a policy that might encourage more illegal and uncontrolled immigration than is already here and what we have? Why would you put us into the position of empowering other bodies which aren't elected, to influence Council policy? Our existing Council policy, as I said on the AHC committee, it's more than sufficient to deal with this situation. And if I just look at the practical actions of the City of Sanctuary local authority network, under the terms of Council of Sanctuary criteria. It says there that this is to commit to work with partners to identify national policy issues in order to make collective representations to government to encourage and enable change. This guides what local authorities should do in practice. It reiterates collective representation as one of the expected actions. So we can clearly see where this is going. We just believe there's no need for it. Common sense needs to prevail before we move forward on this."
Singling out a specific minority of people for special status
Slieve Croob Councillor Alan Lewis added his condemnation of those who threaten elected representatives and explained he also has been targeted over the years. Referring to people who attended the meeting from Newry he added "There are people in this room tonight who have travelled from the city to hear this council meeting and to raise genuine concerns. I'm under no illusion that they don't vote for me. They vote for the SDLP and for Sinn Fein. Speak to them, meet them outside, respond to them, hear their concerns, don't blank them, engage with them, because to continually mix legal immigration and illegal immigration is disingenuous to the argument that's being made. People have real concerns about illegal immigration."
Cllr Lewis continued "Of course, you can come here legally, and it doesn't bother me what colour you are, what creed you are, where you come from, or what your religion is, but come here lawfully, and that's all the people are asking for. That if you're coming to work here, to live here, of course you should be welcomed.
We are discussing bringing a unique policy the City of Sanctuary. And it does tie this council into group lobbying, to group agendas, and what we are asking for is that policy is examined and examined fully. We have every right to democratically call that out. This entire district should be a district of sanctuary for everybody, not specifically chosen because of where you come from, what your colour of your skin is. Everybody should be safe in this district, from Saintfield to Crossmaglen, and it doesn't matter about your background, doesn't matter where you're from, and there is real and sizeable objections to this council singling out a specific minority of people for special status.
"And what does that special status entail? Whenever immigration officials are placing people, will they come to City of Sanctuary, or a district which doesn't have it – we don't know. Let's hear, engage with the people from Newry, from your own town who have the concerns and have the debate with them."
Misinformation
Mournes Councillor Henry Reilly spoke of private companies being put in charge of accommodation for migrants "the SDLP, Sinn Fein, Alliance, they continually tell us it's the home office - they direct where these people go. The truth is the home office have farmed out all that work to private companies like Serco and Mears. Is everyone in this chamber absolutely confident that Serco and Mears are not going to purchase property in Newry or Kilkeel or Saintfield. I am not opposed to migration, so long as it's done legally and the people are prepared to integrate into our society."
Claiming some Co Monaghan people 'can't go out at night' Cllr Reilly said "I can show you people from Carrickmacross, only a few miles across the border, and they can't go out at night. Their town is absolutely destroyed. People saying this on public record, even Sinn Fein are now starting to take note and organising public meetings to oppose what's going on there. I don't want that type of activity in Newry or Kilkeel or Annalong or Saintfield or Ballynahinch. That's not too much to ask. So it has to be done properly if it's going to be done and this City of Sanctuary thing has been a hosh posh of misinformation to us, the councillors being misled on it."
Cllr Reilly added "it's very important that you don't confuse people who are providing an invaluable service with people who may come here illegally. "
Tempered in Our Language
Next to speak was Slieve Gullion Councillor David Taylor "I want to condemn any threats that were made against members for taking a particular position. I'm 14 years in this council now, I've had many debates and many nights where probably we came home angry about decisions taken, or angry about what was discussed"
"I'm always conscious that as elected representatives, we have a responsibility to the people in this room, but we also have a responsibility for the communities that we serve. We talk about building safer communities, and that's one of our key components as a council, and as part of that, we have to show leadership on that issue. So we should always be tempered in our language. We can make our views very clear on where we stand on issues, and we will. We continue to do that in this chamber on a daily basis, but we always should be measured and be tempered and how we approach things to make sure that that is reflected within the community as well. So I just urge that caution on everybody."
He added "I've taken considerable feedback on this over recent weeks, people coming to me with real genuine questions and genuine concerns about it. I don't think they've all been answered either. And it is a major concern of mine that we're signing up potentially to something here that we have absolutely no control over, because immigration isn't an issue we have any control over. It's a Westminster issue, and we're potentially signing up to something without actually knowing what the impact of that is."
Cllr Taylor believed that an Equality Impact Assessment should have been done. Council have stated that there's no adverse impacts specified at this current time and that they did an equality screening but Cllr Taylor emphasised that doesn't mean there won't be issues down the line.
More Inclusive
Slieve Gullion Councillor Declan Murphy then added his thoughts "it's hard to listen to from from some of my colleagues that are on the tough end of this, with the abuse that they've received for speaking up, standing up for something that they believe is the right thing to do. For myself, I've listened to the debate here tonight, and I don't really understand how people don't fully comprehend exactly what has been put in front of us here. I think people have a choice, either you bring your politics to it, and you don't want to understand, or you be more open minded like ourselves and you take a good look at this and then come to your own decision, which we have done. It has been published."
Speaking about Daisy Hill staff that have been subjected to racial abuse Cllr Murphy added "There was rally calls by the trade unions in support of the staff. I know who was there to support the people who were being abused, and I know who wasn't there to support the people who were being abused. There has been numerous rallies called for more housing, I know who supported that, and I know who didn't. And I know a lot of the people who have been lobbying me in recent times never once in their lives lobbied me about the cost of living, about housing, about Daisy Hill, about policing, about drugs issues - none of those issues. So I know exactly where I stand when it comes to the people that have been lobbying me."
"We want to live in a world that is more inclusive, that is more open, that is more caring, not one that is full of hatred and division. And we can see this is a global issue. This isn't just confined to Newry, Mourne and Down. We can see the rise of misogyny. We can see the rise of racism, and we can see that that serves a particular political agenda, and I'm not going to buy into that agenda. In fact, we will do everything in our power to oppose it, have done for decades, and will continue to do that. So I support the Council of Sanctuary proposal." added Cllr Murphy.
No Immigration Crisis
Rowallane Councillor Tierna Howie also spoke "To be very clear, this is not about illegal immigration, which the DUP keeps saying, and it's very frustrating. And what we've also heard is this is also an issue that is with the home office and with the UK Government. I don't want to keep banging on about this, but I agree, and so does my party colleagues with the Council of Sanctuary. I also want to make very clear, the DUP keep making this about an immigration crisis, of which I don't believe there is one in Northern Ireland.
There was ONS statistics that were published last week that showed a very marginal increase in net population in Northern Ireland, and in fact, Newry, Mourne and Down was the only council area in which there was a decrease in that population. So all of that, in my point of view, is just misinformation, and it is way to mislead on what is actually a crucial issue here, that is supporting minorities in our council area."
Following a lengthy discussion the Proposal by Cllr Hanna to remove the item from the minutes failed, with 6 voting for and 31 voting against. The AHC minutes were then adopted.
