Northern Ireland party leaders clash in UTV Election Debate

Northern Ireland's political leaders clashed over the potential for a border poll, post-Brexit trading arrangements and the cost-of-living crisis in the first televised pre-election debate on UTV.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie took part in the UTV election debate ahead of Thursday's Assembly poll.

NI Assembly Election 2022: Who is running in your area

Following opening statements from the leaders, Ms O'Neill was asked about an article in The Sunday Times which reported Sinn Fein's chairperson Declan Kearney making contact with Saoradh, a group accused of having links to the New IRA.

Mr Kearney raised a potential "co-operation agreement" in order to achieve a border poll.

Ms O'Neill defended reaching out to the dissident republican group.

The New IRA is the dissident republican group linked to the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, who died after being struck by a bullet during rioting in the Creggan area of Londonderry in 2019.

At the gym with Michelle O’Neill ahead of crucial Assembly poll

Ms O'Neill said: "No gang who is involved in criminality, armed action, should exist today.

"Declan Kearney, as the chairperson of our party, has reached out to those people to say that they must now work towards unity and changing the constitutional position, but only by consent, only by the public working together."

Sir Jeffrey said that Sinn Fein had been trying to hide the fact that "their number one priority is to push for a border poll".

He added: "This election is a clear choice between our five-point plan, which is about tackling the issues which really matter to the people out there or Sinn Fein's divisive border poll."

Mr Eastwood said more focus should be placed on the cost-of-living crisis.

Pints, pokes and politics with Colum Eastwood ahead of poll

Referring to Saoradh, he said: "Those people will not be involved with me in trying to build a new Ireland, they have nothing to offer."

Mr Beattie said there had been no movement in the polls towards a united Ireland since 1998.

He said: "The reality is we are not going anywhere near it and there won't be a border poll either."

Mrs Long said the Assembly election was not a referendum on the border question.

She added: "When it comes to engaging with paramilitary organisations, the only conversation we should he having with them is when they are going to stop."

The discussion then turned to the Northern Ireland Protocol and the DUP decision to collapse the Stormont power-sharing Executive earlier this year in protest at the post-Brexit trading arrangement which unionists see as a border in the Irish Sea.

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Sir Jeffrey said: "I hope there will be a Stormont government again but what we need to do is build a durable, stable political institution at Stormont.

"The protocol is casting its long shadow over the political process in Northern Ireland, it is undermining political stability.

"No unionist supports this protocol and we need to get back to the politics of consensus."

Mrs Long responded: "The DUP had a huge amount of influence during the Brexit process and we ended up with the protocol.

"Whatever about the protocol and its difficulties, we can't stop having government simply because people don't like particular aspects of politics."

A quiet walk with Doug Beattie off the campaign trail

Mr Beattie said that the only way to deal with challenges presented by the protocol was through engagement.

He added: "Withdrawing yourself to a corner simply doesn't work."

Ms O'Neill urged the other party leaders to join her in forming a new Executive on the first day after the Stormont election.

She said: "I am ready to turn up on day one, let's have a party leaders' discussion, let's form an executive and do the business for the public."

Mr Eastwood said the DUP decision to walk away from the Executive meant that £300m of Stormont funds cannot be spent.

He added: "Even people who are out working are coming home and not able to turn their heating on, that is a disgrace in today's world and Stormont has been sitting on its hands."

Sir Jeffrey responded: "There is an Executive, there are ministers in place, the Executive simply isn't meeting. The £300m has been carried over, it will be spent."

Ms O'Neill accused the DUP leader of being "absolutely dishonest".

She said: "There is no Executive, we do not have an Executive because the DUP walked away.

"There are things that an Executive can do. Jeffrey is not telling the public if he is going to come in with the rest of us and put money into people's pockets."

Mrs Long said ministers had received clear legal advice that they could not take measures to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis in Northern Ireland without an Executive.

Taking a break with Naomi Long before Thursday's ballot

She added: "We have plans how we could spend that money but we can't do it without an Executive."

Mr Beattie said: "All of us have failed people - £300m wouldn't fix all the problems but it would give them money in their pockets in the short term.

"We need to look at what other things we can do in the short term. What we need to do is fix this for the people."

Northern Ireland Assembly election candidates

Belfast East (13)

  • Andy Allen - Ulster Unionists

  • Karl Bennett - PUP

  • David Brooks - DUP

  • Joanne Bunting - DUP

  • Charlotte Carson - SDLP

  • Hannah Kenny - People Before Profit

  • Lauren Kerr - Ulster Unionists

  • Naomi Long - Alliance Party

  • Eoin MacNeill - The Workers Party

  • Peter McReynolds - Alliance Party

  • Mairead O’Donnell - Sinn Féin

  • John Ross - TUV

  • Brian Smyth - Green Party

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Belfast North (14)

  • Phillip Brett - DUP

  • Julie-Ann Corr-Johnston - Ulster Unionists

  • Fiona Ferguson - People Before Profit

  • Billy Hutchinson - PUP

  • Gerry Kelly - Sinn Féin

  • Lily Kerr - The Workers Party

  • Brian Kingston - DUP

  • Seán Mac NioCaill - Aontú

  • Nichola Mallon - SDLP

  • Nuala McAllister - Alliance Party

  • Ron McDowell - TUV

  • Carál Ní Chuilín - Sinn Féin

  • Mal O’Hara - Green Party

  • Stafford Ward - Independent

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Belfast South (14)

  • Clare Bailey - Green Party

  • Paula Bradshaw - Alliance Party

  • Andrew Girvin - TUV

  • Deirdre Hargey - Sinn Féin

  • Paddy Lynn -The Workers Party

  • Luke McCann - Aontú

  • Stephen McCarthy - Ulster Unionists

  • Neil Moore - Socialist Party (NI)

  • Elly Odhiambo - Independent

  • Matthew O’Toole - SDLP

  • Edwin Poots - DUP

  • Kate Nicholl - Alliance Party

  • Sipho Sibanda - People Before Profit

  • Elsie Trainor - SDLP

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Belfast West (17)

  • Danny Baker - Sinn Féin

  • Gerard Burns - Independent

  • Gerry Carroll - People Before Profit

  • Patrick Crossan - The Workers Party

  • Paul Doherty - SDLP

  • Jordan Doran - TUV

  • Órlaithí Flynn - Sinn Féin

  • Linsey Victoria Gibson - Ulster Unionists

  • Gerard Herdman - Aontú

  • Donnamarie Higgins - Alliance Party

  • Declan Hill - Independent

  • Stevie Maginn - Green Party

  • Tony Mallon - Independent

  • Frank McCoubrey - DUP

  • Dan Murphy - Irish Republican Socialist Party

  • Aisling Reilly - Sinn Féin

  • Pat Sheehan - Sinn Féin

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East Antrim (10)

  • Mark Francis Bailey - Green Party

  • Roy Beggs - Ulster Unionists

  • Norman Boyd - TUV

  • Stewart Dickson - Alliance Party

  • Danny Donnelly - Alliance Party

  • David Hilditch - DUP

  • Gordon Lyons - DUP

  • Siobhán McAlister - SDLP

  • Oliver McMullan - Sinn Féin

  • John Stewart - Ulster Unionists

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East Londonderry (16)

  • Jordan Armstrong - TUV

  • Maurice Bradley - DUP

  • Gemma Brolly - Aontú

  • Mark Coulson - Green Party

  • Caoimhe Archibald - Sinn Féin

  • Cara Hunter - SDLP

  • Chris McCaw - Alliance Party

  • Kathleen McGurk - Sinn Féin

  • Amy Louise Merron - People Before Profit

  • Niall Murphy - Independent

  • Stephanie Quigley - Independent

  • Alan Robinson - DUP

  • Billy Stewart - Independent

  • Claire Sugden - Independent

  • Russell Watton - PUP

  • Darryl Wilson - Ulster Unionists

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Fermanagh and South Tyrone (16)

  • Derek Backhouse - Independent

  • Rosemary Barton - Ulster Unionists

  • Matthew Beaumont - Alliance Party

  • Paul Bell - DUP

  • Emma DeSouza - Independent

  • Jemma Dolan - Sinn Féin

  • Alex Elliott - TUV

  • Tom Elliott - Ulster Unionists

  • Deborah Erskine - DUP

  • Adam Gannon - SDLP

  • Colm Gildernew - Sinn Féin

  • Emmett Kilpatrick - People Before Profit

  • Denise Mullen - Aontú

  • Áine Murphy - Sinn Féin

  • Donal O'Cofaigh - Cross-Community Labour Alternative

  • Kellie Turtle - Green Party

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Foyle (14)

  • Padraig Delargy - Sinn Féin

  • Emmet Doyle - Aontú

  • Mark H Durkan - SDLP

  • Ciara Ferguson - Sinn Féin

  • Rachael Ferguson - Alliance Party

  • Gillian Hamilton - Green Party

  • Shaun Harkin - People Before Profit

  • Anne McCloskey - Independent

  • Ryan McCready - Ulster Unionists

  • Colly McLaughlin - Irish Republican Socialist Party

  • Sinéad McLaughlin - SDLP

  • Gary Middleton - DUP

  • Elizabeth Neely - TUV

  • Brian James Tierney - SDLP

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Lagan Valley (12)

  • Robbie Butler - Ulster Unionists

  • Pat Catney - SDLP

  • Amanda Doherty - People Before Profit

  • Sir Jeffrey Donaldson - DUP

  • Sorcha Eastwood - Alliance Party

  • Paul Givan - DUP

  • David Honeyford - Alliance Party

  • Gary Hynds - Independent

  • Simon Lee - Green Party

  • Gary McCleave - Sinn Féin

  • Lorna Smyth - TUV

  • Laura Turner - Ulster Unionists

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Mid Ulster (14)

  • Keith Buchanan - DUP

  • Linda Dillon - Sinn Féin

  • Meta Graham - Ulster Unionists

  • Claire Hackett - Alliance Party

  • Alixandra Halliday - Aontú

  • Patrick Haughey - Independent

  • Sophia McFeely - People Before Profit

  • Patsy McGlone - SDLP

  • Glenn Moore - TUV

  • Michelle O’Neill - Sinn Féin

  • Conor Rafferty - The Resume Party (NI)

  • Hugh Francis Scullion - The Workers Party

  • Emma Sheerin - Sinn Féin

  • Stefan Taylor - Green Party

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Newry and Armagh (12)

  • Cathal Boylan - Sinn Féin

  • Jackie Coade - Alliance Party

  • Daniel Connolly - Aontú

  • Nicola Grant - The Workers Party

  • Ciara Henry - Green Party

  • William G Irwin - DUP

  • Liz Kimmins - Sinn Féin

  • Gavin Malone - Independent

  • Justin McNulty - SDLP

  • Conor Murphy - Sinn Féin

  • Keith Ratcliffe - TUV

  • David Taylor - Ulster Unionists

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North Antrim (11)

  • Jim Allister - TUV

  • Matthew Armstrong - TUV

  • Bethany Ferris - Ulster Unionists

  • Paul Frew - DUP

  • Philip McGuigan - Sinn Féin

  • Patricia O’Lynn - Alliance Party

  • Eugene Reid - SDLP

  • Laird Shingleton - Independent

  • Mervyn Storey - DUP

  • Robin Swann - Ulster Unionists

  • Paul Veronica - Green Party

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North Down (14)

  • Chris Carter - Independent

  • Alan Chambers - Ulster Unionists

  • Stephen Gordon Dunne - DUP

  • Alex Easton - Independent

  • Connie Egan - Alliance Party

  • Jennifer Mary Gilmour - DUP

  • John Gordon - TUV

  • Naomi McBurney - Ulster Unionists

  • Thérèse McCartney - Sinn Féin

  • Ray McKimm - Independent

  • Andrew Muir - Alliance

  • Matthew Robinson - Conservative and Unionist Party

  • Deirdre Vaughan - SDLP

  • Rachel Woods - Green Party

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South Antrim (12)

  • Steve Aiken - Ulster Unionists

  • Roisin Bennett - Aontú

  • John Kenneth Blair - Alliance Party

  • Pam Cameron - DUP

  • Trevor Clarke - DUP

  • Declan Kearney - Sinn Féin

  • Mel Lucas - TUV

  • Roisin Lynch - SDLP

  • Jerry Maguire - People Before Profit

  • Paul Michael - Ulster Unionists

  • Andrew Moran - Independent

  • Lesley Veronica - Green Party

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South Down (12)

  • Patrick Brown - Alliance Party

  • Patrick Clarke - Independent

  • Sinéad Ennis - Sinn Féin

  • Diane Forsythe - DUP

  • Noeleen Lynch - Green Party

  • Jill MacAuley - Ulster Unionists

  • Cathy Mason - Sinn Féin

  • Paul McCrory - People Before Profit

  • Rosemary McGlone - Aontú

  • Colin McGrath - SDLP

  • Harold McKee - TUV

  • Karen McKevitt - SDLP

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Strangford (12)

  • Kellie Armstrong - Alliance Party

  • Stephen Cooper - TUV

  • Harry Harvey - DUP

  • Conor Houston - SDLP

  • Ben King - Independent

  • Maurice McCartney - Green Party

  • Nick Mathison - Alliance Party

  • Róisé McGivern - Sinn Féin

  • Michelle McIlveen - DUP

  • Mike Nesbitt - Ulster Unionists

  • Philip Smith - Ulster Unionists

  • Peter Weir - DUP

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Upper Bann (12)

  • Glenn Barr - Ulster Unionists

  • Doug Beattie - Ulster Unionists

  • Glenn Beattie - Heritage Party

  • Jonathan Buckley - DUP

  • Diane Dodds - DUP

  • Darrin Foster - TUV

  • Aidan Gribbin - Aontú

  • Dolores Kelly - SDLP

  • Lauren Kendall - Green Party

  • Liam Mackle - Sinn Féin

  • John O’Dowd - Sinn Féin

  • Éoin Tennyson - Alliance Party

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West Tyrone (14)

  • Nicola Brogan - Sinn Féin

  • Barry Brown - Independent

  • Tom Buchanan - DUP

  • Trevor Clarke - TUV

  • Stephen Donnelly - Alliance Party

  • Amy Ferguson - Socialist Party (NI)

  • Carol Gallagher - People Before Profit

  • Paul Gags Gallagher - Independent

  • Susan Glass - Green Party

  • James Hope - Aontú

  • Ian Marshall - Ulster Unionists

  • Declan McAleer - Sinn Féin

  • Daniel McCrossan - SDLP

  • Maolíosa McHugh - Sinn Féin

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NI Assembly Election 2022: Who is running in your area