Today, I remember all lives lost in the horror of war and conflict': O'Neill lays wreath to mark Remembrance Sunday
AMY COCHRANE, Belfast Telegraph, November 10th, 2025
THOUSANDS GATHER ACROSS NI AND REST OF UK TO PAY TRIBUTE TO FALLEN
First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly laid wreaths at the Cenotaph at Belfast City Hall as Northern Ireland marked Remembrance Sunday.
Hundreds of people gathered in the Garden of Remembrance and on the streets outside as members of the armed forces and representatives from associated organisations participated in the service to remember those who died in conflict.
Ms O'Neill's laurel wreath bore a card with the words: “Today, as First Minister, I remember all lives lost in the horror of war and conflict.
“Through understanding and respect for our differences, we can build a stronger, more compassionate, and united society.”
Ms O'Neill last year became the first senior Sinn Fein figure to take part in such an event in Northern Ireland.
On Thursday she announced she would also attend this year's ceremony.
Ahead of the event, Ms O'Neill said: “From my first day in office, I made a commitment to be a First Minister for all and I am fully committed to delivering on that promise.
“Today, I will attend an event at Belfast City Hall to remember all those who lost their lives during the First World War and in subsequent conflicts.
“As First Minister, it is my responsibility to acknowledge and show respect for all traditions and perspectives in our society.
“I also bring my own lived experience, political perspective, and aspirations for Irish unity, as a proud Irish Republican.
“And while we may not agree on everything, we must find common ground in respecting each other's traditions and perspectives.
‘A long road to peace’
“Our people have travelled a long road to peace. But peace is not a single moment in time, it is a journey. I will continue moving forward, taking the necessary steps even when difficult, because it is the right thing to do for our people and communities.
“Politics must give hope to the next generation, ensuring our children and grandchildren grow up in a much better world than we did.
“We are living in a time of enormous change on our island, and that requires positive leadership, and I will not shy away from that responsibility.”
There had been some speculation that Ms O'Neill might not attend the event this year in the wake of the DUP's actions following Soldier F's acquittal of murder and attempted murder on Bloody Sunday.
Party leader Gavin Robinson posted an image of the Parachute Regiment insignia on social media, causing widespread anger across nationalism.
Last month Belfast Crown Court ruled the evidence against Soldier F fell well short of what was required for conviction.
The DUP leader's decision to tweet the Parachute Regiment's insignia following the verdict was condemned as extremely insensitive to the victims.
The Irish Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee, and Lord Mayor of Belfast Tracy Kelly also laid wreaths in Belfast yesterday.
Senior TUV figure Ron McDowell did not attend the event at Belfast City Hall for a second year in a row because of the presence of Ms O'Neill.
Other events took place across Northern Ireland, and also in Dublin, to mark the 107th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War.
Taoiseach Martin attended service in Enniskillen
Taoiseach Micheal Martin attended a service in Enniskillen where he laid a wreath at the town's war memorial.
His wreath read “in remembrance on behalf of the Irish Government”. Secretary of State Hilary Benn also attended as the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War was also commemorated.
Saturday marked the 38th anniversary of a bomb explosion before a Remembrance Day service in Enniskillen, which killed 11 people. A 12th died some years later.
The DUP leader was in London at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph to lay a wreath at the monument.
King Charles III led a two-minute silence at the service and also laid a wreath.
He was joined by other senior royals and political leaders, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, at the ceremony.
Charles took centre stage and laid the first wreath at the Cenotaph in recognition of the fallen from conflicts dating back to the First World War, and was followed by the Prince of Wales.
The King, wearing Field Marshal uniform with a ceremonial frock coat, saluted before stepping back from the monument after leading a two-minute silence at the annual Remembrance Sunday service in London.
His son, dressed in Royal Air Force uniform in the rank of Wing Commander, also saluted after laying his wreath at the Cenotaph. William, who in 2013 completed seven-and-a-half years of full-time operational military service, promotes the roles and welfare of current and former service personnel as a key part of his work.
The Prime Minister also laid a floral tribute, along with senior Westminster politicians including Ms Badenoch, Sir Ed Davey, Yvette Cooper, Shabana Mahmood and Sir Lindsay Hoyle and representatives from Commonwealth nations.
DUP should send representative to Connolly's Irish presidential inauguration, says Alliance MLA
ANDREW MADDEN, Belfast Telegraph, November 10th, 2025
Alliance Party MLA Paula Bradshaw has said the DUP should send a representative to the inauguration of incoming Irish President Catherine Connolly tomorrow.
Ms Bradshaw was speaking after DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said she would not be attending the event due to “a number of other commitments in Belfast and Windsor” to mark Remembrance Day.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill will be attending the Dublin Castle ceremony, alongside Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald.
Ms Little-Pengelly said she wished Catherine Connolly well and hopes to speak to her personally in the coming days.
“Tuesday marks Remembrance Day, an important day for so many,” Little Pengelly said.
“I am scheduled to attend a service and to participate in an Act of Remembrance in Parliament Buildings before travelling to Windsor Castle at the invitation of Their Majesties, the King and Queen for a special reception to commemorate VJ Day 80th anniversary to honour veterans of the Second World War, and in particular of the Pacific on this day of remembrance.
“It is therefore not possible to also attend the inauguration.”
Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics programme, Ms Bradshaw said her party leader Naomi Long could not attend the inauguration as she would be at a remembrance event, but Alliance would be represented by deputy leader Eoin Tennyson.
Invitations only sent last week
Ms Bradshaw said she hoped Ms Little-Pengelly would attend the event, but appreciated that invites had only been sent last week.
“I would like to think that the departmental officials will be working within the Executive Office at pace with the President's office in terms of setting up some really important engagements,” she added.
She said this would be so “people here in Northern Ireland and across this island of Ireland can see that we can work together in the spirit of co-operation”.
“They will obviously have a couple of days to make that decision but I hope that they do send somebody from the DUP, I think it would be the right thing to do,” Bradshaw told the programme.
As well as Ms O'Neill and Mr Tennyson, UUP MLA Steve Aiken and SDLP leader Claire Hanna will be attending tomorrow's ceremony.
Back in 2011, the DUP's Peter Robinson, then Stormont First Minister, joined deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at the first presidential inauguration of Michael D Higgins.
Following the news of Ms Connolly's election, who Sinn Fein had backed, Michelle O'Neill said: “Today marks an era of hope.
“In Catherine Connolly, we have a President of Ireland with vision, compassion, and integrity. Catherine will be a president for the people, a passionate voice for every community across Ireland.
“It is now going to be our job in active frontline politics to build on the momentum.
“This election has shown what can be achieved when parties committed to change and progress work together in common purpose. That is the clear pathway to a better, united future.
“I look forward to working with Catherine in the time ahead, for all the people of our island.”
Presidential election made clear that we cannot just wish ourselves into a united Ireland
Claire Hanna, Irish Times, November 11th, 2025
SECTARIANISM DISPLAYED TOWARDS HEATHER HUMPHREYS WAS STARTLING AND DEPRESSING
The recent presidential election campaign holds many lessons for politics on the island, but one of the most significant may be that it has shone a light on the uncomfortable truth that the peace brought about by the Belfast Agreement has not yet become reconciliation.
Both Catherine Connolly – who will be inaugurated as president tomorrow – and Heather Humphreys expressed a strong commitment to Irish unity. But perhaps the most startling and depressing feature of the debate were the sectarian comments directed at Heather Humphreys.
The abuse – and there was abuse, even if there are now attempts to deny it ever existed – reveals that there is much to be done across the island on division, accommodation and how all of us address the complexities of history that we have inherited.
The election generated many talking points, but for some, particularly those of us in the North who want to see the creation of a New Ireland, the conversation around unity – so long ignored south of the border – was especially significant.
The SDLP did not pick a side or a candidate in the presidential debate. Our approach was to ask whichever candidate emerged as president to use their platform to promote reconciliation and a New Ireland during their term of office.
Scale of problem
An ambition written into our party’s existence, we are under no illusion about the scale of this challenge, or the role that those of us actively driving that cause have in setting out the vision and roadmap for how we get there.
Ultimately, it is the opportunity to create a new constitutional arrangement that improves lives that drives us – but the journey really matters. The tenor and tone of this conversation and how we conduct it, will ultimately determine the destination.
A good starting point is considering what a New Ireland should not be. It should not be about righting a historic wrong or settling an 800-year-old score. It is not about the green of the flag claiming victory over the orange.
Nor can it be about legitimisation of the horrors of our past. That approach is doomed to fail and must be stopped in its tracks. Nor is it about simply bolting the North onto the South. We cannot just wish ourselves into a united Ireland.
Our problems will not magically disappear by removing the Border.
If we are serious about change, we must radically rethink how we in the North present ourselves, how we want others to think about us, and how we approach this once-in-a-generation opportunity to peacefully build something new.
That vision demands a full understanding of where we are now. The idea that Northern Ireland is a place beyond redemption, incapable of running its own affairs without collapsing every few years, is hardly a compelling invitation to a southern electorate.
Stormont has limited ability to deliver for people
A failing Northern Ireland is not a strategy for a New Ireland. It is true that Stormont has a ceiling on its ability to deliver for the people who live here, but the biggest limitation is the political will of the Sinn Féin and DUP-led Executive.
Their failure to deliver has left us with an environmental catastrophe in Lough Neagh, a health service on the brink and a trail of broken promises from Casement Park to childcare costs to the delivery of a safe A5 road.
These challenges cannot be postponed in hope of some future promised land. The case for a New Ireland must be built on the positive change that we deliver here and now. Decisions and indecision have consequences.
Belfast is a vibrant European city; Derry’s resilience is unmatched; Fermanagh’s lakes and Antrim’s coast are assets any country would be proud of. The whole region is a hotbed of creativity. The challenge is not that Northern Ireland, and the people for whom it is home, lack potential, it is that we lack a system capable of realising it, and political leaders unwilling to support it.
Nor should we pretend that the Republic has not got its own challenges.
A New Ireland can be a catalyst for social and economic renewal across the island. An opportunity to build a society where everyone has a fair share of prosperity, universal public services alongside private wealth.
Where cultural identities are diverse; where the Irish language is respected and not politicised; where it is inclusive and not essential, so that those with a grá for it can use it, but that those who do not are not perceived as any less Irish as a result.
Politics is changing in profound ways, we must recognise this. Old assumptions about stability, identity and belonging are shifting. People are questioning who governs them, how they are represented, and the future they want.
Risk and Opportunity
In that uncertainty lies both risk and opportunity for everyone with a stake in this land. If we are not prepared, if we are not leading the conversation with clarity and confidence, others will fill the void.
To do that, we need to start planning for constitutional change with the same seriousness that the Irish Government prepared for Brexit, with research, transparency and a focus on facts, opportunities and challenges.
That is why we have called for a Ministry for a New Ireland to begin the detailed, practical work of preparation, rather than simply throwing about dates for a Border poll.
So rather than asking when a referendum will happen, we need to first ask how and why we would make a New Ireland work. When the moment comes, the choice before people is not between chaos and comfort, but between stagnation and renewal.
When people go into that voting booth, we want them to do so with confidence and excitement about the future, not to escape a failing status quo or with fear of what it may mean for them and their families.
The election of a new president gives us a chance to reset the debate, to move from rhetoric to real work, from division to design. The SDLP will continue to play its part in shaping that future.
Claire Hanna is leader of the SDLP
‘A review of PSNI culture is needed if Catholics will join up in any numbers’
Gerry Murray, who has retired as the oldest police officer in Ireland and Britain at the age of 71, was also the longest-serving officer. In a wideranging interview he tells of his time in the force
CONNLA YOUNG, CRIME AND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, Irish News, November 10th, 2025
A SUPERINTENDENT who has retired after 52 years as a police officer says the PSNI needs to carry out a major cultural review.
Gerry Murray (71) also tells of sectarian abuse and assault while serving in the RUC.
“It (the PSNI) needs a new look to a second beginning from a police organisation that culturally, through diversity, equality and inclusiveness, will represent the whole of Northern Ireland,” Mr Murray told The Irish News.
“We are 25 years down the road next year, so why not do a review of the organisation?”
He believes Catholics will not come forward in large numbers “until they see a review”.
“I think if we had a cast iron review that led to recommendations that everyone in Northern Ireland could sign up to, then I think it would be beneficial internally to the organisation and to the senior leaders in this organisation, but also to senior politicians and to the wider community.”
Mr Murray retired last month after serving as a police officer for more than 52 years.
First encounter with anti-Catholic sentiment in RUC
The longest-serving officer revealed that he first encountered anti-Catholic sentiment as an 18-year-old at the RUC’s former training centre in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.
He recounts how he was challenged while sharing a dormitory at the facility.
“I knew what a Fenian was, but I never knew what a Taig was,” he said.
“I think probably because we were more middle-class people,” added Mr Murray. “But I remember there was six of us in the dormitory. “I remember somebody says ‘who’s the Taig here?’ “I used the name Gerald Murray on the police application because it was on my birth certificate.
“Someone said, ‘what school did you go to’ and I said, ‘I went to the Christian Brothers’ and they said, ‘oh, you are the Taig’.
“I’d never heard that expression.”
The former officer revealed that during his time in the force, he was singled out for special attention.
“I encountered very good people in the RUC and people not so good,” he said.
Boots nailed to floor
“In one episode, I had my boots nailed to the wooden floor of the guard room.” He also had physical altercations. “I had a run in… on the Eleventh Night in a police station, and I remember being grabbed by the throat… I may have give as good as I got replying to that,” he said.
‘There was collusion during the Troubles’
“I remember a police officer in uniform grabbing me by the throat, nearly taking my feet off the ground.”
Mr Murray said he learned to head off potential flashpoints.
“ suppose when I saw the telltale signs coming, I would excuse myself or get out of the way and I always tried to keep myself to myself,” he said.
“There were fabulous people I met, I met great people, who had different community backgrounds to me in the RUC, who were good, honest, kind and decent.
“And I met those who weren’t as kind and decent and honest.”
Collusion
Mr Murray also believes there was collusion during the Troubles.
“I was never in Special Branch, I was never in CID, so… I never really came across anything,” he said.
“Maybe I was a wee bit naive, maybe I just kept my head down, did my eight hours turn of duty and went home.
“I have had discussions with a police officer, who has passed away, and he would have talked – he was aware of it, collusion.
“And he was the same community background as me, but he was a detective in south region and going back to Glenanne, he would have known through other police officers.”
Despite never having faced it personally, Mr Murray believes there was collusion.
“Yeah, it’s been factually proven,” he said.
He reveals how he served with ex-RUC man John Weir, who was a member of the infamous loyalist Glenanne Gang
The murder squad included police officers, British soldiers and members of the UVF.
While a member of the RUC’s Omagh-based Special Patrol Group, which he joined in 1979, he was tasked to search a farm in Glenanne, near Whitecross in south Armagh, from which the gang took its name.
The property, which was owned by RUC reservist James Mitchell, is believed to have been a base for the murder gang.
RUC man killed by IRA in Andersonstown knew ‘something bad’ was going to happen
CONNLA YOUNG, Irish News, November 19th, 2025
A YOUNG Catholic RUC officer shot dead by the IRA almost 50 years ago believed “something bad” was going to happen, a former colleague Gerry Murray has revealed.
James Jude Heaney was killed by the IRA outside his mother’s west Belfast home in August 1976.
The 20-year-old was checking the oil in a new car at the Andersonstown Grove property when he was ambushed.
His former colleague and close friend Gerry Murray, who recently retired from the police after 52 years, has now revealed how Mr Heaney spoke about his fear that “something bad” was going to happen just a day before he was killed.
He reveals how his friend attended confession and Mass and had just returned from a pilgrimage to Lough Derg before he was killed.
A former chairman of the PSNI’s Catholic Guild, Mr Murray is believed to have been the longest serving police officer in Ireland or Britain before his forced retirement last month.
Mr Murray, who rose to the rank of superintendent, joined the RUC in 1973 as an 18-year-old.
The north Belfast native has now told how he met Mr Heaney in Portrush on August 25 1976 – the day before his friend was killed.
‘Fearful for his life’
“He had been up in Portrush the day before he died… and he told me he had just came back from Lough Derg and he was fearful for his life,” he said.
“And he had bought a brand new Polski Fiat.
“We went out for a few drinks around Portrush, I was off duty there, and he stayed the night in Portrush police station and then he went home.”
Mr Heaney had initially joined the Met Police before moving to the RUC.
“But he knew something bad was going to happen to him, he did tell me that he believed something bad was going to happen to him,” said Mr Murray.
“And he had been to Lough Derg and been to confession and been to Mass in Lough Derg.”
Mr Murray said he was later on “beat patrol” attending to town centre security barriers when he was called into Portrush station and told by a sergeant that “James Jude Heaney had been shot dead at home”.
“And I was just shocked,” he said.
He said he later attended his friend’s funeral in west Belfast amid tight security.
Mr Murray knew other police officers who were killed during the years of conflict.
“But there are many others that I have known who have lost their lives through the Troubles,” he said.
“And I am sad for them and sad for their families, but I had many a good laugh with them.”
During his long career, Mr Murray survived several shootings, car bombs and RPG rocket attacks.
“I had good times, always wary that they were looking for me, I have no doubt I was on somebody’s list somewhere,” he says.
Revealed: Companies which have made millions from delayed A5 road scheme
ADRIAN RUTHERFORD, Belfast Telegraph, November 10th, 2025
CONSULTANTS PAID £80.6M AS PROJECT REMAINS IN LIMBO
The companies which have earned millions of pounds from the long-delayed A5 road scheme can today be revealed.
In one case, an infrastructure firm received more than £60m in consultancy fees.
Another contractor company has collected over £20m.
The total spend to date on the project — which was originally given the go-ahead in 2007, but has yet to start — has topped £150m.
The 58-mile road from Londonderry to Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, has been hit by a series of delays.
It was approved again by the Executive in October last year, with the final cost now estimated at £1.7bn.
However, in June, a court found the Department for Infrastructure's plans did not comply with climate change targets.
DfI officials have lodged an appeal against that ruling, and the case is expected to be heard next month.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has said the appeal process could take nine to 12 months.
However, spending on the project has continued to rise, and now stands at £153.7m.
This includes £80.6m on consultants, £56.3m on contractors' fees, £5.8m on geotechnical and archaeology investigations and £5.7m on land costs.
In response to a Freedom of Information request, the department has now revealed the biggest earners from the scheme.
In our request, we asked for a list of those who had received £1m or more.
Biggest Recipient
The biggest recipient is Mouchel Limited, which was later acquired by the WSP Group. Mouchel/WSP received £63.8m in consultancy fees — more than a third of the total expenditure to date.
Three sets of contractors' fees were paid out to companies which collaborated at various stages of the project.
Around £11m was paid as part of a joint venture between Balfour Beatty, BAM and FP McCann for section one of the scheme, between New Buildings and Sion Mills.
A further £20.5m was shared between Roadbridge, Sisk and PT McWilliams. Part of this was also a joint venture including John Sisk & Son Ltd for section two, from Sion Mills to Omagh.
And £16.5m was paid out related to section three, between Omagh and Aughnacloy, as part of a joint venture between Graham and Farrans.
Meanwhile, British Telecom received £2.3m for “utility services”.
Soil Mechanics received £2.4m and Glover Site Investigations Ltd received £1.1m — both for geotechnical work.
There is no suggestion that fault lies with these companies, which took on work in good faith and the expectation the project would proceed on time.
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan said the cost could not continue to spiral, and called for work to start immediately.
“It's regrettable that such large sums have been spent before work has even started on the A5, but our full focus needs to be on getting to a position where work can begin and this money invested can start to show its benefit,” he said.
“A project of this size and importance was always going to come with significant costs, but we cannot put a price on saving lives and keeping people safe.
“That's why the Executive and Infrastructure Minister need to ensure there are no further delays.”
‘Most dangerous road in Ireland’
The current A5 is one of the most dangerous roads in Ireland. More than 50 people have been killed on it since 2006.
A DfI spokesperson said: “All major works projects incur significant costs before works commence on the ground. This typically includes scheme planning, design and development.
“In the case of the A5, there have been considerable additional costs associated with this phase of the project due to the need to hold further public inquiries and defend a number of legal challenges.
“Given the overall scale of the project and the challenges it has faced, the costs incurred to date are considered proportionate.
“The minister has continually acknowledged that delays have and will continue to significantly increase the costs in delivering the A5.
“Sadly, all delays to this scheme affect the delivery of the many benefits which will result from the scheme - the most crucial benefit is saving lives on the A5.
“The minister has been clear that you can't put a price on a life.”
At a recent meeting of Mid-Ulster District Council, a DUP councillor raised concerns over the plight of landowners along the A5. Clogher Valley representative Mark Robinson said: “It is scandalous the way in which landowners affected by the A5 scheme have been treated.
“Let us be clear about the facts. Land was vested in November 2024, nearly a year ago.
“Since then, the department has pressed ahead with work on the ground. People have been on the land carrying out bat surveys, badger surveys and archaeological digs.
“To date, hire companies have been paid, quarry companies, consultants, contractors and everyone in this contract has been paid - except the very people who own the land.
“Those families, the farmers, the local landowners, and the ones who have lost access to fields and to their livelihoods, and in some cases even their homes, have not received as much as a single penny to date.”
Benn welcomes the rollout of £27m veterans support centres
ANDREW MADDEN, Belfast Telegraph, November 10th, 2025
Secretary of State Hilary Benn has welcomed the announcement of the rollout of veterans support centres across the UK, including Northern Ireland.
The centres, funded by the Office for Veterans' Affairs, which is part of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), are aimed at helping improve access to support services including health, housing and employment.
It is part of the MoD's new Veterans' Strategy and will see £27m in funding go towards setting up the centres, known as VALOUR centres.
A network of these facilities will connect with a new VALOUR headquarters within the MoD, with regional centres and field officers working across the UK.
A further £12m has also been pledged to support homelessness services for veterans.
1.8 million UK veterans with 60,000 in North
There are more than 1.8 million veterans across the UK, with an estimated 60,000 residing in Northern Ireland.
Recruitment for VALOUR field officers in Northern Ireland is currently under way.
Organisations here can bid for VALOUR development funding and the exact number of NI centres will depend on the number and quality of the applications received, the MoD said.
The news has been welcomed by NI Secretary Benn.
“I am delighted that the many veterans living in Northern Ireland will benefit from the Government's ambitious plans set out in the Veterans' Strategy,” he said.
“We have a particular duty of care to those who served the nation, and such comprehensive and tailored support to eligible veterans will quite rightly recognise their immeasurable contribution to our country.”
Defence Secretary John Healey added: “The first duty of government is to keep our country safe, and that is only possible through the extraordinary men and women in our Armed Forces.
“Our nation owes a duty to those who have served, and this new strategy recognises veterans as one of our greatest assets.
“Today's announcements will boost support for veterans across the UK, from better healthcare to housing to jobs. Our message to veterans and the Armed Forces community is simple: we are on your side.”
Meanwhile, it has also been announced the three community projects here will receive combined support of almost £64,000 as part of the Northern Ireland Office's Connect Fund.
Among the projects to receive funding is the Castle Community Trust in north Belfast, whose Veterans and Volunteers project will combat NI veterans' social isolation by connecting them with fellow veterans in Great Britain.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Matthew Patrick recently visited the Castle Community Trust.
“Once again Connect Fund support is flowing directly into communities in Northern Ireland and across the UK, delivering positive change by supporting veterans in need, amplifying communities' voices to ensure they are heard, and combatting gender economic inequality,” he said following the visit.
“Ahead of Remembrance Sunday, I was particularly moved to meet with the Castle Community Trust, and to hear about the positive impact the project is making to curb social isolation amongst veterans who have done so much for us.”
‘We need to keep shouting down those voices from the far right’
CONOR SHEILS, Irish News, November 11th, 2025
STORMONT and the PSNI must do more to tackle misinformation about migrants being spread online by far-right influencers, it has been suggested.
Belfast’s Deputy Lord Mayor Paul Doherty made the comments as he prepares to give a speech at Belfast City Hall at the ‘Sanctuary in Belfast’ event later this month.
He said part of the reason for an upsurge in racist incidents in the city is falsehoods and lies being spread online, partly to generate revenue.
“We need to keep shouting down those voices from the far right who are being platformed on social media platforms. One thing to be said as well, they’re actually being paid for it – some of them are actually boasting that they’re making thousands because they said a certain thing and it was amplified on TikTok. It’s very toxic at the minute,” he said.
“I think it is the most important thing, and it’s something that City of Sanctuary are doing right now and no one else is doing, and I believe the PSNI should be doing this. I believe that other large organisations and our government, the executive, should be doing this.
“There is a lot of misrepresentation and wrong information that’s going out there when it comes to housing, when it comes to access to jobs, you know, all that misinformation. So there needs to be mythbusting.
“I think the executive need to do something like that and they haven’t. Imagine if they did. It’s things that organisations like City of Sanctuary are doing on a shoestring when our government should be doing it.”
Belfast has been a member of the City of Sanctuary project since April 2022, and it has been broadly welcomed.
Newry clashes
Earlier this year, however, protests erupted, and threats were made against councillors in Newry when the council announced plans to launch a similar scheme.
Speaking about the difference in the reaction between the two cities, Mr Doherty said he believes the Newry reaction stemmed from myths about what the scheme involved.
“What happened in Newry involved a lot of misrepresentation of the facts, and this has been proven,” he said.
“City of Sanctuary provided statements to clarify some of the accusations and misinformation that were circulating online. In Belfast, City of Sanctuary and their team are on the ground. They are there for people when they’re at their lowest ebb, whether that’s due to health concerns, access to education, or racial tensions in communities.
“They’re visible in schools, universities, and workplaces, bringing people together.
“People shouldn’t be afraid; they need to see the work being done here. It’s about basic humanity – people looking out for people, no matter where they’re from. That’s what Belfast is all about. I come from a community in west Belfast, and it’s about welcoming people and ensuring they feel safe and able to live their lives with dignity and respect, for them and their children.
“It’s unfortunate what we’ve seen in Newry, but hopefully sense will prevail and people will take on board the facts rather than the false information circulating online.”
Criminal Bar Association's committee resigns as members back strike over pay
ANDREW MADDEN, Belfast Telegraph, November 10th, 2025
BARRISTERS VOTED TO QUIT CROWN COURT CASES OVER LEGAL AID
The committee of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), which represents the interests of barristers in Northern Ireland, has resigned over a dispute about strike action — after its own members backed a walkout.
For some time, the legal sector here has been in dispute over legal aid fees.
It has now emerged that an electronic vote was held over the weekend — with the results in favour of strike action.
The Bar Council for Northern Ireland noted that an Extraordinary General Meeting of the CBA took place on Friday regarding the pay dispute.
The debate is understood to have discussed different potential forms of action in response to concerns over pay, with various options as to the date from which they might begin.
Following a ballot, 55% (105 members) voted to withdraw from current Crown Court cases.
Of those, 55% (56 members) voted to withdraw from current cases with effect from Monday, November 10.
It is understood the CBA Committee told members it was only in favour of a refusal of instructions being given to barristers in new cases from December 1 — and did not support a general withdrawal from courts today.
During the course of Sunday, there were “extensive deliberations” based upon advice issued by the professional body representing barristers in Northern Ireland, the Bar Council, to all members on Saturday, a CBA spokesperson said.
Strike action on hold
“Subsequently, the planned withdrawal from all legally-aided Crown Court cases from 10th November will not go ahead. The CBA will consider its position in the coming days regarding future withdrawal of services,” they added.
The Belfast Telegraph understands the Bar Council advised members it could not support any action that would have seen members withdraw from Crown Courts today. A notice seen by this newspaper also states: “The Bar Council reminds members of the Bar that they are subject to fundamental professional obligations that are contained in the Bar's Code of Conduct.”
A CBA Committee spokesperson said: “In the wake of the vote results, the CBA Committee has informed the membership that it is resigning with immediate effect.
"It has provided the membership with a detailed explanation of its position in relation to the vote. There is therefore no currently constituted CBA Committee.”
As things stand, there will be no barrister strike in Northern Ireland.
However there have been several others in the recent past, and no sign of resolution over the dispute.
The CBA withdrew some services in recent months over legal aid fees.
Speaking in March, Justice Minister Naomi Long expressed her “disappointment and frustration that their service withdrawal continues”.
“The scope of the action being taken by the CBA has reduced, but be under no illusion, the serious damage their action is having on the justice system and on individual victims and witnesses and on defendants is ongoing,” she said.
“All in all, it means greater risk of harm to the public — of the risk that the innocent remain in custody longer than absolutely necessary and that the guilty go free.”
November 10, 2025
US CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING
Distributed to Congress by Irish National Caucus
“The Irish News is quite right when it says, ‘It is a bad sign for the future of our cross-community institutions that MS. Little Pengelly could not reciprocate, but there’ll still be a strong welcome from progressive voices for our new president.’ With some exceptions, history shows that Unionists/Protestants were not prone to moments of grace and equality for Catholics… But then, that was the raison d'être for Northern Ireland.”—Fr. Sean McManus.
All people of good grace will welcome our new president
Irish News Editorial. Belfast. Monday, November 10, 2025.
The inauguration tomorrow of Catherine Connolly as the tenth president of Ireland is an occasion of major importance when all people of goodwill have the chance to offer their sincere best wishes to the new first citizen.
Ms. Connolly achieved an overwhelming mandate when she secured not only the largest number of votes but also the highest percentage of support gained by any candidate since the post was created in 1938.
She is plainly an anti-establishment figure, who ran on an independent ticket with the endorsement of a left-leaning coalition which included Sinn Féin, the Labor Party, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and the Green Party. Ms. Connolly has made clear she intends to speak out in favor of peace and neutrality, as well as championing human rights both at home and abroad, highlighting the climate crisis and working to address the housing shortage.
“Although devolution was suspended in 2017 when Mr. Higgins was sworn in for his second term, the then DUP first minister Peter Robinson, made the symbolically significant gesture of traveling to Dublin for his initial installation
She has also said that promoting the Irish language will be among her key priorities and has been explicit about her desire to see a united lreland, achieved through constitutional means with the backing of the electorate on both sides of the border.
The incoming president brings a strong track record to her role, and all the indications are that she will represent Ireland with the same distinction as Michael D. Higgins and his immediate predecessors Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson.
Ms. Connolly has emphasized that she wants to extend the hand of friendship to all sections of society, and political leaders from both parts of Ireland and internationally will assemble at Dublin Castle to witness her taking her oath of office and delivering her presidential address.
Stormont’s first minister Michelle O’Neill will be there, just as she was in London for the coronation of King Charles in 2023, and only 48 hours after she attended yesterday’s Remembrance Day ceremony in Belfast.
It is particularly unfortunate the DUP’s deputy first minister Emma Little Pengelly cannot be present, and that she did not feel able to announce until less than two working days in advance that she was unavailable due to other engagements on Tuesday.
Although devolution was suspended in 2017 when Mr. Higgins was sworn in for his second term, the then DUP first minister Peter Robinson, made the symbolically significant gesture of travelling to Dublin for his initial installation on November 11, 2011.
Ms. O’Neill and Mr. Robinson confirmed they were determined to display responsible and inclusive leadership, and it is a bad sign for the future of our cross-community institutions that MS. Little Pengelly could not reciprocate, but there’ll still be a strong welcome from progressive voices for our new president.
