Motion

Illegal Erection of Sinn Féin Billboards

Motion TitleIllegal Erection of Sinn Féin Billboards

Motion TextThat this Assembly condemns the unlawful erection of Sinn Féin billboards in Newry and surrounding areas, including at the Egyptian Arch; notes with concern that these structures constitute a risk to public safety and were erected without the necessary permissions; believes the Department for Infrastructure’s failure to remove these displays stands in marked contrast to the approach by statutory agencies to businesses or individuals that erect signage without lawful authority or planning permission; believes the Minister for Infrastructure’s failure to resolve this situation in favour of the public interest and rule of law represents a breach of the Ministerial Code; and calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to instruct her Department to provide the necessary resources and authority to remove these illegal Sinn Féin displays without further delay.

Motion CategoryPrivate Members' Motion

Date Tabled to Business Office06/01/2026

Date Selected By Committee06/01/2026

Date of Plenary Debate20/01/2026

View Official Report

Tabled By

Member Name	Tabled As
Mr Gareth Wilson	MLA - Newry and Armagh
Mr Peter Martin	MLA - North Down
Mr Stephen Dunne	MLA - North Down

Bills

Outcome/Voting

81 Members voted

56 Members voted AYE

25 Members voted NO

The Motion Was Carried, Simple Majority Lobby Division

MLA Name	Designation	Voted
Dr Steve Aiken OBE	Unionist	AYE
Mr Andy Allen MBE	Unionist	AYE
Dr Caoimhe Archibald	Nationalist	NO
Ms Diana Armstrong	Unionist	AYE
Ms Kellie Armstrong	Other	AYE
Mr Danny Baker	Nationalist	NO
Mr Doug Beattie MC	Unionist	AYE
Mr Cathal Boylan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Maurice Bradley	Unionist	AYE
Ms Paula Bradshaw	Other	AYE
Mr Phillip Brett	Unionist	AYE
Miss Nicola Brogan	Nationalist	NO
Mr David Brooks	Unionist	AYE
Ms Cheryl Brownlee	Unionist	AYE
Mr Keith Buchanan	Unionist	AYE
Mr Tom Buchanan	Unionist	AYE
Mr Jonathan Buckley	Unionist	AYE
Ms Joanne Bunting	Unionist	AYE
Mr Jon Burrows	Unionist	AYE
Mr Robbie Butler	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Pam Cameron	Unionist	AYE
Mr Alan Chambers	Unionist	AYE
Mr Trevor Clarke	Unionist	AYE
Mr Pádraig Delargy	Nationalist	NO
Mr Stewart Dickson	Other	AYE
Mrs Linda Dillon	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Diane Dodds	Unionist	AYE
Miss Jemma Dolan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Danny Donnelly	Other	AYE
Mr Stephen Dunne	Unionist	AYE
Mr Mark Durkan	Nationalist	AYE
Ms Connie Egan	Other	AYE
Mrs Sinéad Ennis	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Deborah Erskine	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Ciara Ferguson	Nationalist	NO
Miss Órlaithí Flynn	Nationalist	NO
Ms Diane Forsythe	Unionist	AYE
Mr Paul Frew	Unionist	AYE
Mr Timothy Gaston	Unionist	AYE
Mr Colm Gildernew	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Michelle Guy	Other	AYE
Miss Deirdre Hargey	Nationalist	NO
Mr Harry Harvey	Unionist	AYE
Mr David Honeyford	Other	AYE
Ms Cara Hunter	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Declan Kearney	Nationalist	NO
Mr Gerry Kelly	Nationalist	NO
Ms Liz Kimmins	Nationalist	NO
Mr Brian Kingston	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Naomi Long	Other	AYE
Mr Gordon Lyons	Unionist	AYE
Mr Declan McAleer	Nationalist	NO
Miss Nuala McAllister	Other	AYE
Mr Daniel McCrossan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Patsy McGlone	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Colin McGrath	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Philip McGuigan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Maolíosa McHugh	Nationalist	NO
Miss Michelle McIlveen	Unionist	AYE
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Andrew McMurray	Other	AYE
Mr Justin McNulty	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Peter McReynolds	Other	AYE
Mr Peter Martin	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Cathy Mason	Nationalist	NO
Mr Nick Mathison	Other	AYE
Ms Sian Mulholland	Other	AYE
Miss Áine Murphy	Nationalist	NO
Mr Mike Nesbitt	Unionist	AYE
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín	Nationalist	NO
Ms Kate Nicholl	Other	AYE
Mr John O'Dowd	Nationalist	NO
Ms Michelle O'Neill	Nationalist	NO
Mr Matthew O'Toole	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Alan Robinson	Unionist	AYE
Mr Pat Sheehan	Nationalist	NO
Ms Emma Sheerin	Nationalist	NO
Mr John Stewart	Unionist	AYE
Mr Eóin Tennyson	Other	AYE
Mr Gareth Wilson	Unionist	AYE

Amendments

Tabled Date	Amendment Text
08/01/2026	Leave out all after ‘Ministerial Code;’ and insert: ‘further notes that the presence of illegally erected billboards, flags and posters can create a sense of exclusion and intimidation amongst the public; and calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to set out how she will ensure that the relevant authorities remove all illegal displays, including of billboards, flags and posters without further delay.’

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Illegal Erection of Sinn Féin Billboards

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