:00:00. > :00:12.Hello and welcome to an election special programme live from the BBC
:00:13. > :00:15.in Belfast with me Steven Nolan. And Tara Mills. Tonight first-time
:00:16. > :00:19.voters in the assembly election will be grilling the politicians looking
:00:20. > :00:23.for their votes. It hasn't always been an easy ride since 1998 and the
:00:24. > :00:28.Good Friday Agreement. Over the years Stormont and the political
:00:29. > :00:31.process have gone from one crisis to another. Let's remind ourselves of
:00:32. > :00:32.the journey Northern Ireland has been on while our audience tonight
:00:33. > :03:13.was growing up. Just to make it clear tonight, every
:03:14. > :03:18.discussion we are having here has been driven, has been asked for by
:03:19. > :03:24.young people in this audience. So, the politicians are ready, the
:03:25. > :03:30.audience is ready, so let's kick it. The one thing that came up time and
:03:31. > :03:34.time again in our research, is, is politics ever going to change?
:03:35. > :03:39.Matthew, what is your question for the panel? Each election the votes
:03:40. > :03:41.seem to run along the same orange versus green lines, do the
:03:42. > :03:48.politicians here see an end in the future to tribal politics? Alistair
:03:49. > :03:52.Ross, would you like to answer that? The constitutional position of
:03:53. > :03:56.Northern Ireland is a big issue here so it will be a big issue but the
:03:57. > :03:59.thing I've found on the doorsteps and most politicians out talking to
:04:00. > :04:03.people is the issues that come up on the doors are around jobs,
:04:04. > :04:08.education, health care, investment in communities and keeping their
:04:09. > :04:11.taxes low in their households. I think politics is changing. Even
:04:12. > :04:15.looking at that clip, some of the things I've been involved in during
:04:16. > :04:18.my time at the assembly and it's been about trying to bring big
:04:19. > :04:22.events to Northern Ireland, MTV awards, Open Championship golf, look
:04:23. > :04:26.at the skyline of some of the companies investing in Northern
:04:27. > :04:31.Ireland, that is what real politics is about. Many of the disputes we
:04:32. > :04:35.have at Stormont, particularly looking at welfare reform,
:04:36. > :04:41.education, how to reform the health health care system. We're moving
:04:42. > :04:46.towards a more normalised system of politics. Matthew, is how you see
:04:47. > :04:49.it? Not particularly, because just last year I would recall it was the
:04:50. > :04:56.Unionist parties who entered into what I would think was a Unionist
:04:57. > :05:01.sectarian pact. Again, in those areas we wanted to have a prounion
:05:02. > :05:03.candidate returned to Westminster. I don't think any of us would
:05:04. > :05:08.apologise for that, we are a Unionist party and we want to
:05:09. > :05:11.maximise the Unionist vote but the issues we are dealing with on a
:05:12. > :05:14.daily basis and at Stormont, maybe not always reported as some of the
:05:15. > :05:20.more difficult issues that arise from time to time, are the
:05:21. > :05:24.bread-and-butter issues. You are talking here like it hasn't been one
:05:25. > :05:29.of the big issues in this very election, vote DUP and keep Martin
:05:30. > :05:35.McGuinness out. That was on some of your brochures. Keep another man out
:05:36. > :05:39.rather than vote for us, keep the bug out. I find it remarkable this
:05:40. > :05:43.is an issue that we want our leader to be the First Minister, of course
:05:44. > :05:47.we do. Why would you go into an outdoor action if you don't want to
:05:48. > :05:51.win it. If you ask people if they want Arlene Foster as their First
:05:52. > :05:55.Minister, and many people do. ... Keep the other guy out, don't let
:05:56. > :06:02.Martin McGuinness become the First Minister. The differences between
:06:03. > :06:05.First Minister and Deputy First Minister? There is a symbol that
:06:06. > :06:10.difference. Unionists will want to make sure there is a Unionist
:06:11. > :06:15.leader. This is a joint office and we've had this discussion. We are
:06:16. > :06:18.saying it's important for Northern Ireland to have a First Minister who
:06:19. > :06:22.has the right plan for the future and I make no apology for saying...
:06:23. > :06:26.What is the difference in power between the First Minister of
:06:27. > :06:30.Northern Ireland and the Deputy First Minister? There is a status
:06:31. > :06:34.difference. Symbolic. The bigger party will have the first missed and
:06:35. > :06:37.the second biggest the Deputy First Minister but if you are trying to
:06:38. > :06:42.say it's not important to Unionist voters you are wrong. What is your
:06:43. > :06:45.question, James? My question for the politicians is do they think it is
:06:46. > :06:49.acceptable that a young person like me excited to be voting for the
:06:50. > :06:51.first time cannot find a party that makes me want to vote for them?
:06:52. > :07:04.APPLAUSE Nehemie, do you want to answer that,
:07:05. > :07:07.because on paper you should be the party who anybody who doesn't want
:07:08. > :07:11.to vote along sectarian lines should want to vote for? When I got
:07:12. > :07:16.involved in politics I wasn't necessarily sure that any party
:07:17. > :07:19.fully matched what my ambitions for Northern Ireland were. The first
:07:20. > :07:23.election I voted in at the time was a European election. But when I got
:07:24. > :07:26.involved in politics when graduating from university it was because I
:07:27. > :07:31.wanted to make a difference. I would say this to you, first of all choose
:07:32. > :07:34.the party which is the best fit. You will never get a perfect fit because
:07:35. > :07:38.parties have a broad sweep of policies, they will not be able to
:07:39. > :07:42.match everything and every priority of yours. Pick the one that is the
:07:43. > :07:45.best fit, and the second thing I would say is get involved, change
:07:46. > :07:50.the party that is the best fit to be a better fit, because that is how
:07:51. > :07:54.you make change happen. We have been asked if Northern Ireland politics
:07:55. > :07:57.will ever change. I believe it can otherwise I wouldn't have got
:07:58. > :08:00.involved in the post first place because I got involved in politics
:08:01. > :08:03.to make a difference. When I watched the video beforehand I see things
:08:04. > :08:07.that I lived through when I was growing up and I don't want another
:08:08. > :08:12.generation of young people to live through them. I have not turned my
:08:13. > :08:16.back on it but that is why I got involved and I would encourage you
:08:17. > :08:21.in this room to do the same. Up at the back, the girl in the white
:08:22. > :08:25.shirt. This is a direct question to you. You said there is is Mbolhi
:08:26. > :08:29.difference between First Minister and Deputy First Minister. What
:08:30. > :08:35.would your party do if, let's say, if Sinn Fein or the SDLP got it, or
:08:36. > :08:39.Alliance got it? What would happen? Would you walk out of the executive
:08:40. > :08:47.again? APPLAUSE
:08:48. > :08:51.What we are absolutely focused on... You are speaking to the lady there.
:08:52. > :08:57.We are trying to make sure we are the main party. I asked you, I
:08:58. > :09:01.didn't ask you if you were the biggest party, I asked if what if
:09:02. > :09:07.another party was the biggest party. APPLAUSE
:09:08. > :09:10.We're democrats and we recognise the Democratic vote but we are doing all
:09:11. > :09:13.we can to make sure that doesn't happen. You have still not answered
:09:14. > :09:16.my question. APPLAUSE
:09:17. > :09:22.I'm asking you what would your party do if another party wins more of the
:09:23. > :09:25.vote? Would your party serve under Martin McGuinness if that was the
:09:26. > :09:29.democratic will? We will cross that bridge when it comes to it but we do
:09:30. > :09:32.not want that to happen. We are having this, the message to every
:09:33. > :09:36.single one of you, we are not having it. These people come down here and
:09:37. > :09:39.we will answer their questions. The question is, would you serve under
:09:40. > :09:42.Martin McGuinness as a First Minister if that was the democratic
:09:43. > :09:49.will of this country? Again, I go back to... Would you do that? We are
:09:50. > :09:52.trying to get as many votes as possible and return as many
:09:53. > :10:00.candidates as possible so that we have the most ministers possible.
:10:01. > :10:07.Did that answer your question no, with respect but no. We are going
:10:08. > :10:14.out to try to win the election. Yes or no? We are trying to win the
:10:15. > :10:18.election. Would you not honour the agreement, is that what you are
:10:19. > :10:23.saying? That is not what I'm saying. As any politician would, we are
:10:24. > :10:26.going out to win, we are not contemplating losing and that is why
:10:27. > :10:30.we are selling a platform that hopefully people will vote for.
:10:31. > :10:36.Emma, you have a question. Has the Stormont assembly matured enough to
:10:37. > :10:43.have an official opposition? When we look at this clip tonight it is is
:10:44. > :10:46.it to forget how far we have travelled as a society. When you
:10:47. > :10:49.look at some of the parties' manifestos, there don't appear to be
:10:50. > :10:54.getting ready for government. Sinn Fein are ready for government, we
:10:55. > :11:00.will launch our manifesto early next week with ten priorities for
:11:01. > :11:03.government. As a society we must not forget we are a post-conflict
:11:04. > :11:08.society. Many of the challenges we face day in day out our unique to
:11:09. > :11:12.this part of the world. It is a lot about the past versus the future to
:11:13. > :11:15.night but I don't see it as that. It is dangerous to pick the past
:11:16. > :11:19.against the future. If we are truly to build a future all of us want we
:11:20. > :11:23.need to bear in mind the needs of the past and the thousands of people
:11:24. > :11:27.in our society who still have the heartache, still have the loss and
:11:28. > :11:31.sense of ingestion injustice and have to deal with it every day. Do
:11:32. > :11:35.you think politicians concentrate too much on the past? I think they
:11:36. > :11:37.do and it's time for them to grow up and realise we need an opposition in
:11:38. > :11:45.order to have effective government in this country. The parties that is
:11:46. > :11:50.most likely to affect, you have not given any emphatic answer one way or
:11:51. > :11:53.another. Doug Beattie, will you go into opposition? The first thing to
:11:54. > :11:57.remember is any party going into a campaign is fighting to win the
:11:58. > :12:00.campaign, to be the largest union party. As an Ulster Unionist I'm
:12:01. > :12:07.campaigning to be the largest unionist party in the executive.
:12:08. > :12:11.What if that doesn't happen? Let me finish, if we don't we have to
:12:12. > :12:15.prepare for opposition. We have already said the programme for
:12:16. > :12:18.government is not progressive and if there is no collective will to drive
:12:19. > :12:24.it forward we will go into opposition. What does it mean if the
:12:25. > :12:27.programme for government is not progressive? How long is a piece of
:12:28. > :12:33.string? What does it mean? What are the red lines? Nobody knows how long
:12:34. > :12:41.is a bit of string, you cannot know until you negotiate. If I want to
:12:42. > :12:43.finish what she asked me, any real democracy has a government and an
:12:44. > :12:49.opposition to hold that government to account. I think you are
:12:50. > :12:51.absolutely right, we need an opposition. Here is the problem
:12:52. > :12:56.possibly with people like you and your party saying we need to go in
:12:57. > :13:00.and negotiate and then we will tell people whether we are going to go
:13:01. > :13:06.into the executive or whether we are going to go outside. Guess what that
:13:07. > :13:09.is after? After everybody in this room have voted. Maybe they want to
:13:10. > :13:14.know what you stand for before they give you what is valuable. That is
:13:15. > :13:19.called policies. We have policies that you look at. What are your red
:13:20. > :13:22.lines? We have policies that you look at and decide, can I support
:13:23. > :13:27.the Ulster Unionist Party on those policies and you support them or you
:13:28. > :13:34.don't not support them. Then we go into negotiations and from that we
:13:35. > :13:36.will decide. It is very clear that you stand in election in the party
:13:37. > :13:41.to be the largest party in government and that's the platform
:13:42. > :13:44.we are standing in. We have a new leader under Colum Eastwood, 32
:13:45. > :13:48.years of age, a younger generation coming forward in the Assembly, and
:13:49. > :13:51.a whole surge of the MLA's new candidates coming forward. We want
:13:52. > :13:55.to provide representation for a new generation coming forward. Am I
:13:56. > :13:58.hearing tonight that you are all agreed to an opposition but we just
:13:59. > :14:02.don't know if any of you want to do it? Well, you don't stand election
:14:03. > :14:05.to go into opposition and that is very clear and you can see that
:14:06. > :14:09.anywhere in a democracy. We will take very seriously and take stock
:14:10. > :14:12.very seriously where we are at after the lecture and consider it then,
:14:13. > :14:15.following discussions on whether or not there is a commitment from the
:14:16. > :14:19.DUP and Sinn Fein, or any other party that is the largest party
:14:20. > :14:24.depending on how the election goes. We will determine whether to go into
:14:25. > :14:27.opposition then. Let's hear from one of the smaller parties. David Jones,
:14:28. > :14:31.you were associated with something in the past that happened at
:14:32. > :14:34.Drumcree. Do you think Ukip, the party you stand for, represents
:14:35. > :14:41.something different for young people? Very much so because the
:14:42. > :14:44.policies we have, we are looking at things differently with regards to
:14:45. > :14:49.health, with regards to welfare, with regards to employment. And we
:14:50. > :14:53.believe that we have something to offer young people. We are very,
:14:54. > :14:58.very concerned that many young people who may be here who are in
:14:59. > :15:01.the process of studying at university, schools, whatever. What
:15:02. > :15:05.their prospects are for the future. We believe we need to have this
:15:06. > :15:10.joined up government which we don't have at the moment, whereby parts of
:15:11. > :15:13.it are working together to ensure that whenever people graduate,
:15:14. > :15:17.whatever it may be in, that there is jobs there for them, that they can
:15:18. > :15:21.immediately go to. How do you do that? We believe many of the Stem
:15:22. > :15:29.subjects taken, we would not charge student fees. Say, medicine,
:15:30. > :15:33.mathematics, science is. That would mean those people would be able to
:15:34. > :15:38.study those subjects. Doesn't that discriminate against other students
:15:39. > :15:42.who have to pay? No, it means we are opening it up and we also want to
:15:43. > :15:46.have universities and is teaching the technical subjects that people
:15:47. > :15:51.can go and take apprenticeships at and do other jobs. We will provide a
:15:52. > :15:56.raft of jobs for young people, we need to tie that up between
:15:57. > :15:59.education and jobs at the end of it. At the moment the tie-up is not
:16:00. > :16:03.taking place and we have a disjointed form of administration
:16:04. > :16:07.which is doing nothing and providing nothing for any of our community.
:16:08. > :16:09.Thank you, the guy in the turquoise T-shirt with your hand up. What is
:16:10. > :16:19.your point? I have a question towards the DUP.
:16:20. > :16:24.Imagine in your election manifesto your plan or your things you want to
:16:25. > :16:28.do is just take money away from the Irish medium sector in the next
:16:29. > :16:34.Assembly executive. I was what happening why would you do that?
:16:35. > :16:37.What's the reasoning behind that? Surely the English language sector
:16:38. > :16:42.in Ireland which has been here since... Let's get an answer quickly
:16:43. > :16:47.from Doug Beattie and then we are pushing on. Go on, Doug. It is a
:16:48. > :16:50.fair spread of funding is what we really need. I don't think we need
:16:51. > :16:54.to take money away from it. We need to make sure we are not forcing
:16:55. > :16:58.money into it and taking it away from another area. We shouldn't be
:16:59. > :17:04.taking money away from it. It just needs to be an even spread of that
:17:05. > :17:09.money. Surely the money is evenly spread in the 18 projects that John
:17:10. > :17:15.O'Dowd, two of the schools were Irish mediums. 16 were English.
:17:16. > :17:19.Surely there is an even spread. Surely we should be putting more
:17:20. > :17:23.money towards that. It is a discussion we can have and I promise
:17:24. > :17:29.you we'll have it at another time. APPLAUSE. Listen, if you are at home
:17:30. > :17:34.tonight and you have thoughts about what we are talking about and you
:17:35. > :17:37.are following us on Twitter, don't forget the hash tag. Thank you
:17:38. > :17:44.Steven. Another contentious issue you want to talk about tonight is
:17:45. > :17:48.the issue of abortion. With our first question for the panel it is
:17:49. > :17:52.eve if a. Why is it the abortion laws in Northern Ireland have
:17:53. > :17:58.remained the same despite in the rest of the UK they've been changed
:17:59. > :18:05.and adopted since the 1960s? APPLAUSE. Alastair Ross. It is an
:18:06. > :18:09.incredibly difficult issue. It's one there are very strong opinions on
:18:10. > :18:13.both sides. Devolution of course allows us to have our own laws to
:18:14. > :18:19.suit the community we represent. I think over the last year, two years
:18:20. > :18:23.perhaps, we've had a pretty deep discussion in terms of our abortion
:18:24. > :18:29.laws, whether they are fit for purpose. One story in particular. I
:18:30. > :18:33.don't think anybody who listens to those ladies wouldn't have sympathy
:18:34. > :18:40.for them and want to do something to help them. We are a pro-life party.
:18:41. > :18:48.We believe in the anxietity of life. Believe in the anxietity of life. We
:18:49. > :18:56.-- in the sanctity of life. This is very important. There were attempts
:18:57. > :19:02.to tag on amendments to the last justice bill to make exemptions for
:19:03. > :19:07.foetal abnormalities and crime... The leading clinician in that area
:19:08. > :19:13.said there is no such term in medicine as FFA. That would lead to
:19:14. > :19:18.difficulties in legislating for it. That's disputed. There are many
:19:19. > :19:23.clinicians who say there's a definition of foetal abnormality.
:19:24. > :19:29.You are choosing one. Let's say it is disputed then, Steven. Naomi
:19:30. > :19:35.Long. This is really important... Naomi Long, your party has no policy
:19:36. > :19:39.on this whatsoever, does it? You allow people to vote on their
:19:40. > :19:42.individual conscience. So when people are voting for your party and
:19:43. > :19:47.this issue is important to them, they can't vote for your party can
:19:48. > :19:49.they? They can. They can speak to the individual candidates. We don't
:19:50. > :19:52.run a list system in Northern Ireland. Ireland. You vote for a
:19:53. > :19:57.particular representative, so you get to speak to that individual and
:19:58. > :20:01.find out what their views on and you get to decide whether or not those
:20:02. > :20:08.views are compatible with your own. It's been referenced by Alastair the
:20:09. > :20:10.case of Sarah and the case of FFA. I think he's misrepresented the
:20:11. > :20:15.situation in that case. People made promises. Regardless of what your
:20:16. > :20:20.views are, if you are going to make promises to the electorate, make
:20:21. > :20:22.promises to people in those situations, shoe keep those
:20:23. > :20:28.promises. APPLAUSE. Those amendments were not
:20:29. > :20:34.tagged on. They were consulted on by the Department of Justice. When the
:20:35. > :20:37.executive blocked them, colleagues of mine brought them forward to
:20:38. > :20:41.allow them to be voted on in the Assembly. People who gave commitment
:20:42. > :20:45.to Sarah and to her mother and to other women who find themselves in
:20:46. > :20:48.that same situation, that they would allow a free vote didn't allow a
:20:49. > :20:53.free vote. This is crucial, because if we had a free vote in the
:20:54. > :20:58.Assembly, if matters allowed people to act in conscience, we would have
:20:59. > :21:02.seen the first steps in abortion form already cleared. Because there
:21:03. > :21:04.was a majority of people in the Assembly who wanted those FFA
:21:05. > :21:11.changes to go through. I think there needs to be more than that. I I
:21:12. > :21:14.think that in cases of sexual crime abortion should be legal. I think we
:21:15. > :21:18.have to tackle the reality, which is that people can buy abortion pills
:21:19. > :21:23.online and can put themselves in quite a dangerous health situation
:21:24. > :21:30.themselves. We'll-cum-to that situation. Megan, do you agree with
:21:31. > :21:34.Naomi Long? I actually agree with the DUP on this, I think it is
:21:35. > :21:39.murder and the slaw should stay the same.
:21:40. > :21:47.APPLAUSE. Do you want to give your view on that? I think that's
:21:48. > :21:53.ridiculous. Go ahead. How is it murder when it's not a human being?
:21:54. > :21:59.It might have human DNA but I don't agree that something within the womb
:22:00. > :22:04.is a human being, because a banana has human DNA. The guy here. Why
:22:05. > :22:10.should the Government be able to tell people what they can and can't
:22:11. > :22:21.do, human rights and their right for choice. They should stay out of it.
:22:22. > :22:24.APPLAUSE. Daniel McCrosland from the SDLP, what the DUP have done,
:22:25. > :22:28.they've set up through the Department of Health a working party
:22:29. > :22:32.to recommend, to make recommendations on law change here,
:22:33. > :22:38.and the SDLP have supported that. Can I get clarity again for the
:22:39. > :22:42.electorate tonight what that working group recommends, will the SDLP
:22:43. > :22:46.support in full? First of all to follow on from the other panellist
:22:47. > :22:50.it is a very sensitive issue. It's one that the debate will continue on
:22:51. > :22:53.right across the whole of Northern Irelandal Northern Ireland. There is
:22:54. > :22:56.differing views on it, but in relation to the working group, we
:22:57. > :23:00.will participate in the working group. We'll listen to what
:23:01. > :23:16.proposals come forward but the reality is the SDLP is and since its
:23:17. > :23:20.inception a pro-life war. I'm not second guessing what the outcome
:23:21. > :23:23.will be, what's the point of setting up an expert working group if you
:23:24. > :23:27.don't accept its recommendations. Is it possibly to stall things until
:23:28. > :23:32.after the election? Absolutely not. The SDLP have never shied away from
:23:33. > :23:37.this debate. When the debate came to the Assembly following the Alliance
:23:38. > :23:43.amendments. There weren't Alliance amendments. Tagged on to the justice
:23:44. > :23:49.bill. They were not moved by the party. What I would be more curious
:23:50. > :23:52.about is it is all very well being objecting to pro-life or objecting
:23:53. > :23:57.to abortion in all cases but what's the alternative? Is it more
:23:58. > :24:09.contraception? Is it more teaching on sexual conduct? Or is it
:24:10. > :24:10.literally just obeying the scriptural commandment of
:24:11. > :24:19.abstinence? APPLAUSE Katrina, you have a point
:24:20. > :24:24.on this. I'm pro-choice. For example in the case there is of rape and
:24:25. > :24:29.domestic abuse, where the woman does end up carrying a child for nine
:24:30. > :24:33.months and the mental issue that goes along with that, surely two
:24:34. > :24:39.live s could be lost rather than one and the abortion should be the
:24:40. > :24:44.given. It is a private choice, a personal choice, so medically kite
:24:45. > :24:48.should ahead. Chris Hazzard, some people might be surprised to hear
:24:49. > :24:53.that Sinn Fein isn't a pro-choice party. Sinn Fein are opposed to
:24:54. > :24:59.abortion on demand, but this is a highly sensitive and for many young
:25:00. > :25:03.women and families involved in this it is heartbreaking. But what we've
:25:04. > :25:07.seen to date is a complete failure of political leadership from some of
:25:08. > :25:13.the political parties. Some parties sat down with Sarah and her family
:25:14. > :25:20.and made promises. As soon as the election came around the corner they
:25:21. > :25:24.ran for the hills. Can the same not be said for Sinn Fein, the
:25:25. > :25:29.pro-choice situation? We are not... So clarify for the audience then. We
:25:30. > :25:36.are not in favour of abortion on demand. What we've said and those
:25:37. > :25:42.instances of sexual crime or where the woman's health is at risk or
:25:43. > :25:47.with fatal foetal abnormalities we think the choice should be
:25:48. > :25:51.available. If the family want to go ahead, the correct care provision
:25:52. > :25:56.has to go ahead. We stand ready in the Assembly to vote on it when
:25:57. > :26:00.other political parties grow up and show the leadership that's required
:26:01. > :26:05.for our women in society. APPLAUSE. Doug Beattie,ly be
:26:06. > :26:09.interested to get your views on this. A member of your party said
:26:10. > :26:15.there should be a relaxation on the abortion laws. Where does your party
:26:16. > :26:20.stand on this? The Ulster Unionist Party let us decide our own paths.
:26:21. > :26:26.What's your personal view? I give my path openly to anybody who asks it.
:26:27. > :26:31.It is simple and clear. I think our abortion laws are Victorian. They
:26:32. > :26:39.need to be amended. APPLAUSE. Politicians have not shown
:26:40. > :26:42.leadership. In fact they've let down the people of Northern Ireland.
:26:43. > :26:47.Abortion still happens, the difference being if you've got money
:26:48. > :26:55.in your pocket, you can go and get an abortion. If you don't, you
:26:56. > :26:58.can't. I would allow abortion forfeital foetal abnormalities and
:26:59. > :27:02.sexual crime. One of the big issues of why abortion is in the headlines
:27:03. > :27:06.in recent weeks here in Northern Ireland was because of a woman as
:27:07. > :27:09.you know received a suspended sentence for ending her pregnancy
:27:10. > :27:14.with an abortion pill that she bought online. Do you think that
:27:15. > :27:18.woman should have been prosecuted, and women like her? Absolutely not.
:27:19. > :27:23.Why are we criminalising people here. If that woman had money in her
:27:24. > :27:27.pocket she would have went to England, got an abortion. You know
:27:28. > :27:33.what? All the do gooders in this country would have said absolutely
:27:34. > :27:37.nothing, so she shouldn't be criminalised for not having... Even
:27:38. > :27:44.though it is against the law? The law is a nonsense. The law is
:27:45. > :27:47.Victorian. What I'm saying is she should not be criminalised because
:27:48. > :27:52.she didn't have the money to go to England. If someone tonight buys one
:27:53. > :27:59.of those pills online, which is against the law, should they be
:28:00. > :28:04.prosecuted? I would say... What, buys the pill and does what, buys
:28:05. > :28:08.the pill and takes it to induce an abortion? Correct. I don't think it
:28:09. > :28:14.is in the public's interesting to prosecute the law. Do we ignore that
:28:15. > :28:20.law, the woman should be prosecuted in that instance? I don't think
:28:21. > :28:24.anybody should be buying pills for any medication online. When it comes
:28:25. > :28:27.to criminality, it's absolutely not in the public interest to
:28:28. > :28:35.criminalise a vulnerable young person like that. It is not in. What
:28:36. > :28:40.I'm saying is for people that might do it over the next few weeks,
:28:41. > :28:46.should the police go after them, or not in the This is an example of
:28:47. > :28:51.where the lack of clarity needs addressing. We need the close the
:28:52. > :28:56.loopholes and have laws brought into the 21st century. Let's hear from
:28:57. > :28:58.the only party that's openly pro-choice in Northern Ireland. What
:28:59. > :29:03.do you make of what we've heard tonight? We need to keep into
:29:04. > :29:07.consideration that the United Nations has called our current law
:29:08. > :29:10.not up to human rights standards. Abortion is a healthcare issue. We
:29:11. > :29:15.are fail people who need access to it in Northern Ireland. People will
:29:16. > :29:20.continue to go to Great Britain and elsewhere to access abortion. Until
:29:21. > :29:25.we support the introduction of the 1967 act, introduce radical reform
:29:26. > :29:29.to our current law, we'll continue to ostracise people's healthcare. So
:29:30. > :29:34.many people want to talk to us in the audience. How can we say that
:29:35. > :29:37.abortion isn't murder when a pregnant woman who is killed is
:29:38. > :29:45.considered double homicide? APPLAUSE. We'll hold that thought,
:29:46. > :29:49.thank you. I think we all agree that abortion is a really personal issue,
:29:50. > :29:53.but because of that surely it should be a woman's choice to decide what
:29:54. > :29:58.she gets to do with her body, a personal choice for a woman.
:29:59. > :30:04.APPLAUSE. And so for those who argue what about the unborn child, what
:30:05. > :30:08.about protecting that child? For me I think that, in my opinion is that
:30:09. > :30:12.a child when it's in the womb is not really a child yet. When it comes
:30:13. > :30:17.out of the womb that's when it's born.
:30:18. > :30:23.The young man in the tracksuit at the end. It is sad we have got
:30:24. > :30:27.ourselves into a position where somebody who has enough money to go
:30:28. > :30:31.to England is not a criminal and somebody who doesn't is a criminal.
:30:32. > :30:35.APPLAUSE The lady down here, go ahead. I
:30:36. > :30:42.don't think an unborn child should be punished for the rape, say if a
:30:43. > :30:47.woman was raped, why should a child be killed because the woman cannot
:30:48. > :30:51.deal with the pressure? That is not fair on that unborn child. When you
:30:52. > :30:57.say the woman cannot deal with the pressure. The stress and the trauma
:30:58. > :31:02.from the rape issue. So the child is born, you are forcing that mother to
:31:03. > :31:08.go through with that pregnancy and she has been raped? As a woman,
:31:09. > :31:12.personally, I wouldn't have the power to kill an innocent child over
:31:13. > :31:20.some stupid action that the man has made. And there is a lot of
:31:21. > :31:30.families. Isn't the keyword" personally"? What about other women?
:31:31. > :31:33.My personal decision, it is very selfless and I think other people
:31:34. > :31:37.should be selfless. There are many families who are unable to have
:31:38. > :31:38.children who would be happy to have that child and raise it as their
:31:39. > :31:42.own. APPLAUSE
:31:43. > :31:46.Here is the craic tonight, there are so many hands up in the audience, if
:31:47. > :31:50.you are talking about this at home tonight as you are watching this,
:31:51. > :31:54.for goodness sake, get on Twitter and we can continue the
:31:55. > :31:59.conversation, don't forget the hashtag, it is #GFAGen.
:32:00. > :32:03.Next up, another subject that has got our young people exercise, jobs,
:32:04. > :32:09.money and the future. Vicky, you have a view. As a young unemployed
:32:10. > :32:13.mum, it is called jobs benefits but what are the benefits? You have
:32:14. > :32:21.programmes and training programmes, but if you don't have a baby-sitter
:32:22. > :32:24.because you don't have the means to go out to work because you don't
:32:25. > :32:31.have somebody to look after your child. You'd like to see childcare
:32:32. > :32:39.provided? Yes, I'd like help with childcare. Sean, is Sean here?
:32:40. > :32:42.Anymore points on this? What do you think the Assembly could be doing to
:32:43. > :32:46.make things better for the future? We want to see jobs? Let me hear
:32:47. > :32:52.your opinion here. What do you think? A key issue with the economy
:32:53. > :32:58.which is often forgotten and overlooked, is that it is thought by
:32:59. > :33:02.2020 quarter of children will live in poverty in Northern Ireland. Our
:33:03. > :33:05.executive and governing parties think it is a good time to give a
:33:06. > :33:11.cut in corporation tax to those at the top end of the scale and the
:33:12. > :33:18.richest. I want to know why. It will be regarded as bringing in jobs but
:33:19. > :33:22.it is bringing in jobs, trickle-down economics, why is it important to
:33:23. > :33:27.give tax cuts to the rich and not those at the bottom of society?
:33:28. > :33:40.Chris Kermode you want to come back on that? -- Chris, do you want to
:33:41. > :33:44.come back? A lot of economists would say reducing corporation tax would
:33:45. > :33:48.be an advantage when we go to create high-end jobs and invest that in and
:33:49. > :33:52.that will be important going forward. One of the big successes of
:33:53. > :33:57.the Assembly in the last number of years, it was able to create 40,000
:33:58. > :34:01.jobs. We want the target next time to be 50,000. Two things are
:34:02. > :34:05.important, we need a better quality of job and we need to see dispersion
:34:06. > :34:11.of the jobs across the North. Corporation tax, if you reduce it,
:34:12. > :34:15.what happens is, for what we reduce corporation tax by it will cost
:34:16. > :34:17.money and began more for Northern Ireland is we will generate more
:34:18. > :34:21.money from attracting those businesses in. Do you know what it
:34:22. > :34:24.will cost to reduce corporation tax? We know the negotiations must go
:34:25. > :34:28.forward with the British government but in the fresh start agreement we
:34:29. > :34:33.said, if this is affordable. We don't want to be on the situation
:34:34. > :34:38.where... It is a firm commitment, Chris Baugh stop what is the
:34:39. > :34:49.commitment? If it is affordable. So there is a doubt about it? Reads the
:34:50. > :34:57.fresh agreement. We need to clarify this. There is a doubt about this?
:34:58. > :35:00.There is no doubt from our party we want to see corporation tax
:35:01. > :35:05.delivered and reduced. Hasn't it been worked out and agreed? The
:35:06. > :35:11.difficulty is the price will change depending on what the UK rate is and
:35:12. > :35:16.the UK rate is coming down so the cost of this is reducing for the
:35:17. > :35:19.Northern Ireland Executive. I've heard pronouncements from the
:35:20. > :35:23.executive, some in the executive have been beating their chests, this
:35:24. > :35:29.is what we have achieved, this is what is happening in 2018, and now
:35:30. > :35:33.I'm here from you that whether we can afford it or not and you are not
:35:34. > :35:36.saying it is a firm commitment. We will deliver the lower rate of
:35:37. > :35:39.corporation tax because we believe that will be part of the
:35:40. > :35:44.transformation of the economy to grow the private sector and help
:35:45. > :35:52.people get jobs and attract FDI in Northern Ireland. Arlene Foster and
:35:53. > :35:58.Martin McGuinness, where they saying we can only do this if we can afford
:35:59. > :36:03.it? I'm saying we are committed to it but the affordability has got to
:36:04. > :36:06.be right. That is why the party is in negotiations with the British
:36:07. > :36:10.government. Sinn Fein are committed, just as the DUP are committed. Have
:36:11. > :36:14.you worked out how much it will cost? It changes all the time,
:36:15. > :36:17.George Osborne stands up in Westminster it can change in a
:36:18. > :36:22.heartbeat and that is why this is about affordability. Just come back
:36:23. > :36:26.to you for one second, you are against the whole notion of us
:36:27. > :36:29.attracting businesses, Northern Ireland fighting for those
:36:30. > :36:32.businesses and attracting them in because it is cheaper here, it is
:36:33. > :36:37.better here in terms of the finances than in England, Scotland and Wales?
:36:38. > :36:41.I'm not against attracting business, I'm against the possible creation of
:36:42. > :36:45.zero-hours contracts, trickle-down economics, of the simple idea of tax
:36:46. > :36:49.cuts for the rich in a time of austerity. Where are you getting
:36:50. > :36:52.this from, tax cuts for the rich? It is a strapline. One of those
:36:53. > :36:57.companies coming into Northern Ireland may give you a job. If that
:36:58. > :37:00.job is on the zero-hours contract it is unfair and the majority of
:37:01. > :37:06.companies that employ people at the bottom sector of society are on
:37:07. > :37:12.zero-hours contracts. How good we attract people to Northern Ireland,
:37:13. > :37:18.when the corporation tax down south is 12.5%? Are we sure these
:37:19. > :37:22.companies aren't creating unfair working environments, possibly
:37:23. > :37:25.polluting the environment, and are we positive they will not create
:37:26. > :37:29.zero-hours contracts? And on the issue, what if Sinn Fein say they
:37:30. > :37:33.will do it if it is affordable. But if it turns out if it doesn't look
:37:34. > :37:47.affordable? Will they flip flop against it, and with the DUP, it is
:37:48. > :37:52.an example of DUP -ocracy. Why are they giving tax cuts to the rich? It
:37:53. > :37:56.is not about delivering tax cuts to the individuals, it is a way of
:37:57. > :38:04.transforming the economy. It is not the only tool we have. You have not
:38:05. > :38:08.got the agreement yet. He said it was maybe. They have committed to it
:38:09. > :38:17.and I'd like to think they will follow through with it. It will get
:38:18. > :38:21.skills for the future job market. Will you band zero-hours contracts
:38:22. > :38:26.in Northern Ireland? I would ban exclusivity contracts but there is
:38:27. > :38:30.no justification for them. For zero-hours contracts, they have a
:38:31. > :38:35.role to play, particularly for small family run catering companies who do
:38:36. > :38:39.not know about the order book. Could you live on a zero-hours contract?
:38:40. > :38:49.Yes or no was Mac some people can do it because it suits them. It is
:38:50. > :38:54.wholly unfair. Could you live on one? Let me finish the question,
:38:55. > :39:00.would suit my circumstances? It wouldn't. So why is it OK for other
:39:01. > :39:04.people? Because it does suit some people, if you're looking for casual
:39:05. > :39:07.hours and you don't want to work regular hours every week it may suit
:39:08. > :39:10.you. But some people have to take them because they cannot get any
:39:11. > :39:16.other work. And if they are being abused we are opposed to that. Some
:39:17. > :39:19.small companies who don't know what the order book will look like from
:39:20. > :39:22.week to week, that flexibility in the labour market is important for
:39:23. > :39:26.them because the alternative is those companies going out of
:39:27. > :39:30.business and nobody wants to see that. Let's move on to tuition fees.
:39:31. > :39:35.You are hoping to be a graduate, Adam. What is your question for the
:39:36. > :39:38.panel? I'm glad you brought up attracting business to Northern
:39:39. > :39:41.Ireland, as potential future graduates and the future of Northern
:39:42. > :39:45.Ireland, what will make us want to stay and build our career in
:39:46. > :39:48.Northern Ireland when there seem to be far better opportunities
:39:49. > :39:54.everywhere else? Do you want to come back on that, Daniel? What is your
:39:55. > :39:57.take on tuition fees to make it cheaper for students? The STL P
:39:58. > :40:02.pledged last week in our manifesto launch that we would reduce tuition
:40:03. > :40:09.fees and increase university places which is important given the level
:40:10. > :40:12.of people leaving here. -- SDLP. I left to go to university in
:40:13. > :40:15.Liverpool for that reason and I came back and I want better opportunities
:40:16. > :40:24.at home and that's not happening at the moment. How do you pay for
:40:25. > :40:26.keeping tuition fees low? The STL P manifesto is costed, 250 million,
:40:27. > :40:35.some haven't produced a manifesto two weeks before an election --
:40:36. > :40:38.SDLP. It cost ?217 million and it's vitally important we ensure students
:40:39. > :40:42.are skilled for investors to come in and there is a strong workforce and
:40:43. > :40:46.they can go on to good skilled jobs. Nehemie, your party has not ruled
:40:47. > :40:50.out raising tuition fees and has been a thorny issue for your
:40:51. > :40:54.minister. We have in fact made the commitment that we believe fees
:40:55. > :40:59.should continue to be frozen. We put the cost against it and we have said
:41:00. > :41:04.you got to invest around ?85 million into further and higher education.
:41:05. > :41:09.Would that be a red line for you? Let's Sihwan Kim is after the
:41:10. > :41:16.election. Let's not wait, how about telling these students now -- let's
:41:17. > :41:20.wait until after the original. The issue will be if we don't invest the
:41:21. > :41:25.85 million, tuition fees would go up. Or we would not invest the 85
:41:26. > :41:29.million and the quality of university goes down. So it is not a
:41:30. > :41:35.red line. Those other choices we have. We are saying that we believe,
:41:36. > :41:40.and I have to say we believe there is consensus. It is not about
:41:41. > :41:44.whether you believe. There is consensus that tuition fees be
:41:45. > :41:51.frozen. It is about giving a clear... I am being clear. Here is
:41:52. > :41:56.what I'm asking. Visitor redline? We are doing it on the tuition fees,
:41:57. > :42:00.are you telling people to Mike Newell fight and not accept a rise
:42:01. > :42:04.in tuition fees, or are you telling them you might roll over on that?
:42:05. > :42:07.What I'm saying is I will not discuss my redline is here because
:42:08. > :42:12.how can you negotiate with other parties if they know what your red
:42:13. > :42:14.lines are? I hear this but many political parties tell me this in
:42:15. > :42:20.this election and I want to remind you of this: when you say that you
:42:21. > :42:24.are prioritising negotiating with other political parties, do you know
:42:25. > :42:30.who are falling off the cliff? Giving guarantees to people like
:42:31. > :42:33.this. Know we are not. You are putting negotiations before
:42:34. > :42:36.commenced. We have had the Department for one plumber and
:42:37. > :42:37.learning for the past five years, Judge us on the record, we didn't
:42:38. > :43:03.increase tuition fees. How much will you commit to reducing
:43:04. > :43:12.tuition fees to? It will be a substantial reduction. Come on,
:43:13. > :43:19.Daniel. You can do better. I'm sorry, but your minister reduced
:43:20. > :43:22.university places. Hold on, Daniel. Here's the question, how much are
:43:23. > :43:26.you reducing student fees by, because you said substantial? We
:43:27. > :43:30.will reduce tuition fees with the hope of eradicating tuition fees.
:43:31. > :43:34.APPLAUSE You are claiming to reduce it
:43:35. > :43:40.substantially, what does that mean? From 3800 quid to what? That will be
:43:41. > :43:44.negotiated. How do you know it will be substantial if you are going to
:43:45. > :43:50.negotiate? It will be a substantial reduction in tuition fees. 10%, 20%,
:43:51. > :43:55.30%? How can you know what the cost will be if you don't know how much
:43:56. > :44:02.they will be. You are going to put them up! I have been honest. I have
:44:03. > :44:07.said that we can hold them at the rate that they are if we invest 85
:44:08. > :44:11.million in universities, without any detriment to the university system.
:44:12. > :44:17.And you'll is telling as he is going to reduce it, he tells at as it is
:44:18. > :44:26.costed but not tell is how much it is by. Our manifesto is costed at
:44:27. > :44:30.217 million, and within that we have allowed for the reduction of tuition
:44:31. > :44:35.fees. You don't know. Will you reduce tuition fees or keep them
:44:36. > :44:39.where they are? If you let me have time, I will say, I didn't go to
:44:40. > :44:42.university, I didn't have a single O-level or A level to my name,
:44:43. > :44:48.absolutely nothing, but we have a commitment to those people to
:44:49. > :44:51.educate them properly and give them the skills they want. At the moment
:44:52. > :44:56.we have the list tuition fees apart from Scotland in the whole of the
:44:57. > :45:04.United Kingdom at 3500. It would be fantastic if we can keep it there.
:45:05. > :45:08.It is not 3500, 3900? 3900, fantastic if we could keep it there
:45:09. > :45:13.but it may have to go up. In our universities, we have some of the
:45:14. > :45:17.programmes... Some of the programmes you might have wanted to do have
:45:18. > :45:21.been cut because there isn't enough funding. Doak, what is the Ulster
:45:22. > :45:28.Unionist Party policy on tuition fees? Up, down, the same? The policy
:45:29. > :45:35.is to keep them where they are, try to keep them where they are. Tried?
:45:36. > :45:42.I'm trying to be ten stone but it hasn't worked. What is your policy?
:45:43. > :45:46.Let's not joke about this. Hold on, these people... Tell them. I'm
:45:47. > :45:49.trying to talk. You can have the university you have now which is
:45:50. > :45:54.underfunded for the tuition fees you have now, for those of you who want
:45:55. > :45:58.to do languages you cannot, so he have to go to England, so maybe we
:45:59. > :46:03.have to increase it to include those programmes. What I'm saying to you
:46:04. > :46:07.is we want to keep them where they are to give you the programmes you
:46:08. > :46:12.want to do but we may have to increase them. You want to keep them
:46:13. > :46:19.whether our? Is it it is not a red line. How much will they go up? Nine
:46:20. > :46:26.grand a year, that much? Not that much. So there is a cap? Who would
:46:27. > :46:27.want them to go up to nine grand? Stephen, what do you offer people
:46:28. > :46:37.here in terms of the future? First of awful they talked about
:46:38. > :46:42.some sort of democracy, but here tonight we have 18-year-olds who've
:46:43. > :46:46.their first vote, but it's not a democratic vote for their
:46:47. > :46:50.Government. They are being denied their democratic right to vote a
:46:51. > :46:54.party out of government and to have an official opposition. Scotland and
:46:55. > :46:58.Wales are having in their polls, their election the same day as we
:46:59. > :47:02.are, but they are being given their fundamental right to vote a party
:47:03. > :47:07.out of government and have an opposition. We've seen evidently
:47:08. > :47:11.here how this five executive government is not working under the
:47:12. > :47:16.Belfast agreement. We've seen there's five different views on
:47:17. > :47:20.education. There is going to be div different views on our economy. How
:47:21. > :47:24.is that going to work is this a Government isn't going to work for
:47:25. > :47:31.the economy. In relation to the corporation tax, if corporation tax
:47:32. > :47:38.was such a valuable asset to fund direct votes. Why would businesses
:47:39. > :47:47.have to have so many job losses? It's been roughly costed a few weeks
:47:48. > :47:54.ago, it cost us out of our block grant around ?300 million. Go ahead.
:47:55. > :47:59.I'm a first year University student and we were under the impression
:48:00. > :48:04.that our University fees have frozen but this year mine have risen. Is
:48:05. > :48:17.any party going to be able to freeze and cap those? You were saying you
:48:18. > :48:20.were going to provide in they would be possibly free.
:48:21. > :48:28.APPLAUSE. We need loads more time tonight. We are going to move on.
:48:29. > :48:35.Let's get straight on to the next issue, same sex marriage. Scott,
:48:36. > :48:39.you've got a view on this? Yes, my opinion from a Christian point of
:48:40. > :48:43.view is marriage is about more than just love. It is a relationship
:48:44. > :48:48.where the procreation of children can occur. That can't occur in any
:48:49. > :48:53.other relationship. Marriage will always remain different regardless
:48:54. > :48:57.of what policies are put in place. It will continue to be different
:48:58. > :49:03.because of the sperm relationship and the compatibility between a male
:49:04. > :49:07.and a female. Go ahead. I would like to ask alstir a question. You said
:49:08. > :49:15.the DUP is the biggest party in Northern Ireland. Why do you think
:49:16. > :49:18.it is OK to make comments about so many voters to alienate same sex
:49:19. > :49:26.marriage? APPLAUSE. I'm not sure that I have
:49:27. > :49:31.and if I have, I would love to hear what they are. I'm talking about
:49:32. > :49:35.your party, not you. The DUP stands up for traditional marriage,
:49:36. > :49:37.alongside many members of the community from unionist and
:49:38. > :49:40.nationalist backgrounds and individual members of other
:49:41. > :49:45.political parties. Is your party still repulseed by the act of
:49:46. > :49:51.homosexuality? Is it still an abomination? I haven't used any...
:49:52. > :49:56.You haven't but your party has. We need to be careful around this
:49:57. > :50:00.language. Look, I recognise that societal views are changing and
:50:01. > :50:05.among younger people there's a much more supportive view around same sex
:50:06. > :50:09.marriage. That's not the case in wider society. All I ask in return
:50:10. > :50:15.is respect for those of us who believe in traditional marriage.
:50:16. > :50:19.That's important. Across the world western democracies are legalising
:50:20. > :50:22.gay marriage. I don't think it is a question of the it is going to
:50:23. > :50:27.happen, but when. Why try fighting it when we all know it is going to
:50:28. > :50:30.happen. It is only making Northern Ireland look dark and backwards in
:50:31. > :50:38.its opinions. APPLAUSE. Do you have a view on
:50:39. > :50:41.this? For me coming from a certain population of Northern Ireland that
:50:42. > :50:46.maybe would not like to see such a thing in our society in Northern
:50:47. > :50:53.Ireland... So you don't want to see same sex marriage? I think from
:50:54. > :50:56.being raised, part of my family, that thing isn't natural. It is not
:50:57. > :51:01.a normal thing that we would see. That's your opinion. Paul, you've
:51:02. > :51:04.got a different opinion? I was wondering if I could ask the panel
:51:05. > :51:11.themselves how they feel about the use of the petition of concern in
:51:12. > :51:16.such a way as to manipulate... APPLAUSE There is currently a review
:51:17. > :51:20.being held on the Petition of Concern. I was wondering if any
:51:21. > :51:25.offious understood was was happening. We are tight for time,
:51:26. > :51:29.but the Petition of Concern, what happened in the last vote in the
:51:30. > :51:33.Assembly, the majority of people voted for gay marriage in Northern
:51:34. > :51:38.Ireland, and the DUP used a mechanism called the Petition of
:51:39. > :51:43.Concern to block it. So you blocked the democratic will of the Assembly.
:51:44. > :51:49.Look, we would have done away with the Petition of Concern. It is other
:51:50. > :51:52.parties who wanted to keep it. I think everybody at one stage or
:51:53. > :51:58.another has used the Petition of Concern. More comments over here,
:51:59. > :52:03.what do you think? It was said about the majority of the population does
:52:04. > :52:09.not support gay marriage, however a poll found that 68% of people do. Do
:52:10. > :52:12.storm feel it is OK to justify what the majority of the population in
:52:13. > :52:21.Northern Ireland support? APPLAUSE. It is a bit rich, you were
:52:22. > :52:26.talking about democracy all night, but whenever a policy or piece of
:52:27. > :52:33.legislation doesn't suit you, you vote against it through the Petition
:52:34. > :52:37.of Concern. This is for UUP, I made a documentary about Northern
:52:38. > :52:44.Ireland's progress and in that I interviewed a member of the DUP, Roy
:52:45. > :52:48.Beggs. He stated same sex marriage, if you let them, arriage, if you let
:52:49. > :52:53.them, that's what arriage, if you let them, that's what he said - them
:52:54. > :52:57.- marry you will have multiple marrying and twosomes and threesomes
:52:58. > :53:01.as well. He stated that polygamy was same sex marriage. I want to get
:53:02. > :53:04.your comment on that. I understand your point of view, I respect your
:53:05. > :53:09.point of view. I respect your point of view and your point of view. My
:53:10. > :53:11.point of view is I'm in favour of same sex marriage. Now, if I was an
:53:12. > :53:16.MLA... APPLAUSE I would vote in favour of
:53:17. > :53:20.same sex marriage. What I do not like is when somebody uses an
:53:21. > :53:27.undemocratic Petition of Concern to block it. That's the real problem.
:53:28. > :53:34.Every member of your party with the exception of one voted against it.
:53:35. > :53:37.As I've just said here, I respect every single person's view on this.
:53:38. > :53:45.But you are not representative of the Ulster Unionist Party with that
:53:46. > :53:57.view. It is an issue of convince. I lobbied every one of them before the
:53:58. > :54:02.vote. Go ahead, yes, you. I want to respond to the guy over there, the
:54:03. > :54:08.Christian who was talking about how it's not OK. As a Christian, you
:54:09. > :54:14.would say that everyone's made in God's image and everyone is supposed
:54:15. > :54:18.to be as they are. So you would understand that by excluding the
:54:19. > :54:23.option of same sex marriage you are sending the message that it's OK for
:54:24. > :54:25.prejudice and unquality treatment for gay people. Prejudice and
:54:26. > :54:35.unquality treatment for gay people. -- unequal treatment for gay people.
:54:36. > :54:38.APPLAUSE. I am not trying to incite prejudice against everyone, but the
:54:39. > :54:42.Bible teaches we all do things that are wrong, whether it is homosexual
:54:43. > :54:46.activity or other things. But if we are following Christ's teaching, we
:54:47. > :54:50.should be forgiven for those things that he has paid the price for us
:54:51. > :54:54.and will forgive us for those things we did wrong. We don't make any
:54:55. > :54:59.difference between that and other things we do wrong such as lying and
:55:00. > :55:03.other things. We don't have anything against gay people but we Dee have
:55:04. > :55:09.an issue with what they do. You have an issue with them having sex, do
:55:10. > :55:13.you? We have an issue with them acting on what we believe is
:55:14. > :55:16.sinceful temptation. We are all tempted in various ways, but them
:55:17. > :55:22.acting on their temptation I believe from a Bible point of view is
:55:23. > :55:25.sinful. Sarah? As voting in Northern Ireland is still quite tribal, do
:55:26. > :55:30.you think it is time for a referendum to gather the public's
:55:31. > :55:33.opinion on this issue? Chris Hazzard. On the special issue of a
:55:34. > :55:38.referendum I think we are talking here about the rights of a minority.
:55:39. > :55:41.Very often the rights of a minority shouldn't be at the whim of a
:55:42. > :55:45.majority in a referendum. I think the majority of people will come out
:55:46. > :55:50.in favour of it. It wouldn't have to be so be it. If this issue was so
:55:51. > :55:54.important to you, you could make it a deal breaker for going back into
:55:55. > :55:57.the executive with the DUP, into government. You could say if you
:55:58. > :56:02.cared about this so much, we are not going back in unless you give people
:56:03. > :56:07.a referendum on gay marriage. It is not a red line is it?
:56:08. > :56:11.APPLAUSE. We've already said that as soon as humanly possible we'll be
:56:12. > :56:19.bringing forward a bill to legislate for marriage equality in the next
:56:20. > :56:27.mandate. It is a travesty... I want a word from Niamey. People have a
:56:28. > :56:29.right to freedom of religion and expression. Expression. People have
:56:30. > :56:33.a right to live by religion if that's what they want to do.
:56:34. > :56:36.APPLAUSE. Civil marriage provisions are there from the state and the
:56:37. > :56:40.state should treat its citizens equally. The churches should be
:56:41. > :56:43.protected to make their own decisions on marriage in terms of
:56:44. > :56:47.how they want to do it under doctrine, but I want to say just one
:56:48. > :56:51.thing. People say it is about procreation. It is dismissive of a
:56:52. > :56:56.lot of marriages, including my own. I've been married 20 years. Very no
:56:57. > :57:02.children, but no-one has the right to judge my marriage as less
:57:03. > :57:08.valuable. APPLAUSE. As a young Christian I've
:57:09. > :57:11.been brought up to not judge and to have compassion for people, so by
:57:12. > :57:16.not allowing this to be legal is that taking this away? And by
:57:17. > :57:19.legalising it, it doesn't mean you have to participate in it, so why
:57:20. > :57:26.would it not... APPLAUSE. Go ahead. I want to ask
:57:27. > :57:30.alstir if he believes the DUP being given a free vote would have an
:57:31. > :57:37.effect on the DUP vote? I refuse to believe that out of 30 people not
:57:38. > :57:43.even a handful of your MLAs would abstain from voting on same sex
:57:44. > :57:49.marriage. It is a chuj issue. It's been discussed for the last number
:57:50. > :57:54.of years, the SDLP is pro marriage. It is clear and we voted in a
:57:55. > :58:00.majority to support it. We voted from the Assembly by one MLA to
:58:01. > :58:06.support it. The policy is clear and we will bring forward a Bill in this
:58:07. > :58:11.mandate. It is clear in our manifesto, for marriage equality. Go
:58:12. > :58:15.ahead. How can we tell people, the same with abortion, what they can
:58:16. > :58:20.and cannot do with their own personal lives? It affects people
:58:21. > :58:26.religiously but how can we tell them what we can and can't do. I wish we
:58:27. > :58:30.had another hour to talk about this. Thank you so much. The Ten o'clock
:58:31. > :58:33.News is coming next. Thanks to everyone. Goodnight everybody.
:58:34. > :58:59.Bye-bye. If you're involved with
:59:00. > :59:00.a local charity, raising your profile or even finding
:59:01. > :59:06.volunteers can be a real challenge. BBC broadcast appeals on BBC radio
:59:07. > :59:10.and television