Dominic Bradley
Newry and Armagh · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a ráitis. Ba mhaith liom a fhiafraí den Aire cad é an tionchar a bheas ag na ciorruithe Thuaidh agus Theas ar obair Fhoras na Gaeilge san am atá romhainn? I thank the Minister for her statement.”
“<BR /> <BR />Obviously, the £95,000 cap is at the heart of the matter. As others mentioned, there is concern amongst the representatives of public service workers about this issue. The Committee heard from several trade unions, including UNISON and NIPSA.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Thank you very much, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. Yes, there have been a number of reservations expressed about the use of the LCM in this context.”
“It also said that the Department of Finance and Personnel's decisions were not based on evidence, either qualitative or quantitative. <BR /> <BR />Responses to the original consultation argued that the current changes would impact negatively on older people.”
“Those challenges could be on the basis of breach of contract, unlawful deductions of earnings based on the contractual right to payment, and on the unfair application of waivers, which could lead to inconsistency across employing authorities.”
“The Bill as it stands will negatively impact on many public servants and change their contractual rights. The proper legislative authority on this matter should remain with the Assembly here, and the LCM does not give the Assembly the opportunity to exercise its authority fully and to scrutinise, according to its role, the detail.”
The complete record
Every one of 385 lines we hold for Dominic Bradley, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 8.
“Mr Brady's intervention, of course, in no way refuted anything that I said. <BR /> <BR />As I said, any public facility should be potentially open to all citizens from across the council area. It is important that we do not set precedents in any location that will make us hostages to fortune in the future. What people do as a majority in one place at a particular time may have repercussions for a minority in another place in the future. Yes, Mr Speaker, that is a rather pragmatic way of looking at things. Whilst it may be a consideration, it is not the only one. As we attempt to move forward in creating a shared future in this society, we must be careful not to curtail public spaces in a way that prevents that very sharing.”
“Yes, Mr Speaker, there is no doubt that the naming of a public space, especially a children's park, has caused considerable hurt to victims and survivors from the unionist and nationalist communities. We need, on all sides, to be mindful of the effects that such actions have on the whole community.”
“I thank the Member for that intervention. <BR /> <BR />I must say that a wry smile crossed my lips when I heard Mr Brady vilify the SDLP. When Mr Brady was a welfare rights officer in Newry, he had no problem whatsoever in referring people who he could not help to Seamus Mallon's office, but perhaps he was more closely aligned to the Worker's Party at that time. Obviously, a conversion has taken place along the way.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I will say at the outset that the history of the DUP contains many examples of that party, to put it mildly, brushing shoulders with loyalist paramilitaries. I could easily document here today a number of those examples, but I do not want the debate to descend totally into a tit-for-tat argument. The DUP is in no position to lecture anyone in that respect. What they should do is remove the plank from their own eye before they point fingers in this direction.”
“Go raibh mile maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagra. Too often in the past, parents and schools have said that there is a silo mentality in relation to health and education around these issues. Can the Minister assure the House that the Bill will contain provisions that will break down those silos?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an fhreagra sin. Seo an chéad lá de Sheachtain na Gaeilge agus tá súil agam go ndéanfaidh gach Comhalta a dhícheall a oiread Gaeilge agus is féidir a labhairt le linn Sheachtain na Gaeilge. I thank the Minister. It is, of course, the first day of Irish Language Week, so I urge all Members to do their best to use Irish during their questions or answers. <BR /> <BR />As I said, I thank the Minister for his answer. The Minister will know that I have raised this issue on a number of occasions, and he has responded very positively by visiting the school and through his announcement of funding. Can the Minister give us an assurance that his Department will facilitate the new-build process in every way possible?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a freagraí. The Minister said that she will consider extending age discrimination provisions to people under 16 in the future. Why can she not do that now?”
“That issue should be acknowledged now and possible remedies sought because it is already critical and is likely to be exacerbated in the event of the devolution of corporation tax. <BR /> <BR />In summary, while the SDLP agrees in principle with the proposal to devolve corporation tax, we believe that a cautious approach is necessary. Associated uncertainties, not least regarding the impact on public finances, reinforce the need to proceed positively but carefully, as I said.”
“That uncertainty reinforces the need to proceed positively but carefully. We need agreement on additional tools to manage revenue volatility. There is an obvious need to have protections in place to avoid the risk of aggressive tax avoidance between the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland and to ensure that the regime will result in genuine increased economic activity here. Separate from that matter, renewed efforts are required to secure corporate tax compliance. <BR /> <BR />The devolution of corporation tax holds the risk of compounding regional economic imbalances. Evidence indicates that foreign direct investment clusters where the skills base exists. The potential is that that will be in the greater Belfast area, with renewed risk for the other regions that could be compounded by a reduction in the Budget baseline.”
“To enable informed decisions on the potential benefits and risks arising from the devolution of corporation tax, it will be important to have clarity on the number of private-sector jobs that will, potentially, be created. We have heard a variety of figures mentioned. In yesterday's debate, the Minister referred to 37,000, and there have been other estimates. Likewise, it will be important to have clarity on the impact on public-sector jobs and services arising from meeting the costs of the proposal. <BR /> <BR />We need to consider the implications of continued reductions in the block grant in coming years, as it seems certain that the Executive will not share in any of the secondary tax take.”
“We would, therefore, like further issues to be addressed in a more detailed consideration of the proposal, including the acceptability of the proposed terms; whether the benefit is adequate; whether it will deepen regional economic imbalance; and what will happen when there is reduced funding for the public sector. It is also worth considering what the situation would be if the UK were to withdraw from the European Union. <BR /> <BR />It is paramount that the most accurate and up-to-date figure work is finalised with as much precision as possible in the weeks that lie ahead so that there is transparency on corporation tax.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Thank you for the opportunity to speak at Final Stage of the Budget Bill. <BR /> <BR />We have come to the end of an intensive period of debate on budgetary issues, and the SDLP's attitude to the Budget has been set out very clearly in the contributions made by our spokesperson. So, as the hour is late, I will confine my remarks to some of the points raised by the Minister in his introductory comments, particularly those on corporation tax. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP agrees in principle with the proposal to devolve corporation tax but urges a cautious approach. Detailed and careful consideration of a number of issues will be required to take account of the risks to the local economy arising from decreasing public finances and significant proposed reductions in public-sector employment.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chomhalta. What specific revenue-raising proposals is the Member coming forward with? He has not mentioned any yet.”
“I apologise to you, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, for being absent during the previous Question Time when you called me. <BR /> <BR />I ask the Minister how the scheme will be monitored and reviewed.”
“— and small and medium-sized enterprises. I admit that the investment fund may be a start and a positive approach in that direction. There are many more points that I could make, Mr Speaker, but I thank you for your tolerance.”
“<BR /> <BR />The SDLP has called for a Calman-style commission to examine the possibilities of further tax-varying powers, and I had a discussion with the Minister across the Chamber on that. Air passenger duty has been mentioned as well, and that is one of the barriers to developing our tourism industry. That is something that we need to look at. <BR /> <BR />We believe that, through greater use of European funds, the Executive could duplicate the ideas for an ambitious European industrial policy aimed at supporting the social economy —”
“That would also help to tackle security of supply by encouraging the creation of an effective, long-term energy framework across the island and the development of renewables as Ireland's biggest economic opportunity. <BR /> <BR />By focusing on leadership in the public service, we can empower Civil Service decision-makers by providing for a portfolio approach in the assessment of success and failure, acknowledging occasional failures to ensure overall success, creativity and innovation and creating a leadership unit with a high degree of independence to identify radical solutions to reform the culture of the Senior Civil Service and to make future decision-making easier and faster.”
“For example, increasing the social housing build is one such way. Building social housing is a well-known economic multiplier; it is capital investment in housing and infrastructure that underpins economic growth in the long term. Shovel-ready capital programmes boost employment in the construction industry and so stimulate the economy in the short to medium term. Some of the measures proposed today amount to nothing more than tinkering around the edges with relatively small sums of money. <BR /> <BR />We believe that, working on an all-island basis, the Executive could integrate long-term strategies for economic growth with the Irish Government's plans, particularly those to create the best research, innovation and commercialisation ecosystem in Europe — the innovation island.”
“We have to think very carefully before we consider further taxation at a time of austerity, when many people are already struggling. As I said, some people are asset-rich and cash-poor and will not be able to afford some of the proposals being made, particularly by the Alliance Party. <BR /> <BR />There seems to be some confusion around the issue. Mr Girvan said that revenue raised in this way is then taken off the block grant; if that is the case, there is not much point in doing it in the first place. Perhaps, in his response, the Minister will explain the situation more clearly. <BR /> <BR />If we are creative, I believe that there are relatively low-cost ways in which we can boost our economy, ways that will have a long-term multiplier effect. The SDLP laid out those ideas previously in our papers.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I have not heard anything today from any of the Members who have spoken that convinces me that progressive revenue-raising options are on the table. I heard the maximum capital rates value relief mentioned on two occasions. In fact, I think that one of the parties concerned worked to maintain that. There was agreement that the people to whom it is directed are asset-rich and cash-poor and should be protected. That is my view.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Will he share with the House the report that he receives from the assessment team?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Taking into account what has been said by the Lord Chief Justice and the fact that millions of pounds have been spent on Armagh courthouse, will the Minister agree with me that it would demean Armagh's status as a city to have its courthouse closed?”
“It is my hope today that I will not have to come back to the House next year and mention the same need for reform. I acknowledge that the Minister is open to reform, but there is a need for much more urgency and energy in the process to ensure that we have a budgetary system that affords Statutory Committees and the Assembly the opportunity to scrutinise budgetary information fully and to make changes that they feel are necessary. <BR /> <BR />Mar sin de, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, don bhabhta seo fágfaidh mé mar sin é. Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker.”
“The third recommendation is that Statutory Committees should be more assertive in their statutory powers to call for persons and papers when such powers may be necessary. This year, Committees did not have much opportunity to do that. <BR /> <BR />You will remember that, in 2011, the Executive launched their own review of the financial process. The response to the review document highlighted many of the same recommendations raised in the Committee's earlier inquiry. It was stressed that an early strategic Budget phase is one of the most influential stages of the Budget process and, as such, is an essential requirement rather than an aspiration. This year, the budgetary process was further than ever from that . <BR /> <BR />Year after year, Members underline the need for reform of the budgetary process.”
“<BR /> <BR />One of the other points that the report highlighted was the need to establish:”
“Unfortunately, that is true of our Estimates and Supply votes-style system, despite the in-year monitoring process. As far back as 2008, the Finance Committee conducted an inquiry into the ability of the Assembly to effectively scrutinise the Budget. The Committee recommended then a number of measures that should be considered to make this process more accessible and provide opportunities and sufficient time for Members to contribute to and scrutinise the Budget and the in-year processes. Those measures included the memorandum of understanding, which has been mentioned by several Members, between the Assembly and the Executive in relation, in particular, to timely and adequate provision of information to Committees. That certainly was not the case this year.”
“The Budget before us and the process that led up to it is one of the worst examples of that.”
“A report published by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants entitled 'Parliamentary financial scrutiny in hard times' compared the level and quality of financial scrutiny across countries and jurisdictions. It noted that:”
“So, once again, how can a Budget which stifles the potential to create jobs be said to be based on underlying principles? <BR /> <BR />The shortcomings of the Budget process are clear for all to see. The Assembly Committees experience difficulties with both the time available and the lack of information coming from Departments, so the current process has fallen far short of international good practice, and it highlights, once again, the need to put in place the memorandum of understanding between the Assembly and the Executive to ensure that the shortcomings are addressed and that future Budget processes meet the needs of both the legislature and the Government. <BR /> <BR />This Budget is more akin to the equivalent of a financial shotgun wedding than an agreed Budget.”
“At that time, I said that that would be particularly unfair and unwelcome at a time when councils are seeking to make the major organisational changes associated with local government reform and reorganisation. Councils cannot meet the expected pressure on their budgets that, even with additional allocation, is anticipated to be in the region of £3 million. One has to ask: where is the rationale for such an outcome and what underlying principle supports this? <BR /> <BR />Mr Attwood, when he spoke last week, mentioned the potential for heritage-led development here, for creating the many thousands of jobs that it has done in Dublin or Scotland. He said that the consequences of the Budget Bill would be to undermine heritage-led development and stifle the potential to create those jobs.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have heard calls for improvements to be made to Budget information. That includes the rationale behind decisions to make, or not make, allocations to particular services or departmental functions and the impact that such decisions will have, including what specific safeguards will be put in place to prevent priority front-line services being affected. Without those underling principles, the rationale for those decisions is difficult to conclude. <BR /> <BR />Last week, I spoke about the situation that the Department of the Environment faces. In particular, I spoke of my concern about the implications of the final Budget for the rates support grant. As I said then:”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Tá mé buíoch díot as an deis cainte sa dara céim de Bhille an Bhuiséid 2015-16. Mar is eol dúinn, baineann an dara céim de Bhille ar bith leis na bunphrionsabail atá taobh thiar de Bhille. Thank you very much, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of the Budget Bill, which will deal with the year 2015-16. <BR /> <BR />As we know, the Second Stage of any Bill affords Members the opportunity to examine the underlying principles of the Bill in question. I suppose that, usually, the underlying principles of a Budget Bill would be the agreed Programme for Government, but that is not the case with this Bill as no agreed Programme for Government underpins it, and, therefore, we have to search for the underlying principles.”
“The implication of it is that, if we disagree with the direction that the Equality Commission takes on a particular issue, we simply cut its budget. We should allow the Equality Commission to continue to do its legitimate work without such interference. <BR /> <BR />Mr Speaker, I will leave it at that. Go raibh míle maith agat, mar a dúirt mé cheana féin, as an deis cainte. Ní bheimid ag tacú leis an leasú ar an rún. As I said, we will not support the amendment.”
“In particular, the Executive need to allocate additional funding to support local government at this critical time: for example, £3 million to plug the gap in the derating grant for 2015-16; £2·77 million to restore the rate support grant to its current level of £18·32 million; and a contribution of a further £10 million towards the additional transition costs not covered by the Executive's local government reform funding package. Such sums would be allocated for the exclusive benefit of the new councils. <BR /> <BR />I do not think that it is any surprise that the SDLP will oppose the amendment proposed by Mr Allister, since we signed the petition of concern. I think that the amendment is a worrying interference in the work of the Equality Commission.”
“Some local government representatives have articulated the view that the Executive are less than committed to making local government reform work and are not providing councils with adequate resources to be able to fulfil the expectations that citizens have of the reform process. Indeed, they believe that the cumulative effect of all these cuts will be an increase in district rates or cuts to key services. <BR /> <BR />The Executive need to allocate an additional one-off sum to be paid to councils to mitigate the dual impacts of the one-off costs of reorganisation and the final Budget on Executive funding available for local government next year.”
“That has placed, as you would expect, significant pressure on councils to fund the shortfall of an estimated £20 million, during a time of challenging economic circumstances, in order to cover the costs of the work streams relating to reform that are inescapable and provide no cash-releasing benefit to the sector. <BR /> <BR />In addition, councils have identified a further £13 million of transition and transformation costs that will, potentially, be incurred over this and the next two financial years. That is adding to the financial pressures in local government created by the final Budget and the reductions in funding transferring with some functions. Those pressures would be difficult at any time, but, coming in the early years of operation of the new councils, the challenge is even greater.”
“Unfortunately, the decision to apply an arbitrary and substantial cut to what was already a relatively small grant sends the wrong message to the new councils about the value that the Executive place on their previous efforts in emergency situations. <BR /> <BR />In 2013, the Executive agreed to provide councils with a reform funding package of £17·8 million for 2013-15, with a further commitment of up to £30 million for rates convergence beyond 2015. Mr Speaker, as you will be aware, the £17·8 million commitment for 2013-15 covered only part of the bid for £38 million in costs, and local government has had to meet the balance.”
“Those include the emergency planning grant, which is used by councils to support their capacity to provide much-needed support to other agencies at times of emergencies, and we have all witnessed the valuable contribution that councils make in emergency situations, including localised flooding events.”
“That would be a particularly unfair and unwelcome outcome at a time when councils are seeking to make the major organisational changes that are associated with local government reform and reorganisation. Indeed, whilst the additional £1·9 million allocation to the derating grant was welcome, it will not meet the expected pressure on that budget, which, even with that additional allocation, is anticipated to be in the region of £3 million. <BR /> <BR />Furthermore, a number of other grant programmes that were previously supported by DOE have been subject to across-the-board cuts in the final Budget, including grants that are provided by the Department to local government to carry out statutory obligations or important services on behalf of central government.”
“Unfortunately, the Minister's proposals were ignored, which left local councils in a position in which they did not have their funding protected at the point of transfer but, instead, face cuts to their central government funding at a time of significant upheaval. <BR /> <BR />There is particular concern about the implications of the final Budget on the rates support grant. Reductions to that grant will impact directly on those less well-off councils that have access to those grant payments to help make good the difference between their rates income and the money that they need to maintain parity of service provision with more wealthy councils.”
“However, not all Ministers have felt able to do that, which has left the new councils with the challenge of either having to find additional funding from within their budgets or to cut services to achieve savings from the outset. That has not fulfilled the collective commitment to local government on rates neutrality at the point of transfer. To compound the issue, the Executive's final Budget also applied significant reductions to the DOE baseline provision for a range of local government grant programmes. <BR /> <BR />Throughout the consultations that led to the draft Budget and the final Budget, the Minister pressed for grant programmes to be protected from across-the-board cuts and the amounts to be ring-fenced so that they could only be used to support local government at this time of great change for the sector.”
“A key element of local government reform is the transfer of a number of functions to local government. To ensure that that transfer was effective and sustainable and would not increase the burden on ratepayers, the Executive made a commitment that it would be rates-neutral at the point of transfer. <BR /> <BR />The Minister, Mr Durkan, is responsible for, among other things, planning, which is the largest single area of work that will transfer to councils in April. He has ensured that that commitment has been adhered to with respect to the costs that are associated with that function. That has meant excluding those costs from the effects of the substantial across-the-board reductions that have been applied to the Department's budget by the Executive, thereby creating even greater pressures on the remaining areas of DOE expenditure.”
“The reform of local government is one of the flagship commitments in the Executive's Programme for Government. The vision that the Executive set for local government is:”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle, as an deis cainte sa díospóireacht seo. Beidh mise ag díriú le linn m'óráide ar an tionchur a bhéas ag na moltaí seo ar rialtas áitiúil. Ní bheidh mé ag tabhairt tacaíochta don leasú ar an phríomh-rún, agus déarfaidh mé a thuilleadh faoi sin ar ball. At the outset, I want to say that we will not support Mr Allister's amendment. I will deal with that later. I want initially to outline the very challenging financial position that local government faces at a time when the sector is expected to deliver major reform.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an ráitis seo. Ba mhaith liom a fhiafraí den Aire an féidir léi sinn a thabhairt suas chun dáta maidir le Slí Cholmcille: an tionscnamh a bhfuil sé mar aidhm aige turasóireacht idir Éire agus Alba a chothú agus naisc a chur ar bun idir pobail teangan in Éirinn agus in Albain? Will the Minister update the House on the three-year plan for Slí Cholmcille, the Colmcille trail, which is part of the project to encourage cultural tourism between Ireland and Scotland and to establish links between language communities in three jurisdictions?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas fosta leis an Aire as ucht a ráitis inniu. Anuraidh, thug an tAire cuairt ar Iúr Cinn Trá, agus chonaic sí an obair mhaith atá ar siúl ansin ag cumainn éagsúla. Ba mhaith liom a fhiafraí den Aire an dtáinig forbairtí ar bith as sin? The Minister very kindly visited the Newry canal last year and saw the excellent work being carried out there by the Portadown and Newry branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland. She also visited the Albert Basin and saw some of the work of the Newry Maritime Association. Were there any developments from that visit and those meetings?”
“With regard to the voluntary exit scheme, any exit scheme must be voluntary and voluntary only. It should be agreed here and now that there will not be any other approach. As my time has now come to an end, I thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.”
“<BR /> <BR />We must look at alternative ways of making savings. There is an obvious need to ensure that all appropriate options are thoroughly considered. We must look at wastage in the health service, where significant savings can be made. We must look at the use of bank and agency staff, the duplication of administrative roles, the prevalence of fraud and medicine wastage and appointment cancellations by not only patients but staff. <BR /> <BR />I wish to move on now to deal with public-sector reform. In principle, the SDLP supports —”
“If one thing sums up the lack of strategy, it is the implementation of trusts' contingency plans late last year. It is evident that there is a complete lack of strategic focus but a core focus on the financial bottom line. It is worrying that copious counter-strategic measures have already been adopted: for example, the plans to close Bangor and Armagh minor injury units, and we all witnessed the shambolic Dalriada decision. Domiciliary care packages, which consist of 15-minute visits, have been curtailed, and there are plans to further dilute the meals-on-wheels service and provide a fortnightly supply of frozen meals. We have yet to hear any detail of the £113 million targeted savings for HSC trusts projected for 2015-16. How will that impact on the delivery of health care in the community?”
“There is no measurement of progress and no strategic vision. We must therefore ask, at this time, what price we will ultimately pay for it. Are we sacrificing long-term strategy for low-hanging fruit in the short term?”