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.”
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“<BR />We have noted that there can be opposition to open-plan offices, which are a necessary element of smart workplace design. We have seen from the evidence on best practice design that there needs to be a mixture of spaces, with each addressing the particular needs of workers: for example, meeting spaces, break-out rooms, quiet rooms and multipurpose areas to ensure the most effective use of space. <BR /> <BR />We have seen that there also needs to be give and take on the part of employees, as the new way of working involves a change of mindset. Gone are the days when people could expect to go into work to their own dedicated desk or office, which, as we have noted, are typically occupied only about 45% of the time.”
“In particular, I point to the ‘Guide to Smart Working in Government’, which was prepared for Whitehall Departments last year. <BR /> <BR />As has been identified, probably the greatest barrier or challenge is bringing about the necessary cultural change in public bodies and managing resistance, including at senior and middle-management level. If we are serious about achieving the benefits and savings, Executive Ministers need to be clear and determined in setting this as a priority for the Senior Civil Service. Senior managers must lead the change by effectively communicating the vision and benefits; by leading by example; by meaningful and early engagement with staff and their representatives; and by providing the necessary training and support. Everyone must be clear that it offers a win-win outcome.”
“Given the need to work beyond the silos in a collective and coordinated way, we can expect that perceived barriers will be identified and plausible reasons offered for why the project cannot progress as envisaged. The short answer, of course, is that comparable public sector bodies in other places already reap the rewards of the successful implementation of a strategic and comprehensive approach to flexible working. Nonetheless, it is important that I close today’s debate by reflecting on some of the barriers that may arise, some of which have been referenced in today’s debate. We need to be clear on how those can be addressed. While the inquiry report outlines the good practice steps and change measures required, there is plenty of detailed guidance and literature available to support public sector managers in this regard.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. <BR /> <BR />This, indeed, has been a useful debate on the Committee’s inquiry report, and I thank Members and the Minister for their contributions. As the Chair said, the recommendations aim to help DFP and the wider Executive to implement flexible working successfully and strategically for maximum benefit and efficiency in the public sector here. However, that will require a joined-up approach within and across Departments and the wider public sector. <BR /> <BR />It has been acknowledged that the challenge of this task is considerable and that we can expect resistance to the change.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Mar a dúradh ansin, is annamh a cheaptar mná ar na boird seo. Lena chois sin, is annamh a cheaptar daoine míchumasacha, nó daoine faoi 30 bliain d’aois, nó daoine ó mhionlaigh eitneacha ar na boird stáit. An ndéanfaidh an tAire cinnte de nach mar sin a bheas le linn dó bheith ina Aire? Women, as mentioned earlier, people under 30, people with a disability and those from ethnic minorities are rarely appointed to boards. Will the Minister ensure that changes are made under his watch?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagra. Ba mhaith liom a fhiafraí den Aire an mbeadh sé sásta scéim fostaíochta chéad-bhliana do mhúinteoirí nua-cháilithe a thabhairt isteach anseo, fé mar atá acu in Albain? Is the Minister prepared to consider an employment scheme for first-year newly qualified teachers such as the one in Scotland?”
“My question to the Minister is around the Department's response to paragraph 4.3.4 of the report, which deals with funding issues and other issues, such as those arising from the Treacy judgement and the underdevelopment and underfunding of Irish-medium education, as mentioned in the Salisbury report. What exactly is the Minister doing to respond to those issues?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a ráitis. Gabhaim buíochas fosta le Helen Ó Murchú agus a comhghleachaithe a d’ullmhaigh an tuairisc. Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Aire faoi alt 4.3.4 de fhreagra na Roinne ar an tuairisc. Sé sin faoin chur chuige maoinithe, go háirithe na nithe a eascraíonn as breithiúnas an Bhreithimh Uí Threasaigh agus an neamhfhorbairt agus an neamh-mhaoiniú a luaitear i dtuairisc Salisbury. Sé an cheist atá agam: cad é go díreach atá a dhéanamh ag an Aire le riar ar na heasnaimh sin? <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for his statement. I also thank Helen Ó Murchú and her colleagues, who prepared the report.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a freagra. Is é an cheist atá agam ar an Aire, i bhfianaise an bhuiséid a d’fhógair an tAire Airgeadais inár láthair inniu, cad é mar is féidir a bheith cinnte go mbeidh airgead ann leis an straitéis seo a chur i bhfeidhm? I thank the Minister for her answer. In light of the draft Budget that the Finance Minister revealed today, what hope is there that there will be funding in any Department to implement the strategy?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a ráiteas. I thank the Minister for his statement. Considering the fact that there is quite a degree of public anxiety about the proposed pay freeze, could he indicate how many public servants will be affected in this way?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat arís, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagraí go dtí seo. Ba mhaith liom an cheist seo a chur ar an Aire: an dtiocfadh leis a rá cad é mar a chuaigh na hathruithe a ghlac Foras na Gaeilge isteach faoin tsamhail nua maoinithe i bhfeidhm ar an earnáil Gaelscolaíochta, Thuaidh agus Theas? I thank the Minister for his answers thus far. What is the Minister's estimation of how the changes in the Foras na Gaeilge funding regime have affected the delivery of Irish-medium preschool, in particular, on a North/South basis?”
“I believe that, if we had this link between Portadown and Armagh, it would encourage tourists who visit Belfast to make the trip to see the historic buildings and culture of Armagh city. <BR /> <BR />As you know, near Armagh city is the seat, the ancient capital, of Ulster, Eamhain Mhacha — Navan Fort. It is enshrined in our history. Armagh is one of the few cities in Europe that does not have a rail link. <BR /> <BR />I commend those who initiated the petition, especially Suzan McComb, who has coordinated their efforts. Today, we have a petition of 10,000 names, which calls on the Minister to reinstate the link between Portadown and Armagh.”
“<BR /> <BR />In 2013, when the Minister for Regional Development, Danny Kennedy, launched a consultation on the future of rail across the region, the people of Armagh seized the opportunity and made their voice heard. It was quite clear that they want the link to be established once again. It closed in the 1950s, and the site of the track is still there. I do not believe that that will be an impediment to having a rail line re-established. A new route can be identified. The Minister has expressed his support for the project, and, hopefully, when resources become available, it will be acted on. <BR /> <BR />Armagh is a centre for tourism, and people come from all over the world to visit the city. At the moment, the principal target of tourism seems to be Belfast.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle, as deis a thabhairt dom an achainí seo a chur faoi bhráid an Tionóil inniu. Is é atá san achainí seo, iarratas ar an Aire iarnród a athleagan idir cathair Ard Mhacha agus Port an Dúnáin. Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to present this petition on behalf of the people of Armagh city and district calling for a rail link to be reinstated between Portadown and Armagh. Many may think that, because of the current economic situation, this is not a good time to call for any new infrastructure. However, I believe that we should give our people hope. The situation will improve, and, when it does, I hope that the link between Armagh and Portadown, which is very badly needed, will be built.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an méid a dúirt sé go nuige seo. Cuirim fáilte roimhe chuig an chéad Tráth na gCeisteanna seo aige. I thank the Minister for his answers and welcome him to his first Question Time. In light of what has been said, what is his assessment in economic and health terms of formally establishing a cancer centre of excellence here in Northern Ireland?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Will the Minister clarify whether he intends to address the residual equal pay issues within the Northern Ireland Civil Service and will that include civil servants who, previously, were with the Northern Ireland Office?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat. Gabhaim buíochas as an deis ceist a chur. I return to inescapable pressures. The Minister's statement tells us that they often involve legal or contractual commitments. In the case of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, tuberculosis compensation is a recurring cost each year. Will the Minister encourage Departments to meet those legal contractual commitments early in the financial year so that they are not dependent on monitoring rounds to meet them?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagra. How does the Minister ensure that health and safety standards are maintained under the current funding regime?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagra. Does the Minister agree that there is a need for a high-profile campaign to increase the representation of males in the primary-school workforce?”
“not just on the Gold Coast in 2018 but in all upcoming global sporting tournaments. I am looking forward to Brazil 2016, when hopefully we will see our former world champion cyclist Martyn Irvine achieve his best, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy make their Olympic debuts and Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan go for gold. <BR /> <BR />Gan tuilleadh moille, tá mé an-sásta tacaíocht a thabhairt don rún. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also note the participation in the Commonwealth Games of Caroline O'Hanlon, the captain of the Armagh ladies' Gaelic football team. She was a Member of the Northern Ireland netball team that also excelled during the Games, even though they were not medal winners. <BR /> <BR />As other Members have said, there was great teamwork from the Northern Irish competitors at the games, in particular from the bowlers, who came home with two team medals. That teamwork also extended to the preparation for the boxing ring and, as many others have said, culminated in our boxers picking up three more boxing medals than their previous best haul. <BR /> <BR />With such successes from our athletes, I am happy to support the motion and its call for the:”
“In any case, thankfully, this year's games and the Northern Ireland team demonstrated the power of sport as a unifying force. The men and women of the team — some of whom compete for Ireland in the Olympics, others for Great Britain and Northern Ireland — brilliantly represented the people of this part of the world. I hope that that spirit will continue and be encouraged across all our sporting codes. For example, I am heartened that the GAA will soon play at Ravenhill rugby ground for the first time in an all-star event that is being spearheaded by Anto Finnegan to raise much-needed funds for motor neurone disease, which, of course, is a hugely important cause. I hope that that is another sign of the burgeoning relationship between Irish rugby and the GAA, which will hopefully bring the Rugby World Cup to Ireland in 2023.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Tá mé buíoch as an deis labhairt sa díospóireacht seo faoi na Cluichí Comhlathais. Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak in this debate on the Commonwealth Games. The 2014 Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team achieved its best result since 1986 in the Edinburgh games. In fact, it could be said that the team achieved its best result ever. I say that because the 1986 games, if you remember, was the only time that Northern Ireland achieved a larger medal haul, but the games that year were less competitive. They were shrouded in controversy and subject to a wide political boycott, with 32 of the eligible 59 countries staying away due to Margaret Thatcher's Government's policy of maintaining sporting links with apartheid South Africa.”
“The speeches by all contributors point clearly to support for the motion as amended by the SDLP.”
“A reliable and affordable postal service is particularly critical for our small and medium-sized businesses. A massive two thirds of our businesses regularly send post to the South, and it has been deemed an essential service by almost half of them. Such cross-border trade is a vital component in our economy, yet nearly one fifth of businesses here that trade with the Republic have had to travel across the border to post mail destined for Southern addresses to avail themselves of the superior postal service there. It would be comical if it were not so ridiculous. It is absurd that businesses here have to resort to that. <BR /> <BR />A Consumer Focus Post report stated:”
“The council has published a number of useful statistics that give evidence to that.”
“We must ensure that it provides the best value for money and the most efficient and reliable service possible. The Consumer Council has stated:”
“<BR /> <BR />The digital revolution has certainly made a permanent and, for the most part, positive impact on our communication technology, but it has not made the postal service obsolete. I am sure that there are many who would like to complete the transition to digital, but, for the foreseeable future, that will not be the case. There are many individuals and businesses here that continue to rely on courier services, and their needs cannot be dismissed. Take, for example, the majority of UK-based banking customers, who still value being able to determining for themselves whether they prefer online banking or paper statements. According to the Keep Me Posted campaign, that amounts to 81%. <BR /> <BR />The postal service continues to play a vital role in our community and in the business world.”
“In my area, it takes almost a week to deliver a letter from Newry to Dundalk, a mere 12 miles. One wonders what circuitous route that letter travels in order to cover that short distance. <BR /> <BR />The taxpayer in this case is denied value for money, However, the same cannot be said of the big corporations who benefited from the privatisation of Royal Mail, with one valuation estimating that it was undersold by £6 billion. I do not want to revert to references to highwaymen, but the conclusion to come to there is clear: the public were robbed once again. As usual, the ordinary citizen is left to deal with rising prices and the threat that direct delivery services pose to the universal postal service.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Tá mé buíoch as an deis cainte ins an díospóireacht seo faoi chostais poist. Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to wind on the SDLP amendment. During the debate, we have seen a picture emerge that clearly illustrates the anomalies and inconsistencies that have arisen in the current system. One must ask why people here face higher costs to send mail within one island than to send mail across the water. That is all the more frustrating when their friends, relatives and business contacts in the South are subject to An Post's single standard tariff. <BR /> <BR />We have heard that almost half of our adult population have expressed their dissatisfaction with the cost differential and the snail's pace of cross-border delivery times.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagra. Ba mhaith liom an méid seo a fhiafraí de. Would the Minister agree with me that those who questioned the integrity of the process — that that questioning does not help the acceptance of the Police Service in Northern Ireland?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagra. Ba mhaith líom a fhiafraí den Aire cad é a mheas ar lion na ndaltaí atá ag dul don Ghaeilge i scoileanna Béarla ag an dá leibhéal atá luaite sa cheist. I thank the Minister for his answers. What is his assessment of the trends regarding pupils taking Irish at GCSE and A level over the last number of years?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagra. Will any of the £1 million allocated to cultural programmes in the June monitoring round be used to fund Arts Council programmes?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Mo bhuíochas fosta leis an Aire. The Minister referred to finance and to a new budgetary period. Can he indicate what priority this project has in capital spending?”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Tá ceist agam ar an LeasChéad-Aire i dtaca le grúpaí íospartach a bhris téarmaí a gcuid litreacha tairisceana. What action has been taken with regard to victims groups that have been found to be in breach of the terms of their letters of offer from the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)?”