Tom Buchanan
West Tyrone · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“However, the Bill must give hydro operators clarity and confidence, through a sustainable licensing framework with long-term regulatory certainty, to enable them to invest and upgrade, modernise and improve fish pass technology.”
“I note that quite a bit of work in the Bill falls to the Department with regard to monitoring, enforcement and scientific assessment, which will require adequate resourcing. <BR /> <BR />The Bill must strike the right balance between encouraging investment and protecting sensitive freshwater habitats.”
“I welcome the opportunity to say a few words at Second Stage of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill. It is overdue legislation, which touches on three interlinked systems: commercial fisheries; growing the aquaculture sector; and the wider water environment, with an ambition to modernise regulation while supporting susta…”
“<BR /> <BR />Hydro schemes and hydropower to produce clean energy that will contribute to decarbonisation targets must be catered for in the Bill, with a clear vision for their future expansion. Those are not abstract infrastructure projects but local assets that generate clean renewable energy while supporting employment in rural areas.”
“Minister, under your watch, many miles of posts and wire fencing were put up along the A5 western transport corridor. However, in the past few weeks, a good bit of that has been removed by a mechanical digger and pushed into a pile for dumping.”
“In reality, however, every notice, every new form and every new administrative step will be another cost to councils. We simply cannot keep relying on councils to pick up the cost. We cannot pretend that council budgets are elastic, with plenty of stretch left in them. As is the case in many other sectors, councils are under pressure.”
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“I thank the Minister for his response. Obviously, the protection of those front line services will have a knock-on effect on other programmes. Will the Minister advise what other programmes in his Department will suffer as a result of the protection of the youth services and the continual reduction of funding in his Department?”
“I thank the Minister for his response. He obviously agrees that the status quo is no longer an option. Can he advise the House how he proposes to take the issue forward, given that St Mary's, unlike the other colleges, has refused any of the four options that are on the table?”
“— from the hardship fund and to have the mistaken belief that that will help them through their course. <BR /> <BR />It is imperative that the Department work with all the other bodies to ensure that details of whatever funding is available are made clear to the students in an open and transparent manner so that they fully understand what is available to them and when they can access it.”
“Students must be taught to prepare for their course in advance. While in their final years at school, students need to prepare for the next stage in their studies, and that means not only a step-up in the level of study but a significant increase in financial expenditure and a reliance on self-funding. It is not good for students to come to university expecting to be able to get money —”
“It is time that the Department led the way in challenging the short-term, band-aid, quick-fix thinking and instead focused students on longer-term solutions of good financial management. It is imperative that students who are experiencing financial independence and budgeting for the first time learn to manage their money as a life skill to take them through adulthood. Financial responsibility is one of the key factors that is essential for the future, yet it is one of the least talked about areas of responsibility. <BR /> <BR />Reliance on funding such as the hardship fund is a result of a wider societal issue of reliance on credit. The short-term fix of dipping into credit rather than earning money resulted in the financial collapse. It is wrong to rely on a hardship fund as a principal means of funding a course.”
“I argue that, at present, the hardship fund gives priority to students who, for whatever reasons, are economically or socially disadvantaged. Already, only those in greatest need are eligible for the hardship fund, which is like a safety net for students who unexpectedly find themselves in financial difficulties. The hardship fund was never intended to be a long-term solution or permanent fix; it was only ever intended to provide a short-term solution for students who experience unexpected financial crises that may otherwise deter them from finishing their course. Despite headlines to the contrary, the Minister for Employment and Learning has increased the funding available to students by £800,000. <BR /> <BR />Of course, the bigger, longer-term picture needs to be tackled.”
“We do not want to be in a position where students cannot make the most of their time in college or university because they are impeded by circumstances outside their control that plunge them into financial hardship or dire circumstances where they are forced to withdraw from studying. This, of course, is where the financial hardship fund comes into play. <BR /> <BR />At this point, we turn our attention to the second part of the motion, which:”
“and so forth, to make it available for students. <BR /> <BR />First, we need to tackle the issue that funding should be available to students in times of financial difficulty. Life can be very unpredictable, and students who embark on a journey of study for a specific time, in whatever further or higher institution, do so without knowing how their circumstances might change or what incidents might arise during the period of their studies. Difficult situations outside the classroom can have a direct impact on the level of study and the concentration of our students. It is imperative that we have the mechanisms in place to ensure that outside circumstances, particularly financial problems, have the minimum impact on students' studies.”
“Finally, there is a call for more collaboration between the Department and:”
“Then we have the issue that "funding for student support" should be:”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the very important issue of students and, in particular, student funding. It is interesting that Sinn Féin has changed the entirety of its motion. There was no real sense to the first version, given the moves that the Minister had already made. It is interesting to see that, while the issue of what the Minister was doing was being bandied about in the papers, instead of decreasing the funding, he actually increased it for financial hardship and further education awards. Nevertheless, I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion, which can be divided into three distinct parts. First, there is funding for students, which is:”
“I note from paragraph 12 that the Loughs Agency has developed a number of initiatives along the River Foyle, with an educational programme in schools in places such as Limavady, Londonderry and Donegal. Are there any plans to widen the horizon and extend that programme to schools outside those areas?”
“I believe that it is now time for Sinn Féin and the SDLP to give the leadership that is required on welfare reform and to stop further cuts to our budget, because only then will it be taken seriously that you folk have a concern about the delivery of quality healthcare provision in the Western Health and Social Care Trust area.”
“No, I will not give way any longer. <BR /> <BR />I call on all Members in the Chamber this evening to support the Minister in his call for the extra funding that he requires because it is only then that he will be able to deliver on the various health care issues that people are asking for around the Chamber. It is all very well for Members to, on the one hand, call on the Minister to deliver, while on the other hand, they are part of the problem, in that they are continually refusing to agree to welfare reform, which we know will strip the Minister's budget even further.”
“The Member makes a good point, because the previous Minister failed to make the efficiency savings and was afraid to face and to meet the challenges. However, Minister Poots did that.”
“The difference between Minister Poots and the previous Minister is that Minister Poots has delivered whereas, in a lot of areas, Minister McGimpsey failed to bring forward the finance and deliver.”
“When we consider the number of people living with cancer in the Western Health and Social Care Trust area, and the many victims and the families who have had a loved one taken from them by cancer, we can see the importance of having that professional help and care close to hand and the comfort and confidence that it brings in times of great need. <BR /> <BR />Given that existing services in Belfast are expected to be full by 2015, it is essential that work at Altnagelvin continues and that this service is delivered with the minimum delay. However, I have to say that I am conscious of the financial pressures that the Minister and his Department are under and the tight financial constraints that he is facing. I want to commend him on how he has managed, and is managing, his budget.”
“When we have occasion to visit any of the hospitals in the trust area — should it be the new acute hospital in Enniskillen, Omagh, Altnagelvin or any of the other healthcare provisions — we see at first hand that professionalism and commitment being demonstrated. When we talk to patients, their testimonies bear out the excellent service that they are receiving. <BR /> <BR />I take this opportunity to again lobby the Minister and the Department for the progression of the radiotherapy unit and cardiac centre and having it delivered and up and running with the minimum delay. The delivery of this service is critical to the population of the Western Health and Social Care Trust area and beyond. No doubt, when this building is complete, it will be one of the most important healthcare facilities for people living with cancer in the western area.”
“I rise to briefly add my voice to the debate this evening. I agree with the sentiments of the motion and acknowledge the importance of Altnagelvin Hospital in the delivery of excellent healthcare services in the north-west region. I also want to praise the professionalism and commitment of staff to delivering that service throughout the Western Health and Social Care Trust area. <BR /> <BR />I find it ironic that a member of the party opposite is questioning the payments and so forth that are given to professional people who are delivering an excellent service for people throughout Northern Ireland and not only in the Western Health and Social Care Trust area.”
“I thank the Minister for his response. Where does the scheme now sit in your list of priorities, and what impact might the Sinn Féin/ SDLP refusal to sign up to welfare reform have on this and other large projects?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement to the House today, especially in relation to psychoactive substances, which are a scourge on society. Does the Minister feel that his Department is doing enough to identify new substances or trends in drug use?”