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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“<BR /> <BR />I remember back to 2009, when the work on the South West Acute Hospital began, and 26 June 2012, when it opened.”
“I also call on him to ensure that a comprehensive plan is put in place so that patients receive the care that they require without undue delay. We have heard today from other Members about the extra travel time for patients and the detrimental consequences that that can have for them and their health. Therefore, we cannot allow this situation to continue. As elected representatives representing rural constituencies, we cannot allow the situation to continue. <BR /> <BR />Minister, the decision highlights the need for a long-term strategic plan to address the staffing shortages and operational challenges that are facing our health system today. We need a sustainable solution that prioritises the needs of the patients and ensures that our hospitals are fully equipped to provide and deliver high-quality care.”
“However, such a decision should not have been taken without, first of all, a clear plan being put in place to mitigate the impact on patients and the local community. The people in the south-west quarter of Northern Ireland who are serviced by the South West Acute Hospital deserve much better than that. They deserve a healthcare system that is reliable, accessible and of the highest quality. The temporary removal of that vital service falls far short of that standard. <BR /> <BR />I urge the Health Minister, who I appreciate has an extremely difficult job to do, not only to review the decision but to work with the Western Trust and the hospital management to have the emergency general surgery restored as soon as possible.”
“Given the wide, vast rural area that it is, it is of deep concern that those services have been temporarily removed and have not been returned yet to the SWAH. The SWAH services a large rural population right across the constituencies of Fermanagh and South Tyrone and West Tyrone. The hospital's emergency department is a vital lifeline for many, providing critical care and treatment in times of greatest need. However, the removal of emergency general surgery services undermines the hospital's ability to provide comprehensive care for the patients in that large rural community. The decision to temporarily remove the services was a result of staff shortages or other operational challenges.”
“I also welcome the people from Fermanagh and thank them for coming today. I know something of the journey that you have to make when you come to Stormont. We are glad to see you. I also pass on my best wishes to my colleague Deborah. I wish her the best in the days to come. <BR /> <BR />Given the nature of the debate and the wide-ranging aspect of it, it is somewhat disappointing that we do not have anyone from the Alliance Party or the TUV in the Chamber to take part in the debate. <BR /> <BR />I rise to express my deep concern and disappointment at the temporary removal of emergency general surgery from the South West Acute Hospital. That decision has significant implications for the health and well-being of our community, particularly for those who rely on emergency surgical services.”
“Let us work with the relevant agencies and industry on a more pragmatic way forward for the protection and continued improvement of our water quality throughout Northern Ireland.”
“Over 5,000 signatures from across Northern Ireland were presented in the House as part of a petition that called for the withdrawal of the consultation and for serious engagement with the farming community to bring forward workable plans to which all could buy in to help to improve and protect our environment, which we all cherish. Farmers want to and must be part of any plans that are brought forward for the improvement of our environment; otherwise, they will be counterproductive. <BR /> <BR />The NAP proposals that are being pursued by the Minister are not the answer to addressing the blue-green algae issue. We need a cross-sectoral, multi-agency response. I therefore call on the Minister to do the right thing and scrap his ideological NAP proposals.”
“Thank you. <BR /> <BR />Again, that is something that is open for discussion. Our farmers are not only the custodians of the countryside, who put food on our tables; they are the backbone and keystone of our rural economy. They have a deep passion for the environmental sustainability of the land that they farm. They take extreme care around the watercourses that run through their land. In previous years, they had no objections to working with the Department to implement sensible and common-sense solutions to help improve the countryside and the environment. However, it is totally unacceptable for the Minister to seek to impose the NAP proposals on an industry without proper consultation.”
“What plans do you have to take enforcement action against it, just as you and your Department rightly take against other individuals who are found guilty of polluting? The same action that you take against other individuals for polluting needs to be taken against Northern Ireland Water.”
“Although we fully support rigorous enforcement action against deliberate polluters of our waterways, I am crystal clear that we will not allow agriculture to be the scapegoat or to be treated as the sole culprit for this issue, as has been the order of the day from others around the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />I want to pose some questions to the Minister. What serious engagement have you had with Northern Ireland Water about the colossal amount of raw sewage that is going into our waterways every day from its sewage plants and individual septic tanks? What assessment have you and your Department carried out into the damage that that is causing? Perhaps you will also inform the House of the sanctions that you propose to place on Northern Ireland Water to curb the daily flow of raw sewage into our waterways.”
“The situation facing Lough Neagh and some other watercourses in Northern Ireland requires a common-sense approach that is balanced and rooted in reality. I have no doubt that everyone in the Chamber will be in agreement that to tackle effectively the source of the pollution affecting our waterways will require a collective effort. However, it is foolhardy for the Minister and others in the House to be of the mindset that to put in place extreme environmental policies that would have devastating consequences for our agriculture industry is a way to resolve the blue-green algae problem. To put extreme environmental policies in place is not a quick fix. There is no short-term fix to the problem. The Minister said, in his statement on the Lough Neagh action plan:”
“Minister, thank you for your statement. Will you provide details on the humane slaughter contingency planning exercise for exotic disease in October? When did exercise that last take place?”
“Minister, in your statement, you talked about ongoing work to improve the accuracy of fish counts to generate more robust data in order to better inform salmon conservation limits. Will you inform the House as to what progress has been made to date?”
“I ask you, as Speaker, to rule on that matter. It is not acceptable, and it is very poor practice. It leaves the elected Members from those areas very much at a disadvantage about what the Minister plans to do.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I understand that, while we have been in the House discussing the legislative consent motion, the Minister for Infrastructure has gone to the media to update them on the A5. I would have thought that, given the scale of that project and all those who have been affected by it, rather than going to the media, the Minister should have made a statement to the House to update it, particularly the elected Members for the constituencies through which the road runs — West Tyrone and Fermanagh and South Tyrone. That is not good practice. We, as elected Members from those constituencies, will have to learn from the media what the Minister is proposing or planning to do. That is not good practice. We have not had the opportunity to question the Minister on what she is seeking to do.”
“As the Committee Chair said, we want a Bill that is workable and makes a difference in our constituencies, including our rural towns and villages. We look forward to the opportunity to scrutinise the legislation at the Committee and to a positive Bill passing through the House that everyone can support.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also ask the Minister to confirm whether he has explored the potential for a grant scheme to support, in limited circumstances, those individuals who find themselves in possession of dilapidated premises through inheritance or other circumstances, despite not having the financial means to take the remedial action that would otherwise be required in a council notice. Perhaps the Minister could elaborate on whether he has looked at such a scheme or whether he intends to do so. I would also like to hear in greater detail about the sorts of reasonable excuses that the Department envisages being appropriate where owners or occupiers fail to comply with conditions or notices that have been issued by councils. Again, there needs to be clarity on that. <BR /> <BR />We support the Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />We would welcome further information from the Minister on the rationale, in clause 11, for giving the councils powers to intervene and start remedial work on defective premises within nine days of a notice being served. That seems like a fairly expedited time frame, and consideration needs to be given to whether that unduly infringes on the ability of the owner or occupant to engage constructively and in good faith with any notice that is issued. Moreover, is it not the case that, if a risk to health and safety is adjudged to necessitate intervention after such a period, the use of the powers in clause 10 might be more appropriate than those in clause 11?”
“We look forward to examining the Bill's details at Committee Stage and working in the Committee to agree final legislation that is operable and gives local councils the wherewithal and clarity that they need to take strides in addressing a problem whilst ensuring that property owners and tenants are afforded fairness and due process. <BR /> <BR />There can be no doubt that, leaving aside all the architecture of the powers set out in the Bill, much will depend on the content of the guidance envisaged in clause 20. That issue has already been raised during the debate. There can be no ambiguity around the thresholds of buildings that are deemed dilapidated, defective or dangerous. To protect the taxpayer, clear direction will be required for councils when they are taking emergency remedial action.”
“That is what we are seeing. <BR /> <BR />I will move on to the Bill. I welcome the Second Stage. We fully support the intent behind the Bill, which is to address the blight of dilapidated, defective and dangerous buildings in many of our towns and villages and the risks that those buildings pose to personal safety and the environment. At the last local government election, our manifesto pledged support for the creation of powers to enable local councils to tackle dilapidated buildings, and we renew that commitment today. However, we are conscious of the fact that the Bill needs careful scrutiny. While it needs to be robust, it needs careful drafting so that no extra pressure is put on councils. Of course, that needs to come with financial support, as others have said.”
“I was somewhat amused earlier when I heard the SDLP say that too much legislation is coming. One day, the SDLP says that there is not enough, and, the next day, it says that there is too much. You wonder what sort of Opposition you have. It reminds me of a bit of Ulster-Scots poetry that says:”
“Minister, in your statement, you were keen to stress that the settlement avoids a potential cliff edge in future funding restoration. However, we are mindful that your party and Alliance were happy to come here before that certainty was provided. Therefore, can ratepayers have confidence that, as Minister, you will relentlessly pursue a full financial framework that delivers £128 per head for every £100 spent in England through Barnett?”
“I also call on the National Lottery and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, which provided funding for the event, to take careful cognisance of the situation in considering any future funding of events of that nature in Omagh. <BR /> <BR />I say to the organisers of the pride parade that such actions of disrespect and mockery will never be tolerated and will be continually called out for what they are. I also call on the organisers of the parade to issue a public apology for the hurt caused to so many Bible-believing Christians and others on Saturday at that event. I remind them that the word of God tells us:”
“With pride, it appears to be a matter of, "You do what you are told, but we will do what we want". It must be called out for what it is. It cannot be ignored or excused. <BR /> <BR />Today, I call on the Parades Commission, which gave the green light for this event in Omagh, to carefully consider that action, which is the cause of much offence amongst many in our communities. Over the years, we have become all too familiar with the strict principles of respect and sensitivity placed on loyal orders by the Parades Commission on parades in the vicinity of places of worship. Therefore, the same standards must apply to pride, and that incident cannot be ignored or brushed under the carpet.”
“I put on record my condemnation of an incident that occurred in Omagh on Saturday during the pride parade: a place of worship — Omagh Gospel Hall — was used by those parading as the subject of their mockery. A drag queen posing on the boundary wall at the front of the gospel hall, with the images posted all over social media, was not only shameful and provocative but downright disgraceful. That despicable act and blatantly provocative scene have caused deep offence, concern and hurt amongst many Bible-believing Christians. I was absolutely horrified, yet not surprised, when I saw such a blatant display of disrespect outside that place of worship. The pride movement claims to promote respect, compassion and tolerance, but where were they on Saturday? Its very actions contradicted the words that proceed out of their mouth.”
“Let us stand shoulder to shoulder with our farming community in opposition to the proposals.”
“— begin to show some support for the farming community, which is the backbone of our rural economy, rather than continue to devise plans to destroy it completely. To date, Minister, you have failed to get to grips with the TB crisis and the delivery of a robust ammonia strategy. It is time that you began to take accountability for the significant failings of your Department on your watch. I have been a Member of the House since 2003, and I have never seen a Minister from any Department bring forward proposals to do with any sector under their Department's remit that have such devastating consequences for that sector as we have here. <BR /> <BR />Folk around the Chamber, I say this to you: it is time that we stood shoulder to shoulder with the farming community by supporting the motion. Let us put politics to the side. It is too important.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />Yes, I fully agree with the Member. The Minister is failing in his responsibility to take on the issue and deal with it. Minister, it is time for you to wake up to reality and —”
“I have seen no proposals or recommendations about what NI Water must do about the huge amount of pollution that it pumps into our waterways, yet our farmers are continually targeted. As I said in Committee, a University of Oxford study has shown that the sewage that was coming from water companies and NI Water into our waterways was causing much more damage than anything that was coming off the land. Yet, there are no proposals or recommendations —.”
“The issue requires a constructive working relationship with the Department and other agencies that is built on understanding, trust and mutual respect. Unfortunately, the Minister has closed the door of engagement on the NAP proposals to the farming community. Rather than investing in practical support and building trust, he is on the road to creating more red tape and penalties and increased bureaucracy in an already complicated system with which our farmers are doing their best to comply. <BR /> <BR />The NAP proposals are all about what farmers must do. When you look at the consultation, you see that it is all about what they must do. They must do this, they must do that, and they must do the other thing.”
“What we have in the NAP proposals is far from that.”
“The consultation fails to deal with the real issues. Our farmers live and work on the land and are fully committed to good environmental practices and improving water quality, as they have been for the past number of years. However, the NAP proposals are totally unbalanced and completely disconnected from the reality of farming in Northern Ireland. Farmers are not ignorant of their environmental responsibilities: they want to be part of the solution when it comes to protecting our environment. However, they need a fair, balanced and workable plan, which they, alongside environmental groups, community groups and other agencies, have had input into, in order to develop policies that are fair, practical, workable and sustainable for the industry and the environment.”
“For far too long, our farmers have been made environmental scapegoats.”
“When the Minister responds to the debate, he may well claim to be the farmers' friend and that he is working for them. He may beat his breast when declaring that he, the farmers' advocate, is championing their cause, yet actions always speak louder than words, and his actions to date contradict his words. The Minister may seek to hide behind the consultation process, but, with proposals that will cause huge damage to our local agriculture sector, risking jobs, cutting livestock numbers and threatening Northern Ireland's ability to produce food, he is fooling no one. The consultation must be withdrawn.”
“on the NAP proposals. I know that the Minister would see that as a U-turn, but I remind him that he did a U-turn on continuing support for the mushroom sector during the Committee's deliberations on the Agriculture Bill. We welcome that — there is no shame in it — and I encourage him to do likewise today by withdrawing the consultation. The proposals, if implemented, would have devastating consequences for the agriculture industry, forcing many small family farms out of business and damaging our agri-food sector, which, today, is the envy of many around the world. <BR /> <BR />The lack of engagement of the Minister and his Department with the farming community on the proposals — blatantly ignoring its concerns — is nothing short of appalling.”
“Today's debate is on one of the more important issues to come before the House. The motion calls on the Minister:”
“Minister, your statement focuses a lot on a 16-week consultation on a remediation strategy and the possible delivery of that, depending on finances and all that type of thing. Are you in a position to inform the House as to whether any works will take place on-site in the remainder of this Assembly term?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and welcome the £750,000 for musical instruments through the Arts Council. Will the Minister advise what more can be done to streamline the application process?”
“As I expected, no answer is forthcoming. However, I will ask another question that has been asked on two occasions prior to this, with no answer given. Maybe we will get it today. Does the First Minister now agree that biological men should not be permitted to play women's sports, enter ladies' toilets or be placed in female prisons? A simple answer: yes or no?”
“Minister, your statement talks about the "value of shared cooperation". What cooperation do you and your Department have with the farming community here on your nutrients action programme (NAP) proposals, which have the potential to put many farmers to the wall and are creating huge concern in the agriculture industry?”
“Minister, those are some of the issues of concern. I have no doubt that other Members will have similar or other issues to raise in their contributions. I seek an assurance from you today that the farming community, who are feeling practical and financial pain from the loss of their lifelong business, will be adequately supported by the House.”
“Not only must the voices of the forgotten rural community be heard in the House, but its concerns must be addressed. It must receive whatever support and help it requires throughout the construction of the proposed new A5 road, should it proceed.”
“<BR /> <BR />Three Departments are involved in the project: the Department of Finance, the Department of Agriculture, and the Minister's Department for Infrastructure. Those three Departments must work together rather than in silos where the buck can be passed from one to another. That is what happens when Departments do not work together. We come and ask one Department something, and it passes it to another, saying that it is another Department or somebody else's responsibility. I trust that the three Departments will work together in delivering the project. <BR /> <BR />I seek clarity from the Minister on whether any meetings between the three Departments and Ministers have taken place to seek to address the ongoing concerns of this rural farming community.”
“My office deals with such issues regularly. <BR /> <BR />Of course, the elephant in the room in all of this is the ongoing court case. Should it go against the Department, what then for that community, members of which had large swathes of their prime farmland — I am going to say this — stolen from them? It has been taken from them, but it has not been paid for. Trees have been cut and hedgerows have been dug up. Contractors are on site, but the land has not been paid for. In one sense, the land does not really belong to the Government, because it still has not been paid for, and the farmers do not know what they are getting for it. Minister, the lack of clarity, the not knowing and the uncertainty in all those areas adds to the grief and anxiety of that rural community. It must be urgently addressed.”
“To date, we have seen little movement from the AERA Minister in relation to planning and his proposals, which would enable those businesses to secure planning for the redevelopment of their farm infrastructure as and when it is required. I have questioned the AERA Minister at Committee on this issue, but, as yet, I have seen no firm proposals for what he plans to do or how he intends to help and support those businesses to rebuild in the future. <BR /> <BR />Minister, when it comes to your Department, it is important that there be clear communication between your staff, the contractors that are on site and the farming community. While I appreciate that your Department may be endeavouring to keep those lines of communication open, there are still quite a lot of problems and difficulties with some of the contractors on site.”
“Not only has the land that was vested not been paid for, but members of the farming community throughout West Tyrone have been dealt a double blow. They have lost thousands of pounds from their single farm payment, because that land cannot be included in their single farm payment application. The deafening silence from the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs about what help he can offer speaks volumes about the care and compassion towards that community. <BR /> <BR />Another major concern for the farm businesses that might be able to weather the storm and survive is the rebuilding of their farm infrastructure.”
“<BR /> <BR />When Mr O'Dowd was Minister for Infrastructure, my colleague in front of me and I met him on a few occasions. One of the issues was payment for lands that were vested. Mr O'Dowd assured us that it was a matter for the Minister of Finance. He is now the Minister of Finance, and I wonder what progress he has made on getting that issue taken forward and resolved so that the farmers are paid for their land. <BR /> <BR />I should have said at the outset that I thank the Minister for being in her place in the Chamber. I ask her to confirm whether the appropriate finances are in place to cover the cost of the lands that were vested and whether she has had any indication of when those farmers are likely to receive the payment. How long do we expect that community to go without that financial support?”
“There have been 15 years of uncertainty. I know that that is not the fault of the current Minister, previous Ministers or the House; another element has caused the 15 years of uncertainty. Six months have now passed, though, since that community's land was vested, and people still have no indication of how much they will receive for it or when that money will be forthcoming, yet they have been driven off their land. It has been fenced off, and they cannot include it in their single farm payment claim. Here we have a community that is under siege and under duress being placed in a position that some cannot and will not survive. Those families and people in that community need help and support from the House, but, folk, I do not think that that is forthcoming at present.”
“Many such farms are third- and fourth-generation farming businesses and are losing land that fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers laboured on and worked hard to build up in order to pass down through the generations. Those farm businesses now stand to be unprofitable, with many families being forced to abandon farming altogether. Generations of expertise in farming and food production are being lost, and a huge deficit in the rural economy is being created. <BR /> <BR />Can anyone in the House really comprehend what it means for a family that has worked and laboured hard to build its farm business up to then watch it slip down the plughole? None of us can really comprehend what that means. One of the major difficulties for those families is the uncertainty that they face in their lifelong business.”
“<BR /> <BR />Today I want to look at the other side of the coin, as it were, and to shine a light and focus on what I can only describe as a forgotten community with a voice that is not being listened to or taken at all seriously: the agricultural community of farm businesses that stand to lose large swathes of land to make way for the proposed A5 dual carriageway that cuts through the very centre and heart of my constituency of West Tyrone. <BR /> <BR />We have a community that is suffering from mental torture and anxiety. Families have been driven to the edge of despair, and, indeed, a life has been lost as a result of the uncertainty about what the future holds for them and their business following a huge loss of land.”