Alex Easton
North Down · Independent · Northern Ireland
“I, too, want to raise the issue of Bright Sparks Preschool, which is a feeder preschool for Crawfordsburn Primary School. Last Wednesday, the Education Minister visited Bright Sparks to hear about its excellent work and see all the pupils in the preschool.”
“<BR /> <BR />My annoyance is that I have met the Education Authority with Bright Sparks many times over the past several years, and there has been a lack of effort by the Education Authority to find a solution for a building that it owns.”
“The map shown in the consultation included the entire Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area, which has nothing to do with the South Eastern Trust area. <BR /> <BR />We therefore know that the consultation and the equality impact assessment were a farce and a foregone conclusion.”
“<BR /> <BR />The South Eastern Trust proceeded to say what its plans were. Closure, with the announcement of a new minor injury unit at the Ulster Hospital site, was the only option.”
“How accurate my prediction was: the Bangor minor injury unit never reopened its doors. It was stripped of its equipment even before the consultation was finished.”
“I quote two Alliance councillors, who said that the units had not been "of any use". If they were of no use, why did 22,000 people use the two minor injury units at their height? <BR /> <BR />Over 20,000 people signed a public petition opposed to the closure of the units.”
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“The Department claimed that its reserves were an increase of 190%, but it turns out that that is really 24·5%. Is the Department getting its figures wrong in its assessment on reserves, and, if so, do we need to look again at those figures and the data that the Department is using and make sure that the figures are correct? <BR /> <BR />If we look at the impact of the excessive cuts, we see that there will have to be a reduction in the mobility centres from eight to three, with 10 jobs being lost by staff employed by Disability Action. DATS will see a reduction in its budget of £631,000, a reduction of 21%, which is quite huge. There is a reduction of 100% for group services and 100% reduction in mobility centres.”
“I note that many of the networks have written to the Minister presenting information on historical inequalities relating to how grants have been apportioned to the partnerships and have drawn his attention to partnership performance. Based on that information, can the Minister comment on the comments raised and the request that future allocations from the rural transport fund (RTF) be based on the average cost per trip across Northern Ireland, which stands at approximately £14? That appears to ensure fairness in grant allocations. I see that at least eight of the providers are asking the Minister for that. <BR /> <BR />I also see from a letter from Fermanagh Community Transport dated 26 May that it is querying where the Department is getting the figures for its reserves.”
“<BR /> <BR />While it would be wrong to say that they should not have to dip into some of their reserves, I have to question the logic of that, based on the extreme differences between each organisation's reduction in funding. Hopefully, the Minister will explain that. There seems to be a difference for each organisation. Why are some being cut more than others? Surely, they should all be treated equally. <BR /> <BR />Also, in a Committee evidence session, a question was asked about rural-proofing the budget, and there does not seem to have been any of that. Maybe the Minister could explain that for me as well.”
“For every one pound invested in rural community transport, £12 of social value is created. <BR /> <BR />This overall 30% reduction is quite disturbing in itself, but when we look, in particular, at the community transport networks and the 11 rural transport providers, we see a huge discrepancy in how much is being taken from each provider. This will need to be explained, and, hopefully, the Minister will be able to do that for me at some stage. For example, when we look at the cuts to each of the providers of rural transport, those seem to be based on the reserves of each organisation and the cost per trip. Hopefully, that can be explained for me.”
“It is quite shocking to see, as part of the Minister for Regional Development's efforts to reduce the DRD budget, the disproportionate cuts to the Disability Action and rural community transport budgets. In 2014-15, the budget given to those organisations and groups was £7·15 million. This year, it has been set at £4·99 million, which is a massive reduction of £2·1 million. It is an overall reduction of 30%, which, compared to other areas where there are reductions in funding, is quite extraordinary and disturbing. <BR /> <BR />The rural community partnerships help to deliver services in rural communities that allow people living in those communities the chance to have much-needed transport. The partnership delivers 243,000 trips across Northern Ireland, with an average of 13·4 miles per trip.”
“I welcome the Minister's statement. It is a good news story for Northern Ireland. In his statement, he mentioned that phase 2 will be substantially completed by 2016. Has it got the potential to go into the 2017-18 financial year? Have there been any other capital schemes that you have had to put back to find the extra £6 million for the project?”
“Is the Department taking this outbreak seriously, and has it been able to identify its source?”
“I, therefore, urge the Minister to continue his work with the Home Office to ensure that new legislation is introduced across the UK to counteract and ban these substances as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />Finally, there is an amendment on the Floor, and although I am willing to accept that, I must say that it takes away from the motion, because we need new legislation. However, I am willing to accept what you have put down, because the issue is far too important to be argued or fought about by anyone in the House.”
“That has led to successive communication campaigns to raise awareness of the risks of so-called legal highs among young people; work with law enforcement agencies on a concrete programme of action; and the international effort to tackle the availability of those new drugs. Front-line services have also made an important contribution by raising awareness of the problems of NPS and by rapidly developing clinical and other responses to them. <BR /> <BR />The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 has remained the cornerstone of the response to the most harmful drugs, where the evidence of prevalence and harms or potential harms are justified by that level of control.”
“In the Government's written ministerial statement at that time, it was made clear that they were prepared to enhance the UK-wide legislation framework to ensure that their law enforcement agencies had the best available powers, sending out the clearest possible message that trade in those substances was reckless and that the substances are dangerous and can be fatal. The Government have been proactive in tackling those new drugs over the last few years. Indeed, the UK has a range of approaches that are recognised as world leaders. The UK has already banned 350 substances and been quicker to respond to the challenges than many other countries. It has continued its commitment to the forensic early response system, which enables it to identify new substances swiftly.”
“Nevertheless, the Public Health Agency suggests that professionals who are working in the area of drugs and alcohol in the community report that many young people, including those from post-primary age, are taking legal highs. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety also stated in 2012 that, given the number of issues, it is difficult to get a clear picture of the level of misuse. A number of information sources show their level of impact, but that may underestimate the overall scale of the problem. <BR /> <BR />In 2013, the Home Office appointed an expert panel to consider how best to tackle new psychoactive substances (NPS).”
“The Public Health Agency is using its early warning system to raise awareness of the risk of specific groups of new emerging substances and is urging those who feel unwell after taking those drugs to seek medical help urgently. Currently, 107 different synthetic cannabinoids have been identified across Europe, and potency is hugely variable. They are often a lot stronger than cannabis and may even have completely different effects. <BR /> <BR />In Northern Ireland, the issue of legal highs has received much media attention. However, there is no official recorded information, including information on hospital admissions, about the use or prevalence of legal highs at a local level.”
“Furthermore, the Department of Justice, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Health Agency have introduced an informal early warning system known as the drug and alcohol monitoring and information system (DAMIS), which seeks to identify new substances or drug trends at an early stage and provide information and advice to key stakeholders. The Public Health Agency drug and alcohol monitoring and information system has been receiving reports of people across Northern Ireland experiencing unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects after smoking synthetic cannabinoids, with a number of users having been hospitalised.”
“Part of the difficulty is that the chemicals that they contain have, in most cases, never been used in drugs for human consumption before, so research on their composition is limited, and the substances have not been tested to show that they are safe. In turn, users can never be certain what they are taking or what the effects might be. <BR /> <BR />The sheer volume of and speed at which new legal highs are appearing on the market makes the policing of those substances particularly challenging for law enforcement authorities and policymakers alike. In addition to the classification of drugs listed above, a further new classification called temporary class drugs banning orders is in place to tackle legal highs.”
“Legal highs are considered illegal to sell for human consumption under the Medicines Act 1968, but, in order for sellers to get around that, products are cleverly packaged as bath salts, incense, pond cleaner or plant food, with a warning label: "Not for human consumption". That enables producers to subvert the law and avoid sanctions from the Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Often, no ingredients will be listed on the product packaging. They come in various pill and powder forms. Some legal highs may also contain ingredients that are illegal to possess, such as class B drugs like amphetamines. Side effects include reduced inhibitions, drowsiness, paranoid states, coma, seizures and strokes. Legal highs can even cause death, and the effects can be exacerbated by alcohol or other drugs.”
“These new substances are not yet controlled, because there has not been enough research into the substances they contain and how safe they are.”
“Legal high substances can be bought lawfully by anyone over the age of 18. However, the Public Health Agency (PHA) in Northern Ireland suggests that professionals working in the area of drugs report that many young people, including those of post-primary age, are taking legal highs. The number of UK deaths linked to so-called legal highs or new psychoactive substances has risen in recent years from 10 in 2009 to at least 68 in 2012. That number is increasing. The latest death, in Newtownards in April, was that of Adam Owens, a young person who came from my constituency. <BR /> <BR />The term "legal highs" is misleading and instils a perception that these substances are safe and legal to sell for human consumption. That may not always be the case.”
“The use of legal highs is a growing problem in drug misuse. Officially known as new psychoactive substances, legal highs are synthetic drugs that are self-administered and produce an altered state of mind. They are often created in laboratories in Asia and sold to European markets before authorities have time to ban them. Legal highs can be bought online and in shops known as head shops. The online marketplace adds further complexity, because these drugs can be more accessible to younger people and can be promoted through social networking sites. <BR /> <BR />Legal highs have become adopted as recreational party drugs, and they mimic the effects of drugs such as cocaine and Ecstasy. However, legal highs are not controlled in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and are therefore legal to possess.”
“What measures have been taken to ensure that the procurement pipeline for government infrastructure projects is available to the construction industry?”
“I also congratulate the Minister on her new position.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. As she knows, some boxing clubs perhaps lack the capacity to formulate applications. Can the Department or someone else give any help or advice to boxing clubs on how to formulate applications?”
“I thank the Member for his contribution, and, certainly, I hope that the Minister takes on board what my colleague has said. It is important that we keep DOE on board and that we do not lose funding on that aspect. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, encouraging people to get on their bike could improve our health and, indeed, save lives across Northern Ireland, thereby helping our health service. I support the report.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee has recommended that Tourism Northern Ireland works in conjunction with all relevant Executive Departments to develop a cycling tourism package for Northern Ireland. The Committee also looked at the health benefits as a positive impact of cycling. The Chief Medical Officer has stated that 53% of adults meet physical activity guidelines, while research shows that children in Northern Ireland are the least physically active of anywhere in the United Kingdom, with 50% of seven-year-olds in Northern Ireland not getting the recommended —”
“The success of the Giro d'Italia and the follow-up with the staging of the Gran Fondo have been major contributors to people wanting to get on their bike and develop cycling across Northern Ireland. The Assembly Research paper 'Cycle for Leisure, Recreation and Tourism' shows the following benefits of cycle tourism: it can provide incentives for people to visit the area and spend more money in the local community; it can support local traders and offer business start-up opportunities, such as bike hire; it is an environmentally sustainable form of tourism, with minimal impact on the environment; and it utilises existing and often underused facilities, such as quiet laneways, towpaths and disused railway lines.”
“It is strange that the Department's draft strategy does not set Northern Ireland-wide targets. I do not believe that zero targets would encourage people to use a bicycle in their local community. The Committee believes that objectives and targets are vital to provide clarity in respect of the end vision and to drive the strategy and delivery of any project. <BR /> <BR />The Committee made a number of other recommendations that aim to strengthen the strategy. The Committee heard evidence from Sustrans on the benefits of cycling in Northern Ireland, which could be in the region of £89 million. CTC has put figures of somewhere between £300 million and £400 million of benefit to Northern Ireland, and that is something that we cannot afford to ignore. <BR /> <BR />If I may, I will turn briefly to the impact of cycling on tourism.”
“At the outset, I thank the Regional Development Committee team for putting together the report and all those who have contributed to it. It is very important that the Committee report is taken seriously by the Department and the Minister. That is why I will touch on the Department's draft strategy, which recognises that education is the key component in helping to make the transition from inactivity to being active: a key component in making the transition from the car to the bicycle. <BR /> <BR />In the Committee's view, the draft strategy is a statement of intent rather than an actual strategy. This viewpoint has been endorsed by the Department and is recorded in Hansard. Sustrans described the vision as more of an aim rather than being truly visionary.”
“The smallest of details could be a vital link to catching those responsible and lead to the whereabouts of Lisa's body, giving the Dorrian family the closure that they deserve.”
“<BR /> <BR />There are individuals who have knowledge of how Lisa died and where her body has been hidden. By holding on to those secrets, they prolong a grieving family's agony. The family have received a number of confidential messages, however, and the quest for the conclusive piece of information continues. Investigations into Lisa's disappearance are ongoing and will not be concluded until her body is found. Those individuals who harbour the secrets that could free the Dorrian family from their living nightmare should take no comfort from the passage of time. I ask them to do the right thing and talk to the police. <BR /> <BR />If anyone has information, please contact Crimestoppers immediately.”
“The anniversary appeal coincides with a new reward of up to £5,000 from the independent charity Crimestoppers and an outdoor advertising campaign in Bangor and parts of greater Belfast to promote the campaign. <BR /> <BR />A video appeal made by Lisa's family and the police will be shown in a number of cinemas in the coming weeks, as well as being available to view online on the PSNI website, YouTube and Lisa's website. A social media campaign, @letsfindlisa, has been started to enlist community support for the tenth anniversary appeal. Several cinemas have also kindly agreed to show Lisa's appeal video in their premises over the coming weeks. The police and the Dorrian family gratefully acknowledge the cooperation and generosity of those organisations in showing the video appeal free of charge.”
“There have been 275 searches, 194 of them in caravans and outbuildings, and there have been eight arrests on suspicion of murder and a number of unrelated drug offences. Despite extensive land and sea searches, Lisa's body has never been found. Police have made several arrests, but no one has ever been charged with her murder. <BR /> <BR />The Dorrian family have tried a number of initiatives since she went missing, including linking up with Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody and releasing a short film at local cinemas. A £10,000 reward, as has already been mentioned, was also offered by the family for information leading to the recovery of Lisa's body. Police and the Dorrian family have launched a renewed appeal for information about the missing Bangor woman in the week of the tenth anniversary of her disappearance.”
“Lisa Dorrian was 25 and from Bangor, and she went missing in the early hours of 28 February 2005 after attending a party at a caravan site in the seaside town of Ballyhalbert. She had recently separated from her boyfriend of four years and was hanging about with a new crowd. It is widely believed that she was abducted and murdered by criminal elements with possible paramilitary links. Her body has yet to be found, but police believe that she was murdered. <BR /> <BR />The investigation into Lisa's disappearance and murder has been substantial. As my colleague has already said, the identification of more than 4,000 witnesses has taken place and statements have been taken from 571 people.”
“I am looking forward to the Bill coming to the Committee so that we can scrutinise it well.”
“Maybe, Mr Ramsey, you will look at that for us, as well as at DRD's approach of introducing but not enforcing it, which was another issue of concern. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, the cost implications are an issue. Where is DRD going to get this money? Maybe the Minister will tell us when he gets up to speak, because I know that money is tight. If we go for the £6 million approach, where will you get that money? If you go for the full approach, where will you get £26 million? It has certainly been a struggle in recent Budgets. This is a big issue that we need to look at. <BR /> <BR />I stress to Mr Ramsey that I am not knocking his Bill; I am taking it very seriously. There are issues. Saving lives and preventing injury is very important. We all agree with that, which is why we need to consider the Bill seriously before we reach a conclusion.”
“That is something that we need to examine. <BR /> <BR />In evidence from DRD, the issue of cost was raised, with a view that it could be anything from £6 million to £26 million, depending on what level it was implemented at and the different types of measures that would need to be put in place. DRD's preferred approach would be to enable the introduction of reduced speed limits but not impose them. There are questions around that as well. <BR /> <BR />The question that needs to be asked is this: why was there such a lukewarm response from the PSNI at the Committee? I accept what you are saying, by the way, but they were a bit less welcoming when speaking to us, especially over being able to enforce it.”
“PSNI surveys seemed to suggest that drivers in those areas tend to drive closer to a 20 mph speed limit than a 30 mph speed limit. I acknowledge that Mr Ramsey has said that he is going to look at the blanket approach and maybe curtail it. <BR /> <BR />Another area of concern from the PSNI was the ability to enforce such speed limits. Comments made by the PSNI were that it is seen as "excessive and over the top" and a challenge to enforce. That begs the question that, if this cannot be enforced across the whole of Northern Ireland, is a blanket 20 mph speed limit the answer, or should we consider the PSNI's preferred option of community buy-in? However, I agree with comments made earlier that, if the PSNI can enforce the 30 mph speed limit, why can it not enforce the 20 mph speed limit, if you are swapping one for the other?”
“That represents a 17% better chance of survival by reducing the speed limit from 30 mph to 20 mph and is why the Bill is worthy of discussion and being taken very seriously. However, we need to take a closer look at the practicalities of being able to take a blanket 20 mph approach across all 30 mph roads in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />What do DRD and the PSNI have to say about it at this stage? When taking evidence at the Regional Development Committee from Chief Inspector Pennington, there was acknowledgement that there was concern about the blanket approach proposed in the Bill for all roads. The PSNI said that it would prefer that the model was a bottom-up approach coming from demand from the community, primarily in residential areas.”
“I believe that the Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Bill has been brought forward by Mr Ramsey with the very best of intentions. There is no doubt that all of us in the House want to see safety on our roads improved to save lives or have one less person injured on our roads. That is what makes this a worthwhile cause to consider. <BR /> <BR />Research from the Department for Transport shows that, if a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle travelling at 20 mph, there is a 2·15% chance, or a one in 40 chance, of them being killed, or a 97·5% chance of them actually surviving. Compare that with a pedestrian hit by a car travelling at 30 mph. There is a 20% chance, or one in five chance, of them being killed, or an 80% chance of survival.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Does the Minister agree with me that, considering the bad weather, the Kilcooley event was very well attended, with over 100 young people going to it? Does he feel that the partnership approach not just between his Department and me for setting it up but with the local community organisations, particularly the Bangor chamber of trade, is the type of model that we want to roll out across Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer so far. Does she agree that this could be a real game changer for clubs right across the Irish League and possibly Bangor Football Club, if it is able to apply for those grants? It will make all the difference to the infrastructure and enable supporters to come and view the games.”
“Can the Minister explain why his party put out a press statement claiming the credit for stopping the Union flag going on driving licences when he is claiming that he has nothing to do with it? There is a lot of hypocrisy going on from the Minister.”
“— how we are being treated and return that in kind.”
“— its two MPs? The Minister really needs to step up to the mark and start treating our side of the House fairly. If he is not able to do so, we will have to express deep concerns about —”
“Across the European Union, most countries are putting logos on their driving licence, including the Irish Republic, which is putting a harp on its, so why can we not have the Union flag on ours? I have to ask this: five months out from the election, was this a stunt? Is the SDLP concerned that it will lose —”
“That is what I said. <BR /> <BR />As I said in my question to the Minister, over half the population of Northern Ireland has been offended by this. You owe it to them to tell the facts of the matter. Is this down to your Department? Is it down to the UK Transport Department? It is down to you? Is it down to a bit of both?”
“I thank the Deputy Speaker for the extra minute. Nobody is arguing about the European Union logo. What we are arguing about is that the DOE has denied our right to have the Union flag on our driving licence. That is unacceptable.”
“If it is able to print both types of driving licence, where is the extra cost? The driving licence across the rest of the UK is actually cheaper than the driving licence in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Why can an application form not have a simple box to tick to show whether you want to have the flag of your country or the European Union logo on your driving licence? I do not see what the problem is. If you could decide whether you want the Union flag or not, everybody would be happy with their licence, and nobody would feel alienated. As I said in my question for oral answer, Minister, over half the population of Northern Ireland —”
“The Minister is saying here that it is not him but his Department that is responsible. What are the facts of the matter, Minister? I demand to know which is correct: the statement by your party that it was responsible or the statement made to me in response to my question for oral answer? Is it the UK Transport Minister? You will have to outline what the facts are. <BR /> <BR />I also find it strange that, while the Minister also apparently asked the UK Transport Minister if it would be possible to provide individuals with an option to choose whether to include our flag, this was rejected for some reason. Where is the proof from your Department that you were looking at this? Can you provide papers so that we can get to the bottom of the issue? In response to my question for oral answer, you also said:”
“However, in answer to a question for oral answer that I asked, the Environment Minister stated:”
“Unfortunately, this statement does not apply to us. As a British motorist, I am quite hurt that, unlike my counterparts on the mainland, I cannot fly my flag with pride on my driving licence. It is a very sorry state of affairs and so much more than just regrettable. I am aware that Northern Ireland differs from the rest of the UK in some ways, but what does not differ is that the Union flag is our national flag too. It saddens me when we are continually made to feel that we are doing wrong by wanting to express our identity. It is simply wrong that we are the only part of the UK that is treated differently and unfairly. <BR /> <BR />What we need to know is the truth behind the decision. In the 'News Letter', the SDLP stated that it was that party that stopped the union flag being displayed on our driving licences.”
“I am absolutely outraged and extremely disappointed that Northern Ireland is to be the only region in the United Kingdom that will not display the Union flag — our national flag — on the new driving licences. The Transport Minister, Claire Perry, said:”