Dolores Kelly
Upper Bann · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“The legislation is only as good as its enforcement. It will be enabled by the sentences that judges and others may hand down, by cultural shifts and by changes in behaviour because of the penalties in place as a consequence. <BR /> <BR />We need to do much more with cybercrime units. We need proper resources for them.”
“It also covers the background to the Good Friday Agreement and the creation of this Assembly, as well as subsequent political negotiations over the years. The major figures and events over the past 100 years have been reflected in a way that ensures that all political perspectives of the Assembly are reflected.”
“I thank the Member for his question. An update on the current COVID-19 health and safety measures was issued to all users of Parliament Buildings on 1 March 2022. The update set out the current arrangements for ensuring the continuing safety of everyone in the Building.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I am pleased to inform him that the review of the display of artefacts is at a very advanced stage. The Member may have seen the letter that the Speaker issued on behalf of the Assembly Commission earlier today.”
“<BR /> <BR />As a member of the Policing Board, I receive updates on a regular basis from the National Crime Agency (NCA), which has determined that between 16,000 and 23,000 children and young people are at risk from sexual offences and grooming online. Those are horrendous figures, and that must be a nightmare scenario for any family.”
“Thank you for your answer, Minister. You rightly outlined a lot of medical and therapeutic interventions, but many children are suffering post-traumatic stress-type symptoms or, indeed, social isolation as a consequence of COVID.”
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“I thank the Minister for living up to the commitment that he made during the passage of the last Justice Bill on the consultation on coercive and controlling behaviour and the disclosure process. I very much welcome the intervention of Mr Frew in tabling the amendments. They ensure that we have not lost sight of the necessity to improve protections for people who are subjected to domestic violence — men and women, who are, of course, the primary victims. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome the comments by the Chairperson of the Justice Committee, Mr Ross, on how the Committee is spending quite a bit of time, forensically examining the pros and cons of the disclosure process or what is known as "Clare's law". I welcome that.”
“Thank you, Minister, for allowing me to come back to explain to Mr Ó Muilleoir where the money would come from and how we would do it. It looks like it is a very sore point with Sinn Féin that it was prepared to let the women's childcare centres close so that it could unnecessarily inflate the administration budget of an already over-inflated Department under a Sinn Féin/DUP authority.”
“This is about scrutiny of the Budget, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. I note that, in recent answers, the Minister of Finance and Personnel said that even he cannot get a good answer from the Minister of Education on how he is finding and spending his money.”
“I thank the Minister for giving way. There is absolutely no way that I doubt his sincerity about the childcare fund. He did put his hand in his pocket last year, but that should not rely upon emergency funding year-on-year. <BR /> <BR />On your latter point, Minister, I do not want to let it pass without saying that the reason why we will have to have such late sittings over the next few weeks is because Sinn Féin stopped the Executive from meeting for three years over Maze/Long Kesh and the DUP then had a go-slow for several months after the murder of Mr McGuigan. The Minister has —”
“The Member opposite should accept that OFMDFM has failed spectacularly to spend £80 million of the social investment fund. That could have gone into Health. Your previous colleagues roared across the Chamber at Michael McGimpsey, when he was Health Minister, that he had to live within his budget and could not tackle the cost of administration in the health service. When you are pointing at people, you should look at the three fingers pointing back at you.”
“Does the Member agree with me that the words "economically inactive" could also be described as "gainfully unemployed", as some of them are, I think, on the OFMDFM Committee? One looks at all the strategies that remain on the shelf — the racial equality strategy, the sexual orientation strategy and, another example, the childcare strategy. I am sure that he heard the earlier scaremongering tactics of Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, who suggested that all those people would be unemployed under OFMDFM if the SDLP had the audacity to suggest that £880,000 could come from their very well-resourced administration budget to pay for childcare costs.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Perhaps the Minister could share with the House his thoughts on moving forward, in terms of the scope, the nature and the criteria and how he could undertake to collaborate, particularly with the Minister of Health, given that many people who have attended day-care facilities will be finding a reduction in their services and seeking to have more positive lives and meaningful support in the community through further and higher education.”
“I welcome the Minister's commitment, but the people, particularly women, who work in the sector and those who depend upon the service that it provides need some surety and guarantee. We are, after all, in the month of February, and people will be getting redundancy notices shortly. I am sure that the Minister will agree that the service provided promotes social inclusion etc. In exploring other funding options, given that the social investment fund has been unable to spend its money, might that be a source that the Minister could tap into at least to assure women's centres of funding for the year ahead?”
“I will be brief, given that colleagues have covered most parts of the Bill and said much of what needs to be said. Ms Bradley eloquently talked about the issues facing us as MLAs. Antisocial behaviour is, without doubt, one that comes across our desks day and daily. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the amendments and thank the Department for having listened to and worked with the Committee to produce a better Bill that reflects the concerns that have been raised by a number of stakeholders. I support the amendments and look forward to the Bill progressing.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I scarcely recognise the description of the social investment fund as one of the most successful programmes of the Executive, given that we are so far behind in delivering it. Does the Minister not agree with me that, five years into the Programme for Government, we should be doing post-project evaluations and not trying to get letters of offer out? What will happen to the money that is unspent? Does the Minister anticipate that it will run into the next Programme for Government? Will it be another five years before it is spent?”
“Is the Minister minded to bring forward legislation to prevent cruelty to circus animals?”
“Minister, I must say that I am very disappointed by your answer. There was a debate some months ago in the House, during which agreement was reached. There was also recognition that, although there was no legal obligation, there was a moral obligation. I understood that a paper was submitted to the Executive that suggested that those affected would get a one-off payment of £6,000 — at least, that is information that they have — but that paper has been held up. It has not been presented to the Executive or tabled at Executive meetings. I ask for the Minister's comments on that.”
“Were any social responsibility criteria added to the recruitment and selection procedure for eligibility for application?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. My point is a slight variation on the trend of Supporting People. It is about the women's centre childcare fund, which is another issue that the Minister was committed to in his previous life in DSD. I am very disappointed that there is no budget heading or commitment within the Budget in relation to that fund. I ask for the Member's support on that issue and to include it in her contribution.”
“I join others in congratulating Lord Morrow on his appointment as Minister for Social Development. I too look forward to working with him. <BR /> <BR />The purpose of the meeting was to discuss innovative measures to assist Governments and housing providers to find the financial means to build more houses. Is the Minister in a position to inform us, today or at a later date, about areas of best practice and models that the Department is actively considering? We know that waiting lists are rising, as are the number of people on the homeless list.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer, but she still has not answered my specific question: has she made representation to her Executive colleagues that the businesses that have been victims of the flooding incident be compensated in some way by the Executive?”
“On what date does the Minister expect the first sale of pork to the Chinese market?”
“Well, I do not see it. Are you going to support the money or not?”
“There was not three feet of rain that fell over the last week, Minister.”
“It would be fair to say that this is not the first flooding incident, and the infrastructural review has been ongoing for a number of years. I am getting quite angry at the responses that Members are receiving today from the lead Minister with responsibility for dealing with flooding incidents. I have yet to hear from the Minister about what comfort she will give or whether she will confirm here today, before the House, that she will support Minister Durkan's call for the eligibility criteria for funding to be extended to businesses — businesses in my constituency that, at this moment, have to tell staff that they will have to go to the dole office because of the failure of the Executive to respond to an urgent request for an Executive meeting, from last week and from before December, to expand the eligibility criteria.”
“How inclusive will the tenant participation strategy be, given that more and more tenants are the tenants of private landlords, sometimes on an individual basis? How will their views be captured in the strategy?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Will she give instructions to NIW to look at a second clearing? That is a real problem that people are very worried about with some septic tanks. Further, in moving forward and looking at the amalgamation of Departments in the next mandate, does the Minister agree with me that there needs to be greater collaboration? I have attended many site meetings where there has been a blame game: Rivers Agency blames Roads Service, Roads Service blames Rivers Agency, and we never get anything done. Perhaps you will look specifically at some of those areas — I will write to you about those in my constituency that have been part of that blame game — and put a particular focus in any assessment and evaluation of the last number of weeks on how the situation has played out in rural areas in particular.”
“I will not delay the House too long, except to endorse the comments of the Chairperson and to say that, on behalf of my party, I welcome the regulations. We welcome the assurances given by the Minister that those who have paid into the schemes will have a level of independent scrutiny of how their money is to be spent and that the principle of value for money is not just about who can bid in the lowest tender but will actually be value for money with all its consequences, particularly for the money that is paid back. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the regulations, and in keeping with the spirit this evening, I wish all of you a very happy Christmas and a very prosperous and peaceful new year.”
“<BR /> <BR />Like the Chair of the Committee, I have concerns about some other aspects around Drumbo and the under-18s issue; perhaps we can look further at that and use this as a vehicle. It is fair to say that, for whatever reason, successive Ministers have failed to table the licensing regulations that have been promised for some time to many of the organisations. The opportunities and the enjoyment of games will be enhanced if the Bill does what it says it will do. At this stage, our party will scrutinise further the provisions and clauses in the Bill, but we welcome the assurances received from the Member at Second Stage today.”
“I congratulate the Member on her initiative, which is needed. In relation to people's concerns around further outlets for the sale of alcohol, it is widely recognised that, where there are such licensed premises, there is better regulation. We all know that, if young people or, indeed, adults want to drink, they can do so in the comfort of their own home or, indeed, as some may, on street corners and in our public spaces. You have the measure of it all much better in a bar or a social club, so I welcome the support of the sporting organisations. I believe that they are all responsible organisations and that they will take seriously the responsibility if it is given to them through this legislation.”
“I am sure that the Minister will join me in welcoming the fact that the review of the policing plan set rural crime targets. In the roll-out of the next policing plan to 2017 there will be an opportunity to include further targets, and all MLAs ought to turn their attention to that.”
“We should also be mindful of some of the more rural areas where there are seasonal and migrant workers, who need to be better protected. There are comments and views from stakeholders on that, and I understand that the Minister will take further account of them. <BR /> <BR />The lessons that have been learned from judicial reviews on church institutions, hostels for the homeless etc and large educational establishments are being taken account of in the consideration of the Bill, which I welcome. There is no point in labouring points that have all been well articulated by the Deputy Chair. I reiterate my and my party's support for the Bill.”
“There has to be a common-sense approach that safeguards the rights and interests of others. <BR /> <BR />The Minister and his Department have a busy day. There is a meeting across the way at which the Department is giving a briefing on the Syrian refugees, which is to be welcomed. I congratulate the Minister and his Department for the approach that all the households offered to those refugees will have to be from registered landlords. That is the right approach, and I commend the Minister on it. <BR /> <BR />I know that we do not want to get into too much of the detail, but I welcome other aspects of the Bill. It is very much a Belfast and Derry approach, largely because of the amount of student accommodation and the chronic housing shortage in those areas.”
“Like my colleague Ms Bradley, I endorse the comments of the Deputy Chair of the Committee and welcome the Bill. It has received widespread support from all the stakeholders who responded to it. It is right to say that the Department and, indeed, the Minister have listened to those comments and consultation responses and have given an indication that there will be further amendments to the Bill which will take account of some of those responses. I think that the Minister is right in saying that, whilst it is important to provide further regulation to better protect communities and, indeed, tenants in houses of multiple occupation, it is important not to use a sledgehammer approach, because we are living in a society where more and more people, because of high rents, are having to share accommodation.”
“I thank the Minister for a very comprehensive answer and for taking a sensible approach to what is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. <BR />Minister, what commitment do you have from your Executive colleagues on the aspects of legislation that you might wish to bring forward for which they would be responsible? I am thinking in particular of DARD. Will you expand further on the legislative timetable that you have in mind?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Will he outline whether there are any plans to further the work of Invest NI with the second-tier cities, because there are criticisms that people tend to concentrate their efforts on Beijing and Shanghai, but there are enormous opportunities in other provinces? Further to Mr Ó Muilleoir's comments, would the Minister express surprise that, given Sinn Féin's recent marriage and wedlock with the Tories, he is now begging the SDLP for our economic policy document?”
“I congratulate the Minister on her initiative. Minister, you mentioned the resource implication. In getting an agreement for the strategy, how do you hope that it will be implemented? Do you see an inter-ministerial commitment being made or a ministerial group heading this up, given that a number of other Departments have responsibility?”
“I thank the First Minister for the report. What progress has been made on youth unemployment, and where does Northern Ireland sit in comparison with the other regions in addressing its challenges?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. It is a concern that I share in my constituency. Does the Member agree that we need to start to hold to account those who have squandered and participated in fraudulent activities, resulting in millions or hundreds of thousands of pounds of wasted public money? Should we not prioritise and start at the top and work our way to the bottom and hold people to account?”
“It is a Committee that others look to for reassurance that there is a level of accountability within the structures of the Assembly for the public and others and that there is a sense of fair play in the delivery and procurement of services. <BR /> <BR />I would like reassurance from the Minister on the budget going forward in relation to the Committee, and I ask for timeliness in the presentation of reports and the monitoring of the recommendations that flow from them.”
“It is fairly safe to say that very few charges have been brought against people as a consequence of the abject failures of good governance or, indeed, the criminality revealed in some of the reports. Reports need to be presented to the House in a more timely fashion, and the Committee needs some real-time ability to seek answers and recommendations on glaring omissions or acts of negligence by Departments and/or individuals. If there are any areas of best practice elsewhere that the House might adopt, perhaps the Chair might look at them further, alongside the Minister. As I have said, I believe that the work of the Public Accounts Committee is widely acclaimed.”
“There were concerns that there had been a squeeze on funding, as has been the case right across Departments, but it should not be a like-for-like- squeeze. There should be a common-sense approach not only to the work of the Assembly but, very importantly, the work of this most important of scrutiny Committees in assuring the public that they can have confidence in the ability of Members to hold those responsible to account.”
“Like them, I am sure, I have concerns about how recommendations are followed up, how they are reported on and whether or not that is done frequently enough. I will be interested to hear the views of Members and the Minister in assuring the House that the Public Accounts Committee's important work of scrutiny and ensuring transparency and the service that it provides are cherished by all parties and that it is given the resources that it requires and the authority that it needs to assure not only the Committee itself but, more importantly, the public that there is a mechanism in the House that, outside all other Committees, will look at the work of Departments, value for money and the very issues that other Members have raised with regard to following through on action plans and on the monitoring and evaluation of recommendations.”
“I rise merely to underscore the importance of having the Public Accounts Committee. There are a number of reports tabled before us today, which Members have referred to.”
“In the interim, will the Minister write to me formally to let me know when a decision may be reached or when he may consider the development proposal, which, I understand, is with the Department, as an interim measure before a new school is built on the site of St Ronan's, which, let us face it, was announced by your predecessor in 2010?”
“<BR /> <BR />Like Mr Douglas, I listened intently today to some of the public debate on homelessness, and it is a regret that the issue is not included in the Bill, as the Minister had initially intended. Perhaps the Minister will inform the House as to how and when he hopes to include the aspirations on homelessness that he had wanted in the Bill and how they might come forward from the policy proposers in his Department, if not in this mandate, in the next one. Short-term tenancies are also excluded from the Bill. <BR /> <BR />We are happy to endorse the Chair's comments and ask the Minister to address some of the issues that I highlighted in his closing remarks.”
“The SDLP supports the sharing of information and the Minister's attempt to tackle the empty houses situation. The growing list of people looking for social housing and the misuse of social housing by some should concern us all, so we are very supportive of that aspect of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />Clause 2 deals with antisocial behaviour, which is a problem that is raised daily across our constituency offices and is something that the public are very concerned about. On the definition of antisocial behaviour, there is a note about widening it to include not maintaining a property. I urge caution on that, because there could be a number of reasons: the person could be older, have a disability or mental ill health. We should be very clear about how and when that might be used.”
“— but at those of all our emergency services.”
“In looking at the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder, I urge the party on the opposite Benches to look not just at the needs of the armed services —”
“I met an old colleague who broke down after 30 years. She was a nurse who had attended the scene of the Abercorn bomb; another horrific example of our troubled past.”
“<BR /> <BR />As regards young people, adolescents and CAMHS provision, Bamford made specific recommendations on their needs. I do not believe that those have yet been fulfilled. I worked for 22 years in mental health services, and I still have sisters working in the specialties. They tell me about the younger age of chronic alcoholics who are presenting in long-stay hospitals; people in their twenties displaying symptoms that you would have expected to see in someone who had been a chronic alcoholic for 40 or 50 years. That is mind-blowing with regard to needs. We face a number of time bombs across mental ill health. <BR /> <BR />I acknowledge the post-traumatic stress needs of the security and armed forces, but I think that, tonight, we will learn more about some of the nurses who were at the front line during the years of the conflict.”
“I am aware of the Public Health Agency's work to develop a framework strategy for dementia services for Northern Ireland, which is partly funded, I understand, by Atlantic Philanthropies. I hope that, in looking at all those holistic needs, we also look at the need for short breaks and respite services for carers and that particular attention is also paid to the needs of dementia sufferers who are under 65 years of age because, currently, there is no specific specialist provision for that type of service. As we all acknowledge, many people with learning disabilities are living longer. We also see many of them suffering from dementia, maybe from their late forties onwards, so very niche services are needed in the dementia strategy.”
“Having spoken to many of my former colleagues, some of whom have recently retired and some who are planning to do so, I know that we are losing the huge experience and dedication of those staff. They will be difficult to replace. There is also the opportunity to work alongside the Open University with regard to the employment-based route for some support workers and nursing auxiliary-type staff. I urge the Minister to give that consideration as a Programme for Government initiative by himself and the Minister for Employment and Learning. <BR /> <BR />I want to focus my remarks on looking at dementia services, which are also part of the Minister's very broad portfolio. In 2014-15, in Upper Bann, which is in the Southern Trust area, there were 2,995 referrals. The demand for dementia services rose by 36% in the Southern Trust area alone.”
“I understand, too, that the Justice Minister is about to sign off on the elements of the domestic and sexual violence strategy for which he is responsible. I urge you also to make that a priority amongst your commitments and priorities over the next few days. I do not think that any of us could not acknowledge the impact that domestic violence has on the lives of children and families with regard to mental ill health. That should be a key priority amongst many, I am sure, that face the Minister. <BR /> <BR />I also want to touch on workforce planning because I understand that, under mental health terms and conditions, many staff, particularly in the nursing professions, can leave at age 55. Therefore, there needs to be some element of planning to fill those gaps.”
“I begin by paying tribute to the men and women who have forged careers in caring for people with mental ill health and also the carers and families of sufferers. It is no easy task at all and one that largely goes unacknowledged. <BR /> <BR />Recently, I met some of my former colleagues in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust to discuss mental health services in my constituency, and I was very impressed by the ways of working smarter. Many people are thinking of new and innovative partnerships to try to better meet the needs of sufferers and their families and also, in a very financially constrained climate, to try to do things differently. I understand that there is now a new group of nurses called "nurse prescribers", which is a wonderful initiative.”