Fra McCann
West Belfast · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I want to thank everyone for the help that they have given me over the years, which has made my time here a lot easier. I also thank Assembly Members for the friendship, help and assistance that they have given me, from right across the Assembly Floor. I would love to say that I will miss everybody here; I probably will at times.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. <BR /> <BR />It was interesting to listen to Robbie, who has first-hand experience of what firefighters go through. To have someone like that speaking in the debate is invaluable.”
“The statistics tell us, as Members have said, that firefighters are four times more likely to develop cancer due to their regular exposure to pollutants in the work that they do on behalf of society. Further preventative measures are obviously needed, and that is what the Sinn Féin amendment addresses.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Assembly needs to send a message that that is not an acceptable way to treat front-line workers who put their lives on the line day and daily.”
“Better decontamination measures and modern, accessible facilities will improve the working lives of firefighters and help to reduce their risk of cancer and other illnesses. <BR /> <BR />I thank the DUP for bringing the motion to the Assembly, and, in conclusion, the Sinn Féin amendment strengthens what is a good motion.”
“I would have thought that such organisations, which play a vital role in local government, would have been able to tap into the consultation on the Bill, because it has been debated widely not only at Committee but in the Chamber.”
The complete record
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“<BR /> <BR />George Robinson said that the police need to be more proactive. The activity has been brought into focus by the death of Valerie Armstrong. <BR /> <BR />The Minister laid out the legislation. The PSNI has said that there is enough legislation already to deal with the problem. Detection and enforcement are the problems. He does not rule out legislative change, but he feels that education is crucial. That has run through the contributions: the protection of life and the education of parents. As William Humphrey and others said, maybe together we can find something that allows us to deal effectively with this growing problem.”
“We need to understand the difficulty for landowners, who may not know that people are using their land illegally and yet could find themselves with serious problems if someone is seriously injured or worse. <BR /> <BR />Roy Beggs said that some parents might already be contemplating buying a quad or a scrambler at this time of year. They need to understand the serious consequences. <BR /> <BR />Paul Frew said that his constituency of North Antrim has been plagued with the same problem. Even in a controlled setting, these machines are dangerous. People drive recklessly on footpaths in built-up areas. <BR /> <BR />Nichola Mallon said that a number of people have lost their life, some after being run down by these machines outside controlled settings. These machines can cause death and devastating injury. Enforcement needs to be robust.”
“<BR /> <BR />Pam Cameron said that quads and scramblers, when used properly, can be enjoyable. She said that the root of the problem is that legislation is not being used properly, and the robust implementation of existing powers would help. <BR /> <BR />Raymond McCartney stated that Jennifer has been fairly robust in raising the issue at the Policing Board time and again over the past couple of months. He said the legislation needs to be used in a robust manner and that we need to speak to the PSNI to find out how it would enforce any new legislation. He went on to describe how the police had seized scramblers and quads in his constituency. <BR /> <BR />Paul Girvan said that many of us have been contacted about the misuse of these bikes. The responsibility is on parents when buying scramblers.”
“There is legislation in place, but he does not know whether it is being implemented to the full. The police say that there are enough powers; yet deaths still occur. Judges need to take stronger action, and the legislation needs to be stronger. <BR /> <BR />Alex Attwood said that everyone understands the circumstances that brought the motion to the Chamber. He said that we need to mitigate the risk of future deaths and injuries. He commended Belfast City Council for some of the stuff that it is doing and supported legislative intervention and, if required, new laws. <BR /> <BR />Trevor Lunn said that the motion is timely and that the law needs to be revised. Questions, he said, need to be asked of the PSNI, and there is no requirement to wear a helmet when driving a quad.”
“If parents realised that there has to be a licence and insurance and realised all the additional costs attached, many would have second thoughts about buying these machines for their children. <BR /> <BR />Jennifer spoke about the number of adults and children who have lost their life. She said that parents need to be more aware of the laws and talked about the impact that well-run designated sites could have. <BR /> <BR />William Humphrey spoke personally about some of the stuff that has happened in his constituency. He emphasised that this is not about stopping people enjoying scramblers; it is about reducing danger to pedestrians on the road. The focus of the House should be on the protection of life. Councils need to look at providing facilities. <BR /> <BR />Doug Beattie supports the motion.”
“While some of them end up disappearing into sheds or cupboards, many more cause serious accidents, and their riders will be brought to hospital with broken arms, legs and whatever else. Pedestrians may also suffer from being run over by these machines going at speed. <BR /> <BR />One thing that was not mentioned — it is not a new phenomenon — is death driving. Last Saturday, a young man in my constituency was attacked by three people and had his bike taken from him. The bike was then used to drive at high speed around the area, putting people's lives at risk. That is an ever-increasing problem. People have said that there is legislation for theft, but a fact of life is that this can happen day and daily within communities. <BR /> <BR />The Minister spoke about education, and that is a crucial thing.”
“I am glad that my colleague Jennifer brought the motion to the Floor of the House. It has been on the minds of many people in many areas of the North for a long time. <BR /> <BR />Just before I speak about the motion and relay what people said, we are coming into the run-up to Christmas — it was mentioned earlier — when parents will be coming under pressure from their children to purchase these machines and will be actively looking for them. About three or four years ago, I remember going onto the front of the Falls Road in my community on Christmas morning and hearing the bikes and quads coming along the road. There were a number of young people — about 11 or 12 of them — and it was like a youth chapter of Hell's Angels coming down the road at high speed. They are a novelty in many communities on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and afterwards.”
“<BR /> <BR />I live close enough to Belfast city centre to be in it quite regularly. Over the Easter period, you meet tourists and other people who are in the city centre to eat. They find it difficult to socialise and tap into the entertainment that can be expected in other countries 52 weeks a year. I believe that there are other anomalies in the legislation that need to be dealt with, not least the whole question of Drumbo racetrack, which Naomi mentioned; the prohibition of young people going to entertainment in licensed premises; and microbreweries and what they can offer for employment in the future.”
“That is where the main problem exists, and the only proposal that we have in front of us is to ban the advertisement of alcohol 700 yards from a shopping complex. A chairde, the battle that we need to win is against the increasing consumption of alcohol at home. I understand from figures supplied in lobby letters and by Hospitality Ulster that just 20% of alcohol is consumed in pubs, 16% in restaurants and 9% in hotels, which, we are told, is a heavily regulated environment. All that needs to be taken into consideration when making decisions. There is no control over the sale of alcohol in supermarkets, shopping centres and off-sales. People can go freely. At least within the confines of the places that I have spoken about, there is direct control, professionalism and a will to move this forward.”
“I have been told that the industry continues to modernise but says that the legislation has not been modernised to meet the pace of changing circumstances, something that I do not believe a light-touch approach, or what the Department and Minister call "modest proposals", will do. <BR /> <BR />If we fail to grasp the nettle this time, we will be back in the Chamber in another few years speaking of missed opportunities. Legislation needs to recognise the changing society in which we live. It needs to recognise that almost 70% of alcohol is bought in supermarkets and off-sales for consumption at home. It is also estimated that 22% of people drink at home alone. Those are frightening statistics.”
“I have been concerned for a number of years that we have not effectively dealt with the issue; in fact, we seem to have taken one step forward and two steps backwards, certainly during my time on the Committee. We need to find a happy medium, but, in doing so, we need to recognise what people want from us in the legislation. <BR /> <BR />Over the next weeks, we will hear from an industry that is in the business of providing places of entertainment, hotel accommodation, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and registered clubs, which provide tens of thousands of jobs and serve increasing numbers of tourists. The industry is fast becoming one of the success stories of our economy and brings in an estimated £1·1 billion annually.”
“In fact, we as legislators need to find a happy medium that not only deals with the above problems but recognises the rights of citizens to enjoy all aspects of social interaction, much of which is connected with the provision of entertainment, the sale of food and the sale of alcohol. We have all seen on TV ugly scenes of public disorder, which is one of the effects of the sale of alcohol on people and communities. We have also heard of the dangers to health of consuming alcohol and the cost to our health service of treating the after-effects of alcohol abuse. We as legislators need to look at ways of dealing with this and take into consideration the best ways of moving the debate forward.”
“It will require licensed restaurants to display the conditions of their licence and will place a requirement on delivery people to record the details of identification shown, if there is any doubt that the person might not be over 18 years of age. The Bill will also permit the formal approval of codes of practice on responsible retailing and make minor changes to the law affecting private members' clubs. These are very modest proposals indeed. <BR /> <BR />I was on the Committee for Social Development for some years, and my party has always argued that, whilst we need to deal with all the problems thrown up by the sale and consumption of alcohol, including poor health, scenes of excessive drunkenness and antisocial behaviour, we also need to look at the impact that legislation has on wider society.”
“We have been advised by the Department that the purpose of the Bill is to place restrictions on the advertisement of intoxicating liquor in supermarkets and off-sale premises; to introduce occasional additional late opening for certain licensed premises; to make modest changes to the Easter opening hours for certain licensed premises and registered clubs; to extend drinking-up time for a trial period of one year; and to align intoxicating liquor and entertainment licences to licensed premises allowed late opening. It will also remove the requirement for children's certificates in licensed premises and registered clubs and permit underage functions in licensed premises and registered clubs, as long as certain conditions are met.”
“Like Adrian, I will try to be brief, because there will be a number of other opportunities to discuss the Bill, including in Committee. <BR /> <BR />This has been much anticipated legislation, and I have no doubt that, over the next few weeks, we will hear a wide range of opinion and listen to the experts on the important decisions that the Assembly needs to make on the sale and consumption of alcohol.”
“When you make a statement like that, you have to quantify it. The vast majority of taxi drivers are good, decent people who are out to make a living and do not take part in the practice that you are talking about.”
“These are dangerous to road users and a nightmare for the residents who have to put up with the constant noise, which makes life difficult. Many think that the Department is also responsible for that, but it is the responsibility of outside arm's-length bodies. <BR /> <BR />A Cheann Comhairle, I am sorry if I drifted slightly off the motion, but this is all part of what people see as road maintenance and, therefore, as our responsibility. It would be great if we did not have the financial constraints faced by the Executive and it would be great if the Minister had the resources to cure all our ills, but those are not the times we are in. I know, however, that the Minister will continue to argue the case for a better deal on budget allocation to ensure that our roads are safe places on which to walk and drive.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have recently been dealing with a number of complaints in my constituency about an issue that falls just outside the remit of the Department but for which it has an overseeing role: the role of utility companies and the impact of their work on the roads and streets that they dig up without consulting local people. They might dig a trench in a street one week, causing major upheaval, leave and then come back the next week and dig just yards away. They leave a patchwork-quilt effect on our roads, streets and footpaths that, in the end, adds to the belief that the Department is responsible for the cost of dealing with that mess. <BR /> <BR />Another major problem is sinking manholes on roads.”
“On 27 June, he announced that he had secured an additional £5 million from the June monitoring round to enhance routine maintenance services, whereby the allocation was passed to Transport NI to ensure a second grass cut across all areas and tackle the serious problem of potholes. Also on the list was an additional gully clean for urban communities, as well as the repair of street lighting outages. All of those are a major source of complaint for our constituents. The former Minister for Regional Development, Michelle McIlveen, and now Chris Hazzard have recognised the importance of investing in that aspect of maintenance by allocating additional resources.”
“The Minister also showed his intent by saying that, during this period of financial constraint, we need to prioritise meagre resources, and that it is essential that we keep on top of urgent repairs. He went on to say:”
“Parties do not have to agree on how the Department's budget is allocated, but we can agree that there are key priorities in the Department, and road maintenance is way up there. <BR /> <BR />I do not think that there is anyone in the House who does not agree that, if the resources were available to the Executive and the Minister, investment in our roads would be prioritised. The Minister 's statement on 28 June recognised that by allocating an additional £10 million package that will target 1,000 roads. He said:”
“I support the motion as amended. Whilst I understand the thrust and sentiment of the motion — it is obviously something we all see as essential — the fact remains that there have been serious reductions in the budget that are outside the control of the Minister and that lie at the door of the British Government and their policy of austerity. I do not think that there is anyone in the House who is not concerned about the year-on-year reduction in budgets. As the motion says, the Department requires an estimated £137 million per annum to adequately maintain the road network in its current state. I agree that the structural integrity of roads across the North is essential for the economy and for the communities that use the roads and streets. I believe that we need to prioritise how that is done.”
“The Minister announced, I think on 26 June, an additional £5 million for grass-cutting and weed-spraying to try to deal with the problem that the Member is speaking about.”
“I thank the Minister for his answers thus far. Many people who got tickets after submitting their applications will welcome that news today. Can we get a constituency-by-constituency breakdown — this was partially answered for the previous Member — in the near future of what areas have badges?”
“I do not disagree with what has been said. In many ways, everything we discuss here is a wish list for somewhere down the line. I believe that the current Minister for Infrastructure is a person who is not only willing to listen but will also look at how best to plan and put into operation things that could benefit our communities in the longer term down the road.”
“<BR /> <BR />I take into consideration what the previous Member to speak said: how do we find the money and the resources at present to drive that forward? That is a crucial element in the whole debate about how we create and bring in new rail networks to different parts of the North. The parties in here probably need to get their heads around and discuss the impact of taking the train rather than the car or the bus. I leave it in the hands of the Executive to work out the best way.”
“<BR /> <BR />I understand that people argued a number of years ago that the rail route would not be financially viable, but what has not been considered is the impact of making the decision to create a rail connection between Belfast city centre and Belfast International Airport, which could lead to a serious rise in passenger usage at the airport. It would offer an alternative form of travel to the tens of thousands who use their car or a bus. It could revitalise the small communities in its wake and send a positive message that we are committed to rail as a positive mode of transport. It could offer competition in provision and could lead to a business hub in the shadow of the airport that creates thousands of new jobs.”
“<BR /> <BR />Between 4 July and 13 July this year, Belfast International Airport expected over 200,000 people to pass through its doors, an increase of 30,000 over the same period last year. Most of them travelled by road to reach the airport. That figure is expected to increase over the next number of years. In fact, Belfast International Airport showed a 9% increase in 2015, with figures of 4·4 million, and that is also expected to increase. Also, there is a huge increase in the number of people using Belfast City Airport. That is a clear indication that more and more people are choosing to use local airports as their first choice of travel.”
“Like many here today, I will speak in support of the intent of the motion and its call for rail services to connect Belfast city centre with Belfast International Airport. The destruction of the rail networks many years ago was short-sighted and led to the isolation of many communities across the North, especially in rural towns that had a rich history of rail provision. In fact, I believe that we lost something when we moved from the train to the car. Whilst I understand that there are now a number of public transport options available to people to get from A to B, the fact remains that rail can be more efficient, is cleaner and sends out all the right signals to encourage people to get out of the car or bus and on to a greener, cleaner mode of travel.”
“It is interesting that you mention that, given that you know my record in housing in West Belfast over many years. It is a bit much for you to accuse the Executive parties, who have worked tirelessly over a long period to deal with housing issues in West Belfast. The system that you are talking about is broken. Everybody knows that it is broken. Something needs to be done to fix it. Do I have all the answers? No, I have not. I am sure that you do not have the answers either. We are talking about the Minister going away and coming back with a solution that allows us to deal with it, not coming off with —”
“At its height, 220,000 houses were under the Housing Executive's control; it is now 88,000. Whilst new build is crucial to rehousing people, and the policy of relets brings thousands of houses, as you continue to sell off your houses, that drives more and more people onto the housing waiting list.”
“I will address that point. Many of those who claim intimidation put down as their area of choice somewhere 200 yards or half a mile down the road when they say that their life is in danger. It makes a nonsense of the whole thing.”
“I find the argument around choice-based lettings interesting. Most of the proposals are based on what was available in huge housing estates in England, where there were many hundreds of houses lying empty. People here are being offered choice-based lettings in areas where there are already difficulties, and, when houses are allocated, it adds to the difficulties that exist in those communities.”
“The bottom line is the need to build more houses, and when they are built, to have a system in place to ensure a transparent selection scheme that is about fairness. <BR /> <BR />I ask you to support the motion. I ask the Minister to take the lead in the discussion and make the changes required to ensure that it be put in place.”
“They are told that the Housing Executive has no responsibility for their housing situation and will not point them. They are advised to go into the private rented sector, which has many pitfalls for young vulnerable people. It is unregulated, and there is no system of tracking those young people, so many end up lying on friends' floors or sofa surfing. <BR /> <BR />I represent a constituency that has 4,077 people on the waiting list. Of those, 2,939 are in housing stress; 1,203 are single; 1,129 are classed as small families; 302 are older people; and 185 are large families, 88 of which are classified as large adults. Over the last year, there were 772 allocations, which in itself tells a story: the story of a lack of housing supply.”
“I recently asked the Minister to suspend the intimidation system until a proper way of verification can be established, rather than having the flimsy procedure that exists at present. When you consider a woman who feels under threat and individuals and families who are really living in fear, then those who use intimidation as a method of jumping waiting lists, you see that it is not surprising that most people feel they are dealing with a broken system. <BR /> <BR />There are more than 40,000 people on waiting lists, with close to 20,000 declaring themselves homeless every year. Whilst that is a terrible statistic, there is also a hidden statistic: those who apply for homeless status and are refused. Thousands of young people are turned away because they are young and are perceived to be healthy.”
“After going to the police, they can be awarded 200 points or more, which puts them at the top of the waiting list. That cannot be fair. Many believe that those claims of intimidation are bogus. When the housing provider contacts the police, they confirm that they are investigating a threat to the life of the applicant and that they believe the person's life to be in danger. I have spoken to the PSNI, which has told me that there is little in the way of investigation into those cases, and that is obviously very frustrating for housing providers and those who know that they are being cheated out of a home. Indeed, they may have been sitting at the top of the waiting list at that particular time. They know that many of these claims are bogus and are being used as a method of jumping the housing waiting lists.”
“People may be in a very abusive relationship and, when declaring as homeless, report that they are in constant danger of attack, only to find that the selection scheme lets them down and will award them possibly only an additional 20 points. The same goes for people who may be under threat in communities from antisocial elements or violent neighbours. Their life may be in danger, but what they are offered is to take part in mediation with the very people who are intimidating them. Many leave their homes and head into the private rented sector after being awarded only 20 points, which does not reflect the seriousness of their circumstances. <BR /> <BR />You have the situation, however, of people claiming that they are under threat from a group or have been sent a bullet through the post.”
“Many of those who accept a place in a hostel at the declaration stage might go into it with 120 or 130 points and, at the end of six months, get an additional 20 points, reflecting the length of time spent there. That could bring them up to 150 points, but if they had indicated that their area of choice was an area of high demand, where they might need family support, they would need 180 to 200 points to be housed. As a result, they could then sit for years in a hostel, with little chance of being housed. The housing selection scheme does not take that into consideration. I have dealt with cases in which people went into hostels when their first child was born, and, when the child had started primary school, they still had little chance of being housed. <BR /> <BR />There are the most serious of situations.”
“I say by way of advice that, when looking at a way forward, there is a wide range of experts out there, from the voluntary housing sector, the Housing Executive, housing associations and the Department, who, if pulled together, could look at the present system and its flaws to see whether it could be made to work. Doing nothing is not an option. <BR /> <BR />It is heartbreaking for a family to begin the journey of declaring as homeless. When you declare as homeless and have dependent children, the Housing Executive has a responsibility to find you temporary accommodation in either a homeless hostel or a single let. You are then assessed and allocated a level of points that it says reflects your circumstances; for example, 70 points for being homeless and an assortment of other points.”
“<BR /> <BR />That is a life-changing step for many. The journey from first contact through the selection scheme to gaining the right level of points and on to being allocated a home impacts on parents and children alike. I understand that, in past years, there have been a number of reviews of the housing selection scheme, yet little in the way of firm proposals. The more recent review has been the pre-consultation review, which made suggestions around a system of banding, or choice-based lettings or a different way of allocating points. Many of the suggestions do not take in the reality of housing in the North and the difficulties that exist for housing providers and those looking for housing. <BR /> <BR />I believe that the Minister wants to move the issue forward.”
“Failure to grasp the nettle now will condemn applicants to lengthy stays in hostels, in overcrowded conditions. <BR /> <BR />The scheme has other deficiencies. For many, declaring as homeless is a very traumatic experience. For many, it begins in a Housing Executive office, which, in my experience, is intimidating and lacks privacy, especially the Belfast office. It needs to be observed to appreciate the seriousness of the first stages of declaring as homeless. I have heard it described by those who have gone through the process as being a cattle market with little privacy. I have also heard from those who work in the executive that little training is available for those who work on the front desk on how they should speak to or inform people who are looking to be placed on the waiting list and pointed.”
“<BR /> <BR />We need to focus on making changes to the selection scheme that take into consideration its limitations when it comes to what are known as areas of high demand and also the allocation of points to a number of categories of people whose serious circumstances are not recognised under the present system. The motion calls on the Minister for Communities to bring forward a replacement to the housing selection scheme that is fair and transparent. It is widely recognised that the present scheme has serious flaws and condemns people living in areas of high demand, such as west Belfast, north Belfast and Derry, to lengthy stays on waiting lists before being moved to a home, although there are other parts of the North where problems exist.”
“The motion highlights the serious difficulties with the housing selection scheme. I have raised the issue in many different forums and meetings over the years, most recently with the Minister for Communities several months ago. The Minister accepted that there were concerns about the present system used by the Housing Executive to allocate points to those on social housing waiting lists. There is a need to move forward. I accept that the Minister is not long in post and will need time to reflect on how to deal with the problem, but I also believe that it is timely for the Assembly to debate the workings of the scheme.”
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I would like to apologise that I was not present for a topical question during Economy questions. It completely slipped my mind.”
“I noticed that the Minister mentioned error at the same time as fraud. Does he agree that more is lost through departmental error than through fraud? What is being done to tackle that?”
“I do not want to rehash what has been said. I just want to make one point. There was a debate on landlord registration here last week, and we emphasised the need to go for full registration. This statutory rule points out that the only landlords who will receive the payments will be those on the register. I ask the Department to keep an eye on that, because there are substantial amounts of people in landlords' houses who are not on the register. We need to keep our eye on this having an impact outside what was intended, and people being evicted from houses because they do not have the money.”
“Like the last Member to speak, I will not rehash everything. I just want to make a couple of comments. Along with some of the other stuff that we have passed today, the discretionary fund is probably one of the most crucial elements in the whole package. It deals with the most vulnerable and offers a safety net for them a number of times throughout the year. It is welcome. It is also welcome that it includes for the first time low earners, offering them the opportunity, at different times in their life, to tap into this fund. I make the point that this is unique to the North and does not operate in any other region. I thank the working group for the work it did on this.”
“The carers element begins only at 16. I listened to a programme, a number of months ago, about child carers who have to look after parents. It impacts on their education and their ability to provide a proper meal in their home. At some stage, we need to come to terms with that and try to deal with it. <BR /> <BR />This emanates from the Fresh Start Agreement. It is amazing that, tonight, we start to see the roll-out of over £500 million that was put aside by the Executive to deal with that. It was heavily criticised, but it is jealously looked at by other regions. The House has done a good service to people here through the passage of the regulations tonight.”
“I also support the passage of these regulations. I start by commending and thanking the working group that put together the package. Had it been left in political hands at that time, we would not have ended up with a package at all. The fact that we brought in people with the expertise and knowledge about where this would have the biggest impact has led to us sitting with this package tonight. I commend the group on the work that it has done. <BR /> <BR />As has already been said, this affects carers, people on DLA who are going onto PIPs and disability related premiums. The last Member who spoke hit the nail on the head: it is all about ensuring that the most vulnerable in our society are paid at a rate that allows them to deal with their disabilities, difficulties and problems. <BR /> <BR />I want to make one point.”