Patsy McGlone
Mid Ulster · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“Limiting the power to dismiss charges involving the death of or serious physical harm to a vulnerable person will enhance the fairness and integrity of those criminal proceedings.”
“The SDLP welcomes the provisions for the long-overdue establishment of a statutory Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses of Crime. That is a significant step forward in the development of our justice system.”
“Putting the office on a statutory footing will ensure that the commissioner's role is legally recognised and accountable to the public and the justice system. The Minister outlined a number of the measures in the process of accountability.”
“OK. I thank my colleague — indeed, the Minister — for responding. It is, as the Minister said and my colleague highlighted, a sensitive area. People who are approached to give a reference should think long and hard about the implications of the references that they give: where they might wind up; the circumstances in which they give them;…”
“The SDLP welcomes the Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill and the opportunity to debate it, alongside the Chairperson — or should I say, "Mr Amendment" — at its Second Stage.”
“I accept that the Minister's Department, as she has stated repeatedly, does not have the capacity or resources to develop those legislative provisions during this mandate.”
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“OK. There were numerous other contributions, including one from Rachel Woods. The Minister responded to the debate by outlining his strategies, and I thank him for that. He referred to green growth. He also referred to CAFRE and its importance. I support that, and his announcement earlier today —”
“I am sure that, like with everything else, the Minister will find a way in which to raise that issue at the Joint Committee, at which all such relevant issues are supposed to be raised. I wish him well in that. I am sure that many of the issues will be resolved through that mechanism, because that is why it was set up in the first place.”
“With those woodlands, where there is planning permission, it may not fall immediately within the Minister's remit, unless the NIEA has a crossover role there. I am not quite sure. Woodlands need to be protected as part of the planning process, however. She paid tribute to the Fire and Rescue Service. <BR /> <BR />My colleague Dolores Kelly referred to Doire Mór. County Doire, where I am from, was, in fact, once upon a time, covered with those large oak trees. They have been removed. That was many, many centuries ago. Nevertheless, it will be useful to see at least a modicum of regrowth and rebirth of those woodlands in many areas.”
“He queried why, in situations in which DAERA is involved, along with emergency services such as the police, and allegations have been made about someone being a culprit or being responsible for, in effect, arson, that matter is not taken further. He also called for stronger enforcement measures from the Department in cases in which blazes have been started deliberately. <BR /> <BR />Kellie Armstrong referred to herself as a committed tree hugger, and, again, her contribution had that awareness of the importance of nature and our surrounds. She outlined her party's stance — ours is similar — on having an independent environment agency. There is the whole question of woodlands' import for planning.”
“Some people have been self-educating and have been to places that they have never been to before. Others need to be educated so that they are aware of the risk that they can potentially bring with them. <BR /> <BR />Mr Wells, in very sharp and clear form, referred to the need for peatlands, which can be a vast store for carbon. He questioned the issue of ongoing planning permission for peatlands. He referred to afforestation and, of course, made the point that the use of foreign exotic alien species should be avoided when public money is being used.”
“She called on the Minister for the Economy to increase investment in tourism and job creation in the Mournes area. She referred to the storage of carbon in peatlands. She also referred to the common theme of whether the gorse fire was started deliberately and about the need for protections and a draft peatlands strategy. <BR /> <BR />Sinéad Bradley thanked the firefighters for bringing the fire under control and talked about the challenges that local communities face as a result of the fire. She referred to the fact that, while this last 12 months has been a very sad period for many due to COVID and the problems arising from it — I have been in touch with a number of families — it has nevertheless allowed many people to reconnect with nature and to become more aware of the nature around them. She spoke about the need for education.”
“Philip McGuigan referred to problems in localities in his constituency, between Loughguile and the glens, where fires caused environmental carnage. He spoke in favour of rural communities being custodians of the environment. <BR /> <BR />Harry Harvey painted a picture of the blazing Mournes against the night sky. In some circumstances, that would be regarded as poetic or picturesque, but it was far from it; the reality was the damage being done on the other side of the vista. He referred to greater use of firebreaks, funding for the required recovery and the need to meet net zero commitments. Likewise, Sinéad Ennis referred to meeting the National Trust, along with her colleagues. She acknowledged the efforts of the Fire and Rescue Service and the local communities.”
“<BR /> <BR />John Blair brought us to the realities and practicalities of Governments putting their money where their mouth is. He talked about the restoration of 35,000 hectares in England. Similarly, Rachel Woods referred to the investment in Scotland and Wales and, likewise, about €108 million for restorations in the Republic and for the schemes to bring about new environments in areas that were bespoiled or likely to be at risk. That is very important. <BR /> <BR />Maurice Bradley looked ahead to the future of the environment and talked about the preservation of the planet when he referred to giving our "children and our children's children" a better environment. Being an experienced and seasoned fisherman, he knows the implications that that has for some of our waterways.”
“He also referred to the implications of the compensatory amounts to assist farmers with the burden of the cost of repairs and to the risk to life, property, farm businesses and natural habitat. <BR /> <BR />Rosemary Barton, in favour of the motion, spoke about the heartbreaking sight of the fire in the Mournes and thanked all those who were involved in at least trying to stop it and to retrieve some grounds that otherwise would have been jeopardised and deeply at risk. She referred to local community groups and the need for the preservation and protection of areas. Of course, as I expect her to, she also called for education to be part of the process so that people who use those beautiful locations behave responsibly and are aware of the environment around them.”
“He expressed his gratitude to the emergency services. He referred to the woodlands resource and the Minister's strategy for tree planting. He talked about the publication of a peatland strategy, which the Minister later referred to, and its importance in tackling climate change. <BR /> <BR />Likewise, Declan McAleer, Chair of the AERA Committee, thanked the emergency services. He referred to the important environmental aspect of habitats and especially to the problem of the damage done by these fires — whether deliberately or by accident — in his constituency, which placed a risk on biodiversity or, indeed, eliminated biodiversity in those areas. That biodiversity may not be restored, or it may take a long time to be restored.”
“<BR /> <BR />The final key theme was the need for cross-departmental strategies as a way forward for peatland protection, tourism promotion and the educational requirements contained in those strategies. My colleague Colin McGrath described the beauty of the Mournes and their tourism potential, and he outlined what was required to protect the flora. He mentioned the input of local organisations and the support that farmers require to preserve the habitats. He referred to the international seminar on wildfires that took place in Newry. He talked about the frequency of those wildfires and the damage to the flora and fauna. Like many others, he recorded his support for the emergency services. <BR />Supporting the motion, William Irwin also referred to the blaze in the mountains and the efforts made by local people.”
“I thank all who contributed for their input into a very thoughtful debate. A number of key themes ran through it. The first was specific to the fire on the Mournes, the recklessness of those who caused it and the damage done. Members spoke about the damage to the future environment and how that can, in some way, be redeemed by strategies down the line. Multiple Members thanked the various services involved — rightly so — including DAERA, the NIEA, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service in particular, the police, community groups, local farmers and landowners, and, of course, young Charlie Thomson, who was mentioned a couple of times by Sinéad Bradley.”
“That is grand. I thank the Minister for that. I do not expect him to have all the details in front of him for every potential question.”
“I thank the Minister for this very welcome investment, some of which is in a well-known and highly reputable facility in the constituency of Mid Ulster. Is there a particular time frame for the sequence of events that will follow: the design, tendering and projected completion dates of the various projects?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Maybe the Minister was not here when I mentioned it, but I proposed earlier that the just transition group should be cross-departmental and, in fact, should address issues such as transport, energy, the economy and social consequences, including infrastructure. I know that he has talked to the Minister about that issue.”
“Importantly, as the Bill works its way through the AERA Committee, the consultation process will be uppermost. <BR /> <BR />Again, I thank the Bill's sponsor for moving its Second Stage. I welcome working with the Committee and with her as it progresses through the Committee and its various stages.”
“Bringing communities with us as we reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors — energy, transport, business and agriculture — is key to successfully making the transition to a net zero society. I welcome that the Chair, Mr Declan McAleer, said earlier that the Committee will ensure that there is inclusivity and that all voices will be listened to so that the legislation, in its final form, represents the needs of the community. There are many, many needs, and I was glad to hear the Chair say that. <BR /> <BR />With a fair and ambitious target in place, we can shape policy to meet that target and put in place support and incentives to help all sectors. We have a responsibility to help to meet the net zero target of not just Britain and the rest of Ireland but the net zero target globally.”
“That is why the Bill is before us today. <BR /> <BR />Given the sectors that are affected, the aim must be to maintain the profitability of farms, the agri-food sector and other businesses; to promote new methods and ways that are equally, if not more, sustainable and, indeed, profitable for them; and to encourage the use of less environmentally damaging methods and practices. It would be for the working group to see through that work and bring forward proposals for financial support or other incentivisation for the various sectors. <BR /> <BR />We need to build social benefits into the reduction efforts so that communities can see it working for them.”
“I can think of one particular night in 2014 when, at 2.00 am, I was standing in Sandy Braes, which is in an estate in Magherafelt, and we were up to our knees in floodwaters as a result of flash flooding, which had never happened there before. The incident in Glenelly valley, which the Chair knows much better than I do, caused a crisis for a lot of farmers. I have been to Curran, which is a small townland between Maghera and Magherafelt, where the River Moyola burst its banks, and new houses were flooded. That had never happened before. Indeed, last year, the same thing happened with the River Moyola, and a house on River Road in Draperstown that had never been flooded before had 1 metre of water in it. Those incidents are not happening by coincidence. They are being caused by a change that we must stymie and try to stop.”
“Also, for those of us who live in rural areas, there are big transport implications for that and the necessary requirements for properly funded infrastructure, whether that be electrical or, indeed, changes in the types of existing modes of transport that are being used. I suggest that that working group come up with proposals for government to support and incentivise the various sectors and industries, such as farming, in order to help them to make that transition and to support them through that change. <BR /> <BR />Change can be welcome, or it can be a challenge. This change is inevitable, because it is needed.”
“<BR /> <BR />That is not sustainable, but there have been many scare stories about what the Bill will do to farmers. I represent a rural constituency, and I have no intention of putting farmers or the agri-food sector out of business. I was really glad to hear the proposer of the Bill, Ms Bailey, say that, from her party's point of view, the Bill does not assign sectoral targets. Parallel to that, however, or as a consequence of it, we would welcome a cross-departmental just transition working group that would not only audit comprehensively the environmental potential but look at the social consequences in terms of food prices etc, the economic and business implications and opportunities as well as the energy implications and changes in the use of energy, which Mr Wells mentioned.”
“It is also worth noting that since the CCC appeared before the AERA Committee, the United States and the UK have significantly updated their commitments to much more ambitious targets than before. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP supports the Bill not only because we want to do better but because we must do better. Reaching net zero by 2045 will not be easy, but it is essential. The latest NI greenhouse gas inventory estimates for 2018 show a 20% decrease in emissions compared with 1990 levels. The current projections estimate only a 39% reduction by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. Agriculture remained the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions for Northern Ireland in 2018, at 27%. The share is expected to increase to 35% in 2030 as a result of the improved performances of other sectors, with only a 3% reduction in agricultural emissions.”
“why we cannot meet a net zero target for greenhouse gas emissions. As the chair of the Climate Change Committee, Lord Deben, said to the AERA Committee of the advice that the CCC provides, its job is to:”
“Thanks very much for your elucidation, Jim. I appreciate that, thank you. <BR /> <BR />It is good to see the Bill in front of the Assembly today and to see the debate under way. The Bill is unambiguous in its ambitions. It sets down in legislation a commitment to a target of net zero by 2045 compared with 1990 levels and puts in place a framework for the delivery of that target. Some Members will raise the advice of the UK Climate Change Committee. I accept its advice for what it is: it is its expert opinion based on the evidence that is available to it. However, as the Climate Change Committee has pointed out:”
“The delay in seeing a climate change Bill brought before the Assembly has been because of a number of issues, among them the denial of some Members of the current Environment Minister's party and the absence of an Executive, when members of the deputy First Minister's party walked from the Assembly. Nevertheless, we are where we are today, and, indeed, when the Assembly declared a climate emergency in February last year, the Minister, along with his party, voted against that declaration. <BR /> <BR />However, as we look at this —.”
“I thank the principal sponsor of the Bill for its introduction here today. My party colleague Mark, the Member for Foyle, is a co-sponsor of the Bill. When he was Environment Minister in 2015, he proposed a climate action Bill at the time of the Paris Accord in order to keep the rise in global average temperature to well below 2°C, which is above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1·5°C. <BR /> <BR />We have an obligation and a responsibility to meet those commitments. The commitment to climate change is a commitment to social justice.”
“To date, what compensation has been paid or is likely to be paid by the Department to contractors and those associated with the schemes at the points of entry?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Aire. Thanks very much, Minister. Does the Minister foresee any additional roll-out of the use of technology on a more permanent basis in those settings?”
“That would enable the Minister to address some of the many issues raised by stakeholders and others in the sector during his Department's consultation on this short and limited Bill.”
“Stakeholders raised many of those questions during the limited consultation that the Department carried out in May and June last year. Those are issues and cases regarding the collection of moneys and funds and their distribution in a more equitable way to other courses, especially greyhound courses. <BR /> <BR />It is understandable that the Minister seeks a remedy as quickly as possible to the position in which the two current racecourses — horse racing courses, obviously — find themselves due to a flaw in the original legislation. However, we would like a firm commitment from him to a comprehensive review of the operation of the horse racing fund, its extension to greyhound racing and the provision of support to horse racing and similar activities for which he is responsible.”
“The vast majority of the fund is, as I said, raised from licensed off-course bookmakers, but the licence issued by the Department for Communities does not cover online betting. The two racecourses involved now have a more varied source of income than in 1990. If the fund is still necessary, should similar venues be able to apply for that support? Should it be extended to cover dog racing, for example? I would make the case that it should. Drumbo and Brandywell compete with Dundalk and other racecourses in the Republic that are substantially underpinned and supported by the state. They get significant drawdown to continue with their activities. Should a non-departmental public body be established for the purpose of oversight, as is the case in the rest of Ireland and GB?”
“<BR /> <BR />I believe that the fund currently sits at around £600,000, with about £350,000 raised annually, and the Bill could be described as a simple piece of legislative bookkeeping by the Minister and the Department. That said, as we move into more contemporary times, a number of questions could be asked of the Department's approach: for example, is the legislation fit for purpose? In many ways, it is long out of date compared with the rest of the legislation on gambling in the North. For example, there should be a levy on online bookmakers, as a considerable amount of betting is now done online as opposed to in bricks-and-mortar bookmakers. <BR /> <BR />The fund was set up by legislation in the 1970s and amended in 1990.”
“I thank the Minister for moving the Bill's Second Stage. The SDLP has no fundamental objection to the Bill because there is little in it to object to. However, a number of issues definitely merit consultation. I would appreciate further deliberations with the Minister — perhaps he will disclose later what those are — to bring us into line with the Republic and the UK. <BR /> <BR />Since 2019, no financial support has been paid out from the horse racing fund, because the original legislation did not take into account the possibility of a change in ownership of one of the two racecourses that the fund was designed to support. Given that the levy involved continues to be raised from licensed bookmakers as a condition of the licence, it seems perverse to prevent the owners of those racecourses from applying for that financial support.”
“Can the Minister advise what action his Department has taken to improve the existing energy efficiency of public buildings? Does the Minister plan to review the Department's 'Energy Management in Public Sector Buildings' manual? Apparently, it has not been updated since 2015.”
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. I listened carefully to what you said about pupils who had lost out on immersive learning in the Irish-language sector. You said that you were looking at mitigating measures that could be taken to help those youngsters catch up on lost time and learning. It would be helpful if you could provide us with details now, or you can write to me with expansive detail on that.”
“We have worked through a number of threads in the responses. Will the Minister confirm whether there will be a specific Bill that is tailored to Northern Ireland? He mentioned that a number of policy areas will be looked at, but will there be a specific Bill for that purpose?”
“May I, too, associate myself with the Member's comments? Tracy Bratton, who has now moved to another location in the division, was very useful and very effective not only in dealing with public representatives but in working with communities.”
“<BR /> <BR />The SDLP will continue to lobby the Executive to approve further investment in road safety across our rural road network through all possible measures, and, as you have heard today, I and other colleagues will continue to lobby for further investment in road safety at schools around Mid Ulster.”
“Absolutely. I thank the Member very much for that. Education is definitely one part of it, but there is only one thing that will settle the guy — and they are mostly guys — who is travelling along in his wheels at 92 mph or 112 mph, and that is somebody pointing a hairdryer at his car and giving him a lengthy suspension. <BR /> <BR />In addition to the need to put in place physical measures, there is a role, as we referred to, for the Department of Education to play in educating our young people and our future drivers on how to use our roads safely, and some of those schemes could possibly be helpful. All drivers should instinctively look to reduce their speed if they know that they are approaching an area around a school.”
“I could probably add to that collaborative working between the Department of Education and the Department for Infrastructure, but the police and local policing partnerships need to deal with such issues, because those speeds are incredible. It is madness.”
“A speed indicator device outside the primary school in Aughamullan recorded the speed of passing vehicles, and one driver was logged as travelling at 92 mph. However, that comes nowhere near the one at St Joseph's in Galbally, which Ms Dillon referred to, where one driver was logged as doing 112 mph past the school, which is in a 40 mph zone. Thankfully, that was not during school time. Nevertheless, someone travelled along that route at 112 mph. There are headcases out there, and I do not think that flashing lights or anything else will curb their speeding. It will have to be the rigours of the police.”
“<BR /> <BR />Other schools include St Patrick's Primary School, Loup; St Patrick's Primary School, Moneymore, which I already mentioned; Lissan Primary School at St Michael's Church, where we have met DFI officials on a number of occasions; St Malachy's Primary School in Drummullan; Spires Integrated Primary School, Magherafelt; St Mary's Primary School, Dunamore, which I have been asked to raise as well; St Peter's Primary School, Moortown; St Mary's Primary School, Clady and St Conor's College, Clady, which are within walking distance of each other; St John's Primary School, Kingsisland; and Little Flower Nursery School at Coole Road. <BR /> <BR />I have reserved mention of these last two schools for a particular reason, and that is to put these examples on the record.”
“Another factor that I want to mention is that those smaller rural roads, and the locations around them, have been altered by the build-up of traffic and have very heavy volumes of traffic, including heavy articulated lorries. Those lorries bypass the main towns, because those do not have bypasses. They bypass the likes of Dungannon, Cookstown and Magherafelt, although it now has a bypass. Many use those rural roads as a bypass route. Parents have expressed their concerns to me about that on numerous occasions, and two of the schools affected are Derrychrin and Ballylifford.”
“For those who may not know the geography of the area, the traffic on the road between Ballyronan and Magherafelt can get very speedy at particular times of the morning, especially at school time. That speed limit has proven very effective and useful. <BR /> <BR />I have, indeed, a list of schools for which I would like to see a variety of measures introduced to improve road safety. I, with DFI officials, have been on-site at some of those schools, and others remain on my, if you like, to-do list or wish list. Nevertheless, I want to put them on the record here today. They include Derrychrin Primary School and Ballylifford Primary School, both of which are in the parish where I live.”
“Nevertheless, the Minister was able to announce a total investment of £75 million in the structural maintenance of the road network in 2021. That included the allocation of £12 million to a road recovery fund, with £10 million directed towards repairs along rural roads. There are around 80 locations in Mid Ulster where work is planned or has already been completed under that programme. Those repairs will inevitably contribute to the rural road network and, hopefully, to improved road safety. <BR /> <BR />Mr Buchanan referred to one of the 20 mph pilot projects at the Woods Primary School, which is not that far away from where I live. That has been very effective.”
“Mr Buchanan referred to SIDs. I find those very effective, for as long as they last in a particular place, given that they are, if you like, a transient feature. As a motorist, I find that my driving speed flashing in front of me is a very effective warning, but they are a transient measure. I can think of a couple of locations where they are positioned. They are very useful and are funded through the PCSPs. If they are there for six weeks and then removed, the impact is, to my mind, by and large, gone after those six weeks. They are, however, an important feature. <BR /> <BR />We have argued repeatedly down the years for a properly funded programme of maintenance and repair of our rural road network, and I believe that the Infrastructure Minister has been unsuccessful in seeking sufficient funds from the Finance Minister at this time.”
“One recent example was in the town of Moneymore, where a local SDLP councillor Christine McFlynn successfully lobbied for the extension of the 30 mph speed limit at a school to cover access from a newly built housing estate. Efforts continue at that site to include measures such as extending the street lighting and providing pedestrian islands to further improve the safety of children attending the school.”
“I thank the Member for that. <BR /> <BR />Warning lights and road signage are practical measures, and we can make it safer to cross roads by adding fixed crossing points and islands for pedestrians. We can also improve street lighting in order to ensure good visibility for pedestrians at all times of the day, particularly during the wintertime when it gets a bit bleaker in the mornings and the evenings for the kids and motorists who are arriving at schools. <BR /> <BR />The more the populations of our rural towns and villages and, indeed, scattered rural areas grow, the more important the issue will become.”
“That is the practice in some other countries in other parts of the world, and, although I do not know about its effectiveness, it sounds like a very practical and good idea.”
“<BR /> <BR />Although the greatest threat to road safety in general is excessive speed, there are practical measures that can help to make our roads safer, particularly in rural areas. Along with new speed limits, those include warning lights and road markings. I would maybe venture as well, and I have discussed this with the Minister, that where there are school buses transporting youngsters to schools, we could look at the possibility of them having flashing lights and it being illegal for drivers to pass them. I know of some very sad instances where youngsters have got off a bus and made a dart across the road. I can think of one incident in particular that sadly wound up with a fatality.”