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.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,995 lines we hold for Patsy McGlone, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 40.
“I thank the Minister for detailing the provisions that are included in the legislative consent motion, and I thank the Chair of the Assembly Committee for covering the Committee's scrutiny of it. It is, of course, Westminster legislation. Some of the provisions were changed at Westminster while the Committee was deliberating on them, which is less than ideal. I note that there may yet be a third LCM on the Bill. <BR /> <BR />We would, of course, prefer to be dealing with primary legislation in the Assembly. That having been said, the SDLP is broadly content with extending to the North the provisions of the Crime and Policing Bill that are set out in the legislative consent motion. Those provisions include important measures that provide greater protections for everyone in our society, particularly women and children.”
“That is where, we believe, the Minister should focus her attention.”
“However, between 2020 and 2024, there were just 11 prosecutions for offences under the 2015 Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act, and, of those 11 prosecutions, there were just seven convictions. Obviously, that suggests that what is needed is greater enforcement of our existing laws. <BR /> <BR />We are not necessarily opposed to the banning of specific websites as part of a wider strategy to tackle organised commercial sexual exploitation and the human trafficking of women and girls, but the evidence suggests that the real benefits come from clear and enforceable objectives that prioritise the safety and well-being of those involved in prostitution, including providing exit routes, as well as sustained enforcement strategies aimed at detecting the men who pay for sex from the sites.”
“The three-year review of the impact of the 2015 Act reported that, in the period from June 2015 to December 2018, there were 15 arrests and just two convictions for purchasing sex, and 31 arrests but only two convictions for human trafficking for sexual exploitation. That review concluded that the legislation had minimal effect on the demand for sexual services, and it was unable to determine how it had impacted on human trafficking. <BR /> <BR />In 2019-2020, 111 potential victims of trafficking in the North were referred to the national referral mechanism. That was double the number of referrals from the previous year. There has also been an upward trend in the official figures for human trafficking referrals since 2020, with 496 referrals here in 2024.”
“The British Government did not support the amendments: neither amendment was progressed, and there were no new or replacement amendments along those lines. They are not part of the Crime and Policing Bill, which is in its final parliamentary stages. As it is a reserved matter, the Justice Minister and the Executive are powerless to act on their own. <BR /> <BR />In 2015, the Assembly passed the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act, which made it an offence to pay for sexual services. That was in line with the Nordic model. That approach aims to reduce demand for prostitution; improve the lives of those with experience of prostitution through support mechanisms; help those involved to exit; and change social attitudes.”
“Foremost in our concerns should be the safety and welfare of the victims of such organised activity. Those victims are often some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Research in the area is notoriously difficult, and the research that is available is often contested. However, it suggests that there is limited evidence of a reduction in trafficking as a result of simply banning advertisements for prostitution. When banned elsewhere, online advertisements have moved to encrypted platforms or to offshore sites. <BR /> <BR />As, I am sure, the Members who tabled the motion are aware, there were two proposed amendments to the UK's Crime and Policing Bill that aimed to ban or criminalise websites and online platforms that host advertisements for prostitution.”
“The SDLP welcomes the debate and supports the motion. Sexual exploitation is a form of violence primarily against women. There is growing concern about websites that facilitate the organised commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking of women and girls and host advertisements for prostitution. I listened carefully as Mr Beattie gave his real-life experiences of what goes on to bring us to the situation where such websites operate. <BR /> <BR />There appears to be no convincing reason why online advertisements for prostitution are not banned, as they are in some countries. However, the Assembly should be cautious about measures that merely hide organised commercial sexual exploitation from view while allowing it to continue. While enforcement is not mentioned in the motion, it is important to highlight it.”
“Minister, your energy strategy commits to achieving 25% energy savings from buildings and industry by 2030, yet, as of October 2025, progress stands at just 4·8%. Do you accept that delivery is significantly off track? Will you describe what concrete actions your Department will take this year to attempt to close that gap?”
“Minister, when talking about the severe weather emergency protocol, you said that the greatest amount of resources had been allocated to the Housing Executive. Can you explain how much higher that allocation is than that to organisations in the community and voluntary sector that provide a resource for people who find themselves in often terrible circumstances, especially during this very bad weather? Are you assured that the Housing Executive and the community and voluntary sector have sufficient resources to accommodate people who find themselves in such awful conditions, often not as a result of their own actions?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does she accept that as far as the likes of the agri-food sector is concerned, there is no border?”
“None of those solutions is a quick fix — I accept all that — but they are necessary if we are to properly support all the young people in our society, particularly those who are most vulnerable and those who fall outwith the safety net that is there for many others.”
“Support services need to be reassessed, with families and young adults involved in so far as they can be in the new design, evaluation and commissioning process. There must be improved transport links and accessibility to support in our rural areas; better provision and better coordination of those local services; better planning and collaboration between agencies to improve the transition to adulthood for the young people concerned; more employment and training opportunities through supported partnerships with local employers; and the development of a rural version of Project SEARCH, based in Mid Ulster, alongside employment pathways in our local, small-scale enterprises.”
“Those are, inevitably, the pressures that young people, once they become 18, find themselves under, without a lot of the safety net that was heretofore with them. There is also a shortage of joined-up planning in education, health and social care, creating a real danger that the lack of coordination between agencies in the transition between school and adulthood can leave young adults without continuity of care during that particularly vulnerable time. <BR /> <BR />Those problems are caused, fundamentally, by a long-term lack of investment in rural provision. As well as the need for increased, long-term funding in all those areas, a new model of support for young adults with recognised learning difficulties and complex needs is required.”
“The pressures and difficulties within the household have led to a situation where two young adults in the house require supported accommodation. Those are very difficult circumstances for that family. There is a provider that has refurbished accommodation in Cookstown. It has four units for supported living. On the last occasion that I had a conversation with a senior employee from the trust, four would not even look at it: there were at least 12 people with special, diverse needs who required supported accommodation, where families could not provide that support, and where additional support, supervised support and living accommodation was required. <BR /> <BR />Those are the pressures that people and families are under.”
“There are, however, problems in finding appropriate roles with employers in rural areas such as in Mid Ulster. Shortages in specialist provision can often mean that young people are placed in settings that do not meet their needs. While South West College and Northern Regional College offer some support, they may not have the resources or the staff to support complex needs, and the poor provision of broadband in some of our rural areas can limit access to online learning or remote support. Young adults with complex needs frequently experience anxiety, depression or behavioural challenges, but rural mental health services are stretched. <BR /> <BR />I am presently dealing with a couple of cases where supported accommodation is a requirement.”
“Key services are often based in Belfast or Derry, meaning that there will be delays in accessing them, and long and tiring trips to do so, even with access to a car. Underfunding and staffing pressures in the services that are available also mean that access is inconsistent. I pay tribute to the members of staff to whom Emma referred, who, when they are there, drive their service as best they can and truly live their lives as a vocation.”
“Many of those young people face a cliff edge as they reach 18 or 19 years of age, with few clear, meaningful pathways for them into adulthood. <BR /> <BR />We will all have been contacted by families and carers of young adults in those circumstances. It is truly essential that support services be readily available and accessible during that time. However, in a rural constituency such as Mid Ulster, that is not the case. Living in a rural area can result in those young people feeling and becoming isolated, despite the best efforts of some. There are fewer clubs, groups and inclusive community spaces to help to build that sense of independence. Mid Ulster's limited bus schedules are infrequent and often do not fit with college timetables and make it difficult to access services and supported employment opportunities.”
“I welcome the Adjournment debate and the opportunity to highlight our concerns at the lack of support for young adults with recognised learning difficulties and complex needs in Mid Ulster. For all young people and their families, the transition to adulthood is one of the most important and potentially stressful times in their lives. For young adults with learning difficulties and complex needs, that is particularly true. They may face changes to their education, employment, housing and health services. Added to that is their expectation of greater independence and the challenge of navigating complex systems of support. Their families will have concerns about all of those areas, with the added worry of how their loved ones will cope with the changes and what will happen to them when they are on their own.”
“Gabhaim mo bhuíochas le hEmma as an tseans a thabhairt dúinn. Is ábhar iontach tábhachtach í an díospóireacht Atrátha.”
“Thank you for that answer. To clarify, because you referred to it earlier, do you feel that some barristers are getting pithy pay? As well as the victims of crime and others, we want to look after them. Is it your feeling that, on its conclusion, that engagement was a positive one?”
“Cuirimid fáilte ó chroí roimh an deis sin, agus an seans a ghabhann léi cuimsiú, rannpháirtíocht chultúrtha chomhroinnte agus nasc pobail a chur chun cinn. Níl aon am níos fearr ar domhan ná anois chun na luachanna sin a cheiliúradh agus a chur chun cinn agus a chur chun tosaigh. Ba chóir don Tionól a bheith ag labhairt le haon ghuth inniu i dtaca le fleadh shábháilte, chuimsitheach agus rathúil, fleadh a fhágfaidh oidhreacht dhearfach agus bhuan do Bhéal Feirste agus do phobail ar fud na hÉireann agus níos faide i gcéin. Iarrann an SDLP ar an Tionól tacú leis an gceiliúradh agus a bheith ag obair go cuiditheach chun cabhrú leis an rath a bhaint amach do chách.”
“Is orainne atá an fhreagracht chomhchoiteann as a chinntiú go mbeidh eispéireas sábháilte agus lúcháireach acu agus iad anseo, agus go mbeidh siad ag tnúth le filleadh agus teach tar ais go cathair Bhéal Feirste ar dógh. Sna míonna deireanacha den ullmhúchán don fhleadh, tá sé tábhachtach go ndéanfaidh an Tionól, agus an Coiste Feidhmiúcháin, gach rud atá inár gcumhacht chun a chinntiú go n-éireoidh leis an tseachtain féile chomh maith agus a bheifí ag súil leis. Mar a dúirt Ardmhéara Bhéal Feirste, an Comhairleoir Tracy Kelly de chuid an DUP:”
“Tá an turasóireacht ar cheann de scéalta ratha Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta; is ceann dár dtiománaithe eacnamaíochta is tábhachtaí í, ag cuidiú le saibhreas agus poist a chruthú ar fud an réigiúin. Tá an earnáil ag téarnamh go rathúil freisin ó phaindéim COVID. Beidh borradh breise faoin turasóireacht de thairbhe na fleidhe, ag tabhairt buntáistí móra eacnamaíochta, agus ag tacú le gnólachtaí áitiúla i mBéal Feirste agus ar fud an Tuaiscirt. Chomh maith le bheith ina himeacht iontach inti féin, is deis í an fhleadh chun ár gcáil mar óstach d’imeachtaí eile den mhéid agus den chaighdeán céanna a fheabhsú. I gcás go leor de na céadta mílte cuairteoirí chuig an fhleadh, is í seo a gcéad uair sa réigiún seo.”
“Tá comhghairdeas tuillte ag Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste agus ag craobh na hArda de Chomhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, ag an chraobh de Chomhaltas atá i mBéal Feirste, agus ag daoine eile, as a gcuid oibre chun an Fhleadh Cheoil stairiúil seo a thabhairt go Béal Feirste. Ó thus deireadh na fleidhe, cuirfear fáilte roimh na céadta mílte ceoltóirí, damhsóirí agus cuairteoirí a bhfuil suim acu páirt a ghlacadh sna féilte i mBéal Feirste. Is deis í seo chun ceol, cultúr agus pobal a cheiliúradh ar bhealach a dtugann daoine le chéile. Mar is féile chuimsitheach í an fhleadh i gcónaí. Chruthaigh Doire é sin in 2013. <BR /> <BR />Oireann an fhleadh go foirfe freisin d’fhís an phlean gníomhaíochta 10 mbliana don turasóireacht a foilsíodh anuraidh.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Fáiltíonn an SDLP roimh an méid a chuir Comhaltaí anseo inniu leis an díospóireacht ar ár rún. <BR /> <BR />A LeasCheann Comhairle, is é seo comóradh 75 bliana Fhleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Is í féile bhliantúil cheoil, amhránacíochta agus dhamhsa na hÉireann is mó ar domhan í. Is féile í fosta ina gcuirtear fáilte roimh gach aon duine agus ina bhfuil soicheall roimh gach duine. Meallann sí cuairteoirí, infheistíocht agus aird dhomhanda cibé áit a reáchtáiltear í. <BR /> <BR />Is é seo an dara huair ina stair a tháinig sí chun an Tuaiscirt, i ndiaidh na fleidhe thar a bheith rathúil i nDoire in 2013. Agus is é chéad uair a reáchtálfar i mBéal Feirste í, an t-aon Chathair Cheoil amháin de chuid UNESCO ar oileán na hÉireann.”
“Minister, will you provide us with some detail about what efforts are being made to enhance sewage disposal provision for the towns of Dungannon and Cookstown? It is inhibiting the development of social and private housing, and it is a factor in driving up house prices in general.”
“Minister, the people whom we cannot forget in the middle of all this are those in community pharmacies who dispense the medication. What steps are you taking to ensure that the claw-back mechanism in community pharmacy funding does not run the risk of shutting the pharmacy down? We have had concerns expressed to us by community pharmacists.”
“Minister, I am glad to hear that you are scheduled to meet the chair and vice chair of the CBA in the coming days. It is important, for conciliation and for people, to meet to resolve the issue. Can you confirm whether the Bar of Northern Ireland wrote to the Department in advance of the strike, inviting the Department to meet urgently on a number of dates in an attempt to avert action? Can you confirm that the Department did not reply to that correspondence?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a ráiteas.”
“Those benefits will be greater still if delivered on an all-island basis, across these islands and internationally.”
“<BR /> <BR />The European Union has taken the initiative against some types of cross-border fraud, and there has been some action by Interpol. However, there has been limited interest elsewhere in combating truly cross-border fraud on an international scale. Therefore, the SDLP supports the call for the Minister of Justice, working with Executive colleagues, to bring forward a coordinated, cross-departmental strategy to strengthen prevention and improve detection and enforcement in this area. The public can only benefit from enhanced data sharing between agencies and financial institutions, from the delivery of a more effective public awareness campaign or campaigns and from better support for the victims of scams.”
“It makes fascinating watching on social media some evenings to see how the gentleman — I think that he is from here — turns the tables on those individuals and hacks into their systems, and when the previously unwary become very wary, and when the tables are turned, the scammers do not particularly like it. <BR /> <BR />In some countries, there are literally thousands of dedicated scammers and cybercriminals targeting the citizens of other countries with romance, investment, pyramid, shopping and identity fraud. There is also evidence that, having been scammed once, victims' details have been sold on to other groups as potential targets for future scams. Given the level of fraud reported here and the financial cost to individuals and business, more could and should be done.”
“There already is a cross-border policing strategy, with a focus on tackling crime and preventing harm, roads policing and road safety, community policing and major emergency management. Obviously, that strategy is primarily about the cross-border area, but there is no reason why it should be limited in the geographical sense when the criminal activity is not. <BR /> <BR />The criminal gangs deliberately target the isolated and vulnerable, but anyone can fall victim to their scams. They are increasingly sophisticated in their operations. They have the technology and the time to create elaborate fictions to ensnare the unwary.”
“It is true that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. <BR /> <BR />Each fraud leaves behind a victim of financial loss, often with emotional and psychological damage. Those responsible are mostly organised criminal groups operating not just cross-border, as in across this island, but internationally. It makes little sense for the motion to refer to "cross-border criminal activity" and not call for greater cooperation with an Garda Síochána. Indeed, there is a case for improving the already close working relationship between the Police Service in the North and an Garda Síochána to tackle the organised criminal groups involved in scams on this island.”
“The SDLP welcomes the motion and the opportunity to discuss the growing threat of scams and how the Executive can improve public protection and support for victims right across the North. <BR /> <BR />In 2024, the PSNI received more than 5,200 reports of fraud, with a loss of around £19 million. The National Cyber Security Centre reported that almost £12 million was lost to online shopping fraud across the UK over last year's festive season. The PSNI figures cover a wide range of scams and amounts of money lost, from hundreds of pounds lost to ticket scams to hundreds of thousands of pounds lost to impersonation and investment scams. We all know about those. We all know individuals who have sought our advice. In fact, in some instances, we have been surprised by the individuals who were taken in by those offers.”
“It is cruel, traumatising and unacceptable. The legislation is urgent, proportionate and widely supported. That is why we call on the Executive to act without delay to introduce the necessary legislation by the end of the mandate. Caoimhe's law will put compassion, respect and dignity first.”
“New Zealand has the wide-ranging Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015, which makes it an offence to share images that would cause "serious emotional distress". New Zealand police can order the immediate removal of images that have been posted online. Significantly, so-called bystander filming can be prosecuted if it breaches privacy or causes distress. In comparison, the only crime that someone can be arrested for here is obstruction of emergency services at the scene. Caoimhe's law would change that. <BR /> <BR />This is not about censorship; it is about compassion, respect and dignity. Families should not find out through a video on social media that their loved one has been killed or injured, nor should they have to relive those moments every time they unexpectedly come across a video of the scene.”
“In Germany, for example, it is a criminal offence to take or share images that violate a person's highly personal sphere of life, including injured or deceased victims. German police can seize phones at the scene if they suspect that illegal recording has taken place, and German courts have upheld convictions for photographing crash victims even when the images were not shared. <BR /> <BR />It is important that any legislation or proposal for legislation be done in a coordinated manner and on an all-Ireland basis. Every day, there is a lot of movement of traffic across the border, and the legislation to stop those practices should not just be in one jurisdiction but be comprehensive and all-embracing.”
“Absolutely, and my sympathies are with you, Linda. To be told in such a way — by proxy on social media — must be awful. It is gruesome. It shows no empathy, sympathy or understanding; no reaching out to the other human being or thinking, "This is the wrong way to do things". I do not understand why anyone would even attempt to do that, but, unfortunately, they do. As I said, the most effective way to prevent it is by influencing the actions of people at the scene, because, once the images and videos are online, it is increasingly difficult to put the genie back in the bottle. <BR /> <BR />A few countries have taken the initiative to put in place robust legislation that, we believe, shows the way forward.”
“Some countries continue to rely on outdated legislation that fails to take account of modern technology and the speed at which that content can be replicated and shared across social media. Other countries are looking at specific ways in which to address the issue. In Spain, for example, constitutional privacy protections extend to the families of the deceased; sharing images of dead or injured people without consent can lead to criminal and civil penalties; and, importantly, families can sue for the emotional harm caused by the publishing of those images.”
“That is not to say that the media companies and other individuals would be immune from the legislation, but making the act of taking the image a criminal offence would send a clear signal that we, as a society, do not accept that activity. <BR /> <BR />In the North, it is not a crime to film or share footage of victims of fatal crashes, and it should be. It is an affront to the dignity of the victims in their final moments. It is a violation of their privacy. Recording those moments and publishing them online creates a painful, often permanent, reminder to families and friends of those final moments. <BR /> <BR />We are not alone in trying to combat the voyeuristic impulses of some people at the scene of an accident.”
“The reluctance of social media companies to accept their role as publishers and the legal restrictions that that brings has resulted in a hands-off approach to content moderation by those giants of modern technology. That approach allows them to continue to make massive profits through the sale of their users' personal data while abdicating responsibility for any pain and hurt caused by the online activities that they facilitate. Shutting down individual accounts often fails to prevent the spread of the hurtful content. The ease with which new accounts can be created can result in lengthy and costly battles with social media companies and with the offenders themselves. That is why it is particularly important to place primary responsibility with the person who chooses to take and share the image or video of the scene.”
“In my constituency of Mid Ulster, SDLP councillors, one of whom is here today, Councillor Malachy Quinn, secured unanimous support for their motion, which called for legal restrictions on the sharing on social media of images and videos taken at the scene of serious traffic collisions. Motions in support of the introduction of Caoimhe's law have also been passed by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council. Those motions also had cross-party support, reflecting the public desire to see action being taken. We hope that all parties in the Assembly will support our motion today. <BR /> <BR />We recognise how difficult it is to control the spread of images and videos once they have been published online.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank and pay tribute to Caoimhe's mother, Marie, and the members of Road Victim Support Northern Ireland-Donegal for their tireless campaign to raise awareness of the pain and hurt that has been caused to families and friends of victims of road traffic accidents (RTAs) by the thoughtless actions of strangers — strangers who, for whatever reason, chose to record the often gruesome scenes of accidents and publish the recordings online, compounding the pain, grief and loss of the victims' families. We want the Assembly to say loudly and clearly to those people, "It is not your story to tell". <BR /> <BR />A number of councils have called on the Assembly and Executive to legislate.”
“Our motion calls on the Minister of Justice and the Minister for Infrastructure to work together to deliver legislation by the end of the mandate. <BR /> <BR />Caoimhe O'Brien was a young woman who died in a road traffic collision on the A5 between Derry and Strabane in October 2016. News of her death was broadcast on social media before some of her relatives could even be informed of the tragedy. Caoimhe's law is named in her honour and in recognition of the additional trauma caused to her family by the online content about the accident and her death.”
“The legislation that we want to see implemented would:”
“The SDLP has tabled the motion in recognition of the widespread public support for the introduction of Caoimhe's law; in fact, Caoimhe's parents, Marie and Noel, are with us today in the Public Gallery, along with other people and relations who have faced similar trauma as a result of the recklessness of others. <BR /> <BR />The support for legislation on the issue is a result of growing concern at the increasing trend of individuals and media outlets capturing and distributing online distressing footage of fatal or critical road traffic collisions with no thought for the families affected. Usually, the person who initially takes the images or videos has no connection to the victim or their family. The scene is simply something that they witnessed, and they want to record it as if they were at a music gig or a festival.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Can the Commission confirm whether a full accessibility audit has been completed and whether its findings will be published to ensure transparency on progress?”
“Thank you very much for that, Minister. You will appreciate that a number of people who fish on the lough have been out of pocket for some while now. I appreciate the efforts that have been put in by the Department, but will you indicate when payments will be made to those eligible under the scheme, please?”