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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“Unfortunately, those are not rare, isolated incidents. They are the direct result of legal and policy gaps that must be closed. <BR /> <BR />As we have heard, many jurisdictions around the world have introduced clear and enforceable laws requiring vehicles to stop when school buses collect or drop off children. In parts of the US, Canada and elsewhere, drivers know the law: when the lights flash, you stop. You do not slow down or hope for the best; you stop, and that saves lives. The children of Northern Ireland deserve no less. <BR /> <BR />The motion calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to introduce legislation that will bring us into line with international best practice.”
“Nothing that is said here today can undo the pain that you have suffered, but I hope that you take some comfort in knowing that your determination and advocacy are already making a difference. The debate is happening because you spoke out and because people listened. <BR /> <BR />The motion notes that, at present, there is no legal requirement for vehicles to stop when a school bus picks up or drops off pupils. The absence of legal clarity leaves children exposed to completely avoidable danger, especially, as was mentioned multiple times in the Chamber, in rural areas, where visibility is limited, road layouts are often poor and vehicle speeds can be dangerously high. We have heard about near misses and close calls, but we have also heard about real tragedies, including those marked by the families sitting with us today.”
“I especially acknowledge the families and the doctors who are in the Public Gallery. The families have experienced, in the most devastating way, the consequences of a system that does not go far enough to protect our children. Their presence today is a powerful reminder that this is not just a policy issue. It is not just about legislation or infrastructure; it is about people. It is about families and about children who leave their home in the morning and deserve to come back safely and well in the afternoon. To those families, I say this: thank you for your courage in being here today. Your loss has touched hearts across the Chamber and across the community.”
“I thank all Members from different parties who contributed to this important debate. The contributions have reflected a shared understanding across the Floor that the safety of children at school bus stops cannot be left to chance.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“I appreciate the Member giving way and thank him for that. Will he accept that it is not just about dental health? When you visit a dentist, other issues, such as oral cancers, can be spotted by a dentist when they are examining a person's mouth?”
“Presumably, that discussion lasted for a while. Can you give us some detail on those priorities?”
“Minister, I have read your statement, and, to be honest, there seem to be plenty of titles, but it is short on detail. For example, the 'Environment Work Sector Policy Report 2020-24' is to be published. Can you give us any idea when that will be published? Secondly, paragraph 11 states that you:”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a ráiteas.”
“<BR /> <BR />I support the Farming with Nature regulations because they are essential, but I urge the Department and the Assembly to ensure that they are delivered in ways that uplift, not undermine, our rural communities.”
“That will not happen by decree alone; it will happen when we listen, designing policy that is not just for the environment but designed with those who live and work on the land. It will happen when we take seriously the lived experience of farmers and respond not just with rules but with respect, resources and realism. Real risk lies in failing to act. If we delay, we will only deepen the environmental crisis that we already face and make future reforms more costly, urgent and painful for farmers and society alike. We should not underestimate the opportunity that lies before us. The North has a chance to lead and to show how a small, rural region can support both a productive agri-food sector and a thriving natural environment. However, that leadership has to be rooted in fairness and partnership.”
“<BR /> <BR />This is not about compliance; it is about creating a new model of farming that is resilient, productive and environmentally sound. We must move beyond the false dichotomy between farming and nature. The truth is that there is no future for farming without nature. Without pollinators, healthy soils, stable weather and clean water, our food systems simply would not function. Likewise, there is no future for nature in Northern Ireland without the active engagement of our farmers. If properly delivered, the regulations can become the foundation of a positive partnership that supports farming families to remain on the land while restoring the ecological health of that land for generations.”
“The Assembly must recognise that our farmers are not the enemies of nature but essential partners in restoring it. If we expect them to meet higher environmental standards, we have a duty, as legislators and policymakers, to ensure that they are not left to shoulder the burden alone. That means committing to a well-resourced programme of support; necessitating targeted grants to help our farmers to invest in infrastructure and low-impact technologies; access to agrienvironment schemes that support sustainable land management; on-the-ground advice and technical assistance rather than just compliance checks; and a coherent, long-term vision for agri-food policy that values nature and food production equally.”
“Farmers tell me that, while they are committed to and broadly support the aims of the regulations, they need clear guarantees that the Department will back the legislation with the funding, practical support and fair incentives that are required to make the transition sustainable. The regulations insist on a significant shift in practice. They will require a change in nutrient management, habitat protection, soil care and livestock systems. That is no small ask, especially in the current climate of economic uncertainty, with rising input costs and the pressures that already weigh heavily on farm families. Those of us who were at the Balmoral show last week will have heard about that. <BR /> <BR />Let us be absolutely clear: having regulation without support is to risk alienating the very people whom we need to bring with us.”
“The SDLP welcomes the statutory rule for the Farming with Nature regulations. The regulations mark a significant step forward in addressing the twin crises of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. The Farming with Nature regulations are necessary, science-based and long overdue. <BR /> <BR />As we debate the regulations, I want to bring into the Chamber the voices of those who will most directly be affected by their implementation: our farmers. Over the past year, I have been in regular contact with farming communities across my constituency of Mid Ulster. Many of them care deeply about the environment. They understand, perhaps better than most, the importance of healthy soils, clean water and functioning ecosystems — after all, they work with nature every single day. However, they are also worried, and understandably so.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Aye, well, I know that you have to go first.”
“I look forward to the Minister, in his response, explaining what the Executive are doing.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are facing other issues, including the Mobuoy dump. I really do not know what to say about that one, as it seems to have been about the place forever. I really do not know what cost the illegality of others there will bring upon the public purse, but it is coming down the line. DAERA ideas such as nature-friendly farming are good, but it is incredibly important to get sufficient support in the community to nurture those ideas and to make sure that our farmers are fully supported. Farmers want to do the right thing by the environment, like we do, but they require support. <BR /> <BR />Sin an méid atá le rá agam, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“However, it is costing the taxpayer multiple millions. We cannot drift any further on TB. <BR /> <BR />Many other issues cropped up at the Balmoral show last week. The nutrients action programme is a stick without a carrot. We see how, down south, the Government have, in a forward-thinking way, directed action on nutrients. I accept that nutrients must be addressed, but you cannot inflict further responsibilities on the farming community, many of whom have very little annual income. You cannot inflict further impositions on that community when you are not supporting and encouraging it to do what it needs to do. That requires investment and the nurturing of our agricultural communities, everyone in which, bar those who step way out of line, is a custodian of the environment and the land.”
“That is an issue for the Executive, not one caused by the Executive. I accept that. There have been cuts to support for our rural communities. We face significant environmental governance and pollution challenges, including, as you know, Mr Deputy Speaker, the issues around Lough Neagh. The bovine TB eradication efforts are being underfunded, and it is predicted that, this year, the disease will cost upwards of £60 million by way of compensation and charges for veterinary and other services. Reliable sources state that the cost is likely to be £70 million next year. I really do not know at what point we will arrive at clear actions or get some direction to address that. I say this advisedly: we cannot have any more reviews on the issue. There has been some direction by way of an action plan.”
“I do not know whether you have read our document. You probably have not. There are that many other documents that you should be reading, but anyway. We are seeing very little product. We will probably see a host of announcements about this review, that review and the other review. That will probably happen in the six months in the run-up to the election. I can safely predict that. Again, it is more smoke and mirrors until we get to the other side of the election and see how it is going. <BR /> <BR />I will return to some of the Budget issues that we are facing. I will go to DAERA and the removal of ring-fenced agriculture funding. That transition has caused some problems in the farming community. Inheritance tax is another issue, but we do not need to go there, Mr Deputy Speaker, because you are well apprised of that.”
“Minister, I do not have a bank of hundreds of civil servants and special advisers around me to come up with what the Government should be doing. This is about what the Government should be doing. Lead the way, Government. You have got an Executive. Lead the way.”
“Due to inadequate investment in infrastructure, we are seeing a lack of houses, and the market then decides the price. Lack of available housing in any given area pushes up the price of housing and makes it less available to many young people and many families. We talk about affordable housing and all that, but, as a result of those issues, affordable housing has become a concept rather than a reality. I am not sure how the Executive will attempt to address that. We have not heard anything from them about that. Nothing at all.”
“Rental costs in the private rented sector have, partially as a result of Liz Truss's wonderful ideas about finance, gone up, and there is not enough money being provided in housing benefit to cover the rent and rates that people have to pay. People who are already in difficult circumstances are dipping into their benefits to try to top up their rents. Therefore, people are being driven deeper and deeper into poverty. I do not know whether the anti-poverty strategy will come anywhere close to addressing that, but we will be facing a storm unless there is a major shift by the UK Government on benefit reform. <BR /> <BR />We are already in difficult circumstances, and that is before we even go to the infrastructure issue, which is due to a lack of adequate investment, although there are other issues at NI Water that have to be resolved.”
“We have heard today about some of the problems that we face, and many of them are very apparent. In our offices, we deal with many issues to do with health, education, housing: the list goes on. <BR /> <BR />I will start with housing. I referred earlier the major issues that we will face as a result of the drastic changes to welfare that are coming down the line. I do not know how the Executive are preparing for that, but one thing is for sure: we are not providing enough social housing. As we know, there are 47,000 people on waiting lists for social housing. The consequence of not providing enough social housing is that people are looking in the private rented sector.”
“— use that benefit as a top-up for their rent.”
“Thank you for highlighting those points, particularly about housing. Does the Member accept that the Labour Party's proposals to introduce changes to welfare and PIP, albeit not the Executive's doing, will have an incredibly negative effect on many people's ability to afford their housing costs? Indeed, some of those in private rentals —”
“or any white smoke or anything. We will maybe get a positive from him. <BR /> <BR />Seriously, going back to alignment on SPS checks, Minister, how do you see that, in light of our unique position under the Windsor framework, helping to benefit further our agri-food sector, given the setbacks that it has had as a result of Brexit?”
“On the sausages bit, Minister, I do not know whether you have received any news from the MP for East Antrim yet”
“Minister, at the last Communities Question Time, you confirmed to me that you would be happy enough to attend Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast if you received an invite. Have you received that invite yet?”
“On Friday evening, those people sent a very clear message to Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, and to the British Government: do the right thing and hold a public inquiry into the callous murder of Sean Brown.”
“Along with thousands of other Gaels, colleagues and I attended the Walk for Truth to Páirc Seán de Brún in Bellaghy on Friday evening. People from all over Ireland — clubs and counties — marched to call for justice for Bridie and her family and for an inquiry into the callous murder of Sean Brown, an innocent man who was well respected by all in the community. Five High Court judges have found that a public inquiry into Sean Brown's murder is the way forward. The PSNI Chief Constable has supported that. I am aware that, at Government level, discussions about legacy issues and future legislation are ongoing. We, the people who gathered in our thousands on Friday evening, know what the right thing to do is, and we support it. I think that even Hilary Benn knows what the right thing to do is.”
“The way that we treat animals reflects the kind of society that we want.”
“<BR />Therefore, across all councils: our shared ask is: a no-euthanasia policy for healthy dogs that are able to be rehomed; mandatory licensing and unannounced inspections for all pounds and kennels; councils to publish regular data on euthanasia rates, rehoming efforts and adoption efforts; a comprehensive review of dog control and welfare policies, ensuring that they reflect best practice and current standards; and a renewed commitment to an animal cruelty register that is developed in partnership with colleagues in the rest of the island. <BR /> <BR />Again, I am proud that our SDLP team in Mid Ulster has been to the fore in pressing for change, but councils cannot fix this alone. It requires leadership from the top from DAERA and the Assembly.”
“With regard to enforcement against animal welfare offences, while councils enforce the Welfare of Animals Act 2011 for companion animals, the resources, training and priorities that are allocated to that enforcement differ, leading to inconsistency in how cases are investigated and prosecuted. Where the wider dog control framework is concerned, particularly the licensing system and the enforcement of microchipping requirements, stronger regulation would help to reduce the number of stray dogs and relieve pressure on council pounds and rescue shelters. That inconsistency is at the heart of calls by organisations such as the Dogs Trust, the USPCA and many others for a standardised regional approach that has common policies, mechanisms and transparent accountability.”
“Councils vary also in how publicly they report on seizure rates, euthanasia figures and the conditions of their contracted facilities. The lack of standardised reporting makes comparison difficult and reduces accountability. At present, dog pounds and kennels are not uniformly licensed or regularly inspected by DAERA, and each council has its own approach to oversight, if any. Mandatory licensing and unannounced inspections are urgently needed.”
“The result is inconsistency, confusion and cruelty. A dog's fate should not depend on its postcode. <BR /> <BR />There is variation between councils in the North on how animal welfare policies are implemented, particularly in the area of dog pound contracts and practices. Each council is responsible for its own dog warden services and pound contracts, often outsourcing to different private or charitable providers. As a result, policies on holding periods, rehoming practices and euthanasia timetables can differ significantly. <BR /> <BR />On the rehoming and rescue partnerships, some councils have established strong relationships with rescue organisations and make consistent efforts to rehome unclaimed dogs, while others have less proactive engagement, leading to higher rates of euthanasia.”
“I have paid tribute to them. Yes, I agree, because those dogs have been part of our families and to think that someone else just so casually gets rid of them after five days is heart-wrenching. The routine euthanasia of healthy dogs is outdated, inhumane and entirely unacceptable. It should only be considered when an animal has untreatable ill health or presents a serious and unmanageable behavioural risk; otherwise, we are failing in our duty of care. <BR /> <BR />Councils are entrusted with enforcing animal welfare legislation, but, too often, there is a lack of consistency, rigour and transparency in how that duty is carried out. While DAERA must provide stronger leadership and oversight, councils have a responsibility to ensure that enforcement is not reduced to a tick-box exercise, and they require the resources to fulfil that.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also commend the Dogs Trust, the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) and the many charities and volunteers who provide a lifeline for animals every day. Their work is motivated by compassion, not profit, and often fills the gaps left by government policy. Those gaps are wide. We should all be alarmed that healthy dogs can be euthanised after just five days in council-run pounds. For many of us who were brought up with dogs and in farmlands, they are our friends and family friends. To see or hear that that has happened within five days is heart-wrenching.”
“I am not sure about the words "work to actively examine the case". I also hope to get a time frame for the date for the relevant legislation, please, Minister. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the commitment of my colleagues on Mid Ulster District Council. They have consistently championed animal welfare and led the way in calling for better protection — especially my colleague Councillor Malachy Quinn — not least through their efforts to establish an all-island animal cruelty register. That is exactly the kind of practical cross-border cooperation that we need, and I agree that it must be on both sides of the border to make it happen. However, those who abuse animals should not be able to escape accountability by simply moving across the border, as is presently the case.”
“I also support the motion and thank the Members for tabling it. As an SDLP MLA for Mid Ulster, I am proud to support the motion and to stand up for the highest standards of animal welfare in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />With regard to the amendment, I look forward to the Minister placing some substance on the words:”
“Thank you for that concise overview of the various SBRIs. Will you expand a little on what success of the sustainable utilisation of livestock slurry initiative will look like?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, you referred specifically to "deliberate acts of rural arson". Have all the fires been attributed to that cause? Are the fires all deliberate arson attacks or have some started in other ways? Has the percentage been determined?”
“at that time. That is why I highlighted a lot of the problems today.”
“Thanks very much for giving way. Minister, as I mentioned, I sat on the Public Accounts Committee a number of years ago with your colleague and one of your predecessors Conor Murphy. I just do not want you to make all the mistakes again that were made at that time. We had”
“Thanks very much to the Member for giving way. Does he accept that developer contributions, while they may make some modicum of a contribution to the solution, are not the be-all and end-all and should not be presented as such?”
“It is important that Members hear this and that we are heard.”
“It quickly became apparent to everyone present that the £144,000 that had been spent on Deloitte to conduct a forensic investigation had not dealt with the key issues. We were present at that meeting and showed Deloitte's representatives the evidence that they were supposed to have looked at, but they had not looked at it. It had all already been provided to NI Water. That is incredible stuff.”
“Deloitte was appointed on 15 August 2024 to conduct an investigation. Incidentally, Deloitte had received £1·62 million from NI Water over the previous five years. The whistle-blower met representatives from Deloitte, and Deloitte undertook to come back to the whistle-blower concerning the investigation. Four separate emails were sent to Deloitte, but it never showed up to meet the whistle-blower to investigate the cases. Deloitte then declared that it was not necessary to discuss any of the cases, as they were consistent with what had already been examined. Purchase orders had been issued in the name of a contract user who was on sick leave. Then, on 28 March this year, I attended, along with the whistle-blower, a meeting with NI Water and Deloitte's head of audit and governance.”