Philip McGuigan
North Antrim · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I concur with the Minister that patient safety is ultimately the top priority, but patient safety is also important, as the Member said, in terms of assessments. If you cannot get assessments, your safety is compromised.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Further to my party colleague's point of order about the DUP's internal investigation, what is the point of doing an investigation if you are telling us that you have nothing to answer for? You were the leader of the DUP at a time when accusations were levelled against Jeffrey Donaldson.”
“Minister, in your previous answers you talked about the pressures and the difficulties. You said that you were looking for a fair funding model, and you spoke of the need for taxpayers here to be treated equitably.”
“Minister, the inquiry found systematic abuse, neglect and serious governance failure at Muckamore Abbey Hospital over many years — failures that were not isolated incidents but reflected systematic issues across leadership, staffing, safeguarding and oversight that resulted in decades of physical and psychological abuse.”
“When I engage with health service sectors as my party's health spokesperson, there is not one that does not talk about workforce pressures and problems with staff recruitment and retention. That is clearly the case with doctors.”
“First Minister, you have spoken previously about the opportunities created as a result of our unique economic and trading position and about the increased potential that comes with all-island cooperation.”
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“I thank the Member for giving way. I have been listening very carefully to his style, content and tone in the debate, and I was drawn to this quote from a famous man that, hopefully, he will enjoy:”
“Minister, will review of the recruitment process for senior civil servants be part of the reform process?”
“In his response, the Minister talked about disadvantage. There is no doubt that the educational experience during the pandemic has varied greatly to date and will continue to vary for as long as COVID is with us. There is no level playing field. My view is that the CCEA proposals do not go far enough. Given the level of disruption to classes, the level of COVID absences and the amount of lost learning time, will the Minister give further consideration to how the exam series in 2021 will be addressed?”
“Does the Member agree with my party colleague who spoke earlier and talked about accountability mechanisms that recently, when he wrote a letter to Committees purporting to come from the Finance Committee, the Committee was able to hold him to account, and that, in fact, his letter was not on behalf of the Finance Committee but on behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party?”
“Will the Member accept that Justice Coghlin conducted a very fulsome inquiry into this issue that most people thought was conducted very thoroughly and came up with recommendations, none of which required legislation?”
“— and most appropriate use of resources. I welcome this strategy and the shift in policy that it represents.”
“Given the vast economic potential of our renewable resources and the opportunities for high-skilled jobs, high-value research and innovation, retrofitting and construction of green infrastructure that stem from them, that is a stark policy failure. Prioritising the green economy should guide energy strategy policy. An 80% target for renewable electricity by 2030 could result in £1·1 billion of new investment in the North. Climate change does not recognise borders. To be effective, the island of Ireland must operate together where possible to ensure maximum efficiency gains —”
“<BR /> <BR />An energy strategy should, as others have said, be rural-proofed and must take account of the specific issues facing rural areas that result in more carbon-intensive lifestyles, such as sparse connections to the gas grid, poor investment in renewable infrastructure and extremely limited public transport. <BR /> <BR />We must grow the economy through a green new deal. By 2016, more than 50 renewable energy companies were active in the North; as of March 2020, that figure stands at just five. Less than 1% of the private-sector workforce is employed in the green economy, which is accountable for 1·6% of the total turnover.”
“However, in line with just transition principles, that should be done only with the necessary employment supports and retraining offers in place for workers and in full cooperation with trades unions. The closure of Kilroot should not leave any worker unemployed or any family worse off. <BR /> <BR />For both moral and practical reasons, we need an energy strategy based on the principles of just transition. The requirement to urgently transform our society and our economy away from fossil-fuel dependency and wastefulness presents an opportunity to tackle the economic status quo that caused the climate crisis in the first place. As we confront the climate crisis, we must also reshape our economy to create a more democratic, equal and sustainable society. That must be the guiding principle at the heart of any energy strategy.”
“If planned properly, though, a just transition could, in fact, positively transform the lives of people, rapidly reducing emissions while creating high-quality and secure green-collar jobs and warmer homes for all through retrofitting and other measures. It could develop more efficient ways of moving around through investment in active travel and public transport, helping to create a healthier lifestyle. It can produce a world-class digital and physical infrastructure, with an abundance of renewable and more affordable electricity from our common wind and tidal resources. <BR /> <BR />The Kilroot coal-fired power station, for example, must be closed by 2025 at the latest.”
“That is, again, recognition that we need to catch up. A bespoke climate change Act must be devised and implemented as a matter of urgency to codify targets and lay out clear emission reduction milestones. It should also codify sectoral sub-targets for emission reduction. <BR /> <BR />To decarbonise rapidly, we must also tackle the issue of demand. The energy strategy should lay out clear sectoral energy-efficiency targets bound by an overall efficiency target, and it must do so in a way that is consistent with just transition principles. Any move to decarbonise cannot disenfranchise workers or their families or make their lives more difficult; otherwise the policy will be resisted and fail.”
“That is the view of the Assembly, as expressed clearly and loudly in a recent debate on fracking and petroleum licensing. It is a view that must direct the action, strategies and policies of the Economy Minister. <BR /> <BR />The Climate Change Committee requires at least a 35% reduction by 2030 to contribute to the fifth carbon budget, and we have modelled for a reduction of up to 45%. That 45% reduction should be the lower limit of our ambition; in fact, given our abundance of renewable resources, it is decidedly unambitious. As other Members have pointed out, the Scottish Government, for example, have committed to 75% reduction against the 1990 baseline by 2030 in their Climate Change Act; in fact, we in the North still do not have a climate Act and are the only jurisdiction in these islands with that dubious claim.”
“As other Members have done, I thank my party colleague the Chair of the Economy Committee for bringing the inquiry report to the Assembly for debate. Any energy strategy must be placed firmly in the context of the global climate and biodiversity crisis, and, therefore, for us in the North, the strategy must be an ambitious exercise in decarbonisation and radical climate action. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has reported that two thirds of all fossil fuels that we know to exist must remain in the ground if we are to avoid irreversible climate change. Therefore, it is madness that we would even allow exploration for further fuel reserves in the North. Ireland's fossil fuels must remain in the ground.”
“I thank the Minister for her response. I welcome the news that applications for funding will open early next week. I also welcome the financial package that the Minister has agreed with the sporting bodies, her continued engagement with sports governing bodies across the North and, indeed, her engagement with local GAA clubs in my constituency recently. Given that she said that the money will be distributed fairly, can she provide assurances that the money that she has allocated will be accessible by grassroots sporting clubs?”
“Minister, I love nothing more than cycling, running or walking around the rural roads of the North and through towns and villages, and it is a pleasant experience that is often spoiled by witnessing instances of fly-tipping and general littering. I understand the answer that was given to the previous question, but there must be a cross-departmental policy or strategy that can change the culture of people who find littering and fly-tipping acceptable, because it should not be acceptable, and the levels of litter that we have are a disgrace. Furthermore, can the Minister give us an appraisal of how littering and fly-tipping may have changed during the pandemic?”
“Minister, thank you for the statement. It is lengthy and contains a lot of detail. I look forward to going through it in my role on the Committee and to working with you. In total, the annual CAP basic payment is £293 million and represents 79% of the total income of our farmers. Currently, that is wholly funded by the EU. Does the Minister agree that a level playing field on the island of Ireland is critical to the smooth operation of our agri-food economy and that any future policy that diverges from CAP could disadvantage our primary producers and rural communities here in the North?”
“Minister, you outlined how Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to UN sustainable development goal 5, one of the key aims of which is an end to destructive fishing practices. Was the issue of super-trawlers in Irish or British waters, and, specifically, in marine protected areas, raised at the meeting?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It is clear from the information that he has brought to the House, the sums mentioned and from what other Members have said that there is clearly commitment from the EU to Peace programme funding and supporting communities across the island, including my constituency. I have nothing but support for that type of programme. However, one issue that I and some of the groups that I am involved with have is the burden of the application. Will there be a reduction in the administrative burden for applicants?”
“Does the Member acknowledge that in the Climate Change Bill there are targets to 2045 and that key to the Bill is, as I outlined, a just transition in that we bring all sections of society along with us?”
“Sinn Féin is also concerned for low-income farmers who cannot afford to buy this low-emission slurry-spreading equipment. The Department must fulfil its statutory equality commitments and ensure equality of opportunity, as well as mitigations for those farmers who will be negatively impacted. It is important to flag up that whatever measures are outlined will have ramifications for hill farmers, whose farm income is already low and whose farmland is currently disadvantaged. Nevertheless, we should be optimistic. There are a lot of measures to reduce ammonia, and AFBI scientists have stated that there could be significant improvements at designated sites in five to 10 years through the implementation of ammonia reduction measures. We need to get on with this.”
“We have been advised by departmental officials that this draft ammonia plan will be published soon and that it will, hopefully, be an important road map to reducing ammonia emissions here in the North. <BR /> <BR />We all agree that we need to improve our environment and have a sustainable and prosperous agri-food sector. As I have said already, we need to see financial investment in order to help with this. I welcome the Agriculture Minister's recent announcement of £7·5 million for tier 1 of the farm business improvement scheme supporting the sustainability of farm businesses, a scheme which will support the purchase of equipment and machinery that costs between £5,000 and £30,000. I urge farmers to apply to this scheme.”
“There are solutions that will reduce ammonia production and actually make farming here not only more environmentally friendly but also more efficient for the farmers. We need to see the implementation of these solutions accelerated. <BR /> <BR />We can be optimistic that our ammonia reduction strategies will bring improvements to our protected sites. According to the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), a 25% reduction in ammonia achieves significant improvements in the nitrogen disposition of all the North's protected sites. We are keenly waiting for the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to bring before the Assembly his action plan on ammonia. It is required urgently.”
“I welcome the Member's intervention and agree that the issue at stake is the lack of an ammonia strategy coming from the Minister. We need to see that soon, and I will be making remarks later on in relation to that. <BR /> <BR />Not only do we need a cross-departmental solution, and even, as the Member's intervention shows, solutions crossing within Departments, but we also need an all-Ireland approach to properly tackle this issue and reduce emissions. In recognising that agriculture is the key producer of ammonia, we need to ensure that agriculture is the key driver for reduction of ammonia. I think that our farmers are up for that; however, they need help. Education is key, investment is important and support is vital.”
“Teagasc, a research organisation for agriculture in the South, stated:”
“We live on an island where emissions do not recognise borders. Ammonia needs to be considered as a long-range pollutant because of the island's atmospheric and topographical conditions. <BR /> <BR />Anne O'Reilly from DAERA, who facilitated a recent workshop on ammonia emissions, stated that:”
“Ammonia is a form of nitrogen and can lead to the creation and release of greenhouse gas emissions such as nitrous oxide. We need to reduce our nitrogen levels; there are no arguments there. A key driver of ammonia emissions is when urine and faeces mix. This is primarily an issue of the production of livestock and management of slurry. Livestock production is recognised as a key factor in the extent of ammonia admissions. Some 96% of our ammonia emissions come from agriculture. I recognise the critical ammonia levels here in the North and the impact that they are having on biodiversity. The North's ammonia levels are particularly high in comparison to those of our neighbours. None of this is in dispute, so we need to be very serious about addressing the problem. Moreover, we need to do it sooner rather than later.”
“The solution to addressing our ammonia problem can be found only by working with and not against our farmers. Remember that, in most cases, farmers are the custodians of our countryside and natural environment. Recognition needs to be given to farmers who are currently reducing their ammonia output. Any solution must include leadership from DAERA and be driven by its Minister. This is a cross-departmental issue. Given that the original motion that the Green Party submitted was aimed at the AERA Minister, I think that the Green Party also recognises this fact. <BR /> <BR />At this point, I should declare that, as an MLA representing a rural constituency, I have been involved, on many occasions over the years, in planning applications on both sides of this argument on behalf of constituents.”
“It is an environmentally positive principle that encourages radical steps towards halting climate change, but also acknowledges that the only way that those steps will be successful is if we can bring people in carbon-heavy industries with us, and assure workers that they will not find themselves unemployed as a result of a shift to, for example, renewable energy. <BR /> <BR />Agriculture, in this instance, should not be given special dispensation. However, we need to recognise the wider negative impact on this sector, which is so vital to the economy in the North, should a planning moratorium be introduced. It is important to also highlight that our food and drink sector is key to the economy and employment here, with sales of over £5·1 billion. There are too many unknowns for the Assembly to support a moratorium on planning.”
“If, for example, a farmer wishes to redevelop or replace an existing building that would allow for a reduction of his or her farm's ammonia output, a planning moratorium would not allow that to happen and, therefore, no reduction would occur. <BR /> <BR />Sinn Féin is committed to protecting our environment. We are committed to a climate change Act. We are committed to the reduction of greenhouse gases. We are committed to clean air and health water. We want to see a green new deal, and we want to see a just transition in progressing all of this. A just transition is a framework of measures that Governments and organisations must take to secure workers' rights and livelihoods as economies transition to ones based on sustainable forms of production. Just transition in no way seeks to slow or deter this transition.”
“I share many of the concerns articulated by Clare Bailey on the environmental impact of ammonia. In a unary world, I could agree with her about the solution; we do not live in a unary world, however. In this instance, while agreeing with the problem, I feel that a more nuanced and rounded solution is necessary. <BR /> <BR />The motion asks for this problem to be dealt with by the Infrastructure Minister through a moratorium on planning. I have some sympathy with the Infrastructure Minister having to be with us tonight because, from my point of view, this is a motion and debate which requires the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister to be with us. A moratorium on planning is not going to solve the problem. Not only will it not solve the problem, it could exacerbate it in some cases.”
“The Minister will obviously be aware of the tragic death of another cyclist on our roads five days ago. Without any knowledge of that specific incident, as a cyclist, I am well aware that, without cycling-only infrastructure and additional cycling safety measures, unfortunately, further tragedies on our roads will occur. Does the Minister intend to review the Highway Code to explore ways of strengthening it with cycling safety measures?”
“Can the Minister give an overview on the phase two preparations for the delivery of the Communities in Transition project?”
“Will the Minister give us an update on the readiness of ports in the North for the end of the Brexit transition period and what will happen if they are not fully ready by that date?”
“Given the recent discovery of two birds, a swan in Derry and a falcon in Limerick, with bird flu, what are the contingency plans in the Department here in the North in the event of an outbreak of bird flu? What is the level of cooperation across the island to monitor the situation?”
“Minister, thanks very much for your response. Given that the North is being pulled out of the EU against its will and given that you referred to additional costs that still have to be bottomed out, do you think that the British Government should meet the broader economic costs of Brexit in lost trade and employment?”
“Can the Minister provide an update on the RHI scheme itself as per commitments in the New Decade, New Approach agreement?”
“I repeat that the accusation that the Member has levelled most about destroying businesses is one that he should take up with his party colleague in the Department for the Economy.”
“I thank the independent — sorry, DUP — Member for North Antrim for giving way once again. I take exception to the tone of his remarks and the accusations that he has levelled at the Executive, which, in my view, are doing their very best. The Member talks about destroying lives and livelihoods, but I caution him and suggest that he take a walk round Antrim Area Hospital, Causeway Hospital or the hospitals in this city to see for himself the impact of the pandemic on lives and livelihoods. <BR /> <BR />With regard to the finance Bill — which, halfway through the Member's contribution, I forgot we were actually discussing — it is the job of the Finance Minister to provide money and resources to his Executive colleagues.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I represent the same constituency and have the same businesses coming to me. That is why I am writing to the Minister responsible for providing financial support — the Economy Minister. I am extremely disappointed in her performance to date in supplying those businesses with grants and getting money out to them quickly.”
“Given the negative environmental and societal impacts of onshore drilling for oil and gas, there is an obvious need for action. Minister, given what you said about the countless other studies on these islands and further afield that have shown that the practices are deeply damaging to the environment and to the health and well-being of the population, will you commit to ending fracking and conventional exploration for fossil fuels?”
“<BR /> <BR />Given the subject matter of our discussion, I conclude by mentioning the cross-party-supported private Member's Bill in Clare Bailey's name that was recently introduced to the Speaker's Office and that will, at long last, give the North a climate Act with sectoral targets for reducing emissions. I look forward to that Bill progressing speedily through the Chamber and becoming law so that the House can take greater responsibility for the issues affecting our environment, our economy and, ultimately, the livelihood of our citizens.”
“Another worry that has been raised by Members in the debate is that, even though we are debating the emissions trading scheme, we know that, in the background, the British Government may ignore our thoughts on it and those of the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments and instead introduce a carbon tax scheme that they have consulted on this year. That is not devolved to the Assembly, so we would have no say in it. I repeat that we should support the proposal for a trading scheme. In this case, it needs to mirror that which is currently in place with the EU. I say that with all the caveats that I and others have pointed out during the debate.”
“There is always the fear that the British Government say one thing on Brexit legislation and then proceed to do something completely different. Last week, for example, concerns were raised about an amendment to the Westminster Environment Bill that seems to signify that British Ministers are intent on granting themselves the power to interfere with the proposed Office for Environmental Protection. That office was set up because of Brexit to protect environmental legislation and is supposed to be independent.”
“<BR /> <BR />The impact on the North is somewhat negated by the protocol, in that our power stations will remain in the EU trading scheme. They make up the bulk of the North's regulated emissions. As others have said, with the ability for our hospitals and others to opt out, there are likely to be 11 local participants in the new scheme. That is a small number, but it is still a concern, as other Committee members have mentioned, that the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs did not receive the local assessment of the impact in the North that we asked for, despite officials telling us that we would have it before today's debate. That causes me unease. Given my well-placed distrust of the British Government, I also have unease that we have not seen all the framework legislation into which the Order will fit.”
“A cap is set on the total number of allowances, and it is gradually reduced over time. The aim is to encourage reductions in emissions. <BR /> <BR />In general, emissions trading schemes can and should be supported, but, as with most of the proposed legislation that we discuss in the North as a result of the Tory Brexit, there are many unanswered questions and a certain degree of uncertainty and unease. To this point, we were part of the EU trading scheme, and the proposed scheme, we are told, mirrors the EU ETS. Given that we live on an island, it is vital that that remains the case. The scheme must be closely linked, as others have said, to the current EU trading scheme. That is something that is not only needed here but that the Scottish and Welsh Governments have asked for certainty on.”
“This proposal is a cap-and-trade scheme based on the design of the EU emission trading scheme to encourage cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reduction from within the traded sector. The carbon price should be high enough to encourage investment in low-carbon alternatives where the cost of investment is lower than the carbon price. The scheme covers heavy industry, power generators, aviation and similar installations. Those installations are the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide. The current EU ETS, which governs the North, works by making participants purchase an allowance for each ton of carbon dioxide that they emit. The more they emit, the more allowances they need to purchase. There are penalties for failure to obtain the requisite number of allowances.”
“Climate change and global warming are happening, and dealing with them, as I have said in the Chamber on many occasions, is the greatest issue facing this generation. Climate change is occurring due to greenhouse gas emissions from human activity. It is having and will continue to have a devastating impact on our environment and our population through fires, floods, storms and other forms of extreme weather. Adhering to the Paris agreement of 2015, which set the target of keeping average temperature increases to below 2°C compared with pre-industrial levels, is vital. That is the context of why we are discussing the carbon trading scheme. <BR /> <BR />The schemes are about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and working to reduce the impact of climate change — "polluter pays", as it were.”
“The North is the only jurisdiction in these islands that does not have a climate Bill. Given that you, Minister, said in the Assembly two months ago that your officials would begin work to scope out the options for climate change legislation, surely you are in a position to give a definitive time frame to the Assembly.”
“<BR /> <BR />Against the background of all those financial challenges, I commend the Minister for the management of our public finances. I also welcome his commitment to multi-year Budgets, which will provide greater certainty and long-term planning. We now face an economic crisis that will be greater than anything that we have faced before. Economic recovery will be an enormous challenge in the time ahead, but the lessons that we need to learn from the last 10 years include the importance of investment in public services and green growth in the way forward. There should be no tolerance for the disastrous austerity agenda, which has been imposed on us by Tory Governments and has caused so much damage.”
“Like other MLAs, I have listened, over the past months, to many difficult accounts from constituents who are worried about protecting their businesses, jobs or their families. The Minister recently met some of those groups and individuals. I welcome his comments on the subject and, in particular, his request to other Ministers and Departments to quickly bring forward proposals that will address the situation. <BR /> <BR />Notwithstanding the challenges that the Executive face in dealing with coronavirus and its implications for the public purse, we still have the spectre of Brexit hanging over our heads. That presents entirely separate economic difficulties. Unlike COVID-19, Brexit is a conscious and deliberate political act, driven by right-wing English nationalism against the wishes of the people in the North.”