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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“Minister, people go to hospital emergency departments because they are sick and need help. They do so in the belief that our health system is supposed to care for them and that it should function to save lives. I differentiate between the health system and healthcare staff, who go beyond care. For the health system scenario, this is a damning report. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine details what it describes as a "catastrophe" unfolding in our hospital emergency systems. As Mr Donnelly said, there were 1,032 excess deaths in 2025 associated with 12-hour emergency department waits. Minister, do you accept the report, its eight recommendations and its conclusion that emergency department overcrowding is a result not of growing demand but of system failure?”
“Officials were asked about possible interruptions to medicine supply, and they advised the Committee that vaccines for flu, COVID-19 and other programmes are centrally procured and that no supply problems are expected. <BR /> <BR />At the conclusion of its consideration of the Department's SL1, the Committee agreed that it was content with the merits of the policy proposal and content for the Department to make the rule. The Committee then considered the laid statutory rule last Thursday, and I can confirm today that the Committee agreed that it would recommend that the regulations be approved by the Assembly.”
“Members asked about the consequences of the proposed amendments not being made by 1 April, and departmental officials advised that that would significantly reduce the available workforce and disrupt distribution, affecting the delivery of the COVID-19 and flu vaccination programmes. Members also asked how the Department is addressing public concerns and promoting public confidence with regard to vaccines. Officials advised the Committee that work is ongoing to better understand why people decline vaccines. They are also working to improve messaging to encourage vaccine uptake. Officials also advised that the future transition of the child health system to Encompass will enable streamlined recording and scheduling of appointments.”
“Instead, I will limit my remarks on behalf of the Committee to its consideration of the proposed changes. <BR /> <BR />The Committee noted the proposal for the draft regulations at its meeting on 12 February. In line with the new scrutiny arrangements for delegated legislation, the Committee published the Department's SL1 papers. We issued a call for views on the proposed regulations, and we scheduled the attendance of officials at the Committee's meeting on 5 March. We received no responses to our call for evidence on the proposed regulations. <BR /> <BR />At the Committee meeting on 5 March, members had the opportunity to question officials about the regulations.”
“I welcome the opportunity to outline the Committee for Health's consideration of the regulations. As the Minister said, the Committee supports the regulations. <BR /> <BR />The Human Medicines Regulations control the arrangements for the licensing, manufacturing and wholesale dealing, sale and supply of medicines for human use. As the Minister advised the House, the rule seeks to amend the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 by introducing permanent legislation where time-limited provisions that were made during the COVID-19 pandemic are due to lapse at the start of April, and by expanding the regulations relating to vaccine supply, distribution and administration to any vaccine against an infectious disease. I do not intend to rehearse the detail of the changes being made to the regulations, as the Minister has set that out already.”
“The Member mentioned that journalists have asked questions, which they are entitled to do. However, the key point is that the original Act was passed by all the parties. I remember that, in the Second Stage debate, it was mentioned by some — I will not name the parties — that others had gone out and sold it on their social media. It would be wise for all parties to check through their social media, because that Act was sold by all parties, even those who are currently advocating something different. When it comes to the Bill, journalism and what is being reported, does the Member agree that the original Act was a good one with good intentions, that the issue needs to be legislated for and that this has nothing to do with the original Act; it is just delaying its implementation?”
“Mr O'Toole thinks that his power as Opposition leader means that he can do great things, but I can assure him that Sinn Féin opposed the Bill at Second Stage and that that was nothing to do with the SDLP.”
“If we want to look at wastage, as the Ulster Unionist Party leader pointed out yesterday, or at inefficient spending, we can do so in the health service and many other areas, because it is something about which we should all be concerned. Today, for example, it has been reported that almost £1·8 billion has been spent on agency and locum staff in the health service over the past five years. Against that backdrop, presenting further delay of the 2022 Act as a cost-saving measure seems misplaced when far more significant and urgent financial inefficiencies remain unaddressed.”
“I accept that the amendment seeks to maintain scrutiny of the costs that have been created by the delays, and I acknowledge the intention to ensure that unavoidable spending is not overlooked.”
“<BR /> <BR />I take umbrage at anyone in the Chamber castigating the previous legislation. At the Second Stage, we voted against any further delay to the removal of hospital car parking charges. What we want to see is the original Act being implemented as quickly as possible.”
“They mostly travel by car, because immunosuppression and poor public transport leave them with no viable alternative. Despite supposed exemptions, that charity's research shows that around 62% of young cancer patients and their families still pay to park at hospitals. That demonstrates that the current concessions do not work in practice. <BR /> <BR />The charity also points out that partial concessions are no substitute for the full removal of the charges, with 71% of families already struggling with the cost of travelling for treatment and one in 10 appointments being missed or delayed because they cannot afford the average cost of £250 a month that it takes to get there. It is simply not fair to ask those families to wait for another three years without effective protections.”
“Maybe the Ulster Unionist Party does not understand the Health Minister's position, or maybe there is a difference of opinion. <BR /> <BR />The reality, of course, is that there has been waste and there still is waste: a waste of time by the Department of Health in not implementing the original Act agreed by the Assembly. That failure impacts on patients and staff. It has a negative impact on our health workforce. <BR /> <BR />That failure also has a real-life impact on patients, such as those highlighted to me today in an email from Young Lives vs Cancer, a charity that supports around 260 children and young people with cancer every year. Many of the families of those children already travel an average of 350 miles a month to the Cancer Centre in Belfast.”
“The Sinn Féin position remains, as outlined previously, that the original Hospital Parking Charges Act 2022 should be implemented and charges removed without delay. You would not know it from the debate on the Second Stage of this Bill, but, when the Assembly debated that legislation, almost four years ago, it passed with the support of all the main parties. The Health Minister has also said that he supports the purpose of the original Bill. <BR /> <BR />Even this Bill, introduced by the Minister of Health, aims to delay, not stop, the removal of hospital car parking charges. I found it surprising, therefore, to hear the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party suggest, during yesterday's debate on the motion on waste and inefficiency in government, that ending hospital parking charges was a waste of money.”
“On Saturday night, I was at the North's Pharmacy in Focus Awards 2026, at which the really good work that our community pharmacists do to provide healthcare and improve patient outcomes for members of our community was extolled. Notwithstanding that engagement and my Committee engagement, I am aware of real pressures in the community pharmacy sector. There is the issue of medicine supply, but clawback and core funding are key concerns for the industry. Will the Minister commit to engaging directly with community pharmacists to try to resolve some of the outstanding issues?”
“To put it on public record, Sinn Féin indeed supports the introduction of minimum unit pricing. <BR /> <BR />The Minister, in his statement and his answer, has outlined some of the scientific and medical advice, and we heard at the Committee the Chief Medical Officer give clear evidence of that. On the evidence on reducing alcohol consumption and a reduction in alcohol harm, Minister, do you share my frustration that, once again — you did not mention it, but I will — the DUP has opted to ignore the scientific evidence and health advice and that people's health outcomes will suffer as a result of this decision? Ultimately, as others have said, people will die alcohol-related deaths because the DUP is blocking this very important health legislation getting through the Executive.”
“It is clear that we need our farmers to ensure the upkeep of environmental practices on our land, because nobody else will do it. The Bill will contribute to supporting environmental practice. It will also support the rural way of life and help prevent land abandonment, which has a detrimental impact on the environment. The Bill will help protect biodiversity and ensure that unique areas continue to be preserved, while contributing to our wider food security. As I said, the Bill will help sustain local economies and our agri-food supply chain and help maintain our landscape and natural heritage. <BR /> <BR />I am pleased to support the legislation, given the positive impact that it will have on the farm families, farming communities and rural communities that I represent in North Antrim, those in East Antrim and those across the North.”
“I accept one thing, which is that, if farmers cannot make a profit from farming their land, the environment will be damaged. Farmers are the custodians of our land and are responsible for its environmental upkeep. As colleagues have stated, farming is particularly beneficial in rural uplands and in areas of natural constraint. The issue that the Member raises is not one for Second Stage. He is introducing his own private Member's Bill, so he knows full well that there are opportunities to amend legislation as it proceeds through the House, unless, of course, his party and the DUP get their way and this Bill does not get beyond Second Stage. It is a Bill like any other, in that Members' views can be taken on board, but that cannot happen if it is voted down at this stage.”
“Its commitment to maintaining an uplift in payments in line with inflation ensures that support remains genuine and effective and keeps pace with the rising economic pressures that we are all too familiar with, whether that is through the cost of fuel or other essential inputs. <BR /> <BR />Ultimately, the Bill is about safeguarding the future of hill farming. By recognising the additional burdens placed on the custodians of our land in constrained areas, it helps to secure the environmental and economic sustainability of such landscapes.”
“The Bill and the reinstatement of ANC support will therefore be hugely beneficial to the economic viability and long-term sustainability of farms in those and many other locations across the North beyond County Antrim. <BR /> <BR />It is widely acknowledged that farmers who operate in areas with poor soil quality, steep gradients, difficult terrain and, as I said, harsher weather face barriers that simply cannot be overcome through hard work alone. The Bill recognises that reality. The farms that the Bill recognises are absolutely essential. By restoring financial support and placing the framework for ANC payments on a statutory footing, the Bill will give farmers the certainty that they need to make informed, long-term decisions.”
“I represent North Antrim, and I can easily see how the Bill would bring real benefits to it and the neighbouring constituency of East Antrim. Whether it is the upland grazing areas in Loughguile, Cloughmills and the glens of Antrim; the coastal farmland in places such as Ballintoy, Carnlough and Glenarm, where farms are exposed to harsh Atlantic weather; or the remote hill farms where steep slopes restrict the use of machinery, the challenges are clear and unavoidable. In North Antrim, almost 32% of land falls within areas with natural constraints. In the neighbouring constituency of East Antrim, the figure is even higher at 61%.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of the Bill, and I commend my party colleague Declan McAleer for introducing it. <BR /> <BR />The Areas with Natural Constraints Bill is fundamentally about fairness, certainty and long-term resilience for farms and farmers in our most challenging environments. The Bill will place a legal duty on the Department to design and maintain payment schemes that properly support areas facing significant natural limitations. As Declan said when he moved the Bill, land is not equal, and all farming land is not equal. The Bill can play an essential role in sustaining rural communities, where agriculture and small family farms are vital to the local economy and the social fabric of rural life.”
“If any of you are planning a trip over the Easter holidays or in the summer, I suggest that you make your way up to north Antrim and the north coast to Ballycastle town. <BR /> <BR />Not content to stand still, Ballycastle is looking to the future with investment in projects such as the shared campus and the indoor leisure centre, which will be huge assets for the community and for visitors in years to come. The award is recognition not just of what Ballycastle is today but of the people who built the town, those who sustain it and those who will shape its future. As we celebrate and congratulate Ballycastle town on receiving the award, we must also ensure that Ballycastle continues to grow in the right way, supporting local people, protecting its identity and building on its strengths.”
“Ballycastle is a place with a strong independent retail and hospitality sector. The cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops and producers' local markets give the town its unique character and energy. It is a town renowned for good food and great craic. There is a real vibrancy about Ballycastle, with a thriving arts and cultural scene; a proud and growing Irish-language community; and an events calendar that continues to grow from strength to strength. Last week, I was down there for the St Patrick's Day celebrations. We are all acutely aware of the Lammas Fair. We also have new, exciting festivals such as the Lir sessions and the Ballycastle Rock and Blues Festival. Those events do more than bring people together; they support local businesses, strengthen tourism and showcase everything that makes Ballycastle town special.”
“Living in and representing North Antrim as an MLA is a huge privilege for me. In my biased view, in terms of natural beauty and tourist attractions, no place in Ireland compares. In North Antrim, with all its special places to live, at the top of the tree sits Ballycastle. Is it any surprise that, last week, Ballycastle town won an award naming it the best place in the North to live? That recognition is richly deserved. Anyone who knows or has spent time in Ballycastle will understand exactly why the town has received that accolade. It is a place of extraordinary natural beauty from the stunning coastline to its position as the gateway to the glens, Rathlin Island, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge etc. <BR /> <BR />Like any town, city or village, what makes Ballycastle special is its people and its welcoming atmosphere.”
“This institution has statutory equality duties, including those under section 75. The Minister's own report last year highlighted the particular barriers faced by women and children in the immigration system when accessing healthcare. He has acknowledged the inequalities that exist between different groups of women. Addressing those disparities is a legal and moral obligation. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I recognise that women too often carry most of the weight for advocating for their own health needs. They should not have to. Gender equality in healthcare is not a women's issue; it is everyone's issue. The Minister is not here, but he must provide reassurance that women's health, having been left behind for so long, will now be prioritised in his budget and in the wider transformation of our health service.”
“Cancers such as ovarian cancer often present with vague symptoms, making early diagnosis difficult and highlighting the need for better awareness, research and screening innovation. <BR /> <BR />The women's health action plan offers a real opportunity for the Minister and the Department to address those inequalities. The Minister has previously stated that the action plan, when published, will describe the wide range of policy and service development supporting women's health, what has been achieved to date and what is achievable in the years ahead with current resources. However, as demonstrated by the example of the mental health strategy, without sufficient funding, planned actions cannot move beyond good intentions. Women and girls deserve clarity, transparency and timelines. Women's health must be embedded across all services.”
“It requires only empathy, fairness and a recognition that half of our population are not receiving the standard of care that they deserve. <BR /> <BR />Heart disease, as others have mentioned, remains one of the leading causes of death among women, yet women's symptoms often present differently from men's and are frequently missed. The British Heart Foundation estimates that 26,000 women here are living with coronary heart disease, and its research shows that women face disadvantage at every stage of the cardiac pathway. Those inequalities are further compounded by ethnicity and socio-economic status. Women are disproportionately affected by chronic pain and autoimmune conditions, such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, which are too often dismissed or misdiagnosed.”
“<BR /> <BR />Those realities underline the need for a coherent, lifelong approach to women's health that ensures that perinatal and postnatal maternity care, along with wider reproductive health, are properly supported and that services, research and resources are aligned in order to tackle long-standing inequalities in a consistent and accountable way. Statistically, we also know that, although women live longer than men, their healthy life expectancy is falling. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency's (NISRA) most recent figures show a decline of almost two years for women over the past five years. <BR /> <BR />It should not require personal experience to appreciate the seriousness of the situation.”
“I recognise that many of the issues are not unique to here but, unlike the rest of Ireland and our neighbouring island, we still have no dedicated women's health strategy to address inequalities, despite years of assurances that one was being developed. Such a strategy is essential because women's health changes significantly across different ages and stages of life. Hormonal shifts influence reproductive health, perimenopause and menopause, each bringing distinct impacts on physical and mental well-being. Pregnancy, pregnancy loss and childbirth also have profound and long-lasting effects.”
“As a man, I am acutely aware that I will never personally experience many of the health challenges that are faced by women. However, through repeated debates in the Chamber, it has become impossible to ignore the challenges and consistently poor outcomes that women face when trying to access healthcare in the North, whether that is in endometriosis care, perinatal mental health services or the persistent inability to meet red-flag breast cancer referral targets. We are all too aware of the cervical screening failures and the mesh scandals. <BR /> <BR />While all of our waiting lists are unacceptably long, gynaecology waiting lists remain among the longest of any speciality, with over 52,000 women and girls waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment.”
“If we ignore the connection between gambling, addiction and crime, we risk allowing the cycle of harm to continue. <BR /> <BR />I have two simple but important asks and steps for the Minister: to require the Probation Board to screen for gambling addiction in pre-sentencing reports and to ensure that gambling addiction is recognised in sentencing guidance as a mitigating factor. Taking those steps would help to ensure that our justice system responds not only to the offence itself but to the underlying harm that too often drives it. It would be a meaningful step towards a more effective, humane and rehabilitative justice system.”
“Secondly, we should recognise gambling addiction as a mitigating factor in sentencing guidelines in the way that other jurisdictions already do. Countries such as Canada already recognise problem gambling in sentencing decisions not to excuse offending but to better understand culpability and support rehabilitation. Those changes would not weaken our justice system; they would strengthen it. <BR /> <BR />The Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill presents an opportunity to shape how sentencing works in the years ahead, and the Minister's review of sentencing policy, which was launched in January, provides another important avenue to consider emerging issues such as gambling-related harm. I welcome the Minister's statement that the matters under review are not exhaustive, and I hope that this issue can be included in that work.”
“If we want to reduce reoffending, we must address the causes of crime, not just the symptoms. We have already seen the benefits of such an approach. Since 2018, the substance misuse court at Laganside has used therapeutic intervention and judicial supervision to support individuals who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. The aim is not simply punishment but recovery and rehabilitation. That approach has shown real promise. Why would we apply that kind of thinking to some addictions but not to gambling addiction? <BR /> <BR />There are practical steps that we can take. First, we should ensure that gambling addiction is routinely considered in pre-sentencing reports so that courts understand the full context of an offence.”
“Despite that, our justice system still does not properly recognise the role that gambling addiction can play. Currently, there is no requirement for gambling addiction to be included in pre-sentencing reports. Probation officers may refer someone to addiction services, but it is entirely optional. While sentencing guidelines can include consideration of mental illness as a mitigating factor, addiction, including gambling addiction, is not formally recognised in the same way. That means that, when judges and magistrates make decisions about sentencing, they may not have the full picture about why an offence occurred, and that is a missed opportunity. <BR /> <BR />Recognising addiction does not excuse criminal behaviour, but it helps us to respond to it more effectively.”
“More important, the board also believes that the true figure is likely to be higher. That should not be a surprise to anyone: gambling addiction carries enormous stigma, and people are often ashamed to admit it, even when it is the underlying cause of their offending behaviour.”
“Research shows that individuals may resort to what is described as "financial misappropriation": taking loans that they believe that they can repay with winnings, borrowing beyond their means or committing offences in the hope that, as I have said, one last big win will solve everything. Of course, as we know, that never happens. Instead, the situation worsens. What we often see is that those people become first-time offenders — people who would never previously have imagined themselves appearing before a court. Our justice system is already seeing such consequences. In 2023, the Probation Board for the North reported that 4% of its caseload comprised people with a self-declared gambling problem.”
“These incentives are aimed not at the occasional gambler but at people who are already vulnerable. While gambling remains largely unregulated in the North, many people here are particularly exposed to those harms. I understand that this debate is not specifically gambling or addiction. It is important, however, that we interject the importance of how this Bill can help to alleviate, or at least take into account, gambling addiction. It is also important to point out that we have a lot more to do in the North to treat gambling addiction as a public health issue and to regulate and bring our laws up standard. <BR /> <BR />As gambling addiction escalates, people can, and will, become desperate.”
“We have seen cases locally where employees have stolen from their workplaces to cover gambling debts, believing that one more win will allow them to repay the money. We regularly read in the local papers of cases where individuals have accumulated large personal debts through online betting before resorting to fraud in a desperate attempt to keep up the repayments. Those are not isolated incidents. They are fast becoming an almost weekly occurrence in our local newspapers; examples of how addiction can push people into behaviour that they would previously never have contemplated. <BR /> <BR />Gambling companies are making enormous profits while deploying increasingly aggressive tactics to keep people gambling, including free bets, free spins, VIP schemes and loyalty programmes that are designed to reward the biggest spenders.”
“If we are serious about building a justice system that prioritises rehabilitation and reduces offending, we have to be honest about the factors that lead people to the courts in the first place. The evidence on gambling addiction is pretty clear. Data from the Gambling Commission shows that around one in six people who are classified as suffering from gambling addiction say that they have committed a crime as a direct consequence of gambling. <BR /> <BR />In the North, the problem is particularly acute. Around 3% of adults meet the threshold for gambling addiction, and 14% of people who gamble say that they have bet more than they can afford to lose. Those statistics represent people and real consequences.”
“While my colleagues have spoken to the totality of the Bill, I am going to speak exclusively on the issue of gambling addiction and how the progress of the Bill could affect that in a positive way. I speak today as chair of the all-party group on reducing harm related to gambling. <BR /> <BR />There is a very real link between gambling addiction and criminal offending. For some people, gambling harm does not just end with financial loss but can spiral into crime, such as fraud, theft and embezzlement, often committed out of desperation. Those crimes are not committed by hardened criminals but, very often, by ordinary people whose lives have unravelled as a result of addiction.”
“<BR /> <BR />Provided that the Bill completes its Assembly passage and receives Royal Assent, the Committee will take forward its scrutiny of how the Department will use the extended window to address the operational, financial and capacity issues that have prevented implementation to date. The Committee's aim remains the same, which is to ensure that, when the 2022 Act is finally commenced, it is done in a way that is safe, sustainable and equitable.”
“The Committee has requested further information on the number of staff who avail themselves of a parking permit. <BR /> <BR />The Committee highlighted the need for trusts to take a more proactive approach in offering free parking to patients and families who meet existing eligibility criteria. Too often, access depends on individuals knowing to ask rather than being offered the support automatically. Consistency across sites is essential. The Minister and the officials indicated that free parking will be brought in before May 2029, if that is possible.”
“In the briefings that the Deputy Chair and I had with the Minister last week and that the Committee had with officials, we were advised that the primary factor in seeking a new, three-year postponement was the wider financial pressure facing the health service and the need to save money where possible, including the £7 million in income that would be lost by introducing free car parking. The Minister has confirmed that again in the Chamber today. <BR /> <BR />During the Committee's briefing, members raised the issue of staff permits and welcomed the fact that staff permits will be free of charge in the next three-year period. The Committee discussed the number of parking spaces at our hospitals, noting that many staff do not have access to parking permits.”
“<BR /> <BR />Since the previous extension in May 2024, the Committee has received a briefing every two months on the implementation of the infrastructure required to introduce free car parking at our hospital sites and the work undertaken by trusts on staff permits. At our most recent briefing, in January, the Committee was assured that the necessary infrastructure was in place across all sites and would be fully operational in May 2026. The Committee was advised that the cost of introducing the new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system was approximately £5 million across all sites.”
“In March 2022, the Assembly agreed that the Act should proceed, with the intention of moving towards free parking across our hospital estate. While the previous delay was sought on operational and procurement grounds, the introduction of the new Bill is driven primarily by financial constraints, reflecting the difficult budgetary environment facing the Department of Health and the wider health service. <BR /> <BR />The Bill is concise. It proposes to extend the postponement of the 2022 Act's commencement for a three-year period, which represents a longer delay than was previously provided for. During engagements with the Minister and officials last week, the Health Committee sought clarity on the necessity and proportionality of such a step.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the Second Stage debate on the principles of the Hospital Parking Charges Bill. The Bill proposes a further delay, this time for up to three years, to the commencement of the Hospital Parking Charges Act 2022. <BR /> <BR />Members will be aware that, in the previous mandate, the former Health Committee carried out detailed scrutiny of the 2022 Act, which included a public consultation and evidence sessions with a wide range of stakeholders. Many of the issues raised remain as relevant today as they were over four years ago: persistent capacity pressures on our hospital sites; inequity in charging arrangements across trusts; financial burdens on staff; and inconsistencies in the application of free parking entitlements for patients and families.”
“Accelerated passage is required to get the Bill through all its stages before then to prevent a period in which parking would be free before charging was put in place. As the Minister outlined, such a scenario arose two years ago when, before similar legislation was enacted, there was a period of days in which parking was free. <BR /> <BR />Officials advised the Health Committee that the Executive had agreed to the introduction of the Bill by accelerated passage on Thursday 26 February. The Committee did not take a position on agreeing to accelerated passage. I will outline the Committee's consideration of the Bill at Second Stage should accelerated passage be granted.”
“<BR /> <BR />Accelerated passage is not something that the Committee encourages. We all know the important role that Committees play in consulting the public on legislation and tabling amendments to legislation following the consideration of evidence. On occasion, however, should circumstances deem it to be necessary, accelerated passage is required. <BR /> <BR />The Committee was informed that the primary reason for introducing the Bill was financial. The Department advised that it could not allow free parking to come into place in May owing to current financial constraints on the health budget and the approximate cost of £7 million a year, which would have an impact on services. The Minister's request for accelerated passage was required, as the existing legislation states that free parking is due to come in in May.”
“I thank the Minister for his opening remarks. I am grateful for the opportunity to outline the Committee's consideration of his request to grant the Hospital Parking Charges Bill accelerated passage. <BR /> <BR />The Deputy Chair of the Committee for Health, Danny Donnelly, and I met the Minister and senior officials last Monday, and the Minister set out the rationale for seeking accelerated passage for the Bill. That discussion was followed by a detailed briefing from officials at the Health Committee meeting last Thursday. Committee members were taken through the justification for seeking accelerated passage and the implications should it not be granted. I record the Committee's thanks to the Minister and his team for that engagement last week and for facilitating further scrutiny of the circumstances that gave rise to the request.”
“I conclude my remarks by paying tribute here in Stormont to Corrina and Johnny, to their wider family, to everyone who continues to support that remarkable charity and to their resilience and determination in ensuring that Noah's memory lives on in a way that helps countless others.”