Robin Newton
East Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Member for giving way. The Member is aware that the Education Committee took on the very early role, as he requested. Mrs Dodds made the point that the Bill does not have a natural home, and that many suspect that its required budget will be much greater than that outlined in the Bill.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. She is absolutely right about how despicable a crime human trafficking is and about the attempt, via the Bill, to address it.”
“That is not the type of language that we expect to see from such respected bodies. Their overall concern is the education of our children. They represent schools, and they say that the Bill is "flawed" and "not fit for purpose", but it looks as though we will vote it through. <BR /> <BR />I move now to the history of the Bill.”
“Thank you. There seems to be a similar attitude to this legislation. We, on this side of the Chamber, and indeed others, have consistently argued that a private Member's Bill is not suitable for this type of legislation. The ramifications of the Bill are significant.”
“Again, it has been referred to that the chief executives of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools; the Controlled Schools' Support Council; the Governing Bodies Association, which is the body covering voluntary grammar schools; the Catholic Schools' Trustee Service; the Transferor Representatives' Council, which represents the Presb…”
“As we have done at every stage, we oppose the Bill. Mr McCrossan is not in the Chamber at the moment, but I am not unlike him in the sense that I believe in all our children being educated together.”
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“It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to Mr Derek Baker, who, to a large extent, held the fort while elected representatives absented themselves from the Chamber. I also pay tribute to the dedication of the principals, teachers, admin and school support staff who operated in a vacuum for three years. <BR /> <BR />I am a bit nervous about some of the words that I have heard around the Chamber and about what might be regarded as a root-and-branch approach. We have much to be proud of in our education system and a strong foundation on which to build. That is not to say that we should not address issues — of course, we should — but we have much to be proud of. Our education system is a jewel in the crown of Northern Ireland, and it just needs to be polished continually to make it that much better.”
“I am pleased to support the motion, which is a direct lift from the 'New Decade, New Approach' document.”
“We need to support the efforts that the staff have been making in Belfast City Airport and encourage them in the difficult task that they have ahead. Politicians have a role to play in the issue of air passenger duty.”
“It is a hammer blow to the business community, the travelling community and to the tourism community, given that Northern Ireland has, in the past number of years, upped its game to become a place attractive to tourists. <BR /> <BR />I was more than impressed by the actions of Mr Brian Ambrose, the chief executive, and his staff. In a difficult situation, he took a very positive attitude. He was able to announce, first, additional flights to Scotland and, now, additional flights to Teesside International Airport with Eastern Airways. He was upfront with the TV crews and the media, portraying what could only be described as steely determination to get the airport up and running again. Politicians and representatives of all shades not only from east Belfast but from all of Northern Ireland need to step up to the plate.”
“I am grateful to the Member who tabled this Matter of the Day. We all know the value of George Best Belfast City Airport to the economy of east Belfast, Belfast and, indeed, Northern Ireland — it is that crucial. It is a sad day when the collapse of budget airline Flybe causes not exactly a crisis but, certainly, a serious situation. Belfast City Airport, at this stage in the process, deserves and needs the support of the business community, the wider community and the political community so that it can work through the project of securing airlines to fill the gaps in routes. It was mentioned that Flybe had 80% of flights going out of George Best Belfast City Airport.”
“I am struck by the fact that the Member was prepared to run five or six miles to get to the Building. Perhaps I should have mentioned some of the statistics, which match the Member's approach. Sixty per cent of people who could have used a car to get to work instead chose to make their journeys on foot or by bicycle. A total of 245,422 people made trips on the route in 2012. There has been a significant increase since then, with 86% of people who have used the route saying that it helped them, just as you said, to increase their level of activity.”
“The case for investment in the Comber greenway is indisputable. It brings so much to that corridor from east Belfast to Comber, and not just for those who live in areas abutting on to it. There is the additional potential for business activity and education opportunities for our children, who can use it as a play area. It brings a holistic approach to improving our overall health and well-being.”
“We have an opportunity to do that here. Indeed, we have an opportunity to do much more than just develop the cycling strategy. <BR /> <BR />I will finish by saying that, in its document 'Exercise, Explore, Enjoy: A Strategic Plan for Greenways', the Department outlines its vision, aims and objectives. It states:”
“I am pleased that the Minister, in her former life and in her current role, has been a supporter of the greenway movement and the cycling movement and so on. I am not quite sure what her role was here, but I am pleased that, Nichola Mallon, as an elected representative, paid tribute and said:”
“Travel a mile down the road to Ballyhackamore and you will pay top dollar for a property renting — a mile down the road. There is potential for the Comber greenway to link with the Comber Road shops and with Dundonald village, providing increased business opportunities and the opportunity to enhance Dundonald village. That would be a significant feature if we were to invest in the Comber greenway, and it could enhance life in and around Dundonald village. <BR /> <BR />It is not possible to think of it just as somewhere to walk or cycle. We need to think of it in a holistic manner. We need to think about what abuts on to the Comber greenway on either side and about its potential as a whole.”
“There is potential to develop the Hanwood Centre along the route, to increase the cycle facilities that have been provided by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and to have guest houses abut on to it. <BR /> <BR />There is a major opportunity where the Comber greenway reaches Dundonald village. I accept that Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is working on another plan, but Dundonald village is described in the current plan, in about six lines, as a village with a high level of vehicular traffic going through it and a number of boarded-up properties. It is a shame that you can rent a property in Dundonald village if you pay the rates. You do not need to pay rent; you can pay the rates, and you will get a property in Dundonald village.”
“It probably has a better opportunity than the Connswater greenway to encourage wildlife, to develop shrubbery and the bridges along its route, and to pay tribute to its long history as a railway track. A number of station platforms are still in situ, and there are groups interested in bringing them back into view. It has the potential to hold events and, indeed, to contribute overall to a much more holistic and healthy lifestyle for our communities. <BR /> <BR />Like greenways across the UK, the Comber greenway also has the opportunity to contribute to increased business and the creation of businesses, be that with the existing Holywood Arches traders or new traders that could abut on to it.”
“There is no reason why the Comber greenway, with the right vision and support and with a holistic approach to its development, should not receive the same accolades. It has the potential to be a living landmark and a valuable, life-enhancing asset. <BR /> <BR />The Comber greenway has the potential to offer increased levels of walking, cycling and dog walking. I am pleased that the infrastructure is in to allow lighting to be applied from the Holywood Arches to the Billy Neill playing fields. That is positive. We need to move to the next stage of lighting installation. I hope that the Minister will see that as a worthy investment. <BR /> <BR />The Comber greenway goes further than just a venue for walking, cycling and dog walking. Like its sister project, the Connswater greenway, it has the opportunity to apply to provide play facilities.”
“We need to take notice of the benefits that greenways have, in general, brought to Northern Ireland. The best model of a greenway is the Connswater greenway. I have often referred to the Comber greenway as a sister project of the Connswater greenway. Both link at the junction of the Holywood Arches, where there is a natural, continuous flow from one into the other. <BR /> <BR />The evaluation report of the Connswater greenway states:”
“— Belfast's citizens, not east Belfast citizens —”
“I am pleased to say that Belfast City Council and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council unanimously supported a motion calling for investment in the Comber greenway. Belfast City Council established a working group as a result of that motion. I look forward to Ards and North Down Borough Council giving consideration to a similar motion and working with the Department on the development of the greenway. <BR /> <BR />Belfast City Council, in its motion, noted:”
“Each of those organisations recognises what an asset the Comber greenway is.”
“from Comber through to east Belfast. Discover Northern Ireland said:”
“Sustrans, which has had a major part to play in the development of the route, said that the Comber greenway:”
“recognising it as a great asset. Walk NI said:”
“I thank the Minister for Infrastructure for taking time away from what I know are many very busy and competing priorities. At the start, I would like to pay tribute to two permanent secretaries who were in the Department prior to the restoration of the Assembly, namely Mr Peter May and Ms Katrina Godfrey, who made what contribution they could to the development of and investment in the Comber greenway. It is appropriate that we acknowledge the fact that they did that. <BR /> <BR />The Comber greenway is a seven-mile route that runs from east Belfast right through to Comber. It is recognised by a number of organisations that have an interest in cycling, well-being and health. Cycle NI said:”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does he agree with me that, although the statistics for a crime against an older person record the one or two people who may be involved, where older persons are living in a community, a tsunami wave of fear runs across that community and creates many more victims than those who have been directly affected by the criminal act?”
“Does the Minister have any plans to convert the school estate to more sustainable energy sources?”
“We are looking at addressing the links between persistent educational underachievement and the socio-economic background that, perhaps, creates that. The Department is looking for an additional £10 million for that in 2020-21, increasing to £30 million annually. <BR /> <BR />Under New Decade, New Approach, we all need to think that we are investing in our children and young people. This is not a cost. However, if it is perceived to be a cost, the failure to meet it and the future ramifications of not meeting it, will be borne by every other Department. The Department has already identified an estimated cost of £426 million. I hope that, when the Minister comes to make the allocations, we will see that education is one of the mainstays of his Budget.”
“The Department indicated that it is estimated that another £30 million will be needed annually to cover the implementation of the new SEN framework. I do not think that there would be any disagreement — I hope that there would not be — across the Chamber or the Departments in addressing those needs. <BR /> <BR />Mr Speaker, you will be aware that we have debated another area of education, which is referred to as "educational underachievement"; I wish that we could get away from using the term "underachievement" and, perhaps, look at that aspect of education in a more positive way. There is probably much more of a need in areas where there are young Protestant boys or males who have not, perhaps, embraced education in the way that many other parts of the community have.”
“I do not think that anyone would not be supportive of teachers being sufficiently rewarded. <BR /> <BR />I will also mention briefly another area that has a great deal of sympathy and empathy: teachers who provide a service to children with special educational needs. The Committee had the privilege of meeting, in an informal way, a leadership group from special educational needs teachers. We did so to try to understand the pressures that they are and will be under, as was referred to earlier, with a growing number of pupils with special educational needs needing to receive an appropriate education. We should, perhaps, think not just of the teaching aspect of that but of where those teachers are required to provide a care aspect, even to the extent of spending time on pupils' medical needs.”
“We will maybe get the opportunity to spend a bit more time on each of the areas tomorrow, but, in making that bid for £354 million, I do not think that anyone in the Chamber would disagree — at least, I hope that they would not disagree — that we need to spend money on some areas. I will mention a few of those areas. I think that we would all agree that the teachers' industrial dispute has to be solved and that, in recompense to them, their standard of payment is made comparable to those in other parts of the UK. The Department has included a total of £148 million for the estimated 2020-21 pressures to address the teaching and non-teaching pay disputes. Of that, it is estimated, circa £68 million is required to implement the current proposed deal for teachers, which covers the 2017-18 period.”
“They have been diligent in presenting their papers to the Committee, and their clarity of thinking and prioritisation of issues are to be admired. They have displayed those skills in a very difficult situation for officials, when no Minister was available. Their task was to create a successful educational environment, but it was short of finance.”
“He indicated that he would require between £300 million and £400 million, and, indeed, the Department has confirmed that it is a figure in that region. <BR /> <BR />I pay tribute to the Department of Education officials for how they approached the situation and for how they conducted themselves and performed during the time when we were not performing in the Assembly.”
“We are now looking at every aspect of life in Northern Ireland through the New Decade, New Approach agreement that was reached by the five main parties. <BR /> <BR />When the Department officials came last week to speak to the Committee, that was after the Minister had been there the week before. The Minister made his case and indicated to the Committee members what, he thought, was required to make sure that we have an education system that is recognised internationally for the quality of its teaching and learning, for the achievements of young people and for the focus on meeting their needs. The Minister addressed the Committee on his perceptions and thoughts and the approach that he would use.”
“I will speak on the spring Supplementary Estimates 2019-2020 as a member of the Education Committee. I note that what we are required to do is to Vote on Account and provide finance to allow existing services to continue in the early months of 2020-21, pending consideration of appropriate legislation to provide the funds. That is what we are debating today. <BR /> <BR />I agree with much of what the Chair of the Committee said and, indeed, much of what Mr Daniel McCrossan said. There appears to be a fairly cohesive approach by the Committee on what is the most important feature for our future well-being in the sense that we start to think about education not as a cost to the Minister but as an investment by the Minister in the future of the children and young people of Northern Ireland.”
“I note that the Minister has used the word "revitalisation" several times in her answers to the question. Will the Minister consider revitalisation to include the potential of the Housing Executive to build new homes? Where there is demolition of Northern Ireland Housing Executive homes, will the Minister consider that those sites will stay within and become an asset of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive?”
“Ian was interested in and a strong promoter of Ulster Scots, not just the language but the Ulster-Scots life and the Ulster-Scots times. <BR /> <BR />Many of us knew that Ian was ill, but his sad passing came more quickly than had been anticipated. When it is your time and a village is sealed off to hold the funeral, when the president of the Republic of Ireland makes the journey to that funeral, when you see the respect and silence during the entry of the remains to the church and, indeed, when, as the funeral procession takes place, there are 17 lifts of the coffin, you know that someone special has passed. I extend my sympathy to his wife, Kerry — many of you know that Ian married late in life — and, indeed, to his wider family.”
“He was a great historian, the author of many books, a man of great intellect in his research work and, as already mentioned, a man who spoke many languages. Yet, he was a man who was extremely humble and could walk comfortably in the presence of kings and in the presence of the most humble. He had the ability to cross the Chamber and be friends, yet he was a strong unionist — a unionist with a capital "U" — and never at any stage did he forsake those unionist principles. He had the ability, as I said, to walk with the most high but also an ability to drill right down into matters affecting the community that we both served in the east of the city. Indeed, it was a privilege to be at meetings with Ian, and it was a good learning experience for me.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, for making the time available to carry out the tributes today, some of which are, perhaps, more personal than others. I acknowledge what has been said by my colleagues about Oliver Gibson and Wilson Clyde, two men whom one had to respect. <BR /> <BR />I hope that the Ulster Unionist Party will forgive me and will not mind if I pay tribute to Dr Ian Adamson, whom I regarded as a personal friend, and I am sure that you did, too, Mr Speaker. We served together for many years in Belfast City Council, where he earned respect across the chamber for his abilities to communicate in an effective but very poignant and, indeed, jocular way, as has been mentioned. As a person, Ian was a man of great distinction.”
“— when they have to make appointments or cannot get appointments unless they wait a long time.”
“Although the Minister has taken that little bit of extra time, I welcome his response because he has delved into the matter and has given a very detailed answer. When it comes to practices coming together, my constituents would take some convincing that that has been to their advantage —”
“I thank the Minister for those very encouraging words. I know that work has been done by the Minister for Social Development, but, at the end of this mandate, will the Minister encourage this type of work and project to be part of the legacy that will go into the next mandate?”
“Social clauses should also include those coming from a special needs background. By doing that, and by coordinating recommendations 10, 11 and 12, we can make a huge difference in the future to those suffering from special needs.”
“<BR /> <BR />That brings me to recommendations 10, 11 and 12, which are where those opportunities need to be picked up. Minister, there is lots that you could do in a coordinating role. However, others have a coordinating role as well, especially when we think of the huge leverage that business organisations have. Organisations like the Institute of Directors, the Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Business, the Sector Skills Councils and, indeed, larger organisations can all, in a coordinated way, offer opportunities, along with DEL, to address these issues. The Minister does support industry and businesses, and these organisations are in receipt of financial aid. <BR /> <BR />One of the things that the House has been extremely keen to push forward is ensuring that any contracts awarded contain social clauses.”
“Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />It has taken the opportunity to perform, in association with employers, statutory bodies and stand-alone business enterprises. I think that you will be surprised when you hear tonight what Orchardville actually does. <BR /> <BR />Unlike Anna Lo, I did not have an opportunity to have my hair cut by anyone from that background. In fact, I would not really be much of a challenge; they would not have to demonstrate much skill to cut my hair. I do, however, eat in Espresso East, which is a cafe run by the Orchardville Society, and I can assure you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and Mr McCarthy that the food there is second to none. So, opportunities are there to be grasped, but organisations need the support to provide them.”
“The Orchardville Society offers not only a job but, initially, the training by which skills can be acquired so that a student can make the transition into full-time or part-time employment.”
“I speak as someone who has been supportive of a charitable organisation that does extremely valuable work in the area: the Orchardville Society. The Orchardville Society has recognised that, as budgets are reduced, it needs to take specific actions. It has taken actions along the lines of the formation of social economy businesses. Those social economy businesses, some of which have been going for a time, offer opportunities for full-time or part-time employment to those making the transition.”
“That is a matter that needs to be addressed so that, when people move on to training and further education, they are best prepared for it. <BR /> <BR />I only got the report a few minutes after it was launched, and the work that has gone into it is obvious. The report only becomes valuable if it results in action. We are where we are at this time and in this mandate, and it really is about what happens in the next mandate and under the next Minister. It behoves us as MLAs to make sure that specific action comes out of it. <BR /> <BR />I want to speak about recommendations 10, 11 and 12. They are important recommendations, but those three in particular do not stand alone and need to be coordinated.”
“Members of the Committee had contact with Fleming Fulton School, Tor Bank School, which gave evidence to the Committee, and Glenveagh School, which met members of the Committee informally. One thing that each of them raised was that they are not in full control of the school budget. Unlike a mainstream school, a special needs schools is not allocated a full budget for the year so that it can make use of the budget in the way it professionally sees the needs of the school to be determined; indeed, it does not have control of the outplaying of that budget. I have not had a satisfactory answer from the Education Minister in the Chamber about that impediment. The Committee has taken the opportunity to write to the Minister about it.”
“I also thank the Committee because, as we in the Education Committee were working through the special needs Bill, we were aware of the work being done by the Committee for Employment and Learning. Indeed, in many ways, there was a synergy between the two pieces of work, and there certainly was for the pupils who were reaching the time of transfer from the special needs school on to, hopefully, work or education or perhaps to some other facility. <BR /> <BR />I will start by saying that I learned of one major thing that, I think, is an impediment to the pupils in special needs schools achieving their full potential so that they can move on to education or training beyond school age.”
“I thank the Minister for that information. The Minister will be aware of the concerns right across the community. Can the Minister be definitive about what changes we might actually expect?”
“I thank the Minister for that answer. She mentioned the Connswater greenway, which she has seen. Is it her intention that the Comber greenway comes up to the same standard as the Connswater greenway.”
“Given that those organisations enjoy the Minister's confidence, what plans does he have for their development to increase their competence and professionalism so that they might provide an even better service to the justice system?”
“I thank the Minister for his confirmation that there will be a levy in 2017 on the various sectors of industry. Is this not really the first step in going back to the establishment of the sector skills councils or the industrial training boards?”