Pat Ramsey
Foyle · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“In light of the extensive reporting of the investigation, there is deep worry and concern amongst the families of staff and prisoners. Can the Minister give us an assurance that he is doing everything in his power to ensure the safety of the staff and prisoners in Maghaberry?”
“On her death, Lisa was awarded an ambassador role by the Singapore Government because of the level of donations she was able to give. Around 50 people got some form of donated organs from Lisa as a result of her untimely death.”
“I hope that, if the Bill passes, the number of transplants will seriously increase, as Jo-Anne Dobson outlined, and I have no doubt that it will. Lives will be saved. <BR /> <BR />I will take personal and political pleasure in supporting the Bill's passage to the Committee.”
“I say to the Member again that there is an opportunity for DUP members of the Health Committee to pose questions and to challenge. If they have concerns, they can raise those concerns. Like other Members, I would like to see an opportunity for the Bill, and I believe that it is a good Bill.”
“The increased awareness and discussion coming out of this is very helpful, as it will encourage and stimulate debate among the medical fraternity and clinicians. Alastair, you have been in some of the meetings where we had senior clinicians voicing their clear support in Northern Ireland for the Bill.”
“I am delighted to be able to talk in the debate today. I declare my membership of the all-party group on organ donation. <BR /> <BR />I have watched with interest over the years the political role that Jo-Anne Dobson has played in, and the passion that she has had for, elevating and promoting organ donation.”
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“On behalf of the SDLP, I want to extend our sadness and sympathy on the passing of Baron Molyneaux of Killead. I want to offer our sincere sympathy and condolences to the family and many friends of James Molyneaux. <BR /> <BR />To say that James Molyneaux has had a distinguished career would be accurate. For many years he was a household name and a key player in Northern Irish politics. I have listened to other Members talk with love, passion and emotion in their voice on the loss and the passing of someone who spent 27 years as an MP, elected initially to South Antrim and then to Lagan Valley. He was first elected as an MP in the 1970s, and, only four years later, he became the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party in Northern Ireland and in the House of Commons. <BR /> <BR />James Molyneaux had a formidable career.”
“In light of our previous discussion, Minister, are you of a mind to ensure that these are programme-led rather than application-driven plans?”
“Separate from the Steps 2 Success training schemes, the most worrying aspect of this is that the month of February sees the end of any young person joining youth employment schemes. Will the Minister outline what will replace those schemes to ensure that young people in particular have an opportunity for training?”
“Following on from my colleague from Foyle Maeve McLaughlin's question on re-energising the north-west gateway initiative, and the deputy First Minister's comments on Magee, there is an important opportunity, because there is, as the deputy First Minister will be aware, a level of apathy and low morale in the north-west. We must ensure access to higher education through the expansion of Magee. Regional imbalance and economic inactivity could be well addressed through the north-west gateway initiative because it will benefit the north-west border areas. Could he finalise that and prioritise it through the ministerial subgroup?”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister for her response. For the record, I chair the all-party group on disability, which had a meeting with the Commissioner for Public Appointments, John Keanie, who has expressed deep worry and concern about the lack of appointments of people with disabilities. Would the Minister be favourably disposed to meeting me and representatives of disabled groups?”
“I thank the DUP for the amendment, but it is something that, on this occasion, we will not support. It is a well-watered-down version that we could go back five or six years and debate on. I appeal in good faith to all Members in the Chamber to support the motion today.”
“There is nothing more important to Derry at present. It was identified within the One Plan. The most important regeneration project that could ever — ever — take place in Derry is the expansion of Magee. Everybody has said it. Every political party in the Chamber has said it, but there were never any indicative lines either in the Programme for Government or the comprehensive spending review. <BR /> <BR />I think the challenge is now —”
“I welcome the intervention from John Dallat. Even though he represents a constituency where the University of Ulster is well-based, he has always been a great champion and advocate for the Magee campus debate, and I welcome that, John. He makes a good point. Continually, certainly over the past nine months, I have repeatedly heard the First Minister and deputy First Minister, on the announcement of jobs in the east of Northern Ireland and Belfast, making the comment that we need to address the imbalance in the north-west. The Member is right. There is one way they can do it — by ensuring, along with our own Minister, Mark Durkan, as well as Stephen Farry and Arlene Foster, that something very positive can come out if it, and that is identifying priorities and budget lines, albeit that it might only be a short space of time.”
“We need the submitted business case to be actioned.”
“I do not wish to be overly negative, and I welcome the fact that Minister Farry states publicly, time and time again, that he is very sympathetic and supportive of the development at Magee, but, Minister, we do not need sympathy. We need debates, and we need action.”
“That letter was dated November 2011. I could read other, older letters, but, in the interests of staying positive, I ask this: what has happened in the intervening four years, given the number of Adjournment debates that we have had in the House, questions for oral answer to the Minister or meetings with the Ministers? We have an additional 600-plus places, but, only last month, to the detriment of the expansion of Magee, several undergraduate courses at Magee were cancelled. Is that moving forward? <BR /> <BR />One progressive movement is the establishment of the north-west ministerial subgroup, which we all welcome. Perhaps it can assist, support and identify the funding mechanisms for the Minister for Employment and Learning. Perhaps it will address a 50-year-old injustice that has never been corrected.”
“not only to my constituency but to the entirety of the north-west and the region of Northern Ireland,”
“<BR /> <BR />I recall signing a letter, as many Members have done, that called for the Magee development to be brought into line with stated objectives in the One Plan. It did take a bit of work to bring everybody to together, including the University for Derry campaign and all the sectors, but we achieved that goal a number of years back. The letter was sent to Dr Stephen Farry and signed by a number of key stakeholders in a sense of unity of purpose. The letter also recognised:”
“<BR /> <BR />I assure you that this issue has been very close to my heart and to that of many of my party colleagues and colleagues from other parties for a long time. I have always been convinced that the development of the Magee campus will have a massive positive outcome for the future of all our young people. <BR /> <BR />The time for talking is long gone; it is time for the Assembly to put its money where its mouth is. If you are serious about addressing issues of economic imbalance, this is the best move. The development of the Magee campus is the most clear and obvious investment in the future of lives of people in the north-west. In truth, that has been clear for decades.”
“I recall many meetings with Jim Allen, the former provost, now deceased, Jack Magill, the former head of Foyle and Londonderry College, and Bishop Séamus Hegarty of the Catholic Church to safeguard the lands for the betterment of the student population. Allow me to state that the basis for expansion exists, the will for it exists, and the need for it exists. <BR /> <BR />We have worked long and hard. All parties in the Chamber that represent the constituency of Foyle have worked hard, along with many stakeholders from the community sector, the business community, the chamber of commerce and across organisations in the city. However, we need to do things better, and we need to do things smarter.”
“However, it would seem not so in Northern Ireland. This Assembly needs constant reminding of the academic, cultural and economic rewards and the returns that we get from higher education. That is what I and the SDLP are here to do. <BR /> <BR />For my entire political career, I have been assisting the development of the Magee campus. I have worked on that issue as an activist, as a councillor, as mayor of the city in 2000 and as an MLA. I assisted in negotiations to secure lands on the Northland Road for the university. A strong educational facility is in the interests of the entire north-west, if not the entire North and the island of Ireland.”
“That is exactly what we want this House to assist us with: effecting positive change for Derry and the north-west, a positive move for the young people of the north-west and a positive move for the north-west's economy and that of the island of Ireland. It is important that we frame this, as I said, as positively as we can. <BR /> <BR />The motion notes the hurt that was visited upon the city of Derry 50 years ago. There is not much use in constantly revisiting the sins of the past when we are trying to improve the situation for many in the future. We know what those sins are: they were as clear then as they are now. The important aspect is that they are not allowed to be repeated. Magee's development cannot and should not be shelved. <BR /> <BR />The merits of developing and advancing a higher education campus anywhere would be obvious.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is very important that we have this debate within a positive framework, lest another Derryman or -woman accuse me or my party colleagues of whinging about the university. The purpose of this debate, however, is to ensure that our young people have the facility that they deserve. We need to support them to structure their learning within the parameters that have earned the University of Ulster its global reputation for excellence. <BR /> <BR />I have spoken before in the Chamber about the hurt in the heart of the city of Derry. The hurt caused by the university decision 50 years ago is still unreal. No one is whinging: we have brought forward this motion in an attempt to effect positive change.”
“Before I commence, allow me to say for the benefit of any young person who may be listening that, if you want an education, you will get one. Your desire to learn and the success of your desire to achieve is your biggest and best resource. Never stop learning inside or outside university and keep up your studies. The reward will be yours. <BR /> <BR />Allow me to take this opportunity to say that the situation with our local university will hold you back only if you allow it to do so. Securing work and study is more difficult in the north-west, but it is not impossible. While it may be harder to access full-time undergraduate courses in Derry, it is important to state that failing to secure a place in your hometown is not the end of your academic career. Do not allow the historical situation at Magee to deter you from your dreams.”
“We have an increasingly older population, and those older people feel safe in their communities and want to walk to the shops themselves. If the Bill became law, we would see increased footfall in our communities. There would be increased financial transactions and increased health benefits to young and old alike. <BR /> <BR />To conclude, I thank all Members for their contributions. I look forward to a challenging period when the Bill is being discussed in Committee. I look forward to many amendments, some of which I will consider tabling myself. I thank everyone for their support.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have a few more points to make. Opinion research carried out in south Edinburgh on the 20 mph pilot found that residents felt that the new speed limit had a range of positive impacts. The most often mentioned was improved safety for children walking and cycling. The 20 mph speed limit encouraged more considerate driving, leading to safer streets for all road users, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. The lower speeds reduced the risk and severity of road collisions. <BR /> <BR />Reducing traffic speed helps make people more confident about being in their local streets and helps children and older people travel independently. That is the point that I want to finish with, because I missed it out in my opening comments.”
“I have absolutely no doubt that the evidence from Britain, particularly that presented by Daithí McKay, Chris Lyttle, Steven Agnew, John Dallat and me, is clear and obvious. <BR /> <BR />I was not going to go back over it, but I think that people should reflect on the debate. It was a good debate, and it leaves us well placed. There is a short period available, Minister, and I hope to engage with you and the Department and with any other Member. Some Members approached me before now to try to get another discussion on the best way forward. That is what I want. I am not for dismissing the important contributions that every Member in the Chamber has made. Some I may not have liked, but I respect what was said because of the importance of democracy and of standing here and having your point of view heard.”
“It is my private Member's Bill, but I am very content that it be interrogated to the fullest to get the best out of it. The people who would see the advantage of the Bill are the next generation. <BR /> <BR />Steven Agnew made the important point that the onus has to be on protecting life, in particular saving the lives of young children and young people in Northern Ireland. I think that that is the will of the Assembly and that Sammy Wilson did a solo run, as he does on many other environmental issues. Indeed, within his own party, he probably did a solo run. Steven talked about being able to opt in or opt out, and we have to examine those options. I am on the same page as the Minister, in that we are getting to a time in which people want the legislation, have a desire for it and can see the benefits of it.”
“Alex conceded that, when he held the portfolio of roads Minister, he should have been more radical. <BR /> <BR />The advertising campaign came up. I must say that, from my constituency, the family of a young girl who had been seriously injured participated in the programme and got a lot out of it. I think that it did have an impact on people's lives. I think that, because of the drama in it, it had an impact on the way in which people are driving in Northern Ireland. It was real-life stuff. It talked about a consultant having to tell bad news to a family and about a mother and father losing a son. We need to see more of that. The Environment Minister has said that he may not be able to do it any more. <BR /> <BR />Alex was one Member who said that we need to interrogate the Bill, and he is absolutely right.”
“In his own language, he was very "cold and calculating". He showed a level of arrogance in the Chamber that I have not seen in a while when we have been debating such a serious issue as this. <BR /> <BR />Alex Attwood talked about the importance of the Minister's role. He said that the Minister could bring the weight of the Department in behind the Bill. I am very content that the Minister has given me an assurance that he will work with me. I also want to work with your Committee, Trevor, to progress the Bill as best we can to ensure that we have, in the future, in Northern Ireland, a much safer environment, so that the next generation coming through — our grandchildren — will have much safer streets, and we will have saved the lives of young people.”
“Most Members will accept the difficulty that families face. John talked of the need to show more respect on the road, and I think that the need for that is obvious. We have all seen incidents of road rage, irrespective of where we live. John made the point that this is one small step and that we need to invest in road safety. He said that this was a most serious subject, and I would not be standing here unless I felt that it was so. I have a particular personal interest in this. <BR /> <BR />Sammy Wilson said that we should not judge legislation by the passion or the sincerity of the proposer. He said that the Bill was incompetent. I find it strange, I have to say, that Sammy, as a former Minister for road safety in Northern Ireland, is not in the Chamber. He was dismissive of the arguments made in the Chamber.”
“<BR /> <BR />Alex Easton talked about taking the Bill seriously and being responsible. He spoke of the loss of lives and said that enforcement was an issue. He talked, as Trevor did, about the mixed messages from the police. He also referred to the differential in costings that Chris Lyttle talked about. We have to find a definitive benchmark of the costings for signage alone and when work on that can be incorporated into routine work. As I said in my contribution, during planned maintenance, the signage would be changed anyway. We have to look at those elements as well. <BR /> <BR />John Dallat, as ever, spoke with conviction and passion about how important the Bill was. He gave a short testimony of his career as a teacher, and he talked about the loss of life of two children in Donegal, which is important to place on the record.”
“Come Consideration Stage, that topic will be exhausted. <BR /> <BR />Tom Elliott, who is no longer in the Chamber, was responsible in making his comments. He said that the Bill must be seen as positive — he is absolutely right — and that there must be significant scrutiny of the Bill, which is important. He made the point — it is quite right — that he would be surprised if any Member of the House did not want legislation that could save lives. He made a point that I reflected on, though we did not use the same language, about changing attitudes. A cultural change is necessary throughout. I talked earlier about a generational change, but it will not take a generational change with education programmes in schools, youth clubs and communities to help. There has to be buy-in and stakeholder partnership.”
“Chris Lyttle has just come back into the Chamber. He acknowledged the role of Conall McDevitt, who initiated the Bill prior to his untimely resignation from the House. I wanted to carry on his work. I supported Conall through the initial stages of the Bill, so it was not a huge difficulty for me to take it on. Chris talked about reducing deaths and injuries, which is important. He also referred, a few times, to the importance of improving Committee scrutiny and looking at the best and most cost-efficient way of doing this. Many roads will be exempt from the Bill, for example, and all these questions will be teased out at Committee Stage. Chris talked about the positive aspects of the Bill. He mentioned the differential in estimates, ranging from £6 million to over £20 million, given by the Finance Minister and to the Committee.”
“<BR /> <BR />Many Members referred to the cost of deaths and also the cost of introducing the legislation, which we cannot ignore. Daithí cited a figure of £1·7 million. The new figure from Transport NI is that the estimated cost to the economy of a loss of life is £1·9 million in Northern Ireland. I met Daithí a few times to have this discussion. He is very supportive of the Bill and wants it to pass. It is a good extra point in favour of trying to reduce deaths and injuries on the road.”
“I do not have them, but I am sure that the Committee, during its scrutiny of the Bill, will be able to determine that. I think that the police hold those records rather than any Department. <BR /> <BR />Daithí McKay acknowledged the contribution of Assembly staff in helping Members to bring forward a private Member's Bill, and that was important. We acknowledge their help and contribution. He used the word "compromise", and I have also used that word to try to ensure that we reach consensus on the Bill for the key stakeholders: the communities where people live. The police are vital. I said previously, and I will say it again, that the community and public safety partnerships across Northern Ireland, along with the new councils, clearly have a role in representing their constituents.”
“<BR /> <BR />Unfortunately, Sammy Wilson has left the Chamber after his devilment during the debate, but we expect that from Sammy and can take it. <BR /> <BR />There were five deaths in 30 mph zones last year in Northern Ireland. That was clear from a question for written answer that I put to Minister Durkan only three weeks ago. The evidence is there that people across Northern Ireland drive with excessive speed and cause injury. In fact, one of the deaths not so long ago was on a one-way street, where excessive speed at over 30 mph killed someone. There were six deaths in 2012 on a single carriageway in a 30 mph zone, there were five in 2011 and five in 2013. There is consistency.”
“<BR /> <BR />I reiterate that I had a phone call with an assistant chief constable, and I had previously been in contact with a former assistant chief constable on those issues, and I stand by what I said — I will share the contents of a letter — that I was pushing an open door about taking the Bill forward. The Minister's latter point is a point that I myself made, as did the police: it is a bottom-up approach in bringing forward any legislation, and you bring people along with you. I always envisaged that as we progressed. Mr Clarke finally said that one death is one too many, and he is absolutely right. For me, the purpose and objective of the Bill is to save lives and to save the lives of so many children.”
“I commend, acknowledge and thank Members who took the time to participate in and make very useful contributions to the debate. Others, may I add, were not so useful. <BR /> <BR />Trevor Clarke, the Chair of the Regional Development Committee, quoted a range of areas that have introduced this scheme. The Committee clearly saw public support for it during its visit to Edinburgh. He was very keen to explore issues in rural areas, and, given that he is the Chair, I am sure that the Committee will explore that during Committee Stage. The Committee thought that the principal objective of the Bill was worthy and was content to move it forward. He talked about traffic calming measures in his area. I take his point and Alex Easton's that mixed messages were coming from the police.”
“Cycling group C2C supports the Bill, and a number of councils that responded to the consultation very clearly support it. We received responses from councils across Northern Ireland, not least my own Derry City Council, along with Strabane, Dungannon, Banbridge, Lisburn and Omagh. <BR /> <BR />As I finish, Members, I appeal to you to have common sense. My entry point on this has always and solely been to prevent loss of life on the road, particularly the lives of children, and there is clear evidence for that. I am absolutely sure that the introduction of the Bill would reduce the trauma and awfulness that come to a family home following the loss of a child. Thank you for your support.”
“That was one of the quotes that I was going to use. I welcome the intervention, and I agree with him. <BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland Cycling Initiative agreed, stating:”
“I quote, as I have quoted all day, "This will save lives".”
“At consultation stage, the road safety charity Brake said:”
“Another important group, Disability Action, told me:”
“That is what we are doing today, and, if the Bill passes its Second Stage today, it will be given further consideration at Committee Stage. <BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People welcomed:”
“I think that the Minister would probably concur with that, as I know that he has been very obviously promoting and championing it since taking up post. <BR /> <BR />Sustrans made this final point:”
“According to the latest available figures, seven pedestrians and four cyclists were killed on Northern Ireland's roads in 2013. Additionally, 162 pedestrians and 42 cyclists were seriously injured. That was not 20 years ago; that was 2013. <BR /> <BR />Sustrans supports a 20 mph limit on residential streets:”
“The Minister believes that the idea is right but that we may have to work hard at ensuring that we get the implementation mechanisms right. I fundamentally agree. The Department's preferred approach, as communicated to the Committee, would be to enable the introduction of reduced speed limits but not to impose them. That is a matter for debate and for Consideration Stage. <BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said that it would support the speed limit reduction in smaller residential streets. It welcomed the move as the most effective means to reduce incidences of deaths and serious injury on the road. Sustrans stated:”
“It is about trying to ensure that, over the next number of years, we go into primary and secondary schools to teach the drivers of the future to slow down and about the impact that they have in their communities. It should also be part of the driving test. It is about buy-in. <BR /> <BR />Consensus is important. When the new councils are set up, it would be wrong of me not to have a further consultation with them and with the new community and public safety partnerships. I want to hear from communities that want to be talked to. Young people have a voice, and I want to hear that as well. I am trying to find a mechanism to enable young people to come forward so that I can hear that voice. <BR /> <BR />DRD has told the Committee that it will back the Bill but not a blanket position of 20 mph.”
“Yes, and I am also mindful of that. During the consultation and when I briefed the Committee, a number of Members made the point that traffic calming measures are important for many parents in our communities. Ramps have the physical effect of slowing cars down. Thankfully, we have that engineering and design in most new development schemes across Northern Ireland, particularly in social housing, where they are designed into plans from the outset. It also happens in private housing. We have to look at that. It is not part of the Bill at the minute. The Bill does what it states. <BR /> <BR />I hope for and have a full desire to have road signage across Northern Ireland that will ultimately mean change. I say again that this is about transforming the culture that people have had for decades in Northern Ireland.”
“I know that the Member is very supportive of this course of action. As I said to other Members during the consultation, in discussions in Committee and in today's debate, it would be wrong not to reflect on points that are made to me. I will reflect on the best course of action, including in my discussions with the Minister's office, on how this can be best delivered. It would be wrong of me not to take those points on board. <BR /> <BR />I have said that I will take stock after the debate and bring forward, if necessary, some amendments of my own, if that improves the Bill and I get buy-in from the Department that takes the lead on the issue. My overall desire is to ensure that we put something in place that will make a difference to people's lives.”
“I am not interested solely in introducing lower speed limits when they are not requested by local communities. The success of this move depends on local communities, stakeholders, the police and transport providers, including public transport, believing and buying into the fact that new lower limits will improve their way of life.”
“Its feedback was overwhelmingly supportive. In fact, the PSNI assured me, as I said earlier, that I was pushing an open door as far as its support was concerned. That is straight from the horse's mouth. <BR /> <BR />I will not labour the point any longer except to take this opportunity to commend all those officers across Northern Ireland who, in the face of extreme and recurring carnage and tragedy, turn up to work every shift with professionalism, knowing that, that night, they might have to knock on someone's door to give them the awful news that a member of their family has been killed on the roads. <BR /> <BR />The PSNI's concern was also on a blanket ban. Allow me to reiterate that. The PSNI said that it was engaging in a bottom-up approach to social and road engineering.”
“Probably. Of all journeys undertaken, 27% are completed by cycle, yet, and this is an important point, Holland reports the lowest cycle fatalities in Europe. So, there is a lesson there, in the country that is doing it right in encouraging more people into the use of cycles. <BR /> <BR />The public clearly support the Bill and want it to progress. The support has taken me by surprise. Not only have I been stopped in the corridors of this Building by Members from all parties, but the man and woman on the street stopped me, during the period when there was some engagement with the Committee, to tell me to support this move. <BR /> <BR />I want to move on to the PSNI, on which some Members made interventions. Clearly, the PSNI is the main player in enforcement and in dealing with the aftermath of every casualty and road fatality.”
“Holland has the highest percentage of journeys undertaken by cyclists.”