Mervyn Storey
North Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It will be noted that there are those who cry much about the environment and purport to be the champions of the environment who did not have the courtesy to come to the House and be present when the statement was being made.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Clearly, there are some in the House who want to continue with the same old, same old and get the same outcomes at a huge cost to the public purse and to farms in Northern Ireland. The Minister is absolutely right: it is a scourge.”
“I am sure that the Minister will be aware, having listened to the Member who spoke before me, that the farmers of North Antrim will make an informed choice about who best supported farmers during this mandate of the Assembly.”
“A pilot scheme has been operating with the Education Authority, the PSNI and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust across 60 schools in the south Down area since September 2021 and was extended to a further 77 schools in the Newry and south Armagh areas at the start of February 2022.”
“As Chair of the Justice Committee, I am pleased to welcome the motion. It implements the provisions taken forward by the Committee in the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 to establish an Operation Encompass model in Northern Ireland, which is, as the Minister has outlined, a police and early intervention pa…”
“We had our final meeting of that Committee this morning, and I want to place on the public record our appreciation and thanks to our Committee staff of for all the work that they have done.”
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“<BR /> <BR />As someone who knows the area, and for anyone who passes through it, it is clear that there is an urgency in addressing that need. I find it somewhat ironic that we are talking about Hope Street. In that location, very little hope has been given over the last number of years and I trust that we can move in a positive way for this location.”
“I thank the Member for his kind words. I will pass no comment in reference to what the feelings of the Education Minister have been. <BR /> <BR />The Housing Executive has advised me that final land transaction for Hope Street was completed on 12 September 2014 and confirmed that the majority of the site is now in Housing Executive ownership, with Roads Service and the Lincoln group each retaining a small portion. The land in Housing Executive ownership is currently vacant. The Housing Executive is in the process of arranging a meeting with the Planning Service to discuss future usage of the site, both in the interim and in the longer term. It is considering progressing an outline planning application on this site.”
“The answers to those questions are yes; and I will endeavour to do that. It is unacceptable and regrettable that no family housing has been built in that area in the last 15 years. In fact, the last social housing of any type was built in 1999 and was a supported housing scheme for clients suffering from mental illness. There is a need for us to look seriously at the issue, and I undertake to have the matter addressed.”
“I thank the Member for his words of congratulation. He specifically asked how many other sites there are in the area. There are a number of different projects. I do not have all the details of the individual sites, but I will write to the Member with those.”
“The plan will focus on attracting private sector investment, including commercial, leisure and recreation activity. In that context, the Housing Executive decided to suspend its interest until the concept planning process was complete. The Housing Executive is still supportive of housing on the site and awaits the outcome of the PSNI decision-making process.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for your kind words. I certainly look forward to the challenge that has been presented in rising to fulfil my roles and responsibilities as Minister for Social Development. <BR /> <BR />I understand that, at a meeting yesterday, the PSNI gave the council an extension until 31 December to firm up proposals for purchasing the land. Both Newtownabbey Borough Council and the Housing Executive have expressed an interest. The Housing Executive expressed its interest on behalf of the housing associations, which would, in due course, have been responsible for buying the site and providing the housing. The Housing Executive itself would not have acquired the land. <BR /> <BR />The council’s interest involves a concept plan for the wider area, including the PSNI site.”
“We have a duty as Christians in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and other parts of the world to raise our voice because let us remember, Members, that, if this were happening in reverse, if it were being done by Christians, there would be a hue and cry about it. Therefore, I support the motion before the House. I trust that the motion will send a message out that what is going on cannot be ignored and must be addressed.”
“I want to commend and agree with some of the comments made by Judith Cochrane, particularly her reference to the organisation known as Open Doors, which is a Christian organisation that highlights the many places across the world where, today, people are persecuted because of their Christian faith. I may not agree with the theology of all those who fall under the banner of the Christian Church. However, those who pay attention and give allegiance to the Christian faith are being persecuted as we speak in the House today. I encourage members to go on to the Open Doors website and look at the 50 countries where, today, people are being persecuted because of their faith — not because of any other issue, but because of their allegiance to the Christian faith.”
“Last year, David Cameron and the then Foreign Secretary William Hague were champing at the bit for the UK to support US-led strikes against President Assad of Syria and on the side of the rebels. I am no fan of Assad, but surely we would have been foolish to commit ourselves to military intervention on the side of the rebels. I am glad that, on that occasion, wiser counsel prevailed. At that time, some, including my party's MPs at Westminster, argued, quite rightly, that those who were opposed to Assad were as bad as him, if not worse, and that turned out to be the case. Those who fought Assad in Syria developed into Islamic State, and the current title that is given to this band of murderers is Islamic State. They need to be vilified and isolated in every possible way.”
“I agree with the Member. I think that all steps need to be taken to ensure that whatever the actions of those who are involved in the persecution are brought to an end. That is an element that needs to be given serious consideration. There are those in this House, and it has been referred to already, who would like to rewrite history when it comes to dealing with persecution and ethnic cleansing. Let us remember and let us never forget that part and parcel of the terrorist campaign that we were subjected to in this country was part of ethnic cleansing of people because of their faith. Let us not forget Darkley. Let us not forget Kingsmills. <BR /> <BR />It is important for us to remember the developments that have occurred in Iraq have largely followed on from the war in Syria.”
“Meanwhile, the world just turned a blind eye. <BR /> <BR />It is a tragic reality that, all too often, mass persecution and ethnic cleansing of entire people, which can often amount to genocide, can almost be totally ignored by world Governments and the world media until it is too late.”
“It seems to me that some threats of war and some areas of growing tension got more media attention and coverage than others. <BR /> <BR />We were right to focus on the implications of the air crash in the Ukraine and the impact on the deteriorating relationship between the West and Russia. We were right to focus on the worrying situation in Gaza during the days and weeks of the Israeli bombardment of the Hamas terrorist infrastructure. However, as the world monitored those events and other crises, another even more serious and alarming one was unfolding in Iraq and Syria. Few realised the scale of all that was going on until it was too late. As the world sat back, militant Sunni Islamic fighters ISIL marched into Iraq's second city Mosul. ISIL was relatively few in numbers, but the Iraqi army fled leaving people to their fate.”
“I rise as one of the Members who proposed the motion, and I am glad to be associated with it. This is the centenary of what became known as the Great War — the war that was meant to end all wars. One hundred years on, we all know too well that war has not been eradicated and the world is not at peace. The world is a very unhappy and unsettled place. Indeed, all around us, there are many wars, and, as the scriptures refer to, rumours of wars, which is something that we should all pay serious attention to. <BR /> <BR />In a sense, it has always been that way, but, somehow, over the summer months, there was growing worldwide unease. Indeed, at times, it was palpable. Some have said that the world today is at greater risk than at any time since the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.”
“If the Member is going to use language in the House, then —”
“I know that the Member is trying to sit on the fence, but maybe he can come out and tell us his party's view on the Collegiate. Where does he stand on supporting the Collegiate? Without any ambiguity or doublespeak, just tell us this: where does the Member's party stand on the protection of educational provision for Collegiate pupils?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, is he the Speaker or are you the Speaker?”
“I have heard of dancing on the head of a pin, and, of course, that is probably what the Member is trying to do. The reality is this: you cannot argue —”
“I concur with the Member. <BR /> <BR />Let me put the House on a warning. Let us remember and be assured that the Minister — he is now in receipt of the transport report — will revisit the issue in relation to the distance travelled by children on the basis of parental choice. We await his comments on that report. <BR /> <BR />Let me deal with an issue that was raised by Mr Flanagan. It is not the first time that he has come to the House with a different view on issues. He talked about resources, the intake and how it is important that those resources are used appropriately. He was not using those arguments to ensure that Brollagh stayed open. He was not using those issues when —”
“No, I will not. That is the height of hypocrisy. That is what it is: hypocrisy. <BR /> <BR />Let us get to the nub of the issue. Why are we 10 years on and Devenish has not even had a sod cut? Why are we in a position where promise after promise has not been delivered to the children in Fermanagh? For 10 years, we have had Sinn Féin Ministers — McGuinness, Ruane and now O'Dowd. Has one of them progressed the issue of Devenish? Has one of them delivered on the promises? No, they have not. If the failure lies anywhere, it lies with those who have responsibility for the Department of Education. Let me deal with the issue that was mentioned by —”
“With my colleagues, I have continued to ensure that we keep up to date with all the issues in relation to Fermanagh. The education spokesperson from Sinn Féin persistently refers to equality for all the children, when he had the privilege of having a grammar school education. Of course, he wants to deny that to everyone else.”
“The Committee has also argued that the development proposal process needs to better include and to be seen to properly consider the voices of pupils and, indeed, the views of parents. <BR /> <BR />I will spend a few moments in conclusion speaking as the DUP education spokesperson. I apologise for not being present at the commencement of the debate; I was doing an interview with 'Talkback' on Fleming Fulton School. When I came into the Chamber, we were again being subjected to the same hypocritical arguments from Sinn Féin about having a care for all the children in Fermanagh, as though some of us have never been to Devenish, to the Collegiate, to Portora or to visit all the component parts of our education system in Northern Ireland when that could not be further from the truth.”
“The Committee has taken a significant interest in the overarching area planning policy and the effectiveness or ineffectiveness, as some see it, of the current development proposal process. The Committee has taken the view that the development process is overly complex and is generally poorly explained by the education and library boards. The Committee has also noted apparent inconsistencies in linked proposals such as those identified in today's motion. In fact, in the last session of the Assembly, the Minister said that local area-based proposals of this kind should be subject to a single development proposal, but here we are yet again, back in the same place with the same situation facing us, where the closures and amalgamation from these proposals are subject to three development proposals.”
“I will commence by saying that we should all be glad, as we meet in the House today, that we are not dealing with fatalities as a result of the bus accident this morning on the Omagh Road in Drumquin. Our thoughts are with everyone involved in that very serious situation. It is ironic that it comes the day before we hold an event in the Assembly on bus safety. Our thoughts are with everyone in that regard. <BR /> <BR />None of us should be under any illusion that, as the safety of children in regard to transport is an important issue, the safety of our children in regard to the decisions that are made for them is equally important. As you are aware, the Education Committee tends not to comment on individual development proposals.”
“I join the Minister in welcoming the results this year and the outcome for pupils. I think that that is an indication yet again of the quality of education provision in Northern Ireland. However, the Minister will be aware that the gap between girls and boys is still prevalent, with 37·6% of boys not attaining grade C or above in their GCSEs compared with 21·4% of girls in areas where there is the application of free school meals, which is worrying. Will the Minister tell the House what specific actions he and his Department plan to take to address that gap? He always refers to gaps in other sectors, but on the gap between girls and boys, what specifically can be done to address that problem?”
“Many of them do so for religious reasons, and we, as a party, support and uphold that right. <BR /> <BR />Many of these parents, who are part of a wider international education support network, have no desire to be part of the current state schooling system. Indeed, there is no requirement in law for them to do so. I understand that it is for parents to become involved in schooling systems or to advise, or to seek permission from, state institutions such as the boards to undertake that activity. There is also no requirement for parents to seek permission to withdraw their children from schooling to educate them at home. <BR /> <BR />As I present the petition, I trust that the Education Minister will take seriously the issues raised, and I look forward to his response.”
“Clearly, when the issue was raised with the Minister of Education in the Chamber on 2 June, he was keen to distance himself from the consultation exercise. He was also keen to stress that this exercise was undertaken independently of his Department. <BR /> <BR />My party and I support parental choice in all aspects of education. That is in keeping with article 44 of the 1986 order, which has been a fundamental tenet of our education system for many years. Our schooling system has been developed in accordance with that principle. Education, however, is not the same as schooling, and some parents wish to exercise their legal right to educate their children other than at school.”
“I am at a loss to understand why the issue has emerged at this time, when it appears that the current practice within the boards has been, and is, working satisfactorily. I and many of my fellow MLAs have been lobbied about this issue. It has generated great concern among parents, many of whom have made a conscientious and positive decision to home educate their children. That is their legal right, and they now feel that they are being targeted for being responsible parents. <BR /> <BR />It is not clear from the consultation document why the consultation was initiated at this time, who initiated the process and if legal advice was sought on whether the revised proposals were consistent with article 45(1) of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.”
“Thank you, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. I present the petition, which asks the Minister of Education and the Northern Ireland education and library boards to ensure that the education and library boards' policy on home education accurately reflects their legal status, duties and powers, and respects the parents' duty to provide an education. It is signed by 3,360 persons. <BR /> <BR />I present the petition regarding the issue of elective home education, which has caused much concern among many families who have chosen to exercise their legal right to educate their children other than at school. In recent months, the education and library boards have published a consultation exercise in relation to changes to the elective home education policies.”
“I have no doubt that today, in glory with the late George Dawson and James McClure, colleagues who loved him, they will have had a reunion to recall those days of the past. He was made a freeman of the borough of Ballymoney, the first local authority to confer that honour on him, in 2001 because in that town they loved him. The resolve that they had for him is resounding. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I want to extend to Baroness Paisley and, in particular, to my close friend and colleague Ian Paisley Jr and to the entire family circle, including Mrs Beggs and his brother Harold in Canada, my sincere sympathy at the loss of a great man of God. Let us ever be mindful of the words of scripture that tell us in Psalm 116:”
“Since the sad news broke of Dr Paisley's death, I have met countless constituents over the weekend from throughout the area who have told me personal accounts of how he had helped them and their family in their circumstances with their problems. No case was ever too small for Dr Paisley to deal with. His constituents mattered to him, and his dedication to duty was unwavering. He served the people of North Antrim and Northern Ireland with fairness and diligence and without fear or favour in every forum to which he was elected. <BR /> <BR />There may be one inaccuracy that I feel is necessary to set right in the House this afternoon. Yes, he founded the DUP and the Free Presbyterian Church, but he was not the founder of the Independent Orange Institution. He was born in 1926; that institution was founded in 1903.”
“When my late mother passed away in 2000, as Gregory and thousands of families in Northern Ireland have recounted, although out of the country, he called our home and spoke and prayed with my father and me over the phone. Indeed, it was through the faithful preaching of Dr Paisley that my late mother came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. What a reunion there has been for them in glory. <BR /> <BR />Dr Paisley was a faithful political representative for the people of North Antrim in Westminster and Stormont for over 40 years. The thumping majorities that he achieved in each election are testament to his devotion to public service and the popularity with his people.”
“My father, a local founder member of the Protestant Unionist Party, which ultimately became the DUP, went to canvass with him around the doors of the village of Armoy. For our family, that was a special day — the day the "Big Man" came to visit our home. Little did I think that, one day, I would have a greater privilege: that of standing alongside Dr Paisley in the same elections and on the same ballot paper, representing the same North Antrim constituency he loved and served faithfully. <BR /> <BR />He married Christine and me some 26 years ago. To have him share that special day in our lives was indeed an honour. When I was ordained to serve as an elder in Ballymoney Free Presbyterian Church, he was there to be our support and to be by our side.”
“It is with a great sense of personal loss and sadness that I stand in the House today. There will never be another of the stature of Ian Paisley either in Church or in state. To me, he will always be the "Doc" and the "Big Man" — that larger-than-life figure whose presence filled the room. It was a privilege for me to know him not only as my MP and moderator for over 40 years but as a friend and someone with whom I shared many occasions and of whom I have many, many precious memories. I will always be proud to be called a Paisleyite. <BR /> <BR />My first recollection of Dr Paisley was of him coming to canvass in my home village of Armoy in the heart of his North Antrim constituency.”