Cathal Boylan
Newry and Armagh · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I also welcome Julie, wish her well in her role as a Foyle MLA, and extend my best wishes to Gary. <BR /> <BR />I take this opportunity to highlight Autism Awareness Month. This year, Autism NI is using this month to celebrate the spectrum and colour and to highlight unique differences.”
“I agree with the reviewer, and what needs to be recognised across all Departments is that the changes needed to better support people with autism do not always cost a huge amount of money. However, the changes require a willingness to adapt.”
“However, it has been disappointing that, in my opinion, the Department of Health was not prepared for the establishment of the reviewer's office, even though it should have been aware of what was in the legislation. Had the Department been in a better state of readiness, the reviewer could have got down to work before now.”
“The delivery plan must see measurable targets that can be monitored and delivered to ensure that people with autism see impact on the services that they access. <BR /> <BR />I look forward to reading the reviewer's first annual report in the near future.”
“I thank the Minister for the statement. As the Minister is aware, one of the reasons why such schemes are so important is that nuisance parking can prevent emergency services or health and social care workers from accessing patients' properties.”
“I welcome the Minister's statement. <BR /> <BR />Minister, recent figures show that, in the last quarter of 2025, new house starts were at their highest level since 2018 and that the construction sector has hit a 15-year high, outperforming Britain.”
The complete record
Every one of 758 lines we hold for Cathal Boylan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 16.
“Minister, when do we expect to see the regional transport strategy and the transport plans?”
“<BR /> <BR />In concluding, I put this question to the Minister: does he agree that there needs to be a drive to ensure the full implementation of this legislation and accompanying strategy? Sin a bhfuil le rá agam.”
“<BR /> <BR />As MLAs, we hear, day and daily, of the many pressures faced by autistic people and their families throughout the North. It is our responsibility to try to improve service provision, whether that be assessments, statementing or living supports. I believe that the new strategy presents a great opportunity to do that. There must be an energy and willingness to look at the areas outlined in the legislation and to set targets and time frames to address them. <BR /> <BR />There are obvious challenges, particularly the refusal of the British Government to fund the Executive according to need, but we must ensure that we keep our ASD services and provisions among our priorities. I think that we all agree that, despite the strained financial situation, there are areas in which we can progress.”
“I have been a member of the all-party group on autism for almost 17 years. I have, therefore, overseen and scrutinised the legislation that was passed in that time. Now, with the restoration of the Executive and the Assembly, we must put a renewed focus on autism provision and the need to match capacity with demand. The Autism (Amendment) Act 2022 must be enacted fully and integrated into all Departments. The new autism strategy 2023-28 identifies five key commitment areas that will require a number of Departments and partners to work together. That strategy, which was issued in December 2023, is cross-departmental. Therefore, all Departments and partners should work together to ensure that it is monitored, resourced and implemented in order to enable delivery for our autism community.”
“My colleague Liz Kimmins and I were delighted to join autism families on their annual awareness and acceptance walk last Saturday in the beautiful setting of Gosford Forest Park on the Armagh to Newry Road. I welcome today's debate because I want to give a voice to those on the autism spectrum, our autism families and our autism community. Those on the spectrum are some of the most vulnerable people in our society. They deserve to be respected and cared for and are entitled to all the supports necessary for them to have a better quality of life. <BR /> <BR />As chair of the all-party group on autism, it is with great frustration that I, yet again, stand here to debate the very serious issue of autism service provision and the urgent need for full implementation of the Autism (Amendment) Act.”
“I welcome the Minister's statement. What is his assessment of how the introduction of TECs will improve waiting times?”
“<BR /> <BR />On crime trends, police highlighted their success, in December 2023, in seizing suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of £10 million, when police from the Slieve Gullion neighbourhood policing team stopped a suspicious lorry near Jonesborough. That was the largest seizure of suspected cocaine ever made by the PSNI. <BR /> <BR />Securing policing by consent is not something that can be done in one year and then forgotten about the next. It is always a work in progress and is always worth doing. I urge Members to support our amendment.”
“Police, themselves, report that the review has brought a new approach and style that maximises visibility and engagement with people in the local area whilst seeking to increase the safety of officers going about their daily work. Police cannot properly engage with the community if they cannot be seen. They cannot properly know what is happening in an area if they do not engage. <BR /> <BR />Policing Board members visited south Armagh in November 2022 to see how things were going. The local police officers spoke very positively about the south Armagh review and the benefits that it had brought to policing in the area.”
“We wish all the police officers injured in those attacks well. The ramming of police vehicles in the hope of evading arrest must stop. <BR /> <BR />The south Armagh review had considerable benefits for policing in the area. Police are out and about in the local community, as they are in other areas. They are welcome in our schools, our shops and our GAA clubs.”
“Indeed, the increase was significantly higher in Derry and Strabane than in Newry, Mourne and Down. Media reports also show that ramming of police vehicles took place in England and Wales in the same period. It is not something that only happens here or in one area. On the other hand, having police cars rather than police jeeps in an area can help to support confidence in policing, improve trust and make people feel that they can alert police to activity in the area that they are concerned about. <BR /> <BR />No matter where they occur, such deliberate collisions with police vehicles are to be condemned. Even one such attack is one too many. Ramming incidents harm officers who are trying to provide a local policing service and, in another way, harm the local community who are deprived of that service.”
“Thank you. <BR /> <BR />The BBC report from December 2023, which cites a 50% increase in injuries to officers because of their vehicles being deliberately rammed, states that the crashes happened mostly in north and west Belfast, Derry and border areas such as south Armagh. The figure of 77 is for the number of officers injured across the North. The PSNI highlighted in the media that there was an increase in deliberate collisions with PSNI vehicles across the North in 2023. There were 45 in total, compared with 34 in the previous year. Police figures for that year show that there were more ramming incidents in Belfast City than in Newry, Mourne and Down. The figures also show that the increase was greater in Belfast City and in Derry and Strabane than in Newry, Mourne and Down.”
“I also declare an interest as a member of the Policing Board.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst positive developments have been made, it is clear that we are still in very challenging times. Sinn Féin is ready and willing to work with other parties in pressing the British Government to address their underfunding of the North. We need to rid ourselves of the devastating cuts and to properly fund our public services. It is important that we make our opposition absolutely clear to the British Government and make it clear that their harmful Budgets, which inflict harm on the most vulnerable, must come to an end.”
“I am sure that everyone in the Chamber agrees that we need to properly fund such essential services in order to deliver what people need and deserve. It is important to note that we are being underfunded, a sentiment recognised by the Fiscal Council. <BR /> <BR />Despite the difficult financial situation, I commend the work undertaken by Minister O'Dowd so far, including securing additional investment for road repairs, announcing measures to improve MOT services and progressing important schemes such as the A4 Enniskillen bypass. <BR /> <BR />On the issue of funding, I welcome the Irish Government's investment in important cross-border projects, including the A5, Narrow Water bridge and improving the Dublin to Belfast rail line.”
“Many people depend on those services for getting to work or school and for connectivity. It also has a huge role to play in tackling the climate crisis and making our society greener and more sustainable. <BR /> <BR />Meanwhile, our roads are vital to our everyday lives. People deserve to be able to use our roads safely. Unfortunately, as it stands, our roads are not up to scratch. On that matter, I welcome the swift response taken by Minister O'Dowd, when he assumed office, to invest over £9 million in road repairs to help tackle the problem across the North. <BR /> <BR />Those are just a few examples of the importance of the Department. It is clear that those services are essential to our day-to-day functioning; so too are the staff who work vigorously to deliver them.”
“Today's motion is an annual Budget procedure, and I welcome the opportunity to speak on the matter. <BR /> <BR />In 2023, when the North had already suffered years of chronic underfunding, the Tories imposed cuts of up to £1 billion to our public services, including vital front-line services. As spokesperson and as a member of the Infrastructure Committee, I will focus on the impact that such cuts have made within the Infrastructure Department. <BR /> <BR />The remit of the Department is vast: from major capital projects and road safety to planning policy and water and waste water infrastructure. It also includes our public transport network and community transport, which is key to providing equal access to services and protecting people from social isolation.”
“<BR /> <BR />Our water and sewerage services need sustainable investment in order to provide quality drinking water, to ensure that environmental protections are in place, to help build housing and to facilitate economic development. I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate and welcome and look forward to other contributions.”
“On top of that, NI Water is the largest electricity consumer in the North. Despite the budgetary pressures, it continues to provide a high-quality service, and that should be noted. In February, NI Water representatives attended the Infrastructure Committee, at which they detailed the significant challenges that they face. They also detailed the positive work that they have been carrying out, such as coming in over target for water quality and making efficiency savings. NI Water has also developed a climate change strategy, recognising the need to play its part as the North's largest electricity consumer. At that presentation, NIW representatives also indicated that the present PC21 delivery programme faces serious challenges, citing increasing energy prices and construction costs.”
“<BR /> <BR />The public are already struggling during the cost-of-living crisis as we speak. The last thing that households need is additional bills. Sinn Féin remains resolute in its opposition to domestic water charges and privatisation. We are focused on getting our public services the resources that they need without adding a further burden on workers and families. It is clear that our waste water and sewerage infrastructure faces huge challenges, but it must be stressed that privatisation and water charges are not the solution. <BR /> <BR />NI Water is a vast and important piece of infrastructure that needs to be properly resourced. For reference of scale, there are more than 1,000 waste water treatment facilities, 24 water treatment works, 27,000 kilometres of water pipes and over 16,000 kilometres of sewer pipes.”
“A decade of Tory austerity and cuts have devastated our public services. As a result of historical underfunding, our water and waste infrastructure has been severely impacted, due to which areas across the North face development challenges. We need and deserve a high standard of water quality and waste water infrastructure to ensure that we provide a proper service, to protect our watercourses from pollution and to safeguard our environment. NI Water has long warned of the effect of the lack of funding that it has had in the North. That is just another symptom of Tory budgets not allowing vital public services to be properly resourced. We need long-term sustainable investment in the North's sewerage and waste water network so that we can properly deliver fit-for-purpose infrastructure.”
“I appreciate the Minister's answer, but the children come first, and he will agree with that. Does the Minister have any contingency plans to address the matter?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. This has been an interesting debate. Will the Member tell the House what private operator or garage here is able to facilitate a modern MOT test? Would regulations or legislation be needed to allow them to do that?”
“How much has been invested in structural maintenance in 2023-24?”
“I take this opportunity to apologise for missing Question Time last week.”
“We need to improve our rail network in the North, particularly in the west and north-west, to unlock economic opportunities and ensure that workers and families have better access to public transport. If we are serious about tackling carbon emissions and getting people out of cars, we need a reliable, affordable, fit-for-purpose public transport system. Rail will play a major role in that.”
“<BR /> <BR />The announcement last year that £3·3 million will be made available for examining the cost and feasibility of electrifying the rail line from Belfast to the border is welcome. I also welcome the investment of £800,000 that was made available for Translink to conduct a feasibility study of the Armagh to Portadown rail link. That followed positive findings from a council-commissioned technical study, which stated that the rail line would promote sustainable transport in the region. Such a rail link would improve connectivity, create greater access to jobs and opportunities and enhance the economic development of the wider area. <BR /> <BR />It was, of course, frustrating for our comrades to my right when the west of the Bann and the north-west were not mentioned in the funding programme.”
“The publication of the draft rail review last year was a step in the right direction and highlights the need for increased investment in rail infrastructure. I very much welcome the funding that the Irish Government announced last week in order to make the Belfast to Dublin rail line an hourly service. Sinn Féin has constantly called for the improvement of that crucial rail service, which workers and students use every day and on which people depend for connectivity. An hourly service will double the frequency of trains on that line. It is incredibly popular, and the investment will help connect communities further, tackle the climate emergency and, no doubt, bolster North/South links.”
“Significant areas of the island are still not served by rail, and adequate public transport options are not available in many areas. We need to invest in a proper transport network. One hundred years of partition have severely damaged North/South connectivity. We need to look at how we can rebuild our rail network on an all-island basis.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion and amendment. The previous Member to speak did not say that she was speaking in her capacity as Chair of the Infrastructure Committee. No doubt the issue will raise its head at the Committee over the next while. <BR /> <BR />Sinn Féin firmly believes in the untapped potential of rail to contribute towards sustainable social, environmental and economic development across the island of Ireland. By providing efficient, reliable and more frequent connectivity, we can connect more people, cities, towns, regions and communities and tackle the climate emergency by providing viable transport options, in which rail has a significant role to play. <BR /> <BR />Our island's rail network has suffered from decades of neglect and underinvestment.”
“Will the Minister give us a wee update on the development of linkages between the Causeway coastal route and the Wild Atlantic Way?”
“I look forward to working in Committee and coming up with some creative solutions, but I believe that funding is a major issue.”
“I recall that, as caretaker Minister, John O'Dowd launched a consultation on the introduction of validation checks, and I ask the Minister whether he is in a position to comment on that. My understanding is that those checklists would give applicants the clarity that they seek when lodging an application and could help with efficiencies in the system. <BR /> <BR />I just want to pick out a couple of points, because I see that my time is running out. One of the key elements identified in most of the reports and the chamber of commerce reports is the lack of funding right across the Departments, local authorities and the Planning Appeals Commission. If we are to do this right, that is one element that we definitely need to look at. I am running out of time. I support the motion.”
“I, like many, have engaged with many sectors on that point, and the slow processing times are a real headache for them, especially the green sector, which is a salient point as we need to transition to clean energy as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />It is clear that slow processing times are one of the biggest issues in the system, with statutory consultees' responses being identified as a major problem. The PAC report also contained other recommendations. It highlighted the need for a suitable means of engaging with the planning system. There is a need to improve the quality of planning applications to avoid wasting valuable time and resources. The PAC also heard that there is:”
“here in the North. It is clear how important the planning system is and that much improvement is needed. <BR /> <BR />We have had many reviews and reports in recent memory, and many challenges to the system have been apparent for a very long time. One of the biggest issues is the delays to major developments. Both reports highlighted that, despite a statutory target for each council to process major development applications within an average 30 weeks, around one fifth of the applications took more than three years to process. Since those reports, the issues remain the same. In 2022-23, the average processing time for major applications was more than 57 weeks across all council areas. That was an increase on the previous year.”
“In the same year, the Public Accounts Committee released a report that was equally critical of the system, stating:”
“It also impacts on our energy sector and our environment and is key to securing a just transition. What we need is an effective and efficient planning system, but, unfortunately, the planning system that we have is neither effective nor efficient and is not fit for purpose. It is something that all the reps hear on a daily basis, be it from constituents, the business community, developers or, indeed, across our rural communities. <BR /> <BR />Over the past few years, a number of reports have reviewed the planning system and the problems within it. An Audit Office report released in 2022 stated:”
“I wish the Chair well in her new role and look forward to working with her. The Speaker will know, as he was Minister at the time, that the subject has been debated on numerous occasions, and I welcome the opportunity to speak on it. I also welcome the mover of the motion's remarks that we do not want to go back through another review. There have been a number of reviews, and there are things there that we can use. <BR /> <BR />The planning system plays a critical role in governance. At its heart, planning is integral to the delivery of a better society. It impacts on key issues such as housing, including social housing, affordable housing, supporting rural communities, facilitating business and helping to unlock the full potential of our local economies.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh ráiteas an Aire. I welcome the Minister's statement. I wish you well in your new role, Mr Speaker, and I welcome the Minister back to the Department. <BR /> <BR />Minister, no doubt, many elected reps will be inundated with phone calls after the announcement today, but can you give a clear time frame for how soon staff will be out fixing the potholes and pieces of road? I am sure that a lot of questions will be asked about today's announcement.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a freagra. I thank the Minister for her answer. The recent Criminal Justice Inspection report identified the use of illegal drugs and diverted prescription medication in prison as a key area of concern. When will body scanners be introduced in prisons in the North to prevent the smuggling of drugs? Can she introduce any other measures to prevent that?”
“More importantly, I look forward to what the Minister and the other Members who will speak will say, and I obviously look forward to what the sponsor of the Bill will say when she makes her winding-up speech.”
“Therefore, we are having a second go at it, and this piece of legislation will support the Minister, but we are not saying that it is all down to the Department of Health. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the debate on the Final Stage. I am glad to be part of it, and I am thankful that we had a good team around us. I am grateful to the team that supported us and to all the Members over all those years who played their part in the all-party group on autism. I thank the sponsor of the Bill. I pay tribute to the Chair of the Health Committee for the key amendments that the Committee tabled at Consideration Stage, which clearly identified where we needed to go in order to enhance the Bill. <BR /> <BR />I am delighted that we have got to this stage and that I can say with confidence that we will agree the Final Stage.”
“The third objective, and this is an important one, concerns the role of an autism reviewer. That is the mechanism through which we will hold accountability. Whichever Members are returned in the coming election, I hope that they will pursue the aims of the Bill. If we are serious about looking after our people, there is enough in the Bill that ensures that we can do that. <BR /> <BR />Minister, as we started the process with the sponsor of the Bill, you gave an early indication that you would be keen to work on the Bill and with the group. We put a lot of work into it. At the very start of the process, when we introduced the Bill, people asked "Why autism?". Well, why not autism? The Autism Act was passed by the Assembly in 2011. It is in statute, but areas of it were never acted on.”
“We have been trying for years to get that. We have written to various Ministers. We will work with the Minister and others, because this is a cross-departmental issue. It concerns not only children but adults, and it concerns the needs of over-19s and how their needs cross into the various Departments. I would like to see those Departments meet their responsibilities. An action plan back in 2016 outlined the responsibilities and roles of other Departments in delivering on their commitments, but that did not happen. <BR /> <BR />The second main plank is:”
“As with every other piece of legislation, I and the members of the all-party group certainly do not want to see the Bill sit on the shelf. The pandemic was very difficult for us all, but I guarantee that it was more difficult for people who are on the spectrum and their carers. <BR /> <BR />I will not repeat all that has been clearly outlined by the sponsor of the Bill, who I thank. The first main plank of the Bill is:”
“We worked very hard as an all-party group over the last two years to structure the Autism (Amendment) Bill so that it would enhance the Autism Act, which was passed in 2011. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome everyone who is in the Gallery, especially Wings of Hope Autism Support Group from north Belfast and the other people who have helped Pam and the rest of us to bring the issue to the fore and have supported us. It is good to see those people in the Gallery, because that is what it is about. The Bill is a private Member's Bill, and it is well supported. There was a good response to the consultations. <BR /> <BR />I will outline the three main objectives, or planks, of the Bill that I think are vitally important. The Minister will know them.”
“I will speak in favour of the Bill. It has been a long haul, and I start by thanking the administrative back-up in the form of Autism NI and the National Autistic Society, which have worked hard with us over a number of years. I have been on the all-party group on autism for 15 years, and I am delighted to be its vice chair. <BR /> <BR />I preface my next comment by saying that we have tried strategies and action plans. However, although the Bill has only eight pages and eight clauses, with five main clauses, that little blue document will, I hope, provide services for some of the most vulnerable. That is the way that I look at it. I am glad that the Minister is here tonight, and I look forward to his response.”
“Éirím le labhairt i bhfabhar an Bhille. I rise to speak in favour of the Bill. I support this Bill in order to prevent an increase in insurance prices. Clearly, we are in the middle of a cost of living crisis. The rising cost of energy, food and fuel bills has placed an unacceptable burden on families, and we need to do everything that we can to tackle the cost of living crisis and help lift that burden from families. The last thing that we need now is an increased cost to their motor insurance. The Bill will remove inconsistencies that would have increased insurance prices by up to £50. I support the Bill, and Sinn Féin will continue to support workers and families at every opportunity.”
“I thank the Minister for her response. Minister, clearly the screens and other measures are burdensome for the prisoners and their families. You gave a provisional date of 4 April: is there any opportunity for that date to be brought forward?”
“The Minister will be familiar with the proposals by the AERA Minister to change the rules on the single farm payment by increasing the threshold for making claims from 3 hectares to 10 hectares. That will impact on small farmers and those people who wish to reside in the countryside in the future. What assessment has the Minister done to ensure that we will have sustainable farms in the countryside in the future?”
“I would like those Members who are returned to the Assembly to recognise that and look at an overall strategy that is inclusive of all people. I support the amendments and the Bill passing its Further Consideration Stage.”