Declan McAleer
West Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“The regulations are designed to strengthen and complement the existing framework governing the welfare of animals at the time of killing. They build upon EU regulation 1099/2009 and the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing Regulations 2014, ensuring that the North maintains high standards of animal welfare.”
“Inspectors are granted clear powers to enforce the regulations, including the ability to enter premises, carry out inspections and, where necessary, seize evidence to ensure compliance. Enforcement notices may also be issued where breaches are identified, with appropriate mechanisms in place for appeal.”
“<BR /> <BR />From a resource point of view, which is another key debate, and looking at the practicalities of the Bill, we must not create a situation in which councils will be expected to take on significant new responsibilities, incur substantial costs and manage increased workloads without the necessary resources.”
“I will follow on from the key points made by my colleague Aoife Finnegan MLA. First, I record our appreciation of the Committee staff, including Janice and Glenda, for the work that they did. I also thank the Bill Office for its assistance during our scrutiny of the Bill.”
“We support the ambition of the Bill — we made that clear at First Stage and at Committee Stage, and we have made it clear today — to give councils stronger powers to intervene. However, the stronger powers must be accompanied by a framework that is properly resourced, legally robust and workable.”
“There are three council areas in our West Tyrone constituency, for instance. <BR /> <BR />We heard a lot from NILGA and received correspondence from SOLACE about the costs and the fear that costs could not be recovered. If legal challenges were brought to councils about notices that were made, it would be costly to the ratepayer.”
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“— and the most vulnerable in our community. Perhaps that is what you should do, rather than sniping from the sidelines during debates such as this one today.”
“Thank you for that. Members who spoke previously indicated areas where there is surplus money that could be used. We talked about Translink, for example. It is important to say that, rather than sniping from the sidelines and trying to get a debate on welfare cuts going, Members have been invited to bring the issue of welfare cuts to the House to have a discussion about it. Feel free to explain to your constituents your apparent willingness to slash hundreds of millions of pounds out of the welfare budget, which will affect the working poor —”
“Like all Departments, DRD is expected to trim its budget. There is a very strong view that maintenance is one of the most important aspects of DRD's work because of the implications for road safety. It seems to have been hit quite hard, and there is certainly a view that the subcontractors who were laid off at short notice were a soft touch.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. I thank those who tabled the motion. I represent a rural constituency, and we all know well that infrastructure is very important in rural constituencies because most accidents and fatalities occur on rural roads. In areas such as West Tyrone, which I represent, many are employed by contractors who carry out maintenance and other types of work on the 25,000 miles of infrastructure throughout the North. <BR /> <BR />The Minister's sudden announcement at the end of July or the beginning of August about works on street lighting, gullies and grass trimming came as a shock. It instilled fear among certain sections of the community, particularly the older and more vulnerable, who had the idea that the lights were going to be switched off.”
“Go raibh maith agat. Does the Minister feel that her Department can play a role in helping to maximise the sporting, social and economic benefits of that competition for Omagh and the wider area?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. What advice do the Minister and her Department have for potato and vegetable growers who have difficulty in accessing land?”
“Go raibh maith agat. Is the Minister concerned that an increasing number of very highly skilled and trained people are being forced to take up jobs that are considered to be low skilled, thereby minimising or not making full use of their repertoire of skills and training?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I want to place on record my appreciation of the work of the Loughs Agency and congratulate the new chief executive on his appointment. The Minister referred to the great work that young people have been doing as part of the Foyle ambassador project. Are there any plans to continue and extend that work?”
“Go raibh maith agat. When does the Minister expect the new programme to get off the ground for delivery?”
“Go raibh maith agat. In the Minister's response, he indicated that funding for victims services had increased over recent years. Will the Minister give an indication of that increase?”