Pat Sheehan
West Belfast · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does she agree that the Minister's School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill was poor legislation and a missed opportunity?”
“The last point that you made reminded me of one of the witnesses — a young girl — who came to the Committee. During the winter, she wore her own overcoat, but she had to take it off 100 yards from the school gate because she was not allowed to wear it into the school.”
“Agus iad ag ullmhú le haghaidh scrúduithe GCSE agus ard-leibhéil, féadann an imní agus an éiginnteacht sin drochthionchar a imirt ar a n-oideachas agus ar a bhfolláine.”
“Is scannalach go deo an foréigean ciníoch a chonaic muid le seachtain anuas. Tá ionsaithe ar theaghlaigh, ar thithe agus ar ghnólachtaí doleithscéil, agus tá siad dochosanta. Níor cheart eagla a mbáis a bheith ar dhaoine neamhurchóideacha mar gheall ar a gcine, a gcúlra ná a gcreideamh.”
“One of the reasons, Daniel, is that, if we were to have blocked the Bill at the Executive, the SDLP would be saying tomorrow morning "This place is dysfunctional. You're blocking legislation. Sinn Féin is blocking legislation, and the DUP is blocking legislation". No, we are not blocking legislation.”
“I have not once today argued against inspections. Not once. The Bill is about one thing and one thing only: intimidating and punishing teachers.”
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“I welcome the opportunity to speak in this important debate. Sinn Féin will be supporting the Bill. I commend the proposer of the Bill, Colin McGrath, for bringing it to the Assembly. The Chair, in his opening address, covered comprehensively most of the issues that need to be covered, so, if I repeat some of them, I apologise. <BR /> <BR />One of the most important things that the Chair spelt out was the poor survival rates from cardiac arrest. There may be some misunderstanding of the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack. A heart attack is a result of coronary heart disease, whereas a cardiac arrest is when the heart stops beating. I had a good friend who collapsed and died recently. There was a defibrillator close to the premises where she was.”
“Following on from that, given the High Court judgement that the DUP boycott of the North/South Ministerial Council is unlawful and in breach of the ministerial Pledge of Office, will the Minister undertake to end this juvenile boycott now and get back to the job he was appointed to do?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a ráitis. I thank the Minister for his statement. The Children's Law Centre has advised that denying under-18s access to the high street voucher scheme is in breach of the Department's equality scheme. Will the Minister take that on board now and extend the scheme to 16- and 17-year-olds?”
“Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an Chéad Aire as ucht a ráitis ar maidin. Many thanks to the First Minister for the statement. Does he agree that getting vaccinated is the best way in which to protect oneself, one's family and other people? Does he encourage everyone to get vaccinated?”
“Minister, will funding be available for the Casement Park regeneration as part of the Executive Budget?”
“The pandemic and the need for greater ventilation and physical distancing in schools have brought into sharp focus the unsuitable, out-of-date and even crumbling infrastructure in some of our school estate. We must prioritise investment in modern, up-to-date facilities for children and young people. Will the Minister tell us when she expects to make her next announcement on capital projects?”
“The Minister should combine efforts to tackle educational underachievement with plans to invest in a catch-up programme. The two issues are inextricably linked.”
“<BR /> <BR />In combating the impact of the pandemic, we also need to see greater urgency from the Minister in investing in and implementing the action plan and recommendations from 'A Fair Start'. The action plan provides a long-term strategic basis for closing the attainment gap and helping our young people to achieve better as they go through life. Key to that is shifting the focus to early years. Currently, we invest much more funding at post-primary level, even though international evidence suggests that investment at the earlier stages of a child's life has much more impact. I realise that the way that we fund schools is complex, but there needs to be a major undertaking by the Minister to redress the anomaly that exists.”
“However, we have to recognise that children have lost much more during the pandemic. We need the Minister to develop an ambitious programme to support the educational, social and emotional needs of our children and young people. <BR /> <BR />Prior to the pandemic, the North had the longest tail of underachievement in Europe — it still does, by the way — but the impact of the pandemic risks making that even more acute. It has been stated time out of number in the Chamber that it is the children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds or with special educational needs who will be left behind, yet we are only weeks away from unregulated, unfair and cruel transfer tests that perpetuate disadvantage, inequality and underachievement.”
“I spoke to one principal who made 40 phone calls before he could get one substitute teacher. That issue needs to be resolved. Newly qualified teachers cannot get work while our schools struggle with workforce absenteeism. <BR /> <BR />Of course, it is our children who have borne the brunt of the disruption in schools. The impact on them cannot be overstated. The motion refers to the fact that the North is:”
“That dithering and delay seems to be a hallmark of DUP Ministers' COVID response. I mentioned the difficulties with remote learning, but, of course, there were other issues, such as the fiasco with exams and transfer testing, the school restart, contact tracing — the list goes on. At the moment, when the absentee rate among teachers is higher than average as a result of the pandemic, new teachers cannot get on to the teachers' register because of the dysfunctionality in the General Teaching Council (GTCNI). That is not a new problem; we have known about the dysfunctionality in that organisation for a long time. However, we are still waiting for a DUP Minister to sort it out. I have dealt with complaints over recent days from principals who cannot hire teachers they have already offered jobs to.”
“In March last year, our education system was dealt a crippling blow when coronavirus arrived on our shores. The way our children were educated was one of the most significant changes that we had to come to terms with. As someone who has two daughters in the primary sector, I can speak with first-hand experience. Teachers and pupils had to adapt to new remote ways of learning. In many cases, the quality of the remote learning was excellent, although it is no substitute for face-to-face learning. <BR /> <BR />One thing that the pandemic succeeded in doing is to shine a spotlight on the fissures and inequalities that already existed in our education system. Families without access to devices or internet connection were left waiting months for support from the then Education Minister.”
“The days of the DUP playing politics with the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement must end today. Justice Scoffield was clear and unequivocal yesterday that the actions of DUP Ministers are unlawful. Will the First Minister explain here today what other blockages exist to stop DUP Ministers from attending North/South ministerial meetings?”
“The law is not working, and I thank Clare Bailey for introducing legislation so that safe access zones can be created for women who want to access health services without having to put up with the level of abuse that they currently have to put up with. I support the Bill.”
“I have already answered the Member. <BR /> <BR />I have some personal experience from walking past the Marie Stopes clinic in Great Victoria Street one day. The Speaker and I were accosted by a number of protestors outside that building who asked us to stand with them in their protest. When we refused, we received verbal abuse that I could not repeat in the House. It was disgraceful and unacceptable. At the time, I could only but imagine the thoughts of vulnerable women who were going into that clinic and having to face that type of intimidation and abuse. It is totally and utterly unacceptable.”
“Is there anyone who can intervene now and explain to me how that law is working outside clinics that offer counselling, healthcare for women who are having miscarriages, and sexual and reproductive health services? Explain to me where the law is working. <BR /> <BR />I have some personal experience —.”
“We have also heard about the right to free speech and the right to protest. Neither of those are absolute rights. No one has the right to shout "Fire" in a crowded cinema — absolutely not — and no one is allowed to protest right outside the front door of 10 Downing Street. There are reasons that rights such as the right to free speech and the right to protest are not absolute. It is therefore right that women who are trying to access healthcare should not have to run the gauntlet of intimidation and verbal abuse, of being filmed and photographed and of having their privacy undermined. <BR /> <BR />I heard Mr Allister make a point about the Public Order Act. It is not working.”
“There is no way that graphic material should be shoved in their face. That is totally unacceptable. I have heard Members say here today that law already exists to deal with that type of behaviour. Well, the law is not working. We should not be trying to strengthen any law for the sake of it, but, because it is not working, the law needs to be strengthened. That is what the Bill does. It creates safe access zones for women who want to access sexual and reproductive health services, and that is how it should be.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis labhairt ar an Bhille seo. Ba mhaith liom Clare Bailey a mholadh as an Bhille a thabhairt faoi bhráid an Tionóil. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I commend Clare Bailey for bringing it before the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />I do not think that anyone would disagree with the statement that it is absolutely disgraceful and unacceptable that women trying to access sexual or reproductive health services are being intimidated and abused, approached and solicited, without wanting to accept any of that. In no way do women, particularly those who might be vulnerable in the circumstances, need to have such things as "Murderer" screamed in their face.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagra. I thank the Minister for his answer. Does he agree that EU citizens continue to play a vital and positive role in our society and economy, and that they should be treated with fairness and respect?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an leasChéad Aire as a ráiteas ar maidin. I thank the joint First Minister for this statement. Will she agree that the North/South ministerial bodies are an integral part of the political institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, along with the Assembly and the Executive, and that the boycott by the DUP of those bodies serves only to undermine that agreement and does a huge disservice to the electorate here in the North?”
“That will help hard-pressed families who need that support, particularly in the current economic crisis, when it is hard-pressed and vulnerable families who face the most challenges and difficulties at this time.”
“I hope that the Education Minister and the Education Authority will move with haste to process the applications and ensure that that crucial support is put in place for children and families without any further delay. I hope that the Education Minister and the Education Authority are listening this afternoon. <BR /> <BR />I also want to mention that I have a private Member's Bill with the Bill Office. The Bill was originally brought forward by my colleague Karen Mullan, and I intend to introduce it. If enacted, the Bill will put it on a statutory basis that children who are entitled to free school meals will get support all year round, not just while schools are open but during the summer holidays, Christmas, Easter and so on.”
“I am sure that many Members have been alerted in recent days to the unacceptable delays in processing applications for free school meals and uniform grants that many families have experienced. They do not appear to be isolated incidents. Across the North, our offices are receiving complaints from frustrated families whose applications have not been processed. We are now six weeks into the new school term. That is totally unacceptable. Amid the growing cost of living crisis and the proposed cut to universal credit, this is another burden on our already hard-pressed families. It is not acceptable, and it needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency. <BR /> <BR />My party colleagues and I are following up on the issue.”
“It is disappointing that this announcement was not the subject of a statement by the Minister to the House. It is not right that public statements are made before Members in the Chamber are informed of their content. <BR /> <BR />The Minister will be aware of the unique difficulties facing the Irish-medium sector. Despite those challenges, the sector has continued to grow rapidly. What experience and expertise will the panel bring to the review that will facilitate and further develop the Irish-medium sector?”
“Can the Minister tell us when we can expect to see those plans?”
“On 2 September, trade union representatives gave evidence to the Committee for Education and told us that they were unaware of any contingency plans to deal with serious disruption as a result of COVID in schools. Since then, the situation has deteriorated. If schools are to remain open, it is imperative that plans are in place to deal with issues such as continuity of learning, exams, support for children with special educational needs and so on.”
“That is why Education must take a prominent role in the development of any longer-term strategy in this area. I look forward to, hopefully, engaging further on the development of the Bill and advancing the policy objectives in it.”
“Even more worrying was the lack of statutory guidance on the monitoring and recording of such incidents in schools. <BR /> <BR />Last year, the Assembly supported a motion on mandatory autism and special educational needs training for school staff. I listened to the Chair of the Education Committee intervene on a number of occasions today, and he correctly made the point that the Assembly voted in support of that mandatory training. Our teachers want to be equipped with the necessary skills to support children with autism. Given the objective in the Bill to provide information on autism training for staff and public bodies, we should explore, in consultation with the teaching unions, how we could advance that and, indeed, go further for our school staff. <BR /> <BR />We must support people with autism from the earliest possible moment.”
“Agencies and Departments cannot just throw money at special educational needs. Our children deserve strong and accountable leadership that offers a strategic vision for how they will be supported during their educational journey. While Health may take the lead in delivering the strategy, it must be done in collaboration and partnership with Education and others. <BR /> <BR />From an educational perspective, some pressing issues could be resolved in the interim that could have a positive impact on the school experience of children with autism and their families. The Department's policy and guidance on the use of restraint and seclusion are not fit for purpose and should be done away with immediately. In recent times, the Education Committee heard shocking testimony on the use of restraint and seclusion.”
“When it comes to supporting and developing our children, we hear, time and again, how critical it is that early intervention is made. We have a system that is failing countless children and their families from the very outset. We need to fix that and ensure that early intervention is embedded in the health and social care and education systems. <BR /> <BR />Key to the success of any strategy for supporting people with a diagnosis of autism is accountability. The Audit Office recently published an impact review of special educational needs in the North. One of its conclusions, that neither the Education Authority nor the Department of Education could demonstrate value for money for the vast sums of money that had been spent — up to £1·3 billion over five years — was startling.”
“Their journey through education and how they are supported on that journey is crucial so that we can ensure that they all have access to the same opportunities as their peers. Statistics also suggest that 25% of those presenting with a diagnosis of autism will also have some other learning disability. The challenges that those children face must be met with an ambitious strategy that encompasses their health, social and educational needs. Our education system is one cog in the wheel of supporting our children with autism, but that cog cannot support or deliver for those children in the absence of a timely diagnosis. <BR /> <BR />Many MLAs across the Chamber will have heard from distressed families who are their wits' end, having waited for up to three years for a diagnosis of autism.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill and in support of the policy objectives that it intends to achieve. At this stage, most of what I wanted to say has already been said. Nevertheless, I thank Pam for bringing forward the Bill and the APG on autism for its work in helping to drive it forward. <BR /> <BR />I want to use my contribution to focus on the need for enhanced cross-departmental working on autism support and services, particularly in Health and Education, and to look at how that can be strengthened through a new strategy. Justin McNulty raised the need for the Department for Communities to be involved as well. In all likelihood, all Departments will have some role to play in developing the strategy in the time ahead. <BR /> <BR />One in 24 children in the North receives a diagnosis of autism.”
“I ask people in their moments of reflection to think about that gift of life and how important it is, not just to Dáithí Mac Gabhann and his family but to all those families who are waiting for organ donations and who are on the waiting list. They should think about that when they make decisions about whether these institutions continue. <BR /> <BR />I will leave it at that. I agree that it is not just a change to a soft opt-out organ donation system that is required. We also need a publicity campaign to run in tandem with that. At an individual level, we also need to communicate our views to our families. All those things go together. In the time ahead — hopefully, we can get the legislation through the House — I am sure that the Minister will take account of all those things.”
“I intended at one stage to bring forward a private Member's Bill on organ donation during this mandate. Thankfully, the Minister stepped in and decided to bring forward his Bill. I commend him for that. <BR /> <BR />As mentioned by a number of Members who have spoken, the elephant in the room is whether these institutions will remain in place for long enough for the legislation to get through the House. A number of Members also referenced organ donation as a "gift for life". That is what it is. We know that people on the waiting list for organ donation will die without those organs. It will be young Dáithí's fifth birthday next month, and he has been on the waiting list for three years. His condition is stable, but that could change in the morning, and there is no guarantee that there will be a new heart for him when he really needs it.”
“He decided, not in a selfish way, to try to get a donation for Dáithí — of course, the family obviously also want that — but also to go about raising public awareness of organ donation in general. Everyone who has met the family or who is aware of them will agree that they have done an immense job in raising public awareness about organ donation. They should be commended for that.”
“Of course, the star performer there was young Dáithí. <BR /> <BR />Dáithí also attends the same school that my two daughters were at, so I bump into him and the rest of the family regularly. I remember Maírtín telling me when Dáithí's condition was diagnosed and the family were told that he needed a new heart. He immediately became almost obsessed with the issue of organ donation and did a massive amount of research into it.”
“Tá mé iontach sásta a bheith ag labhairt sa díospóireacht seo inniu. I welcome the opportunity to speak today on the Bill. I do not intend to speak for too long. Almost all Members who have spoken have referred to the Mac Gabhann family — Maírtín, Seph and their son Dáithí. I first came into contact with the family a few years ago. They live in my constituency of West Belfast. Over the past number of years, they have travelled far and wide and met many people, from all perspectives, to raise awareness of organ donation. Robbie Butler referenced the large number of people whom they have met. I actually went to Leinster House with them to meet the then Health Minister, Simon Harris. I was also at the event that Robbie mentioned in the City Hall, where Deirdre Hargey, as mayor, held a reception for the British Heart Foundation.”
“The DUP Education Minister needs to be at the table, working on behalf of children and their families who rely on those services, instead of abdicating her responsibility and trying to blame others for a situation that is wholly of the DUP's making.”
“The DUP regularly raises concerns about educational underachievement among young Protestant boys, yet its decision to withdraw from the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) will now jeopardise efforts to develop joint actions under the PEACE PLUS programme to tackle underachievement across the island. Let us remember that in future when the DUP complains and sheds crocodile tears about educational underachievement. <BR /> <BR />In relation to special educational needs, the Middletown Centre for Autism is an exceptional example of delivering for children on a cross-border basis. However, issues around data sharing and recognition of qualifications were identified at NSMC levels as requiring resolution. Those issues cannot be resolved if the North/South Ministerial Council is not sitting.”
“Much has been said about how damaging it will be to cross-border economic cooperation and health issues. Of course, it will have a negative impact on those areas, but I want to focus on the implications for cross-border educational issues. <BR /> <BR />In July, the Assembly received a report updating Members on some important areas of work being taken forward on a North/South basis in the area of education. Some of the issues that were discussed included the education implications of Brexit, the response to COVID-19, updates on EU funding, educational underachievement and special educational needs. I will concentrate on those latter two issues: educational underachievement and special educational needs.”
“Ar dtús, a Cheann Comhairle, ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le foireann camógaíochta Aontroma, a bhain an chraobh camógaíochta idirmheánach Dé Domhnaigh i bPáirc an Chrócaigh. Bua stairiúil a bhí ann, agus tá sí tuilte ag gach aon duine a bhfuil baint acu leis an fhoireann. I congratulate the Antrim camogie team who had a historic victory in the Intermediate Camogie Championship in Croke Park on Sunday. It was a historic victory, which was well deserved by everyone connected with the team — players, managers and backroom staff. <BR /> <BR />I want to speak to the DUP decision to withdraw from the North/South elements of the Good Friday Agreement. All right-thinking people have described that as reckless and irresponsible. Who could disagree with that?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagra. I thank the First Minister for his answer. I do not want to get into toing and froing about the protocol and Brexit and who was responsible for all of that, because the Member knows that it was his party, in alliance with English nationalists, the European Research Group (ERG) and so on, that was totally responsible for it. Will the First Minister give an update on the Executive Office's departmental commitments in NDNA?”
“— and the most deprived in society disadvantaged further.”
“There is absolutely no clarity. There is confusion and chaos. Today, we are talking about how we will deal with the situation. I acknowledge that the Minister has taken some steps to deal with a number of the issues that have been raised, but it will take a lot more than what has been done. <BR /> <BR />While we are here discussing how to deal with problems, outside the Assembly, others are talking about trailing down the institutions. They are doing so at a time when we are in a pandemic crisis, when benefits are to be cut, taxes raised —”
“Clearly, the Minister has failed in that respect. Another aim was to:”
“One of the big complaints from the schools that I have spoken to on the issue is that the guidance is unclear and, in some cases, contradictory. The aim of the guidance, according to the papers that we received yesterday, was to:”
“Absolutely. On other mitigations that could have been made in schools for the restart, the only mitigation outside of the general advice that is offered to everyone was that schools should open their windows. How does that work? The Minister herself raised a case, and I was speaking to someone the other day about a school where the windows are painted shut because the school is so old and there are that many layers of paint on the windows that they cannot open. What happens with opening windows on a day of gale-force winds and driving rain? Wales, as we have heard, has already made £6 million available for carbon dioxide monitors and air-filtration systems. <BR /> <BR />Those are issues that should have been dealt with but were not.”
“I agree with that. It is very disappointing that the PHA has been absent from the media over the past while. <BR /> <BR />Another issue that emerged at the Committee yesterday was that no planning has taken place for forthcoming exams, including GCSE modules and post-primary transfer, should there continue to be disruption in schools. Parents, teachers and children are impatient waiting for direction on the issue. Why, for example, should P7 pupils this year be treated differently from P7 pupils last year? Where are the contingency plans?”
“Why did it not argue for a bespoke testing regime for schools?”