Mark Durkan
Foyle · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“That review involved an extensive engagement exercise with charities, regulators and funders, aimed at creating a more modern and proportionate regulatory system.”
“When the review was commenced in 2021, many organisations were still in the midst of responding to the pandemic. Since then, they have faced a succession of new and evolving challenges. The ending of European funding programmes, on which so many in our communities relied for decades, has left a significant gap.”
“<BR /> <BR />The broad principles behind the Bill are sensible. The changes will modernise charity regulation, strengthen the Charity Commission's ability to intervene where misconduct or mismanagement occurs, improve information sharing and, importantly, reduce unnecessary red tape, particularly for smaller charities with limited adminis…”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak today. Before turning to the detail of the legislation — there will not even be that much detail in the debate today at Second Stage — I pay tribute to our charity sector. Across every constituency, charities provide support that changes and saves lives every single day.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst the SDLP supports legislation that removes unnecessary bureaucracy, we should not kid ourselves that administrative reform alone will secure the future of charities and organisations in the voluntary and community sector.”
“I thank the Minister for giving way. Like other Members, I welcome the fact that we have reached this point. There seems to be consensus among Committee members and, I am sure, all Members that the introduction of these measures will save lives, which begs the question of whether the 10-year delay in introducing the measures had an opposi…”
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“I thank the Minister for her statement. I welcome any additional allocation for housing, but I am not entirely sure how an extra £24 million, as welcome as it is, will enable delivery of up to 1,400 houses, given the decimation of the baseline budget for housing. In this year initially, we had enough money to build 400 houses, and the previous monitoring round brought that number up to around 600. Will the Minister clarify whether she consulted the Minister for Communities or the Housing Executive on that figure of 1,400? If not, from where did she get it?”
“Her very presence as an elected representative from an ethnic minority background was rare, but the warmth and respect that she showed others was even more so. The House has been a poorer place without her. My condolences, thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and party colleagues. The world will be a poorer place without her. <BR /> <BR />Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam uasal.”
“It is with great pride but huge sadness that I pay tribute to the late Anna Lo. Others have spoken of Anna's role as a trailblazer and pathfinder. She showed what could be done and how it could be done well. Anna served with distinction and determination as an MLA and in the role of Chairperson of the Environment Committee, in which role I, as a former Environment Minister, had quite a few dealings with her. She never let our shared passion or, indeed, policies for the environment temper her scrutiny of my Department, and, although we occasionally crossed swords, there were never cross words. <BR /> <BR />I admired her effectiveness as a politician and public representative but even more so her ebullience as a person.”
“Like others, my thoughts are with the victims of those horrific attacks, who were subjected to a terrifying and traumatic ordeal. I commend the courage of the women targeted. <BR /> <BR />Minister, in response to a recent question for written answer, you told me that the Probation Board does not have a statutory role in where its service users reside. However, does it have a statutory responsibility to inform the police where offenders, particularly sex offenders, reside?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer, and I blame the Business Office for the question. My initial question, which I will now ask as a supplementary question, was on the independent review of the rates support grant, which was commissioned, as I understand it, by the Minister from Business Consultancy Services (BCS). <BR /> <BR />There has been a drastic cut in the rates support grant. It has gone from £20 million to under £5 million over 15 years. Does the Minister recognise the role that the rates support grant plays in tackling regional inequality, and will he make the case at the Executive to restore and ring-fence that vital funding?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. Like others, I welcome the unpausing of the city deal projects. <BR /> <BR />Will the additional money allocated to the Executive in this Budget be sufficient for them to meet their match-funding obligations?”
“Whilst we commend much in the motion and will certainly support it, I reiterate the SDLP's call for the Executive to go even further and act to establish an animal welfare commission, following the example that was set by the Scottish Government. If we are truly to take animal welfare seriously, we need a comprehensive, well-funded and evidence-led strategy to tackle animal abuse.”
“Without implementation of wider legislation that takes seriously the issues around breeding and dog ownership, we stand little chance of ending animal welfare crimes. <BR /> <BR />I was glad to receive a commitment from the Minister to introduce Lucy's law in the North, which will, effectively, spell the beginning of the end of puppy farming here. I would like an update from the Minister on the Department's progress on that issue and, hopefully, a time frame for implementation. <BR /> <BR />Whilst more stringent controls on those who can acquire a pet would be welcome, and tougher sentences for animal abusers are greatly needed, those actions alone will not go far enough to ensure that our animals enjoy the safety and protection that they deserve.”
“We feel that the motion could go a wee bit further. While the creation of a register is welcome, we must also look at preventing known animal abusers from acquiring a pet by other means. We have no reliable register of animal breeders in the North. There is a huge black economy in which unscrupulous puppy breeders are willing to hand vulnerable animals over to anyone with the money to buy them. Indeed, serious animal welfare considerations remain with regard to some legal dog-breeding establishments. There are farms, and there are factories. Moreover, with no registered dog breeders at all in huge swathes of the North, the picture emerges of an unchecked and unregulated black market in which we have no real idea of how many dogs there are.”
“The evidence is all too clear. How many more examples do we need to see before real action is taken? <BR /> <BR />As I said, the SDLP would like to see a cross-border approach. At the very least, as Mr Dunne said, we would like to see a consistent, cross-council approach to animal welfare, with councils adequately resourced and empowered to do more.”
“Animals that can feel anxiety, fear and pain deserve our protection. It is high time that the Executive acted to ensure the welfare of animals and to deliver justice to those who perpetrate these terrible crimes. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP led the charge for the establishment of an all-island cruelty register, launching its campaign and petition on the matter a few years ago, recognising that animal welfare knows no borders. To tackle animal cruelty across the island, an all-island approach is absolutely necessary to prevent offenders from owning pets across the jurisdictions. In response to my earlier request, the Minister stated that the creation of such a register was untenable and that a clear evidential need was not identified. How can that possibly be, when we see so many high-profile and heartbreaking cases in the media?”
“The issue of animal cruelty stirs great emotion in many people who recognise the sentience of animals and their right to live free from human abuse. Equally, the persistent failure to deal adequately with the perpetrators of animal cruelty continues to enrage many. Most of us find the crime of abusing a defenceless animal particularly disturbing, serious, unacceptable and deserving of a custodial sentence. However, despite the horror and disgust that those crimes evoke, we have failed to implement robust laws and processes either to deter would-be offenders or prevent reoffending. More must be done. The figures that have been cited — only 12% of those convicted of animal cruelty receive a custodial sentence — communicate just how low down in the pecking order the welfare of animals is here.”
“I often wonder how they have any fight left. From fighting for a diagnosis to securing educational support, school places and respite care, the battles can seem endless, yet our unpaid carers are the warriors and heroes of our day. They deserve our support and respect. The Minister mentioned Alma White, and I know many passionate and determined families in my constituency who will drive that much-needed and overdue change. It is great that there is consensus today that we will also do our best to do that.”
“For example, young adults might be placed with older people with whom they have nothing in common. There are examples of great models in my constituency that provide support and stimulation. Such models need to be looked at and learned from. <BR /> <BR />While direct payments have provided some relief, navigating the process can, at times, feel like an added burden rather than a support. That outsourcing of responsibility from trusts to families has been valuable for many, but the mechanism does not work for all. For some caregivers, who already have so much on their plate, it can feel overwhelming. We desperately need to review and streamline that system and signpost. <BR /> <BR />For parents and carers of children and adults with a learning disability, access to support is an uphill battle at every turn.”
“They have nowhere else to turn, which begs this question: who cares for our unpaid carers? <BR /> <BR />I echo the appreciation for the staff that has been expressed by some Members. Those committed and selfless individuals work with incredibly vulnerable people, often in incredibly volatile situations, for little reward other than the knowledge of the immeasurable good that they do. Staffing shortages continue to have significant implications for the provision of support packages. Many workers who left during the pandemic have not been replaced, sometimes due to funding difficulties and sometimes due to recruitment. It is not just the provision of short breaks, either; it is day care opportunities too. There is a lack of provision but also, at times, a lack of suitable provision.”
“<BR /> <BR />Respite care should not be treated as a luxury. Since when was a lifeline a luxury? It is deeply concerning that respite capacity has not been fully restored, four years on from the pandemic, and that the children's respite units in four of our five health and social care trusts have been repurposed for residential services, which has left families with fewer options. In my constituency of Foyle, families that rely on overnight respite services at Rosebud Cottages have battled repeated temporary closures. Services are simply not accessible for many who need them, waiting lists are growing and, in some areas, there is no provision at all. Unpaid carers, who save our Health and Social Care system countless millions of pounds each year, are burnt out.”
“I have listened to heart-wrenching stories from parents and primary carers about struggling without respite throughout lockdowns. For many households, that monumental shift has had a lasting impact. In many cases, adults and children with complex needs have experienced a marked regression, behavioural challenges and a decline in their overall mental health. Their parents and guardians are broken. Yet, at a time when efforts should have been made to rebuild and increase access to respite, families are being pushed more deeply into despair. Instead of finding relief, they are being left to navigate their struggles alone and feel helpless. It is no wonder that two thirds of unpaid carers suffer from poor mental health. I would wager that, in reality, that number is significantly higher.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the contributors to the debate, and I thank the Minister for the actions that he has committed to taking. Some of the stories shared and facts presented are nothing short of harrowing. It is harrowing that the current system means that some of our most vulnerable citizens are not given the support to live their lives with dignity and that our unpaid carers, who dedicate their lives to supporting them, are being punished. <BR /> <BR />As 'Spotlight' so powerfully highlighted, those families are not OK. In the North, we face a serious lack of respite care provision for adults and children with disabilities. That gap places huge pressure on carers who are already stretched to the limit. The pandemic had a profound impact on those families, and it has served to intensify existing challenges.”
“I look forward to reading the long-awaited report on Rugby Road, given that the development of any residents' parking scheme across the North has been contingent on the publication of that review's report. <BR /> <BR />My Foyle colleague mentioned the Bogside parking scheme in Derry. Is the Minister aware that all our parking schemes in Derry have been delayed even further and are contingent on the success of a Bogside scheme? Will he commit to looking at those issues in parallel?”
“I thank the First Minister for her answer. She previously told the Assembly that the museum had nothing to do with TEO despite TEO having spent the money to build it. I did not notice any representative from TEO in the photographs of the official opening. Were Ministers invited, and why could none out of four attend?”
“Is it, and has it always been, imperative that all Urban Villages projects, and the work that they do and fund, improve good relations outcomes and promote integration?”
“It is long past the time to prioritise the needs of local residents. We implore the Minister to act.”
“Competing for a space near their home is exhausting and creates unnecessary stress in their daily lives. It makes tasks such as unloading groceries or prams a nightmare, and it strips people of their independence.”
“<BR /> <BR />Minister O'Dowd has confirmed that the review of the residents' parking scheme pilot on Belfast's Rugby Road will be published soon: where is it? I am in no way blaming the Minister for the delay, but he has a responsibility to act now. That pilot began eight years ago, and it was in the pipeline for a decade before that. I understand that no additional scheme in Derry will be progressed until that pilot and a scheme in the Bogside are progressed and assessed, but parking continues to be a growing problem. In those intervening eight years, Rosemount, the university area and Bishop Street have become impassable and impossible for residents. Access to a space, even in a neighbouring street, is a real bonus. For young families, older residents and those with limited mobility, that is more than just an amenity.”
“I rise to address an issue that is a source of frustration across the North, but I will speak specifically about Derry, particularly the periphery of the city centre, where the need for comprehensive residents' parking schemes is long overdue. For years, constituents have been dealing with the daily challenges of finding parking near their home due to congestion from commuters, shoppers, students and visitors. Those pressures have increased with the expansion of our city, placing added strains on residential areas. While it is great to see that growth in the north-west, albeit that it is slow, public transport and general connectivity have not kept step in accessibility or affordability. We need to offer solutions that will get people out of their cars and drive that modal shift.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am disappointed and surprised that other parties have indicated support for the amendment. We urge the Minister to explore an all-Ireland strategy, and I know that he has raised that issue at the North/South Ministerial Council. If there is any chance of reversing the harm that is being caused to our environment, and of meeting basic legal targets, we need to start with a proper river basin management plan that can underpin much of the work that the Minister needs to take forward in the years ahead. We need action now. Without it, Northern Ireland's water systems will continue to deteriorate. I implore the Assembly to support the motion. It is not only a legal obligation but a moral imperative.”
“<BR /> <BR />DAERA has consistently failed to meet deadlines and is currently in breach of its basic duty to deliver a river basin management plan. It is now three years overdue: another casualty of political collapse. The reality is that, without that plan, the PFG's environmental ambitions will be nothing more than words on paper. The plan needs to be published and implemented, as our motion calls for, not just to be reviewed and strategic measures introduced, as the amendment calls for. The amendment constitutes a watering down — for want of a better expression — of our motion. The longer that we delay, the more costly and difficult that it will be to reverse the damage. Without decisive action now, we risk permanent harm to our environment, and the only legacy that we will leave behind is one of neglect and destruction.”
“Rather than taking proactive measures to prevent issues before they escalate, the Executive seem to act only when situations reach a crisis point, and that is with a legal requirement in place. I am not filled with hope for the remainder of the mandate, given the oblique recognition in the draft PFG, which does not equate to specific environmental objectives or clear plans for how DAERA intends to meet the ambitious 70% target of water bodies achieving good chemical status in just over two years. Given that water quality has not improved but rather has significantly deteriorated, with the percentage of our lakes that are in good ecological status falling from 24% to just 14%, meeting that target may require a miracle, but we can pray.”
“It was not happening in secret. The issue has been crying out for action for years. The language in today's OEP report could not be starker. The pressure applied to our land and water is unbearable and unsustainable. Please heed the experts. We cannot afford to waste precious time dithering while the degradation of habitats and species threatens the agri-food industry and the local economy.”
“The new Executive seem more concerned with being seen to do something than with taking meaningful action. Rather than focus on real, lasting change that will benefit future generations, they prioritise appearance over substance. <BR /> <BR />I hope that the Minister can get the support that he needs. From experience, it has not often been forthcoming. On that note, it was not until the very visible crisis at Lough Neagh that the wider body politic was stirred into action. It took the toxic green algae blooms to prompt the Executive's green transition, but I worry that their version of "going green" might be toxic in its own way. <BR /> <BR />As the OEP's chief scientific officer, Robbie McDonald, pointed out:”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the consensus that our water resources are too valuable to neglect, but we have heard that rhetoric before and it has not translated into action. The lackadaisical approach to water management for so long, including the degradation of our rivers and lakes and the inability to meet basic water standards, is unforgivable. We can no longer turn a blind eye to an issue that not only affects our natural environment but, if ignored, will have dire consequences for public health, the economy and our way of life. While the Minister and his Executive colleagues congratulate themselves on publishing an action plan for Lough Neagh and an overdue environmental improvement plan, the real issue of repeated non-compliance with environmental law lurks just below the surface.”
“It is perverse that, in a society where more people are becoming homeless, the number of vacant properties is increasing. We do not need to reinvent the wheel here; models in other jurisdictions could be adapted. Furthermore, the reuse of those properties would circumvent the hurdles that water infrastructure is placing in the way of new builds. <BR /> <BR />A few Members mentioned the hidden hand of paramilitaries and how they exploit and abuse the housing system and exacerbate the housing crisis. That makes the Minister for Communities and his stand-ins pandering to them all the more preposterous. <BR /> <BR />I will finish by reminding Members that housing was a central driver in the fight for civil rights in Northern Ireland.”
“He then proceeded to steal my thunder on the ideas that I was going to put forward on planning and the reuse of public land. <BR /> <BR />Kellie Armstrong spoke, one minute, about the need for collective responsibility and, the next minute, about Nichola Mallon's failure — as, I think, she put it — to deal with the waste water issue when she was a Minister. As Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon went to the Executive with a Living With Water plan, seeking a £1·4 billion budget. The Executive agreed, but the budget vanished. She went with proposals for an infrastructure commission, but, as I said last week, it has been sucked into the Executive Office, where all good ideas go to die. <BR /> <BR />Lastly, the empty homes strategy could make a significant impact if utilised effectively.”
“No detail has been given as to what level of funding might be required or how that would work. There are so many questions, and, to date, we have not had any answers. <BR /> <BR />Two major housing projects in my constituency have been brought to a standstill. It is unacceptable that thousands of homes in an area with one of the highest rates of homelessness have been placed in jeopardy as a result of that issue. We need to see clear and measurable plans moving forward, even exploring cross-border options where practicable. It is evident that that is a barrier to the housing aims that are outlined in the PFG. <BR /> <BR />Andy Allen spoke well. I know that he is very passionate about the issue. He bemoaned our lack of ideas.”
“Temporary accommodation has been used as a sticking plaster, as Mr McCrossan said, for the gaping wound of the housing shortage, but, rather than stemming the flow, it is actually sucking millions of pounds out of the system and sucking the life out of the people who rely on it. <BR /> <BR />The catastrophic impact that the underfunding of water and waste water infrastructure would have on housing development was understood — it has been understood for a long time — but the Executive have chosen not to act. Even now, there is a notable lack of cooperation between DFC and DFI to get a handle on that growing issue. Responses so far have been pretty vague and underwhelming. Sadly, it does not inspire confidence that the issue will be improved, never mind resolved, any time soon.”
“There has been a tenfold increase in non-standard accommodation spend over the past five years. It is worth remembering that the next time that financial constraints are used as an excuse for the Executive's lack of creativity. It is no surprise that we have seen a significant increase in spending in that area after the removal of funding for homelessness prevention programmes, but it should be a concern that increased demand will have a knock-on effect on the private rental market, pushing up prices and plunging more people into debt and further risk of homelessness.”
“<BR /> <BR />We live in a society where obtaining an emergency placement in your home town has become a luxury. One case that stands out in my mind is that of single mother with a child who has profound disabilities. That child requires round-the-clock care and regular access to the GP and, often, visits Altnagelvin Area Hospital, where health staff are familiar with their specific needs. After losing their private rented accommodation and becoming homeless, that family has been shifted miles away and stripped of that vital support network. The most vulnerable do not stand a chance in the current system. <BR /> <BR />We are no longer just Generation Rent; we have become "Generation B&B". Temporary accommodation costs are soaring; £34 million in the previous financial year.”
“If the Minister who is charge of housing is unwilling to, at least, be transparent, what chance do we have of the Executive's admitting their shortcomings, recognising the need for improvement and genuinely ensuring that thousands of families can secure a home? <BR /> <BR />The information revealed that over 4,600 children are currently living in temporary accommodation; children whose lives are unstable, moving from hotel to B&B and unable to put down roots. They have no space of their own, live out of suitcases, have nowhere to do homework or enjoy a family meal and have no friends to call in for in the street. Building families and society on such an unstable footing means that a huge cohort of children has been left without their village and the support networks that are essential to build their lives.”
“<BR /> <BR />Instead of tangible progress, we have witnessed an Executive that are focused on optics and headline-grabbing sound bites with no real follow-through. Even more troubling than that is the fact that we have a Minister who continues to avoid scrutiny. The Opposition welcomed the Speaker's ruling on accountability a few months ago following Minister Lyons's refusal to answer Assembly questions. There has been some improvement in that over the intervening months, but, when I recently requested data on the number of children who are living in temporary accommodation, the Minister did not provide that information. We did, however, get it via FOI.”
“Meanwhile, the targets on social housing completions have not been achieved for four out of the past five years. The cuts that have been imposed on DFC's capital budget will allow just a fraction of the target build, and that situation is not likely to improve any time soon. The proposed cuts to the housing association grant and total cost indicators (TCIs) could sound the death knell for the social housing development programme, with only 17 out of 61 potential schemes being considered financially viable. Mr Carroll asked where we are on the restructuring of the Housing Executive. Gerry need not worry about the Housing Executive borrowing, because by the time that it is allowed to build again, there will be nothing left for it to borrow against.”
“The PFG promises to deliver affordable homes and to bring forward the housing supply strategy for 100,000 homes over a 15-year period. It does that at a time when fewer than 600 new social homes will be built this year, falling woefully short of targets. In the same year, it is highly likely that we will sell off 400 or 500 Housing Executive properties, with the Minister refusing to even consider a moratorium on the right-to-buy scheme. That is just nuts. <BR /> <BR />The reality is that warm words have not and will not deliver on promises. The Executive's track record on housing is pretty dire. In April, we were advised that the housing supply strategy, which was billed in the previous mandate as the answer to all our housing woes, was in good shape and awaiting Executive approval.”
“Today's reality for many families and individuals is that homelessness is far from brief but is becoming increasingly common and often recurrent. Homelessness is a deep hole that is extremely difficult to escape. That situation been made doubly difficult by the decimation of homelessness prevention programmes, which undermines the efforts of the organisations that were, rightly, lauded by Ms Ferguson, who works so hard in that field every day. I commend those organisations, the staff of the Housing Executive and the staff of our housing associations, who deal with extremely stressful situations and do their best as they work with people who are in stress in a system that is buckling. <BR /> <BR />Homelessness breeds hopelessness. The Executive need to do more than to build hope, however; they need to build homes.”
“We will not be lectured on being a constructive Opposition by an Executive that do not do construction. <BR /> <BR />While we welcome the fact that housing is a priority in the Programme for Government, it merely notes that it will prevent homelessness by:”
“I thank everyone for their contributions on a critical issue that is quickly deteriorating to the point of no return. The debate has been healthy, but it cannot serve as yet another debate on the dire state that is the housing crisis in this region. <BR /> <BR />We have heard about our ever-worsening statistics: 47,000 households are on the growing waiting list; 35,000 households are in housing stress; over 4,600 children are living in temporary accommodation; and housebuilding has fallen to a 60-year low. What was once unimaginable here has become an everyday occurrence. Homes are the foundation on which people build their life and are the building blocks of a thriving society. Our motion is constructive. It contains suggestions and solutions.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle.”
“I commend the heroic efforts of staff in the emergency department at Altnagelvin. Will the Minister provide an update on the Western Trust's business case for an enhanced emergency department at Altnagelvin?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Is it acceptable to her that the NIO permanent secretary sits on the public-sector transformation board, giving the UK Government a de facto say on key devolved spending priorities and, some might argue, even more of a say than it gives the Executive?”
“That sounds like progress on something that was initially announced in January 2020. Of course, that was one of the first announcements post a three-year collapse, and we have had a subsequent two-year collapse. Given that delay is the biggest driver of cost, will the Minister acknowledge that the political paralysis that has become all too familiar here has cost our public services, our education system and our children dear?”
“I thank the Minister for that refreshingly positive statement. How confident is he that we can fill all the posts, given that, according to the latest answer that we have received, there are nearly 700 vacancies in the Department for Communities? Have lessons been learned from a recent recruitment process that saw applicants locked out of online interviews?”
“The Minister will be aware that water infrastructure in Derry is a key challenge facing the expansion of Magee, as referenced in the report by Stephen Kelly and the Magee task force. Has it been raised specifically in the Minister's conversations with his counterpart in the Department for Infrastructure?”