Gordon Dunne
North Down · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“<BR /> <BR />As has been acknowledged, stalking is a unique crime, and perpetrators often have obsessive behaviours that can develop over time and be difficult to deal with properly. They are often evolving behaviour traits that start at an early stage and can turn out to be very sinister over time.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of the Protection from Stalking Bill. The moving of this Bill to the Second Stage in its legislative journey is timely and complements the recently completed passage of the domestic abuse Bill.”
“That will support the PSNI and increase the tools available to it and will enable early police intervention, pre-conviction, to address stalking behaviours to protect victims from more serious harm. That intervention will equally be able to be made post-conviction to prevent further stalking.”
“I know from engaging with the PSNI in my North Down constituency that they very much share the view that additional measures and resources are needed to tackle the problem across our local communities. It is widely recognised that our laws in this area need to be strengthened.”
“Part 1 of the Bill rightly prioritises that to improve the operation of the justice system and, ultimately, to better support victims. It is important to ensure that stalking conduct does not fall between the cracks because of poorly drafted legislation or a lack of awareness by those responsible for its implementation.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I welcome your commitment on rates for businesses, which will continue into the new financial year. Will you take some responsibility for the build-up of underspend? Several bids from the Department for the Economy were undercut and not fully funded.”
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“I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak at the Second Stage of the Budget Bill. These have been incredibly challenging times for us all. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone across Northern Ireland. It is vital that we all play our part in the recovery and rebuilding process. Our economy faces a very difficult period, and there are serious financial challenges for every Executive Department, going forward.”
“I thank the First Minister for coming to the House today. Will she give an update on the redress payments to victims by the redress board?”
“There is a push here for green and for the use of bicycles, which is fine for a few weeks and months of the year locally, but, for real transport, we need to get our roads moving, get the throughput moving and get vehicles flowing rather than being restricted through to city centres. We need to see an improved flow of our vehicles.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and the update and I think that the provision of test centres for the COVID-19 test has been very positive. We appreciate the efforts that are being made there. <BR /> <BR />Does the Minister recognise the need for continued investment in our roads? If we look at the main roads into Belfast — if you take the A2 from Bangor — we have a backlog of traffic in the mornings to Holywood. I understand and have seen that if you take the M1, there is a backlog to Lisburn. If you take the M2, there is a backlog to Mallusk and beyond, and I am sure that many Members will concur with what I have said. Does the Minister recognise that, moving forward, it is important that we get the balance right?”
“I thank the Minister for all her efforts, and her staff in the Economy Department who have worked tirelessly to try to resolve a number of these issues. You have already mentioned the banks. I came across some cases in my constituency where there is difficulty getting access to the interest-free loan scheme, because the individual banks are not on that scheme as yet. What will the Minister do to try to resolve those issues? Can she assure us that she will continue to lobby to get further support in relation to the ongoing rates issue, which is a mighty burden for a lot of premises, especially on high streets and in the tourism sector, in these very difficult times?”
“I thank the Minister for his efforts on this issue. Will he give some assurance to the small-business sector, especially on the high street — those that still remain — that he will look very seriously at the issue of rates? The large supermarkets will gain from the recent influx of business, but the small businesses that are left on the high street are struggling and need help at this difficult time.”
“I thank the Minister for all his efforts. We put on record our genuine thanks for all his work and commitment. He has done a good job on behalf of MLAs, the Executive and the people of Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In relation to multidisciplinary teams, will cancer patients get the investigations and treatment that they require during the ongoing coronavirus crisis?”
“He has two carriers announced already, which is a positive development. <BR /> <BR />Air passenger duty was mentioned. It is one area in which action must be taken to ensure that connectivity is maintained and enhanced. I know that our Minister, Diane Dodds, is continuing to work on that, as are DUP MPs at Westminster. We must continue to focus on this important issue in order to support our economy and to develop our connectivity with the rest of the UK and beyond. We must ensure that Flybe is replaced with new airlines and new routes to and from Belfast City Airport.”
“As was mentioned, the airport is also a very valuable employer of hundreds of local staff, from airline staff, ground staff and fire service crew right through to those in the airport hospitality services. I noticed when driving past last night that there were about eight taxis there when, usually on a Sunday night, there would be about 28. This is already having an impact on employment. <BR /> <BR />We all rightly commend the work of the chief executive, Mr Brian Ambrose, who has overseen the airport's success, including the £15 million upgrade to the facility that was opened in late 2018 and made it a very modern, convenient and quick service airport for us all. I have been in contact with the chief executive, and I know that he is making every effort to attract new routes to carry passengers in future.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue. I thank my North Down colleague, Andrew Muir, for securing it. Belfast City Airport is a key asset for Northern Ireland's connectivity. It is crucial for our economy and tourism sector. Flybe has been a central part of the airport's success for many years. It has been the anchor airline, carrying over 1·6 million passengers every year and providing 80% of the flights to and from the airport. <BR /> <BR />The airport is very convenient with direct and quick access to Belfast city centre and, of course, important areas like north Down. That makes it a very attractive service for all involved.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement on this important and challenging issue and for all his efforts to date. You certainly have been in the deep end since you came into post, Minister. <BR /> <BR />Like many MLAs, I have been contacted by constituents and business owners who are concerned about this ever-increasing situation. Has the Department had any discussions with our local airports and ports about travellers coming into Northern Ireland, particularly from hotspot areas such as northern Italy and other highly affected countries? What is being done to reduce the risk from those people coming into Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Minister for his response today in his new role in his new Ministry. I obviously welcome the Minister's commitment to deliver on this project, with £150 million being allocated through confidence and supply. Can he advise when the contract is likely to be in place and when installation work is planned to commence?”
“We welcome the work that has been done to date on coastal erosion, but there are issues, especially with the high spring tides that we are having and the continual flooding relating to further erosion. What further work has the Minister done to identify funding for councils and other agencies to address the ongoing problem of coastal erosion, especially in areas like north Down and, indeed, Ards?”
“The Minister will be fully aware of the problem of group antisocial behaviour, especially in our town centres. As we look forward to better weather and the longer summer evenings, will the Minister advise what initiatives, following the recent review, she will implement to try to address the problem?”
“It is crucial that our older population have confidence in the relevant agencies, including the PSNI, the PPS and the court system.”
“Visible policing provides reassurance to the law-abiding public and helps to deter criminals. The PSNI needs to focus more on how it deals with crime against older people. It needs to follow up on crime and deal with the victims of con men contractors, as was mentioned by Members. I recall a recent incident when con men contractors got access to an older lady's home in my constituency. They conned her into paying them cash for work. While she was distracted, the con men helped themselves to valuable items in the home. Follow-up action by the PSNI included fitting additional security measures and giving advice on checking the identity of visitors. <BR /> <BR />Older people can easily fall victim to scams, from telephone calls to direct mailing. Such scams often target vulnerable people.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important that there be a focus on speeding up justice, and consideration needs to be given to the introduction of screens in court and to the use of pre-recorded evidence and video links to improve the justice process for older people. In the report, there were concerns raised about the time that cases took to get through the court system. <BR /> <BR />The reintroduction of visible neighbourhood policing teams (NPTs) in our communities is a welcome move. Local officers, dedicated to specific areas of work, can get to know residents, including the elderly. They can establish a rapport and build up trust with the local community, including residents' groups; community hubs such as Men's Sheds; luncheon groups, including churches'; and the voluntary sector.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important matter. I thank my colleagues for bringing it forward. <BR /> <BR />The impact of crime on our older population cannot be overestimated. The Commissioner for Older People's report, launched in 2019, reinforces the need for action to be taken on the issue and provides an extensive series of recommendations to improve the experience of older people across Northern Ireland. Although, overall, older people are less likely to be a victim of crime, the impact that crime may have on their life can be truly devastating. Having assisted older victims of crime through my constituency work over the years, I can say that the mental and physical trauma that crime can have on older people is serious and can lead to isolation, vulnerability and the loss of independence.”
“We need to see tougher sentencing introduced to deter perpetrators, alongside progress being made on delivering legislation to protect victims of crime.”
“<BR /> <BR />New PSNI neighbourhood police teams (NPTs) have recently been rolled out and play an important role in our communities. We greatly welcome that initiative and are delighted to see local police in our communities in north Down. They are people whom we already know and people whom we will get to know, and the public gain confidence in them. There is also an important body of work being done to prevent adverse childhood family experiences, which include exposure to alcohol, drugs abuse and misuse, and domestic abuse, through the provision of greater support for families and young people. Education plays an important role in improving future outcomes and earlier intervention. <BR /> <BR />Finally, we must continue to strive for better sentencing.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for his intervention. In fact, our whole community is put at risk because the perpetrator is at large. <BR /> <BR />A joined-up, multi-agency, partnership-based approach is crucial. It should involve the PSNI, councils, policing and community safety partnerships (PCSPs), community and voluntary groups working alongside our elected representatives to tackle the problem. <BR /> <BR />Voluntary groups in my constituency, such as the Ards and north Down street pastors, play an important role. They are often on the front line on dark, wet nights, working with those affected by alcohol and drugs. They play a valuable role in preventing violent crime and must be commended. They even go as far as to collect empty glass bottles, which they recognise can become weapons in the wrong hands.”
“By way of example, the lead story last week in our local paper, the Bangor edition of 'The County Down Spectator', was about a bottle-attack victim who was left with 15 stitches to his face. His violent attacker, who had a criminal record of 106 convictions, escaped jail and was instead given 100 hours of community service and put on probation for three months, leaving the victim and his family disgusted with the judicial system.”
“"Domestic abuse" is a much wider term than one might think, and it is also an ever-evolving issue, with the digital age in which we all live opening up so many new challenges. It is worth acknowledging that many efforts have been made at every level in society, from the community and voluntary sector right through to Executive level, to tackle domestic abuse. We see greater awareness and understanding of the issue through education and through effective public awareness campaigns that have highlighted the devastating impact that violent crime, drug and alcohol abuse can have on people's life and family and on our communities. It is important that people speak out and speak up and that they are not afraid to have their voice heard. <BR /> <BR />It is important that the punishment fit the crime for victims of violent crime.”
“<BR /> <BR />Between July 2018 and June 2019, there were 16,575 domestic abuse crimes recorded here, which represents an alarming increase of 10% on the previous 12 months and the highest rate since records began in 2004-05. Statistics also show an alarming increase in attacks on children, young people and women. The PSNI defines domestic abuse as violent, abusive or threatening, controlling, coercive behaviour by a partner, ex-partner or family member. The abuse can be physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or financial in nature.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on our amendment to this very important motion, which highlights the fact that violent crime and alcohol- and drug-related offences are on the increase. PSNI statistics confirm an alarming trend, with over 106,000 recorded offences during the 2019 calendar year; an increase of over 7% when compared with the previous 12 months in 2018. All but one of the policing districts experienced a higher level of crime last year compared with the previous year, with the Ards and North Down District, in my constituency, the only district with a 2·2% reduction in police-recorded crime in 2019 compared with 2018. Alcohol and drug abuse are the main contributing factors, costing the country hundreds of millions of pounds every year and, tragically, costing too many lives.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and for his efforts to date on this difficult issue. Can the Minister clarify the advice that has been given to GPs by trusts? I understand that they have been told that they need to wear protective clothing, including masks, before dealing with high-risk patients. It is also my understanding that GPs were told that the trusts would supply such equipment, but that has not happened to date.”
“Will the Minister commit to making the maintenance of our roads a priority in the forthcoming year? Maintenance is an ongoing issue, especially resurfacing, weed control and street lighting. I extend my thanks to the Minister for her efforts to restore the 12,000 lights that have been out across the Province. That work is in progress, and I understand that contractors have now been tasked with getting on with the job.”
“Can the Minister advise us on the progress of the new Executive group on mental health and assure the House of the Department's commitment to addressing the real problem that we have in Northern Ireland in relation to mental health, especially among young people?”
“Does the Minister recognise the severe impact that TB has on the dairy sector and on farmers who have lost high-quality pedigree milk cows from their herd? Will he outline what is being done to reduce the risk of transmission of the disease from wild animals?”
“I, too, welcome the Minister to her new post. Following the letter from the head of the Civil Service, David Sterling, to six institutions in late 2019 that stated that institutions had an obligation to contribute to payments for victims, will she outline what discussions she has had with Executive colleagues regarding contributions from such institutions towards compensation for victims of HIA?”
“I welcome the Minister to her post and look forward to her visiting north Down to see the numerous problems that we have in relation to infrastructure. Does the Minister agree that it is difficult to understand how all vehicle lifts in test centres are unserviceable at present? Does that reflect poor management? I would appreciate clarification on the measures that she has proposed in relation to the testing of four-year-old cars, taxis and trade vehicles.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. He will be fully aware of the challenges that Clifton School has faced in recent years, with increased numbers and a real need for additional accommodation. The school was originally built for 120 children and now over 170 pupils are enrolled. I understand that, as the Minister said, the school has submitted an application for the school enhancement programme. Will that application in any way hinder the minor works programmes that are planned?”
“I, too, welcome the Minister to her new post. As a member of the Committee for the Economy, I look forward to working with her as we try to build the economy of Northern Ireland. Will she give us an assurance that the future of RHI will be fully considered and assessed and that existing tariffs are now under control?”
“I, too, congratulate Minister Weir on his re-election. I am delighted that he has included three schools in the North Down area, and I congratulate him on remembering his roots and where he came from. No doubt, it probably did not influence his decision. <BR /> <BR />Will the Minister indicate how we justify the school enhancement programme against a new build for specific buildings? Is the public getting value for money, or is this just a short-term exercise that puts off the dreaded day when we need new buildings in a lot of areas rather than just a short-term fix?”
“Can the Minister outline how welfare supplementary payments are to be calculated?”
“I trust that these plans will provide a road map and an important first step towards dealing with the problem and will gain the support of the House.”
“Departmental officials admitted poor management of the scheme, with no clear project management in place, which would have involved regular management review of all risks, including finance and quality. It would appear from the information that we have gathered that some farmers and industrial operators saw RHI as an income generator rather than as a means to reduce the cost of energy in their business, which was the key rationale behind the introduction of the scheme in the first place. <BR /> <BR />Lessons must be learned from the scheme and corrective actions put in place to stop the recurrence of such a system failure in the future. That is why I welcome the regulations coming forward today.”
“The internal DETI casework committee considered these proposals on 9 March 2012 and approved the NI RHI renewable heat premium payment (RHPP) scheme and administration arrangements with Ofgem. It is now, therefore, clear from the information detailed in the approved DETI business case that tiering of payments and degression were not included in the design of the RHI scheme. <BR /> <BR />There were clear risks from the start, with two bodies involved in managing the scheme: DETI was responsible for the policy framework, while Ofgem, acting as the administrator, managed the applications and installations, including compliance. There were risks of ownership and responsibility in the scheme.”
“Degression, which has been debated at length, was also considered at paragraph 7.5.5, which stated:”
“On the controls and measures relating to the design of the RHI scheme, the DETI business case was presented to DFP on 9 March 2012. Paragraph 2.3.2 of the executive summary states:”
“<BR /> <BR />One point raised by the group at the Economy Committee last Thursday was that the reduction in oil prices resulted in the cost of pellet production being reduced significantly; therefore, the scheme became more attractive. <BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that mistakes and errors have been made in the RHI scheme. That was widely acknowledged by Arlene Foster, in the House on 19 December, and by our Economy Minister. The lack of cost control measures and the flaws in its design have been acknowledged. At a recent meeting of the Public Accounts Committee, we heard from the permanent secretary, who stated:”
“The intentions of the scheme were clearly to try to move away from a reliance on fossil fuels and look at renewable energy as a way of meeting the energy needs of, first, the non-domestic sector in 2012 and then the domestic sector in 2014. A target to increase the level of renewable heat to 10% by 2020 was included in the strategic energy framework, and an interim target of 4% renewable heat by 2015 was also included in the then Programme for Government to help the UK meet its 15% renewable energy target. Despite those targets being in place, initial interest and uptake in the scheme was low, and there appeared to be reluctance among the business community to go with the significant investment that was required to install the necessary equipment.”
“There is no doubt that these actions had to be taken to reduce the pressure on public-sector budgets, whilst ensuring that those who have acted in good faith by investing in technology and equipment are not unfairly penalised. <BR /> <BR />On Thursday 19 January 2017, the Economy Committee heard a presentation from the Renewable Heat Association (RHA), which outlined how it had seen the boilers as effective in meeting the energy needs of various sectors, including poultry and mushroom production. It also raised genuine concerns about the potential impact of the revised tariffs for the businesses that it represents, and I trust that those can be worked on in the days ahead. <BR /> <BR />When the renewable heat incentive was introduced, there were many calls to try to move away from an over-reliance on imported fossil fuels.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important piece of business in the House today. I thank the Minister for his work in bringing forward the regulations. They are an important step in introducing effective and realistic cost controls to reduce the burden upon our Budget and help bring controls to the scheme. I know that the Minister and his officials have worked extensively on bringing forward the proposals and have rightly taken the time to ensure that they are compliant and effective. I believe that the plans will run from April 2017 to April 2018 and will start the journey towards a longer-term solution to further reduce public expenditure on the scheme.”
“We want to see future investment and see the area improving, making it one of the best parts of North Down for people to live, work and enjoy themselves in.”
“The vehicle bays were argued against, but we, as elected representatives, were not listened to. We have a loss of approximately seven car parking spaces with the vehicle bays. They are in prime areas adjacent to the major shops, which are trying to survive and compete with other businesses. <BR /> <BR />I urge the Department, which is now Transport NI, to review the work that has been carried out. I think that is important, and I urge it to continue to carry out the important maintenance work throughout the North Down area. We have a lot of outstanding work on the A2; we debated that some months ago. We really get a poor maintenance service from Transport NI throughout the North Down area.”
“I know some will argue that we should change it, but, if we look at Belfast, we see that people do not go there any more. It is positive for towns like Ards and Bangor that people come there to shop. There is all this madness about bus lanes, but they have not worked. There is a balance, and I think the balance with parking bays here is wrong. The need is great for local access for cars and for getting right into town centres. <BR /> <BR />My colleague made the point that the traders are under pressure. They are, and we are all aware of that. They pay large amounts of rates, and they are in competition with online services and other businesses. Anything that deters people from coming into town is a negative, and this is a major factor. I support what my colleague Alec Easton said about the vehicle bays.”
“A number of us argued strongly against that because, as I believed, it would have been a disaster and affected the whole traffic flow in Bangor town centre. That, fortunately, did not happen, but there was always an argument about increasing the open space for the public so that we could have more of a communal feel. Yes, in theory, that sounds good, but, against that, we lost car parking spaces and a lot of the character of the town in relation to accessibility for vehicles. <BR /> <BR />People in Northern Ireland still like their cars and to drive in close. I am sure that my colleague down there in the corner, Mr Agnew, will agree totally with me that we still like our cars and to drive in as close as possible to our shops, our homes and wherever we are going. It is the culture.”
“In the main, it has been a success and is something we all welcome. As a former councillor, like a number of Members here, I was involved in that. There was a steering group, which I served on, as did other councillors. On that steering group were trader representatives and community group representatives. TNI was represented, as were DSD and other bodies. Of course, there were consultants; there always have to be consultants getting their fee. <BR /> <BR />Many people raised the point about the loss of parking bays throughout the town. High Street was always a concern because of the need to park and to increase footfall. There was an argument about Bridge Street; in fact, at one time they were going to make it a one-way street and there was going to be one-way traffic through it.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter. I commend my colleague Alex Easton for raising it this evening. I think that we are all very aware of the public realm work that has been completed, with £8 million of investment through DSD, which is now the Department for Communities, in partnership with Ards and North Down Borough Council. In the main, it has been a success. I know that there are some reservations about it, but it has certainly changed the environment of the town, which was tired and worn and in need of an uplift. The new public realm has made major changes to the town; it has uplifted the environment, which is now much brighter, cleaner and sharper. There are improved footpaths, new pedestrian crossings, new street furniture, and street lights throughout Abbey Street, Main Street, High Street and Bridge Street.”