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 thank the Minister for her answer. Does she recognise the need for such measures to be put in place to limit the potential for ex members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to be prosecuted under the so-called legacy investigations?”
“Do you recognise that there has been failure, that there is a real fear in the Department of Justice to drive change and that management is weak and ineffective?”
“I thank the Minister for her answers. Does she recognise the need for the Department of Justice and legal services to implement and drive change? A recent Public Accounts Committee report came to this conclusion:”
“It is important that we get to the bottom of the problem and that corrective actions are put in place to stop a recurrence. The lessons learned from the project should be applied to all Departments.”
“No, thanks. There was no evidence of a management review by DETI. There was no clear establishment of a risk register that would have identified the major financial risk of overspend in the project. The business case, which was referred to the Department of Finance on 9 March 2012, stated that Ofgem would provide regular management reports that would enable the uptake to be carefully monitored and forecast expenditure to DETI. Again, there is no evidence of that ever taking place in the Department.”
“Project management, which would have involved a process of authorisation, qualification and review were all not adequately in place.”
“No, thanks. There were clear risks from the start in having two bodies involved in managing the scheme. DETI was responsible for the policy framework, and Ofgem was responsible for managing the applications and installations, including compliance. Ofgem, which was working on the ground, did not even have a representative based in Northern Ireland. The other major discrepancy was that there was no pre-approval for applications to the scheme. Audits on the ground were very poor. Only a small sample was carried out, and they were not risk-based. There was poor communication and follow-up on the issues raised during the audits. The scheme presented a clear risk by way of ownership and responsibility. Departmental officials admitted poor management of the scheme, and there was no proper management in place.”
“As has already been mentioned, the consultants whom DETI engaged to design the scheme admitted at the Committee that degression, which would have controlled payments on demand, was missed. They freely admitted that at the Committee.”
“Yesterday, the Minister for the Economy brought his mitigation plans to the Economy Committee and the House. I believe that those plans will be a crucial first step in reducing the burden on our Budget and improving the level of control in the RHI scheme. The lack of control measures and the flaws in its design have been acknowledged, and, indeed, I know, as a member of the Public Accounts Committee, that at a recent meeting we heard from the permanent secretary, who stated:”
“There is no doubt that mistakes and errors have been made within the RHI scheme, and that has been acknowledged by Arlene Foster our former First Minister time and time again — she reiterated that in the House on 19 December 2016 — and by our Economy Minister, Simon Hamilton, on a number of occasions. Indeed, Arlene Foster has indicated that she is happy to attend the Public Accounts Committee. She is fully supportive of any inquiry or investigation and happy to appear before it. <BR /> <BR />Our focus has rightly been on resolving the RHI issue and getting to the bottom of what really happened.”
“I rise to speak on this item of business that has been brought before the House as an MLA and also a member of the PAC. The Public Accounts Committee has had a rigorous programme of work, and we have gone through a number of months of concentrating on that work and have engaged with a number of those involved in the scheme. All members — I stress all members — of the various parties fully participated in discussion at PAC. <BR /> <BR />Before the renewable heat incentive scheme was introduced, there were many calls to move away from an over-reliance on imported fossil fuels.”
“I, too, thank the Minister for his answers. Can he give his assessment of how important he sees the retail sector to the Northern Ireland economy and how our town centres are facing up to the ever-changing challenges?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Can she advise how many applications are delayed within the actual process and whether the necessary resources will be made available to try to resolve the issues?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Does she agree that an efficient and effective NIEA is important for an effective planning process? Can she give us some more information on the performance of the NIEA so far this year for the different council areas?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Following our successful year of food and drink and given the quality of products available, what opportunities exist for further exports of our quality products into new markets like China?”
“I thank the First Minister for her answer. What engagement has she had with the local Jewish community and, in particular, Walter Kammerling and his connections to north Down?”
“I thank the Minister for his answers today. I welcome the efforts in relation to the 20 mph speed limits. What is his assessment of the introduction of voluntary one-way systems, where applicable? Does he agree that it is important that we get inter-agency support to improve safety outside our schools?”
“The other issue is online reporting. How effective does the Minister think the online reporting system is? I really think that he needs to do something to increase public awareness. We need to have some increase in public awareness through PR or perhaps through television advertisements about the online system, because the man or woman in the street is not really aware of that. We need to invest some money in that. We need to see investment in our road network and much-improved maintenance programmes in North Down.”
“It is because of the high volume of traffic that the road is so dangerous, and we need proper maintenance. <BR /> <BR />Weed control is another issue that needs to be prioritised. We got a spray, as was mentioned earlier, in October, but frustrated residents rightly believe it should have been carried out much earlier in the year. <BR /> <BR />Finally, street lighting repairs — it has already been mentioned — continue to be a real challenge. I understand we now have a new contractor in place who has just taken on the responsibility and is working through a backlog of work to get the lights fixed. Alan Chambers MLA made the point that no inspections of street lighting are now carried out. I would like to hear the Minister's assessment of that. Are there any plans to reinstate such inspections?”
“<BR /> <BR />Again, there are real issues in the maintenance of the A2 dual carriageway — dare I mention it again this week? — and some of the points were raised during the recent debate. Resurfacing has not been carried out. Previously, a section of it was done every year causing some traffic disruption on that high-volume road. Those sections were done on an annual basis. Nothing has been done in the last couple of years in the area. <BR /> <BR />Grass cutting on the A2 is another concern, and it comes up every year. The target is five cuts per year, yet larger sections have just got their second cut in October. One area in Holywood has still only been cut once. Minister, I argue that we need a separate maintenance contract similar to that for the A1 for the A2 carriageway, which has such a high volume of traffic.”
“<BR /> <BR />Following the many discussions we have had — we have regular meetings with the section engineers, and we appreciate their contribution in coming to meet us regularly — we now understand there were contractual issues, as raised by my colleague Alan, relating to the roads contracts, and that no contract in relation to a lot of the work was in place for North Down. Minister, the frustrating thing is that we were not advised of that. At no point in the last year or 14 months were we told that the contract was in dispute. I understand there was a legal challenge to the contract and, as a result, the work was not carried out. We were told that there were money issues. Surely the Minister recognises the need for investment in the north Down area to address the shortfall in maintenance work actually being carried out on the ground?”
“There is clear evidence that we been done very badly in that report. One example is in relation to asphalt resurfacing of roads and footpaths: 20 were done in Ards and seven in North Down. For bitmac resurfacing during the same period, there were seven in Ards and one in North Down. For surface dressing, there were 14 schemes in the Ards area, compared with one in North Down. There were four footway reconstruction schemes completed in the same period, all in the Ards area. There were 14 drainage maintenance schemes in the Ards area and three in North Down. That highlights the points made by my colleague Alec Easton.”
“Those footpaths are a real risk to everyone, including the elderly, as they can be a trip hazard, and they can often become overgrown with unsightly weeds, some of which are not sprayed in a timely manner. Minister, we appreciate that you got that going this year, although it was late, but even in October people appreciated the work that was done, and the weeds are now generally under control throughout the area. <BR /> <BR />I have looked at the southern division spring report to Ards and North Down Borough Council dated July 2016, and there is evidence that North Down has done very poorly when compared with the Ards section of the area. Is that a carry-over due to the fact that we have recently moved into the southern division? I notice from the map that we are right at the edge of the southern division.”
“I genuinely mean this: it is probably the biggest issue in our office. Roads, planning and housing are generally the priorities, and they have been for years. The people in North Down pay their rates and make their contribution, and they expect to have decent standards. When they go home at night they cut and strim their gardens, yet they look over their fence and see weeds, growth and grass, which really frustrates people who make a contribution to society. <BR /> <BR />There are many housing developments in North Down that were built over 40 years ago, particularly in Holywood, Bangor and Donaghadee, and they still have the old, broken footpaths throughout. We need considerable investment in the resurfacing of our footpaths and roadways in those residential areas. Again, it is the number one issue when you go to the doors.”
“It is only down the road, you know. It is not far, and you will be welcome. <BR /> <BR />Road maintenance in North Down, as my colleagues have said, continues to be one of our residents' biggest issues of concern. Road and footpath resurfacing, weed spraying, hedge cutting and street lighting repairs are not being maintained to the required standards by Transport NI in North Down.”
“I also welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I am sure that the Minister is glad to hear that North Down is on the agenda again. We appreciate him coming along and look forward to him coming down to spend some time in North Down and to look at roads such as the A2 and so on.”
“Investment in our grid and further work to develop the single electricity market are crucial in making our energy sector more competitive and, ultimately, reducing the cost to users. <BR /> <BR />I trust that the Minister will bring forward a new energy strategy that will address the needs of domestic and business consumers and that work will continue with the Utility Regulator and all other energy stakeholders to ensure that we have sustainable, secure and affordable energy in future.”
“I welcome confirmation that the Planning Appeals Commission is to resume its consideration of the North/South interconnector in the next few months — in fact, in February 2017. The ongoing delay costs consumers here around £7 million every year, and progress on the project is vital for future energy provision. The establishment of a community fund by SONI and the other providers is critical in ensuring long-term support for the communities directly affected by the proposed installation. <BR /> <BR />There is clear evidence that our electricity network needs to be upgraded. It was largely constructed in the 1950s and 1960s and is in need of considerable investment to improve consumer protection. During periods of extreme winter weather, we have seen that there can be particular pressures on our existing network.”
“<BR /> <BR />The renewable heat incentive scheme, which has already been mentioned, was established to encourage the renewable generation of heat by giving support payments to eligible generators. There were clear risks from the start, with two bodies involved: DETI was responsible for the policy framework, and the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) managed the applications and installations, including compliance, but did not have any representatives based in Northern Ireland. Lessons must be learned from the scheme and corrective actions put in place to stop the recurrence of such system failures in future. <BR /> <BR />There is a clear need for the North/South interconnector to be established between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, allowing interconnection between GB and the Republic of Ireland.”
“Companies such as Bombardier have gone down that route or are proposing to do so, as they plan to remain competitive in the aircraft industry. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the fact that Northern Ireland is on course to meet its renewables target of 40% by 2020 and that over 900 megawatts of potential renewable electricity generation has now been connected to the grid. Between April 2015 and March 2016, 25·4% of our electricity consumption was from renewable sources. There has been considerable investment in renewable energy locally over the past decade. I know that many businesses and domestic users now rely on renewable energy as their main energy source.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue in the House today, as a member of the Economy Committee. There is no doubt that energy affordability and security of supply are important issues, and we must ensure that they are kept high on the agenda. The cost of electricity to consumers continues to be a real challenge for domestic and non-domestic large energy users in our economy. <BR /> <BR />We must ensure competitive conditions to retain existing businesses and to attract new foreign direct investment into Northern Ireland. Energy costs continue to be one of the major overheads for any business here, particularly our large manufacturing companies, some of which are proposing to go off the grid to generate their own energy.”
“Does the Minister recognise that, in the divisional offices, there are lists of proposed remedial works outside our schools that have sat and moved nowhere for many years? Does he now recognise that funding needs to be a priority to move forward these schemes?”
“I call on the Minister to recognise that and ensure that a new tourism strategy continues to promote and encourage growth in the sector.”
“I am aware of the exciting plans for a new hotel and visitor centre close to the North West 200 track, which I welcome and which can only benefit the local economy. There is also potential to develop our local racetracks like Bishopscourt and Kirkistown in order to, once again, attract top-level championships like the British Superbike Championship and the British Touring Car Championship. <BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that we have enjoyed considerable success in recent years in hosting major sporting events and attracting visitors through sports tourism. However, I believe that we have even greater potential in the sector and must continue to invest strategically to attract even more great events that will help to build and develop our country.”
“<BR /> <BR />Motor sport is another area where we have a proud and proven track record, not only in hosting top events but in producing top talent capable of taking on the world from Paddy Hopkirk to Kris Meeke in the present day. Rally Ireland had the honour of being a round of the World Rally Championship in 2007 and 2009, attracting huge interest in this country. We have real opportunities to build on the success of events like the Circuit of Ireland Rally in recent years, or the European Rally Championship and to once again host the premier World Rally Championship in the future. <BR /> <BR />Events like the North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix also build on our proud tradition of road racing and attract thousands of spectators and competitors every year. Both events bring a great boost to our area and to our economy.”
“<BR /> <BR />Golf tourism is another growth sector. I welcome Tourism NI's strategic review in the sector, which aims to grow the value of golf tourism from £33 million to £50 million by 2020. We are the home of champions, and I know that many golf clubs have taken the initiative to build on the success of our home-grown golfing superstars. Holywood Golf Club, in my constituency, is an example of this. It has enjoyed great interest from tourists around the world — many from the United States — eager to see and play on the course where our own Rory McIlroy learnt his skills. I have no doubt that the investment in future Irish Opens and the Open, which is coming here in 2019, will help to further grow this sector.”
“They are also often touched by the warmth and enthusiasm of our people. They go home with fond memories and an experience that they can share around the world. <BR /> <BR />The ongoing success of our national football team is also a real success story. The fantastic performance of Northern Ireland in the European Championship, when they made their way through to the last 16, helped to put this country on the world map. The impact of the team and the fans was incredible, and many people across the world now know where Northern Ireland is for the right reasons. It is capable of doing something positive that we can now build on. The team's success can have a ripple effect across our community for years to come in inspiring young people and increasing participation in sport whilst attracting tourists here to help build our reputation.”
“I agree with my colleague, who, as I am sure you all know, is a great ambassador for cycling. I see him cycling around, particularly in his constituency of East Belfast. <BR /> <BR />The positive PR gained from those events for Northern Ireland plc cannot be overestimated. The television coverage and the live streaming beamed across the world from those events, which showcase some of our spectacular scenery, are very valuable and can act as a real magnet for tourism for the years to come. All those events attract competitors from right across the world, bringing them, their families and their teams to our country, often for the first time. Those visitors often go away with fond memories of having competed in a fantastic event, with top-class facilities and a magnetic atmosphere.”
“It is most encouraging and very positive that there are nine new hotels and two large extensions planned in the Belfast area, which will create an additional 1,500 beds. In my constituency of North Down, a new 85-bedroom Premier Inn is planned for Bangor. It will be ideal for visitors, particularly competitors using the Aurora aquatic centre. It is still in the planning stage, and I urge the Planning Service and the council to make it a priority. <BR /> <BR />Some of the very successful high-profile events that have been held over recent years include the Irish Open golf tournaments, the World Police and Fire Games, the Giro d'Italia, the Circuit of Ireland rally, the North West 200 and the Gran Fondo, to name but a few.”
“They can help to transform communities, regenerate areas, deliver much needed employment and inspire future generations. Although we have had considerable success in that sector over recent years, we must never be complacent. We must continue to strive for more events, bigger audiences and, ultimately, more investment in our economy. <BR /> <BR />To continue to attract top-level events to our shores, we need to ensure that the conditions are right and in place, and one of the key ingredients is getting the right infrastructure in place. We need to continue to invest in our road network, air links, ports, accommodation and telecommunications. Event tourism needs more affordable accommodation in close proximity to planned events. We have 13,560 beds available through the various accommodation sectors, with 7,860 of them in our hotels.”
“I welcome the opportunity to propose the motion. Event tourism has been a real success story for us in Northern Ireland, with a host of high-profile prestigious sporting events being successfully held over recent years. The opportunities to bring events and people to our shores have increased dramatically with the normalisation of life in Northern Ireland. The Executive must be commended for helping to bring about the success stories that we have had of sporting events here in recent years. We all recognise the very real opportunities that now exist through our long tradition of sport and culture, which must be exploited and developed to ensure that we reach our full potential to bring tourists to Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Sporting events and activity-based tourism can bring significant economic benefits to our country and economy.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is confusing; there are too many Gordons. <BR /> <BR />I beg to move”
“I again thank the Minister for his attendance, and I look forward to hearing of progress on the important issues raised. I trust this matter will be taken seriously.”
“<BR /> <BR />There needs to be a review into how routine maintenance is carried out on the A2, with consideration given to moving to a system similar to that on the A1, M1 and M2, given the significant volume of traffic on the A2 and the real risks that exist to those carrying out maintenance work, who now require a buffer-type vehicle. In many cases lanes are closed, which restricts the flow of traffic. <BR /> <BR />We need investment in proper maintenance of this road with regular grass cutting, weed control, gully emptying and sign maintenance. In the long-term, we need to see progress on the extension of the Sydenham bypass or to see it upgraded to three lanes to relieve the problems of congestion at Dee Street bridge. <BR /> <BR />North Down residents deserve better, and I trust we will again see improvements made.”
“I also bring to his attention a problem we have with a local garage, Ballyrobert garage, actually loading and unloading vehicles on the carriageway. I am aware of a pending planning application on improving safety at that junction, and I trust the planners will look sympathetically at it when it comes forward. <BR /> <BR />In summary, Minister, we need investment in this section of road. We need to see junctions upgraded, in particular at Larch Hill and Carney Hill. We need an in-depth study carried out on this road assessing all the risks and measuring how to reduce them. It should include all junctions from Ballyrobert to Holywood, which are particularly dangerous to those using the road, as there is no central reservation.”
“Other roads, such as the A1 Hillsborough to Newry road, the M1 and the M2, as I understand it, all have different maintenance contracts where the grass is cut and maintained on a regular basis. As we have all witnessed — I witnessed this over the past summer — different standards are being maintained on some roads compared with those on the A2. I therefore urge the Minister to look at the use of a maintenance contract for the A2 Belfast to Bangor dual carriageway.”
“Elected representatives had to plead to get grass cut at dangerous junctions, including the first entrance into Holywood at Palace Barracks, which is extremely busy coming from Belfast on the A2. <BR /> <BR />North Down rightly prides itself on being a tourist area, attracting many visitors to Bangor, Crawfordsburn, Holywood, Donaghadee and Millisle.”
“Warning signs for upcoming traffic lights — for example, close to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, which we are fortunate to have in our constituency — have been left dirty, unreadable and obscured by overgrown trees and hedges. This is another extremely dangerous location, which has seen fatal accidents over the years. Signs have been damaged, are missing and have not replaced for some time, despite being regularly reported to the TNI section office. <BR /> <BR />The maintenance of this road is a real issue. Grass cutting on the A2 is of great concern to many residents, and it comes up every year. The Department's target is for five cuts a year, yet large sections only received their second cut at the end of October. The grass was cut only once during the summer, when the roads were left in a dangerous condition.”
“The Seapark Road, which leads to an attractive place for many visitors and residents, particularly in the summer months, with its spectacular coastal path, is another dangerous junction onto the A2 dual carriageway. I presented a petition to the former Minister for Regional Development, Danny Kennedy, requesting the installation of traffic lights at the junction. At the time, Transport NI recognised that the sight line to the right was substandard, but, again, nothing has been done by the Department, leaving a dangerous junction onto the carriageway. As I said, this carries over 45,000 vehicles each day. <BR /> <BR />I turn now to ongoing maintenance. In recent years, the Department has really neglected this road. For some time, sign maintenance has been totally inadequate.”
“Drivers exiting Larch Hill take their lives in their hands, with a substandard sight line to the right that needs to be improved. Perhaps the A2 roadway could be lowered to improve the sight lines. A small section of the slip lane to the left would improve safety for vehicles turning left towards Belfast. <BR /> <BR />The Kinnegar junction, which has been in the news recently, is also a very dangerous section; indeed, we recently witnessed a multi-car accident there involving six vehicles. Vehicles turning into Kinnegar Road have to sit on the outside lane with a restricted approach and no turning pocket, putting motorists coming from Bangor at risk.”