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 wish the Minister well, and trust that he will remember the North Down community as he carries out his duties. What progress has been made with implementing the Housing Executive's long-term investment plan based on new asset management?”
“He recognised the need for more workspace and the need to develop apprenticeships. <BR /> <BR />Mr McCrossan was, I think, the most negative of all. It would be difficult to attract new investors or new visitors to an area having such a negative record put forward. <BR /> <BR />We have had a very useful debate, and a lot of good points have been made. I hope that we will move forward on it.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr Lyons recognised the good work of the Executive in meeting targets — in fact, exceeding targets — through Invest NI in the previous mandate. <BR /> <BR />Mr Eastwood mentioned the need for more jobs in Londonderry — I believe he said "Londonderry'"; I just cannot remember. I remind him that 70% of manufacturing is done outside Belfast. <BR /> <BR />Emma Little Pengelly made the point about south Belfast. It sounded very much like north Down that she was talking about, but she mentioned the educational excellence and the mix of underachievement; the need for a growing economy; the need for high-value jobs; and addressing educational underachievement. <BR /> <BR />Alan Chambers made his maiden speech, and made it well. He recognised the needs of the north Down area — as a representative, I fully endorse that.”
“Good. He recognised the value of our universities and colleges and the need to upgrade skills, especially amongst our young people. <BR /> <BR />Mr Lunn also recognised the need for a skills upgrade and had some concerns about the future as a strong base for manufacturing and our access to markets. He also recognised the need to support further investment opportunities with the introduction of the new rate of corporation tax and the benefits that will flow from that. <BR /> <BR />Mr Buchanan made the point on the need for upgrading skills and the gaps that there are within our young people in the workforce. He talked about today's young people in their schools and colleges being the workforce of tomorrow.”
“Conor Murphy, who spoke as the Chair of the Economy Committee, made the point that we need to focus the Programme for Government on job creation and said that, as Chair, he would work with members of the Committee to develop a strategy on the economy. <BR /> <BR />Steve Aiken — it is Steve Aiken, I understand —”
“<BR />We also need to get the right infrastructure in place, as has been mentioned several times today, to invest in our roads and transport networks and to ensure that we are connected to the rest of the world through broadband and better mobile coverage, particularly in rural areas. Despite the challenges to our economy, we must redouble our efforts to improve our economic competitiveness, grow our private sector, rebalance our economy, and, ultimately, get more and more people out of unemployment queues and into real and lasting jobs. <BR /> <BR />I think that we have had a very useful debate. I will now summarise some of the points that have been made, many with enthusiasm.”
“Having spoken to a number of small local businesses that have been working with Invest NI on trade missions, they really value those trips, which have allowed them to grow their export base, develop their business and, ultimately, create jobs. <BR /> <BR />Developing our apprenticeships is also vital, building on the work between our universities, our colleges and our schools and developing the STEM subjects. Research and development is another key ingredient to growing our economy and creating jobs. Our thriving agrifood sector, in this year of food and drink, is another example of a vital sector with even more potential.”
“This can be further linked in with spreading visitors to neighbouring areas like north Down, including the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra, which is a real jewel in our crown and should be further promoted. <BR /> <BR />The introduction of corporation tax at 12·5% in 2018 will be a vital lever available to us, and Invest NI needs the right support and resources to prepare for this new tool. Promoting Northern Ireland around the world through trade missions is a very valuable way of selling this country and attracting foreign direct investment and also of broadening the horizons of our existing businesses.”
“It is very much the subject, as part of tourism, which I move on to. Tourism continues to grow, and I believe that we can see even greater growth here. Tourism is an exciting avenue that we must continue to embrace and develop. The success of world-famous events being hosted locally such as the Irish Open, the Circuit of Ireland rally, the North West 200 and the Giro events highlight how we can attract spectators and competitors to our shores and put on first-class events showcasing the very best of what we have to offer as well as creating jobs and stimulating our economy and tourism sector. One has only to visit the Titanic Quarter on a Saturday afternoon to realise the success of our story with the numbers of tourists and holidaymakers.”
“May I take this opportunity to wish the Northern Ireland team well as they put this country on the world stage? They are a real inspiration and are true ambassadors for this proud country. I am sure that you would fully endorse that, Principal Deputy Speaker.”
“I too welcome the opportunity to speak, and I call on the Executive to focus on creating more and better jobs and to bring forward an updated economic strategy alongside the Programme for Government. <BR /> <BR />As I said yesterday, I was delighted that the number one outcome in the draft Programme for Government is that we prosper through a strong, competitive and regionally balanced economy. This puts the economy as the top priority for our Executive. Creating more and better jobs is crucial as we seek to move this country forward and build a better Northern Ireland. Just as Northern Ireland is proudly taking to the field in France in the coming days, we take inspiration from our football team in how we can take on and compete with the world's best.”
“Unfortunately, I have little time. Stephen Farry, the former Employment and Learning Minister, made very good points in relation to the need to upgrade our skills and recognised the different views on whether life sciences, engineering and the agrifood sector be included.”
“I am sure that she will work well with other Members for South Down, including my colleague, Jim Wells. She made points about the need for strong support for the south Down area and for the local GDP, which is so important, and about setting targets for competitive energy prices, which is also very important.”
“<BR /> <BR />My colleague Gordon Lyons made the point — it is a very good one — that we need to continue to sustain the jobs that already exist in our Province by making sure that proper funding is in place to stop the leakages and losses that happen. However, he also recognised the continuing growth: we are growing faster than other parts of the UK. <BR /> <BR />Conor Murphy, the Chairman of the new Economy Committee, made various points about the need for the support of a manufacturing strategy. To be fair, he recognised the need to engage with the Committee and all stakeholders to come up with an inclusive strategy. <BR /> <BR />I think that we would all commend Sinead Bradley for her maiden speech as well. It was very impressive. We recognise the work of her father in the Chamber and respect the work that he did over the years.”
“As I wind on the debate, I will summarise some of the points made by the various Members who spoke. I think that we would all commend Stephen Aiken for his maiden speech. He wants to see a change away from the public to the private sector. He registered his concern and the need for stronger economic growth. He also wants to see a joined-up manufacturing strategy, with targets and benchmarking. It is important that there are targets and benchmarking in place to monitor how we are doing. He made the point about the need for an uplift in R&D, something that the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment looked at in detail.”
“It is vital that we equip, train and skill our workforce to ensure that we can compete for sustainable foreign direct investment and continue, as we must, to give robust support to Invest NI.”
“Making the right conditions to improve our economic competitiveness and building on our export market are key to truly developing the sector. We must continue the preparatory work to get the conditions right on the ground for our new rate of corporation tax, and I welcome the statement today by the Minister on that. We must ensure that we maximise the potential that that lever gives us for our manufacturing sector.”
“While challenges continue to exist, we see our economy continuing to recover from the global recession, which naturally had an impact on our open economy. I am delighted that outcome number one in the draft Programme for Government is that we prosper through a strong, competitive, regionally balanced economy. That puts the economy in its rightful place at number one, right at the heart of our priorities for this country in the future. The economy must continue to be the number one priority for our Executive and, indeed, for Invest NI. <BR /> <BR />Our manufacturing sector is vital in sustaining and growing our economy. We need to grow our private sector as we seek to rebalance our economy and make Northern Ireland the number one place to do business and to invest.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the amendment, and I welcome the new Minister for the Economy, Simon Hamilton, to his post. I wish him well for his time in office, and I trust that he will remember the good people of North Down during that time. <BR /> <BR />I believe that the most productive way to go forward on this issue is, as the Minister has said, to include the development of manufacturing in the Executive's new economic strategy. That is why we tabled the amendment. Our manufacturing sector has been at the very backbone of our economy for many years. With our mixture of a very highly skilled and educated workforce and a rich industrial and enterprising heritage, we have a proud and able sector that we all want to see flourish in the future.”
“I, too, thank the Minister for her statement. Does the Minister agree that there are real issues with missed appointments by the public, in many cases without any notice, and the high level of cancellations by hospital trusts of consultants, doctors, etc, often at very short notice?”
“Some Members are not standing again, including you, Mr Speaker. You have been a fair Speaker. I also pay tribute to our outgoing party leader, Peter Robinson, to Gregory Campbell and to my colleague Stephen Moutray. Best wishes to all for the future. God willing, we will see most of you back in the not-too-distant future.”
“The Minister will do what he can to make small-scale adjustments that are in line with the rest of the UK. Local consumers will continue to benefit from the socialisation of costs across the UK due to the favourable obligation levels that we enjoy compared with our GB counterparts. The Minister and the Department have been faced with a real dilemma on the way forward, with DECC changing its position following the general election. There is no doubt that this created uncertainty across the sector. I believe that this proposed way forward is a realistic way of ensuring that we deliver for our energy consumers and those in the renewables sector. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I thank everyone for the experience that I have had in my first term in the Assembly. It has certainly been an experience.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is vital that, in managing a suitable and realistic end for the Northern Ireland renewables obligation, we get a balance between protecting the interests of Northern Ireland consumers, current and planned investments and the associated economic benefits, and contributing to the Executive's targets on renewable energy. The large-scale sector is keen to get certainty around closure and financial certainty to allow for future investment. The small-scale sector, which affects mainly farmers, SMEs and other renewable investors, has expressed concern about the loss of opportunities to develop projects in the planning and development stage; I think that we all recognise that. <BR /> <BR />The consultation process on the proposed closure of small-scale wind generation is under way.”
“I think that we all recognise that there has been considerable debate and discussion on this issue in the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment. There is no doubt that our renewables sector has made significant progress over the last decade. The NIRO has been a key part of ensuring that our healthy levels of renewable energy production have been met. We are aware of the considerable interest in the closure of the NIRO over recent months. <BR /> <BR />Onshore wind is a very important part of Northern Ireland's energy mix and by far our leading renewable technology. I am pleased that the NIRO provides a 20-year commitment of support so that existing renewable generation will continue to be supported until 2037, which reflects the level of renewable electricity at 25%, a considerable success considering all the circumstances.”
“I thank the Minister for his answers. Following on from the experience of similar legislation in the Irish Republic, can he assure us that the new legislation will be effective and that the police and other agencies, including councils, will have the necessary resources to carry out enforcement? The main issue is that the police now have to scientifically prove that a substance is psychoactive.”
“I thank the Minister. Will he give us some indications as to what potential savings there are for businesses? Would long-term security of supply develop as a result of the establishment of the North/South interconnector?”
“The issue of community groups has been well covered. I am sure that the Minister is well aware of the interest that there is in the fund throughout Northern Ireland. Can he identify how ease of access will increase the ability of such groups to get the funding and to do things for which no other funds would be available?”
“— the issue so what we want is an assurance that you will do likewise.”
“Does he fully realise how valuable a Bombardier apprenticeship is to a young person in that it is a great start in life? Will he do all that he can to try to retain those opportunities? We had a commitment from Invest NI that it will continue to talk to Bombardier on —”
“I thank the Minister for his work over the past term, especially the good work that he did on the delivery of a theatre at the South Eastern Regional College in Bangor.”
“I thank the Minister for her answers. I think that we are all concerned that an award-winning building is now literally falling apart. Does the Minister agree that the public should not pay twice for that work at a cost of almost £1 million? I understand that the contractor has gone out of business. Will she give us an assurance that all will be done to try to recover those costs and to ensure that this occurrence will not happen again?”
“The main purpose of the LCM is to boost productivity and business growth in this vital sector. We want to see our economy in Northern Ireland grow. It is such a crucial sector and worthy of our full support as we continue to see growth in our economy and a rebalancing of it. We must take every opportunity to support and encourage enterprise. The LCM, which will allow for the extension of the remit of the Small Business Commissioner across the UK, will ensure that our local small businesses are not unfairly disadvantaged and will provide them with the level of necessary support and protection. I welcome the motion and am happy to commend it to the House.”
“It is important that the motion has been brought to the House. It aims to bring a greater level of support for economic growth to the small business sector in Northern Ireland through the establishment of the role of Small Business Commissioner here. The Small Business Commissioner will provide a level of support to our small business sector through assisting it to resolve disputes and empowering it for the future, while promoting a culture change in how business is done with one another.”
“I, too, support the legislative consent motion.”
“The commitment to a review within two years is also an important step in providing the necessary protection to credit unions. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the progress that has been made, including the work of the Committee, and I am content to support the Bill.”
“Thirty-four per cent of our population hold a credit union account, compared with around 5% in the rest of the UK, and membership has doubled in the past decade. Regrettably, today, there are loan sharks around who often exploit the most financially vulnerable, and many of them often have greater resources and use attractive advertising as a means to lure people into unrealistic agreements. Credit unions are different, and that is why local credit unions that put the community at their heart are worthy of our support. <BR /> <BR />The three amendments will allow the sector to flourish. Clause 13A is an important one for the sector, given that credit unions will, for the first time, be able to admit companies and unincorporated associations into membership.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on the Final Stage of the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill as a member of the ETI Commitee. I fully recognise the valuable role that credit unions play in providing financial assistance to people in need across Northern Ireland. Throughout the process of the Bill, we have seen the importance of this sector in everyday life in Northern Ireland. The Bill was designed to promote the continued growth and sustainability of the sector, and I believe that it will deliver the required change to create an improved service. <BR /> <BR />The success and significance of the service that credit unions provide here is backed up by statistics.”
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive statement today. I think we are all concerned about the loss of the engineering jobs. Coming from the neighbouring constituency of North Down, we recognise the excellent employer that Bombardier is. Will the Minister indicate what financial support has been given to Bombardier and what involvement there has been by Invest NI in trying to secure the future of Bombardier?”
“<BR /> <BR />Another example is how the Ulster Orchestra has broadened its appeal by bringing music out to communities, different venues and smaller venues, and by engaging, as part of its marketing and outreach, with schools and various groups, fairs and organisations. That is something to be commended. <BR /> <BR />There is some confusion around what exactly is included in the arts. There needs to be real leadership shown to deal with the disconnect that is felt in some of our communities. <BR /> <BR />Marching bands were mentioned earlier —”
“Our libraries are very much part of our community, and they provide space for such events. Again in north Down — in Bangor and Holywood — the libraries do an excellent job, and the staff are most helpful for such events, with arts displays and community outreach for activities for young people. People of all ages visit our libraries and engage in many arts-based events. <BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that there is a level of disengagement by some of our working-class communities from what are known as the arts. More needs to be done to encourage and educate children from an early age about what the arts really are.”
“The event has become a highlight of the local calendar and showcases the very best of local talent. One of the ingredients that make it such a success is the involvement of the community, as it is organised from the ground up by the community, for the community. <BR /> <BR />One of the main themes to come through in our inquiry was the valuable role of volunteers. Many organisations, clubs and societies would not flourish, let alone survive, were it not for the dedication and commitment of volunteers from all classes and backgrounds. Volunteers must be supported and cherished, and they must be given their place. There is also a key role for our schools and libraries, as other Members mentioned, in making sure that young people are properly engaged and understand what the arts are about.”
“We, as a Committee, visited it and saw that it is a top-class facility that focuses on the performing arts. It has a seated theatre with multiple uses and a full range of recording studios; indeed, it is the first public facility in north Down that acts as a theatre. That type of facility is most welcome and broadens outreach by trying to get right across all the various communities. <BR /> <BR />Events such as Culture Night are a great way of mobilising communities to get engaged in the arts. We even have local success in our area with Holywood Culture Night, where thousands of people descend on High Street and enjoy a full range of culture, arts performances and live music from early afternoon through to the early hours. We have Ulster-Scots music, and we even have Irish dancing and folk music. We have the full range in north Down.”
“Throughout the inquiry, we heard from a wide range of stakeholders and agencies in the arts sector, and I thank them for taking part in the inquiry. I also thank the Committee staff for collating the information and putting together the report. <BR /> <BR />All of us, as Members from across Northern Ireland, can point to valuable examples of where the arts are an important part of civic life. I have only to look at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in my constituency to see a centre of excellence that showcases the very best of what we have to offer. It has historical artefacts that are complemented by artists' displays throughout. Other examples in my constituency include the new SPACE facility at the South Eastern Regional College.”
“I too welcome the opportunity to speak to the House on this important report on the inclusion in the arts of working-class communities. There is no doubt of the value of the arts in Northern Ireland today, and I believe that that value has not yet reached its full potential. I commend the efforts of my colleague Mr William Humphrey, who was keen to get the inquiry under way. He was certainly one of those who initiated it long before my time on the Committee. <BR /> <BR />The arts provide a sense of social inclusion, engagement and community cohesion and can provide many lasting health and well-being improvements for any community or individual. This was a very useful inquiry, and I welcome the publication of the report, including the key summary of recommendations.”
“<BR /> <BR />At last week's Committee meeting, departmental officials stated that they were aware of a number of issues with control and verification, so they planned to review and audit the processes and procedures to establish any evidence of non-compliance or otherwise. <BR /> <BR />As outlined by the previous Member who spoke, there is no doubt that there has been genuine concern in the renewables sector about the enforced early closure, particularly for those who planned new schemes and were working towards the end of March deadline. However, it is important that the Department does what it can to support those businesses in this difficult time, which results from the proposed closure on 29 February.”
“That would have enabled us to manage the budget in the way that GB has managed it. DETI officials put in place a scheme to manage tariffs against demand, but fund limits were soon exceeded. Perhaps the Minister could advise us as to when the Department had confirmation that it was not going to be met out of the AME budget. <BR /> <BR />We also have two bodies: Ofgem, which is based on the mainland and is responsible for managing the operation on the ground in Northern Ireland, and DETI, which is responsible for managing the strategy, policy and administration of the scheme. Two separate bodies creates a risk in itself. We also understand that the regulators, Ofgem, did not have inspectors based in Northern Ireland and relied instead on subcontractors, which, to my mind, creates a potential risk.”
“<BR /> <BR />Both those RHI schemes have been paid out of annually managed expenditure, which does not normally impact on our block funding. However, the Chancellor's autumn statement in November confirmed that the AME cap for us would be set out of the Barnett formula at around 3%, meaning that the block DEL would be penalised for any excessive spend. Total expenditure by Northern Ireland for both schemes in 2015-16 is now forecast to exceed £30 million, plus £18·2 million from the AME, which is a considerable investment. The success of those schemes has resulted in the budget being exceeded. Those issues raise a number of questions on how the scheme was managed when tariffs were changed in November. <BR /> <BR />I question why DETI officials did not bring a submission to the Minister when price controls were established in GB.”
“The renewable heat incentive scheme, which was established in 2012 for the non-domestic sector and in 2014 for the domestic sector, was designed to encourage the use of renewable energy. It was also designed to help Northern Ireland not only to meet its targets as set out in the Programme for Government but to meet the 10% European target by 2020. In November 2015, new tariffs were introduced for combined heat and power to coincide with the changes to the NIRO and the ROCs. With that change in tariffs, the demand spiked in November, with 900 applications in six weeks. The success of the scheme is underlined by the fact that the Programme for Government target of 4% of our total heating needs being provided through renewable technologies has been exceeded and is now estimated to be around 6%.”
“I thank the junior Minister for her answers. Will she advise what plans other Ministers have to maximise support for Urban Villages from other funds that may be available?”
“<BR /> <BR />It is crucial, as we move forward into the new mandate with the new more streamlined Executive that came through the Fresh Start Agreement, that the economy remains our number one priority. There is an opportunity for the new Northern Ireland investment fund and the economic strategy to bring real benefit, as we seek to make Northern Ireland the number one place to do business.”