Pam Lewis
South Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Indeed, I thank her for the assistance that she, as Minister of Justice, gave my constituents Kathryn and Aaron McCollum following the tragic death of their much-loved husband and father. Her assistance was deeply appreciated.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. I very much welcome the amendment to the Justice Bill on this subject, and I thank my colleagues across the Chamber for the good work that they have done on it. What cost is the PSNI carrying for the seizure, storage and disposal of those vehicles? Is that cost creating a barrier to enforcement?”
“It progresses 18 recommendations from the independent review of charity regulation, with a focus on a more risk-based approach that promotes trust and accountability without placing undue burdens on charities.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak as a member of the Communities Committee at Second Stage of the Charities (Amendment) Bill. I thank the Minister and the Chair of the Committee for outlining the details of the Bill.”
“The public must have confidence that charitable funds are being used properly, that trustees understand their responsibilities and that there is effective oversight when misconduct or mismanagement occurs.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome the streamlining of accounting and reporting requirements. For small charities, administration can be a real challenge and burden.”
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“I thank the Minister for her answer. Minister, you are in charge of the road network. What will you therefore do over the next months to bring our roads up to a standard that means that we are not in the position of having the same appalling potholes this time next year?”
“Our amendment is focused on delivery and on giving the Housing Executive the ability to invest properly. It focuses on improving standards in a way that is workable and effective. It is clear that there is more to do, but progress depends on long-term planning, proper funding and the ability to act at scale. For those reasons, I urge Members to support our amendment.”
“It is about improving how issues are identified and addressed, not simply creating new rules on paper. <BR /> <BR />In the private rented sector, minimum energy efficiency standards will also play an important role. Poor thermal efficiency is a major contributor to damp and mould. Improving energy efficiency will improve living conditions and reduce long-term problems. At the same time, it is important that regulation remains proportionate. The private rented sector must remain viable and able to provide much-needed housing. Damp and mould cannot be tackled through a single measure. They require enforcement, clear standards, skills and capacity. Above all, they require investment. Without sustained funding and access to finance, progress will be limited.”
“That is a sensible and balanced approach. It recognises the seriousness of damp and mould and the need for clear processes, proper assessment of risk and timely repairs, but it also recognises that any approach must work in practice and be suited to the housing system in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />It is important to be clear that protections already exist. Environmental health officers have enforcement powers across all housing tenures to deal with damp and mould. The Department has issued guidance to social housing providers and continues to monitor how cases are being managed. Work is also ongoing to revise the Decent Homes Standard. That revised standard will strengthen requirements around damp and mould. It will provide clear expectations around inspection, prioritisation and repair.”
“so that additional investment can be targeted at our housing stock. It is not about creating new obligations without providing the means to meet them; it is about ensuring that the Housing Executive has the financial tools that it needs to meet existing standards and improve living conditions in a lasting way. Standards alone will not fix damp and mould. Guidance alone will not fix damp and mould. Funding and investment are essential. <BR /> <BR />The amendment also recognises the importance of standards. It calls:”
“Without proper borrowing powers to secure funding, the Housing Executive is limited in what it can do. It is forced to prioritise urgent repairs rather than addressing the underlying causes of damp and mould. That approach is not sustainable, and it does not deliver lasting improvements for tenants. Access to borrowing would allow the Housing Executive to plan ahead. It would allow work to be done at scale and investment to be made in insulation, heating systems and wider retrofit programmes that prevent damp and mould from returning. <BR /> <BR />The Communities Minister has been clear that securing access to borrowing for the Housing Executive is a top priority, and that is the right focus. The amendment that I propose reflects that reality. It calls:”
“What matters is whether the right systems, funding and powers are in place to deal with the problem properly. Much of Northern Ireland's social housing stock is old. Many homes were built decades ago and require significant work to bring them up to modern standards. That is not a new issue; it is the result of long-term underinvestment. <BR /> <BR />The Housing Executive is dealing with a large and complex estate. In many cases, damp and mould are not caused by a single fault but are linked to poor insulation, outdated heating systems, ventilation problems and structural issues. Those problems cannot be fixed through short-term or reactive repairs; they require planned, large-scale work. That is why access to borrowing for the Housing Executive is so important.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />No one should live in a home that is affected by damp, mould or serious disrepair. That is a basic expectation, and one that should apply to everyone, regardless of tenure. Damp and mould are not minor issues; they cause real harm to health, particularly for children, older people and those with respiratory conditions. They can worsen existing illness and create long-term problems if they are not dealt with properly. The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak was devastating. It should never have happened. It has rightly led to a renewed focus on housing conditions and landlord responsibility. <BR /> <BR />However, it is important that the Assembly focuses on solutions that can actually be delivered. Good intentions alone will not fix damp and mould.”
“I therefore support the motion and reiterate that there is a need for a Budget settlement that provides certainty, supports reform and enables the delivery of our shared Programme for Government priorities. I encourage the Minister to concentrate on those agreed key priorities for public service delivery and to ensure that funding is made available for the Executive-agreed Programme for Government commitments.”
“By clamping down on all such activities, we will, in turn, claw back a proportion of the savings. We will then be able to use that to, for instance, retrofit and build more houses, which are so desperately needed. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the commitment in the Budget to funding the PSNI. Police officer numbers have been far too low for far too long, and, as we all know, that investment is necessary for supporting front-line policing, community safety and, indeed, public confidence. <BR /> <BR />None of us envies the role of the Finance Minister in having to balance the figures in Northern Ireland. The Budget reflects difficult decisions taken in difficult circumstances. While challenges remain, the Budget will allow Departments to continue to operate and to deliver essential services.”
“I thank the Member for that intervention. I am quite sure that the DUP has always made the case that the required funding has not been made available, and we will continue to lobby to ensure that we get the required funds. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the work that is being taken forward by the Communities Minister on tacking benefit fraud. The ability for the Executive to retain a proportion of the savings generated through that work presents a practical opportunity to strengthen our overall financial position and deserves continued support. It is right and proper that we do not prop up or ignore criminality. We support and encourage those who are in need to claim the benefits that help them in very difficult circumstances at periods in their lifetime, but we should not sit back and idly ignore the fact that some people act outside the law.”
“I thank the Member for that intervention. I agree wholeheartedly. We have Lough Neagh in my constituency of South Antrim, and, every summer, we see the blue-green algal blooms coming up. We know of the complications, environmental and otherwise, caused by sewage flowing into those waterways. That and a combination of other issues cause the problem to literally surface whenever the sun shines.”
“Those residents continually live off their nerves on rain watch, waiting for the next invasion of contaminated waters that destroy homes. The need to upgrade water and sewerage infrastructure to ensure that it has capacity, including in extreme weather conditions, is vital. That is also required if we are to ensure that we continue to build the much-needed properties for our homes.”
“There remains a clear need for reform, including transformation, efficiencies and ensuring that the size and structure of the Northern Ireland Civil Service is appropriate to the demands placed on it. That work must proceed alongside efforts to secure a fairer funding settlement. <BR /> <BR />I also emphasise the urgent need for meaningful investment in Northern Ireland Water infrastructure. Capacity constraints are already restricting housing development and economic growth, and there are environmental consequences, particularly for Lough Neagh and our wider waterways. Recent debates in the House have related to my constituency of South Antrim, where residents have been flooded in Antrim town and Dunadry.”
“Those are foundational responsibilities of the Executive, and ensuring that they are properly resourced is essential to effective and inclusive government. <BR /> <BR />I also highlight the scale and importance of the victims' payments scheme. To date, over 12,500 applications have been submitted, including around 900 from outside this jurisdiction, reflecting the far-reaching legacy of the Troubles. More than £126 million has been paid out, and the Victims' Payments Board has issued over 4,300 determinations. These figures underline the scheme's significance and the need for stable and sustainable funding so that victims can have certainty and dignity and the system can continue to operate fairly. <BR /> <BR />I understand that all our Departments face incredible financial pressures.”
“Likewise, the delivery of priorities such as disability support, JobStart initiatives and SEN provision will require sustained and properly resourced funding streams. <BR /> <BR />From the perspective of the Executive Office, the relatively small budget presents challenges for how we deliver on the obligations placed on us. Executive Office responsibilities are inherently cross-cutting, dealing with highly sensitive issues around victims and survivors and delivery in areas such as equality, good relations and the Programme for Government. Coordination depends on strong, stable, long-term investment rather than short-term allocations. In that context, I place on record support for the work of the Executive Office in driving Programme for Government delivery and upholding statutory equality duties.”
“We are short on housing stock, and we hear every day from our constituents about the need for housing stock to be brought up to a good energy-efficient standard that is appropriate for the needs of our people, including those with disabilities. I trust that the Executive will ensure that the Minister receives the full housebuilding allocation to make those housing targets achievable, as the lack of housing impacts across all tenures in Northern Ireland. Later today, we will talk, rightly, about damp and mould in the home and the health impacts that such poor conditions have on people. We need to see adequate funding made available in order to bring homes up to an acceptable living standard; I am sure that we can all agree on that.”
“At the same time, it is clear that future Budgets must be more closely aligned with Programme for Government priorities. For example, progress on housing supply depends on adequate capital investment, and the Communities Minister has been clear about the scale of that challenge. I am pleased that the Committee, after some deliberation, agreed to write to the Executive to support the earmarking of the full funding requirements of the social housing development programme, which reflect the Executive's housing commitments as expressed in their Programme for Government and housing supply strategy. <BR /> <BR />There is nothing more important than having a secure, energy-efficient and comfortable home — something that many of us take for granted.”
“Greater certainty is essential if Departments are to plan effectively, deliver reform and make real progress against Programme for Government commitments. John O'Dowd's draft multi-year Budget is out for consultation. I encourage organisations from the community and voluntary sector, which will be very much affected, in particular to respond to it, especially due to the lack of a funding stream to mitigate the devastating impact of the withdrawal of the local growth fund. It is vital that the opportunity to respond to the draft multi-year Budget consultation be taken by those most affected, so that the Finance Minister has a clear picture of the impact that the draft Budget will have on their valuable work in Northern Ireland.”
“I welcome the open-book approach on the back of that reserve funding for the Northern Ireland Executive, and the commitment to working with the Treasury in reviewing Executive spending and pressures. Those pressures affect every Department. I acknowledge in particular the challenges facing the Education Minister, especially around special educational needs, workforce pressures and rising demand. Those long-standing issues are widely recognised across the Executive, and they will require continued collective effort. Special educational needs provision is a key Programme for Government priority, and therefore must have funding priority. <BR /> <BR />There is broad agreement across the House on the need to move towards a multi-year Budget settlement.”
“I rise as a member of the Committee for the Executive Office and the Committee for Communities, and as a DUP Member for South Antrim. This Budget debate takes place against a challenging financial backdrop. The Executive continue to operate with funding that is significantly below what is required to meet the demand for public services. The reality of that will shape decisions not only this year but well beyond it. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the announcement by His Majesty's Treasury on the reserve claim and additional funding loan. The DUP was right to push for more support from the Treasury. It provides an immediate relief to pressures in the Health and Education budgets.”
“We all recognise the huge needs that exist in our constituencies, including my own of South Antrim. Minister, what is the current status of the major capital works programme?”
“I have family members who were in the Riverside area in 2008, and they are there today. We know very well the day-to-day impact that flooding can have on lives. We have all seen that, but we really need to see good cooperation across Departments and action being taken to assure the residents who are affected that we can come up with solutions and help them with the daily battle with rain and water. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for her attention to the debate, and I hope and trust that she will provide us with some comfort about how we can deal with the matter.”
“<BR /> <BR />My constituents are crying out for a solution. Their homes have been flooded, and their possessions have been destroyed. They live with constant anxiety every time that heavy rain is forecast. That is unacceptable. Therefore, I ask the Minister to outline the immediate steps that will be taken to deliver a coordinated flood prevention approach for communities along the Six Mile river. When can residents expect to see real progress on the ground? I appreciate that John Blair and I asked questions to the Minister for Infrastructure at a recent Question Time about that, and that she has agreed, thankfully, to meet a delegation of some of the affected residents. <BR /> <BR />Residents clearly want solutions. Day in, day out, they are living on rain watch and weather watch, as my colleague said. It is a horrendous place to be.”
“That is not a criticism of front-line staff at the Department for Infrastructure. They work hard, and Members regularly engage constructively with them. The issue is about leadership, direction and delivery at a strategic level. What communities see is a system that reacts after flooding happens, rather than preventing it. Visits take place, and reviews are carried out, but the flooding continues. <BR /> <BR />Planning decisions are part of the problem, as we know. We continue to see pressures from developments without proper alignment with drainage capacity, flood risk management or road infrastructure, which leaves communities downstream to deal with the consequences. Planning alone, however, is not an excuse. The real issue is the absence of a clear, coordinated, catchment-wide flood prevention approach for the Six Mile river.”
“I welcome the Adjournment debate, which is really important, and I thank my colleague Steve Aiken for securing it. I also put on record my thanks to the Minister for being here to hear the debate this afternoon. <BR /> <BR />Flooding along the Six Mile river is not a new issue; it has been happening for years, as we all know, affecting the same communities, homes and roads time and time again. It is not about freak weather events but about repeated, predictable flooding, and residents are rightly asking why nothing has changed. Previous Ministers, including Sinn Féin Ministers, have visited those communities and seen the damage first-hand, yet, years on, people are still asking the same questions: where is the plan, what has been done, and when will it be fixed?”
“It is about ensuring that victims of sexual abuse are no longer overlooked, and I support it.”
“<BR /> <BR />We want all victims of sexual abuse to be supported and have access to services that meet their needs for as long as that support is required. Victims should not be excluded because of the nature of the crime committed against them. That is why we support the motion and call on the UK Government to ensure that victims of Troubles-related sexual violence are included in legacy arrangements. Crimes of a sexual nature, including rape and child sexual abuse, should be recognised as a separate qualifying category, alongside serious injury and death. Any approach must be victim-centred and trauma-informed. Victims' needs and experiences must be at the heart of the decision-making process, and care must be taken to avoid retraumatisation. <BR /> <BR />The motion is about fairness and recognition.”
“For many, being recognised and believed is a vital part of that journey. Sexual abuse during the Troubles is too often overlooked in wider discussions about the violence of the period. That is wrong, and it must be addressed. Sexual violence occurred during the Troubles. Its impact was real, and it continues to be felt today. Excluding those crimes from legacy mechanisms risks sending the message that some victims matter less than others, and that is not acceptable. I acknowledge the good work being undertaken by the Executive Office through the ending violence against women and girls strategy and the strategy for victims and survivors. That work is important. It does not, however, remove the need for victims of Troubles-related sexual abuse to have access to legacy investigations.”
“I thank the UUP Members who tabled this important motion. Crimes of a sexual nature, including child sexual abuse, are among the most serious and damaging crimes that can occur. They have a profound and long-lasting impact on victims and their families. Victims and survivors of sexual abuse deserve to be seen, heard and protected. We recognise the immense harm caused by sexual abuse and the lasting physical and psychological impact that it has on those affected. Such crimes do not fade with time. Time does not heal those wounds or erase those crimes. <BR /> <BR />The House has seen through the historical institutional abuse and truth recovery processes and the investigations of historical clerical child abuse how important acknowledgement, truth and justice are for victims.”
“Given the current budgetary environment, does the Minister agree that this House should have complete clarity on the costs associated with the Irish language strategy?”
“Supporting the motion and the amendment sends a clear message: if public money is to be used to support major commercial venues, the public interest comes first. The Assembly has a responsibility to set that standard. For those reasons, I support both the motion and the amendment.”
“No, I will not at this point. Thank you. <BR /> <BR />— arrangements were put in place and that any new arrangement for Casement Park would require the funding agreement to be looked at again. That is an admission that the status quo is not sufficient. There is also the wider context that the Executive face intense pressure across Health, Education, Infrastructure and public services in general. Every pound matters. Public funding should not be open-ended, nor should it subsidise private commercial gain without conditions. <BR /> <BR />Let us also be clear that this is a GAA-led project, and it is therefore for the GAA to assess affordability, review its plans and determine what additional contribution it is prepared to make. <BR /> <BR />Public funding must be fair, proportionate and subject to clear safeguards.”
“This should not be about one project alone; the principle should apply to any publicly funded stadium now or in the future. If public money is used to build a venue that hosts concerts and other non-sporting events, a proportion of the net revenues from those events should flow back to the taxpayer. It is not punitive and does not threaten the viability of the project; it simply ensures value for money and protects public confidence. <BR /> <BR />The Minister has acknowledged that the situation has moved on considerably since earlier funding —”
“The stadium is intended to host large-scale commercial concerts and other major non-GAA events, which will generate significant private revenue. In that context, it is entirely reasonable to ask this simple question: where is the return for the public purse? The existing funding agreements for Casement Park, Windsor Park and Ravenhill contain conditions around income generation, market rates and community benefit. However, they do not provide a clear, legally enforceable clawback mechanism to recover a proportion of the profits from commercial events. That is a gap, and it is one that the Assembly should address. <BR /> <BR />We have heard arguments that Casement Park should be treated no differently from other stadia. I agree, and that is precisely why the amendment matters.”
“Thank you, Principal Deputy Speaker. I will leave others to answer the Member's query. <BR /> <BR />As I said, this debate is about public money, accountability and fairness. It is not about sport, culture or community identity; it is about whether taxpayers are entitled to see a return when public funds are used to underwrite major commercial activity. Casement Park is now a project with a total funding envelope of over £170 million. That includes £62·5 million from the Executive, £50 million from the UK Government, £43 million from the Irish Government and £15 million from the GAA. That is an unprecedented level of public investment in a single sporting venue. It is also clear that Casement Park will not be used solely for GAA matches.”
“I rise to support the motion and the amendment. This debate is about public money, accountability and fairness.”
“There is clearly an awful lot of confusion here today, and I am among those who are confused. Whether it is a permanent illegal billboard or a pop-up illegal billboard — the Minister has confirmed that it is no longer a Sinn Féin billboard — will the Minister confirm when the billboard stopped being a Sinn Féin billboard?”
“Minister, you did not consult the Executive before backing the trials. You dismissed widespread safeguarding concerns and reversed course only after my party intervened. Is that how major ethical decisions affecting children are now made — quietly, unilaterally and reversed only when political pressure becomes impossible to ignore?”
“I am sure that the junior Minister agrees that the loss of even one life is one too many. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is clearly an already excruciating experience for family and friends, but waiting periods in the legal system can and do amplify that hurt. What work is being undertaken as part of the ending violence against women and girls strategy with the Department of Justice to address those concerns?”
“<BR /> <BR />The debate is not about blame: it is about acknowledging the pressures, recognising the experiences of the public and supporting the work needed to build a fair, sustainable and patient-centred primary care system. General practice is the foundation of our health service. If it is strengthened and stabilised, every other part of the system benefits. If it continues to be stretched beyond safe limits, every part of the system suffers. <BR /> <BR />I place on record my thanks to all the constituents who got in touch with me with their feedback and experiences of GP access in South Antrim and to the GPs and BMA representatives who met me ahead of the debate to share their insights and concerns. Their contributions have been invaluable to the debate.”
“I am encouraged that GP representatives and the Department have since returned to discussions, and, while we are not privy to those conversations, I hope that they lead to a fair and timely resolution that restores stability to general practice. <BR /> <BR />The single greatest source of frustration for many patients remains at the 8.30 am bottleneck. People want a system that does not require them to sit on hold, lose wages or rearrange caring responsibilities just to secure a GP appointment. Modern telephony, queuing systems, callbacks, digital pathways with non-digital alternatives and staggered appointment releases are all essential steps forward. Practices stand ready to play their part, of course, but they need the tools, the workforce and the investment to deliver change.”
“Some areas benefit from full coverage, while others have little or no MDT provision. That inequality must be resolved. <BR /> <BR />Funding sits at the heart of all of it. Health receives more than half of the entire Executive Budget, yet general practice receives the lowest share of any UK nation at around 5·4% or roughly £450 million. GP representatives asked for an additional 1% — around £80 million — of the Health budget to stabilise the service; instead, practices received an uplift equivalent to roughly 50p per patient. Understandably, that was deeply frustrating for GPs, particularly when negotiations stalled and the contract was ultimately imposed.”
“That, of course, is the right direction of travel, but it is achievable only if GP practices are supported to deliver more neighbourhood-level work, including in care and residential homes. Trusts may need to redirect parts of their budgets into community-based services. If so, that must be done clearly, fairly and consistently. If resourced properly, the shift-left model would help to reduce avoidable attendances at emergency departments by ensuring that more people are treated safely earlier and within the community. Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) have also shown real value where they exist, bringing physiotherapists, mental health practitioners, pharmacists and social prescribing link workers directly into practices. However, MDT roll-out has been unequal.”
“The challenge is made more concerning by the fact that future recruitment is also at risk. During my discussions with GPs and the BMA, I was told that they had held a round table with medical students at Queen's University. Those students were asked whether they would consider a career in general practice, and a large percentage said that they would not. That should alarm us all. <BR /> <BR />I am glad to see the Minister of Health with us this afternoon. I very much appreciate his time; he is a busy man. Minister, do you believe that we have sufficient numbers of new GPs to come forward to replace those who are due to retire or leave the service? If not, what plans are in place to address that gap? <BR /> <BR />The emerging neighbourhood model aims to provide more care within the community and to reduce unnecessary hospital reliance.”
“They have lives, families, good health, ill health, mental health issues and the same pressures that we all face on a day-to-day basis. They are doing their best under immense pressure. I have also heard of completely unacceptable instances of verbal abuse being directed at GPs and their practice staff. Such abuse may be born out of frustration, but it is wrong and harmful nonetheless. No workforce can withstand that level of strain without consequences for morale, retention and well-being.”
“Although South Antrim has not yet seen the same level of contract collapse as other areas, the pressures are similar and the risk is real. We cannot, of course, ignore the age profile of our GP workforce. While GPs are of a similar generation and are approaching retirement around the same time, others are burning out under the weight of the current workload, and the pipeline coming behind them is perhaps not large enough to replace those who will leave the service. Without urgent stabilisation, contract hand-backs could escalate sharply as practices lose the experienced clinicians who have held the system together for years. <BR /> <BR />We must remember that GPs and their staff are human, just like the rest of us.”
“Pharmacies remained accessible throughout COVID and the successive winter pressures. With the appropriate support, they can relieve pressure from GPs by expanding Pharmacy First, supporting repeat prescription management and continuing their important vaccination and prevention work. However, pharmacy itself must be stabilised if it is to take on more, particularly in the light of the medicine supply pressures and financial challenges. <BR /> <BR />One of the gravest ongoing risks is the rise in GP contract hand-backs. When a practice reaches the point where it cannot continue, patients are dispersed into neighbouring practices whose lists are already overstretched. That is deeply destabilising and can create a domino effect across an entire locality.”
“We must address the problems of access whilst recognising the dedication of the staff who continue to deliver high-quality care under immense pressure. Goodwill alone cannot sustain a system under this level of strain. Much of the GP workload is unseen: reviewing blood tests and imaging, chronic disease management, follow-up hospital letters, safeguarding responsibilities, palliative care support, supervising trainees, visiting care homes, supporting social care teams, dealing with prescription shortages and liaising with pharmacists, district nurses and allied health professionals. That is the clinical engine room of the NHS, and it is running beyond capacity. <BR /> <BR />I also want to touch on community pharmacy, because it is clearly a vital part of the primary care system.”
“Those examples remind us that, despite immense pressure, many GP teams continue to provide excellent care every single day. <BR /> <BR />I also want to be clear about the perception around these issues. The concerns that people have shared with me about access are, of course, real. They are valid and deeply felt. But it is equally true that, when people succeed in getting through and are seen, they describe the care that they receive as professional, compassionate and of a very high standard. My point is not to minimise anyone's frustration — far from it — but simply to say that, if the wider conversation continually paints general practice as being beyond repair, we risk discouraging some people from seeking the help that they genuinely need in the first place.”