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. She will be aware of the very recent and tragic loss of life on the Lurgan Road in Glenavy. Our hearts go out to those families who have suffered such terrible loss. Given the long-term ambition of the 'Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland to 2030', can the Minister outline how the new technology that she has already spoken about and the maintenance strategy reforms and budget allocations, including the £13·2 million that was announced today, will align with the strategy's targets to ensure meaningful reductions in deaths and serious injuries on our roads?”
“I hope that the Speaker will not mind indulging me for a second to congratulate my good colleague beside me, Willie Irwin, on reaching his final day of service in the Assembly Chamber. We all wish him well for the future.”
“I thank the Minister for his important statement. Like my colleague, I very much welcome the fact that the bid for social homes was met. It is disappointing, however, that we cannot meet the target that every Minister signed up to and agreed in the housing supply strategy and the Programme for Government. Will the Finance Minister today show his commitment to social housing and confirm that future Budget bids will be met in full?”
“I thank the Minister for his very welcome statement on the launch of the public consultation on the Executive's disability strategy. Does the Minister have any plans for reform of the disability legislation in Northern Ireland?”
“Both Sinn Féin and the Alliance Minister have talked about introducing a child payment similar to that operating in Scotland. Has the Minister assessed that, and can he share any indications of associated costs?”
“I thank the Member for her comprehensive answer. Given that MLA constituency offices handle large volumes of highly sensitive personal information from constituents, can the Commission tell us whether anything further is being planned — I appreciate that there was a lot in the Member's answer and that a lot is being done — to ensure that data is fully protected from cyberattacks? Is any further investment and training required to strengthen those protections?”
“As a demonstration of commitment to transparency, will the First Minister publicly call on Glór na Móna to release the attendee list for the City Hall event in question?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement, in which she spoke of the significant stakeholder engagement undertaken by the Government of Ireland and the progression of the market-sounding exercise to support the Programme for Government commitment to establish air connectivity between Dublin and the City of Derry Airport. A few lines down in the statement, we heard of the engagement between officials in reducing emissions and mitigating the causes of climate change. Will the Minister explain how she manages those two contradictory subjects, which are just a few sentences apart?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement to the House. He noted that there was no announcement on the local growth fund in the Budget, but the cliff edge rapidly approaches for the voluntary and community sector. What is happening with that fund? Have discussions on revising the proposal for a 70% capital/30% revenue funding split, which will clearly be devastating for the sector, been looked at yet?”
“It upholds the rule of law, ensures that innocent victims are remembered with dignity, rejects the glorification of terrorism and builds on the proven success of the Communities in Transition programme. CIT has shown that community-led consultative approaches are the best way to remove harmful imagery while celebrating culture, history and shared identity. Our amendment ensures that those programmes are supported and extended rather than undermined by unnecessary top-down interventions. We want a Northern Ireland where remembrance unites rather than divides, where public art and memorials reflect pride and positivity and where innocent victims and respect for the law remain central. <BR /> <BR />Progress is not imposed: it is built, and communities are actively building it. Thank you, and I hope that we can get support for our amendment.”
“<BR /> <BR />Those transformations happened not because the Department ordered them but because the community chose them. Across Northern Ireland, CIT has helped communities move away from threatening or paramilitary imagery, giving young people safe, positive role models and stories to look up to. Those examples show that bottom-up, grassroots initiatives work far more effectively than top-down, regulatory schemes. CIT has delivered measurable improvements in community cohesion, the visual environment and cultural pride. It is precisely that approach that the DUP seeks to build on, not replace. <BR /> <BR />The DUP's amendment is grounded in balance, fairness and respect.”
“In my consistency of South Antrim, the Ballyduff Community Redevelopment Group led a re-imaging project that replaced previous paramilitary imagery with a multi-panel remembrance mural honouring the Somme. As another example, in Monkstown, a paramilitary badge was removed and the 18th Newtownabbey Football Club mural was put in its place, which transformed it as a mural with vibrant artwork, celebrating teamwork, local identity and inclusion. The project was delivered in partnership with the Monkstown Community Association, the Housing Executive, Clanmil and the PSNI. The final example is the Airtastic mural project in Bawnmore, north Belfast that brought together schools, GAA clubs and local residents to capture history, culture, music and community pride in a positive and lasting way. Those are just a few examples.”
“<BR /> <BR />One of the most effective ways in which we have been tackling harmful memorials and murals has been through the Communities in Transition programme. CIT works directly with communities, engaging residents, schools, sports clubs and cultural organisations to reimagine walls, spaces and memorials in ways that celebrate shared heritage, pride and creativity while removing paramilitary imagery and messages of division. CIT's work is careful, thoughtful and inclusive. It does not impose solutions from above; instead, it brings communities together to consult, negotiate and decide collectively how their public spaces should reflect their values. The positive results speak for themselves.”
“That approach balances the need for lawful compliance with the reality that community-led solutions remain the most effective way to remove harmful imagery and to reimagine public spaces positively. <BR /> <BR />A word on planning. Northern Ireland's planning system is, of course, under significant strain. We all know that housing, infrastructure and health projects already face unacceptable delays. While planning law must be applied consistently, we must ensure that the appropriate priority is given to what truly matters. Creating new layers of bureaucracy for a small number of memorials would not be an effective or proportionate use of resources. Our amendment promotes a balanced approach, combining compliance with the law and practical, realistic enforcement.”
“The DUP recognises the importance of ensuring that any memorials on public land comply with the law. That is why we support determining the need for an audit, not to impose unnecessary bureaucracy but to understand the scale of the issue and to ensure that enforcement is consistent and fair where planning permission has not been sought. We know from experience that legacy memorials exist in many communities and that enforcement has often been inconsistent or delayed. A targeted audit would allow Departments and local authorities to take proportionate and coordinated action while continuing to respect community consultation and grassroots initiatives such as Communities in Transition.”
“We also remain concerned that some memorials are used to mark territory rather than commemorate respectfully. That is unacceptable and contributes to division rather than reconciliation. Clarity matters, and principle matters. We must not allow any process to undermine lawful remembrance or to disrespect the innocent victims whose pain remains so real.”
“<BR /> <BR />At the same time, we will resist any attempt to erase or restrict the lawful commemoration of those who served with honour in our armed forces, our police or other services, or of those who gave their lives in defence of peace and order. Respectful remembrance of courage and sacrifice is not the same as celebrating terror, and we must never blur that line. <BR /> <BR />Although I acknowledge the intentions behind the Alliance motion and appreciate the tabling of it, the wording is, for us, just a little too broad and too vague, so we would welcome support for the amendment. The phrase "references to acts of violence" risks capturing legitimate memorials, including those marking world war service or honouring members of the security forces who were murdered while upholding law and order.”
“<BR /> <BR />That is the foundation of the DUP amendment in my name and that of Mr Phillip Brett. Our amendment makes it absolutely clear that the glorification of terrorism is hurtful, shameful and wrong. It is hurtful to innocent victims who continue to live with the trauma of loss. It is shameful because it attempts to rewrite history and justify the unjustifiable. It is wrong — legally, morally and socially — because it undermines everything that we have worked for in building a peaceful and democratic society. Such displays retraumatise victims and send the wrong message to our young people.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to speak, and I thank the Alliance Party for tabling the motion. <BR /> <BR />At the heart of the debate lies a question of principle: how do we remember our past and the values that those acts of remembrance represent? For the Democratic Unionist Party, that principle is clear and firm: permanent acts of remembrance and memorialisation must always respect the rule of law and must never commemorate wrongdoing. <BR /> <BR />Everyone in Northern Ireland, from every tradition, should have the right to remember their dead in a respectful, dignified and sensitive manner, but that right must never be misused to glorify violence, terrorism or criminality. Crucially, in all that we do, we must ensure that innocent victims are never forgotten and are remembered with dignity, compassion and respect.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker; I will be brief. I very much welcome the Minister's statement and the clarity around the shocking case of discrimination against Daryl Clarke. Does the Minister agree that the onus is now fully on the Ulster Boxing Council and the IABA to regain their reputation and the trust of the boxing community, and is he assured that they will now do that in light of the Equality Commission report?”
“Accountability must protect democracy, but it should not be used to manipulate it. Accountability? Yes. Cross-community safeguards? Yes. Political power plays? Absolutely not.”
“<BR /> <BR />Finally, we must be clear on one point that seems to have been overlooked. If a sanction prevents a Minister from taking part in the Assembly, such as their being suspended from the Chamber, that reduces accountability, as it prevents MLAs from questioning that Minister about their departmental work. That frustrates rather than improves scrutiny. <BR /> <BR />Without those safeguards, the SDLP motion and the Sinn Féin amendment would do real damage. They would undermine the independence of investigations, erode cross-community protections and destabilise the institutions. The DUP supports accountability, transparency and consequences where wrongdoing is proven, but it will not support a model that allows political parties to remove Ministers from office simply because they do not like the party to which they belong.”
“Any recommendations for sanctions of any kind must require cross-community support in Committee and in the Assembly. In a power-sharing system, cross-community support is not optional but fundamental. No sanction should ever be recommended or approved on the basis of a simple majority vote. Sinn Féin's amendment speaks grandly about protecting the Good Friday Agreement, yet Sinn Féin has happily abandoned the agreement's cross-community principle when it suited, most notably on the protocol. It will be interesting to see whether Sinn Féin's professed concern for the agreement extends to its upholding of core protections today. Any arrangements must guard against vexatious or frivolous allegations: without that, accountability becomes a political weapon rather than a safeguard.”
“Critically, the power to appoint or dismiss Ministers must continue to rest solely with the party leaders and their nominating officers. The SDLP motion implies that a grouping of parties should be able to dictate the appointment or dismissal of Ministers from parties that they oppose. That directly contradicts the motion's language about stability. <BR /> <BR />The integrity and independence of the Assembly standards commissioner must not be impeded. The commissioner was given powers to investigate Ministers precisely so that accountability could be independent. If the intention is to allow what would essentially be a pan-nationalist coalition to ignore the commissioner's findings and impose its own sanctions for political purposes, that is unacceptable.”
“In our engagement with the Standards and Privileges Committee earlier this year, we acknowledged that the careful use of powers, particularly the ability to explore or recommend sanctions, could improve accountability, but any such reforms must be subject to essential safeguards. That is where the motion and Sinn Féin's amendment are deeply flawed. First, any reforms or changes to Standing Orders must command broad political support. Accountability should never be driven by temporary voting strength on one side of the Chamber. Reforms must be considered within the wider framework that already exists to examine such matters, namely the AERC. That is the proper structure to review institutional reform, not motions dropped on to the Floor of the Assembly without detailed scrutiny.”
“Accountability mechanisms already exist. Since the passage of the Functioning of Government Act in 2021, the Assembly has given the Assembly Commissioner for Standards clear statutory power to investigate alleged breaches of the ministerial code. In addition, the Standards and Privileges Committee already possesses authority to set the procedures for those investigations and can require the commissioner to revisit a decision if a complaint is ruled inadmissible. Therefore, when the SDLP claims that no process exists, it is ignoring the powers that the Assembly put into law. <BR /> <BR />Our party has consistently supported fair and robust measures that ensure that Ministers are accountable for their actions.”
“The Democratic Unionist Party recognises the need for strong and effective measures that enhance transparency and accountability in the devolved institutions. Accountability and trust matter, and Ministers should always conduct themselves to the highest standard of propriety and integrity. The public are entitled to nothing less. However, we also recognise something else that is fundamental: before any reform of our institutions, we need a period of sustained political stability. Stability is not a luxury; it is the foundation that allows accountability to operate properly and fairly. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP motion claims that, under the current structures, it is impossible to hold Ministers to account even when there has been a breach of the ministerial code or the law, but that is simply not accurate.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. I wish her well in ensuring that police officers get their well-deserved pay award in the near future. <BR /> <BR />The Minister went on record in the media last week as saying that the fact that the PSNI is unable to take industrial action did not mean that the police should be at the end of the queue when it comes to funding. I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. Should the 1,600 police support staff decide to strike, what impact that would have on front-line policing functions?”
“What more can be done to support those who come under the range of legacy schemes, including the historical institutional abuse (HIA) redress scheme and the victims' pensions process, many of whom face difficulties in having their situation understood and recognised?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Does he agree that it is wholly unacceptable that the deaf community is left out and has no reasonable way of communicating, including with his Department, and that it is really important that that community has full access to public services?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement to the House this morning. It is very welcome. This is a big issue in Northern Ireland. The housing shortage is certainly a problem that affects every MLA in their constituency. Minister, why are some houses in multiple occupation allowed to operate without proper planning permission?”
“One of the main themes of the plan is to care for the elderly and those with complex and ongoing illnesses in their own home, which requires a functioning acute-care-at-home service, to which the Minister referred. Given that the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has no such service but is hoping to commence, within the next few weeks, an initial service to only 10 patients, how can the Minister claim that that is on a scale that will prevent elderly patients from lying in hospital corridors in Antrim ED this winter?”
“The First Minister has previously said that there was no alternative to IRA violence, and her party colleague Michelle Gildernew has now stated that murder was justified. How can victims have any confidence in the First Minister and her party to represent their interests?”
“I put on record my utter condemnation of the incident that took place at the Minister's home last week. There is no justification for that kind of intimidating behaviour. Private homes must be off limits. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for her answer. The Minister will know that the victims' campaigner Ann Travers has asked for a public apology to innocent victims for the removal of the word "innocent" from the recent motion in the House. Does the Minister understand the hurt and anger felt by the families of innocent victims, and will she take the opportunity to apologise?”
“I respectfully ask the Minister to address where the private rented sector fits into all of that and what other schemes are in the mix and to update us on the progress of the fuel poverty strategy. I am aware that I am giving the Minister a lot of homework. <BR /> <BR />I will leave my remarks there, and I look forward to hearing more contributions from Members across the House.”
“I am sure that none of us wants to unintentionally place additional pressures on households, businesses and our ability to deliver key public services in what are already very challenging times. I encourage Members to support our amendment. It keeps intact the core of the motion, which is about improving homes and lowering bills, whilst acknowledging the complex and sometimes competing demands that we now face. <BR /> <BR />I ask the Minister in his response to the debate to update the House on the affordable warmth scheme and any plans that he has to upscale that scheme, which helps low-income households to improve energy efficiency through a range of measures. I also want to hear more on what social housing providers are able to do and what is happening around the Department's review of the decent homes standard.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I appreciate your intervention. <BR /> <BR />We must be mindful of the wider costs. DAERA's draft climate action plan has been estimated to cost a whopping £1 billion between now and 2027. That is, of course, an incredibly eye-watering figure. <BR /> <BR />Our amendment does not seek to weaken our commitment to addressing climate change; rather, it asks us to proceed with care and pragmatism. We really need to look at the issues through a realistic lens. We need to be honest about what we can and cannot achieve right now with the available resource. We must be sensible while seeking to achieve real and lasting benefits for Northern Ireland.”
“I thank my colleague for his intervention.”
“I thank the Member for her intervention. We also have to be —.”
“I want to make some progress, if you do not mind. <BR /> <BR />Much of what we will be debating today relates to other Departments as well. For example, the responsibility for renewable energy sits with the Department for the Economy. We know that that Department has a statutory obligation under the Climate Change Act to ensure that at least 80% of electricity consumption comes from renewable sources by 2030. Significant investment and reform are needed in that area, particularly around grid capacity, planning and skills development. I ask therefore this question: where are we with meeting those targets? Are they even achievable? Are we being disingenuous by not raising concerns over our ability to meet what are incredibly challenging targets?”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. Similarly, we have had the recent court judgement on the A5 project, which highlighted how climate targets have had unintended consequences. In that case, they are potentially delaying or even preventing vital infrastructure projects. We need to ensure that such flagship projects can still go ahead without our breaching emissions limits or putting other sectors under pressure.”
“<BR /> <BR />Our amendment reflects growing concern that some of the emissions targets and central objectives set out in the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 may simply not be deliverable in the time frame to which we have committed, given the very real infrastructure and financial constraints that we face. We have seen, for example, a decision to extend operating hours at Kilroot power station. That is a necessary step in order to maintain energy security but is one that involves increased use of fossil fuels. That points to the gap between policy ambition and operational reality, and it is something that we cannot ignore and, instead, must take seriously.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. The DUP amendment aims to bring a sense of balance and realism to the debate, particularly in light of the serious infrastructure and affordability challenges facing Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I begin by saying that I fully recognise and welcome the intention behind the motion. We can all agree that fuel poverty is a very real and pressing issue and that poorly insulated homes place an unfair burden on families. The call to improve the energy efficiency of our social housing and to explore renewable integration is sensible and timely. Every one of us wishes, for every constituent and even for ourselves, for homes to be energy-efficient, to be as environmentally friendly as possible and to be warm and healthy.”
“What message does the Minister have for those who think that it is acceptable to intimidate, in any form or fashion, residents from their homes?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. It is clear that the Minister's decision on the signage at Grand Central station is cross-cutting, which, in itself, requires it to be referred to the Executive. I respectfully ask which part of the controversy around her actions convinced the Minister that her decision was not controversial.”
“My thoughts are with the Minister and her staff, and I utterly condemn the actions of the small-minded people who sought to attack her constituency office.”
“I will indeed. Those testimonies outline the importance of the mother-and-baby unit. I urge the Minister to act quickly on the issue to ensure that the services are put in place.”
“Her toddler daughter asked daily where her mum was and has since undergone counselling for separation anxiety. In the first couple of days, she —.”
“It is important to put those words of a mother on the record. <BR /> <BR />I take the opportunity to raise another mother's experience: Alex Bartholomew. Her experience is from August 2018 — not very recent but the same problem in the past. Alex was admitted to an acute psychiatric ward. Her son was eight weeks old and still breastfeeding. During her time on the ward, Alex's symptoms worsened. Staying on a mixed ward heightened her anxiety, and it was unsafe for her children to visit. Throughout her three weeks on the ward, there was no safe place there for her to meet her children. Alex had been separated from her newborn son with no indication of when she might see him again. The baby was eight weeks old and had to be weaned overnight.”
“I will quote Laura directly. She said that one of the things that she found most difficult was not knowing:”