Jo-Anne Dobson
Upper Bann · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank Nichola Mallon for tabling this important question today. I understand that, through correspondence with my colleague Andy Allen, and he articulated this earlier, limited resources and challenges are being cited as the reason. Those are not acceptable reasons for young children to be denied access to a drugs trial.”
“I take no pleasure in speaking on the motion today, but I do so as the Ulster Unionist Party health spokesperson. I wish to focus my comments on, as the motion says, the "grave consequences" for the health of our people of Northern Ireland.”
“The GP crisis, as we know, threatens cover across Northern Ireland. That became abundantly clear given the number of Members who wanted to take part this afternoon. With hundreds of GPs considering resigning, that rescue package can no longer become a reality.”
“<BR /> <BR />I want to turn my comments to the present GP crisis and pay tribute to the work of GP representatives. A rescue plan is needed, but, sadly, one is unlikely to come forward any time soon. Shameful.”
“Minister, this is a desperate situation that has caused real anger in Portadown and has the potential to impact on the health of all patients of the health centre, creating a domino effect across practices. Portadown must be prevented from becoming Humpty Dumpty. What is your response to the anger of the patients in Portadown?”
“Minister, I, like Mr Anderson, have met many of these homeowners, farmers and businesses in upper Bann that have been affected, and livelihoods have been put at risk. Many farmers have been there for generations, and they do fear that it is Groundhog Day.”
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“<BR /> <BR />My first memories of George are as a neighbouring farmer when, after my marriage, we moved to Waringstown and set up home. Back then, any time that I had the privilege to chat to George, politics was never mentioned. I believe that that sums up George. He was always asking how my son Mark was keeping, and then the topic changed to beef prices and farming. He was a man who put people above politics. <BR /> <BR />The high esteem in which George was held in the community was evident on Friday when Donaghcloney village came to a standstill. I was proud to join the community in mourning, a community quietly paying their respects and saying goodbye to one of our own.”
“It is always hard to join the House on these occasions. However, this afternoon, it is doubly difficult when we are paying tribute to a personal friend and party colleague. <BR /> <BR />My thoughts and prayers are with Joy, Kyle, Nigel, George Jnr, George's seven grandchildren and his entire family circle. They have lost a loving husband, devoted father and doting grandfather. The community of Donaghcloney and Waringstown has lost a lifelong friend, neighbouring farmer and committed politician. <BR /> <BR />As was said, above all, George Savage was a good and decent public servant, serving the constituents of Upper Bann on these very Benches and always staying true to the core values of the Ulster Unionist Party, putting his constituents and the community above all else. George stood fast and firm to our values.”
“Minister, although you refuse to acknowledge it, this is a problem that was created in 2011. I am glad that you have asked for help now, although you should have done it long ago. <BR /> <BR />My party is determined, however, to work cooperatively with you in order to ensure that public safety is not further compromised and that the radiotherapy and cardiac units are progressed as quickly as possible. Therefore, I support the motion.”
“The Minister left it so late to acknowledge the problem that it is probably too late to do anything about it without causing immense hurt elsewhere. Any Minister, alongside senior officials with responsibility for budgets and expenditure, should have been able to see that the figures simply did not add up. Nevertheless, rather than asking for extra support in the summer of 2011, in 2012 or even in 2013, he left it until now. Speaking out earlier would have made it much easier to fill the £160 million gap in his budget over a number of years, rather than in less than one year. The Minister is in the position of making the best of an incredibly bad situation. The people of the north-west deserve better.”
“How true — it has been built, but without the full funding behind it and with no staff to operate it. You have to ask who was being political. <BR /> <BR />The cardiac centre has, regrettably, also been caught up in the Budget fallout. As has already been said, the 24-hour emergency PCI service was proposed in 'Transforming Your Care', but, like so much else in the document, it is losing its focus, and time frames are slipping. <BR /> <BR />Altnagelvin was to become Northern Ireland's second primary PCI centre. I hope that that can still be achieved, sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, until then, patients outside the Belfast service's catchment area will remain disadvantaged. <BR /> <BR />The most frustrating thing about the current situation is that it was entirely avoidable.”
“Once again, history has proven the First Minister wrong. It was not the end of the matter, as today's debate proves. <BR /> <BR />To be fair to the Health Minister, however, by 2016, he may well have a very nice new building; he will just not have staff with the required training to run it. When my party warned of that scenario in 2011, it was lambasted by, among others, the deputy First Minister, who described the warning as:”
“No, I want to make my points. He was clear that the Budget seriously undermined the ability to deliver it, especially because of the absence of revenue funding. At the time, some political opponents said that it was a heartless decision. Nevertheless, the DUP and Sinn Féin claimed that the project would go ahead as proposed. That was in 2011, and look where we are today. In fact, at the time, the First Minister said:”
“I also welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate. It is a case of déjà vu all over again. <BR /> <BR />From the outset, I want to make my party's position absolutely clear. We want to see the Altnagelvin radiotherapy unit and the cardiac centre open as soon as possible. Indeed, it was Michael McGimpsey who backed the project for a radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin from the very start and reiterated his backing on 23 March 2011, when he spelt out to the previous Assembly that there simply was not enough money for it in the DUP/Sinn Féin Budget. He was very clear that the Budget passed by the Assembly, despite warnings from him and his most senior departmental officials, seriously —”
“Does the Minister share my and the industry's concern about the much-delayed funding agreement for Going for Growth? Will she inform the House how she feels that has impacted on targets that the Agri-Food Strategy Board anticipated would be met in 2014-15?”
“I thank the Minister for his detailed and lengthy answer. Does he accept that, despite all the policies and the wholehearted words of support from his Department, the impact on families in fuel poverty has been negligible? Does he really think that a 2% drop over recent years is good enough? What more could he have done to meet key departmental targets?”
“I also thank the Minister for his statement. Unfortunately, Minister, as we know, despite many campaigns, there remains a damaging stigma attached to substance misuse, and no one can have failed to be moved by the recent steps taken by a brave mother to show, through the media, the last photos of her dying son. Minister, what are you doing to highlight the grave dangers of substance abuse, especially among our young people?”