Stewart Dickson
East Antrim · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. Minister, you will have noted that the Government recently announced a VAT cut for some family expenses for a range of activities over the summer. That is perhaps a change.”
“Many do not know how to apply; others do not even realise that the opportunities exist. If the process itself is a barrier to participation, it is really not open to all.”
“I was born in 1950 in Thorndale House, which was one of the homes that is named in the legislation. I was born to married parents, and Thorndale House was a maternity home. It was where you went to have your baby in 1950 on the Antrim Road. My mum and dad went there, I was born and, a few days later, I left with loving parents.”
“I agree with Mr Brett: amendment No 6 is important because it will deal with persons who refuse to provide information or evidence to the inquiry. Amendment No 8 to clause 20 is a tidying-up amendment that will allow the Committee to make interim reports, which will be of benefit to the inquiry process.”
“That is why I want the inquiry to succeed and why it is vital that it succeeds. That is why it is important for us to see that cruelty in the full glare of a public inquiry. That is why it is important that the scheme goes through without further delay. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I place on record my thanks to the Committee Chair.”
“The Assembly faces stark choices, and agreeing the draft Budget as it stands is not a silver bullet, nor is it sustainable for us to continue in the absence of a Budget. It is vital, therefore, that we break the cycle of crisis and collapse that has been destroying our public finances.”
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“<BR /> <BR />The Minister and her Department are working with the Chief Constable and the PSNI to make the case for increased funding. Indeed, as recently as last Thursday, the Chief Constable said that he wished to draw a line under the matter, yet some in the Chamber still want to make mischief. The Minister has continued to push the Executive and raised all those issues with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State. We will see what their Budget produces and whether they will keep their promises. <BR /> <BR />A more realistic focus for a motion might be to call on the Executive to support a plan for the PSNI recovery that the Minister of Justice is working on. It is regrettable that Members have chosen today to focus on political point-scoring rather than practical solutions.”
“<BR /> <BR />When you make the comparison with other Departments, such as Health and Education, both of which have had budgetary increases of 70% and 45% respectively over the past 12 years, and consider that the DOJ budget has increased by only — let this sink in — 3% in the same period, you have to conclude that those parties that absconded from the institutions of government bear the ultimate responsibility for the current situation in which we find ourselves. Our current budget situation has been brought about by 14 years of Tory rule, stripping public services, including the police, to the bare bone, coupled with the gross failure of those parties that brought this place down on more than one occasion. Services and budgets take time to rebuild, and the Chief Constable is well within his rights to ask for more to deliver.”
“I note that the motion frames the letter as an attempt to embarrass. The letter was a private communication. The leaking of the letter was the attempt to embarrass and score cheap political points. We all agree that the PSNI needs additional funding. The Minister has reiterated that on numerous occasions, not just in the House but in her actions and correspondence. The issue of the amount of money that is allocated to DOJ, which, in turn, funds the PSNI, has been raised continually by the Minister, me, as my party's justice spokesperson, and my party colleagues in the Assembly Chamber. When debating the Budget in April, Minister Long outlined the challenges that the Justice Department has: our high prison population and our low police officer numbers, coupled with a forecasted 30% increase in legal aid payments.”
“Now, it must become a theatrical performance being played out in public and in the Chamber, rather than a genuine attempt to recognise the serious funding situation in which successive Executives have put the DOJ and the PSNI.”
“The Executive will ultimately decide and determine where additional resources are allocated, and, for them, the case for additional funding must be made. On more than one occasion, successive permanent secretaries in DOJ have reminded this Chief Constable of those rules. <BR /> <BR />The role of the accounting officer has been framed in the most recent letter as an attempt to chastise or gag the Chief Constable by one permanent secretary. That is disingenuous and seeks to sensationalise the routine business of a Department and, most importantly, the responsibility of an accounting officer. It is sad and regrettable but not unsurprising that the correspondence was leaked.”
“She has repeatedly raised the issues with Executive colleagues, the Justice Committee, successive Secretaries of State and Prime Ministers. The systematic raiding of DOJ's coffers, which, in turn, has depleted the PSNI, over the last eight years is the reason why the crisis is here. Other parties that have been in the Executive over that time must take their share of responsibility for the current situation in which justice and policing now finds itself. <BR /> <BR />The Chief Constable is, of course, free to speak with whomever he chooses. However, the mechanisms for allocating funding, resources and accountability for the police and, indeed, for all arm's-length bodies are clearly set out in the rules and guidance and cannot be circumvented.”
“Northern Ireland has come a great distance since the Good Friday Agreement. An integral part of that process has been the foundation structures put in place regarding our devolved governance and, particularly, our ability to determine and legislate for ourselves and determine our future. A signal step forward in that process was the devolution of policing and justice. <BR /> <BR />We are all aware that protocols are in place, and nowhere are they more sensitive and important than in policing. There is clear guidance and rules that Departments and Ministers must follow, for good reason, and Members of the House would be the first to criticise if they were breached. No one is more alert to those rules or, indeed, sympathetic to the Chief Constable's concerns than the Justice Minister.”
“Minister, we saw some appalling scenes across Northern Ireland this summer, with attacks on not only churches and property but individuals. What action is being done by your Department and what conversations have you had to protect minority communities across Northern Ireland?”
“I place on record my thanks to the Reverend Isobel Hawthorne-Steele, who is in charge of the congregation there, for her grace in the way in which she handled all the difficult events that followed the fire.”
“Last Sunday evening, a major fire occurred in my home community of Greenisland at a Church of Ireland church known as the Church of the Holy Name. Following Ms Brownlee's comments, I place on record my thanks to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, the PSNI and Northern Ireland Water, all of which assisted so remarkably on that very sad and difficult evening. <BR /> <BR />That event brought the community of Greenisland together, as, indeed, I expected it would, having been a lifelong resident in the community. We came together last Wednesday evening not only to reflect on and think about the incident that occurred but to look positively to the future, to rebuild that church community and to build on our endeavours to unite the community of Greenisland.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. In the previous round of questions, a Member said that a Minister had been "dragged" into the House. Can you rule on whether, when the rules of the House provide for a Minister to be called to the House to answer questions on a topical subject, the word "dragged" is inappropriate and contrary to Standing Orders?”
“Yet it went on to say that the soil nutrient health scheme, which you referred to today, is being opposed by the DUP. Would you like to comment on that editorial?”
“Thank you, Minister, for your statement. Last Friday, the editorial in the 'News Letter' said:”
“I thank the Minister. In the context of the all-island strategic rail review, the dualling of the Dargan Bridge from York Road to Lanyon is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure, yet it is not mentioned in the all-island strategic rail review. Does the Minister recognise that it would cause serious difficulties, particularly with rail traffic from the north-west, if that bridge were not dualled?”
“Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. Minister, you will recognise that skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in Northern Ireland. You recently answered questions from me with regard to sunbeds. Do you agree with me that sunbeds are, as MPs in the House of Commons have described them, killing machines, and what action will you take to ban them?”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. You set out school uniform policy as one of your day-1 priorities. Given that it was a day-1 priority, why is the consultation being launched in June, at the end of the school year?”
“As justice spokesperson for the Alliance Party, not only do I support the Minister on the introduction of the statutory rule but applaud her and the Department for wishing to keep ahead with this type of legislation. These items are important. While we may look at normal types of criminality here in Northern Ireland, it is vital to all of us that this order will thwart international and online criminality. I commend the order to the House.”
“It is time for the Minister for Communities to address this issue, to act now and to protect residents from financial ruin so that they can remain in their homes without fear of destitution.”
“<BR /> <BR />Furthermore, some homeowners have contributed to a maintenance fund set up by the Housing Executive, but that fund has not been either properly collected or managed. The shortfall leaves residents facing huge, life-altering costs that could have been avoided by the better management of a reserve maintenance fund by the Housing Executive. <BR /> <BR />Many are caught between two untenable choices: leave and face homelessness or stay and endure crippling legal costs and repair bills. Last year, I contacted the Minister for Communities, the permanent secretary and the chief executive of the Housing Executive. I have had little success in getting any progress. This matter cannot go on any longer. I have, once again, reached out to the Housing Executive chief executive, seeking a sustainable solution.”
“Some homeowners are being asked to pay large sums for renovations on properties that are valued at much less than the bill that they have been presented with. Even without the impact of cost-of-living increases, those demands are unreasonable and unaffordable. <BR /> <BR />Another resident, who has kept her flat in excellent condition, was recently asked to pay over £2,000 for minimal work done in a stairwell of her flat block; work that she was neither consulted about nor is able to afford. It was simply a paint job and the fitting of some PVC flooring tiles, which was inexplicably priced at £12,000 for the entire block of six flats. That constituent, like many others, has been paying a monthly service charge, which should have covered the cost of maintenance.”
“Over the past year, I have become increasingly worried about some homeowners in my constituency who bought their flats through the Housing Executive right-to-buy scheme. They are not landlords but ordinary people who have a small flat that they inherited or purchased themselves. <BR /> <BR />This issue is the cost of maintenance that the Housing Executive is demanding for work to external aspects of the properties such as roofs, windows, balconies and stairwells, ranging from £1,000 or £2,000 to tens of thousands of pounds — amounts that the homeowners simply cannot afford. <BR /> <BR />I have spoken to many of my constituents in East Antrim who are at breaking point. One elderly lady faces a repair bill almost as high as the market value of her flat.”
“Thank you, Minister, for the information on the housing supply strategy. Can you tell the House what plans you have to allow the Housing Executive to, once again, enter the home-building market and to re-profile its finances to ensure that it can do that successfully?”
“I encourage the Minister to detail in his response the work that he will do to ensure that we knit our statistics into national and international statistics so that Northern Ireland's cancer statistics can stand up and be measured.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank the charities in Northern Ireland that work tirelessly outside of government to fundraise. Every penny that is raised supports patients or is used to buy equipment that the Government or Department cannot provide or to provide extra. The charities in Northern Ireland that fund research provide hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. We must pay tribute to the work that they do. <BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland Cancer Registry does excellent analysis of cancer statistics across Northern Ireland. However, until we share those statistics meaningfully and regularly across the whole of the United Kingdom — this is on the point of the amendment — we will not be able to place Northern Ireland's cancer statistics in the UK context or the European context.”
“<BR /> <BR />Currently, Northern Ireland's cancer statistics are among the worst in the UK as part of Europe. Increased cross-border collaboration could improve those standards. Meaningful engagement between the Department of Health in Northern Ireland and the Department of Health in Dublin is crucial. I encourage the Minister to take up that work. By working together, we should make significant strides in cancer prevention, treatment and care. Sharing knowledge and funding allows Governments to fight cancer together rather than competing against each other. It means committing to a future in which our collective efforts in cancer research are unified and strengthened. It is about improving health outcomes. It is about showing that we can unite for the greater good, beyond our political differences.”
“Collaboration will ensure that the latest treatments and technologies are accessible to all people on the island and wider afield. <BR /> <BR />The success of the Ireland-Northern Ireland-US National Cancer Institute Cancer Consortium, born out of the Good Friday Agreement, shows what we can achieve together. That partnership has delivered high-quality research, including students from both sides of the border. However, there is much to do. Patients from the Republic of Ireland often travel to Northern Ireland for treatment but rarely vice versa. Aside from a few initiatives such as the Congenital Heart Disease Network and the North West Cancer Centre in Derry, there is minimal cross-border collaboration in cancer policy or research.”
“As Members have said this afternoon, cancer knows no borders. Our fight against it must be equally boundless. I had the pleasure recently of attending the Cancer Knows No Borders conference in Dublin. That was an inspirational event, bringing together researchers and cancer professionals from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales and, most importantly, the United States of America. That was vital for that event. <BR /> <BR />By uniting our resources, expertise and knowledge, an all-island cancer strategy can help us to advance cancer research and provide better outcomes for patients across the island. Oncology clusters could bring together research institutions, healthcare providers and private industry. They could drive innovation, attract investment and create high-value jobs.”
“While the legislation remains in place, what funding is the Department expecting to receive in order to service it?”
“I encourage anyone, including all the Members who are here, to come along to that session and see what we can do together to give our support to the town of Carrickfergus, the local authority and the traders and businesses in the town that are crying out for help from the Assembly and their local authority. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I place on record my thanks to all those who work in the hospitality trade across East Antrim.”
“It is, however, so bogged down in rules and regulations that it cannot provide drivers to get steam trains out on to the main line. It is disgraceful to think that one of the major refurbished steam engines from Whitehead is currently operating in the Republic of Ireland. It is coming to the end of its licence and needs its boiler replaced. The only way to get it back to Whitehead, which is the only place on the island of Ireland where it can be repaired, is to put it on a low-loader and bring it back. That is disgraceful. Departments need to get energetic and get those sorts of issues resolved as quickly as possible. <BR /> <BR />A Carrickfergus city deal regeneration meeting will be held in Carrickfergus town hall on Wednesday 26 June.”
“Massive investment in our infrastructure, such as the A2 and A8 public transport improvements, have been transformative for East Antrim, making it accessible from Belfast and Dublin. Train timetables remain problematic, however. Despite an increase in passenger demand, the dualling of the single track across the Lagan on the Dargan Bridge still has not come to fruition. Increasing the frequency of transport services is necessary to match the efficient services that tourists expect. They get them everywhere else in Europe, but they do not get them here. I fear that the recent fare increases will deter passengers even more. <BR /> <BR />Moreover, support is needed for the Whitehead Railway Museum. It is operated by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, which is a major contributor to that niche area of tourism.”
“It took months to find it and put it back down. It is really disappointing to come into a town that has a lovely paved area only to be met with tarmacked areas. <BR /> <BR />Progress has been made through our townscape heritage initiative, which has brought apartments to above shops in Carrickfergus, but much more needs to be done to capitalise on the town's potential. Our council has increasingly capitalised on East Antrim's tourism offerings, but it is imperative that it continue to engage fully with the private sector and local stakeholders. Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland need to step up their efforts to promote East Antrim's potential. Whether it is from our shores or our glens, East Antrim has so much to offer.”
“I witness buses arriving early in the morning and then leaving because they cannot get into the castle. They then go to other parts of East Antrim and beyond to explore the tourist take. <BR /> <BR />As others have said, the town of Carrickfergus is ripe for regeneration. We have, however, already spent a lot of money on regenerating Carrickfergus. In 2014, we spent a lot of money on a new public realm scheme, but much of it has since fallen into disrepair or has failed to be looked after by either the local authority or those who were responsible for it in the first place. I was appalled when some of the stones in the pedestrian area were removed for some essential works — water or electricity — and replaced by tarmac. As a local councillor, I remember being told that we had an additional store of the appropriate stone to put back down.”
“The area is a testament to the unique charm and global appeal of East Antrim. As others have mentioned, our Gobbins path represents an excellent opportunity to attract more tourists, offering a truly unique experience. I am pleased that phase 2 of the project secured some £13 million from the Belfast region city deal for a purpose-built visitor centre in Islandmagee. Moreover, that deal allocated £43 million for town regeneration funds, which will include a new visitor centre at Carrickfergus Castle. That landmark would benefit from greater cooperation between the Department and the local authority, which is Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. The council understands the local issues, such as extending the castle's opening hours. My constituency office, like Ms Brownlee's, is only a few steps away from the castle.”
“I thank Ms Brownlee for securing the debate. I have represented East Antrim in various guises, first as a local councillor in Carrickfergus for 25 years and then, since 2011, as a Member of the Assembly for the constituency. I am very proud to represent the region, not only because of the incredible people who live there but because of its unparalleled natural beauty. Do not take that just from me. Others have already referred to the fact that the Causeway coastal route has been rated by 'National Geographic' magazine as one of the most beautiful places in the world. Arguably, the best parts of it are in East Antrim, such as the panorama when standing at the Knockagh monument, looking out over Belfast lough, all the way up to Carrickfergus Castle. <BR /> <BR />Arguably, some of the best parts of East Antrim start in Carrickfergus.”
“As chair of the APG on diabetes, I call on everyone living with diabetes to take the opportunity to receive their health check when it is offered. If you do not think that you are getting the health checks that you need, please speak to your healthcare team or visit the Diabetes UK website for further information.”
“As part of their annual review, every diabetic should have a blood test to check their HbA1C for average blood sugar and cholesterol levels; a urine sample to check how well their kidneys are working; their weight and blood pressure measured; and help to stop smoking if that is applicable. Every two years, everyone with diabetes should have an eye and foot check. Frustratingly, with no national diabetic audit in Northern Ireland, it is difficult to assess how many people with diabetes in Northern Ireland receive all the health checks. That needs to change. <BR /> <BR />Today, at the beginning of Diabetes Week, I call on our Health Minister to add Northern Ireland to the national diabetic audit, so that we can avail ourselves of all the up-to-date statistics.”
“I speak as chair of the all-party group (APG) on diabetes. While I am not diabetic, my wife has been a type 2 diabetic for many years. Today marks the start of Diabetes Week, the awareness week for people living with diabetes that is marked every year by Diabetes UK and people living with diabetes across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, just under 115,000 people live with various types of diabetes. A further 73,000 people live with prediabetes in Northern Ireland. Diabetes is a serious and relentless condition that can cause other health problems if it is not picked up and monitored or treated in the early stages. Regular diabetic checks are vital. <BR /> <BR />For this year's Diabetes Week, let us shine a light on the health checks that everyone with diabetes needs.”
“<BR /> <BR />I urge the Assembly to support our amendment to ensure that we move forward with the necessary legislative foundations on which to build a safer, more inclusive Northern Ireland, in which everyone can live without fear of prejudice or violence. Today, let us all pledge to do that and support the amendment.”
“We are facing the harsh reality that the two years of stalemate have cost crucial time in this legislative mandate. Our amendment therefore seeks to recognise those challenges and proposes a realistic way forward. Ultimately, with resources constrained — funding and, indeed, the human resource required to develop comprehensive legislation — the amendment seeks to offer a pragmatic approach to ensure that Northern Ireland does not fail the victims of hate crime or fail to tackle hate crime. Ministers across all Departments will need to be strategic about what they can do. The specific vehicle, be it a stand-alone Bill or otherwise, is less important than the content that it carries. The most impactful measure for victims of hate crime would be the introduction of an aggravated offence model as a starting point.”
“By integrating lessons on diversity and inclusion into the curriculum, we can foster a culture of understanding and acceptance from an early age. <BR /> <BR />A commitment to improve current legislation to support hate crime victims has been included in draft Programmes for Government as far back as 2016 and up until 2021. I know that providing victim-centred legislation has been a key priority for our Justice Minister. Members will recall that, in December 2020, Judge Marrinan released his independent review of hate crime legislation in Northern Ireland. The recommendations from that review provide a valuable framework to strengthen our legislation, ensuring that necessary action is taken and increasing victims' confidence in the justice system. <BR /> <BR />We are not backing away.”
“Effective hate crime legislation does not just provide justice but sends a powerful message that our society will not tolerate hate crime in any form. Hate crime strikes at the very heart of our communities, creating fear and division. It is therefore imperative that we address the issue with the seriousness that it deserves. Legislation alone will not eliminate hate crimes, however. We need to take a comprehensive approach that tackles the root causes of prejudice, intolerance and hate. That requires a cross-departmental strategy that includes education, early intervention and collaborative working across all our Departments and alongside community and voluntary partners. Schools, for example, play a crucial role in shaping the young minds of the citizens of today and tomorrow.”
“Today is about sending a united message from the Assembly to those who target others because of whom they are or what they believe in that such behaviour is wholly and utterly unacceptable and that they will face the full force of the law.”
“Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for tabling this important motion. I understand the good intent and urgency behind it. I trust that our amendment will be seen as helpful; it simply deals with the real and practical logistics of delivering good legislation, coupled with a desire, which I am sure that we all aspire to, to send a clear signal to victims of hate crime that the perpetrators who, on sentencing, are found to have been hate-motivated will receive enhanced sentences for their crimes.”
“That approach ensures that the actions that we take will be well-informed and appropriate and will uphold the principles of justice and accountability.”
“<BR /> <BR />The original motion, though well-intentioned, lacks a concrete timeline and does not consider the logical and necessary steps required for a thorough investigation. Our amendment calls for the Policing Board to take the lead in that investigation, as it should. Should the review fall short, there will certainly be a case for further action, including potentially an independent inquiry by the Minister. <BR /> <BR />While the original motion highlights the importance of a free press and the protection of journalistic sources, it is essential to approach this matter with a clear strategy and with respect for due process. I encourage Members, including those who tabled the motion, to support our amendment.”
“The investigatory powers tribunal hearings are ongoing, and it is imperative that we allow those established processes to unfold and await their findings before considering further actions. <BR /> <BR />Moreover, let us not forget the operational independence of the Police Service of Northern Ireland from the Department of Justice. The PSNI is, as has been said, accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, which includes both political and independent representative members, and that ensures that our Police Service is effective, impartial and accountable. The Policing Board is actively addressing surveillance concerns and will thoroughly assess those issues. We must respect its role and allow it to complete its review before the Minister considers any further measures.”
“Northern Ireland's journalism has a proud history that is marked by resilience and dedication. Even during the darkest days of our Troubles, our journalists always provided crucial investigative reporting and held those in power accountable. They must be free to carry out their work without fear or interference, as a society in which journalists are silenced is significantly diminished. <BR /> <BR />The Alliance Party amendment is not just a procedural amendment or adjustment; it is a necessary step to ensure that we uphold the integrity of the investigative process. Rushing into an independent inquiry without exhausting the existing mechanisms would not only be imprudent but would do a disservice to the principle of process.”
“I do not believe that anyone who believes in good order in dealing with these matters would want to interfere in due process, and that is why we are giving the proposer of the motion the opportunity to join us in supporting all the steps required to deliver a robust inquiry in a responsible way. Indeed, as the Member who proposed the motion said, that is what, I believe, Amnesty International has encouraged us to do today: to support a Policing Board inquiry, and, only if that fails to satisfy, other courses of action may be required, including the type of inquiry that the proposer of the motion calls for. <BR /> <BR />Let me make this unequivocally clear: journalism is not a crime, and a free press is the cornerstone of our free, open and democratic society.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. You would think that, after all these years, I would know that. <BR /> <BR />In proposing the Alliance Party amendment, I extend my thanks to the Members for tabling this important motion, and I also place on record my thanks to my party colleague Dr Stephen Farry for his dedicated work on this crucial issue during his time as a Member of Parliament. <BR /> <BR />As has been acknowledged, if we were simply to pass the motion unamended, we would be in serious danger of bypassing and, indeed, sending the wrong signal to those who are currently tasked with the inquiry into these matters.”