Michaela Boyle
West Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister. On that first note, on behalf of my party, I, too, send sincere sympathies to the family of Austin Hunter. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you will be aware that a total of 738 women and 520 children were accommodated in refuges in 2015-16 and thousands more accessed community support.”
“<BR /> <BR />The proposal to establish a graduate entry medical school in the north-west is, as has been said, at a very early stage, but we need to build on existing support for the school to be built west of the Bann.”
“As mentioned earlier, we need more allied health professionals to work alongside our GPs, as not everyone going into a GP practice needs to see a GP. They need a physiotherapist, nurse, chiropodist or podiatrist. All of these people in primary care play an important role in reducing the pressures on GPs.”
“There is a revised induction and refresher scheme for GPs not currently practising in the North of Ireland to return to practising here. I welcome that approach, which goes some way to addressing the gaps here. I am keen to hear from the Minister on how it is progressing.”
“That, he said, was an "extraordinary assertion", because the demand for GPs is rising as people live longer. We have a successful health service, but success creates more demand, and we feel that more in the Western Trust than in any other trust area. We need to bring forward incentives for GPs and others to live and work here.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. First, I take the opportunity to congratulate all those involved in the new £50 million radiotherapy centre in the Western Trust as it opens its doors to the public for the first phase of admissions.”
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“I thank the Minister. On that first note, on behalf of my party, I, too, send sincere sympathies to the family of Austin Hunter. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you will be aware that a total of 738 women and 520 children were accommodated in refuges in 2015-16 and thousands more accessed community support. However, 267 women could not be accommodated due to the lack of refuge space. Minister, what do you intend to do to support women who need refuge?”
“Under the law for harassment, how many people have been convicted for either harassment or stalking offences?”
“As mentioned earlier, we need more allied health professionals to work alongside our GPs, as not everyone going into a GP practice needs to see a GP. They need a physiotherapist, nurse, chiropodist or podiatrist. All of these people in primary care play an important role in reducing the pressures on GPs. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the work that has been done by our Minister to date. Significant challenges lie ahead for her and her Department in the transformation of services. The Minister is all too aware of the problems and challenges west of the Bann, and I know that she is committed to tackling them. As I said, proposals for the graduate entry medical school are at an early stage, but I urge the Minister and her Department to bring forward a business case as soon as possible. I support the motion.”
“That, he said, was an "extraordinary assertion", because the demand for GPs is rising as people live longer. We have a successful health service, but success creates more demand, and we feel that more in the Western Trust than in any other trust area. We need to bring forward incentives for GPs and others to live and work here. <BR /> <BR />I, too, listened to Mr Durkan on the radio earlier, when he stated that this would be a game-changer for the north-west. I agree, but he said it would be for the city. He has to think methodically: this goes beyond the city of Derry. It will work for the people of Coleraine, Limavady and, indeed, my area, Strabane. <BR /> <BR />Of course, this is not just about GPs.”
“There is a revised induction and refresher scheme for GPs not currently practising in the North of Ireland to return to practising here. I welcome that approach, which goes some way to addressing the gaps here. I am keen to hear from the Minister on how it is progressing. <BR /> <BR />The establishment of a medical school in Derry will attract many young students from here, across these islands and further afield. Training home-grown young people here on our doorstep can be justified by the statistics and data provided by the BMA. Dr Tom Black, at the Health Committee in October, stated that we have over 1,200 GPs, or 950 whole-time equivalents, delivering the service, which is many fewer GPs per head of population than we had in the 1950s.”
“<BR /> <BR />The proposal to establish a graduate entry medical school in the north-west is, as has been said, at a very early stage, but we need to build on existing support for the school to be built west of the Bann. The Magee campus at Ulster University and Altnagelvin Area Hospital are already leading the way as centres of excellence for medical research and education. We need to build on that. <BR /> <BR />We are very aware of how much the Western Health and Social Care Trust spends on medical locums to cover the north-west. It has the biggest spend on locums, partly given its geographical location and the cost of travel and accommodation, but we continue to be the biggest losers in this regard. There are difficulties in attracting and retaining GPs and consultants in the north-west; there is no denying that.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. First, I take the opportunity to congratulate all those involved in the new £50 million radiotherapy centre in the Western Trust as it opens its doors to the public for the first phase of admissions. This unique cross-border centre of excellence, with a complement of over 200 staff across a range of specialisms and expertise, will provide much-needed cancer care to many people from across these islands. It is just one example of what can be achieved when we put our shoulder to the wheel, with both Governments on the island working collaboratively and people not using it as a party political football.”
“These should never have been offences in the first place; this was a cruel, unjust, homophobic law — a dinosaur law — and lot of people have been harmed as a result. No one should be discriminated against or found guilty of a crime for falling in love. The Minister's proposals are a step in the right direction, and we welcome them. The Minister's approach to such laws has to be welcomed in the House. <BR /> <BR />We support the motion and ask others to do so. We will not support the amendment.”
“That is critical for the legislative process. <BR /> <BR />The appropriate level of communication is key to many aspects of accountability. As the Chair stated, lessons need to be learned from what happened. This matter would probably not have been pursued other than at the behest of the Committee. That is what a scrutiny Committee is all about: ensuring accountability and ensuring that accountability is upheld. However, we appreciated the Department admitting that it could have done better. <BR /> <BR />The LCM makes provisions in four areas: maritime enforcement powers, excluding hot pursuit for reasons outlined by the Chair; cross-jurisdictional arrest powers; and pardons for convictions of abolished gay and bisexual offences. I want to speak briefly on the latter.”
“We believe that departmental officials must take a methodical approach to handling these matters; they must respect other accountability mechanisms, specifically the Policing Board. Full transfer of policing and justice powers must work effectively and efficiently, and we welcome the full sweep of policing and justice powers here. However, by the same token, all the accountability mechanisms must work together for open and transparent reporting on such matters. Indeed, I would like to echo a valid point raised with officials at the Committee meeting on 10 November by the Chair, Paul Frew: when legislation goes to the PSNI, it must be dealt with at the highest level by a person with the skills and expertise to form an opinion on whether it is good or bad from a policing point of view. I want to echo the Chair's sentiment.”
“I thank the Chair for the level of detail that he gave the House on the LCM. On behalf of the Sinn Féin Justice Committee members and, indeed, my party, I put on record and register our concerns about the way in which the Department handled the process, particularly the maritime pursuit powers in the LCM.”
“I thank the Minister for her involvement with the families and the work that she has done with them, the Western Learning Disability Action Group and others on the matter. Minister, will you give us an update on the progress made on appointing an independent facilitator to address the underspend and provide a timeline for that?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. What specific measures is he putting in place, as he alluded to, to protect funding streams for the North?”
“Is the Minister satisfied that the current mechanisms relating to alleged breaches of the ministerial code of conduct are fit for purpose?”
“Most of them, when they enter prison, are locked up for 23 hours a day; we heard that at the Justice Committee on Thursday past. Some of them are using psychoactive substances as an escape and release from being locked up for 23 hours a day.”
“I thank the Minister and welcome this collaborative approach. What outcomes do you hope to achieve with the Health Minister and the criminal justice system around repeat offenders and those who are going through a revolving-door process in our prisons? They are mainly young people with mental health issues and psychoactive substance addictions before they enter prison.”
“Their walkout of the meeting with Secretary of State Brokenshire on 19 September reflects the frustration felt by all the families over the continued refusal of the British Government to honour their state obligation to deliver on the issue. The Lord Chief Justice's five-year plan demonstrates to families that they may now be on the cusp of getting near to the truth and justice for their loved ones. They must not be failed. Sinn Féin believes in justice for all.”
“They cannot delegate their responsibility to the Assembly. The Irish Government cannot be let off the hook either; their silence on the issue is deafening. As co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements, they need to step up to the plate and challenge the British Government over their continuing failure to live up to their commitments on dealing with the past. <BR /> <BR />All the families have felt long-running frustration and a deep sense of anger about the failure to deliver prompt and effective inquest proceedings. The Ballymurphy families have been waiting for 45 years on an article 2 compliant inquest into the death of their loved ones.”
“Indeed, it could cause significant damage to public confidence in the rule of law in general. We know that around 54 legacy cases relating to the deaths of 97 people from different backgrounds could be completed within five years if the PSNI and the British MOD were fully cooperative with the Coroners Service and the funding was provided. The British Government must immediately release the £50 million in funding for legacy inquests that has been requested by the Lord Chief Justice. If the British Government are serious about dealing with the past, they need to commit to an immediate and intensive negotiation on dealing with the legacy of the past, as my party colleague Declan Kearney stated earlier. The British Government have an international obligation to undertake timely and effective investigations compliant with article 2.”
“They have welcomed the Lord Chief Justice's five-year plan and the review led by Judge Reg Weir. The families conveyed to me that, after almost four decades, they feel more confident and have confidence in the justice and inquest systems. However, that came with a caution: they are concerned about the resources in relation to legacy inquests. It is their understanding that, unless the resource issue is resolved, only two further legacy cases can be conducted. <BR /> <BR />The Lord Chief Justice's approach to the issue and his extensive engagement with the families has helped to restore a level of confidence in the criminal justice system. The Lord Chief Justice and his staff have to be commended for that. The opportunity may be undermined if the provision of adequate resources is not forthcoming.”
“I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this very important motion on legacy inquests. I thank my party colleagues for bringing the motion to the House today. <BR /> <BR />Over the course of yesterday's debate and thus far today, a lot has been said about the past. However, many families have waited and waited. Many members of those families are no longer with us. We remember them here today. Families have heard from the Lord Chief Justice, Declan Morgan, on the future of legacy inquests and how they will be dealt with through the vision of a five-year plan. They hope that they may now get the truth and justice that they rightfully deserve. <BR /> <BR />Last Friday in my constituency, I spoke with the families of Tobias Molloy and Eamonn McDevitt.”
“I, too, welcome the statement. It is a good news story, particularly for my area, Strabane. I take the opportunity to congratulate the many local solicitors, myself and a party colleague who lobbied your predecessor on this matter. Had closure proceeded, it would have significantly impacted on the people of Strabane in public service delivery, jobs and the local economy. <BR /> <BR />Minister, given the heavily fortified exterior of Strabane courthouse, can you confirm whether a move away from that militarised fortification will form part of the 2020 review of courthouses?”
“I thank the Minister for his commitment in this area. Can you confirm, throughout all the arm's-length bodies and functions of your Department, that a particular focus will continue to be given to delivery for people with disabilities and, as you mentioned, through sports, arts and libraries, that you will ensure that people with disabilities are aware of exactly what they are entitled to?”
“Minister, can you confirm that plans to reduce the cost of legal aid will not in any way impede proper access to justice for all sections of society?”
“— on this, and, as a member of the Justice Committee, I am happy to support her.”
“To conclude, it is clear that we need to do more to assist with the service provision and funding to this sector. I welcome the work that the Minister is taking forward —”
“Society's long history of entrenched racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia prevents LGBT victims of domestic violence from seeking help from the police and the legal and court systems.”
“<BR /> <BR />Domestic violence and abuse is happening at an alarming rate and, unfortunately, it is happening among many young people, including teenagers. Not all victims, unfortunately, are speaking out, because everything that has happened is trivialised and minimised by their controlling partners. Coercive control goes way beyond just controlling what their partners do. It is more about how they think about their family, friends, colleagues and, more importantly, themselves. I was also shocked to learn from Alicia that experts believe that domestic violence occurs in the LGBT community with the same frequency and severity as in the heterosexual community.”
“Many topics were discussed at the meeting, including cross-border initiatives, early intervention, the One Safe Place plan and the importance of domestic homicide reviews. Indeed, the PPS needs to review its test for prosecution. <BR /> <BR />Like others, I also recently met Alicia Perry, a strong, independent woman who has survived domestic violence, abuse and coercive control. Alicia met us to raise awareness of her campaign around Donna's Law. Donna was a friend of hers who, unfortunately, was a victim of domestic violence and died a few years ago. Donna's Law seeks to make domestic violence and abuse and, more importantly, coercive control a criminal offence here in the North of Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />Escaping domestic violence is a traumatic and emotional process. My heart goes out to anyone who has to live with it. I, too, recently met Foyle Women's Aid to discuss its work in tackling all forms of domestic violence against women. Women's Aid provides support and refuge services for women and their children suffering from mental, physical or sexual abuse. As an MLA in a rural constituency, I am always very concerned about the plight of rural victims of domestic violence. Many rural women in this situation can feel particularly isolated and distressed, in the belief that they have no one to turn to. Women's Aid provides a critical lifeline to these women, and I am hugely appreciative of their outreach efforts into the rural areas.”
“"It is her own fault", or "She should have left him the first time." That is easy for someone to say, but we must remember that, apart from the physical difficulty of escaping from a controlling, violent partner, women who have been abused, beaten and degraded have little confidence and their self-esteem is at rock bottom. <BR /> <BR />Women's refuges play a crucial role, and they are so much more than a roof over a head. Lives are transformed as specialist refuge workers support women to stay safe and provide them with any advice that they may need. Without adequate refuge provision, women who experience domestic violence will be faced with a stark choice: flee to live rough on the streets if they have no family support or remain with their abuser and risk further violence, or even worse, in some cases, death.”
“I am proud to speak on this motion and to send out my support and that of my party to victims of domestic violence, not only here in Ireland but throughout the world. I am also saddened to hear that some Members here would demean this highly emotive motion to score political points. <BR /> <BR />Domestic violence, in all its forms, is a crime, and, as legislators, we all have to work harder to tackle it. Domestic abuse may be psychological, physical, sexual, emotional, verbal or a combination of these. I also acknowledge that men can be victims of domestic abuse. Domestic violence is one of the only crimes where it can feel like the victim is being punished, rather than the perpetrator. Instead of receiving support, victims of domestic violence are often criticised. How often have we heard it?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement to the House. Given the massive cuts to the justice budget in the Twenty-six Counties, the many closures of rural garda stations and the Chief Constable's concerns about Brexit and the impact that it could have on local policing, has she had a conversation with her counterpart about ensuring that effective policing structures are in place along the border to protect people who are in fear of crime and those who have been the victims of crime?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. In a letter to the Committee for Justice, the Chief Constable raised a number of issues relating to high-priority policing and criminal justice matters. Europol obviously no longer provides information on criminal activity across Europe. Given that one of those high-priority issues is child sexual exploitation and abuse, can the Minister give assurances that she and her counterparts will keep those high-priority issues, which also include cybercrime and international organised crime, high on the agenda? I welcome the fact that the Minister will work with her counterparts on a commissioned work programme. When are we likely to have an update on that?”
“I thank the Minister for his response. What guarantees can you offer those pupils, and their parents, who are not undergoing the transfer test that they will not be sidelined or left behind if teachers decide to prepare those pupils who want to sit the transfer test in valuable class time?”
“I thank the Minister for his welcome response. Minister, I welcome the news that you have given today, but, given that this sector has had concerns, particularly since you took up post, that you have already rejected a number of development proposals, can you confirm that the sector will be given the same priority as other sectors and will not be disadvantaged?”
“Helping the police and courts to see the bigger picture can make it much easier for them to deal with the offender's behaviour. That can include keeping a diary of events and the times, dates and locations the stalker strikes. It is a good idea to include all of that information, including keeping copies of letters, text messages and cyber —”
“A lot of people think that stalking happens just to someone who has celebrity status, but it can happen to anyone. I am thankful that we have the Minister here. There needs to be a robust media awareness campaign on stalking and harassment. Will she consider that? <BR /> <BR />Stalking and harassment includes behaviour that happens two or more times and is directed at or towards you by another person and which causes you to feel alarmed or distressed or in fear of violence that may be used against you. Some advice that I have picked up through research in the Assembly is that one of the things that can make it difficult for police and others to deal with harassment and continuous stalking is the repetitive nature of what may seem like small incidents.”
“<BR /> <BR />Like the proposer of the motion, I want to share with the House the words of a victim — I know her personally — of a stalker:”
“<BR /> <BR />The courts and the police system, as was widely publicised in England and Wales, are failing victims of stalking and harassment. Much more needs to be done, as victims of stalking believe that the police and courts are underusing new laws because they are not trained in exactly what stalking is or the danger and harm that it causes to its victims. <BR /> <BR />If there is to be effective legislation here — I hope that there will be — the courts, the police and all those responsible for protecting victims need to be given the right training in how to deal with stalkers and repeat offenders. We need to protect people and ensure that those who commit these offences are given the appropriate sentences and receive the proper treatment so that they do not reoffend.”
“I support the motion and the amendment. I thank the proposer of the motion for bringing it to the House. <BR /> <BR />Much has been said about the current legislation on stalking and the new legislation in England and Wales, where stalking was made an offence in 2012 and new offences introduced. However, if we are to introduce new legislation, we have to look at the lessons learned from the legislation in England and Wales. Even with the new laws in England and Wales, there is much evidence that the Crown Prosecution Service and the police service should be doing more to protect victims, as evidence presented in court cases shows that victims are still at risk of violence from their stalker. As the police charge the stalker with lesser offences, the stalker gets away with a lesser penalty and remains free to offend again.”
“— and maintain some services has an impact on delivery. That needs to be addressed. As the Member said, there are key issues that need to be explored.”
“It has impacted the ability of the trust to recruit appropriate numbers of social workers, community workers, community nurses, day-care staff and other professionals who can identify the needs of those families and deliver for them. The pressure on front-line staff trying to cope with unrealistic caseloads —”
“I will put in context how that came about: we were informed that it was down to a resettlement programme going back a number of years. <BR /> <BR />A learning disability can affect many people's lives in many ways, as was said, causing difficulties in learning, communication and tasks of everyday life. This is what we are dealing with. The impact of the deficit on adult learning disability services across the trust will need to be fully documented. Families have continued to cope with a caring role with limited assistance and at great cost to family life, health and income.”
“<BR /> <BR />Families of adults with a learning disability have made repeated representations over many years to the former Western Health and Social Care Board, the Health and Social Care Board and the trust about the lack of services for learning disability in the Western Trust compared with others. On a number of occasions since 2002, carer representatives from the western adult learning disability action Group have presented to the Western Board and the Western Trust their analysis of actual expenditure, which pointed to significant levels of underfunding. It fell on deaf ears. Families believe that they were ignored when they presented the trust with that information. On 20 May, I, like others, met the trust officials for a briefing in relation to how that underspend came about.”
“I congratulate the Member for securing the Adjournment debate. I congratulate those involved in the campaign — families, service users, the western adult learning disability action group, Mencap and organisations in my area like Parents and Friends of Glenside Community and many others — for putting the spotlight on the issue and supporting the families and individuals in their quest to get real answers in this debacle since the shock announcement — answers as to why there has been consistent underfunding for quite a number of years in adult learning disability services, amounting to £8 million in the Western Trust.”
“Minister, what plans do you have to meet the industry representatives?”
“This is one issue that we are not going to let rest. We will continue until we get proper broadband —”
“Today, I have two young students with me from my hometown of Strabane; Ellie and Marissa. They have spoken about their school friends coming into school literally in tears because they have been unable to complete their coursework. That is a sad reflection on society and what we are meant to provide. I am delighted that the Programme for Government provides for good-quality broadband. I would like to hear the Minister's views on that in his summing up. <BR /> <BR />It has also been said to me that people in many rural areas are just happy that there are defibrillators in their areas because God forbid that a home had to call 999. That applies not just in West Tyrone but in other rural areas and constituencies. <BR /> <BR />I am thankful to the Member for bringing the Adjournment topic to the Floor of the House.”
“I was on the Finance and Personnel Committee in the last mandate, and we talked a lot about flexible working patterns, but those do not work for people who live in rural areas, even though the then Department of Finance and Personnel said that it had provided for that through rural proofing. <BR /> <BR />I am also aware of two young friends who live in the rural area of Aghabrack. In the morning, when one family picks up the child from the other family to get to the school bus — they live a field apart — they have to sound the car horn to let the other family know that they are on their way to pick up the child because they have no other way of communicating inside the house or outside it. Their landline does not work and their Internet service is very poor.”