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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“Many of them have after-school clubs, which helps. I am also aware, going back a number of years, of families who did that. My predecessor as MLA, Claire McGill, raised the issue of small post offices in rural areas, and not much has changed. That was over five years ago, and there is no reliable broadband service in parts of Aghabrack, Aghyaran, Glenelly, Killeter and Killen. <BR /> <BR />We do a lot of talking in the House about having a high-quality workforce in the public and private sectors, but how are we going to allow for that when our young people cannot stay at home to study or, as the previous Member to speak said, will not come home from university at the weekend because of bad access to broadband?”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. Absolutely; I have experienced that in my office, as have others. Indeed, the consequence of this has an impact on people's ability to go about their daily business and their work. Support must be given to those who are affected, and a proper line of communication must exist from the provider to the user, because that is not happening. As Mr McCrossan said, if they are not going to get back to us, they are not going to get back to the service user either. <BR /> <BR />I want to pay tribute to the services that our libraries provide. In my home town of Strabane, many children from rural areas are picked up from the school bus by their parents and driven to Strabane to use the Internet facilities that our libraries provide. I want to commend the libraries for doing that.”
“We need to have a specific concentration of high-priority areas to allow for a fit-for-purpose broadband infrastructure. <BR /> <BR />Declan McAleer and others mentioned the private sector providers. They have a responsibility because they have received public money to provide a service with coverage in rural areas. Users who receive their service from the private sector are experiencing varying degrees of outage, which is not acceptable. When we, as elected representatives, contact those providers, there is an inconsistent approach to responding to us, which is not acceptable either.”
“She drives home to Plumbridge every day after school, has her tea and drives seven miles to her brother's house to get broadband access because she has none in her home, even though it is set up for that. <BR /> <BR />Those are just some of the issues that we hear about daily. In areas such as Glenelly and Aghabrack — other Members know where these areas are — people leave their homes and drive their cars to get access to broadband and phones. That should not be happening in this day and age. <BR /> <BR />I have said here before, and I have heard others say, that there is no incentive to build small businesses in rural areas because of the lack of broadband and phone access. In my opinion, as the previous Member to speak said, that is discriminatory.”
“I also thank Mr Buchanan for bringing this very important Adjournment debate to the House today. <BR /> <BR />I want to commend the work that has been done thus far. Obviously it is not enough for us in West Tyrone. I believe that, as others have said, we can and should be doing more. I just want to talk, as others have talked, about examples of how it affects people's lives if they do not have any broadband access, never mind good broadband access. I know of a home that has three modems — one in the living room, one in the kitchen and one upstairs in the bedroom — just to get some sort of coverage. This is a family that has school-going children who depend on broadband access for school. <BR /> <BR />I am also aware of a young teacher who lives in Plumbridge and works in Strabane.”
“They have sought sociological evidence of links between domestic violence and animal cruelty. That is one area that we need to explore. Healthcare workers and social workers need to be educated in that area to bring that information to the relevant authorities. I support the motion and amendment.”
“<BR /> <BR />The motion calls on the Justice Minister to introduce a cruelty register, which I support, and to ensure that those who are guilty of such offences are not able to adopt animals. I welcome the work that has been done, and the work that the Justice Department and DARD have done by joining forces. Bringing forward the implementation review in February was mentioned. That review warns, in its recommendations, that people should, and must, face tougher sentences and penalties under the law. Both Ministers launched the report on the review. The review was welcome and contained 68 recommendations aimed at enhancing communication. Again, it goes back to having good education. <BR /> <BR />It is important also to highlight that, in the Animal Welfare Party's manifesto —”
“It should, first and foremost, raise the seriousness of animal welfare and protection, and sound education and advice on that is necessary. It should also encourage responsible ownership and better access to, and regulation of, puppy farms. One important area is to discourage the free-to-good-home appeal. People who have sought small domestic pets through free-to-good-home adverts have used them for baiting, which is deplorable and despicable. If there is going to be a register, there also needs to be a vetting process for those who are buying online. <BR /> <BR />People have come to me and said how easy they found it to go into a pet shop and buy a domestic pet. So, pet shops need to have access to the register as well. Pet shop owners should be able to do frequent spot checks on people's homes before they purchase an animal.”
“<BR /> <BR />There needs to be strict regulation of the trading of pets on sites such as Gumtree, DoneDeal and other social media sites, perhaps under a trade Act or for tax reasons. People who sell pets online rarely declare taxes. This also applies to the private sale of larger animals such as horses. In the equine world, DARD, now DAERA, has recorded data on how many horses are registered here, but there are still many that are not microchipped or have passports. Therefore, the DAERA figure is not an accurate reflection of the true figure. Unfortunately, it is, as others have said, extremely difficult to police the sale of animals online. <BR /> <BR />Having an accessible central register of those who are convicted of animal welfare offences and, as the motion says, those who are disqualified from keeping animals, is important.”
“I and others in West Tyrone were lobbied about animal abuse and cruelty during the election campaign. Rescue shelters there — for example, Grovehill — have expressed huge concerns about breeding and pet abandonment, and shelters are full as a result. Neutering schemes and behavioural advice are necessary. Some shelters are saying that education is required on breeds that are suitable to be domestic pets. This is just one area on which the shelters have concerns. There has also been a significant rise in malamute and husky breeds, which has been a concern for rehoming shelters and is due to people not being aware of a breed's needs before they acquire a cute wee pup.”
“I apologise to the proposer of the motion for not being here at the start of the debate. I thank her and her colleague for bringing it to the House today. I will speak in support of the motion and the amendment.”
“— I believe that the NIO is putting obstacles in the way of people's right to vote.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. He is absolutely right: as far as I am aware, the proposal has not been rural proofed. That is something that we also need to explore regarding, in particular, the closure in Omagh. <BR /> <BR />Your vote is your voice, and it is every citizen's right to have a say in their future and in how their country is governed. It seems personal when a body like the NIO tries to take away that right, which is exactly what will happen. I believe it is discrimination against the person. A healthy democracy ensures that all members of the public have equal access to the political process and if this proposal goes ahead —”
“Recently, I stood with Martin Fox and his staff and other members of my party, when they held their picket outside their offices. People are extremely angry and concerned about the service being lost to their area. In Strabane, there is a proposal to lose the courthouse. I am glad to say that a judicial review (JR) has been brought forward by the legal profession on that matter, and I fully support that and hope they are successful. How many more services have to be eroded from our constituency? <BR /> <BR />NIPSA and the unions are also calling on management to conduct a full accommodation review to consider options to co-locate electoral offices and council offices. That is an option we should explore.”
“Accepting my party's amendment, which calls on the Executive to pursue the transfer of functions of the Electoral Office, ensuring funding and accountability will help the staff in the Electoral Office to do that very process of helping people with forms etc. <BR /> <BR />As stated by others, the electoral offices have had a reduction in their budgets over the last six years, and a further 17% is proposed by 2020. This has been done by stealth over a number of years. I want to speak about the office in Omagh. West Tyrone has had its fair share of cuts and job losses in the public sector, and we already feel vulnerable. The people in West Tyrone and in Fermanagh and South Tyrone are extremely angry and annoyed at this.”
“<BR /> <BR />The right to vote, as has been said, is a fundamental human right, but there remains a lot of people out there who are continually disenfranchised by not being registered to vote. They include minority groups, young people, homeless people, people who are disabled and many others who lack access to a vote for a variety of reasons, including poverty, illiteracy, not understanding the electoral process or fearing it. However, one way of combating disenfranchisement is the growth of staff in our electoral offices and having staff with expertise in the area reassuring the public and giving them face-to-face contact with the information they need and help with filling out forms and getting electoral ID. That is what the Omagh electoral office does, as I said, day in, day out.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Member who moved the motion, Mr Buchanan, is bringing an Adjournment debate to the House tomorrow on the lack of broadband services in West Tyrone. That raises this question: how will that be for people getting registered online? It will not happen in my area. People are already being disenfranchised in West Tyrone and in Fermanagh and South Tyrone because they do not have proper broadband services, and that puts their fundamental right to vote at stake. I have been an elected representative since 2010. My office and those of others in the Chamber have worked well with Omagh's chief electoral officer, Martin Fox, and his staff, who provide an excellent service and not just at election time, as they provide an all-year-round service. To take away that service locally will have devastating consequences for democracy.”
“In speaking on the amendment, I will say that, as a party, we feel strongly that electoral services and provision should be close to the people and communities here, particularly in rural areas like Omagh, Strabane, Fermanagh and south Tyrone. The proposal to close six regional electoral offices should not and cannot go ahead. That is a message that we need to send clearly today to the NIO. To those who suggest that the proposal is to move to a high-technology online voter registration system let me say that it will not work. It will not work in my area, and it will not work in areas of West Tyrone where, in this day and age, we still do not have proper broadband infrastructure or the modern technology that the proposal talks about.”
“I thank the Minister for his responses thus far. I also welcome him to his first Question Time. Given, Minister, that you are only a short time in your post, have you had or do you intend to have any discussions with personnel on this matter, given that these are serious concerns about equal pay?”
“I conclude by inviting the Minister to my area, in particular Clady, which, despite being a small village, has heavy articulated lorries driving through it. We have asked previous Ministers to reduce the tonnage of the lorries that go through the village. I invite the Minister to the area to see for himself the problems there.”
“I also want to say that, following sustained representations from my office and others, the weed-spraying programme will now start in Strabane next Monday. I commend the local authorities —”
“<BR /> <BR />When I was out canvassing recently, I was made aware of an incident involving a family whose daughter was getting married. The bride's wedding car could not come up to the house because of the state of the road, and she had to walk to the end of the road to get into the car. That is not acceptable in this day and age. <BR /> <BR />One of the biggest issues in rural areas is school buses not being able to pick up children because of the condition of the road. We have signage that is covered by overgrown bushes, which causes confusion and is hazardous. I travel the roads to Castlederg, Donemana and Artigarvan, and there is still some signage blighted by overgrown hedges there. That is a danger because people do not see the miles-per-hour or whatever signage.”
“I commend them for the work that they did in trying to retain the mill. We need to work collectively to keep the character of our villages, and the upkeep of our roads and footpaths is important in doing that. <BR /> <BR />If you travel from Gortin to Plumbridge, you will see that there is potential growth there. There has been growth for local businesses and the wide-ranging community facilities there, but, again, rural areas like that need proper road infrastructure to sustain businesses in the area. I know people who have travelled in the opposite direction and added extra miles to their journey to avoid potholes in rural areas. That is detrimental to small businesses in rural areas, because they are bypassing the local shop and going elsewhere just to avoid potholes.”
“<BR /> <BR />I want to mention Newtownstewart, which is located along the River Strule and is adjacent to the Owenkillew river. It is situated at the foot of Bessy Bell Mountain, is overlooked by the glorious landmark of Harry Avery's Castle and is a gateway to the Sperrins. However, if you travel along the roads there, you will see that there is underinvestment in that part of my area. If we want to attract tourism to the Sperrins gateway, we have to look at how we can invest further in the road infrastructure around it. Many towns and villages have developed over time and have a distinctive character. I think of Sion Mills, and, if you will allow me to stray a little, Mr Speaker, I want to take the opportunity to thank the emergency services who attended a fire at the mill at the weekend.”
“In rural areas like Aghabrack, Aghyaran, Killen, Ardstraw, Glebe and Clady, all the complaints come through my office. Some potholes exist for long periods and are never fixed, and some are fixed. After extensive lobbying, some are fixed and some are not, and you are still going back to issues. <BR /> <BR />It has been said here today too that, at times, roads in rural areas hamper school buses, the emergency services, door-to-door services and transport for the elderly — all that day-to-day business. I know that some school buses will not go down a road because of the condition or the narrowness of it. I suppose that that is to be expected: there is nothing that you can do about the narrowness of a road, but you can about its condition.”
“Recently, we had issues on the Melmount Road to do with St Mary's school crossing, and they worked tirelessly to come to some resolution. <BR /> <BR />Like others, I thank the Minister for his statement today. He has pledged funding for the A5 and A6 to progress. He also said that he would continue to work with Departments and councils on road infrastructure and funding where it is necessary. <BR /> <BR />As an elected representative, I know that my office, like others, is at times inundated with calls about a range of issues, and most of them have been aired here today. However, potholes are an issue that we get all the time, particularly the ones that have existed for long periods after heavy rain and adverse weather conditions.”
“I take the opportunity to thank my party colleague Barry McElduff for bringing this Adjournment debate on rural roads in West Tyrone to the House today. At the outset, I also take the opportunity to thank Roads Service officials in my area of Strabane for the good work that they continue to carry out on our roads year on year to make them safe for travelling on. They do that in all weathers and in all conditions. I thank them for the recent work they have carried out on my behalf and on behalf of constituents who have put their concerns to me about issues that range from removing signs that obstruct entrances to their homes and cause a nuisance to traffic calming and upgrading footpaths. I want to pay particular thanks to Sam Young and Geoff McGillian from my area, who have worked with me on many issues.”
“Given the recent job losses in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area, particularly in Derry, will the Minister undertake to come to the council to meet the north-west regional task force and hear its proposals for job creation and infrastructure?”
“<BR /> <BR />Moving forward with this topic, we need to learn lessons from the 2014-15 Budget on how funding for front-line services like Women's Aid is prioritised so that groups and organisations can continue to deliver the good work they do in this area. I look forward to hearing the Minister's response on that when he makes his final comments.”
“If it is not, we will be failing the public for generations to come. The PPS should also review how it treats cases of domestic abuse. I am aware of instances when the PSNI has forwarded cases to the PPS and the PPS has responded with "No case to answer". That can be horrendous for the victim and their family. <BR /> <BR />As I stated, the public need to have the confidence to report domestic abuse and crime, and there needs to be innovative ways of dealing with that. Although we have increasing numbers of recorded domestic abuse incidents year on year, the under-reporting of domestic abuse and domestic crime against the person still remains very high. Only when we have an effective and responsive justice system from the PPS and the PSNI through to the courts can we collectively address this scourge on our society.”
“That includes not recording or taking statements, not following proper procedures and not putting in place arrangements for a victim to get medical assistance and to access the right assistance at the time. There are areas within that that need to be looked at, and we need to ensure that the budget goes in the right direction. <BR /> <BR />We also need to look at the training of all our PSNI officers. I am aware that in all the districts of policing there is a domestic violence team, but it is essential and important to note that all officers have the ability to deal with domestic abuse. It should be one of the PSNI's strategic priorities for the coming year. I am aware of a corporate plan that the PSNI has for keeping people safe, but in that plan domestic abuse must remain at the top and high on the agenda of priorities.”
“She needs to be supported in the call for funding to tackle domestic abuse and domestic crime so that the statutory agencies, along with Women's Aid, the courts, the PSNI and the PPS, can have the confidence and ability to protect vulnerable women, men and their families from those who commit these crimes against the person. <BR /> <BR />Any reduction to the budget in this area can and will have a catastrophic consequence. It will be felt mostly in rural areas, where they find it difficult to get access to the right and proper people who can provide that support to women and men. I am well aware of cases where the PSNI, for different reasons, has failed to fully carry out its duties when dealing with domestic abuse.”
“There has also been an increase in breaches of non-molestation orders, with 972 recorded in 2014-15. While there has been a lot of good work in the Department of Justice and other agencies on domestic abuse, there is always room for improvement. With proper priority-based resourcing and a review of all services, not just those the Department of Justice delivers but those delivered by the PSNI, with a particular focus on domestic abuse, then and only then will we see a slight change and a decrease in the figures that have been recorded. <BR /> <BR />The overall budget for tackling domestic abuse is not enough. I could not find the overall figure either from PSNI or the Department of Justice, but, if the Minister is to make domestic violence a priority in her Department, it needs to be adequately funded.”
“A recent PSNI report on statistics for domestic abuse motivation makes stark reading, with 28,287 domestic abuse incidents recorded in 2014-15. That is the highest level recorded since 2004-05 and is 35% higher than it was at that time. Indeed, 13,426 domestic abuse crimes were recorded in 2014-15, and that is also the highest number recorded since 2004-05. Given that and moving forward into the Budget, we have to reflect on those high levels and make changes, albeit that that will be challenging given the cuts to our block grant by the Tories. <BR /> <BR />The level of violence against a person with a domestic motivation continues to increase year on year, and it can involve a range of offences from minor assault that can cause physical harm to murder.”
“First, I welcome the Minister to the House and wish him well in his new role. <BR /> <BR />I wish to speak as a member of the Justice Committee on the Justice budget in the Main Estimates Supply resolution. The vast majority of Justice budget funding goes to policing, and that is accepted. However, the Department of Justice had a range of priorities in its previous budget, and I want to focus on the amount spent on domestic abuse through the PCSPs, the Public Health Agency, the PSNI and statutory agencies. <BR /> <BR />The newly appointed Justice Minister, Claire Sugden, has already given an assurance and a commitment that she will make domestic abuse a priority for herself and her Department, and I welcome that, as do others on the Committee.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst we recognise that this is a private organisation, we are calling on the Health Minister to speak with the chief executive and officials from the Western Trust and to Apex Housing to review the decision so that those who have lived in the home and called it their home for a long, long time can remain there.”
“Today we are seeking any assistance the Health Minister and her Department can provide in finding a solution to this decision. The proposed closure of this nursing home will have a detrimental impact not only on residents, their families and staff but on the local business community. West Tyrone cannot afford to lose any more jobs. More job losses would represent a significant financial loss to the local business community. <BR /> <BR />I congratulate the residents, their families, staff and the unions for getting behind the campaign to keep this much-needed facility in Newtownstewart open. The campaign is fully supported by all six MLAs in West Tyrone and the MP.”
“<BR /> <BR />Bell-Gray provides accommodation with care for 29 people all over the age of 70, and there are 75 people employed at the nursing home. The reasons being put forward by Apex Housing Association to justify the closure of this nursing home need to be clarified and investigated thoroughly.”
“Mr Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me to bring this public petition to the House, and I thank the Business Office also. I want to welcome those who have travelled here today from Newtownstewart and surrounding areas in my constituency to be with us in support of this petition. I also want to take the opportunity to thank the unions and, indeed, Mr Niall McCarroll for being here today. <BR /> <BR />Apex Housing Association took a decision on 14 April to inform residents and staff of Bell-Gray nursing home in Newtownstewart of its intention to close this vital community service. This announcement obviously sent shock waves and caused great stress and worry for residents, staff and their families. The decision is tantamount to having an impact on their well-being and mental health.”
“However, at the most intense levels, drug use and crime are directly and highly correlated, and serious drug use can bring out pre-existing criminal tendencies.”
“The impact on their family, friends and community, if not addressed, places an enormous financial burden on our Health and Justice Departments. The relationship between drugs and crime is indeed a complex one, and one question is whether drug use leads people into criminal activity or whether those who use drugs are already predisposed to such activity.”
“<BR /> <BR />The efficiency of the criminal justice system has room for improvement, and the community and voluntary organisations need to be working together to implement strategies that have been set out in the Justice Act 2015 to bring about greater powers to bring cases to the High Court, when those responsible for pushing drugs onto our streets are caught and there are more prosecutions going through the courts. The public needs to have confidence in our justice system. We are hearing from far too many families that the one place they depended on to get justice — the courtroom — was the very place that let them down. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, the use of drugs and alcohol can negatively affect all aspects of a person's life.”
“The PSNI's community planning needs to be implemented in communities. The policing and community safety partnerships (PCSPs) should be the vehicle for moving this issue forward in our communities, but they are only one cog in the wheel. The PSNI, DOJ and everyone else need to be proactive in raising awareness. If there are effective agencies working together, this will promote positive outcomes for those in need and those who need to be safeguarded and protected from crime and illegal drugs.”
“<BR /> <BR />We need to do more collaborative working between the Department of Justice, the Probation Board and the statutory agencies to work better with communities to address illegal drug use and, more importantly, provide assurances to the public that, if they have relevant information on who is responsible for bringing such illegal drugs into our areas, and they want to pass it to the proper authorities, they can come forward without any fear of reprisal.”
“Whilst overall crime was up by less than 1%, burglary, robbery and theft offences saw significant decreases, but the point I want to make is that within the slight increase in overall crime, the number of drug possessions recorded in my district council area rose by 5·8%. That means that more people are being detected in possession of drugs. Increased arrests in this area have to be welcomed; however, tougher and tighter sentencing needs to be part of the solution and follow those arrests.”
“We also need to look at further investment into the solution, not just the problem. We have talked about early intervention and awareness: that is key. Indeed, those who are already sentenced and in prison for drug-related crime also need help. They need proper help in prison, not more drugs. We are all well aware that drugs are easily accessible in some prisons. Treatment saves money in the long term, so early intervention is key. <BR /> <BR />My district council area is Strabane and Derry City. Recently released PSNI figures state that the overall crime figures across the district have increased in the period from April 2015 to March 2016. Right across the North, the overall crime figure has risen from 103,000 to 105,000 in 2014-15.”
“I support the motion and amendment. I take the opportunity to congratulate you, Mr Speaker, in your role and also to welcome the Minister and wish her well in her new role. <BR /> <BR />We are all aware of the dangers of the use of illegal drugs, the scourge on society that they represent and the severe consequences that can lead to the death of those using them. Many during the debate will talk about illegal drugs. However, we need to include discussion of alcohol, and the fact that we have so many young people who are drinking and taking drugs at a very early age. Alcohol use is legal, but it plays a strong role in relation to crime. <BR /> <BR />Driving while intoxicated and using drugs and drug- and alcohol-related domestic violence and rape: all these crimes have risen in frequency. We know that they can also cause death and injury.”
“Minister, I thank your officials and staff for their assistance during the consultations and the exhibitions that have gone on throughout. Their assistance was greatly appreciated not just by us MLAs but by others, including those who will be affected on that road. Minister, what has your feedback been to date on the exhibitions at the consultation?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. On behalf of Kieran McCarthy and me, I commend you on your time in office. Is that OK, Kieran?”
“Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle. Given the high levels of unemployment and social deprivation in Strabane, will the Minister elaborate on the work that he and his Department are doing in conjunction with Invest NI to promote Strabane as a location for possible investors, given that there is such a large space there for investors to come to?”