Fearghal McKinney
South Belfast · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“We need to do everything we can to bring investment and job opportunities. A prosperity strategy should also include a massive programme of workforce training and skills enhancement.”
“In particular, we want the Programme for Government to adopt a much more joined-up style of government that delivers much greater accountability and transparency and will itself say that it wants Northern Ireland to work.”
“<BR /> <BR />We can point to collective achievements — local government reform among them — but just months ago the echoes of our past threatened our political future, reinforcing the challenges to our delicate political system that the Good Friday Agreement could never have foreseen.”
“Creating much better social cohesion and integration must be another Programme for Government requirement. <BR /> <BR />Health reform, job creation, better infrastructure, creating world-class education and tackling social deprivation are issues on which the SDLP is not prepared to compromise.”
“There are many big challenges facing Northern Ireland, perhaps the biggest of which is to get people into work. It is our job to create the infrastructural and educational opportunities and to maximise those opportunities.”
“It is our job to ensure that our people can and should dare to dream that life can be better; that our children will not be forced to leave these shores for the promise of work in Australia or America because of a failing economy — I referenced the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's latest research; that our health service provides a service th…”
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“<BR /> <BR />In that regard, today's debate is an important one. It is essential to recognise the job of the health service here. It serves two million people and costs almost £5 billion a year. It is vital, therefore, that every pound is spent productively; but today's subject is around the money and, in the health service context, how we are delivering for the money that we have or do not have.”
“We have been, and continue to be, extremely concerned by the budgetary pressure faced by the Northern Ireland Executive and the impact on front-line services. The Budget settlement is, without doubt, the most severe that Northern Ireland has faced in recent times, and the prospect of more in-year cuts would further affect departmental allocations. Frankly, it is not the way to stimulate an economy. <BR /> <BR />As Mr Girvan said, we welcome the Supply resolution for the Excess Vote, which provides further funding for Education and Health. Every Department has severe budget restraints, but I welcome the money that is being provided to those two vital Departments. It is in this context, as SDLP health spokesperson, that the remainder of my contribution will focus on health spend.”
“I recognise that many people did not expect a majority Conservative Government after the election, so we may have been blindsided — I think that we have — by the prospect of in-year cuts. <BR /> <BR />The Minister of Finance and Personnel said that Mr Osborne announced that a further £38 million of cuts could be made to the 2015-16 Budget. I welcome some comment from the Minister on whether there are flexibilities around that. However, it seems that we have no choice but to wait with bated breath until 8 July. Also, we will be opposing Mr Allister's amendment.”
“I am sorry that I was not in for the Minister's opening remarks. I apologise that my colleague Dominic Bradley MLA, our finance spokesman, is unable to attend today. <BR /> <BR />During the last debate on the Supply resolution, Dominic Bradley reflected on how we were in a challenging financial situation, and the position has not got any better, of course; it has got worse. The SDLP has a long-standing view on the 2015 Budget, a Budget that is backed by parties here, including Sinn Féin, which called it the best deal possible. However, my colleagues and I recognise that this Budget was not a great deal and further realised that, if a Conservative Government were elected, it would mean further cuts.”
“<BR /> <BR />The major headlines underscoring the localised issues are still the unregulated transfer test that continues to cause stress and uncertainty for parents and a system that fails as many pupils as it delivers for. How, otherwise, would we have 400,000 people living in Northern Ireland without any qualifications whatever? Of course, there are headlines around how the system fails many young Protestant boys. Too often, it can be seen that we are actually breeding our children for export. For those for whom the system is delivering and even those for whom it is not, the only option is to leave. This goes to the heart of our economic debate and is the big question: what is our education system delivering for? What more could we do to link its ambition to our overall economic ambition?”
“I acknowledge what the Minister says about CCMS monitoring that situation, but there is a major problem with the demand for schools in an area that is growing far faster than the educational provision caters for. Of course, that is true for other major facilities in the area, but it is a situation that causes major annual stress for parents and pupils not just when they are picking their schools but subsequently, when people find themselves in schools that are far from where they live. The headlines have also been dominated recently by the issues in south-west Belfast, but it is important to say that, when these proposals were put forward some 15 years ago, the race issue was not the dominating agenda: educational achievement was.”
“However, we are all aware of the criticisms, with concerns raised about whether such a policy will achieve better educational standards. My colleague referred to it as "cut and paste"; some may have referred to it as just cuts, closure or amalgamation. We all recognise the current budgetary pressure that the Minister faces, but the area plans currently cannot be a slash-and-burn exercise. There must be openness and transparency at all stages, and parents' views have to be given the fullest consideration where robust plans are firmly centred on the children's best interests. <BR /> <BR />One of the issues that I was about to address has already been touched on. There is a major problem in Carryduff.”
“I am left in little doubt that those will have a negative impact on the quality and standard of education that children may receive. Worryingly, in the current Budget, we have seen vital funding stripped from early years programmes, nursery schools and nursery units. The impact of the cuts on vulnerable children will be further compounded by drastic cuts to special educational needs provision, early years capacity building and the extended schools budget. <BR /> <BR />The issues of funding, education standards and future sustainability have all been well rehearsed. As has been outlined, the Bain report recommended area-based planning, which informs sustainable schools. That has been endorsed by the current Minister. They all have the objective of raising educational standards and creating strong school networks.”
“That dedication, in increasingly difficult circumstances, seeks to provide the best outcomes for children, and they deserve our full gratitude and support. We all recognise the importance of nursery and primary schools for young children. Those schools are at the heart of our community, and they play a vital role in influencing children's attitudes and providing them with all the necessary skills to progress through education and life. Without that strong foundation, many children may suffer greatly in educational development. I will touch on that later. <BR /> <BR />We all have high expectations of primary schools, but, critically, in Belfast and all across the North, teachers and principals now have to make significant cuts and compromises.”
“I, too, would like to thank Judith Cochrane for bringing this important debate to the Assembly. I apologise to the Chamber: I have an urgent meeting that I need to get to after I make my contribution and I will have to leave. Obviously, I would normally stay until the end of the debate. <BR /> <BR />I would also like to thank all the staff of the schools in South Belfast and East Belfast for their hard work, commitment and dedication.”
“Following the concerns raised over the Transforming Your Care plan in the Audit Office report and in the Human Rights Commission report last week, does the Minister accept that it is absolutely paramount that community services, however they present themselves, domiciliary or such as those in Bangor and elsewhere, are invested in and bolstered?”
“I, too, congratulate the Minister on his recent appointment and I welcome the figures that he just reflected on. However, does he agree that the target figures that he mentioned for corporation tax will not shift us sufficiently from the 66% reliance on the public sector and 34% reliance on a weakened private sector to allow Northern Ireland to stand on its own two feet?”
“I thank the Minister for her response. In the context of her latter remarks, will she undertake to liaise with her colleague the Education Minister to maximise the availability of musical tuition and music for all our children?”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. Does he share my concern at the delay from the date of referral to the implementation of the measures as assessed? What plans does he have to monitor and improve outcomes for constituents?”
“<BR /> <BR />The fact that defibrillators can save and have saved lives is the reason that motions such as this are to be welcomed and supported, and I commend all colleagues who have joined in supporting it. However, we cannot continue to take a haphazard approach, with Departments working in silos, implementing and supporting their own departmental initiatives. That goes to the heart of our amendment. We need that interdepartmental collaboration in seeking to map out where these important machines are all across Northern Ireland, and, alongside that process, we need to raise awareness. Crucially, we need to set out the action that is required to increase the availability and accessibility of these life-saving machines. I hope that the motion and the amendment, if agreed, will go some way to helping pursue that objective.”
“He also touched on cost, and, obviously, there will be a cost included in an interactive mapping register. However, surely this an exercise primarily, at least in the first instance, in information gathering rather than of capital spend. The SDLP would like to see an exercise by the Executive to establish cost and initiate a process that will create an interactive register of defibrillators here. As I mentioned earlier, we need look no further than Gareth Jenkin, who set up the New Zealand website. He had no money, but he had the ambition and the determination to help save lives. He set up his website with the help of a technology company, and we need that type of ambition here.”
“In comparison, I was online this morning, and the website AED Locations showed me exactly where defibrillators are located in any part of New Zealand. I cannot tell you where they are located in Belfast or anywhere else in Northern Ireland. There is a fundamental disconnect here, and we lag behind. <BR /> <BR />We could pat ourselves on the back about the fact that we have installed more defibrillators in the past five years than we have had before, but we still cannot say categorically that we have done everything to protect our young sportsmen, sportswomen and children — in fact, anyone who suffers a cardiac attack in a public place. Mr Hilditch made the point that there has to be real action and that it cannot be just a paper tick-box exercise.”
“Most importantly, they have an online interactive map that clearly displays exactly where they are, and they are where they need to be. They have been innovative in embracing new technology and even have a mobile app for download that locates the closest defibrillator through GPS. I am aware that there is an online system here that details the location of defibrillators, and I commend the great effort that those behind the scheme are making, but the initiative is in its infancy, with only school defibs being mapped. I refer to the contributions from Ms Lo and the Minister, who both praised the good work of schools in that regard.”
“However, we have no idea of the number of machines or where they are located, so it is important that we ensure they are mapped so that, should an individual suffer a cardiac arrest, the location of a machine is known and we can provide vital and timely treatment, which significantly increases survival rates. That is an obvious point to make, and it was made by the proposer of the motion. <BR /> <BR />I will draw on some international comparisons that were not made by Members. Canada, the USA, Hong Kong and even Japan have made many advances recently in implementing strategies to provide greater public access to defibrillators. We have some way to go to match New Zealand, which, with a population similar to that of Scotland, has just under 4,300 publicly available defibrillators.”
“Also mentioned were the great efforts made by many, including those people's families, to have preventative steps adopted and defibrillators installed. However, the argument is that, without a marked register of defibrillator location and an accepted knowledge of those who are trained to use them, the reality is that such incidents could still happen. <BR /> <BR />Many of these life-saving devices are located in health centres, hospitals or fire stations. We even have one here in Parliament Buildings. Those are places where you might expect to find them or where you would first go to look for them, but there are also many in urban and community settings. We have seen many businesses and agencies over the last number of years installing defibrillators, a point emphasised by Mr Dunne.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to today's debate. As Members have already articulated — I see no need to reiterate the figures — cardiac arrests are extremely dangerous, but they are treatable with early intervention and defibrillation, which is why our amendment recommends wider provision, a point that was agreed by Mr Cree, Mr McCausland and the Minister. Most importantly, chances of survival dramatically increase if defibrillation is delivered quickly. Equally, they decrease with every second that passes where treatment is delayed. We all know the cases where defibrillation was not delivered quickly enough to prevent sudden death. Mr McElduff referred to the tragic death of Cormac McAnallen and the deaths of others since 2004, and they were also referred to by my colleague Mr Bradley.”
“The message from here, if we endorse the motion and amendment, as I hope we will do, would be very clearly in favour of following an initiative that is proven to work, has helped to save lives, has helped to put those who are trading in these illicit substances out of business and that has thwarted their profiteering, by which they have contributed to the deaths of many young people whose potential in life has been crippled or ended.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Health and Justice Ministers must work together with their counterparts in the Republic to consider further adopting such legislation, so that we put ourselves on a par with the Republic and increase awareness of the dangers of such legal substances. We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand and wait for Westminster to act. After all, the public will ask us at some point to do something through devolution. Do we simply wait on Westminster to enact or do we lead a charge from here by saying to Westminster, "Look, there is a route map. Follow your Home Office advice; take the initiative"?”
“We need to make a racket at Westminster to ensure that legislation is enacted that is consistent with the Home Office review, so that we can quickly follow in their footsteps and, once and for all, make a real effort to end this lethal trade, which impacts so negatively on our young people. In that context, as I say, more needs to be done at Westminster. The SDLP's three MPs will be there pushing for such action, and I encourage all other MPs from here to do the same. The route map has been spelt out by the Republic, and, if pursued, would mean that we would have an all-island initiative to disrupt the supply chain for these dangerous drugs and, ultimately, protect life and public health.”
“The legislation removed the innovation element, limited demand, provided enforcement agencies with the necessary powers and, ultimately, helped protect the public by reducing antisocial behaviour, deaths and non-fatal health implications. So, the benefits of such legislation in the UK are apparent and they have action to deal with blatant profiteering at the cost of young people's lives and livelihoods. <BR /> <BR />Too many young people lose their lives needlessly, while others experience great anxiety and varying degrees of depression. Sadly, some take their own lives. We have only to look at the inconsistencies that have arisen from the lack of legislation on this issue to know how big the problem is. <BR /> <BR />We cannot simply say any more that this matter is not devolved.”
“The Government there listened to the public outcry, acknowledged the health implications and went some way towards limiting the availability of these drugs. Through an Act in 2010, it was made illegal to advertise, sell, or supply for human consumption psychoactive substances not controlled under existing legislation. They effectively moved away from dealing with these drugs solely on an individual basis — the problem we are confronted with — and imposed a blanket ban on all new psychoactive substances. <BR /> <BR />The benefit of that approach can be witnessed from the fact that 102 head shops were shut down almost overnight, making a dramatic difference.”
“There is a better way, however, and this is at the heart of our amendment. A review of psychoactive substances was conducted by the Home Office, which appointed an expert panel to look at the issue. It set out to find the best ways to police legal highs and find the best ways to send a clear message to those involved in the trade that these drugs are reckless and dangerous. The panel made a number of recommendations that we hope Westminster will take forward immediately and that this motion and amendment, if agreed, will support. <BR /> <BR />The report also considered national and international best practice and responses and concluded that the UK should adopt legislation similar to that in the Republic.”
“Given that backdrop, it is crucial that we can quickly pursue the most appropriate legislation to control these substances. In that context, I commend the innovative and imaginative approach taken by Belfast City Council and, as we heard from the Justice Minister earlier, the approaches taken in Larne and Omagh. They use the general product safety regulations in counteracting the sale of these drugs, and that enforcement activity has led to the courts granting forfeiture orders against head shops. <BR /> <BR />These regulations are intended to regulate the market rather than shut down a certain section; but this is only a number of councils. What more could we be doing, and what could we be doing regionally?”
“To compound the issue, the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 does not specifically prohibit the sale or use of technically legal substances, despite the fatal effects that they have on users. It bans psychoactive substances on an individual basis, but, where there is an inevitable time lag between new drugs coming onto the market and those new drugs becoming controlled under the Act itself, that is the very gap. It is a reactive response, and we need a preventative one. The problem is that manufacturers and sellers have been allowed to get around the Act and have altered the chemical composition of certain drugs. In doing so, they also make them more potent. <BR /> <BR />So it goes on and on. The drugs are ever-changing, and the landscape in which they operate is shrouded in a sort of semi-legality. Ban follows change follows ban.”
“Twenty people needlessly lost their lives to lethal doses in 2013, and, as was highlighted earlier, just in April, there was, of course, the death of Adam Owens in Newtownards. Our sympathy goes out to his family. <BR /> <BR />As has been described, these substances are marketed as technically legal in the eyes of the law, but their availability is as a result of a loophole, if you like. They fall under the remit of the Medicines Act, which makes it illegal to sell, supply or advertise them for human consumption, but sellers, of course, have a number of tactics to get round this. They have been able to manipulate the market simply by putting a label on the package that says, "Not fit for human consumption". They still go on the shelves and are still sold.”
“We are now only beginning to form a clearer picture about the impact that psychoactive substances are having on society, but, worryingly, we still have incomplete data on the prevalence of these drugs and a lack of understanding about the acute and longer-term health implications of their use. <BR /> <BR />We know, for example, that in the UK 251 new psychoactive drugs were identified that were legal and being used by the population in 2012. The Public Health Agency tells us that, on average, one new drug is developed every week. Statistics also show us that drug-related deaths have increased from 102 in 2011 to 115 in 2013, and, locally, we have witnessed the devastating effects that those drugs have on individuals and their families.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate, and I rise in support of the SDLP amendment, which calls for greater cooperation with the Republic in implementing effective legislation to deal with the issue. I thank the proposer of the motion for his consideration of the amendment, and, hopefully, he will find the remarks that I make later helpful. <BR /> <BR />Over the last number of years, legal — or ,should I say, lethal — highs have been an ongoing and increasing problem in our society, and it is our responsibility in this Chamber to do everything possible to limit and restrict the availability of these substances and educate those who may come in contact with them to be aware of the significant dangers that they present.”
“Given that the cause was fumes, surely that points to either a failure of equipment or non-provision of effective equipment. What assurance can the Minister give the House that those who are employed directly in this work are getting the proper equipment to prevent these fumes causing such damage?”
“I too congratulate the Minister on his new role. Minister, considering that the Transforming Your Care plan was predominantly funded through monitoring rounds, can you update the House on its status in relation to upcoming bids? Can you also detail whether the Transforming Your Care plan remains your Department's core strategic plan in reforming the delivery of healthcare from institutional settings to the community?”
“While the Minister and the institutions might have confidence, how does that confidence translate to those taking the exams, who may view the resultant decimal as being different from grades A, B or C?”
“As the Minister will be aware, Carryduff and the wider area has grown substantially and there is major pressure on school provision there. That pressure will grow even more with further planning permission being granted and further housing planned. What longer term plan is the Minister engaged in to ensure that the provision of educational places is there for those who want to move into that area?”
“Apologies. Does the Minister believe there are sufficient incentives for employers to afford any necessary adaptations to employ partially sighted or blind people and people from the deaf community?”
“I thank the Minister for the detail in his answer but could he —”
“I thank the Minister. How many expressions of interest have been received by Invest NI to date in relation to the scheme?”
“When we said, "End violence", you all said no. You all said that it would not be power-sharing. Now you are all saying no when we talk about a prosperity process. We will win the argument.”
“We have been doing it and winning the arguments. We will continue.”
“The SDLP, for one, will be at the forefront against that agenda in Westminster, not sitting in a back kitchen.”
“You are right: they are there for the wine receptions, but they would love to take it off into a side-deal scenario where they could try to negotiate for themselves — ourselves alone — but not for the people of Northern Ireland and not for ambition for here. <BR /> <BR />All those years ago, it was the SDLP who said that violence was wrong. It was our plan for power-sharing. Now that you are quoting Séamus Mallon, you will recall "Sunningdale for slow learners". It was our plan for power-sharing way back in the 1970s that culminated in the political developments in the later part of the last century. <BR /> <BR />Mr Bradley's point is absolutely right: the Westminster Government employed, if you like, a fire-and-forget policy for devolution. They gave us the power, and now they are cutting the purse strings.”
“Sinn Féin would have loved the opportunity to say that it voted against that in Westminster, but it cannot do that, because it will not take its seats. That is why it loves the concept of taking all that into a side-deal scenario.”
“You have the republican movement to thank for much of that.”
“I value the Member's contribution. The reality is that we sit here today with an economy that is 66% public sector and 34% private sector. It is a weakened situation and is exactly the reverse of the Republic of Ireland. That 66% public sector is being constrained, and it would be constrained further by a Tory Government. As the SDLP articulated in its manifesto and will articulate going forward, we want a prosperity process. Remember, as I said, that it was an SDLP problem-solving approach that made the difference and said that violence would not pay and that, if anything, violence was destroying this place and pushing a united Ireland even further away. The aftermath of that has continued to do so. You only have to look at the strain on our health service and on our people with major mental health difficulties.”
“Through that vehicle, there is room for the argument that it is undermining our vulnerable people, our economy and our people in general to be put forward. A Labour Government with that number of seats and with conversations from us will be able to put a strong case.”
“And that policy, of course, will include abstentionism or non-abstentionism, eventually, potentially, maybe. <BR /> <BR />I return to the comments of the proposer of the motion, Mr Colum Eastwood, who spelled out exactly what the situation here is. The poll of polls in the newspapers at the weekend showed that the Tories and Labour are both on 34%. There will be a hung Parliament, potentially. While the DUP spells out everything that that will do for them potentially, Colum has articulated what, I think, is at the core of a lot of this. A lot of inequality is emerging out of the Westminster dialogue or concept, and that inequality is affecting the north of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is room for a Celtic coalition.”
“Margaret Ritchie's record in standing up for the people of South Down does not take any criticism whatever. You will not be there, and, by saying what you are saying, you make an argument for going. Maybe now you are listening to Michelle Gildernew, and maybe now Mickey Brady would like to intervene and explain where he stands in relation to all this.”
“You might laugh, Chris, but do not laugh when you meet the people from the Downe Hospital tomorrow who will have to listen to you on the one hand saying, "We feel your pain" but on the other saying that you will do nothing about it.”