Maolíosa McHugh
West Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“At present, they are largely dependent on borrowing through the Department's capital arrangements, which can limit their flexibility and their capacity to compete with ports elsewhere across these islands. The Bill represents an opportunity to address those issues.”
“Importantly, there will continue to be accountability and oversight through board structures, including representation from locally elected council members, as is already the case at Belfast harbour. That public connection and democratic input is an important safeguard, and one that should provide reassurance.”
“Tá céimeanna beaga ann is féidir linn uilig a ghlacadh lenár sláinte a fheabhsú: scrúdú sláinte a chur in áirithe leis an dochtúir; bheith ag labhairt go hoscailte faoin mheabhairshláinte; páirt a ghlacadh i mbothán na bhfear nó i ngrúpa siúlóide; nó bheith páirteach in aclaíocht eile. Cuireann siad uilig feabhas ar an tsláinte.”
“I welcome the introduction of the Harbours Bill, and I commend Minister Liz Kimmins for introducing legislation that seeks to modernise the framework within which ports operate. <BR /> <BR />Our ports are critical pieces of economic infrastructure.”
“Tháinig deireadh le Seachtain Shláinte na bhFear ag deireadh na seachtaine seo a chuaigh thart, ar Lá na nAithreacha. Is cuí gur le linn Sheachtain Shláinte na bhFear a thit Lá na nAithreacha, nó is minic a shíleann na fir nach bhfuil an dara rogha acu ach saighdiúireacht a dhéanamh.”
“They support employment, facilitate trade, enhance connectivity and contribute significantly to our local and regional economies. My party therefore welcomes the introduction of the Harbours Bill and looks forward to engaging constructively as it is progressed through the Assembly to ensure that it delivers for our ports, our economy and…”
The complete record
Every one of 620 lines we hold for Maolíosa McHugh, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 13.
“Will the deputy First Minister provide an update on the Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) review? Does she think there is merit in engaging with the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (FICT) recommendations?”
“Will baby loss certificates be available as Gaeilge?”
“Will the First Minister commit to doing all that she can to ensure that the Euro 2028 bid is successful?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chéad-Aire as a freagraí go dtí seo.”
“How will the framework tackle the increasing abuse experienced by women and girls?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire sóisearach as a freagraí go dtí seo.”
“<BR /> <BR />Scéal an tSratha Báin, scéal Thuaisceart na hÉireann ar mórán dóigheanna. Tá an ráchairt ar an Ghaelscolaíocht ag fás ach tá bac á chur uirthi ag an easpa cistithe don earnáil sa chóras oideachais, ní hé amháin easpa foirgneamh ach easpa sainsoláthair don dalta atá ar Ghaelscoil agus a bhfuil riachtanais speisialta oideachais air. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go gcoinneodh an Roinn buiséad cuí leis an earnáil oideachais seo atá ag fás, ionas go mbeidh cistiú cóir, cothrom ann don Ghaelscolaíocht. <BR /> <BR />Tá mé cinnte go bhfuil Gearóid Ó Dochartaigh, Gael go smior atá ar shlí na fírinne anois, agus ar ainmníodh an scoil as, tá mé cinnte de go bhfuil sé ag amharc anuas ar an méid atá bainte amach ag muintir a bhaile le 26 bliain anuas lenár dteanga dhúchais a chur chun cinn.”
“<BR /> <BR />De réir mar a bhí an ráchairt ar an Ghaelscolaíocht ag fás bliain i ndiaidh bliana, agus de réir mar a chonacthas nár leor ar chor ar bith an chóiríocht a bhí á cur ar fáil i seomraí sealadacha ranga, d’fhógair John O'Dowd, Aire, in 2013 go mbeadh foirgneamh nua de dhíth agus go ndéanfaí an Roinn Oideachais sin a sholáthar. Beidh toradh na hoibre sin ag muintir an tSratha Báin agus an cheantair máguaird i mí Mheán Fómhair 2024 nuair a bheidh scoil nua acu a riarfaidh ar riachtanais na dtuismitheoirí sin ar mian leo scoil trí Ghaeilge a bheith curtha roimh a gcuid páistí. <BR /> <BR />Tá tuismitheoirí, múinteoirí agus an pobal i gcoitinne tiomanta le 26 bliana anuas le soláthar don Ghaeilge a fhorbairt ar an tSrath Bhán agus is de bharr na ndaoine sin a tháinig an tionscadal seo i gcrích.”
“I mí Mheán Fómhair 2024, osclófar Gaelscoil Uí Dhochartaigh, scoil nua shaincheaptha ar an tSrath Bhán. Beidh breis agus 170 dalta ag freastal uirthi. Éacht atá ann. <BR /> <BR />Cuireadh naíscoil ar bun sa cheantar sa bhliain 1994. As an naíscoil sin a tháinig an chéad bhunscoil in 1997 agus ní raibh ar an bhunscoil chéanna ach múinteoir amháin, ceathrar daltaí agus ní bhfuair sí cistiú ar bith. Rinne pobal tiomanta, díograiseach na Gaeilge ar an tSrath Bhán, rinne sin an Ghaelscolaíocht a chothú agus a chistiú. Is de thairbhe a n-iarrachtaí a thug Martin McGuinness, nach maireann, a bhí ina Aire Oideachais san am, thug sé aitheantas oifigiúil do Ghaelscoil Uí Dhochartaigh sa bhliain 2000.”
“Justice delayed is justice denied. We know what those postmasters and postmistresses in the North of Ireland have suffered. What steps can the Minister take to ensure that they are compensated for their loss?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a freagra.”
“I note that the setting of the intermediate-rent properties will be based on the Housing Executive's analysis and annual reports. Will you set out what other sources of information your Department will use to inform the issue of affordability across constituencies where affordability may vary, which is reflected in the housing market in my constituency of West Tyrone?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Aire, as ucht do ráitis.”
“What engagement have you had with the sector since taking up your post?”
“I compliment the Committee on the good work that it has done.”
“By the same token, I respect the work that it carried out with regard to said Member, not that I take any delight at any Member being sanctioned one way or the other. In fact, it emphasises to every one of us in the Chamber that we have a responsibility to one another in the language that we use and, in particular, that we adhere to the code of practice. In any role that a Member has, not only as an MLA but when they take on the role of, let us say, Speaker or the likes of that in the Chamber, they should know exactly what I am alluding to and how important it is to implement the code of practice and respect it in every way. <BR /> <BR />I thank those who supported me at the time. I feel vindicated in going forward with that recommendation of the Committee on Standards and Privileges on the Member.”
“I want to point out that the whole affair was a stressful time in every respect, particularly for my family. I welcomed the support that I got from many MLAs in the Chamber. I think in particular of one person on the other Benches who was supportive towards me at the time and helped me through a difficult period in my life. <BR /> <BR />That stress, when it is trial by media, in a sense, was compounded when the Chairperson of the Finance Committee, of which I was a member, declared openly at a meeting of the Finance Committee, whilst it was being broadcast, that I was being reported to the Committee on Standards and Privileges. I thank the Standards and Privileges Committee for the good work that it did. I was exonerated in every respect of any allegations that were made against me.”
“Can the Minister therefore confirm for us that, when the results of the adult autism review are released, measurable targets will be attached to the actions in the autism strategy?”
“Perhaps or perhaps not. <BR /> <BR />Similarly, how many autistic people are engaged in lifelong learning? One would think that that is an area that could be monitored a whole lot easier. How can we support those who are in lifelong learning, and what are the targets that we need to be achieving in order to bring the autism community into line with the rest of society? The stark figures show us that people with autism need to be empowered and supported to access employment and learning opportunities. I feel overall that we need a clearer overview of where our autism support services stand at present and of where we need to take them in the next five years, if not sooner, with proper quantitative as well as qualitative targets set. Tá ceist agam ar an Aire.”
“I understand that an adult autism review is taking place, and I look forward to seeing its recommendations. I am concerned, however, that, again, no real targets are set for the issues that are outlined in the Autism (Amendment) Act. For example, can we find out how many autistic adults are currently in employment in the North of Ireland? There is a significant gap between employment rates for people who live with a disability and those for non-disabled people. Data from the Twenty-six Counties suggests that 85% of autistic people are currently unemployed, and the percentage is roughly 78% in England and Wales. People with autism have the lowest employment rate by far among the disabled community, but we need to know the data for the North. Could the recent census give us the employment figures for people with autism?”
“A Member who spoke previously mentioned emotional and mental well-being, but the 2011 Act also sets out that the needs of adults with autism be addressed in respect of:”
“<BR /> <BR />After reading through the new strategy and the accompanying delivery plan, I am concerned that some of the targets are not quantifiable, with no real baseline as guidance to monitor whether improvements have been made, particularly for our adult autism community. As has already been mentioned, section 3(4D) of the Autism Act 2011, as amended by the 2022 Act, states:”
“Like many other Members, I am keen to see the new autism legislation and strategy be implemented properly so that it can make a real difference to the lives of our autistic community across the North of Ireland, particularly those in my community in West Tyrone. I facilitate a group of parents with autistic children, who, in many cases, are now young adults. I am only too aware of the difficulties that they are confronted with daily. A common comment that I hear from them is that, after they have moved through the education system, it is a bit like falling off a cliff, because of the lack of support and services that they then desperately need in all aspects of their life.”
“The Minister knows not only that Casement Park is an Executive flagship project; he knows how sensible a project it is for meeting the needs of the Gaels of Antrim and the wider Ulster Gaelic community. Can the Minister give us an update on where we are with the redevelopment of Casement Park?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagraí go dti seo.”
“I welcome your commitment to dealing with the whole issue of knife crime. Will you give us a time frame for when you intend to introduce legislation on it?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a freagraí go dtí seo.”
“We know that time is of the essence in planning. Can the Minister detail what Northern Ireland Water has done to speed up its response times to planning consultations?”
“In addition, we have Knockavoe School in Strabane, which has a capacity problem. Will the Minister outline what support is being given to Knockavoe School by the Education Authority to address that problem?”
“Gaelscoil Uí Dhochartaigh an t-ainm atá ar an scoil sin.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a fhreagra go dtí seo.”
“We can all appreciate how critical dual-market access is to expanding all the business communications that we have, not only with America but with other places. How vital is that access to our trading relationships, and how important is it that it is dealt with in such a way that creates an environment that allows business to take place?”
“in County Tyrone. Arís ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le Scoil na mBráithre Críostaí ar an Ómaigh.”
“On Saturday, they won the Hogan Cup, which is a very significant all-island competition. For two years in succession, the Christian Brothers in Omagh have won the competition. In the centenary year of the MacRory Cup, they won that also; again, for two years in succession. It was interesting that two Tyrone schools, St Patrick's, Dungannon and Omagh Christian Brothers, competed in the MacRory Cup final. The Christian Brothers in Omagh continued into the Hogan Cup competition, which they won on Saturday. <BR /> <BR />The future is bright for the Cumann Lúthchleas Gael”
“Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le mo sheanscoil, Scoil na mBráithre Críostaí, ar an Ómaigh.”
“Jude now goes forward with the full support of all the people in Tyrone and throughout the whole of Ireland — all those on this island — who hope that he will come home with medals from the Olympic Games. Ádh mór ort, a Jude.”
“It is ironic that I am talking about boxing too. Only yesterday, Jude qualified for the Olympic Games as a result of his feat against his Turkmenistani opponent in the world championship qualifying tournament. Jude is very dedicated to his sport. We have just heard how the sport of boxing adds to individuals and communities in so many ways. It is a great achievement on Jude's part and a reflection of the standards that are set by the Irish boxing fraternity in every respect; we are world-renowned for our ability to compete at world level in boxing in particular. <BR /> <BR />I also acknowledge the work done by Jude's family. His father, John, whom I know personally, was responsible for the establishment of the boxing club in Newtownstewart.”
“Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas ó chroí a dhéanamh le Jude Gallagher as Lios Glas, Contae Thír Eoghain.”
“Minister, do you agree that a full investigation could lead to the discovery of Arlene's remains?”
“I asked myself the question: why can the rest of this island develop an infrastructure such as that — as we all know, that infrastructure has created an economy that makes it one of the richest of countries in Europe — yet, in the north-west, we find ourselves totally deprived of the kind of infrastructure that we need to ensure that we too are a net contributor to the greater economy of this island?”
“The same thing will happen with the A5. It is time that that nettle is grasped. We have to ensure delivery for the health of the people who live in that area and for the economy of the north-west in every respect. That delivery will ensure that that part of the island is as well catered for as the rest of the island. <BR /> <BR />I will explain what I mean by that. Only this weekend, I travelled from Castlederg to Dublin, from Dublin to Killarney and from Killarney back up the west coast again. On every single part of that journey, I travelled on motorway that was safe and sound for everyone on it. If it was not motorway in some areas, it was dual carriageway.”
“Up to now, there have been objections that have been obstacles to the delivery of the A5. It is about time that we confront all the issues that objectors have raised. I am not arguing one way or the other about their right to raise them, but, in some cases, we have to ensure that we are well prepared for that type of objection to come forward. I remember that one objector whom I talked to at the time said, "Well, you know, it is not the road that needs to be improved but the drivers". He put down the whole idea of people losing their lives and accidents to being the result of careless drivers. I pointed out to him the case of the A4, which was at one stage the most notorious road on the island of Ireland. With the creation of a dual carriageway, the statistics for accidents and death on that road changed dramatically.”
“<BR /> <BR />After 30 years of travelling from Strabane to Derry, when I became an MLA, I embarked on the journey from Strabane to Belfast. I was going in a different direction on that road, but the problem was exactly the same — the road was totally inadequate for the amount of traffic that travelled on it. I keep asking myself why. It is the arterial route to Derry, Donegal, Tyrone and Fermanagh, and we know that the road needs improvement in order to create the infrastructure that will allow that area of the north-west to be a net contributor to the Irish economy. When I use the term "Irish economy", I am talking about the economy throughout this island, which we will all benefit from. <BR /> <BR />Without doubt, it is time that we step up to the plate and ensure that the road project is delivered.”
“For 30-odd years, I think, I travelled on the A5 from Castlederg to Derry. On that road, day and daily, I was in one queue of traffic after another. There was no doubt about just how inadequate it was as an arterial route, from Dublin to Derry or from Belfast to Derry and into Donegal. Yet and all, we continuously faced long queues of traffic, and motorists became more frustrated day and daily. It was no surprise that there were numerous accidents on that stretch of road — accidents in which many lost their lives and others were seriously injured. I acknowledge the part that was played by families, particularly those who were bereaved, and the way in which they have continued to highlight the whole issue of the A5 and the need for its improvement.”
“The victims all agreed on what was needed in order to go forward: all convictions should be quashed and fair compensation provided to the victims. I welcome the announcement by the British Government and the legislation that has been brought forward, which will exonerate victims in England and Wales. However, because the Post Office is a reserved matter, it does not include the victims in the North of Ireland. I commend the call by our First Minister and the Minister of Justice to ask that the issue is addressed to ensure that the convictions are reversed and that the law is extended to the North of Ireland to cover the people here who should also be compensated for the losses that they have suffered over the past number of years.”
“They told us about how they were dragged through the courts and convicted of crimes they did not commit. Not only was their good reputation tarnished in their communities, but they were dismissed from their employment after many years of loyal service and, in some cases, faced financial ruin. Some of the victims told us that their health, including their mental health, suffered and that they developed disease as a result of the stress that they were under because of the false accusations.”
“<BR /> <BR />The First Minister and I met victims of the post office scandal here in the North and heard of the impact on their lives and how their livelihoods and those of their families were completely destroyed.”
“I want to talk about the miscarriage of justice in the Horizon post office scandal. The details of the saga have been well publicised, thanks to a very successful ITV drama this year. In 1999, Post Office began the roll-out of its new IT system, Horizon. It soon became clear that Horizon was faulty, which made it appear as if money was going missing. Management and Post Office blamed the sub-postmasters, and, as a result, the accused were sacked and forced to pay money back, and many were wrongfully prosecuted. Hundreds of innocent postal workers were scapegoated in that way, including here in the North of Ireland. The injustice went on for years, with Post Office refusing to acknowledge that Horizon was to blame, despite repeated attempts by victims to raise complaints.”
“<BR /> <BR />For the reasons stated, we remain opposed to the move away from jury trials. However, as it seems that a majority in the House is in favour of clause 7, we will not, despite our reservations, oppose the Bill's passage. The area of defamation law is fluid, and I have no doubt that it will not be long before we are back here debating defamation again. With that, I conclude my remarks.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill will bring positive changes in a number of areas. The common law defences of fair comment and justification will be made into statutory defences of truth and honest opinion. There will be a statutory defence for matters that are in the public interest. The Bill will provide protection for academics and scientists. Any publications of an academic nature will be privileged, provided that they are peer-reviewed. <BR /> <BR />The Bill deals with any potential libel tourism that may arise in the future. After the 2013 Act, there was a fear that the North would become a libel hotspot, with throngs of wealthy individuals from abroad taking cases here to take advantage of our stronger libel laws. Although that did not happen, we do not see the harm in preventing it from happening in the future.”