Gary Middleton
Foyle · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for his statement. As other Members have stated, the First Minister spoke publicly about the £150 million secured for pay awards, including £37 million for teachers.”
“I thank the Minister for her response. Although the FE sector is facing a difficult budgetary landscape, NWRC has been able to punch above its weight.”
“<BR /> <BR />Of course, we recognise that there is more to do, but we then come to the central issue: funding. The Education Authority faces an overcommitment of some £280 million. The Department is chronically underfunded. The independent report entitled 'Investing in a Better Future' made that clear.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. I do not think that there is a single Member who does not want to see our children healthy, well fed and ready to learn. We all recognise the statistics before us: 13% of children live in food-insecure households. We understand that nutritious food is the fuel for educational attainment.”
“That targeted, sustainable intervention is designed to support what many describe as the working poor; families who work hard but struggle to make ends meet. <BR /> <BR />The Opposition's motion mentions comparisons with other jurisdictions, nothing that they are expanding universal provision. However, they are being selective.”
“We hear calls from the Benches opposite for subsidies and expansions, but we rarely hear where the money should come from. If we are to find the extra £202 million for this specific policy, which Department does the Opposition suggest that we take it from?”
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“<BR /> <BR />I will summarise some of the Members' comments. Mr Butler, who moved the motion, expressed sympathy, as did many other Members, with those affected by the flooding in Newcastle. We share those sentiments. He also spoke about the need for long-term solutions and stronger collaboration. <BR /> <BR />My colleague Mr Brett highlighted the concern over the near-blackout situation and the shameful way in which we found out about that. He said that we have a moral duty to recognise the climate change that is happening but that we must also be realistic about how we can respond to the challenge. He called on the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to focus on providing strong leadership and on ensuring that basic services are provided.”
“Absolutely. Unfortunately, I do not have enough time to respond extensively, but I support the Member's sentiment. <BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland cannot function without a reliable power supply. Our hospitals, emergency services and schools very much rely on it. Road safety has also been highlighted, which is another major issue as surface flooding and debris on the road make travel dangerous. DFI is responsible for gullies, and they should be unblocked. Roads should be prepared for potential storm incidents as well. <BR /> <BR />Our amendment calls for clearer contingency planning and better coordination between Departments. We also call on the Minister for the Economy to ensure that her pursuit of renewables does not jeopardise energy security. There must be a balanced and responsible approach.”
“<BR /> <BR />The amendment rightly highlights the alarming situation at Ballylumford power station, where storm damage, combined with planned maintenance at Coolkeeragh, left our electricity supply dangerously exposed to a single point of failure.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank Members for their contributions. I will wind on the DUP amendment. <BR /> <BR />In recent months, Northern Ireland has faced a series of serious weather incidents that have caused disruption across our communities, whether that be storm Darragh, storm Éowyn or, more recently, storm Amy. Those storms exposed the vulnerability of our infrastructure, our emergency response systems and our communication networks. We have seen at first-hand the impact that the storms have had on homes, leaving people without power and water and cutting communities off from mobile and broadband signal. Of course, it is not just an inconvenience for people; it is about people's safety. It is also about ensuring that, when the next storm hits, people across Northern Ireland are not left in the dark, literally or figuratively.”
“Minister, you gave no answer whatever about the republican memorial that is near your constituency office. It is my understanding that a consultation was carried out with elected representatives on the removal of that shrine. Will you confirm whether you responded to that consultation? If so, what did you say?”
“I thank the Minister for her response. In your answer, Minister, you outlined the purpose of the partnerships, but, of course, the real measure of success will be delivery. You mentioned that £1·5 million is to be spent by the end of this financial year: is the lack of spending a failure by you and your Department?”
“I urge you, Minister, to support the service going forward.”
“We often hear about prevention, but, in this case, short-term savings that come at the expense of long-term well-being are simply not savings at all. Minister, in response to a question for written answer, you said, on 8 October 2025:”
“Here we had a service embedded in the community and, rather than throwing the kitchen sink at it to retain it, it closed. Of course, what will happen is that further pressure will be placed on the health system, which is already bursting at the seams, adding even more pressure into the system. <BR /> <BR />Minister, what alternative support will now be provided, or will our emergency departments, GPs and other services be squeezed even further? It feels that, when it comes to health, everything is now a priority and that therefore nothing is a priority. Extern's crisis intervention service was embedded in our community. It had the trust of the people who needed it most, and those are the very people who have now been let down.”
“Someone needed to say, "We will make this work. We will make this a priority". In a system that talks endlessly about tackling the mental health crisis, the shutters came down. When all of us say that we care about mental health, what does that mean in practice? If it means warm words every few months in the Chamber but cold shoulders when allocating Health budgets, we are not being honest with the public. If it means leaving the community and voluntary sector to beg for survival, year in, year out, we are just adding to the deflation already felt in that sector. <BR /> <BR />I have made the point before about how often we talk about the importance of mental health, about prevention, about the neighbourhood model and about the importance of having accessible services.”
“Thanks to the Members for tabling this motion. We are all aware, some painfully so, that Northern Ireland continues to face a mental health crisis of unprecedented scale. Our region continues to suffer from disproportionately high rates of suicide, self-harm and depression, worsened by poverty, social isolation and intergenerational trauma. Extern's crisis intervention service in Foyle did not close because it was ineffective; in fact, the opposite was true. Since its launch, it supported over 3,500 individuals in distress in out-of-hours care. It was a critical support service that offered safety, listening ears, crisis de-escalation and links to longer-term support. <BR /> <BR />Let us be straight in the Chamber: the intervention service closed because the temporary funding model was piecemeal.”
“I thank the Minister for his delivery in the north-west. It flies in the face of what is said by those who continually criticise the DUP, and this Minister, who is delivering for that constituency. The Minister and his Department have made another welcome announcement, which is on the community wealth building pilot. Will he provide more detail on what that will mean for my constituency?”
“Minister, can you confirm that the musical instrument programme is a cross-community programme and that it has had real positive benefit right across Northern Ireland?”
“No, thank you. The issue has been well debated. <BR /> <BR />This is legislation that will make a difference. It is right that it now proceeds without delay. I thank the Education Minister for taking action. It is about seeing fair and consistent policy right across Northern Ireland and supporting those families who need it most. It respects school autonomy whilst ensuring that no child is left behind because of what they wear. I am pleased to support the legislation. I believe that it will make a difference, and I urge all Members to unanimously pass the legislation.”
“What we have now is a practical piece of legislation that will bring greater fairness, transparency and accountability to school uniform policy across Northern Ireland. The Bill will enable change for the better, whether that is the meaningful consultation with pupils and parents and the requirement that policies are reviewed regularly, or the guidelines that will, hopefully, address key concerns around affordability and practicality, highlighting the importance of access to clothing banks and uniform lending schemes, tackling the issue of exclusive supplier arrangements or, indeed, addressing issues around the eligibility of the uniform grant.”
“On this, the Final Stage of the School Uniforms Bill, I take the opportunity to reaffirm my support for the legislation and to commend the Minister of Education and his officials for showing leadership and bringing forward tangible action to try to make a difference to people in our communities. <BR /> <BR />One of the key commitments of my party was to make a difference for working families. The Assembly and Executive will be judged on what they do and what they bring forward to try to make a difference, and I am pleased that the Minister has brought forward something that will benefit not only my constituents but parents and children right across our communities. <BR /> <BR />The Bill has been the subject of scrutiny at the Committee and in the Chamber.”
“We need to see progress on that, and we will hold her to account, but to play politics with it is downright shameful, and nobody is buying into it.”
“There has been £300 million in city deal funding for Londonderry and Strabane, again delivered through DUP MPs. There has been £20 million of towns funding for Londonderry and Coleraine that was, again, delivered through DUP MPs. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP is playing politics for politics' sake. The party's negativity does not reflect the work to address regional imbalance; in fact, in areas where the SDLP has power, such as the council, it has failed. The SDLP's MP has disappeared: he has failed. When opportunities come forward from the defence sector, the party opposes them. It is a party that has lost its way and lost credibility on those issues. <BR /> <BR />I support the Minister for the Economy in bringing forward the subregional plan.”
“The north-west regeneration fund is a £10 million fund announced by the DUP Minister, Gordon Lyons, to deliver key projects, such as the regeneration of Austins in the city centre. Again, that was welcomed by the SDLP, but there has been no delivery other than that from our party. The creation of 270 new jobs in Londonderry through the Department for Communities: again, that is a DUP Minister delivering for our constituency. There have been significant public realm works, again brought forward by DFC, and thousands of pounds of investment in Londonderry's city centre. Again, that was welcomed by the SDLP, but no credit has been given to the DUP Minister. Millions of pounds have been spent through Urban Villages, an initiative brought forward by the now deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, when she was in the Executive Office.”
“Therefore, rather than being a politician who moans and complains about it, I sought meetings with the Minister, officials and the council to bring about a resolution and further investment for the north-west. <BR /> <BR />Increasingly, over the past number of months, it appears that the SDLP is allergic to positivity. DUP Ministers and the Executive have been delivering for the north-west, and that is clearly recognised by business representatives and those involved in leadership. Let us take some time to look at the delivery over the past 12 months. There was the Derry-Londonderry North Atlantic (DNA) Museum, a £15 million investment supported by DUP Ministers. The SDLP attended the launch and welcomed the project, but there is no recognition of that today.”
“Of course, we wish Mr Kennedy well and thank him for his time on the board, but we recognise that the board is much bigger than one individual. We need to work with the board members who continue to do good work, and we should not use the resignation of a board member for our political purposes. <BR /> <BR />The motion states that recent Executive decisions appear to have paid little regard to the need for regional balance, and the football fund was mentioned specifically. Of course, I am on record about the disappointment of clubs, such as Institute Football Club in the north-west, but the fund was not based on geography; it was based on other criteria.”
“The DUP wants all of Northern Ireland to succeed. We want every part of our country from east to west to thrive within the United Kingdom. We committed to addressing the challenges of regional imbalance in 'New Decade, New Approach' (NDNA), and we remain in support of that commitment. Of course, the focus to date has been on the Foyle constituency, but I recognise that regional imbalance goes well beyond that area, and my colleague, Maurice Bradley, will speak to that fact. <BR /> <BR />I hope to address a number of points in the motion as best I can. First, there is the resignation of a member of the Invest NI board. Kieran Kennedy was appointed by the then DUP Minister, Diane Dodds. At the time, it was argued that he was a champion for the north-west and had a track record of growing a local company into a huge success.”
“I thank the Minister for his welcome statement on the new disability and work strategy. <BR /> <BR />Minister, there is an opportunity for the public sector to lead by example to support more disabled people in work. Can the Minister outline what more can be done from within the public sector?”
“<BR /> <BR />Emma Sheerin expressed broad support for the motion and noted that it was important that we strengthen our rail connections as well. She welcomed the commitment to regional balance through CoDA. <BR /> <BR />Peter McReynolds spoke from an infrastructure perspective, noting the benefits for public transport, including increasing the use of buses, and the importance of meeting our net zero targets and of environmental responsibility. <BR /> <BR />The Minister's comments have been well documented. We welcome the fact that she made the time to come to the Chamber. Hopefully, we will be able to follow up with her on the targets laid out in the motion. <BR /> <BR />That is my summary. Mr Butler made a winding-up speech on his party's amendment. We urge people to support the motion, and we look forward to seeing the impact of it.”
“<BR /> <BR />Pádraig spoke about the Department's airport policy and regional balance. He spoke about the Londonderry to Dublin route, which, of course, we support. We need to ensure that the UK Government continue to fund the PSO to London Heathrow, which is also important. <BR /> <BR />Mr Honeyford spoke in support of the motion, which we welcome. He talked about the need to improve our flight connectivity to GB and Europe. He also touched on the fact that 84% of flights go through Dublin. There is work to be done to ensure that those who fly through there come to Northern Ireland as well. <BR /> <BR />Sinéad McLaughlin spoke about the importance not only of the aviation strategy but of rail connectivity and the need to ensure that our airports in Northern Ireland are connected to one another and to Dublin.”
“Minister, I assume that, if you support the motion, we will see that as a matter of urgency. We look forward to seeing it in due course. <BR /> <BR />My colleague Philip Brett moved the motion and spoke of the need for a strategy to achieve full economic potential. He talked about the US tourism market and the fact that there is an untapped potential there that we need to tap into and how we need to ensure that Departments work together on it. He also spoke about treating airports equitably and the fact that we do not have a strategy. There is no policy and no plan. I look forward to the Minister bringing that forward as a matter of urgency. <BR /> <BR />Steve Aiken highlighted some of the challenges in comparison with ROI — the VAT rate and APD — but also some of the issues around ensuring that we have a level aviation playing field.”
“It connects our businesses and supports our tourism, and it underpins the investment that we receive into the area. Yet, it continues to operate without the strategic support of a route development fund and an aviation strategy. That is why we make the case for it today. The case for City of Derry Airport — the Minister touched on this — is that it delivers £21 million GVA. That argument has been had. We know that the airport succeeds, and we want to see further investment in it. <BR /> <BR />Our motion talks about the need for a strategy that treats all airports equally. Nobody should have an issue with that. We need to support all our airports. We need to see a route development fund with clear criteria. We need measurable growth targets, and, of course, we want to see those within the next three months.”
“Wales has invested over £200 million in Cardiff Airport, including route support and infrastructure upgrades. Some £10 million has been committed to Heathrow Airport's route development fund to connect UK regions to global markets. As some Members have said, this is not a constitutional debate or a constitutional issue. We want to see Northern Ireland airports thrive. We want to see local businesses thrive and jobs being secured. We are so vocal about the City of Derry Airport, Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport, because we want those airports to succeed. We have no issue with Dublin Airport also succeeding; of course not. We feel no different about Heathrow succeeding. We want to ensure that the best connectivity is in place to support our businesses and airports. <BR /> <BR />CoDA is a vital asset for our region.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is appropriate that we bring the debate to a close, because we are starting to get carried away with ourselves in some of our contributions. <BR /> <BR />It has been a good discussion. We need to highlight the importance of and need for a comprehensive aviation strategy for Northern Ireland, one that includes a properly resourced route development fund. Of course, as a representative of the north-west, I will touch on our airport in Londonderry, but I stress that it applies to all our airports in Northern Ireland, because the policy oversight is damaging our economy. <BR /> <BR />While other devolved Governments have acted, Northern Ireland, unfortunately, has lagged behind. Scotland has long operated a route development fund, supporting international routes to boost its economy.”
“Minister, it is important that we mitigate all the delays where possible. Will you outline why specialist provision accommodation is delayed?”
“<BR /> <BR />In the main, this was a fairly productive debate, albeit some disappointing remarks came from the usual sidelines.”
“<BR /> <BR />This is not just about the A5, as important as it is. The ruling also sets a dangerous precedent for other major infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland, not least phase 2 of the A6 project, which could be impacted on in the future. The time for empty rhetoric and point-scoring is over. We need clarity and leadership, particularly from the Department. In the interim, I ask that the Minister continue to look at road safety measures and at what we can do in the meantime to prevent further deaths and incidents on the road. We also have to send out the message that we need people to drive carefully on the roads and to be mindful of the fact that, when we are behind the wheel of a vehicle, we all have a responsibility to ensure safety.”
“Once again, the project has been brought to a grinding halt. The judgement was based on climate legislation. My party warned against the kind of damaging consequences that could come out of that. We warned about the unrealistic targets that are in the legislation. It was pushed through by the SDLP, Sinn Féin and the Alliance Party. We warned that it would tie the Department's hands in the future. The very politicians who championed that legislation are now lamenting its impact. It is a stunning display of political virtue-signalling coming home to roost. Those politicians celebrated the passing of the climate change legislation believing that they could have not only their headline-grabbing climate change targets but their major infrastructure projects. Of course, they were proven wrong.”
“<BR /> <BR />The judgement has also caused significant distress and uncertainty for landowners and farming families whose livelihoods have been placed in limbo for well over a decade. They still seek clarity and guidance on their future. Farmers have had their land ripped up, and, in some cases, it will be unable to be farmed again. That has caused a lot of devastation. Local people are crying out for clarity on the future of the project and where it is going.”
“The outcome of the judgement and the A5 scheme delay has understandably caused great upset to those families and to the campaigners who have long championed the project in the name of road safety. That is deeply disappointing, and it was a difficult ruling for them. Of course, those of us who are involved with bereavement charities that support families who have lost loved ones as a result of road traffic collisions hear from them daily, and the last thing that they want to hear is the sort of cheap, party political point-scoring that we have heard from some across the Chamber today. <BR /> <BR />Another theme was the benefits of the A5. We all recognise that there are economic benefits, including jobs and prosperity for the north-west region. That those benefits are valued goes without saying.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The debate has been disappointing, particularly the opening contribution. Today's party political point-scoring has been no different from the SDLP posters that have appeared along the route. People see through that type of political posturing. People want to see progress and solutions. Anybody who believes that the motion that the Opposition has tabled will bring about solutions will be bitterly disappointed. <BR /> <BR />In fairness to Members across the Chamber, I acknowledge that a number of common themes have been raised. The first has been the issue of families and those who have been bereaved. I add my sympathies not only to those who have lost loved ones on the road but to those who have been seriously injured along the route.”
“The First Minister has not answered the question. I asked whether that applies to all councils in Northern Ireland. First Minister, do you not see the hypocrisy of your commentary commemorating the victim makers while being unwilling to allow citizens in my community to engage with the armed forces in their council area? Do you not see the hypocrisy in that?”
“I thank the First Minister for her response, and I welcome the progress being made at Ebrington. <BR /> <BR />First Minister, where are discussions at with the council about the potential transfer of the Ebrington site to the council? What assurances has your office received that the site will remain a shared space? I have some concerns, given the track record of councillors, that that may not remain the case if it goes to the council.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and for the engagement that she says that she has had with the stakeholders. Minister, what confidence can you give to people who applied to the scheme and operated in good faith that, when the consultation is complete, their views will be very much listened to?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and for the capital investment that he has already made, not least in Ardnashee School and College in my constituency. I welcome his call for the Executive-led SEN capital investment programme, but he has also outlined a number of challenges to ensuring capacity and specialist provision across the board. Is the Minister considering directing schools to establish specialist provision?”
“It is time to show leadership, accept that the idea of a new Ireland is in absolute tatters. Unionism is not butting out; unionism is not going away.”
“That is what we have now come to expect from the First Minister for all: offended by everything, ashamed of nothing; happy to attend the commemoration and glorification of republican terrorists but unwilling to allow their unionist neighbours to seek job opportunities in the armed forces; happy to go after our armed forces and those who sought to protect our communities but telling us that there was "no alternative" to IRA violence; a First Minister who seeks to make the rules but is happy not to apply them to herself; happy to meet those who share her political outlook but unwilling to meet the president of the United States; a First Minister who talks about equality but belongs to a party that seeks to "break the b—s" through it. <BR /> <BR />That is a First Minister who is fooling absolutely no one. There is always an alternative.”
“Of course, matters could only be made worse by the self-styled "First Minister for all". After concerns were raised by the DUP leader, Gavin Robinson, the First Minister for all told him to "butt out". The First Minister for all telling the leader of the largest unionist party to "butt out" will be a surprise to some, but, sadly, it is not a surprise to people on these Benches. When we hear the words "butt out", many know that it also means "Brits out" because of the actions of Sinn Féin and their SDLP colleagues across our local government — no respect, no understanding and, indeed, no thought for their unionist neighbours. <BR /> <BR />We see not only the rewriting of history but the rewriting of the present.”
“Last week, I raised in the Chamber the disgraceful decision taken by councillors in Londonderry and Strabane council. They decided that the army and the armed forces were not welcome at the Foyle Arena for a jobs fair at the council premises. That, of course, was blatant discrimination and bigotry: a shameful act towards those who wanted to apply for jobs and to engage with representatives from those sectors. People from across the community of all political persuasions have reached out to my office to share in the frustration and disappointment at the position taken by the council.”
“Thank you for your statement, Minister. It will come as no surprise that I am deeply disappointed that Institute Football Club has not progressed at this stage. Having worked with the club for the past 10 years, I see its passion, dedication and clear need. Minister, you visited the site in 2017 and saw at first hand the devastation that the flooding caused. That having been said, the people involved do not want the political point-scoring that we have seen over the weekend, particularly from those who have done absolutely nothing to progress football over the past 14 years. What else can be done to ensure that clubs like Institute Football Club, which has a 120-year history, can not only survive but thrive into the future?”
“Mental health must be prioritised. Will you outline the impact that the shortage of psychiatrists in the Western Trust has on patients? How does that compare with other trusts across Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and commend him for the work that he is doing with TransformED. In your statement, Minister, you mention the review of the curriculum and the potential for that to gather pace. I would be grateful if you could provide some more detail on how that pace will be gathered.”
“I thank the Minister for his response. Like many parents, I welcome his guidance and leadership on the issue. <BR /> <BR />Minister, I would be grateful if you could outline your Department's assessment of the position of the Equality Commission on these issues.”
“I anticipate that we will conclude our deliberations well in advance of that. However, we will surely need some of the extra time owing to the lengthy and complex nature of the Bill, which runs to 121 clauses and four schedules. <BR /> <BR />On behalf of the Committee, I commend the motion to the House.”
“You are fine. <BR /> <BR />As indicated at the Second Stage of the Insolvency (Amendment) Bill, the Committee's call for evidence was commenced over the summer recess, which was not ideal. Consequently, the Committee agreed that it would seek an extension of the Committee Stage until just before Christmas recess, as indicated in the motion.”