Emma Pengelly
South Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“This week, I will travel to France to pay my respects to all those who fought and the many who fell at the Battle of the Somme as we mark its 110th anniversary. <BR /> <BR />From across Northern Ireland, generations have served their country.”
“One of the men who fought was James Sandford, my great-grandfather. He fought, he survived, he went on to fight again, and he was seriously injured in another battle. I am deeply proud of him, and I am proud of all those who stepped forward with such honour in the face of the horror of that war.”
“When I stand there this week, looking at the gravestones of so many who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom, I will also remember — we must always remember — the responsibility that we carry forward. Remembrance is not only about honouring the past; it is about shaping the future.”
“Last night, people in north Belfast witnessed horrific scenes that have absolutely sickened and appalled people across Northern Ireland. It was a shocking and barbaric act of violence that has left a victim fighting the consequences of a truly savage attack.”
“Every person has the right to walk their streets, live in their community and feel safe in their own neighbourhood. This type of brutality has no place in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />This morning, I spoke with the Chief Constable and the Justice Minister.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have also been in contact with the Prime Minister, because the PSNI has confirmed that the 30-year-old male who has been arrested is believed to be of Somalian heritage.”
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“Absolutely. The delivery unit proposal is in the Programme for Government, and it is there because of some of issues that I have already mentioned. There is frustration that the way that we are doing things at the moment is not delivering in the way that we want. We have all heard the old adage that, if we continue to do things in the way that we have always done them, we are always going to get the same result. We have to change the way that we do business. That requires a lot of boring stuff and process stuff, including, as I said, upskilling to get the right people with the right skills in the right places to deliver on political agreements and the will of this place. It also includes looking at our processes to streamline those and get rid of anything that is unnecessary.”
“<BR /> <BR />If we look back, we see that some of the funding for this very important area came from external funds, and it was never mainstreamed in Departments' budgets to the extent that it needed to be. That needs to change. I have a huge amount of sympathy with the lobby groups on the issue, but, more than that, I am determined that we need to do something meaningful on this, and that requires Departments to get their heads together to try to resolve the issue and take a look at what we can do. That will, of course, require looking at the finances of all of this, but let us start by seeing what the actions are and what they will cost and how we can work together to make something work for those young people and their families.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Like her, I have no doubt, I have heard very genuine representations about the challenges that many families and, indeed, young people face when they hit 19. I think that there is a shared desire to do more. We need to do more to support those families. I recognise, as I have already referenced, the incredibly constrained financial environment that we are all trying to operate in. However, where I agree with the Member is that getting adequate support for young people post-19 with special educational or other needs should be business as usual in Departments. Yes, it is a cross-cutting issue. Departments need to speak to each other on this important issue, and I believe that they should be able to do that.”
“Supporting young people with special educational needs is a priority for the Executive, and we all recognise the importance of clear, well-planned pathways into further training, education or employment and of providing access to appropriate health pathways. The delivery unit is overseeing a portfolio of transformation activity, within which a number of projects are aimed at strengthening pathways and outcomes for young people with special educational needs. Given the size of the unit and its agreed work programme, there is very limited further capacity to undertake an exercise of the scale recently suggested by the Health Minister. However, we have asked our officials to engage in wider discussions to help understand the scope and the trajectory of the work and whether there can be a role for the delivery unit in future phases.”
“We have a lot of activism in the courts, a lot of regulation and a lot of other issues that are preventing progress. We have a system that is simply not fit for purpose. Today, we are seeing the resumption of a public inquiry into the Dalradian plan, and, regardless of whether you are for or against that mine, the length of time that that process has taken is, quite frankly, an embarrassment to our system. That cannot continue to be the case. We need to get that tackled. We need to bring those time frames down, and we need to deliver the capital projects that the people whom we serve deserve.”
“The Member is no doubt aware that the functions of the SIB are set out. One of its core functions is to advise the Executive on the investment strategy and to try to tackle some of the barriers to progress. When we look back over the past 10 years, we see that the challenges to infrastructure delivery have not been overcome. We need a real game changer. The public have an expectation that there will be delivery. As one of my colleagues behind me rightly pointed out, the reason that capital projects often do not progress is not that there is no political will. They are agreed by the Executive, and, indeed, many of them got external capital funding secured through political agreements. That funding was hard-won. Although we were able to secure funding, we have not seen delivery of projects through our system for all kinds of reasons.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have seen a number of critical road projects, one of which is in the Member's constituency, paused by the Infrastructure Minister for what is coming up to a year. That project is critical for people. It is about safety and saving lives. The House needs to get real, take a look at that project and strike a balance to allow core infrastructure to be built and for the needs of the people whom we serve to be met.”
“I thank the Member for her important question. We all have responsibilities to our environment. There is no doubt that, across the House, there is a great deal of consensus that we must do what we can to protect our environment. A balance must always be struck with such things, however. As we have seen, the reality is that cutting deeper or faster than any other jurisdiction, to the detriment of the citizens whom we serve, results in delays to critical road projects, in capital infrastructure projects being mired in the courts, in projects not proceeding and in people not getting the services that they want. There are real risks for hospitals, schools and roads. The key thing has to be finding a balance.”
“Doing that has to be a core efficiency and a core transformation issue that we are driving, because, if a capital project is not brought in on time and on budget, it ends up costing much more in due course. We have seen that with years and years of delay. Members will be aware that a number of other factors are delaying capital projects, not least the climate change legislation that has come into play. That needs to be tackled as well.”
“The Member will be aware that an external review of the SIB was carried out. The report was critical, in that its key reflection was that the SIB had perhaps lost sight of the strategic aspect of what it does. Many people contracted by the SIB are doing really valuable work in Departments. Some of the work identified in the report is "business as usual". That is why we need upskilling in the Civil Service. We need the right skills in the right places. We need to rely less on expensive external consultancy. We need to rely less on SIB consultants being brought in. That would free up the SIB to do what it was designed to do, which is to give strategic advice. <BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland needs capital projects to be brought in on time and on budget, but that is not happening at the minute. That is not acceptable.”
“We need to make sure that we have the right skills in the Civil Service to do that, and we need to make sure that there is adequate monitoring of the capital projects in each Department and then collectively. Those are all things that the Executive are accountable for. <BR /> <BR />Of course, as I said, we are not ruling out the prospect of the likes of an infrastructure commission — it was one of the proposals put forward in the very useful report — but it is not the silver bullet and will not resolve all of the issues. There is a risk that it could layer on even more bureaucracy. We have to get this right. Of course, there has to be accountability from Ministers. That is absolutely core to the issue.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary. The reality is that no new body will be the silver bullet for the challenge that we face. We need accountability from Ministers for the capital projects in their portfolio. I see an increasing instinct from parties around the Chamber — they see it as the simple solution — to call for the setting up of yet another body with all of the associated costs, which would devolve accountability once again to somebody else. It is time for Ministers to take accountability, speak to their officials and demand that those projects be brought in on time. <BR /> <BR />The First Minister and I have been liaising with the head of the Civil Service on this important issue. We need fit-for-purpose officials to drive forward delivery on capital.”
“We will use the findings from those work streams as part of our considerations on the best way forward, including the potential role of an infrastructure commission. Decisions on the way forward will be a matter for the Executive in due course.”
“We are determined to improve the process to ensure that more of our capital projects are delivered on time and on budget. Two work streams currently under way will help to shape decision-making on the best way forward. First, TEO and Strategic Investment Board (SIB) officials are taking forward work to address the recommendations from the recent review of SIB, including the provision of greater strategic support to the Executive. Secondly, the enabling action plan associated with the draft investment strategy will be one of the key elements of tackling the underlying issues that contribute to delays in infrastructure delivery. There are a number of actions, including developing an approach to future infrastructure needs assessment.”
“That will have a huge impact. We try to ensure complementarity of our T:BUC programmes and those of Communities and Education. We fund some of that work, and some of it is funded by those Departments. Peace funding and other external funds are also critical to achieving what we need to do on the ground.”
“As the Member will be aware, all Departments face significant financial challenges in this financial year. Of course, the ambition of every Minister in the Executive goes well beyond the budget available, but we want to protect the work that really works, such as the projects that have evaluations showing a really positive impact. We recognise that we deliver core public services through, for example, the third sector and other agencies. Trying to ensure that they get the funding that they need in a difficult budget situation is challenging, but it is a challenge that we have to take up and work on. <BR /> <BR />Of course, all Ministers are acutely aware of the pressures on groups that have been funded through their Departments. Just recently, a number of projects that were funded through the Shared Prosperity Fund came to an end.”
“Even on tricky issues such as interfaces, progress has been made, with a third of interfaces having been reduced, a third removed completely and a third being work in progress. The important thing about Together: Building a United Community is that we do not avoid the difficult issues. It may be challenging to make progress, but we must still take on those issues and try to make positive progress against them. That can be done only by working with people in those communities. That is right at the heart of T:BUC, and I have no doubt that that will continue to be the case as we move on to T:BUC 2.”
“When we publish a strategy, have a delivery plan for it and fund projects either directly through our signature projects or through local councils, where we support a huge amount of that work, it is incredibly important that we ensure that we evaluate that and make sure that the money that we have is being used correctly. Unfortunately, resources across government are finite, so it is critical that we use them in the best way that we can. <BR /> <BR />I am really pleased about the success of T:BUC. It has had a huge impact. The evaluations have been very positive. By way of example, 8,000 young people participated in the Uniting Communities programme, and 36,000 young people participated in the youth programme against an original target of 10,000.”
“It is incredibly important that the programmes are impactful everywhere. In urban areas, at times, we see a manifestation of some of the challenges more frequently than in rural areas, but good relations are important no matter where people live, including in rural communities. <BR /> <BR />The implementation of rural needs assessments is important for screening policy. It is critical that the assessments are done in a way that genuinely asks the key questions around issues such as the Member has referenced, including accessibility and how fit for purpose the programmes are for particular communities. We want to see people come together, should that be in urban areas or in rural communities.”
“For over 10 years, the T:BUC strategy has had a significant and positive impact on the lives of so many people here. However, we recognise the need for a modernisation of our T:BUC strategy that builds on programme delivery to date, provides us with the flexibility to address the issues facing our communities today and allows us to quickly react to new issues as they emerge. The T:BUC review has been completed and is informing our thinking as we move forward. We expect significant progress to be made on the development of a refreshed strategic approach by the end of the summer. During that process, the delivery of T:BUC programmes under the current strategy will continue, positively impacting on communities across the country.”
“We must ensure that their story is never forgotten.”
“Fifty years on, we must confront uncomfortable truths, including that, for many families such as the Herrons, there are still unanswered questions and that justice, in its fullest sense, has not been done. Too many families have never seen justice. In this case, there were convictions, but, just four years into the sentences of two of those who were convicted, the royal prerogative of mercy was used without any consultation or explanation. I wrote to the Prime Minister, today, to ask for a re-examination in order to give the family the answers that they never got over those 50 years. <BR /> <BR />Terrorism did not win. The community of Dromore endured because families such as the Herrons endured. Today, we remember three lives that were taken too soon. We honour William, Elizabeth and Noeline Herron.”
“Their legacy is as business people, quiet people, good people and Christians who loved and who were loved deeply. We must never forget the terrible events and must always remember the people behind the headlines.”
“They have insisted, rightly, that William, Elizabeth and Noeline be remembered not for how they died but for how they lived, in love and with humanity.”
“They were not participants in conflict; they were a mother, a father and a daughter taken by an act of terrorism that shocked not just their loved ones but the entire community. <BR /> <BR />The Provisional IRA planted an incendiary device that was designed to go off long after the shop closed, when the Herron family would be asleep upstairs. The firebomb went off at approximately 1.30 am, and, despite rescue attempts, William, Elizabeth and their daughter Noeline all perished. There is no justification for what was done: none. No cause or ideology can ever excuse the targeting of innocent men, women and children. <BR /> <BR />In the face of such loss, the Herron and Bingham families have shown something remarkable: they have refused to allow that evil to define the memory of those whom they loved.”
“Last week, on 7 April, I attended a hugely supported and poignant parade by Lower Iveagh District Loyal Orange Lodge (LOL) No 1, and, yesterday, I attended the special service of remembrance marking the 50th anniversary of one of the most appalling and shocking attacks of the Troubles: a day on which the horror of violence was visited on the town of Dromore in my constituency of Lagan Valley and on the Herron family. <BR /> <BR />William, Elizabeth and Noeline Herron were much respected and loved. They were three good people from a family rooted in faith, hard work and service to their community in Dromore. Their family name stood not for division but for decency, kindness and the quiet dignity of everyday life, yet, on 7 April 1976, that ordinary goodness was met with an act of extraordinary evil.”
“Northern Ireland's story is still being written, and we decide what comes next. <BR /> <BR />To our universities, tourism bodies, business organisations, political representatives and community and voluntary leaders, I say a huge "Thank you" for turning up, showing up and speaking up. When we do that together there is no limit to what Northern Ireland can achieve.”
“They heard how Northern Ireland is a place of innovation and talent, where global companies come not just to invest but to grow. Investors today see Northern Ireland not just as a location but as a launch pad. None of that happens by accident. Progress happens through engagement. It happens when we build relationships not just when it is easy but when it is necessary. It happens when we sit at tables, even with those with whom we might not always agree, and choose dialogue over distance. Relationships are not just soft power but real power. That was something that I was reminded of time and again in Washington. Strong economies are built on trust, and lasting peace is built on understanding. That is our responsibility: to keep reaching outwards and building bridges.”
“<BR /> <BR />Over the course of the five-day visit, I engaged with hundreds of people: key decision-makers from the president to members of his cabinet, leaders on both sides of the aisle in the Senate and the House, business leaders, investors, young people and those with an interest in Northern Ireland. People who believe, as we do, that Northern Ireland is not defined by its past but inspired by its potential. <BR /> <BR />I delivered a clear message: Northern Ireland may be small, but our ambition is not. Let me tell you something: they are listening. They heard how the people from Ulster, what is largely now Northern Ireland, helped build modern America 250 years ago and how the same driving values of hard work, grit, determination and innovation continue to define our people today.”
“St Patrick's week in Washington DC offers unparalleled opportunities to build connections, establish relationships and promote and champion Northern Ireland. Last week, I travelled to Washington DC to engage in more than 22 meetings and events, not just as deputy First Minister but as an advocate for our people, our businesses, our tourism, our academic institutions and our ambition. I went to DC as part of my commitment to keep turning up, standing up and speaking up for Northern Ireland at every opportunity. In a world that is noisy and crowded, if you do not show up, your story does not get told; if you do not stand up, your interests do not get promoted; and, if you do not speak up, others take that opportunity for themselves.”
“It should not be defended by anyone in the Chamber.”
“However, there is a big challenge with what has happened in negotiations over the course of the past number of decades, not just those over the past few months or weeks. The key issue is that you cannot negotiate with people who are murderous or are at the head of a regime that is intent on spreading terror, killing others and oppressing tens of thousands of its own people. Those are not just my words; they are the words of international human rights bodies, including Amnesty International, which have highlighted the fact that Iran is one of the worst offenders in the world when it comes to breaches of human rights. I appeal to the Member to consider that. Of course, every death of a civilian in war is absolutely tragic, but what that regime has been doing is absolutely horrific and must be condemned.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to think that everything that I say is simply factual rather than an opinion. <BR /> <BR />Let me be clear: war is tragic. It brings about absolutely tragic outcomes. Everyone should do their best to bring about a resolution and peace in the Middle East. I have said that repeatedly.”
“<BR /> <BR />Over the weekend, I put up information about the UK Government's registration scheme and the Irish Government's registration scheme, conscious that people from Northern Ireland have been travelling in the Middle East on both passports. We will continue to ensure that our social media channels are updated. My social media channels are updating. I guarantee that I will do everything that I can to get the information out to people in a timely way. That includes engaging with the UK Government, the Irish Government and others to make sure that the messaging is accurate and that people get the support that they need.”
“As I said, if you are in the region and your family and friends are supporting you at home, the key issue is to make sure that you get your information from the official channels. It is also important that you register. The registration system is designed to give a sense of how many people are in the region. We do not know how long the situation will last, and it may be the case that we move to evacuate. Getting registered is criticaI so that, if it appears that evacuation plans need to be put in place — that is a contingency — people know where you are staying and that you are getting the alerts directly to your phone.”
“It has been an oppressive, evil and murderous regime, and it does not deserve support from any person in the Chamber”
“I thank the Member for his important question. My focus in all of it is to make sure that citizens of Northern Ireland can remain safe and get all the advice and messaging that they need at this very difficult time. He is absolutely right: I stand with the Iranians who have suffered from the oppressive, evil regime for many decades. I am absolutely baffled as to why some in the Chamber appear to support that regime. I looked up why that could be, and it was clear that Sinn Féin has had a long-running relationship with the Iranian regime, going back many decades. I do not understand that. That regime oppresses women's rights. It has murdered women for having the audacity to not wear a head shawl. As I said, it has killed people because they are LGBT. It has supported terror, not just across the region but across the globe.”
“Key to this, however, is the fact that we have thousands of people visiting or working in the UAE in particular and across the wider region. Those people have not been able to leave. Many families here are apprehensive about the safety of their loved ones and friends. We want to make sure that the information is given to them. I raised the issue of people who live in Northern Ireland and travel on various passports because my concern in all this is to make sure that people get the right help and support where and when they need it.”
“There are three issues that came out of the briefing on Saturday afternoon that impact on Northern Ireland. The first is that we have people from Northern Ireland who serve in the UK armed forces in the area and will be deployed in defensive action. Those people will have families in Northern Ireland. The second issue is the impacts on supply chains. The region, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, is essential to energy supply and other things. I asked for a point of contact in the Department for Business and Trade to make sure that we are aware of the potential economic shocks, particularly supply chain disruption.”
“They should make sure that they reach out if they need help and support. There are people in the region with British passports, Irish passports and both. We are trying to ensure that that information is sent to everybody as clearly as possible through our social media channels. The other key message is for people to make sure that they take their information from official channels. There is a huge amount of rumour and misinformation out there. People must make sure that they are taking their information from official Government channels.”
“I thank the Member for her important question. While we can discuss the rights and wrongs of international action, we need to be clear about our role in Northern Ireland. I do not have any role in, nor do I provide feed-in to, military manoeuvres. However, I have a responsibility to do everything that I can to ensure that people from Northern Ireland who are in that region, and who are very apprehensive about what is happening, can get the right support. I attended the briefing on Saturday, and I will attend a briefing later today. The messaging is clear: if you are in the region, get registered. The people who are registered will get, directly to their phones, information about potential evacuation, as well as other alerts and updates. They should stay inside and shelter, because the situation is still very unstable.”
“At the weekend, I read a report about a 16-year-old girl who was hanged by the regime because she was raped. It is an appalling regime. When it comes down to it, on balance, you need to side with those who are removing a theocratic dictatorship that has been the sponsor of terrorism across the globe and the main source of instability in the Middle East.”
“I suggest that the Member looks at the reaction of ordinary Iranian people — the people who have been absolutely oppressed by that regime for many decades. I could quote from a number of reports, but I will quote from another Amnesty International report, which states:”
“That is appalling. It is an appalling regime. Regardless of the considerations about action or no action, I will certainly shed no tears that that regime is being removed.”
“I thank the Member for her question. There is absolutely no indication that it is a clear breach of international law. I am not privy to all the considerations in how the decision was made. I highlight to the Member, who mentions international law, that it is about moving in to take out or remove an appalling, murderous regime, which, as has been reported, has killed over 30,000 of its own people over recent months because they had the audacity to protest and show dissent on the streets. I am looking at a wide range of reports, including one from Amnesty International, which states:”
“When we looked at the Programme for Government, we were absolutely clear that we could not do everything. Governments should not try to do everything, because, if they do, they will do nothing particularly well. That is why, in the Programme for Government, we have prioritised. The Member himself called for there a focus on a smaller number of priorities. I say as clearly as I can that there are nine priorities in the Programme for Government, and their targets are set down clearly. Part of those nine key priorities is a transformation priority. The delivery unit is currently working on two aspects of that. The first is to drive down waiting lists, and the second is to oversee and support the transformation fund.”
“It works hand in glove with the agenda for the new AI and digital unit, the AI strategy and the data strategy. We are conscious that the Department cannot do everything, of course, and we should not try to do everything. The unit is very much a small team of civil servants working with others in Departments to support them in achieving their objectives and outcomes.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As indicated, the delivery unit is focusing on two areas. One is supporting the Department of Health with its objective, as set out in the Programme for Government (PFG), of reducing health waiting lists, looking in particular at the transformation project to have multidisciplinary teams in GP practices. In addition to that, it is looking elsewhere. For example, the Welsh delivery unit has been working closely with the Welsh Government on triaging lists so that people do not need to be on them any longer than is necessary. It is also looking at mega-clinics and other initiatives. There is a wide range of aspects. <BR /> <BR />I advise the Member that the delivery unit is a small unit. We hope to introduce small game changers, particularly in Programme for Government delivery.”
“Victims and survivors have absolutely been at the heart of everything that we have done so far.”
“I thank the Member for his important question. At the heart of all that we do must be those most impacted on: the victims and survivors. We acknowledge and put on record that it is incredibly difficult for those who have suffered at times horrendous abuse to come forward and share their story and their reflections to help inform the work and a way forward. I say a huge "Thank you" to all who have done so. There has been participation with the independent chair to inform some of that work, and I know that the junior Ministers have met victims and survivors through the forum on a number of occasions. In addition, many hundreds of victims and survivors came forward to contribute to the research reports. We genuinely thank all of them for that. Their contribution has been invaluable to our considerations.”