Daniel McCrossan
West Tyrone · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Member for giving way. She has raised some points of interest. Aside from the Bill at hand, the Department of Finance currently collects rates from property owners across Northern Ireland. I have found that there can be difficulties with that when properties have been lying vacant for a significant period.”
“That applies in particular to those who have been land-banking over a period of time — that happens everywhere, unfortunately — with the hope that the big cash cow will be coming and, ultimately, they will be relieved of their responsibility to maintain, look after and enhance the landscape in a town or village by spending the necessary f…”
“As is often the case when we speak in the House, it may be that some ratepayers or members of the public will take it as a given that the Bill will be the silver bullet that will resolve the dilapidation issues in towns. Depending on which area you are in, the scale is very different.”
“We need to be creative in how we can put the Bill to task. <BR /> <BR />Certainly, as I have said, it is good policy. I have no question that the Bill is well intended.”
“<BR /> <BR />Addressing dilapidation is not simply a matter for local government in isolation. The responsibility lies with the Executive as a whole. The Executive have had their eyes closed to this matter for too long, and many of our buildings have deteriorated significantly across council areas over a long period.”
“That encourages private investment, and there is natural enhancement from those investors. However, in areas that lag behind because of economic decline, underinvestment and general deprivation, many towns and cities can quickly become the poor cousin.”
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“As was stated earlier, while the SDLP has expressed concerns in Committee and in the House, we are satisfied to support the Minister today but with caution and subject to clarifications that, I hope, the Minister will provide. It is not natural territory for me as a legislator and should not be for the House to have the scrutiny process subverted in this way. Allowing 30 days for scrutiny would not in any way have added to the pain of those already affected. If anything, it would have ensured robust scrutiny, and we could have heard from stakeholders who could have added to the quality of the legislation to ensure that it does what the Minister tells us that it does, which is protecting those affected.”
“This, by default, would let those affected —I am sure that Mr Allister would agree — off the hook if we faced the same crisis here, which I fear is down the line.”
“The Member, again, makes a number of very valid points. The Member will know that that is already happening. It happens in many developments anyway. There are risks by way of unintended consequences of this Bill going through by this process, and there are concerns. The Member points out, in relation to materials, that there is no accountability for the manufacturers of those materials. We have seen across County Donegal and beyond how defective materials such as reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), mica and pyrite in buildings have caused huge issues for the Government and, more importantly, for homeowners, and there is difficulty in getting any level of accountability.”
“I thank the Member for being generous about giving way. He is right to point out a number of concerns, which I share. Although he will have heard some of the discussions that happened in a fully public forum, other detailed discussions happened in closed session. A number of pieces of advice, legal and otherwise, were received and assurances sought. Believe me, Mr Allister, assurances were sought that somewhat eased elements of concern that I as a member of the Committee had about the Bill. I repeat that I do not believe that this is the right way in which to do things. Thirty days for Committee Stage would have been much better and ensured much better scrutiny, and I am sure that Mr Allister will agree with that.”
“Consequently, the SDLP will, on this occasion, agree, with caution, to accelerated passage in the knowledge that the House will carefully scrutinise the Bill as it passes through the legislative stages that are required by the House.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill has been introduced by the Minister in good faith and, we expect, with the legal resources and expertise of the Department to help to craft and present it in a way that is competent. Furthermore, it is an Executive Bill, and it has, from my understanding, the support of Executive colleagues. The Bill contains only four substantive clauses and is based on parity with existing law in England and Wales. The Assembly can engage in robust debate and scrutiny during the Bill's passage. <BR /> <BR />Finally, there is a compelling need to provide equality of protection under the law to residents in this jurisdiction, which has been prevented for one reason or another and absolutely as a result of the absence of these institutions functioning as they should.”
“Accelerated passage must, therefore, never be taken for granted. Every instance must be judged on a case-by-case basis. <BR /> <BR />That said, in this instance, we are faced with a unique situation, and the dangers of prolonging the passage of the Bill are real. Moreover, our citizens are entitled to equality with those in other jurisdictions. Bearing those things in mind, whilst the SDLP is unhappy with accelerated passage, we recognise the reasons why that is the route of action by the Minister. We have also said at the Committee on countless occasions that further scrutiny would add only a short period of 30 days to the process, which would enable proper and full scrutiny, allow us to put key questions to the Minister and others to ensure robust scrutiny of the process and enable us to answer any concerns that we have about the Bill.”
“Therefore, we are sympathetic to amending the law to afford greater safeguards and doing it as expediently as possible. Acknowledging our difficult situation, the Minister seeks accelerated passage of the Bill. Of course, such action should not be done as normal business in the House. It deprives the Committee for Communities of its capacity for proper scrutiny and shortens the Assembly's ability to inspect and amend, should any amendment be necessary. Members will consider those issues as the Bill goes through its stages. As a party, the SDLP has thought long and hard about the notion of accelerated passage. It must never be a natural first option. Indeed, citizens are entitled to know that MLAs have taken any draft legislation that is set before the House seriously and that the highest standards of scrutiny have been applied.”
“The Minister has announced that the Defective Premises Bill is designed to introduce new provisions into the Limitation (NI) Order 1989, fixing a retrospective period of up to 30 years and a prospective period of up to 15 years in which a party can take action for defective premises. It also introduces new provisions into the Defective Premises Order to allow a building that contains two or more dwellings to be treated as a single dwelling for the purposes of the order. The changes are based on the provisions introduced in England and Wales by sections 134 and 135 of the Building Safety Act 2022. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP acknowledges that existing legislation dating back to 1975 can no longer provide citizens here with the protections that they need and deserve.”
“<BR /> <BR />The entire community, in the face of the deeply devastating news, rallied to the aid of the Doherty family in the last few days and, within three days, raised £20,000 for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. In our community, we are so fortunate to have pillars such as the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust that are upholding all of us in difficult times. It goes without saying that the Doherty, Callaghan and Sandhu family are deeply appreciative of that support, as are the other 1,800 families who have had loved ones returned to Ireland and, indeed, to other areas. <BR /> <BR />In the House today, on behalf of all Members, we say this firmly on the record: thank you to Colin Bell and his family for what they have done. Our thoughts are with the family of Jamie Sandhu, who are suffering the deep pain of loss this week.”
“<BR /> <BR />Indeed, this week, in my constituency, I have witnessed first-hand the huge benefit and relief that the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust has brought to a family that is suffering tremendous loss and pain. On 3 May, young Jamie Sandhu passed away in Australia in difficult and sad circumstances. It was a great shock to his family and friends across Strabane who knew and loved him. He came from a loving and caring close family who are rooted in education and in the Strabane community. Immediately, without hesitation, Colin Bell and his trust came to that family's aid and brought their son, brother and grandchild home to his family. I can tell you, Mr Speaker, and I will put it firmly on the record that the gratitude of that family to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust is beyond words.”
“In 2013, following the death of young Kevin Bell, who sadly passed away in New York, the community came together, rallied with the Bell family to support them and raised significant funds to bring Kevin's remains home to Ireland. As a result of that and to build on a tremendous legacy, Kevin's father, Colin Bell, established the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. As of today, 11 years on, 1,800 families have benefited from the support of the trust. The impact that it has at a difficult and tragic time for many families is huge and significant, and many are grateful for the huge amount of work and support that the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust provides to those families in those difficult circumstances.”
“First Minister, the Assembly and the Executive have now been in place for over 100 days. The public rightly expect and deserve delivery from the Executive after continual failure. When will the Assembly get sight of the Programme for Government and have an opportunity to debate the priorities that will be laid before it?”
“<BR /> <BR />The truth is that abstentionism does not serve our constituents well. It only serves the selfish, narrow political interests of Sinn Féin. SDLP MPs have shown for decades that they can deliver at Westminster, their votes count and people's voices can be heard in that Chamber. That is why we have two outstanding MPs, Colum Eastwood and Claire Hanna. It is a great pity that my constituents have been deprived of that for the past 23 years, and I hope that, if Sinn Féin really cares about the state of our finances in Northern Ireland, its MPs will take up their seats, go to Westminster and demand better for people, instead of standing outside huffing about it.”
“In the absence of this institution for the past number of years, my constituents in West Tyrone were left completely voiceless, because we were not able to speak up for them in this House and no one was speaking up for them in London. If Sinn Féin is serious about wanting to see this place being better resourced and better funded, it is surely better to be there rather than being outside shouting in. That really does not benefit anybody — certainly not my constituents in West Tyrone or those in any other constituencies where that policy is in place. Over the past few days, we have heard the First Minister and, indeed, the MP for my constituency saying that now is the time for change. What will change? Is Sinn Féin going to change its abstentionist policy? Will it review its approach?”
“We have heard from the First Minister and deputy First Minister since the return of the Assembly and from other colleagues, particularly those from Sinn Féin, about how underfunded this place is and how much the Tories are to blame. I do not dispute that the Tories are to blame for quite a lot of the financial issues that we face. It is, however, more important than ever, now that we will, hopefully, see a new Administration — although there could be a hung Parliament — that we have MPs from across the 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland who actually show up. <BR /> <BR />We talked about the importance of showing up to this House to get the work done and deliver for people on the ground, but what about showing up to Westminster?”
“I, too, share the comments of my colleagues in the House in welcoming you back to the Chair, Mr Speaker. <BR /> <BR />A very drenched Tory Prime Minister called an election in recent days. It was a solemn reminder of the chaos that has lingered at the fingertips of this Government for well over a decade. I can happily say that we will be happy to see the back of the Tory Administration at Number 10 and will welcome the new, incoming Government. <BR /> <BR />At this time, we have major challenges in Northern Ireland and major hurdles to overcome, particularly with the health service, education and the state of our roads etc, as well as with how the Assembly is funded.”
“<BR /> <BR />The House and the Minister — he is here and is aware of the issue — need to do more to support young people. We need services in place to support those in need. We need respite services to support those in need, and we need an intervention immediately.”
“However, all is not lost. In Strabane and Omagh, we have seen the loss of countless young people's lives over the past number of years. We have seen devastation. I have attended the funerals, and I have helped and supported the families. Last year, the death of young Rory Carlin in Strabane shone a bright light on the serious challenge that exists in our community. His family, in the face of adversity, came out and called for greater awareness, support and services for the young people across our communities who are battling with drug and substance abuse or addiction. The need for that support is desperate. Inside a year, they have raised almost £100,000, which will go towards supporting young people who are struggling and, hopefully, enhancing services.”
“Families, towns and schools often — too often — mourn the loss of promising young talent to drug abuse. <BR /> <BR />The fabric of our society is torn by drug abuse, leaving scars that will take generations to heal.”
“The seductive promise of escape and euphoria can lead them down a path of addiction, robbing them of their potential and their ambitions. We lose countless lives to this terrible situation. It happens too often, and the number is rising each year in Northern Ireland. Young people, instead of realising their dreams, find themselves trapped in a cycle of dependency with repercussions that extend far beyond them. <BR /> <BR />Our communities bear witness to the social decay caused by drug and substance abuse and to the struggle of young people, with some getting into trouble with the criminal justice system. The healthcare system is under serious strain as a result of addiction-related illnesses, and, to be honest, there are not the facilities or services to meet the needs of those in desperate need.”
“I would like to shine a light on a critical issue plaguing communities across Northern Ireland: the devastating impact of drugs on families and young people. The scourge of drug abuse not only affects the individual but ripples out, affecting families, friends and communities in each of our constituencies. For many families, the nightmare of drug addiction is a harsh reality. Parents watch helplessly as their children and young people spiral into the dark abyss of substance abuse that tears families apart and leaves a trail of destruction in its wake. The emotional and psychological toll on families is immeasurable as they grapple with feelings of guilt, sometimes shame, fear, despair and just dread of what lies ahead. <BR /> <BR />Young people with their future ahead of them are particularly vulnerable to the lure of drugs.”
“I thank the Minister for that answer; unfortunately, it is the same answer as the one he gave me in the House six weeks ago. Has there been any update on that position? I was told that the business case had been sent to the Department of Finance for approval of the bid, but the Finance Minister has come back to me and said that such a bid has not been received.”
“Will the Minister give us some assessment of why he believes that there is a higher level of temporary promotions in his Department? Can he outline why he believes that there is an issue in recruitment and retention?”
“I am sure that the Minister will agree that the impact on those affected has been profound. It has affected every aspect of their lives for many years. What would she say to the Post Office about how those people have been badly mistreated by a trusted institution that is used by our people every day? Has she met those from Northern Ireland who have been affected?”
“<BR /> <BR />I will give Members a quick insight: AIG paid out its highest dividend since 2007; Allianz's profit jumped 5·7% to €14·2 billion; Aviva's profit rose 8% to £715 million; AXA is earning 23% per share; and NFU Mutual had a profit of £220 million. They are making huge money off the backs of ordinary people. Today, in the House, whilst we cannot resolve the situation, we can call for action. I am delighted that we are united on that journey.”
“Therefore, you are not covered for that risk, but the insurance company will increase your premium by maybe £5,000, £6,000 or £7,000. It is absolutely ridiculous; as has been described by other Members, it is extortion. We need to call it out for what it is, because it is unacceptable, and it is causing a huge level of pain to our constituents, who are already struggling with the cost of food prices and the cost of living generally, with rising mortgage, rent and electricity costs. It is huge. The insurance companies saw an opportunity in the cost-of-living crisis: they jumped on the bandwagon, slapped the price up and did not care about the consequences for our people.”
“When you live in such a constituency as mine — West Tyrone — you do not have the luxury of public transport links that are sufficient to meet the demands of the local population, so those young people rely heavily on their vehicle. That is putting pressure on parents to support the young people in not only their education but in their means of travel to get to that place of education and to return home. <BR /> <BR />That is before we even touch on the wider issues with insurance for businesses. I declare an interest as a director of a company. We have seen a huge rise in the level of insurance premiums for businesses. It is an extortionate rise — thousands of pounds more than the previous year, without any justification. An insurance company can come along and say, "We're not insuring you because there was a flood 30 miles down the road".”
“When I asked for an explanation of why that is happening, I was told, as Mr Tennyson rightly articulated, that it is because of the cost of parts going up or the cost of replacement cars for people whose vehicles are in getting repaired. It just does not stack up. In my opinion, the Association of British Insurers is nervous around the issue. That is enough for me to keep pushing at the bruise. We need to get to the bottom of why Northern Ireland is being treated differently from anywhere else. <BR /> <BR />The issues relating to young people have, rightly, been pointed out. The majority of young people are being penalised and punished. They are out getting a part-time job and trying to stay in education and keep a car on the road.”
“However, it is interesting that, when I mentioned it for the first time publicly, the Association of British Insurers almost instantly reached out to me without being prompted, and that showed me that there was nervousness and anxiety about what was going on in Northern Ireland, because, in the absence of the institutions, we did not have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on exactly what was happening. There is a need for the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate what is happening with insurance companies. It is my opinion that they are bogging the hands into the pockets of the people in Northern Ireland more so than those of the people in Scotland, England, Wales or anywhere else.”
“There had been no claims; I had simply changed the car, and that was the result. That is the reality for a lot of people, but we have to be honest about the discriminatory effect that that has on low-income families, the working poor, the people who go out to make ends meet every day and the carers who look after people but are not remunerated sufficiently for the cost of the travel to do that important work. Amongst all that, however, is the hidden cost of insurance that means that those people must decide whether they can afford to do the job. The cost and consequences of that for our society and constituents are huge. <BR /> <BR />I have reached out to many insurance companies about the issue, and I have written countless letters. The SDLP raised it at Westminster as well.”
“I thank my colleague for tabling this important motion. I raised the issue on the Floor in the first week that the Assembly and the institutions returned. It is an important issue that we have been hearing about for some time, but the situation has worsened. When I raised it publicly at the earliest possible opportunity, there was a bit of a reaction, but, ultimately, as the months have gone on, I have heard from more people about the extortionate cost of insurance. <BR /> <BR />I have personal experience from when I was due to renew my car insurance. To avoid being put out of the Chamber, I will not repeat my reaction when I phoned to renew the insurance, as it was shocking. My insurance had gone up by 65%, which is extortionate, unjustified and could not be explained.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. It might be the case, particularly in more rural constituencies such as mine, that the reason for the high level of breakdowns and recovery of electric vehicles is that there is no infrastructure for charging them. That is the case in West Tyrone in particular. Maybe that is a contributing factor to the higher insurance rates.”
“I thank the Minister for the statement, although we were given very short notice to consider it. The statement is positive, but the question is whether it goes far enough. Minister, the housing crisis in the North is worsening by the year. You have acknowledged that in statements and at Committee recently. What can you do to ensure that the initiative goes much further than developing homes for 300 families by 2026, because the issue is worsening each and every day?”
“I call again on the Taoiseach and the Irish Government to announce their public inquiry so that the Omagh families can get to the truth.”
“I think today about Michael Gallagher, who lost his son; Stanley McComb, who lost his wife; Kevin Skelton, who lost his wife; and the countless other Omagh families who have waited for the inquiry to begin. It will be a tough time for the people of Omagh, Tyrone and beyond as we all remember the deep and lasting scars of that terrible, terrible day. <BR /> <BR />It is hoped that, as recommended by Justice Horner, the Irish Government will also take forward an inquiry to ensure that the full picture is put on the table to unravel what happened on that day and get truth for the families. I was told by the previous Taoiseach that they would consider that when terms of reference were announced for the public inquiry. Unfortunately, that has not yet happened.”
“That prompted the then Secretary of State to announce the much-anticipated and long-awaited public inquiry into the events of that dreadful, terrible day. <BR /> <BR />The Omagh families are relieved that there has been some recognition of their pain and of the need for truth as to what happened and whether the bomb could have been prevented, thereby saving the lives of their loved ones and preventing injury to countless others. I hope that the inquiry will shine a very bright light on some of the very real concerns that I and other elected representatives from West Tyrone, as representatives of the people of Omagh, have had, and on the families, who have worked tirelessly to seek out the truth.”
“I welcome the announcement that the Omagh bomb inquiry hearings will start in July. As Members know, on 15 August 1998, the worst atrocity of the Troubles occurred in the town of Omagh in my constituency, where 29 innocent people were killed by a Real IRA bomb that was driven into the centre of the town. For 26 years, families have campaigned tirelessly for truth and justice, and have taken multiple cases to various courts seeking out that truth and some recognition of their honest belief that that bomb could have been prevented. That was confirmed by Justice Horner in a recent determination, in which he said that it was plausible that there was a real prospect that the Omagh bomb could been prevented by security forces.”
“Nobody from the Executive parties can sit in the House today and honestly outline what they have delivered for the benefit of the people of Northern Ireland since the Assembly was re-established. It is not good enough simply to be here. It is not good enough simply to be seen to be working together. People expect more. They deserve more and must have more from the Executive.”
“I will in a second. <BR /> <BR />The Executive are a coalition of four parties that are there to work together to resolve problems. Instead, what we have had in the first 100 days is the First Minister tweeting another Executive Minister about a failure to deliver on a issue. Then we see the most senior Ministers in the Executive tweeting about what they would like to see happen. They have the power to deliver on those promises and priorities. Let us get a reality check, folks: not everything can be a priority, strange as that may seem. <BR /> <BR />We need to ensure that the basic needs of our society are met and that we put an end to the continuous suffering of our people.”
“Those arguments are well rehearsed. However, a basic necessity is the existence of a Government working in tandem to resolve, not create, problems. The cost of collapse has been astronomical, and it has worsened an already serious situation in Northern Ireland. It has worsened the levels of child poverty. It has worsened the impact on special educational needs children. It has worsened the situation for dementia patients across Northern Ireland, as we have heard in the House today. It has worsened the housing lists. We hear about the First Minister tweeting instead of talking to Executive colleagues about the challenges that exist in education. That is petty.”
“Yet we see no meaningful action whatever and no clear plan, indication or otherwise for how we will resolve the most simple of demands: the need to ensure that our children can be fed, live in a good, warm home and have the necessary support to meet their basic needs in society. The reality is that the Executive are not interested in those things, because, if they are not fighting with themselves and causing continuous crisis and collapse, they are finding excuses or someone to blame for the absence of delivery. <BR /> <BR />Colleagues in the House are quick to blame the Tories and have been for 10 years. Yes, there is the issue relating to how this place is financed, and there is a huge shortfall that affects how we tackle some of the challenges that we face in the health service, education and housing.”
“Following the return of the institutions after two years of collapse, without any proper justification for an absence of government in this place, there is still no sight of a Programme for Government or any indication of the direction of travel for the Executive. What is happening? Simple conversations, photo shoots, motions and wish lists — all the things that make people look good on videos — but no substance whatever. There is more huge frustration playing out in the community. The Executive may think that they can continue bluffing the electorate that they are working hard to deliver on their needs, when, in reality, nothing is changing on the ground. <BR /> <BR />Poverty is a massive challenge for our community. It has touched many families in my constituency and, indeed, in the constituency of every Member.”
“My colleague has rightly articulated the challenges faced by people across Northern Ireland and the continuous wishful thinking by some of the Executive parties in the House. There has been a litany of promises made to the public time and again, and one crisis or another — all manufactured by this place, of course — has distracted from the fact that the Executive have continually failed to deliver on priorities for the people across our communities. <BR /> <BR />We know the state of the health service. We know the challenges that exist and the huge impact they have on people across our communities. There is real human suffering as a consequence of the political failures of this place.”
“<BR /> <BR />My office hears weekly from families who struggle to find the support that they need for their loved ones: adaptations, financial support and services more generally. More needs to be done to support people across Northern Ireland. This is a huge challenge for our society and the Assembly, and we must all do more to raise awareness and support those across our communities who suffer from this terrible disease.”
“As a family, we know very well the huge challenges that come with the diagnosis and the difficulty of the journey to get such a diagnosis in Northern Ireland. We are aware of the huge and growing numbers in Northern Ireland — 20,000 people now — and of the upward trajectory of dementia diagnosis. We need more support for people and greater awareness of how families deal with the ever-changing circumstances and challenges. It is not just the patient who suffers; the family suffers greatly alongside their loved one when they see a huge deterioration in their well-being. The person whom you know and love disappears almost instantly before your eyes and deteriorates further as each day passes.”
“I take the opportunity to welcome the Alzheimer's Society and Dementia NI to Parliament Buildings. I had the pleasure of visiting the dementia bus at the front of the Building, a fascinating experience that gives a real insight into the challenges faced by dementia patients across Northern Ireland. I pay tribute to the family of Sean McGrane from Strabane, who are in the Building today. Sean's wife, Sheila, and his daughter, Denise, do huge amounts of work in raising awareness and offering hope to people who face the tremendous challenges that are caused by dementia. <BR /> <BR />I also speak as the grandson of a grandmother who was diagnosed with dementia just after the death of my grandfather a few short years ago.”
“I thank the Minister for that. I think he is saying, "It is awful, but we are no different from every Department, so every Department is awful". That is an unacceptable situation. I am sure you will agree that the huge number of temporary promotions in your Department is a cause of concern for existing staff in terms of available opportunities for them and is not best practice for your Department or any other in the Executive.”
“Minister, can you provide any detail on the number of people who have abused the intimidation points system over each of the last three years?”
“Fifty people have died on that road, and hundreds, if not thousands, have been injured. Unfortunately, unless the road upgrade is delivered, more will face terrible consequences. We need a decision, and we need one soon. Today and this week, given that a year has almost passed, I would like the McKane and McSorley family to know that they are in our prayers and that the Members of the House are thinking on them and on all families who have been affected by tremendous loss on the A5 road.”