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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“I thank the Minister for that answer and for her firm commitment to the people of Clady that she is dedicated to resolving the issue. As she is aware, Clady is a very small rural village. It has a narrow street with cars parked outside people's homes, and, when heavy goods lorries come through it to access Donegal, they block the village, which causes considerable issues. Will the Minister reaffirm her support for resolving the issue and give a commitment to the House and the people of Clady that she will do everything within her grasp to see it resolved as swiftly as possible?”
“Minister, I know that you will agree that our late colleague John Dallat would be proud of the huge amount of work that you have done, the focus and attention that you have put on investing in rail and the reviews that you have established. He was a champion for that for all his life, particularly his public life. You mentioned the review: what will the benefits of that strategic rail review be for the north-west?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. He has made a solid and strong contribution. Does he agree with me that training is absolutely necessary and that resourcing is critical? For a class of 15 children, would it not be to their benefit, and to that of the school, for there to be someone specific in the school who could be called on to come in and help roll out the techniques, or whatever, in those situations? Would that, as well as training, be a solution?”
“I thank the Minister for giving way and for his solid answer there to reassure parents that this will not happen again. That will send out a strong signal that he is dedicated to resolving the issue and moving it forward. That is a good leap forward, and I thank the Minister for it.”
“The SDLP believes that there is an urgent need for Northern Ireland to catch up on how restraint and seclusion are used in our schools. We need reform, and we need it now. On that basis, I support the motion, and I thank Members for their contributions.”
“Given that recent development in England, it is therefore concerning that we continue to rely on legislation and guidance that are over two decades old when so much has changed and, in the present day, there is so much more awareness. <BR /> <BR />It is very concerning that there is little to no data on recording incidents of restraint and seclusion in our schools. It came up in Committee that we do not know the extent of their use, and there is no central database that collates information on incidents, nor is information routinely shared with families. That needs to change. I know that the Minister will recognise that there should probably be a record of that so that we can have a wider understanding of where things are. <BR /> <BR />I will bring my remarks to a conclusion.”
“<BR /> <BR />The motion concerns resources, training and support, which simply have not been in place on the issues surrounding restraint and seclusion. Challenging behaviour is often cited as the reason why restraint or seclusion is needed in schools. Recent medical evidence suggests, however, that challenging behaviour among children with severe disabilities is, as already stated, a means of communication. <BR /> <BR />England reacted to that by recently updating its guidance to say that schools should have preventative therapeutic models, including positive behavioural support (PBS) strategies, with restraint and seclusion being used only as a last resort.”
“That creates some issues in the classroom, but it must be recognised that those children need support. <BR /> <BR />I speak as an uncle of a child of six years of age. His name is Ashton. I have been seeing, since he was very young, the meltdowns, the temper tantrums and the sheer frustration in that child when he cannot communicate the way that he wants. Now, he often just takes you by the hand. If you refuse to go, you will see the temper tantrum quite quickly. <BR /> <BR />The law governing the use of restraint in schools is, as I said, 23 years old. It needs to change. I want to ensure that today's debate is no way reflective of the many excellent special needs schools across the North. I am fortunate to have two in my constituency. They and their staff do amazing work to support so many of our young people.”
“<BR /> <BR />The law governing the use of restraint in schools is 23 years old, while guidance on seclusion does not even define what it is. Therefore, it is an open book, a free run and self-defining; it is defined by the school. England, Scotland and Wales reviewed and updated their guidance in line with the current medical evidence, which has advanced significantly over the past two decades. The SDLP believes that Northern Ireland needs to do the same immediately. <BR /> <BR />The recent evidence sessions at the Education Committee brought a very real-life, human element to the discussion. We are talking about children: children who are often in a very distressed state, who are trying to communicate and who cannot quite communicate the way that others can and, as a result of not getting their message across, become quite distressed.”
“<BR /> <BR />All those organisations have raised considerable concerns about the use of restraint and seclusion across schools in the North and about how our laws and guidance on them have been massively lagging behind, especially given developments in medical research and reviews that have been instigated in other parts of the UK. <BR /> <BR />There have been widespread calls for reform, including from the Northern Ireland Children's Commissioner. This morning, we heard comments from Margaret Kelly of the Office of the NI Public Services Ombudsman, who also called for reform. Those voices compound the need for reform and have added to other calls, even from Paris Hilton in recent weeks, for immediate intervention on regulation of the practice.”
“I thank the Minister for being here to listen to and respond to the debate. <BR /> <BR />The motion is brought by the Committee for Education following evidence gathered from organisations such as Parent Action, the Children's Law Centre, Autism NI, ICARS, PABSS and others. There has been a concerted campaign on the issue, and I am especially aware of Deirdre and Rodney Shakespeare — the Chair referred to them — who are from Strabane and whose son is Harry. They have been advocating a Harry's law to be implemented here. I thank them and other organisations that have engaged with the Committee and the SDLP on this issue. I also want to mention Shaunagh Kane, who has been very good at keeping me aware of some of the very serious issues and challenges that exist in SEN.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does the Member agree that a key to resolving the issue is to ensure that staff in schools are properly trained and receive full access to that training and, indeed, that there is the necessary funding to ensure that there is support for children who are distressed?”
“Thank you for that answer, Minister. Those living with dementia have been worst hit by the pandemic, with the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency's (NISRA) published statistics indicating that dementia and Alzheimer's disease were the most common pre-existing conditions appearing in one third of all COVID-19-related deaths in Northern Ireland. Given that this is Dementia Action Week, can the Minister outline what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the views of those living with dementia are heard as we build back a better health service?”
“I put on record my sincerest appreciation of and thanks to all carers for those with Alzheimer's disease or dementia across Northern Ireland. They are doing great work in supporting the vulnerable people in our society who are battling this awful illness.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. What does he, as a former Education Minister, believe to be the reason for the delay? This has been going on for so many years. Is it something in the Department?”
“It is a sign that things have changed. I welcome and commend the motion.”
“I welcome the motion, and I thank the Ulster Unionists and my Committee colleague Robbie Butler for bringing it to the House.”
“It has been a massive step forward and fully complements the great work that St Mary's and Peter Finn, in particular, have been doing for many years, yet, not too long ago, there were financial threats emanating from the Executive in this very institution that called into question St Mary's very existence. The SDLP remained four-square in support of St Mary's, which has been and remains a centre of teaching excellence in west Belfast, catering for teaching students from across the North and beyond. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP is happy to support the motion in the context that the entire landscape has changed since the introduction of the teaching exemption to equality legislation. I welcome the debate. It is a sign that things have changed.”
“I welcome the Member's intervention. I absolutely agree that questions need to be asked about the root cause of the situation. A few weeks ago in the House, the First Minister said in response to a question from my constituency colleague Nicola Brogan that she supports getting rid of the exemption. Sinn Féin supports getting rid of it. So, I do not quite understand where the logjam is. <BR /> <BR />It is important to refer to the Certificate in Religious Education (CRE), which has spawned a number of debates over the years. The SDLP has welcomed the collaboration between St Mary's University College and Stranmillis University College that has been ongoing since 2019 to ensure that student teachers have access to the CRE as part of the bachelor's degree. That is an example of St Mary's commitment to shared education and equality.”
“That inaction, despite majority consensus on the way forward, is unacceptable and raises significant questions about who or what is actually holding us back from moving on the issue. <BR /> <BR />It is important to refer to the CCMS position on the teacher exemption. Previously, it stated categorically that it was happy to see the exemption removed, and, as far back as 2013, it wrote to the Executive Office in order to express its support for that. That was welcomed eight years ago, yet we are still waiting for a review into abolishing the measure. Again, I ask this: what has taken it so long?”
“An exemption that affords a legal right to discriminate against a teacher is not something that we can support in 2021. Indeed, it is absolutely abhorrent that any teacher could be selected for a job based simply on their religion rather than because they are the best candidate for the job. That exemption needs to be stripped out of legislation, which would bring our laws up to date and provide blanket protection for teachers against religious discrimination. <BR /> <BR />Over the past number of years, we have seen in these institutions Ministers and Departments passing the buck rather than grasping and dealing with the issue. We have seen the Education Minister and consecutive Ministers attempt to wash their hands of the issue, while the Executive Office sits on its hands and fails to act.”
“The Fair Employment and Treatment Order was brought into being in 1998. It includes an exemption under article 71, which is based on 1976 legislation to address the imbalance in employment opportunities for teachers. However, since 1976, the social, political, cultural and religious landscape across the North has changed substantially.”
“There have been differences of opinion, but it is interesting that, from gauging the Chamber today, opinions have shifted. Things have changed on what was once a very contentious issue of considerable debate in the House. <BR /> <BR />It is equally important that, in the context of this debate, we recognise that the issues that we are discussing impact most on our valued, dedicated and hard-working teachers across Northern Ireland. It is important that today's debate reflects not only the views of the parties across Chamber but the views of our teachers, especially our young teachers who are entering the education workforce for the very first time. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP supports the motion as we believe that the legislative measure currently in place has long outlasted its necessity.”
“Thank you, Mr Principal — sorry, Mr Deputy Speaker. I gave you an elevation there. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion, but I must state from the outset that I am disappointed that no Minister has turned up for this all-important debate; maybe they are stuck in a lift somewhere. This is an issue that has been lingering on for years, and it does need to be dealt with. I welcome the opportunity to debate it today. The SDLP has considered the issue in great detail over many years on the occasions that it has come up, and today we will vote in support of the motion. <BR /> <BR />It is very clear that FETO, the Fair Employment and Treatment Order, has been very contentious in the Chamber.”
“Thank you, Minister. What are you doing to ensure that the replacement funding for cross-border projects is determined and allocated locally, rather than being decided on by and distributed directly from London?”
“I also congratulate Paula Bradley and Doug Beattie on their recent elevations and wish them well for the challenges ahead.”
“I thank the First Minister for that answer. First Minister, many of the sectors represented on the task force are unhappy that 20 sectors were vying to have their voices heard in a 90-minute meeting. I note that you said that subgroups had been set up — I welcome that — but what will you do to make sure that the task force is able to engage effectively?”
“I thank the Minister for being here and for his statement today. Minister, I draw it to your attention that one of the measures that you are putting in place is totally counter-intuitive. While I welcome the general direction of your measures, moving January exams to the previous December is inappropriate. Giving our young people less time will only increase stress and anxiety. That is particularly true for mathematics because its content is not being reduced. Will you urgently reconsider that decision? English and mathematics are key subjects in which our young people deserve the best opportunity to achieve the best that they can.”
“That is the legacy. There is no right answer, but it is time for the international community to step in and to take action. The whole world is watching and is united in its disgust at what is happening and in its horror at innocent children and people being blown to bits. This debate has shocked me today, Mr Speaker. I thought that we were beyond this.”
“The state of Israel is wrong. <BR /> <BR />One life lost is one too many. Fifty-eight children. Listen to those who defended that today in the words of "go compare". It is totally shocking. Two hundred and twenty people have been killed. Bombs. Heavy artillery. Bombs are blowing homes apart and forcing people from where they live and who have nowhere to go. Can you imagine the fear? Imagine the fear under which those people are living. There are people in the House who cannot even stand together to condemn the murder of innocent people. Have we learned nothing? I send solidarity, with party colleagues, to those in the Gaza Strip. We should look at the bigger picture and see what is happening there. All violence is wrong. There are no winners — we know that in this House — only losers and families who are left behind with pain for years.”
“I add my voice to those of other Members on this side of the House, and I show my solidarity to the people of Palestine and those being bombed to death in Gaza. <BR /> <BR />I often think that not much more can shock me. However, it is dreadful to stand here today and witness a despicable debate of "go compare", when 58 children have been bombed and blown to pieces in their own communities and are under threat from a state that has occupied their land, deprived them of basic utilities and left them in poverty. <BR /> <BR />Some Members defend that action because it is the state's right to defend itself. Maybe that is the lesson for the people in the House; maybe it took 50 years for the families of Ballymurphy to get the answers and justice that they deserve because of attitudes that defend the state even when the state is wrong.”
“I thank the joint First Minister for her answer. What is her assessment of what Boris Johnson said, given that there are still serious concerns about infection increasing in our community? Also, as Mr Sheehan pointed out, some of those who have received vaccinations are still testing positive and ending up in ICU. Was what Boris Johnson said premature and unhelpful?”
“Sorry to hear that, Minister. I am glad that you share our frustration about that matter. Families have put their lives on hold to search for truth and justice, particularly in Omagh, which experienced one of the worst atrocities of the Troubles. Minister, at your earliest convenience, post-lockdown and post-restrictions, will you commit to meet the Omagh families with me and give an assurance that you, in your capacity as Minister, will leave no stone unturned to assist the Omagh families in their search for truth and justice.”
“I thank the Member for giving way and for pointing out that very important reality. Does he agree that the reason for that damage to those young people is the uncertainty and the flip-flopping by the current Minister?”
“The Minister makes a valid point. I have recognised quite publicly that there is no alternative to the current situation, but that does not mean that those who are in a position of influence and power, such as you, Minister, should not be exploring what is in the best interests of our children. One thing is certain: a bad system should not sit there because there is no alternative. It should be replaced or removed in its entirety, in the interests of our children. The current system is absolutely cruel and needs to be looked at immediately. Minister, you are the Minister for all of the children in Northern Ireland, not just those at grammar schools.”
“— to be consistently failed by our education system. I will let the Minister in.”
“I want to get finished, Minister; you will have your chance later. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP believes that the amendment is a practical step in the right direction rather than having a vague and aspirational motion. We also recognise that we need consensus on the issue if we are to realistically offer an alternative system. We hope that other parties have thoroughly considered the amendment and, equally, can support it. <BR /> <BR />The issues around transfer tests are not easy fixes, and there may not be a one-size-fits-all solution to them. Nonetheless, they have to be addressed in a realistic and pragmatic way by the House and the Minister. We cannot afford to bury our heads any further in the sand for any longer than they have been to date, nor can we continue to allow countless numbers of children—”
“I have not had the luxury of lingering round these corridors for as long as the Member, but these institutions have been down for three years. I hope that, in the time ahead, we can have debates that are in the best interests of our people. <BR /> <BR />The date of 2023 would give sufficient time to the Minister and the Department to consult widely on the issue, finally deal with the fundamental flaws of the current system, and bring forward serious alternative proposals to be considered by the House on the future of educational excellence in the North.”
“It is cruel that 11-year-olds sit those tests; it needs to change. <BR /> <BR />I turn to the SDLP amendment. It is our firm belief that academic selection will continue well into the future in an unregulated and inconsistent manner, which will achieve very little in terms of providing better educational outcomes for all our children, certainty and clarity for parents, and a fair and equitable educational system. The first port of call must be to remove academic selection from the statute books and provide a firm date for that; otherwise, we will continue on the same unpredictable, grossly unfair and cruel path.”
“It adds that the odds of a child securing a grammar-school place are five times less if they are entitled to free school meals. The report also raises considerable concern about the fairness of the old 11-plus exam paper. It claims that up to 30% of young people who took the exam could have been given the wrong grade, and it highlights the lack of regulation in the content of the current transfer exams, which are not aligned to the school curriculum. <BR /> <BR />Other key findings in the report concern the psychological impact that failing a transfer test can have on young people and their self-esteem well into adulthood. Those findings are startling and clearly show that there are major flaws in the system of administering transfer tests in Northern Ireland, particularly since children develop at various stages.”
“<BR /> <BR />Many schools have taken the decision not to use transfer tests at all for their 2021 enrolment. A number have stated that they will not use transfer tests in 2022, either. Those moves have been welcomed by the SDLP, and I have publicly congratulated schools for taking that strong position in light of current circumstances. <BR /> <BR />The motion refers to Ulster University's very factual paper on academic selection and the transfer test. There are a number of key issues that I want to raise from it. Perhaps one of the most shocking statistic concerns social mobility in grammar schools: the paper states that only 13·7% of the grammar-school population is made up of children who are entitled to free school meals, as Mr Sheehan pointed out.”
“The point is well made, and I thank the Member for raising it. This is a controversial debate, and there are many views in each and every household and community across Northern Ireland on it, and, indeed, in education itself, but we need to do what is right by our children and ensure that we protect them. <BR /> <BR />Following on from my previous point, the relationship, or lack thereof, has been found massively wanting during the pandemic. It is clear that the lack of oversight, especially with transfer tests going ahead, led to significant confusion, frustration and anxiety for many pupils and parents across the Province. That has once again reignited the debate on what the best way forward is that is sustainable, has political buy-in and represents the best interests of all children across Northern Ireland.”
“I will in a second. Despite the intentions of the former Minister and rather than its being a silver bullet for resolving the issue, the decision eventually led to the opening up of unregulated transfer tests, over which both the current Minister and the Department of Education have deliberately had no control. I will now give way.”
“<BR /> <BR />By way of background, academic selection and transfer tests have a long and chequered history in the North, from the Butler Act, which enshrined academic selection in law here in 1947, through the Dickson plan in 1969, which introduced a two-tier model of post-primary education in and around Craigavon, to the Burns committee established in 2000, which recommended the end of academic selection in the North. Perhaps the most fundamental move came in 2006, when the then Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, abolished the old 11-plus examinations, with the last tests occurring in 2008.”
“We have consistently called for that, and it remains deeply disappointing that, in 2021, the North and this Executive have continually failed to bring forward reform to better the educational outcomes for all our children. As SDLP spokesperson for education, I have consistently called on the Minister to intervene on transfer tests, especially given the events that have happened over the past year. It remains disappointing that those requests have fallen on deaf ears, as the Minister has continued to defend academic selection through the current unfair and unregulated process.”
“Those parents need to be commended today and not vilified or shamed for wanting the best possible outcomes for their children, and I think that everyone in the House agrees on that. <BR /> <BR />Over the past year, the pandemic has had a major impact on education and on children's learning opportunities and educational attainment. We are not out of the woods yet, and a huge amount of work still needs to be done to ensure that the current cohort of children does not become the generation that lost out through no fault of its own. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP believes that, at its core, academic selection is grossly unfair and in major need of an overhaul.”
“It is important that we put on record our solid appreciation for our teaching and non-teaching staff across all schools. Despite working in intolerable conditions and being in uncharted waters, they are doing a fantastic job, and I wish them well in the weeks and months ahead. <BR /> <BR />In the context of today's debate, it is especially important to put on record that I fully appreciate, acknowledge and respect all parents who are pushing for the betterment of their children's education and future prospects. Today's debate should not target those parents. Rather, it should acknowledge their effort in manoeuvring through what, unfortunately, is a transfer-test mechanism that is the only game in town at present.”
“As SDLP education spokesperson, I welcome the opportunity to participate in the debate. The issues surrounding transfer tests in Northern Ireland are controversial and divisive, but it is important that we have a mature and considered debate on the issue today, given the huge failings that we have all witnessed in the current system. The SDLP believes that it is imperative that pupils, parents and schools have clarity for the future, especially given the impact that the current pandemic is having on education in its entirety. <BR /> <BR />Before I move on to the details of the motion and our proposed amendment, I will take the opportunity to put on record my appreciation for the many teachers and school staff who have gone back into classrooms and schools across Northern Ireland in the past few weeks.”
“Minister, thank you for your statement. Drugs are a scourge on our society. A few short years ago, in Christmas week, I saw the devastation and pain that they can cause as I watched my aunt and uncle bury their very young son. He took a pill whilst out on a social night with friends, and he died. <BR /> <BR />Given that we are seeing an increase in the level of drug misuse in our communities, among young people in particular, what message do you, as the Minister of Health, have for those young people to steer them away from that?”
“I believe that we are making progress. The current situation is unsustainable, and the petition shows that people who live nearby and who use the school feel the same way. I hope that the Minister of Education and his officials can, in consultation with other agencies and the council, come up with a workable and practical solution to the problem.”