Kellie Armstrong
Strangford · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill. It is timely and important. Miss McIlveen, a fellow MLA for the Strangford constituency, has just spoken.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill reflects the realities of the post-Brexit landscape by aligning protections here with those in other UK jurisdictions and the UK Fisheries Act. That consistency is important for standards, enforcement and international confidence in our products.”
“Last year, I met the Department and we discussed that. The opportunities for seaweed farming in Strangford lough are wonderful, and the opportunities from seaweed that Queen's University has identified are incredible. We are lucky to have those opportunities on our doorstep, as long as there is licensing and it is properly looked after.”
“Moving beyond managing individual fisheries, the Bill recognises the interconnected nature of our rivers, loughs and seas — an approach that is very much in line with Alliance's commitment to evidence-based environmental policy. The inclusion of a national benefit objective is also significant.”
“A while ago, we saw that commercial bottom trawling had all but decimated the horse mussel population in Strangford lough. It has since been changed to a special area of conservation. That limits a lot of activity in the lough, which is not a bad thing considering that horse mussels are coming back.”
“They allow for timely action on lower-level offences without over-burdening the courts while still acting as a meaningful deterrent. If only everybody were acting properly, we would not need to have those deterrents, but we are where we are, and the Bill hopes to improve upon that.”
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“<BR /> <BR />It is not appropriate for banks simply to state that online banking or the Post Office are appropriate alternatives to local branches. If appropriate consultation with the community were completed, the bank would have had to address whether broadband access was available, enabling online banking to be a reasonable alternative. It would also have to consider those customers who do not use online banking. <BR /> <BR />In my constituency, broadband and mobile phone signals may be available, but their speed and strength is so limited that it makes it difficult — in some areas, impossible — to use a smartphone or computer to bank. There are, of course, a generation of bank customers who are used to speaking to a local bank manager. Those people will never use online banking, no matter how good the broadband capacity.”
“However, where there is market failure, there needs to be intervention by Government to address issues that are having such a negative impact on the public and, at the same time, hindering small businesses. Does the Minister accept that this is market failure? If he does, does he acknowledge the need for Government to intervene as is suggested by the motion and the amendment? One way that the Minister could help is by encouraging banks to look again at their balance between profit and social responsibility, and to encourage them to treat rural customers fairly by replicating the protocol on bank closures as agreed by the British Bankers' Association. In that protocol, high-street banks, consumer groups and Government signed up to an industry-wide agreement to minimise the impact of bank closures on local communities.”
“Therefore, it is appropriate that the Minister engage with banks to encourage the sector to maintain a network of rural branches. <BR /> <BR />The pace of bank closures has accelerated rapidly over recent years. The British Bankers' Association (BBA) investigated lending data and found that bank closures dampen SME lending growth by 63%. That figure rose to 104% in areas that have lost their last bank. That is a significant and damaging drop in funding for areas that are already under commercial and economic pressure. <BR /> <BR />I fully appreciate that banking is a reserved matter and that the Department has no statutory oversight of the banking sector.”
“In a press release following the announcement of the closure of a number of Bank of Ireland branches, the bank stated that the decision was not taken lightly and noted that customers would be disappointed. Customers were and remain more than disappointed. They feel abandoned and disillusioned by high-street banks that have given little or no consideration to the impact that the closure of local branches has on communities and small businesses. During the financial crisis, customers stayed loyal to local branches and banks, and those same customers are now being abandoned. Indeed, Larry Broderick of the Financial Services Union stated that branch closures were "irresponsible", given the announcement of "significant profits".”
“The opinions of rural dwellers and businesses are not being considered enough.”
“I have heard from constituents about how the post office alternative is no longer available because even the post office in that village has closed. Indeed, I have heard about situations where the local post office is based in a village that you cannot travel to using public transport because the rural village-to-village route has been removed and the only local taxi does school runs during the week and pub runs at the weekend. <BR /> <BR />While 60% of people may use online banking, I have heard from constituents who are frustrated that online banking is often the only alternative offered and from elderly citizens who never use a smartphone. There may be limited broadband in their areas, but they do not have or want to have an expensive computer, tablet or smartphone or they cannot afford to have broadband in their homes.”
“On behalf of the Alliance Party, I support the motion and the amendment. As a rural dweller and a representative of the largely rural constituency of Strangford, I have seen at first-hand how the closure of local bank branches has had a negative impact, particularly on older citizens and small rural businesses. <BR /> <BR />Wilfred Mitchell, policy chair of the FSB, noted the unwelcome rural focus of bank closures across Northern Ireland over recent years. I have heard from constituents about how they do not want to discuss personal banking requirements over the post office counter, especially when that counter is in the garage forecourt where their neighbours are next in the queue waiting to buy their milk.”
“Given the current vacuum in energy policy, what discussion has the Minister had with renewable energy providers?”
“However, as someone who is used to presenting business cases, I know that if you have a presented argument that has been costed out and you have really thought about and rationalised why it is there, you have a stronger case. Rather than us just ring-fencing, a strategic plan that considers all the opportunities and innovations that we need is something that Northern Ireland would appreciate. In the amendment, I asked for that to be published so that our constituents can see for themselves where the priorities will be, when their roads will potentially be fixed and when we can have a better Northern Ireland for travelling around.”
“<BR /> <BR />A strategic maintenance plan would consider all those types of innovations. It would allow the Department to look, as the Minister said, at what else is potentially out there, at who else we can work with and where else we can get money from to deal with the backlog. As I said, the backlog will not be dealt with in this mandate, but over many years, and we need a strategic plan in place. <BR />I can understand when people talk about ring-fencing an amount of money. I worked with the former Department for Regional Development, many years before, when ring-fencing was talked about on many occasions. On many occasions, when the Budget came forward, the ring fence was done away with and whatever was left was available. Unless they are absolutely guaranteed, ring-fenced moneys will not be there.”
“Thank you. During my presentation earlier, I stated that I would like to see everything being bought and that I would like to see new roads. I just do not think, as a mother and a housekeeper, that this is the right time to be spending money that we do not have. I do think that our roads need to be repaired and be put forward in a safe way so that our constituents and people in Northern Ireland can drive about safely. <BR /> <BR />An important point was made by Paul Girvan when he talked about the reinstatement of roads. I have seen so many roads across Northern Ireland that have a line up the middle, where a utility company has been, and that have not been repaired. The more driving that happens, the more the road disintegrates, and those roads are not being repaired. We need to think about vehicle claims and reinstatement costs.”
“George Robinson also talked about the underinvestment and asked us where we would get the money from. I provided a suggestion and asked whether we should spend money on new things now when we should be looking after what we have, because —”
“I thank everyone who spoke on the amendment and the motion. I think that, around the House, there is widespread agreement that we need more infrastructure investment. That should be good news for the Minister to hear, because we all recognise that there is an issue with infrastructure that has been going on for many years. As the Chair of the Infrastructure Committee highlighted, that is a legacy of the Troubles. <BR /> <BR />This year, we have a £21 million budget reduction, which puts more pressure on departmental budgets. As we know, reactive expenditure is ten times more expensive than planned maintenance. Declan McAleer highlighted that this is an important debate — one of the most important debates that we have — that affects most of our constituents across Northern Ireland. Jenny Palmer talked about the underinvestment.”
“What is being done to identify and proactively promote the business investment scheme to farms that could be in need of diversification but have so far not engaged?”
“Let us get a lot more clever about how we invest. The only way that we can do this is through better strategic planning and less dependence on monitoring rounds to provide appropriate investment in our roads.”
“By ensuring that there is ongoing appropriate resource funding, the Minister will enable investment in Transport NI to ensure that small potholes are filled quickly and effectively; drains are cleared, reducing flooding and increasing safety; appropriate hedge cutting and weeding will take place; and that grit is available this and every winter. <BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland has an international reputation as a place of opportunity and beauty. If we want to attract investment to encourage business and to provide connectivity for local people, we need infrastructure that works. Let us be honest: our roads are our biggest asset. We have the longest road network in the UK. We are highly dependent on roads, yet we lag behind all other regions because not enough investment is made into our infrastructure.”
“Current investment is more akin to knee-jerk spending as and when the crumbs fall from monitoring-round tables. The dependence on monitoring round money to repair our roads is simply unacceptable. <BR /> <BR />The plan should include revenue commitments from 2017 to the end of this mandate to ensure that roads are in a safe, functional condition and not scarcely meeting safety standards. In 2016, Snaith reviewed the maintenance funding requirements. Seven years ago, he highlighted the need for a maintenance budget that should sustain and improve the road network to a proper standard so that it will provide safe and comfortable transportation in an economic manner.”
“<BR /> <BR />I believe that the system is being hampered by the budget, not just the lack of budget but the ability to move from revenue to capital expenditure, as and when required. In the departmental briefing to the Infrastructure Committee on 18 June, the Department confirmed that it has been independently established that over £100 million, that is £141 million per annum updated to 2016 prices, is needed to adequately maintain the structural integrity of the country's road network. The briefing went on to say that, if the bid is not met, the cost of reactive patching is likely to increase, drawing funding away from good value maintenance activities such as resurfacing and surface dressing. The Department knows that the current maintenance system is not value for money.”
“<BR /> <BR />The capital investment will resurface stretches of road that, quite simply, have no surface. Believe me, I can take the Minister to several places in my constituency where roads have no surface, where multiple potholes have merged to create a moon-like surface, where there are roads that are ignored under the Minister's 1,000 rural roads programme, where there are roads that are increasingly dangerous yet remain excluded from the Minister's focus and where there are roads where patching over patches has not worked. There needs to be a systematic review of the criteria used to determine when roads are resurfaced rather than constantly patched. How many times does the same stretch of road need to be patched before someone will have the gumption to resurface it?”
“Professional reports have already warned that unfit roads will mean an increase in compensation claims. I hope that unfit and unsafe roads will not lead to personal injury or worse for our citizens. <BR /> <BR />The Department should be capable of delivering this costed strategic plan. There are enough professionals employed in Transport NI who can identify and cost out road maintenance. The Department is adept at procuring contractors. Any contractor or grant recipient is expected to provide a costed business case. Therefore, it should not take an extraordinary amount of time or expenditure on external advice to deliver a costed strategic plan in time for consideration for the 2017-18 Budget and the capital requirements for the rest of the mandate.”
“<BR /> <BR />If the Minister aims to improve transport connections for people, goods and services as outlined in the Programme for Government framework, the existing road network must be appropriately maintained. It is not appropriate to depend on monitoring round money. A better way is to have a fully costed business case confirming the actual investment needed to deliver a systematic programme of repair until at least the end of this mandate. Perhaps by 2020 we can see whether any real difference has been made to the safety and state of our roads. After all, as departmental officials have admitted, public liability claims rose by 88% in the first three months of 2016. Public safety is being jeopardised because many of our roads are not fit for purpose.”
“In the light of what will happen to our Budgets during this mandate, I do not believe that now is the right time to commit to spending money that we do not yet have. <BR /> <BR />If the Department ensures that capital money is invested in structural road maintenance, it will reduce the need for reactive maintenance and therefore reduce the ongoing pressure on the infrastructure resource budget, as well as delivering much-needed investment for the contracting industry, preventing job losses. That balanced approach cannot be achieved through sporadic and piecemeal funding obtained through monitoring rounds. The Executive need to address the ongoing issue of failing road maintenance by ensuring that infrastructure has the right investment, as identified in a costed strategic road maintenance plan.”
“I will address that shortly. <BR /> <BR />The strategic plan can, however, help create opportunities to address the issue. I accept that there needs to be a sensible and balanced consideration as to how we achieve safer roads while faced with a reducing reactive maintenance budget. One way is to rebalance the amount of capital expenditure being used for new roads with the amount being used for structural maintenance. In this day and age, when money is tight, we should look after what we already have. <BR /> <BR />The Finance Minister, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, accused me of wanting to stop all the Executive's flagship projects because I questioned whether the time was right to build all of them at the same time. I have no problem with building new roads if we have the money for them.”
“I agree with the Member on that. Perhaps a strategy would help. <BR /> <BR />The backlog in road maintenance is affecting the everyday lives of citizens. It is affecting businesses and will reduce our attractiveness and competitiveness as a region aiming to grow its inward investment. <BR /> <BR />One billion pounds is a huge figure. That backlog will not be dealt with in this mandate. The strategic plan can, however, help create —”
“I see the reports of the number of claims being paid out in compensation for vehicle damage. Last year, almost 2,000 claims were made, totalling £210,000. I wonder how high the figure will go this year.”
“This approach will initiate the process of addressing the outrageous £1 billion backlog in road maintenance that was identified by the House of Commons Select Committee. <BR /> <BR />That backlog is evident to everyone in the Chamber. Every day, I see it when I commute along roads pitted with potholes. I see the crumbling road edges, the hedges overgrown on to the road and the flooding caused by gullies not yet cleared. I see the footpaths that are so overgrown with weeds that people with limited mobility complain that they can no longer walk safely to their local shop because of the trip hazards. I see the damaged and missing road signs. I see the lack of or worn road markings. I listen to the radio and hear about road collapses in Belfast or another set of lights out at a busy junction.”
“for the next financial year, 2017-18, and to confirm the requirements that the Department will need to deliver the capital structural maintenance programme until the end of this mandate. <BR /> <BR />The amendment is important because the Department could decide to ring-fence any amount to include in the budget, which may or may not make a dent in the amount of money and work needed to make any significant difference to the deplorable state of our existing roads. Northern Ireland needs a systematic road maintenance strategy that lasts for at least 20 years. The amendment calls for the Minister and his Department to develop such a strategy and to provide a costed, target-based action plan to deliver results in this mandate.”
“On behalf of the Alliance Party, I welcome the SDLP motion, but, as my amendment confirms, I seek to make the intention more robust by asking the Minister and his Department to develop and, importantly, publish:”
“Thank you very much for your statement, Minister. I will go directly to your statement. You said that you are examining possible funding with partners. What guarantee have the UK Government given that, if any of this funding is secured, they will continue to fund it post-Brexit?”
“What consideration has been given or could the Minister give to a customer care charter that confirms that no person with disabilities will in future have to wait more than 30 days for their blue badge to be processed?”
“I will be very quick, Mr Speaker. Thank you very much.”
“Will the Minister confirm whether children being cared for by kith and kin will be considered formally in her Department's arrangements for looked-after children?”
“— there needs to be a shift in departmental investment.”
“Road building has been prioritised over public transport. If we want to entice businesses and tourists and meet the needs of our local communities —”
“<BR /> <BR />When I was in business, I travelled to England often, and it was easy to go to a meeting in a place where there was onward travel availability. My counterparts do not come to Northern Ireland because it is too difficult to travel across the country here.”
“If the Minister is to deliver the regional development strategy to 2025, he must take action to consider the viability of opening the line and enabling better connectivity. As was mentioned, it needs to take into consideration the Yorkgate interchange and creating that better connectivity to Belfast International Airport. <BR /> <BR />While I appreciate the loss of potential income streams following Brexit, I reiterate that we need to make Northern Ireland attractive to business and tourist travellers by making it easy to travel once they arrive here. <BR /> <BR />Finally, if Northern Ireland is to reduce carbon emissions and congestion, the Minister and the Department for Infrastructure must create the ability for modal shift and prioritise investment in public transport.”
“This lack of joined-up regional transport planning and provision has been highlighted by airlines over a number of years, but, amazingly, no survey of the business or tourism community appears to have been completed to establish whether better connectivity to Aldergrove would benefit or improve business. <BR /> <BR />The regional development strategy highlighted the need to promote regional gateways as economic development opportunities, to exploit the economic development of the key transport corridors, to undertake or, where appropriate, facilitate a programme of infrastructure improvement essential to business needs and to promote a sustainable approach to the provision of tourism.”
“Thank you. <BR /> <BR />I was talking about figures, and the third reason that is repeatedly given is that passenger numbers through Belfast International Airport need to be around 10 million. I am unclear as to what that figure is based on. Is it the Translink calculation whereby the number of passenger trips is counted, or is it the throughflow in the airport? If we are to understand whether the project is to be economically viable, we need figures quoted as targets to be clarified. <BR /> <BR />If we assume that the 10 million is the number of passengers, the airport's ability to grow to reach the proposed figure is being stymied by the lack of joined-up or integrated transport solutions for onward travel for business and other passengers.”
“Can I continue, or I will run out of time? Thank you. An investigation will give Translink the opportunity to provide a detailed business case showing the actual cost to maintain and modernise the line, with a view to reopening it for passenger use. It is not appropriate for the Minister or his Department to continue to ignore the opportunity on the basis of an estimate. <BR /> <BR />Thirdly —”
“Thank you. It is, therefore, appropriate that the Minister considers reopening the line using fact-based figures —”
“<BR />Secondly, the Minister and his Department have predetermined the cost-benefit of reopening the line as being too expensive, based on a Translink estimate of £100 million and not on actual cost. In July this year, in response to a written question from David Ford, the Minister confirmed that the reopening of the Antrim to Bleach Green line cost £18·2 million. While I accept that the Lisburn to Antrim line may be more expensive, it does raise the question of whether the £100 million is a fact-based figure, or a guesstimate.”
“This opportunity will not progress if the Minister and the Department continue to consider the issue on the long finger. The Minister should look to his regional development strategy, where an increasing modal shift from car to public transport figures strongly. In this instance, we have a community who would use the public transport system but are unable to do so because the line is closed to the public. The line is maintained and operational for training and emergency rail use, at considerable cost, as has already been mentioned, but it is not available for use by passengers. Really? We spend £1·5 million and it is not available to passengers?”
“The local community in Crumlin, Glenavy, Ballinderry and the surrounding areas support the reopening of the Lisburn to Antrim line. The local community has petitioned my colleague David Ford, who has consistently brought the issue to successive Ministers, only to be told that it will be considered in the future as part of a long-term plan — on the long finger. The line was closed in 2003; that is 13 years ago. That is a very long finger. <BR /> <BR />The local community is very frustrated by the lack of progress on this issue. During recent Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council community planning consultation sessions, the community reiterated its wish for the line to be reopened and for the council to initiate a project under the connecting our communities theme, potentially in partnership with the Department.”
“On behalf of the Alliance Party, I support this motion, which highlights this key question for the Minister: how attractive is he making Northern Ireland for business travellers and tourism? If we are to attract inward investment and grow our tourism market, we need better connectivity and investment in public transport solutions. By making it easier for people to get about, we make Northern Ireland easier to visit and therefore easier to do business with. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the call for the Minister to investigate options that would enable the reopening of the Lisburn to Antrim line and provide accessibility to Belfast International Airport, for the following reasons. First, local people want this line reopened.”
“When will the strategic plan be drawn up, and can we have a list of areas where the £10 million will be spent?”
“I am a new breed of politician, so I will start off slightly differently. Thank you: a £10 million investment in rural roads is exactly what I asked you to do in my second question at the Infrastructure Committee. Credit where credit is due. It is a start. Thank you very much. <BR /> <BR />In line with the Transport Committee in the House of Commons, we know that it costs more to patch over patches. With that in mind, first, when will your Department instigate the strategic plan to deal with the ongoing issue of maintenance of rural and urban roads to ensure that we can maintain efficiencies as well as repair our roads on an ongoing basis? Secondly, if or when you are able to, can you provide us with a list of the areas where the £10 million —”
“Erin, Joseph and all the signatories feel strongly that the Education Authority is failing to meet its statutory section 75 obligations under the Good Friday Agreement. They ask the Minister for an urgent review and to ensure that appropriate 16-plus provision is made available as soon as possible at Killard House School.”
“Since April, parents have been frustrated by the lack of progress. The Education Authority cannot give any assurances because the Minister has yet to complete the draft area plan for special schools. Parents know that the plan is only one step in a very long bureaucratic process. This petition challenges all that red tape. If the Education Authority is prepared to trial a temporary sixth form anyway, why will it take over a year to implement? Will the Minister meet and explain this to the parents, please? <BR /> <BR />Parents remind the Minister of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and, in particular, article 2, which deals with non-discrimination, and article 3, which deals with the best interests of the child.”
“MLD sixth form is proven to work. The Education Authority already supports post-16 MLD provision at Beechlawn School. There, children are provided with appropriate classes and courses suited to meet their needs, including travel training, skills for employment and life skills. The sixth form is full and achieving real difference in students' lives. Results show that when Beechlawn students leave, they are more able and prepared for life after school. <BR /> <BR />On 15 April, the Education Authority met the Killard board of governors and head teachers and discussed the possibility of a temporary trial and then permanent sixth form. The Education Authority knows that there are enough students to fill a sixth form and that there would be no capital cost as Killard has classroom space to accommodate them.”
“<BR /> <BR />Killard House School is not supported to provide post-16 provision. At the age of 15 or 16, vulnerable children have no choice but to leave their protective school environment at far too young an age. The result is that some are less likely to flourish and are placed under the unnecessary stress of having to deal with the adult world when their peers who do not have a disability can enjoy two more years in a protective and nurturing school environment while completing their A levels.”