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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“It is a privilege to present this petition with over 1,500 signatures calling for the Minister of Education to install a sixth form for children with medium learning difficulties (MLD) at Killard House School in Donaghadee. I present the petition on behalf of the young people who are students at Killard House School and their parents, and those future students who very much want to go to a school where they will have provision right through to the age of 19. <BR /> <BR />I pay tribute to head girl, Erin, and head boy, Joseph, and their parents, and the very many parents in attendance in the Public Gallery, who fight every day for the best possible outcomes for children with learning difficulties. I pay tribute to the passion and patient determination that all have shown throughout this process.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your positive remarks. As far as I am aware, the survey was a road survey, and I think that there were 68 or 69 points in it indicating problems that needed to be addressed. Coastal erosion is more about maintenance and preventative measures on a long-term basis. Will that be taken into consideration in the survey?”
“As an MLA for Strangford, where Ballynahinch is, I certainly will stick within my constituency. It is not just an important point for people getting through Ballynahinch. Quite a number of people have contacted me with their concerns about safety on the Belfast Road, particularly where Assumption Grammar School is and where quite a lot of elderly residents live. Have the Minister's considerations, following the public inquiry, included anything about a crossing for that part of the road, given that it is so dangerous?”
“Will the First Minister guarantee that the action plan to tackle paramilitarism will be published by the end of June, which is Thursday of this week, as committed to on page 17 of the Fresh Start Agreement?”
“<BR /> <BR />In summary, West Tyrone is not the only rural area in Northern Ireland that is being let down. There are a significant number of rural areas and pockets across Northern Ireland where the lack of broadband provision is not only harming our rural businesses but stagnating and stopping our young people getting involved in the IT industry.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am concerned about BT but not because of the work it has been doing to roll out green cabinets; that has been quite successful in the majority of places. However, when you phone up after a new green cabinet has gone in, they say, "Sorry, we are not in your area". The mapping system is out of date. I am keen to challenge BT by saying, "Are you up to date with what your engineers are doing?". It is important that we consider that our rural customers are not getting the best provision from BT because its mapping system is not up to date. <BR /> <BR />Mr McAleer talked about the draft Programme for Government framework, in which almost every outcome will depend on improved Internet connectivity. In fact, if we want to achieve many of the outcomes, the indicators say that we need improved Internet connectivity.”
“We need to work with Education on that. GPs and hospitals depend more and more on linking through reports, but that is impossible if broadband speeds are not good enough or, indeed, if broadband is not available. We want to develop our rural businesses and build entrepreneurship. I read with some interest that, through the Bring IT On campaign, we are pushing to see more and more young people become coders, but there is not much point in that if young people do not have access to appropriate broadband when they go home in the evening to take forward what they have learnt during the day. We need to improve connectivity because, more and more, Departments are putting information on NI Direct or moving to apps. That is not a lot of use if you do not have broadband at home and cannot access it.”
“As I said, when you are the mother of a teenager and you see the homework that is expected to be done online, printed out and with reports completed, as well as the absolute panic in your child's eyes when they realise that the library shut at 4.30 pm and there are no alternative provisions available for them, you feel that it is not fair.”
“They are not able to brand themselves globally, and, as far as online banking is concerned, you may as well forget about that. A while back, when they talked about doing away with cheques, how many rural businesses went into panic mode because online banking was not available due to the lack of broadband? <BR /> <BR />I believe that rural proofing is a necessity in this issue and that any future proposals must be rural proofed. It is not acceptable for rural people to be expected to have slower speeds than urban dwellers. I think, therefore, that it must be a priority for the Minister and the Department to ensure that rural areas receive a fair coverage of broadband. <BR /> <BR />I would like to see cross-departmental consideration on the issue.”
“As I mentioned in the debate earlier, while there are some villages that claim to have broadband, when you look into the detail of it, you see that the periphery areas, which are not close to a green cabinet, do not. So, when someone says there is 99% coverage, is there, and has there been a good enough review in rural areas of those streets, towns and roads where the provision is not very good? <BR /> <BR />I think there needs to be a targeted approach to reach those rural areas where broadband is not yet available or speeds are not of a good enough standard, because this is hurting rural businesses. It is making them uncompetitive. Those businesses that I have spoken to have told me that it is hurting their sales and marketing strategies.”
“I thank Mr Buchanan for bringing forward the debate. As a rural dweller, I know that having issues with broadband can cause absolute distress in homes with teenagers. It is not a luxury or an indulgence; it is a utility. Believe me, when you have kids at school or are trying to run a rural business, it is not a luxury; it absolutely is a utility. <BR /> <BR />I very much welcome hearing about the Omagh hub approach, and I would like to see that replicated across Northern Ireland, because, where there is a hub approach, you can see broadband being spread out into the rural areas around it. I believe we should consider how we identify the gaps in rural areas. Mr Hussey talked about 99% of the UK having broadband provision. I would like to challenge that.”
“That will be an investment that will enable the development of rural business and will open an attractive offer for potential foreign direct investors and local business development. <BR /> <BR />As Obama said:”
“I thank the Member for his points. Given that roaming charges in European states are being taken away this following summer, it is important that we consider the mobile phone. <BR /> <BR />It is imperative that mobile signal infrastructure is reviewed in conjunction with landline broadband. That way, when one is not available, the alternative should be provided. Satellite is not a realistic option as the download speeds are not appropriate for viable business use. <BR /> <BR />In summary, I urge the Minister to take the opportunity in the autumn to develop further proposals to enhance rural broadband and mobile coverage in rural areas.”
“<BR /> <BR />In another answer to a written question, I noted that the Minister confirmed that his Department had no plans for intervention at present for mobile coverage. That is very disappointing. Isolated rural areas not currently covered by broadband are the very areas where it is unlikely there will ever be green cabinets.”
“I also ask that the Department review the clawback mechanism to see whether it is set at the appropriate level and is returning enough resources to allow the Department to maximise the delivery of broadband to isolated rural areas. I am sure that the Minister will agree that it is cold comfort to someone to know that most people in their area have high broadband speeds if they do not have access to it themselves. <BR /> <BR />I read with some consternation the suggestions on NI Direct that people who are not yet being provided with high broadband speeds could use the Internet facilities in their local library. Given the reduction in the number of libraries and the reduced opening hours in those that are left, this will not be a practical option for many people and is completely absurd for anyone trying to run a rural business.”
“No green cabinets were installed there, and the residents of that part of the village are not being provided with the broadband speed to meet even the USO's 10 megabits per second. Is anyone looking at how effective the Northern Ireland broadband improvement project is in rural areas? Is the 20% update in the adoption of new services all that is measured? <BR /> <BR />In answers to recent written questions, the Minister has confirmed that he will know the amount of money available from the BT clawback in the autumn. As called for in the motion, I urge the Minister to review the broadband coverage achieved to date and put plans in place to ensure that no one in a rural area is left lagging behind.”
“As we know, the project includes a clawback gain share mechanism that compels BT to return part of the investment when adoption of the new service passes the 20% mark in related areas. However, the scheme does not appear to measure how comprehensively BT serves the rural community. For example, in my constituency, which is the Minister's constituency, the coastal village of Cloughey along the Ards peninsula is deemed to have broadband. New green cabinets were installed, and residents certainly took advantage of the faster broadband packages available. However, on the periphery of the village, there is a small development called Castle Meadows located less than 200 yards from the main road that passes through the village.”
“I rise as a rural dweller and on behalf of the Alliance Party to support the motion. While broadband coverage has improved, there are rural areas that still do not have Internet or where access to the Internet is hampered by low speeds. There is a growing digital divide. While it is true that an increasing number of urban premises have superfast broadband, a significant number of rural premises — 42%, as highlighted by the motion — do not have universal service obligation speeds; indeed, some premises that I have visited have speeds of less than 2 megabits per second. <BR /> <BR />The Department for the Economy continues to deliver the Northern Ireland broadband improvement project, which is a welcome initiative that has already enabled broadband access for 47,000 premises.”
“That is OK, but what happens when you do not have footpaths or street lights, there is grass growing up the middle of the road and you are getting complaints from people that they cannot get out of their road because their sight line is limited by four-foot high weeds? <BR /> <BR />I was grateful to the Minister when he came to the Committee for Infrastructure and recognised that there is an issue with road maintenance. There is an opportunity going forward with this debate and the other investment that we have heard about today to consider a better and more strategic way forward for road maintenance.”
“I also believe that many rural roads are shovel-ready today and that, should money become available at short notice, we could be straight in there. <BR /> <BR />I am concerned that the regional development strategy talks about the integration of land use and transportation to improve safety and reduce congestion and the need for car journeys. As a rural dweller, I know that I could not live in a rural area without a car. The regional development strategy also talks about an attractive and prosperous rural area based on a balanced and integrated approach to the development of town, village and countryside.”
“Members have called on the Minister to invest in rural roads, especially in the maintenance programme, and I agree completely with that. However, we might want to consider something further: is it time for the creation of a regional infrastructure panel-type group to identify the most important long-term infrastructural needs of West Tyrone and Northern Ireland? It could examine the associated costs and use that evidence to create a single strategic plan for infrastructure, as was talked about by the House of Commons Select Committee. We know that patching costs 10 times as much as a strategic or planned maintenance schedule. We could then use that plan to source additional funding from the EU — I will not talk about Brexit, thank you.”
“I invite the Minister to pick any of the rural community transport partnerships that he funds and see what it is like sitting in a wheelchair in the back of one of those buses. Please do. <BR /> <BR />As others have said, there has been consistent underinvestment in rural roads, and that is restraining growth in West Tyrone and across Northern Ireland. I am a rural dweller in Strangford, and I wish that I knew the Ards peninsula roads that the Member was driving on because mine has grass up the middle of it.”
“I thank the Member for bringing forward the debate tonight. You may be looking at me and wondering why a Member for Strangford is talking about West Tyrone, but, as somebody who has delivered rural transport for almost 20 years and has family members in Fintona, I know the roads very well. <BR /> <BR />All roads are connections that enable us to live our lives and, as such, facilitate economic growth, but I have calls of complaints not just about potholes but about the harm being caused to people in wheelchairs who are travelling on rural buses because of the rocking backwards and forwards. I can say that it is causing isolation because people are deciding to no longer travel because it causes them pain and distress. It is quite frightening for them to be at the back of a bus.”
“Let us see real change through investment in building an integrated society, in jobs and skills and the economy, and to end all forms of paramilitarism. <BR /> <BR />This Budget actually places further pressures on our community by investing in headlines instead of front-line services.”
“Cutting early years support may save one Department a few pounds now but in the long run will cost all Departments so much more and have a lifelong detrimental effect on people with learning disabilities. <BR /> <BR />I have listened over the past few weeks to various Ministers berate Members sitting in Opposition for not presenting solutions. This Budget does little to create solutions for the most vulnerable and isolated in our society. Alliance proffered solutions to Sinn Féin and the DUP through our five priorities. However, those parties chose to maintain division for their own purposes. If the Executive want to make a difference, it should work harder to end the amount of money being wasted on division.”
“Is this how we should be balancing our finances: by taking from the most vulnerable or by funding services dependent on the crumbs from the table given out during monitoring rounds? <BR /> <BR />My challenge to the Finance Minister and to the Executive is to treat the community and voluntary sector like a partner and to ensure that all letters of offer are supplied before the end of this month for this financial year, and that all future grants are confirmed before the start of each financial year; to review our commitment to major capital projects; to fix what we have first before embarking on long-term, high-cost photo-opportunity projects; and to invest in the most vulnerable in society.”
“In the past weeks, parents have contacted me to complain that waiting times are increasing and not decreasing. <BR /> <BR />At the same time, the Education Authority is moving to cut preschool nursery support for children with special needs. Multiple studies and reports confirm that early intervention makes a substantial and lifelong difference to children with learning disabilities. Diagnosis delays and the removal of early years support will only create higher costs for Health and Education in the long run. The lack of appropriate Budget planning means early years support is not being given the money that it needs to help children. Without that support, vulnerable children with learning disabilities are being left behind, not receiving the same level of investment as other children.”
“Our deteriorating roads and crumbling sea defences are the equivalents of a leaking roof. The small amounts of money that you have allocated today will not fix the problem. <BR /> <BR />The Budget does little to take forward the opportunity to remove silo-working. It does not force Departments to work together enough to improve the lives and well-being of the most vulnerable in our society. For example, in the Bill, Departments continue to cut investment for support for learning disability and autism services. I do not see any commitment in it to the £2 million that was promised by the previous Health Minister to help reduce waiting lists for autism diagnoses. Will the Minister confirm whether the £2 million for autism is in the Budget or in the additional money that was announced in the June monitoring round?”
“<BR /> <BR />I have to ask this Finance Minister what has changed. When Simon Hamilton was Finance Minister, he stated on several occasions that we could not afford to build the A5 and the A6 simultaneously, yet, here we are, both the A5 and the A6 are in the capital budget, at a time when expenditure on roads maintenance is at an all-time low. Even with the surprise announcement of an additional £5·3 million for roads maintenance and flood protection today, the expenditure on roads maintenance, coastal defences and flood protection is way below where it needs to be. When I was growing up, I was taught to look after what you have first. Therefore, if your roof was leaking, you replaced the broken slates. You did not spend all your money on a new conservatory.”
“<BR /> <BR />Today, we are presented with a Budget Bill that keeps spending a disproportionate amount of money on high-profile flagship projects such as the A5 and A6 roads, the Belfast rapid transit scheme, the Belfast transport hub, Desertcreat training college, the women and children's hospital at the Royal, and regional and subregional sports stadia. It is not that those things are not needed. My concern is that we cannot afford all those things at the same time while basic needs are not being met. Why is it acceptable to have an almost £1 billion backlog of roads maintenance? Should we not be dealing with the miles of potholes and crumbling rural roads rather than investing all the capital money in a handful of shiny new projects just because they give Ministers photo opportunities?”
“There is no reason why Departments have to wait for this legislation before letting organisations know what financial support they will be getting, because the Assembly passed a Vote on Account in February that gave Departments the resources that they needed to make those commitments by the start of the financial year. I ask the Minister how he expects the Budget to deliver for our community when we are already letting down the very partners that we need to deliver services on the ground. Minister, I ask you to confirm whether you think that that makes good business sense or whether you agree with me that it is wholly unacceptable.”
“Today, I challenge the Finance Minister, as I do not believe that the Executive have got the balance right. He outlined his opposition to austerity, yet the Budget does not invest enough in front-line services that will help those who are impacted on by cuts. <BR /> <BR />Today, we have been presented with a Budget Bill that is letting down the community and voluntary sector. Today, two and half months into the financial year, there are community and voluntary sector organisations that have still not been told what financial support they will be working with in this financial year. That is an unacceptable norm. It is becoming an annual ritual for Departments to leave those organisations in limbo, with staff on notice of redundancy and without the ability to plan for sustainable services.”
“I am very aware that I am following in the footsteps of my predecessor, Kieran McCarthy, who represented the Strangford constituency with exceptional ability and tenacity. Kieran was an outstanding Member of the Assembly, and I am sure that the House joins me in wishing him and his wife, Kathleen, a long and happy retirement. There are many happy miles of motoring left for Kieran to enjoy in his beloved Morris Minor and hours of playing with his growing number of grandchildren. <BR /> <BR />Kieran voted against the 2016-17 Budget when it was debated in the Assembly back in January because it missed an opportunity to take strategic decisions to look ahead to help resolve issues with the health service, education reform and the cost of a divided society.”
“I am committed to ensuring that only the best services are provided for my constituents. Therefore, it is appropriate that I give my maiden speech in the debate on the Budget (No. 2) Bill, which, after all, will determine the resources that will be spent on providing services to all our constituents in this financial year.”
“I want to take this opportunity to thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Members and all colleagues for the warm welcome that I have been given by the Assembly. I also wish the Minister well in his new role. I would like to put on record that it is an honour and privilege to be appointed to represent the people of Strangford. I am immensely proud of the constituency that I have lived in all my life. Strangford is simply the most beautiful, warm and generous constituency, and I will use the privilege that, as this is my maiden speech, no one in the House can contradict me on that one.”