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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“I cannot accept the Ulster Unionists' amendment because, to be honest, it is so far away from the initial intention of the motion that I have no idea why it is there — perhaps another motion on another day. I can accept the SDLP amendment because it talks in the same frame as Alliance, and the SDLP may as well have lifted the wording from the presentation that we got at Committee last Thursday, so well done on that one. That is it, Principal Deputy Speaker. It is over to the House to debate.”
“I want to hear how you are making sure that the significant investment being made in new homes is on residential properties fit for the future and not based on out-of-date standards. It may fall to another Department to take forward the regulations, but surely Communities should be driving the need for better housing standards and design. If the Assembly agrees the motion, it will send a clear message to the Executive to work to shape the next building regulations with ambition and ensure that every home that we build is a promise to keep to our people, to our planet and to the future. <BR /> <BR />I will make a comment about the amendments that are before us today. I cannot accept the DUP amendment because it shows lack of courage and a lack of ability to accept the law that is already in place about climate change.”
“Indeed, today, at the launch of the Simon Community report 'Childhood Adversity and Homelessness in Northern Ireland', it was confirmed that we can no longer afford to have the housing system that we currently have. We are going to be the first Assembly that will see 100,000 people on a waiting list for a social home. That is shameful. That is a record-breaking shame. The question before us is not whether we can afford to raise our standards; it is whether we can afford not to. I do not think that we can. It would be shameful if the only things growing in this mandate were waiting lists. <BR /> <BR />We need to ensure that what we build is sustainable, and, Minister, this is where you have to act. I do not want to hear, "Building regulations are not my responsibility".”
“That vision is within reach but only if we choose it. Instead of building homes that are obsolete on the day that they are finished, let us build homes that are warm, affordable and future-proofed. Let us pass the motion and ensure that the next building regulations reflect the ambition, urgency and compassion that our citizens need. Those building regulations need to be driven by communities, as they know what people who live in those homes need. <BR /> <BR />I do not want to have to look back in 10 years and regret the houses being built today. Let us not have to explain to future generations why we chose short-term savings over long-term energy security and sustainability. The question before us is not whether we can afford to raise our standards; it is whether we can afford not to.”
“We cannot continue to treat energy efficiency as a luxury. It is a necessity, and it is a right. Let me be clear: this is not about adding cost; it is about adding value. The upfront investment in better standards pays for itself many times over in lower bills, healthier homes and a cleaner environment. We have a moral obligation to act, because every delay means more families trapped in fuel poverty, more emissions locked in and more public money spent on retrofitting homes that should have been built right the first time. <BR /> <BR />Imagine a Northern Ireland where every new social home was a model of sustainability, where our buildings delivered energy efficiency, ensuring that fuel poverty became a problem of the past, and we were known not for lagging behind but for leading the way.”
“We can create thousands of skilled jobs in construction, green technology and energy services, and we can build homes that are warm, dry and dignified, not just for today but for generations to come. <BR /> <BR />This is not about insulation and solar panels; it is about social justice, fairness and ensuring that social housing tenants, who are often the most vulnerable in society, are not left behind in the transition to a low-carbon future. I went to Four Winds to look at a private development that is up to Passive House standard. In that development, the average general running costs for a month is £80, and that is for a four-bedroom home that charges electric cars. Heat, light, everything — £80. How much would it help vulnerable families if they had to pay only £80 to run their household?”
“I am calling on the Minister for Communities, as the Minister responsible for housing, to stop dithering and to take forward actions. Whilst I appreciate that the Departments of Finance and Infrastructure would take forward the building regulations, there is an opportunity for the Minister for Communities to be proactive and drive changes by producing a blueprint for what people require homes to include. We have the technology and the expertise. What we now need is the courage to lead. By raising standards, we can slash energy bills for families who most need it. We can cut carbon emissions to meet our legal obligations under the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.”
“We know that retrofitting is expensive and disruptive and can be slow, and we know that every home that we build today is a retrofit waiting to happen at a cost that we cannot afford, so why are we still building homes that will need fixing? The motion calls on the Minister for Communities, the Minister who is in charge of housing, to bring forward proposals that will embed higher energy-efficiency standards and renewable energy integration into the fabric of our social housing. Those should be the foundations that inform the next building regulations, because that is where real and lasting change happens. <BR /> <BR />Alliance believes that we will continue to fail to deliver the housing that Northern Ireland needs unless leadership is shown.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I rise not just to propose the motion but to issue a call to action, because, behind every statistic on fuel poverty, there is a person; behind every cold, damp wall, there is a child doing homework in a coat; behind every outdated boiler, there is a pensioner rationing heat to make ends meet. <BR /> <BR />The motion recognises this simple truth: we cannot afford to keep building homes that belong in the past. The homes that we construct today must be fit for the future, energy efficient, affordable to heat and resilient in the face of climate change. Let us be honest: we have known for years that our housing stock is among the least efficient in the islands.”
“Minister, I condemn racism in all its forms. The violence that we saw against some people in Ballymena and other areas was a disgrace. The victims have now been moved out of the area because of that attack. Following on from Mr Gildernew's comments, what housing have the victims been placed in? You said that some of them were not eligible for housing help: why?”
“Minister, I welcome the £12 million that you have announced, but will you clarify whether that money has to be spent within this financial year? How do you hope to roll it out this late in the year?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, as you pointed out, being in employment is a key thing for people with disabilities. One of my concerns is that such employment should be fairly paid and sustainable. What work can be done with employers to ensure that pay will be appropriate for the positions that are offered and that those positions can last for a longer period?”
“Thank you, Minister. I could have saved you from getting up to give me that answer because I received it in writing at 2.48 pm. What support can you provide to children who have been waiting to see an ear, nose and throat specialist for 180 weeks, given that they are heading into school with deafness, and their development and communication skills are falling way behind?”
“Minister, I am interested to find out, as the previous Member mentioned, that it will be a retrospective grant. That was not included in the statement today. Minister, may I ask you about the works going forward? You talked about future-proofing, which is very welcome, but will any criteria be provided for groups to ensure that they do not, for instance, replace an oil boiler with an oil boiler, when we are actually looking to reduce emissions?”
“and to identify what businesses here require. I would love to keep as many of our young people here as possible, earning, working and spending their money here in Northern Ireland. When Northern Ireland is busy and at peace with itself, we do much better. We have seen that before. Of course, we want to work with the South, but we also want to work east-west and with Europe. We want to work with anybody who will help us to bring forward the jobs that our young people will need.”
“That includes looking at how businesses can improve their understanding of the needs of people with disabilities, and making sure that those people's skills align with potential work opportunities. A skills action plan that ties all that together is important if we are to achieve social justice. No young person in Northern Ireland should be let behind. We do not want to hear that Protestant boys or disadvantaged communities have been left behind; we want opportunities for all. <BR /> <BR />The motion calls on the Minister:”
“I said, "Well, I am sitting beside you giving legal advice to the Department". Learning for learning's sake is important, but training for a job is equally important. We need to see whether our qualifications are providing the skills that we need, and whether we are supporting children and their families to think about the choices that will provide them with the best opportunities. My education in Latin was handy for doing legal work, but are we teaching the right languages? Are schools teaching the right IT skills, AI skills and all of that? <BR /> <BR />I am glad to hear that the Minister is talking about a skills action plan and that she has included social enterprises in that. I had the absolute pleasure of talking to Edith and the guys at Mind the Gap about the cross-border work that they do for people with disabilities.”
“I admit that I am the one and only Byzantine studies graduate from Queen's University in 1993. Something that I share with Simon Hamilton is that we were both ancient history students. What job was I going to get with that? My postgraduate training in the graduate management development programme is the qualification that took me into sales and marketing, because, let us face it, I was not going to get a job in Byzantine studies. Some people may say that I am still talking about ancient history. We need to look at our skills. I remember sitting in a room with a lot of people from the transport sector — because I ended up working in transport, as you do with a Byzantine studies qualification — and a person at the front asked, "What do you get if you have a degree in ancient history?".”
“The Department for Infrastructure needs to be included in the debate. Look at any of the surveys of young people that are done. The all-party group on disability visited Fleming Fulton School. The young people talked about work placements and told us that they need to get a bus, for instance from school to the centre of town, but, because they are wheelchair users, only one of them could use the bus at a time. It is very isolating. We need to think more about the whole-life experience of young people with special educational needs or physical disabilities and about how we can help them get to work. <BR /> <BR />We need to ask ourselves whether the qualifications that we provide for young people through schools, further education colleges and higher education will provide the skills that our employers need.”
“Some young people are accepted by further education colleges, but they do not have a business to give them a placement. We need to identify placements to ensure that the young people are trained for a job for the future, potentially in the business with which they have their placement. We need to provide a talent pool for businesses, but we also need businesses to be part of the development process for apprenticeships to ensure that apprentices are trained with the skills that they will need for their jobs. <BR /> <BR />As regards children with physical or special educational needs, we have far too many young people who do not see work as an opportunity for them because of their disability. From my prior life, I know that most of the barriers to work for such young people are not their skills; they are transport.”
“Today, there is AI, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity and all of that stuff — my goodness, we did not really have computers when I was at school — and our young people need to know about the jobs of the future. The careers services in our schools need to take a big step up. Careers teachers are not necessarily the right people to tell children about the careers that are out there. If you have been to school, university and teacher training colleges and then gone to work in a school, you have not experienced the outside world. I would love to hear more about businesses coming forward to help with careers advice by going into schools to talk about the options that are available. <BR /> <BR />There was news about apprenticeships on the radio this morning. I have had plenty of emails from my constituents on the issue.”
“I was delighted to be involved with a number of schools that had started to bring employers in before the GCSEs were picked in order to give young people ideas about what the future could hold, what jobs pay and what might be an option for them. <BR /> <BR />For some young people, especially vulnerable young people who live in disadvantaged communities, we need to grow their ability to see beyond the present. We need to give those young people opportunities. When we ask what skills Northern Ireland needs, it is over to the Department for the Economy. Where are the businesses that are coming forward? What do they tell us that they need now and will need for the jobs that will come in the future? When I was at school, every Tom, Dick and Harry wanted to be a nurse, and then it was, "Nobody become a nurse. We have far too many nurses".”
“<BR /> <BR />As Sinéad McLaughlin said, skills gaps do not stop at the border. We need to think about the successes of others and move forward. There needs to be greater alignment between skills development and further and higher education. What skills does Northern Ireland need? As we heard from Cheryl Brownlee, the Youth Assembly said that it did not know what skills Northern Ireland needs. That goes back to the cooperative partnerships that we need to see established between Departments. Why are we allowing young people to choose GCSEs without telling them what they will get from those GCSEs? Instead of giving them career advice when they are 15 or 16, we should talk to children and their families as soon as they start big school. We should advise 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds before they pick their GCSEs.”
“That will require them to participate in education, training or an apprenticeship. We look forward to hearing the outcome of the consultation, because it is another step forward. It cannot, however, result in what the Chancellor of the Exchequer has talked about, which is the youth guarantee that young people will be put into work. That work could involve doing nothing in which they are interested and not be related to their skills. It might also be for the most minimum wage possible. That would take the heart out of any young person. Let us therefore think about the opportunities. Skillnet Ireland is a good model to follow, but we need to work hard not just North/South but east-west. We also need to look to Europe and other places to see what models we can work towards having in order to deliver better for those 25,000 young people.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank David Honeyford, Michelle Guy and Kate Nicholl, all of whom have been working on skills issues for the past while. I also thank those Members around the Chamber who have spoken today on the issue. Our young people are key to our economy, and we need to give them hope, opportunities and chances in life. <BR /> <BR />I am very concerned about what Labour is doing. It is talking about young people who are not in employment having their benefits taken away from them if they do not find work within 18 months. That is concerning. As somebody who sits on the Committee for Communities, I say, "Really?". We should be looking to support those young people rather than talking about taking benefits away from them. <BR /> <BR />The Minister of Education is consulting on keeping children in school until they are 18.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. It is not too often that we come to the Chamber to debate a motion on which we all agree. As a mum and someone who loves living here, I think that giving our young people opportunities to remain here, to have something that they can value, to earn money and to enjoy life is key. All of us in the Chamber want that for our young people. <BR /> <BR />As the motion indicates, we have already started off well. Employment is going well, but 25,000 young people in Northern Ireland are currently not in education, employment or training. What are we going to do about that? The work on skills that the Minister is doing will pay dividends, but there are a few things that we need to look for.”
“Tell them that you are sorry for their loss. We are not alone. There are many of us out there, and we share the grief together.”
“However, for all the families and all those mums and dads who do not get to hold their children to their hearts but hold them in their hearts because they are not with them, it is important that, this month, we take the time to recognise the hurt and pain and the one in four pregnancies that end without a baby. <BR /> <BR />It is sad that October is the month in which this happens. It is when the dark nights start to roll in and we start to think about wrapping up warm. It is the time when we want to be with family, but, for some of us who have been through baby loss, not being able to talk about that loss means that there is a silent grief that causes a lot of pain and anguish. This month, I ask you all to look to your loved ones and ask them how they are. How long has it been? What would their name be?”
“Due to the state of my voice today, I will not take too long. <BR /> <BR />Tomorrow is 1 October. It is amazing how quickly the years pass by, but starting tomorrow is Baby Loss Awareness Month. I talk about it, because, as others have heard in the House, it is important to recognise the number of children who are born asleep or too early. It is important to break the silence about baby loss. I have been open about my history and my 14 children. Sadly, 13 have not made it to be with us, but I have one very special daughter, and I hold her close to my heart.”
“I am glad to hear that, Minister. When will third-party organisations that deliver programmes to support people with disabilities in work find out when funding may be available and for how long?”
“Minister, you talk about regeneration schemes. What protections will be put in place to ensure that any historical buildings will be looked after in those schemes and not left behind?”
“Minister, you have answered the question that I was going to ask, but, since you have been talking, I have become very concerned. You cannot say that somebody will not be harmed by an information leak if they do not know about it. From my understanding from the Information Commissioner's Office, the information that was shared is National Insurance numbers, addresses and names, and those are the very basics. Therefore, would it not be better, given the rise of identity theft, that those people are notified of the potential threat to them and their privacy?”
“I agree with the Member. As he will know, some of that temporary accommodation in hotels has no access to kitchens and has shared bathrooms, so there is a security issue for those people as well.”
“I thank the Member very much for giving way. Going forward, I hope that we will never have to use the police for hate crimes because we will not have hate crimes. I agree with you. It is a pity that the Justice Minister does not receive enough money to appropriately fund our police. We heard earlier today from another Minister asking for extra money for special educational needs capital expenditure. We know that the Minister for Communities will be looking for more money for housing. There are pressures on our system. I wish that there was enough money to go around, but let us get behind prevention.”
“I will not take up too much of your time. Does the Member agree that the actions of vigilantes who are going out and asking people for paperwork to prove where they are from are wrong? I do not know anybody who carries paperwork to prove where they are from. Does the Member agree that that has to stop?”
“Communities need a refreshed good relations strategy with tangible actions now, because there is a housing crisis that demands urgent cross-departmental interventions. I look forward to hearing from the Minister about what is happening on that. <BR /> <BR />Minister, I appreciate that you have responsibility for housing, but you also have a responsibility to help to build a truly inclusive and welcoming society. I hope to hear today the specific actions that you and your Department are delivering to stop the spread of hate and disinformation and the breakdown of community cohesion. <BR /> <BR />Let us show that the Assembly can act. Let us show compassion, leadership and moral clarity. Let us vote for the motion for the safety, dignity and future of every person in Northern Ireland, irrespective of their background.”
“To be clear, the tensions that we see in our community are not caused by the people who have come to live there; they exist because our community needs more resources and help. They are about people not having housing or access to enough money to pay for food, as we have heard from the Trussell Trust, which has released its 'Hunger in the UK' report. In Northern Ireland, 130,000 children are going hungry, and 520,000 are in food insecurity. <BR /> <BR />I ask everyone to come together in the Assembly to vote in favour of the motion, because we all must condemn sectarian and racist attacks not just in words but with commitment and because we recognise that elected representatives must be clear, unequivocal and consistent in their language, especially in the aftermath of attacks.”
“Making Northern Ireland work is as much about building a society where we are all respected and included as it is about developing the economy. There is no place in our community for hate, xenophobia, racism or Islamophobia. That has to stop. Certainly, my thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by the targeted violence and intimidation. The House stands with you. <BR /> <BR />The motion is not about scoring political points. I am confident that all Members will agree with me when I say that we are all opposed to the violence that we have seen reported in our newspapers, on TV and on social media. It is about protecting people and publicly recognising that the fear that many people live with is real. It is about demonstrating leadership, not waiting for things to get worse.”
“That means investing in grassroots initiatives, shared spaces and youth and cultural programmes that bring people together rather than dividing them. If we want people to feel safe in their homes, we must also ensure that they feel safe in their neighbourhood, in their community and in the daily fabric of life.”
“Social houses need to be built, and we need to make housing-for-all developments the standard. Rented properties need to be affordable. Homelessness needs to be mitigated, and barriers to planning, finance and funding need to be removed, as does bureaucracy. Those are all things what we can do to support the Minister for Communities. There should be cross-departmental coordination to help communities, the environment, social development and justice. All Departments must play their part. Crucially, if he is funded to do so, the Minister for Communities has the opportunity to step up and meet the objective in the business plan that will allow him to deliver community programmes that help bring about a more inclusive and welcoming society.”
“I am slightly disappointed, however, when it comes to the activities that are mentioned under that heading. It talks about things that we all agree are important, such as fuel poverty, the disability strategy and actions to progress sign language, but, to be honest, if we are going to talk about social value, we need a clear plan, with a funding timeline and accountability for the new good relations strategy and with tangible actions that address sectarianism and racism. That is not for the Minister to deliver on his own, because it is an Executive strategy. <BR /> <BR />We need stronger use of the community safety framework to identify risk zones, to support those who are targeted and to ensure that police and community safety agencies act swiftly to prevent escalation. We need specific housing interventions.”
“I read with much interest the departmental business plan for 2025-26, and an objective in it highlights the fact that there will be action taken to:”
“Poor housing, a shortage of social and affordable housing and barriers to building more new houses are not just infrastructure issues but matters of safety, community cohesion and equality. When people are pushed into overcrowded, substandard housing or into areas with tensions, when waiting lists stretch and when affordability is out of reach, that heightens resentment and anxiety and can even feed into hate and misinformation. It provides the far right antagonists with an audience that turns on people in the community instead of pointing fingers at us, the politicians, who are failing to meet housing and other needs. <BR /> <BR />The motion calls on the Minister for Communities:”
“While our community faces division, violence and tension, we are still waiting for the new strategy. We need it now more than ever. Without it, we have no cohesive strategic framework that is grounded in clear actions, measurable targets and accountability. Without it, we are fighting individual fires rather than preventing them. Without it, we will not identify programmes to be funded throughout the upcoming multi-year Budget. The delay is not simply a bureaucratic failing. It is a failure, and, sadly, it comes with a human cost. <BR /> <BR />As the Minister will know, we are in the grip of a housing crisis. Families need safe, affordable homes that are secure and that are in communities in which they can stay. They need homes that are not just a roof over their head but a refuge from fear.”
“People in our community need to know that we, their political representatives, see them and not just the criminals; that we mean what we say; that we will follow our words with action; and that, when someone's home is attacked because of who they are, be it because of their race, religion or ethnicity, politicians will not equivocate. We must take responsibility for the language that we use, and we must call out behaviour that seeks to divide, intimidate or threaten. Targeting anyone with violence is wrong, full stop. <BR /> <BR />I am a bit disappointed that the Executive Office is taking so long to bring forward its refreshed good relations strategy. It is a successor to Together: Building a United Community, which was itself intended to tackle sectarianism and racism through adopting a whole-community approach.”
“Some have had to flee their homes, and some are left wondering at what point their identity, their accent or who they are might be enough to make them a target. Sadly, these are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of deeper tensions and of the absence, in places, of a strategy to protect people, promote shared understanding and confront hatred. <BR /> <BR />As elected representatives, we must speak clearly and unequivocally on behalf of all those victims. It is not enough to say that we condemn without naming what we condemn: sectarianism, racism, hate, intimidation and violence in all its forms.”
“<BR /> <BR />What has happened this year across Northern Ireland has been disgusting. No one should fear that they are going to be attacked simply because of the colour of their skin. No one should be left wondering whether it is safe for them to walk through their community. As an Assembly, we cannot just condemn what has happened and move on. We need to see politicians taking leadership, making brave decisions and actually tackling the root causes of what has happened across Northern Ireland. In recent months, particularly in places such as Ballymena, Belfast and other towns and cities, there have been multiple reports of sectarian and racist intimidation and attacks on individuals and homes — windows smashed, threats made and people terrified in their own neighbourhoods.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to propose this very serious motion. I urge every Member present to consider not just what is said in the Chamber but what it means outside this place, in the homes, on the streets and in the lives of people who feel unsafe simply because of who they are or where they live. I ask everyone in the Chamber today to support the motion and to vote for it, because we must act, we must act together and we must act now. I am very grateful for the statement that came out of the Executive confirming that all Executive parties have condemned all racially motivated violence. I am sure that the Opposition, although they are not in the Executive, concur with that, as do People Before Profit, our independent Member and the TUV.”
“When I am in Newtownards, I serve everyone. The majority of people who come to my office are unionists. This week we spent time going around each of the estates, so I ask the Member to please be careful with his language.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. As you all know, I represent Strangford, and my office is in Newtownards. I will say clearly that Alliance is made up of unionists, nationalists and people who do not have a constitutional preference.”