Nichola Mallon
North Belfast · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“I have had the very moving opportunity to meet families who have tragically lost a loved one on that stretch of road. That was an important opportunity for me to hear at first hand their experience and the experiences of the local community as they try to go about their everyday business while living in close proximity to a key transport…”
“I take safety on our rural roads very seriously. My Department continues to be actively committed to improving safety on our roads and to work closely with our road safety partners to deliver a programme of road safety education, engineering and enforcement activities.”
“I thank Mr Muir and all the members of the Infrastructure Committee for very constructive working relationships. At times, those working relationships were tense, but they were always very constructive — I mean that.”
“It was important to me to take forward the motor insurance legislation to try to protect people against a hike of up to £50 in their motor insurance premiums. Members will be aware that I took the decision to freeze any hike in public transport fares.”
“That commenced a consultation process that is open until 6 May. I encourage anyone with an interest in this significant project to make their views known during the consultation period. <BR /> <BR />In advance of the major upgrade, it is important that we do what we can to improve road safety.”
“I have announced my intention to extend the concessionary fares scheme to provide free travel for people with disabilities who currently pay half fare and to new operators who have already indicated or expressed an interest in joining. I am aware that many people with a disability have limited travel options.”
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“His house was regularly attacked, and, in one incident, his wife, Annita, was subjected to a horrific assault. Despite this ordeal, his commitment to peace and to standing up for what was right never wavered. He was not deterred. His contribution to politics right across our island will never be forgotten. When things got difficult, he stuck it out, stayed the course and changed people's lives for the better.”
“He also knew, in 1968, that protesting was not going to be enough. If we want change in our society, we must all work every day against injustice, intolerance, discrimination and unfairness, <BR /> <BR />Austin's life is testament to the political creed that the people of this island are better served when we set aside our differences and work together in our common interests. As a member of the power-sharing Executive at Sunningdale, Austin retains the distinction of being the only Minister to serve in Government, North and South. He understood the need to exercise power in the interests of the people whom we represent, and he recognised that that is the only way to achieve lasting change. That is his most enduring legacy. <BR /> <BR />Like many civil rights leaders, Austin and his family paid a high price for their bravery.”
“<BR /> <BR />Like many of his generation, Austin refused to stand by and accept that this was as good as it got for the people whom he grew up with. He became a powerful symbol in the peaceful civil rights movement, standing against the corruption of housing allocation and standing for equality for everyone regardless of their political or religious background. The Caledon squat, which became a defining moment in our history, is an example of the courage that characterised Austin. He, Patsy Gildernew and Joe Campbell took a shovel to the window of that house, and it was a hammer blow to the oppressive scaffolding of discrimination that defined the state at that time. <BR /> <BR />In the tradition of civil rights activists like the late congressman John Lewis, Austin never stopped trying to find ways to get into "good trouble".”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I begin today by offering my condolences, on behalf of the SDLP, to Austin Currie's family: his wife, Annita, and his children, Estelle, Caitríona, Dualta, Austin and Emer. For a man who achieved so much during his life and contributed so much to peace in this place, I know that nothing surpassed the pride and love that he had for his family. <BR /> <BR />Austin Currie was the definition of a radical. Growing up in Tyrone, he saw the impact of systemic discrimination in working-class communities, particularly against Catholics. People were forced to live cheek by jowl in overcrowded housing, getting a good education was an uphill struggle, the best-paid jobs were strictly off limits, and the corrosive impact of poverty was engrained in everyday life.”
“I thank the Member for his question and reassure him that my officials are in very regular contact with Translink on the matter. <BR /> <BR />The Member asked about communication. Yesterday was a fast-moving situation, in which there had to be multiple engagements with the trade union and the PSNI. The information about routes that would be impacted on came out at around 4.00 pm. Translink will, of course, continue to work hard to ensure that we communicate any changes to routes to the public as early and as clearly as possible. My sincere hope is that the next communication will confirm the reinstatement of services so that we can provide that critical community service in the affected areas.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I absolutely agree with him, and Ms Armstrong made the same point: it is imperative that anyone who has any information, no matter how insignificant they may think it, passes it to the PSNI so that those behind the attacks can be brought to justice. <BR /> <BR />We have talked about the cost of the attacks in terms of their impact on the community and on people who are trying to get to and from work. The cost of each double-decker bus destroyed in the attacks is in excess of £200,000, and there is an additional cost for their replacement. More importantly, the attacks are highly dangerous. Although no one has been injured yet, no cost can be put on the safety of our staff and passengers.”
“As I stated, all efforts are being made to resume full service as quickly as possible. We have a duty of care to our bus drivers and passengers, however. Translink will continue to work closely with the PSNI and the trade unions to ensure that we resume services as soon as it is safe to do so. <BR /> <BR />On the media this morning, Chris Conway set out that communication will be via a number of mediums, including mainstream media and social media. I also ask Members across the House, as that information is made public, to do what they can to communicate it through the various channels that they have at their disposal. In particular, I ask representatives whose constituencies are affected to do that, because they are well placed to communicate the information to their constituents.”
“We must stand firm against anyone who thinks that they can advance their goals through violence or by threatening and intimidating our public workers or our communities.”
“I agree that those who attacked the buses have done nothing more than harm their own community. They have deprived the communities and people of Rathcoole and Ards of using public transport to go to and from their places of work. There is no justification for that. There is nothing to be gained from it. I urge those behind these attacks, if they are listening, to get off the backs of the local communities, stop attacking them and try contributing something positive to the community and to society. This is a very emotive issue, because I firmly believe that an attack on our public transport network is an attack on us all. It is very important that, across the House, we stand firm with the bus drivers, the trade unions and the communities affected.”
“I give those assurances. That is why I am so angry about the situation. It is an attack on our front-line public servants and on the communities that those buses service and support. I have been very clear. None of us wants to be in a situation where we suspend bus services, and I want to make sure that those services are resumed at the earliest opportunity. I have a duty to people who live right across Northern Ireland who rely on and access our public transport. I also have a duty of care to our bus drivers and their passengers. I sincerely hope that we see a swift end to these threats and escalating acts of violence. Then we can provide public transport across Northern Ireland. Let me re-emphasise that, at the earliest opportunity and as soon as it is safe to do so, we will restore services.”
“It is the local community that is suffering as a result of this action. It serves no purpose, and those behind it need to get off the backs of the local communities.”
“I absolutely concur that the acts of violence and threat need to stop now. My concern is that we see an escalation. With reference to rhetoric, we know to our detriment in this place that words can act as weapons. There is an onus on all of us to be responsible in our use of language and, at times of tension, to step up, pull people away from the brink and send unequivocal messages that there can never be any justification for violence or the threat of violence. <BR /> <BR />As demonstrated by the comments made across the House, the people who have been harmed are, of course, the bus drivers at the heart of this and the passengers, but also harmed are the wider communities that the bus routes serve. It was an act of self-harm. It was an attack on the people of Rathcoole. It was an attack on the people of Ards.”
“We want to see leadership at a community level and at a political level, so that we can get to a point where no more attacks of this nature occur and where drivers not only feel safe but are safe in carrying out their daily job. <BR /> <BR />I reiterate that I want to see the expansion of our public transport network. I am angry that we have had to suspend services, depriving communities of a critical public service. We will all work together to ensure that we reinstate those services and end that disruption as soon as possible.”
“Let us be clear: routes are being impacted because masked men, who are cowards and criminals, hijacked two buses in a matter of days, putting the lives of bus drivers and passengers at risk, so the blame for this lies squarely with them. <BR /> <BR />The operational decision was based on a risk assessment informed by advice from the PSNI and then by working with trade unions and community representatives. I reassure any member of our community in Northern Ireland that there is absolutely no intention to penalise wider communities. The sporadic nature of the incidents and the fact that there have been four attacks in the past year have necessitated, regrettably, the actions that we had to introduce last night.”
“There will continue to be close engagement between Translink and the PSNI. As the Minister responsible for public transport, I know that Translink and our bus drivers want to see all services resumed at the earliest opportunity. Of course, to do that, we need to ensure that our bus drivers and passengers are safe.”
“I absolutely agree that bus drivers are front-line workers. They have also clearly demonstrated, if it needed to be demonstrated, that they are key workers. They have kept this place going throughout the pandemic, and I again pay tribute to them for that. <BR /> <BR />Many of the affected bus drivers and passengers will still be in a state of shock. It is important that counselling and support services are provided to the drivers and passengers who have been caught up in this and that they can access those in a timely manner that suits their needs. <BR /> <BR />In relation to the routes, the action taken was based on advice from the PSNI in discussion with local community representatives and the trade unions. Those discussions informed the risk assessment on which the decision to withdraw services was based.”
“I very much agree with Mr Muir's comments. There should be universal condemnation of the attacks. There should be universal solidarity with our public transport workers and passengers who were subjected to a horrific ordeal. There should be universality in standing up to those who threaten violence and carry out acts of violence in our society. The fundamental requisite for that is political leadership; courageous political leadership that gives citizens hope, rather than fuelling fears. I very much hope that, across the House, there will be condemnation — that has been evidenced — solidarity and, of course, political leadership.”
“Translink will continue to work to support the drivers who have been at the heart of the attacks. It has a welfare team that is working to support the drivers, who have been through a horrific ordeal. I understand that the impact — the psychological impact — of such incidents often only comes to the fore after the event, so it is important that ongoing support is provided to the drivers who have been impacted. <BR /> <BR />I assure the Member that Translink will use media outlets and social media, as I will, to promote any changes to our routes to ensure that our passengers are kept as informed as possible. We can see the outworkings of this. It has brought home to me how many members of our community rely on public transport to go about their everyday lives.”
“I am sure that I speak for the House when I say that every attack on our public transport workers is an attack on the people of Northern Ireland.”
“The Member is absolutely right when she points to the fact that this is the fourth attack this year on our public transport workers. There was the hijacking of a bus in Lanark Way and a car was burned on a railway line in East Derry, as the Member mentioned. There was a bus hijacking in Ards and another one in Rathcoole.”
“Furthermore, I want to assure the Member and the House that our bus drivers want to get back to serving their communities, but they want to feel safe. Translink is working with our trade unions and the PSNI, and I am very clear that my officials are there to support them so that we can get our services safely and promptly resumed.”
“I thank the Member for his words of condemnation. He is absolutely right. Our bus drivers choose to be bus drivers. They have chosen a career in which they are serving the local communities in which they live, and they absolutely should be able to go about their job feeling safe. They deserve our respect and gratitude. No one — not a single bus driver or train driver — should be subject to threats of violence or acts of violence. <BR /> <BR />I want to assure the Member that the decision to suspend the routes was based on PSNI advice. Translink will continue to work with the PSNI to get ongoing assessments so that we can make informed decisions on the risk assessment around any decisions to continue to suspend routes.”
“Additional Translink mobile support vehicles will be deployed in greater Belfast to support drivers where required. <BR /> <BR />Of course, as is under discussion today, temporary curtailment of and alteration to bus services has had to be introduced; however, that is being kept under daily review. Furthermore, it is critical that regular update meetings are being held between Translink and our trade unions.”
“I thank the Member very much for his words of condemnation, which are shared throughout the House and across the North. Translink has a welfare team, which is engaging directly to assist and support the drivers who have been affected. I have also offered my support, and I am happy to convey that sentiment from the House to the drivers who have been affected. <BR /> <BR />In addition to that, working with the PSNI, Translink has introduced a number of measures. Translink operational managers have been established in the PSNI's silver command, so that we can facilitate an agile response to any arising situation. Daily sitrep meetings are taking place between senior Translink and PSNI personnel. The PSNI is also supporting Translink services through the deployment of additional resources via the silver command structure.”
“I assure Mr Beggs and all Members that we will continually assess the situation and work to reinstate those vital services as soon as possible so that they can continue to be provided to the communities affected.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He is absolutely right: our buses provide a critical service to communities. They ensure that, as we heard from passengers, people are able to get to and from their place of work, young people are able to get to and from school and people can get to important hospital appointments. I think very much of our elderly citizens who use our public transport network to enable them to do their daily shopping. All that has been disrupted as a result of those wanton acts of destruction. <BR /> <BR />I am clear: I want our public transport network to grow. It is deeply regrettable that the decision had to be taken, on the basis of risk, to restrict a number of routes.”
“Translink has advised me that it will review the arrangements on a daily basis. Translink and my officials are engaged with the PSNI and the Department of Justice respectively. <BR /> <BR />I am thankful that no one has been hurt in the attacks. However, that does not detract from the danger faced by our bus drivers and passengers. Regardless of the issues in communities, attacking our public transport network is not the answer, and it is only damaging services to the people who live in our communities.”
“I thank the Member for raising the issue. As Members will be aware, Translink took the decision to temporarily remove services from some parts of Belfast following the recent attacks that we have seen on our buses. It is disgraceful and disgusting that our public transport workers and members of the public going about their daily business have been targeted for attack. I am sure that I speak for all Members when I say that our thoughts are very much with the bus drivers and passengers at the heart of this. <BR /> <BR />The safety of the public and our public transport workers is vital. They deserve to feel safe doing their job. I assure Members that Translink has not taken the decision lightly. However, it was deemed necessary, as the organisation has a duty of care to its staff and to ensuring their safety.”
“The reality is that so many low-income households are facing into a hugely difficult winter, with a rising cost of living and rising energy costs. At the same time, they are seeing a reduction in the social welfare on which they are reliant. Twenty pounds may not seem like a lot of money to many, but it is a lifeline for people. I have certainly seen that in my constituency. I therefore hope that we can focus all our efforts on ensuring that we are able to provide support to those families so that they are not pushed further into poverty and pushed into ill health as a result of the poverty in which they are being forced to live.”
“I thank the Member for her question and for the opportunity to put the facts into the public domain. Fact: the Communities Minister, Deirdre Hargey, bid for £55 million for universal credit. Fact: I was the only Minister around the Executive table to state my support for that bid. Fact: the Finance Minister had power, money and a bid from his party colleague. He could have recommended that bid for approval, but he did not do so. Fact: the October monitoring decision was not brought to the Executive for decision. Rather, it was brought for discussion, and it was agreed exclusively by the joint First Ministers via urgent procedure. All the spin in the world will not detract from those facts.”
“There is an issue of regional imbalance. You have only to look at the rail network in the North to see it. That is why I specifically set up the rural roads fund. I have increased the funding by 50% this year. I am happy to provide the Member with further detail of how that will be rolled out in her constituency. I very much recognise the need to tackle regional imbalance, and that was one of my key considerations in proposing an infrastructure commission, so that we can take an objective approach and ensure that we get the right infrastructure and investment in the right locations.”
“In addition, the first one-off large resurfacing contract in Moneymore and Cookstown is currently out to tender, and similar one-off contracts are in the pipeline for the coming months. <BR /> <BR />The Member may also be aware that, this year, I have allocated £17 million to the road recovery fund, and that will enable much-needed resurfacing work, particularly in rural areas. The delivery of that work will not be impacted on by the current lack of asphalt resurfacing contractor resource.”
“I fully appreciate the need to invest in road infrastructure and deliver much-needed resurfacing to preserve and extend the life of our roads. The lack of asphalt resurfacing contractor resource in Mid Ulster and other areas is the result of a legal challenge. <BR /> <BR />My officials have been working at pace to develop a new procurement strategy, and that has now been completed and published. It is proposed to tender the work in four phases, with six contract areas in each. The first phase is being developed with a view to going to tender shortly, leading to the award of new contracts in January. The first phase includes the majority of the four areas that were impacted on by the legal challenge to the previous competition.”
“I reiterate that, until such times as I receive further advice from my officials, I am not in a position to offer further comment.”
“The court judgement on the North/South interconnector was handed down on 19 October. While those important planning decisions were not quashed, the wider implications of that complex judgement are still being considered by my officials and the Executive Office, who were also respondents to the judicial review. Until such times as I receive further advice from my officials, I am not in a position, as, I hope, the Member will understand, to offer further comment.”
“This issue has been raised on a number of occasions by partners in the planning process. It was also raised by those who responded to the review of the Planning Act. I await a submission from officials before I can delve into the detail and rationale being provided by the stakeholders who feel that it would be an important step forward.”
“The Dalradian gold mine application is hugely controversial and complex. We are in receipt of a vast number of representations, largely objections. Early on, I was clear that the application merited a public inquiry so that everyone involved, including the local community, had the opportunity to present their views. Therefore, I have formally asked that a public inquiry be convened. The timing of that hearing is not within my gift as Minister because it is independent. I hope that we can get a date and give clarity to people at the earliest opportunity because this has been going on for such a long time. I appreciate the depth of people's concerns.”
“The Member is right to say that the industry is varied. I have not yet seen the detail, but my understanding is that the Department for the Economy's scheme will likely provide support to the higher end. Without having the definitive detail of what that scheme entails and the support that it will provide, it is difficult for me and my officials to identify how we can support others who may not be eligible for that scheme. I sincerely hope that I will get a response from the Economy Minister soon because I am committed to working with him to support the industry.”
“I have met the bus and coach sector, and I understand the difficulties that it faces. It will be one of the industries that will be hit the hardest for the longest time. I am also conscious that the Department for the Economy's tourism recovery action plan has a specific commitment to bring forward a scheme for the sector. On 1 September, I wrote to the Economy Minister and asked for an update on that work. I have yet to receive a response, though I have chased that on multiple occasions. However, my understanding is that Department for the Economy officials are working through the business case. I am keen to understand the outworkings of that at the earliest opportunity in order to identify what my Department can do with the Department for the Economy to support the industry as it tries to recover from the pandemic.”
“I reassure the Member that, since taking up the post of Minister, I have allocated sufficient funding to ensure that all the developmental work can proceed at pace. I have included the A1 in my capital bid under the spending review. The definitive start date for construction will depend on the multi-annual budgets that come forward for my Department. I will continue to push that project not only because I recognise its strategic importance as an economic corridor but because of the important road safety implications. If we do this, we will save lives.”
“I thank the Member for her question. On taking up my post, that was one of the projects that I was clear about giving a commitment on. I met people who have lost loved ones on that stretch of road, so I recognise the huge importance of making sure that we get the upgrade right in the quickest possible time. My Department has allocated money so that we can progress the scheme. Where we can, we try to do the development work in parallel, so that we can complete the upgrade as quickly as possible. <BR /> <BR />I am content to write to the Member to provide the latest update, because I know that she has a keen interest in the issue.”
“I agree that it is a difficult issue. In 2011, an assessment was carried out of the costs of adopting the unadopted network, and it was £300 million. We are talking about a huge amount of investment that will be required to deal with the issue. There are also challenges around vires, and that is against the backdrop of a difficult financial situation facing my Department. It is hugely challenging. Where we can, of course, we will work hard to maximise capacity, but it is a long-standing challenge and will be difficult to get to grips with.”
“<BR /> <BR />As a result of the need to reduce staff numbers in 2015-16 after severe budget cuts were imposed on the then Department for Regional Development, my Department lost a significant number of experienced private streets staff. That reduced my Department's capacity to take enforcement action where developers had commenced work without a bond in place or failed to complete their development roads as agreed. While it is not possible under current resource budgets to increase numbers of private streets staff, my Department continues to liaise successfully with developers and to adopt a considerable number of new developments each year. That includes progressing a significant number of older sites impacted by the property crash in 2007.”
“The adoption of private streets is primarily a developer-led process. It is the developer's responsibility to construct road infrastructure to the required standards, and my Department then adopts it into the public road network. Since 2015, my Department has adopted 1,856 bonded streets and released bonds valued at about £88 million. Enforcement action has also been taken at 140 sites. <BR /> <BR />The majority of developers act responsibly and progress their developments' infrastructure for adoption without the need for intervention by my Department or Northern Ireland Water. However, I acknowledge that the process can sometimes take longer than desired, and I fully acknowledge the difficulties that some residents encounter on a day-to-day basis living in unfinished developments.”
“The Member is correct. Having withdrawn the PAN, I found it hugely disappointing that mass goers in rural Armagh on Sunday past came out to find leaflets on their windscreens that were factually incorrect. The leaflets called on me to take action that I had already taken because I listened intently to people and was quick to respond. The public deserve better than that. They deserve the truth. The pattern of fake news is hugely disappointing. It is not about standing up for rural communities; it is about standing up for them and telling the truth. On that occasion, that clearly did not happen.”
“The Department has established a cross-departmental planning forum, the purpose of which is to work with all the consultee response partners to ensure that we get much more efficient in consultee response times. It remains a challenge, but I have met my officials to make it clear that I want to see us maximising capacity, particularly in my Department, so that we can respond to those in a timely fashion. Of course, the volume and complexity of the applications has increased as well. However, our planning system is key to our economic development and to tackling the climate crisis, so I am keen that, where we can, we make significant improvements.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Officials briefed the Infrastructure Committee on the review of the Planning Act. There were a substantial number of responses to that review and a number in free-flow text, so it is taking officials time to work through all those. I hope to be in receipt of a submission so that we can identify the best way forward. The purpose of the review is to look at what is working and what is not working so that we can make a judgement around retaining, repealing or amending. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right to highlight the issue around consultee response times. I have not shied away from saying that that is a difficulty.”
“That equates to approximately 2,260 approvals for such developments in the countryside per year.”
“It does that by providing for new dwellings in existing clusters, replacement dwellings, dwellings on farms, dwellings for non-agricultural business enterprises, infill dwellings, the conversion and reuse of non-residential buildings as dwellings, a dwelling to meet compelling personal or domestic circumstances, and social and affordable housing schemes. <BR /> <BR />Planning statistics for single and replacement dwellings in the countryside demonstrate that there continues to be a relatively steady rate of approvals provided for under the extant policy provisions. Data for the period 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2021 indicate that approximately 9,800 applications for single dwellings in the countryside were approved, along with 3,800 replacement dwellings.”
“I firmly believe that the strategic planning policy statement (SPPS) does, and should continue to, provide opportunities for farming families, other rural dwellers and sustainable development in the countryside in general, striking a balance between supporting and sustaining rural communities and protecting the countryside from inappropriate development. <BR /> <BR />Subject to acceptable proposals in appropriate locations, the SPPS offers considerable development opportunities for all people who wish to live in the countryside.”