Colin McGrath
South Down · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“Minister, regardless of where people stand on the exact figure, surely we can all agree that a health service cannot function without the doctors whom it trains.”
“Minister, climate change is happening, and extreme weather events are taking place. We saw that in Downpatrick a number of years ago when the town centre was ravaged by flooding, and it has taken the businesses affected many years to try to get over that flooding.”
“Minister, given that capital funding is, generally, being decimated, the extent of which may increase as a result of the Executive's not agreeing a Budget, what impact will that have on any final road maintenance strategy, and are any contingencies being put in place to manage that?”
“<BR /> <BR />Since March 2025, the parliamentary excellence programme has delivered dedicated sessions with the Executive Office on the strategic framework and its delivery plan, enhancing Members’ understanding of the cross-government approach and their role in scrutiny, legislation and constituency engagement.”
“<BR /> <BR />More broadly, the Assembly Commission supports Members and Committees in carrying out their scrutiny functions, including in relation to the Executive Office’s work on that framework.”
“As the Member mentioned, one example is the Assembly's Women's Caucus, which has a particular focus on supporting women in public life and highlighting the increasing challenges that women face in the digital sphere, including online abuse.”
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“If we are looking for a full range of the negative impacts of COVID, the disgraceful behaviour of some on our Executive and the impact of that on our health service, together with the reputational damage done to MLAs in this place, should surely be added to that list. Less than a week later, a bit of a U-turn was pulled, and suddenly the party wanted enhanced measures to be brought in again for a fortnight, but only after a week of restrictions being relaxed. That led directly to the scenes that we saw in Belfast city centre yesterday afternoon, which were beamed all around these islands and served as an embarrassment. <BR /> <BR />An issue that I want to talk about as being a negative impact of COVID is that of mental health.”
“At this point, however, we should have been halfway through those restrictions, were it not for the display of division that we witnessed two weeks ago. Where previously this House spoke as one, with a sense of unity and cohesion of purpose, there is now division. <BR /> <BR />That division is not one that has its roots in a five-party Executive. Rather, it is a division within the DUP: a deep-seated division that has existed longer than COVID. What does it say about the party that, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, when the Executive met to discuss new restrictions and to listen to our Health Minister and expert scientific and medical advice, it chose to deploy a cross-community vote and veto such advice?”
“As time has progressed, however, the cracks have begun to show in the way in which we do things, and we have only to reflect on what we are hearing in our constituency offices, where businesses and individuals are seeking clarity on the restrictions and the guidelines, to understand that the message is not getting across. <BR /> <BR />The public are asking why. Why is it that our hospitalisation figures continue to rise, no matter what we seem to do? Where is the flaw in the plan? Where is the weak link? We are about to enter a fortnight of intense and enhanced restrictions, and this is all being done to flatten the curve to protect our healthcare system from being overwhelmed and to save lives.”
“Another might be to ask the management of various trusts to give consideration to the conditions that our staff are having to work in. As one nurse articulated to me, they have to go out to their car to get a cup of tea, because they are not allowed one anywhere within the hospital. I know of a member of staff who has to get changed at the side of the road in a car park because she has nowhere else to don her PPE. Those are the very real stories of life in the healthcare sector during COVID. <BR /> <BR />Furthermore, significant stress and pressure is being felt by our local businesses. Those family-run institutions are the lifeblood of our local economy, and we saw at the start of the pandemic that local businesses were able to avail themselves of grants to keep afloat.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion. There can be no doubt that our healthcare system has been rocked as a result of COVID-19, and I pay tribute to the countless numbers of healthcare staff who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their work. In these past months, our healthcare staff have worked from morning to night and have often had to put family to the side in their service of caring. They have been pushed to their breaking point, however, and the message that I am hearing loud and clear is that we do not know how much left they have to give. <BR /> <BR />A good start for a debate on another day would perhaps be how we remunerate our healthcare staff for what they have done and what they continue to do in their work.”
“I welcome the cohesive tone of today's statement. I hope that all Executive Ministers can pick up on that tone and use it. Last week was an embarrassment to us all and was not of our making as MLAs. To have faith in the message, we must have faith in the messengers. <BR /> <BR />What avenue is the Department taking to explore how to better detail the public message? Families are really concerned about Christmas. They want to know exactly what they can and cannot do, and they need to know that soon. Does the Minister have a sense of how that message will be detailed to the public?”
“Given that councils and the police carry out a role, I urge the Minister to deliver some sort of policy or overarching strategy to manage this issue. In my constituency, in the Flying Horse and Model Farm estates, from as much as eight to 10 weeks before Halloween, fireworks are being thrown at people and cars. People are being tortured. We need to do what we can to stop the number of fireworks well in advance of Halloween. If it needs an inter-agency approach will the Minister consider that?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, in the Executive Office Committee, we met the 11 councils over the last two weeks. Many of them detailed to us their serious concerns about their financial stability and delivering the EU programmes. I welcome your commitment in the statement that the PEACE PLUS programme will continue for the duration of this cycle, but it is not clear whether they will have funding going forward. Would you undertake to meet the 11 councils specifically to try to ease some of their financial concerns?”
“The 14-day self-isolation period starts from the date that the message is delivered to the COVID app on a person's mobile phone. That is often not 14 days from when the person was last in contact with somebody with COVID-19. Will the Minister agree with me that an urgent and timely roll-out of the update to the app is crucial? That could see the amount of time that somebody is isolating reduced in some instances by 13 days, which would, therefore, ensure that her Department has more money to spend.”
“Managing mental health is contained in the surge plans. It is also Anti-Bullying Week, and I have my odd socks on today to highlight that fact. Given that bullying is a significant factor in youth mental health issues, can the Minister detail what work is being done to deal with the legacy of long waiting lists to get appointments to be able to manage counselling and other psychological services and how disrupted that has been as a result of COVID?”
“May I ask two questions? First, can the Minister given an assurance that all people over the age of 65 and those with underlying conditions will be able to access that vaccine in a timely manner before, as is projected, the flu season starts in December? Secondly, does he have a sense of the breakdown in communication that led medics in the sector to make that announcement today?”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber today. When the news broke this morning, it was deeply worrying and concerning for people who are facing the perils of COVID and who fear getting the seasonal flu, which may put them into a position where they are more vulnerable to other illnesses. This was scaring and frightening people, so it is welcome that the Minister has been able to come here today, put the record straight and send a clear message to people that they will be able to receive the vaccine that they require.”
“I thank the joint First Minister for her statement. Last week was a failure of good governance here. It was an embarrassment and an example of how not to reach decisions. It may have been an embarrassment to the Assembly, but, more importantly, it created a system of chaos that does not deliver for the public. The background briefings, leaks and updates to us via the media were shocking. Can the joint First Minister confirm and detail the plan that is now being put in place by the Executive Office to ensure that the shambles that we witnessed last week will not be repeated and that, before 27 November, we will have a timely way forward for protecting lives and livelihoods and not party political perspectives?”
“Nichola Mallon, on 3 November, got the powers to deliver a scheme for the taxi sector. That scheme opened on 13 November, 10 days later. Can the First Minister, as the leader of the Executive, explain why, after four and a half weeks, many in the business sector are still waiting for a scheme being opened that they can apply to in order to get much-needed finance to give them some form of income?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It is very welcome. In towns such as Dundrum in South Down, we see native crayfish stocks that are among the finest in Ireland, but now they are becoming depleted. How does the North/South council intend to re-establish a cross-border technical aquaculture advisory service for the whole of the North and not just the cross-border loughs?”
“The Minister mentioned PPE for domiciliary care workers. What assurances can the Minister give us that those care workers on the front line have the necessary PPE, rather than merely accepting employers saying that they have the correct amounts?”
“If this issue was discussed at the meeting, I hope that the First Minister can update us on how the other Administrations are progressing their COVID economic responses to affected industries, similar to those in our hospitality and close-contact sectors, and whether they are supporting them in a timely manner and providing them with clarity rather than confusion, as is the case here. Is she aware of whether those Administrations have elected representatives in senior roles sending out contradictory messages or, indeed, verbally attacking their senior health professionals, and others leaking information to the press?”
“I thank the First Minister for bringing this statement to the House. It is welcome to, once again, see the North represented at the British-Irish Council meetings, and I think that it is fantastic that we will be hosting the British-Irish Council meeting in 2021 — hopefully not virtually — and there is undoubtedly much that we can teach, and learn from, each other.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are now three weeks into a four-week lockdown, and nobody has received any payments from the schemes that are there to help them. That is leaving people in a very frightening position in the mouth of Christmas and is leaving businesses that have to make a number of costs and outlays unable to do so because the payment scheme has not begun. Staff are getting paid, but employers are not. They are being left to struggle, and that is unforgivable.”
“— spread is complex. I am sure that the Member can, and will, contribute after. There cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach to all sectors. If the Executive are asking businesses not to open, operate and make money, appropriate compensation must be made available to those businesses. We cannot enforce closure and not provide support. <BR /> <BR />I conclude by, as ever, supporting the amendments, but I have to say that my patience is wearing thin on supporting the method for making these decisions. The Executive need to get their finger out and start developing a more coherent strategy for managing the people who are impacted by the decisions and for the longer-term exit strategy from the pandemic that we will need. They need to deliver for the sectors that they are forcing to close.”
“They see the harsh reality and have to sit down and explain to families why their loved ones have died, and they potentially have to choose who will and will not get a hospital bed. <BR /> <BR />Coronavirus is complicated. Its impact and —”
“The bottom line is that there is direct evidence that certain sectors and certain behaviours are directly leading to a rise in the number of cases, and we all accept that a rise in the number of cases leads to more hospital admissions, more ICU beds being needed and, invariably, more people dying. Therefore, it has been necessary to reduce person-to-person contact, which is more prevalent in certain places and trades than others. Even the mere way that people go about retail shopping versus spending an evening in a bar is different, and one can result in more close contacts than the other. <BR /> <BR />I urge the Executive to continue to follow the medical advice that is provided. We need to endorse and follow the advice of Michael McBride, Tom Black and others in the sector. They are at the coalface.”
“However, now that the changes are more focused, and, at times, amend previous decisions, making such amendments and then waiting 28 days before discussing them here is futile. There needs to be greater accountability and transparency, and given that we hear much from our TVs, radios and papers rather than in the Chamber, a fresh approach might be most welcome and appropriate. <BR /> <BR />Many will be unhappy with the decisions that have been taken to manage the pandemic. Many will have been directly impacted financially by the decisions and in their business productivity, and that is difficult for them. They will wonder why they have to be the fall guys for managing the pandemic.”
“There remains some concern about the process of how these health amendments are made. I welcome the fact that the Health Committee agreed to my proposal last week to write to the Executive and ask whether there was another way to present regulations to the House. Today, for example, we are being asked to approve amendment No 10, which is a series of components that rescinds or changes the decisions in amendment No 9, which is also being taken today. Many of these are required, but it seems silly that, seconds after approving amendment No 9, we will change the regulations by approving amendment No 10. It is silly. There was a justifiable reason to use this method at the beginning of the pandemic.”
“To those in our community who continue to flout the restrictions and treat this as one big conspiracy theory, let me reiterate the deputy First Minister's words:”
“<BR /> <BR />On 23 March, the deputy First Minister spoke to the House and used the strongest language possible when she said that the actions of some over the preceding weekend had put more and more lives at risk. She said:”
“We have to acknowledge this while being fully aware that this is what is happening in the South and in GB. Perhaps, what worked so well in the first wave of the pandemic and helped to bring numbers down was the cohesive approach taken by the North, the South and GB. On 21 October, the South moved up to its highest level of restriction — level 5. This was replicated in GB when it was announced at Halloween that it, too, was heading for a further lockdown. This disease does not recognise borders. It does not recognise gender, age, sexuality, constitutional identity, job or class. Those who feel isolated and alone at the minute have to know that we are, all of us, in this together.”
“We hear those in the hospitality industry saying that they cannot decide whether some in the Executive simply do not understand their plight or whether they just do not care. We hear those in the hairdressing and beauty sector asking why the one-size-fits-all approach should apply to them as well. The level of contact in a hairdressing salon is substantially different from that in a bar. Why can we have only 25 people at a funeral or wedding but, at the same church, upwards of 150 people present at other services on the same day? <BR /> <BR />Many in these sectors in the North tell us that they feel isolated and alone. I hear, very clearly, from them a sense of, "Yes, have a lockdown if we need to, but give us the real and lasting support that we need to get through this so that we do not have colossal job losses".”
“Throughout the first wave of the pandemic, everyone, in a sense, knew where they stood. We were all in it together. As the numbers gradually came down over the summer months, Members cautioned the Executive not to take their foot off the brake completely but to be conscious of the need for a step-by-step approach. Yet, as the restrictions eased and a greater sense of pre-COVID normality returned to our lives, we have seen, week on week and day on day, an increase in the numbers of those testing positive, those admitted to hospital and, sadly, those losing their life to this awful disease. Clearly, something is not working. <BR /> <BR />The palpable tension among many sectors in the North has been amplified as a result of these restrictions and televised announcements.”
“However, it is up to the Executive to make sure that those family businesses, those employers and those working in the hospitality sector are compensated for such an enforced closure. Leaving the hospitality sector high and dry would be totally unacceptable. Is that what will happen? We do not know, because the information has been leaked and drip-fed without any substance behind it.”
“It is grandstanding and trying to curry favour with the public by being seen to be inside the loop and able to provide little nuggets of information, and it is unhelpful. <BR /> <BR />The Executive should be allowed to make their decision; the decision should be relayed to the House; and a properly informed campaign to update those affected should follow. The Executive Office should at least endeavour to get right what is within its power, and that includes not leaking like a sieve, briefing the media ahead of meetings and slipping information to the public without the full details in place. Remarks such as, "Restaurants will be able to open without selling alcohol" show that the lead parties of the Executive are detached from reality. Such a policy will not work. If medical science says that sectors should close, sectors must close.”
“I welcome the updated campaign, which includes personal testimonies to communicate the absolutely devastating human cost of COVID-19 and the undeniable value of complying with the restrictions, which are designed to protect people and save lives. <BR /> <BR />I will now say a few words in my capacity as an SDLP MLA. Once again, I begin by highlighting how many of the announcements made by the Executive have been trailed on TV. We saw that yesterday. It is unacceptable, and it has to stop. Today, many people in the close contact and hospitality sector are very unhappy about elements of the announcement made on TV yesterday. It has caused uncertainty and stress, and the decisions have not even been taken yet. That is irresponsible government, and it needs to be knocked on the head.”
“Statutory responsibility for scrutinising the regulations lies with the Committee for Health, of which I am also a member. I look forward to hearing about its deliberations later in the debate from its Chair. <BR /> <BR />The Committee for the Executive Office has delivered a consistent message throughout the pandemic that has centred firmly on urging compliance with the restrictions that are in place. Our ability to reduce the levels of COVID-19 largely depends on the public's support for and understanding of the restrictions. The Executive's communications strategy is key to achieving that. Information campaigns need to be relevant, informative and impactful.”
“Was there any sense that initiatives or plans might be developed to enhance North/South exchanges for young people, especially in youth services, in a post-COVID world? Preparations that are made in the coming period will help to deliver those, perhaps from next summertime onwards. Will Brexit have an impact on any initiatives that might take place?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It refers to draft proposals for PEACE PLUS on the theme of youth and also states that you:”
“Has the Minister had any discussions with the Charity Commission about the charitable status of certain registered charities in Northern Ireland that support and offer conversion therapy? If she has not had any such discussions with the Charity Commission, will she undertake to do so?”
“Is there a way in which we can give comfort to local people by enabling them to get access to those houses, so that they and their families and friends can remain in the communities in which they grew up?”
“I thank the Minister for the comprehensive statement. I want to ask about the housing allocation scheme, to which I have referred before, and any scope in the statement for covering that. <BR /> <BR />We have a large development in Downpatrick of over 100 social houses. There is the usual concern that local people will not get access to those homes. At the same time, we have to recognise that the whole of the North is one unit, therefore people have to be offered those houses.”
“The deputy First Minister may be aware that the Health Committee was told recently that an update was due to the app that might reduce the time that people have to self-isolate. The app works back 14 days, so there is an opportunity to reduce the window in which a person might have to self-isolate. Does the deputy First Minister know when that update might be made available?”
“I would like to see a well-resourced, ring-fenced fund to tackle youth mental health, both in schools and in communities. We have a well-run and well-equipped Youth Service across the North that is well placed to deliver that work. The Facilitating Life And Resilience Education (FLARE) project has had a fantastic impact on young people's lives. Such initiatives should be developed and enhanced. Their reach could be much greater if they were given the chance to enhance their work. <BR /> <BR />I reiterate: placing investment in the public at the heart of the portfolio wins every time. Investment in young people is investment in the future. Such investment is clearly strategic and beneficial. We can do it if we are willing to work together. I support the Budget (No. 3) Bill.”
“Young people are struggling, be it through the trans-generational impact of the Troubles; the prolific nature of drug abuse in communities; the peril of paramilitarism, which is still alive in some communities; or the evolving stress of modern life and the adjustment in online existence with bullying and cyberbullying. We need to tackle that matter now or we will store up problems for the future.”
“With appropriate investment, even at a modest level, we could see the transformational power of public spending helping towns to have bespoke attributes that would make them attractive to residents and visitors, both those from the local area and from far-flung places. Such investment is always recouped manyfold by the local economy and is a worthwhile investment process. With about 20 to 30 small towns across the North, a rolling programme of a few million pounds each year could see them transformed in a short time. <BR /> <BR />I want to mention mental health, specifically youth mental health.”
“The power of tourism is widespread across my area. Downpatrick has the wonderful product of ecclesiastical tourism as the home of St Patrick, world-renowned and pursued. The Lecale coastline is breathtaking, yet we have one of the smallest hotel headcounts in the North. Such investment could bring ripples across our economy. <BR /> <BR />Budget Bills are a long process, and they are not often the spiciest debates in the Chamber. However, they afford us the opportunity to think creatively and essentially to put our money where our mouth is. I look forward to seeing the North begin to rebuild after the devastation of COVID and, hopefully, find a way through Brexit. In future Budgets, I would like consideration to be given to a small towns budget to help towns like Downpatrick to regenerate and develop.”
“<BR /> <BR />In this year's Budget, over £300 million is committed to the Department for the Economy. While some of that money will undoubtedly be spent on the response to COVID, I welcome the fact that it will also be used for the delivery of city deals. If we look at ongoing work in Newry, Mourne and Down, we will, hopefully, soon see the delivery of the Mournes gateway project. While the project cannot be completed without the funds, it could not be delivered without innovation and creative thinking from individuals working on the ground in local communities. Be under no illusion about the transformative power of the Mournes gateway project. We all know that County Down is the most beautiful county in Ireland, and the gateway project will cement its position as the number-one tourism destination in Ireland.”
“Certainly, because it is all about spend, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />If we fail to spend but take the approach of the current occupier of Number 10 and try to progress such hare-brained schemes as a bridge to Scotland, disaster will follow and public confidence will plummet as vital public funds are flushed down the drain. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the fact that moneys have been allocated in the Department of Health to the Fire and Rescue Service, which protects all of us daily but often with little or no thanks. It is my hope that we will see, as part of this investment, the development of an all-island strategy to combat wildfires, which severely impact places such as the Mourne mountains in my constituency. Much like COVID, the fires do not recognise borders, so our response to them must reflect that.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. Of course, it is taken in the round of my conversations that, when you deliver for the public and deliver public investment, you deliver for jobs. I do not think that the idea was directly to connect two separate parts of my full speech.”
“Such a move would only further the connection of communities and people and provide stability through sustainable jobs, a bit like the exciting news that we heard today about the expansion of Finnebrogue Artisan in Downpatrick at the Down Business Park. It is creative and innovative thinking that will only go from strength to strength, but it is done with the skilful work and financing of its managing director, Denis Lynn, with little to no public investment. How much more could be done with the right support from our Department for the Economy? Today, that was an announcement of 300 jobs in the Downpatrick area. It is very welcome, but there is not much support from the public purse. Those are just a fraction of the benefits that we will be able to enjoy because of infrastructure that Minister Mallon has delivered.”
“<BR /> <BR />The lesson of the Downe Hospital in recent months serves as a reminder to the Executive, going forward, that, when you place investment for the public at the heart of your portfolio, you win every time. Think of the positive ripple effect of Minister Mallon's delivery of Casement Park for west Belfast and for the wider community that benefits from it. Think of the benefits of the Ballynahinch bypass, which we have waited for for so long and will, hopefully, see starting soon. Think of the benefits brought about by her continued commitment to the Strangford ferry. Think of the delivery of the Downpatrick park-and-ride facilities, although it must be said that I would gladly continue to campaign for upgrades to the A7 from Belfast to Downpatrick.”
“The Downe Hospital is a fantastic facility and has great scope for further development. The adjacent Downshire complex has scope to be developed for classrooms and as a learning environment, and we could see, once again, a generation of medical practitioners graduate from Downpatrick. Yet that will need investment, and, yes, it will mean effort and work, but the payback could be immense, with more local people being able to avail themselves of the opportunity to train, more supply going into the much-depleted pool of nurses that our health service so desperately needs and a strengthening of our health service so that it serves all our communities and is fit for purpose.”
“I imagine that this was another caveat that our resident Brexiteers failed to mention in the run-up to the referendum: "We will take back control, but, by God, it won't half cost you". <BR /> <BR />Brexit aside, we need to think big. I am a proud Irish nationalist, and l believe that we should think beyond our borders and the limitations of Brexit and COVID. As I detailed yesterday, we now have the commitment to the medical school at Magee. I want to see the medical school act as a driver for future development. Given that close to £1·5 billion is being allocated to the Department of Health, who is to say that we could not have a state-of-the-art nursing school at the Downe Hospital, as staffing is apparently the reason for the prolonged closure of our emergency department?”