Paula Bradshaw
South Belfast · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“They were places where those who were vulnerable were concealed, young mothers were stripped of their babies and children were stripped of their identities. Let us be resolute in our remembrance of what happened behind the doors of those institutions.”
“At all stages, the Committee has set out its clear support for the legislation's overarching aims and principles, which are to establish a statutory public inquiry into the systemic failings associated with mother-and-baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses between 1922 and 1995 and to create a statutory redress scheme for t…”
“Again, I refuse to call them "mother-and-baby homes", for we now know that there was nothing homely about them. What the Bill can and must do is offer a tangible declaration that the state accepts its responsibility.”
“As Chairperson of the Committee for the Executive Office, I welcome the opportunity to speak at the Final Stage of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.”
“Key points were also made in relation to redress: the need to ensure that the Executive Office introduces clear guidelines for the scheme as soon as practicable; the need for the Executive Office to widely communicate and promote the scheme to all victims and survivors, including those who live overseas; and the need for the Executive Off…”
“The First Minister and deputy First Minister tabled a number of amendments that gave effect to the Committee's intent across a number of clauses. In several instances, the Committee chose to withdraw its amendments in favour of the Ministers' wording, where that better reflected the broader book of the law.”
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“I refer also to HERe NI — people will know that it is a voluntary organisation that works with lesbians and their families — and its campaign to encourage access to IVF treatment for same-sex couples. <BR /> <BR />I have friends who paid for IVF treatment out of their own household funds. I know that that puts considerable strain on an already very difficult situation. If we went back 10 years, I am sure that my friends would be absolutely thrilled to be given this opportunity. <BR /> <BR />My party very much supports amendment No 1. I became a mother at age 27, but I had friends who were giving birth right up until their early 40s. That is part of the growing trend, whereby women are empowered to make decisions, as and when it suits them, based on their family circumstances, professional careers and other factors.”
“I will say only a few words today, but I want to place on record that we support the motion and both amendments. I commend Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the DUP for tabling the motion and the two amendments. I think that, in the round, it makes for a good debate here this afternoon. <BR /> <BR />The Alliance Party very much welcomed the commitment in the 'New Decade, New Approach' document, not just for the very practical aspect of it but because it provides an opportunity for the issue of infertility and difficulties with conceiving to be debated in a public forum. We have to work towards removing the taboo that women feel and face when they cannot have children. <BR /> <BR />I also commend the individuals and groups who have campaigned for many years to secure multiple cycles.”
“We need to investigate better mental health provision, better workplace support and ongoing better public awareness of not just autism but the effects it has on pupils' lives. However, this is one step that will be hugely significant, not just because it has an impact on early life, but because it will send a very clear message from this Assembly that we want people living with autism to have exactly the same chances as everyone else. I commend this motion and amendment No 1.”
“<BR /> <BR />The most compelling reason for supporting the motion is not connected to teaching or legal obligations, but it is the simple reality that so many people living with autism do not end up in full-time employment. This must be, at least in part, to do with inadequate support from the start of their education, as well as the ongoing lack of awareness of the condition, despite recent advances. By enabling people with autism to have more choice and control at the outset, including of education pathways and healthier lifestyles, we can set them on the road to a more independent life, with the same opportunities in learning and employment as everyone else. <BR /> <BR />No one here today is arguing that this first step will solve all the problems around autism.”
“We are also keen to emphasise that this needs to include trainee teachers, because it needs to be there from the start of their education journey. New teachers entering the profession will have the advantage of growing up in a society which is already more aware of autism than ever before. They will no doubt be the first to say that specific training will be very useful. Of course, the reason that all teachers need to be trained is that they will all come across autism. On average, almost every class will contain one child living with autism, and the vast majority of children with autism are within our mainstream education provision.”
“As my colleague has just pointed out, the last Programme for Government also gave a specific commitment to giving every child the "best start in life". The motion correctly reflects the fact that we need to achieve the outcome envisaged in the legislation by making sure that everyone is aware of it and suitably trained. We are keen to strengthen it a little to emphasise that this is something that must be done, rather than just explored. I do support Ms Cameron's recommendation that this should be consulted on, because it is both our legal and moral duty to do so. <BR /> <BR />Furthermore, teachers have no issue with this, and, as we have heard today, the teaching unions are very much in favour of mandatory autism training.”
“The advantage of having this centre, which is a step forward, is not only that it provides space for people with the condition and their carers, but it also plays a role in enhancing the awareness raising process to ensure that people with autism are better catered for in daily life, not least when they are accessing public services. <BR /> <BR />In fact, we are approaching a decade since the Autism Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, which requires reasonable adjustments to be made by public organisations. Unfortunately, this has not happened across the school estate due to the various difficulties in managing the process efficiently. However, it is worth emphasising that the Act, and other legislation, clearly requires equal treatment for children with autism in the education system.”
“I support the motion and amendment No 1. <BR /> <BR />I have been the Alliance Party health spokesperson since 2016, and since then barely a day has passed that the subject of autism, and the needs of the children living with it, has not been raised with me, so this is good news. Certainly, there is a higher level of public consciousness of this condition and the steps that need to be taken forward. <BR /> <BR />Last November, in my own constituency, I attended the opening of the National Autistic Society centre in Carryduff. I know there are MLAs in the Chamber today who were also there. It is the first centre of its kind in Northern Ireland, designed specifically with the needs of people living with autism in mind.”
“Even something as simple as the reciprocal recognition of driving licences, for example for our ambulance drivers, across the border needs to be secured, right through to grave issues such as our ability to adequately access data and intelligence to combat sexual exploitation. <BR /> <BR />That is a brief outline of some of the issues arising in just one area about which the European withdrawal Bill is, effectively, silent and on which we have still no serious guidance from the UK Government. That is true whether we voted Leave, Remain or not at all. For that reason, I urge unanimous support for the motion.”
“As we have seen, many have already started to set up bases in the Republic of Ireland, which results in a direct shift in labour and job opportunities across the border. Mutual agreement on medicine standards would be of interest to both our well-being and our economy. <BR /> <BR />Whether we are faced with the worst-case scenario or even the best case, we still need time to improve our data collection and dissemination, workforce contingency plans and communication requirements, given the complexity of the issues that will arise on 1 January next year in health alone.”
“We do not even have a guarantee on reciprocal arrangements concerning the E111 European healthcare insurance card, meaning that people resident in the UK may have to pay for treatment elsewhere, something that would be grossly unfair, in particular to those with rare conditions that cannot be met here in the UK. Many have a justified concern that they will, for example, be blocked from international clinical trials. <BR /> <BR />There is also a concern that a race to the bottom on standards will include standards on food safety and environmental regulation, which have a direct impact on population health. There is also the direct issue for local pharmaceutical firms that have access to EU markets. They will need to be unfettered.”
“We also need agreement on mutual standards, not least to enable people in Northern Ireland to continue to seek treatment elsewhere, including through all-Ireland partnerships, such as that for congenital heart conditions, or for rare conditions right across Europe. We need to see detail from the UK Government on how they will ensure mutual access and recognition so that people from elsewhere in the EU can continue to provide vital care and research here. <BR /> <BR />It is concerning, therefore, to see that one early step of the UK Government was to withdraw, in effect, from the Erasmus programmes; in fact, reciprocal programmes, research projects and even trade missions are vital to ensure that we have the most up-to-date healthcare knowledge that we can with regard to treatment, medicine and even diagnostic equipment.”
“I remind the House, with particular regard to health, as that is my brief, that, when it comes to arrangements on the future relationships between the UK and the EU, we need to see detailed and realistic proposals for cooperation. <BR /> <BR />With regard to workforce issues in Health and Social Care Northern Ireland, we are still without any reassurance that reciprocal arrangements will enable health workers from other EU countries to continue to work in Northern Ireland. Additionally, direct access to a labour market of over 500 million people is of value not just to our health service but to the vital health research ongoing in Northern Ireland, not least in the cancer research centre in my constituency.”
“I support the motion. I emphasise that I do so as a democrat, but we must nevertheless reflect that much of what was pledged by the Leave campaign has not turned out the way the public were told it would. There has been no easy trade deal, no extra money for public services, and a weakened sterling has contributed to rising costs of living. Despite all of that, I argue that it is away from pure trade and pure finance that the biggest risks from Brexit are to be found. That is another reason why I endorse Dr Farry's recent comments in the House of Commons that future arrangements must have the consent of the devolved legislatures that will bear so many of the consequences of them.”
“How will you take that forward? Will you commit to giving them information around the new training places and to looking at the now out-of-date maternity strategy?”
“Mr Speaker, I forgot to congratulate you on your appointment when I made my first remarks. I thank the Health Minister, and I wish him well. I look forward to working on the Health Committee and with the other health spokespersons to support you in your role. <BR /> <BR />In your statement, Minister, you talked about four trade unions. You did not mention the Royal College of Midwives, although you mentioned them briefly in some of your responses. You will know that, on 6 January this year, the college announced that it was going to ballot its members because there is £2,000 less in their pay packets than in the pay packets of midwives in England. How will you engage with them? The vacancies are maybe not as numerous in midwifery, but they are as acutely felt, and there are not as many midwives with agencies and in locum banks.”
“In the last academic year, 200 pupils were not allocated their first choice, and, at the end of the day, seven were not allocated a place at all. <BR /> <BR />You mentioned the protocol and its principal criteria for amalgamation and split sites: I just wonder whether you are minded to change the protocol to reflect where there are pressures, such as I have outlined, to allow for more pupils to be taken on.”
“I echo the congratulations to Mr Weir on his appointment. I also congratulate my colleague Chris Lyttle, who has taken over as Chair of the Committee for Education. <BR /> <BR />I was delighted to see Botanic Primary School and Victoria College included on the list. I am very conscious that Victoria College is one of a large number of post-primary schools in my constituency that has the capacity, if given additional funding for such works, to take on more pupils.”
“Minister, your response seemed very hopeful, and I hope the clinicians will come through with the best solutions for the families. It strikes me, as you said, that it is not really about resources; it is about getting people in the system. As this is your last session in this mandate, when are you going to launch the waiting list strategy you said would come out this month?”
“Thank you, Minister. The issue that is front of us is very reminiscent of that which is facing the Health Minister on waiting lists in that a lot of the responses to these crises are, as Nichola mentioned, very late in the day. Are you satisfied that, in the eight months that you have been the Communities Minister, you have influenced the 9,600 builds, as you outlined, so that they will be future-proofed against this sort of thing happening again, there will be different housing types across different tenures for the future and people will have the right sized houses to suit their needs?”
“The victims and survivors of this abuse have been let down time and again, and it is time for that to end. No more talking: it is time for action.”
“In conclusion, I put on record the Alliance Party's thanks to Sir Anthony Hart. We appreciate his diligence and tenacity in producing such a balanced and fair report. As well as the programme for redress, we support the recommendations for a public, unconditional apology, the creation of the position of a commissioner for survivors of institutional child abuse and the delivery of a memorial. I ask Members here that, unlike with so many other things in Northern Ireland, we do not make the memorial a contentious issue. The last thing that we want to do is fight over where it is located, its format and other such issues. <BR /> <BR />On the far side of the election, it is incumbent on each and every person re-elected to push for the report's recommendations to be implemented immediately.”
“If the structure and resources for redress had been worked up behind the scenes, instead of us debating the recommendations of the inquiry report this evening, we would be discussing our support for the programme of redress and its immediate implementation. This is to the shame of the Executive parties, which had the power and, more importantly, the opportunity over the last eight months to make this happen. I do not want to make political points tonight, but I think we have wasted eight months, because we knew exactly what Sir Anthony Hart was going to recommend.”
“<BR /> <BR />When the victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse and their supporters came to Parliament Buildings last June — I had the pleasure of meeting Margaret McGuckin, who is in the Gallery this evening — they came to tell MLAs and their supporters that Sir Anthony Hart's report was planning to include a recommendation for a process for redress. It could not have been clearer that the most sensible course of action at that time was for the two Executive parties to ensure it was provided for within the Programme for Government and that an associated budget was included. So, eight months ago it was clear the report was going to come out in January and the chair of the inquiry was going to make the recommendation for redress, amongst other things.”
“I do not intend to speak for very long this evening. I think the time for talking is over. It is a time for action, implementation and healing. I put on record the absolute support of the Alliance Party for the recommendations in Sir Anthony Hart's inquiry report. I am particularly saddened for the victims of abuse who have campaigned for justice with the utmost dignity and courage. The Executive have now collapsed, and we are heading into a needless election, and this inquiry report, along with many others, is left waiting urgent attention from the new Executive when they get up and running.”
“Thank you, Minister. I was sort of following what your logic was on that, but I fail to see why you cannot launch it now. Are you not afraid that, like in many other elections where important issues have come up, this will get lost at the far side and it will take many months for it to be picked up again?”
“How expensive will it be for the UK to buy into those drugs and new procedures when we are outside Europe? <BR /> <BR />I commend the amendment to the House and seek the support of those present today — those who bothered to turn up.”
“Parkinson's UK brought people out of their homes to consult on this. Shame on the Executive for not being able to deliver on the Programme for Government. <BR /> <BR />My colleague Stephen Farry mentioned the regional rate, so I will not go into that. I will make a final point, however, about a catastrophic failure of the Executive: there is no plan for Brexit. Shame again on the DUP for promoting exit to its electorate. We have no idea of the extent to which we will be disadvantaged by coming out of Europe. We already know that hundreds of millions of pounds of research grants will not come forward. We are already being excluded from health research trials.”
“They, too, should feel very let down today. Where is that Programme for Government now? It is in the gutter. At the far side of the election, it will be very difficult for those groups, such as health charities, to get any enthusiasm up to come forward and bring people together.”
“Without the Budget and that extra investment, it will be a long time until we see these necessary changes. Again, the Bannview practice is a clear example of why the Minister and the Executive should be up and running to deliver on that as opposed to having this needless election. <BR /> <BR />In relation to the health and social care sector, we were promised the new Programme for Government and approach around outcomes-based accountability. Coming from the community sector, I was very aware that this stuff was rolling on behind the scenes. Over the last few months, community groups, health charities and voluntary organisations brought together groups of their users, members, boards and board directors to discuss in as much detail as possible their response to the consultation process for the Programme for Government.”
“We mentioned it earlier when the Health Minister came to the House to answer the question for urgent oral answer from my colleague Mrs Dobson on the crisis in the GP sector. We, as the Committee for Health, were very supportive of the Health Minister when she brought forward her "road map", as she calls it, for delivering on health transformation. Within that, very sensible proposals had been brought forward by the Bengoa report. To deliver on them, she required, and said that she had Executive approval for, additional investment. The investment would be to allow for what she called "double-running", which meant that existing services would go on while bringing in new services, innovative practices and the rolling out of best-practice pilots that have been introduced in one trust area into another.”
“I think that it would have been far better served if we had debated it four or five months ago, because it was very clear to many of us sitting here on the Back Benches that the wheels were starting to come off the Executive months ago. We can really trace it back to the day after the referendum on Brexit. What we were promised last May when Arlene Foster came into post again as First Minister was that we would have a stable, united Executive. MLAs who are present here, possibly with some exceptions, and the wider public will feel very let down now over the news in the last 24 hours that we are heading for an election. <BR /> <BR />I will concentrate on the implications for the health sphere of the failure of the Executive to bring forward a Budget.”
“I rise to support the motion and make the winding-up speech on the amendment. Unfortunately, very few people actually referenced the amendment, which relates to the regional rate. It is totally understandable on a day like today. Yesterday evening, I was in a near-empty Chamber like this when we were discussing collaboration between the Health and Justice Departments on alcohol-related crime. Like today, it was very lamentable that Sinn Féin MLAs absented themselves from that debate. Do Sinn Féin MLAs not think that these issues, like this one today, matter to their constituents? It is shameful that they have decided to walk away. <BR /> <BR />The motion is very important. I applaud the Opposition parties for bringing it.”
“I was listening to the radio this morning, and a patient from Bannview was talking about the lack of information. I welcome the fact that you said that the Health and Social Care Board would be letting patients know. What are you doing in the interim to prevent those patients who are frail and elderly, as Ms Lockhart outlined, from going to emergency departments? At the minute, there is a lack of information, and, as we know, emergency departments are already under tremendous pressure, especially in that area.”
“This problem will get worse before it gets better, and it is very lamentable that we are now going into an election when we should be delivering on transformation.”
“Thank you, Minister, for coming today and answering Mrs Dobson's question. Given that you do not have your budget now, I am not as confident as I was a few months ago that you will be able to deliver on the reform process that you set out in your pathway that was influenced by Professor Bengoa.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your response. I was concerned when you mentioned processing delays, given that an awful lot of people who come into custody suites are suffering from mental health problems. Is there any instruction that you can give to the PSNI on how better to deal with mental health issues while people are being processed?”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. You mentioned an informed assessment, but what plans do you have to change the current passenger transport operating legislation to align more with the Republic of Ireland and the rest of Europe — as you outlined, those transport links are very important — or are you minded to continue with the current UK derogations?”
“I support the motion; however, I think it needs a wee bit more work.”
“I had not noticed the time; thank you. I totally agree, and that is my point. A lot of statutory agencies are already doing this work, and they are to be applauded on and supported in that. <BR /> <BR />The other reason why I have a wee bit of a reservation about this is that, in the eight months I have been in the Assembly, particularly as my party's health spokesperson, I have heard of so many strategies that are at various stages of development and implementation with little or no funding to deliver on them. Without fear of contradiction, I would say that there are many people out there in the community sector who have very little faith that if another strategy was produced by this Assembly it would necessarily have the desired effects and outcomes.”
“To that end, I think that, unlike what is proposed here this evening — leaving it to the Department of Justice in collaboration with the Health Department — the policing and community safety partnerships, which are facilitated in the 11 councils, should be the structures through which any such strategy flows. I mean that in the sense that the strategy for Enniskillen would possibly be very different from the one for South Belfast, and I think the people around the table, such as the Prison Service, the Probation Board and social services —”
“I think that, further down the line, the Justice Department and its associated agencies also have to deal with the fallout from alcohol-induced incidents. I am talking about the Youth Justice Agency, the Probation Board and, in more serious cases, the Prison Service. It is highly regrettable that scant resources from our Budget have to be spent on dealing with needless crimes. <BR /> <BR />I came to the Assembly in May last year, having spent 19 years working in grass-roots projects. I believe that we will see a reduction in alcohol-related crimes only when the strategy is developed and fed up through the grass roots.”
“Members will know that it is a video campaign that the PSNI takes to youth clubs, schools and community groups. It is really about getting the message across that just one punch can be fatal. <BR /> <BR />I also commend the likes of Queen's University and the University of Ulster, which, despite some issues around disturbances in the Holylands, have proven that they care about the pastoral needs of their students. They try to guide them by encouraging more responsible alcohol consumption. I will also mention the likes of Drinkaware, some retailers and the Public Health Agency, which are trying to play their part in what seems like a disjointed process. <BR /> <BR />As I say, I believe that alcohol-related crimes place a burden on the health service.”
“In short, they are the ones who bear the brunt of the disturbances that drunk individuals and their friends bring to the constituency. <BR /> <BR />Then we have the extreme cases of alcohol-related crime — I am talking about things like actual bodily harm — when individuals or groups get involved in fights outside bars, and somebody inevitably needs hospital care. What then happens is that an ambulance crew has to come to take the injured individual, whether they are an innocent victim or not, to an emergency department, and the staff who are already under pressure — the doctors, nurses and front-line workers — have to direct their attention to that individual and away from people who may be more in need. <BR /> <BR />At this point, I would like to put on record a commendation of the PSNI's One Punch campaign.”
“That has a detrimental effect on the residents whom I represent, the workers and, in some cases, even the healthcare provision in the local hospitals, for example. <BR /> <BR />The reality of it is that, as drunk individuals and crowds move throughout the South Belfast constituency, they disturb the settled communities. Members will know the geography of South Belfast — it includes the Markets, the lower Ormeau, Sandy Row and Donegall Road. A lot of the people who live in the houses there are frail and elderly or have young children and are particularly susceptible to being frightened when they hear a bottle smashing in their front garden, a wing mirror being knocked off their car or any other damage being done to their property.”
“I support the motion. I am not exactly sure that it is the right proposal going forward, but I think that the sentiment behind it is to be applauded, so I thank the Members for tabling it. <BR /> <BR />I represent the South Belfast constituency. I am sure that others in the Chamber will also say this this evening, but I think that my constituency has a particular problem with alcohol-related crime, because it covers part of the city centre and a lot of the points on arterial routes, where there is a concentration of licensed premises and leisure locations. Unfortunately, for us as a constituency, whilst the problem is concentrated there, a lot of the people who are involved in alcohol-related crime do not necessarily reside there.”
“I would like to go back one question, Minister, to core grant funding. It is welcome that there will be no reduction next year, but there has been a reduction of 25% this year. The rationale for that was that this innovation fund was coming forward. It was believed that that money was in the budget. Given the urgency with which we need these health and well-being projects to be delivered, would it not be prudent to reinstate that 25% for the current financial year?”
“The core grant funding of health and social care organisations, which your Department provides, was cut by 25% in this financial year. Given the fact that the innovation fund was not brought forward in this financial year, will that 25% be reinstated?”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Given the suspension of Standing Order 20(1), can you confirm whether the Finance and Health Ministers will attend Question Time today?”
“Does the Member agree with me that it is only right and proper that we are concerned about a group like Charter, which is headed up by a UDA leader, receiving that funding given the number of death threats, attacks on our properties and bullets to our homes that we have received from the UDA in recent years?”