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 just want to make a bit of progress, then I will maybe let you in. <BR /> <BR />It is because of that that I will oppose the motion and, instead, support the amendment —”
“Victims are not best served by jabbing rhetoric or a political blame game, passing responsibility back and forth between jurisdictions. They are best served by a practical, victim-centred, human rights-compliant approach.”
“I welcome the debate today. We should all keep one thing firmly in our minds this morning, which is the victims and survivors of the Omagh bomb and, indeed, all those bereaved, injured and killed during the entirety of the Troubles. They should be at the heart of today's discussion. Their voices must be heard, and their experiences and those of their family members must be used to guide how we deal with the difficult issues surrounding legacy. <BR /> <BR />In considering the original motion, I found that, while it raises real concerns, it risks becoming more about political point-scoring than about real commitment to truth, justice and accountability for victims and survivors, and it takes us away from where the focus should be.”
“An extension will allow the Committee to deepen its engagement with survivors and affected stakeholders, refine the initial redress scheme to ensure fairness and accessibility, and strengthen the inquiry framework to guarantee independence and trauma-informed practice. <BR /> <BR />This is not about delay; it is about dignity. Survivors have waited decades for recognition, and we must not rush the process now but take the time to listen, to learn and to legislate with care. I urge Members to support the extension of the Committee Stage until the end of January 2026. Let us honour the courage of those who have come forward, and let us ensure that the Bill delivers the truth and redress that they deserve.”
“We held engagement sessions with survivors and advocacy groups to provide more information on the passage of the Bill through the Assembly. We have begun detailed scrutiny of the Bill's provisions, including, at last week's Committee, meeting men and women with lived experience of the various institutions. <BR /> <BR />It is clear that more time is needed. Survivors have asked us for space to reflect, respond and be heard. Important questions about eligibility, compensation and the structure of the inquiry have emerged, and we, as legislators, must ensure that every clause of the Bill is fit for purpose.”
“Thank you. As Chair of the Committee for the Executive Office, I propose an extension to the Committee Stage of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill. The legislation is not only technically complex but deeply personal. It seeks to deliver truth and redress to survivors of institutions that operated in Northern Ireland over many decades. Those institutions left a legacy of trauma, shame, secrecy and exclusion. Our duty now is to ensure that the legislative response is thorough, inclusive and survivor-led. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has already undertaken significant work. We launched a comprehensive call for evidence, which has been open for 11 weeks and closes at the end of this month.”
“I do not have time. They need sentences that reflect the seriousness of the crimes committed. <BR /> <BR />In closing, I will reference a point that Linda Dillon raised about women in our communities who live in constant fear created by criminal organisations that masquerade as paramilitary organisations. That is exploitation in its highest form, and it must be challenged head-on.”
“I thank Mr Frew and Mr Burrows for supporting the call for more money for the PSNI, the PPS, the courts and so on. They need the resources to make sure that victims get timely investigations, strong prosecutions and that sentences reflect —”
“I will move on. I was generous in giving the Member some of my time. <BR /> <BR />I commend my Alliance Party colleague the Justice Minister for her work with departmental officials on the forthcoming sentencing Bill with an aggravator model for hate crimes and on the victims and witnesses of crime Bill. I welcomed Mr Beattie's warm words and his warm attitude towards the introduction of the Bill, and I look forward to his being constructive after its First Reading. Both of those Bills will offer a real opportunity to put together protections in law, and we must make sure that the provisions on hate crime are supported by all when they come to the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />The Executive programme on paramilitarism and organised crime needs continued support and scrutiny.”
“Let me finish this point, please. As Chair of the Committee for the Executive Office, I put on record that we need to see a new racial equality strategy, the introduction of the new race relations order and an acceleration of the implementation of the refugee integration strategy. <BR /> <BR />I will give way to the Member.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for raising that point. Whenever we see such incidents, it is the community and voluntary sector and front-line public-sector workers who step forward to provide shelter for families who are fleeing attacks. <BR /> <BR />That is why the Assembly and Executive must act together. As Chair of the Committee for the Executive Office, I place on record —”
“No, we were given a voice to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and to act with the best interests of all the people in Northern Ireland in mind.”
“As Linda Dillon said, we were all elected to represent every member of our communities, not just the ones whom we relate to, the ones who reflect our voting base or those whose families look like us.”
“My constituency colleague Matthew O'Toole outlined some of what we, as elected representatives, have been dealing with, including threats that were left on the windscreens of cars belonging to Irish language students; an attack on the Islamic centre, where people were gathered in prayer; and racially motivated attacks on homes, resulting in families fleeing through fear. Those are not isolated events, and those families and individuals hear words in the Chamber that are not followed up by deeds. That leaves them feeling very hollow and let down time and again. It is up to the whole Executive to turn that sorry situation around, as the Justice Minister has articulated.”
“<BR /> <BR />While the statistics are shocking and disturbing, they do not reflect the full gravity of the problem, because, as we know, a lot of victims do not come forward to report. All of the statistics, however, are more than a number: they represent a neighbour, a student or a family who have been told loud and clear by some that they are not welcome. Every Member will be aware of the summer that we have just experienced and the individual incidents that occurred in their constituency.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the debate and thank the leader of the Opposition for bringing it to the House. It speaks to one of the largest societal challenges that we face in Northern Ireland today: the obstinate persistence of hate crime. Whether it takes the form of racism, sectarianism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny or ableism, the impact is the same: individuals and families are made to feel targeted, less than and as though they do not belong in our communities. We do not need to look hard for examples. My party colleague Connie Egan provided some statistics from the PSNI on the level of racist and sectarian incidents. They remain among the highest categories of reported hate crime.”
“I will pick up on the joint framework that was announced last week; I am not asking the First Minister to pass judgement on it yet. The First Minister's Department has responsibility for support for victims and survivors. Will she instruct a review of current programmes, with a view to better supporting victims and survivors under the new policy framework?”
“A two-state solution is also hindered by building illegal settlements, and we also need to see immediate access to humanitarian aid for Gaza, including via the border with Egypt, which is currently under Israeli control. Most of all, we must reflect on our common humanity. The endless cycle of war and violence, including crimes against humanity, will only breed suffering for the current generation and hatred in the next one. The route to peace, as ever, is through dialogue, not violence.”
“We also have to be clear that the Israeli Government, acting contrary to the wishes of the Israeli people, according to surveys going back many months and contrary to the expressed views of many Israeli military leaders, are continuing a war with the objective of ending any prospect of that outcome. It is our position that both Palestinians and Israelis have the right to self-determination, dignity and statehood; indeed, that should never have been conditional. <BR /> <BR />Recognition is fundamentally a symbolic act, of course. It is an important one but also one that needs to be followed with consistent resultant action.”
“Thank you to Gerry for bringing the Matter of the Day to the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />I rise to reflect on the UK's recognition of the Palestinian state, which was accompanied by recognition by Portugal. We expect France to follow today. I appreciate some of the concerns about recognising a state that does not have a functioning Administration. Nevertheless, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, on a recent visit to Stormont, correctly described a two-state solution as the only game in town. <BR /> <BR />Hamas, of course, rejects a two-state solution, and it is important that any recognition should be about promoting and supporting a two-state solution: a safe, democratic Palestine and a safe, democratic Israel.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. In Belfast, we have the bonfire management scheme, and council officials inspect the bonfires right up to the last day. A lot of the political posters and so on are put on in the couple of hours before the bonfires are to be lit. How would you deal with those instances?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I come back to the comments from Mr Beattie, who was on the commission, that the FICT report did not make recommendations only on bonfires and flags but covered memorials and murals. Does the Member agree that we need to look at all the recommendations of the FICT report so that we can tackle all the issues together?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does he concur that the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service also says that there are no safe bonfires and that it cannot stand over uncontrolled fires?”
“As someone who comes from a background of urban regeneration, I like to see brownfield sites in our inner-city areas being regenerated. There are alternatives, such as beacons, and there are other ways in which we can make bonfires safer and reduce the threat to the public. I take the Member's point that we need to respect tradition, but we have to do so in a way that is safe. <BR /> <BR />I am conscious, Mr Deputy Speaker, that I am running out of time. Whilst legislation and regulations, the need for which were identified by the FICT commission, are in place, they are not properly overseen. We need a refresh so that we can look at how to implement the recommendations of the FICT report. We need leadership, cooperation, action and those regulations. Our communities deserve safe celebrations, free from hate and harm.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />I agree with Mr Brooks that there are successful community bonfires across Belfast city and beyond, but we need our community leaders to step up whenever there is a serious —.”
“Too many sites that are used for bonfires sit in the grey area that I mentioned earlier, where landlords are either absent or unwilling or unable to secure their property. If celebrations take place on contaminated or unsecured land, the issue presented is not cultural: it becomes an environmental crime and a threat to public safety. We need coordination, clarity, accountability and robust —.”
“I suggest that the motion would have been more successful had it, instead, called for leadership from the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the establishment of a cross-departmental programme board with oversight from the Executive Office, because this is not a problem for one Minister or one Department — they cannot resolve it in isolation. Rather, a united approach is needed across government. The problem requires collaboration between the Environment Agency, the Housing Executive, the PSNI, the Fire and Rescue Service, the Department for Infrastructure, councils and, most importantly, local communities. It also requires that the wider questions of landownership and responsibility be addressed.”
“That is why I call for support for the implementation of the FICT recommendations.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I have said many times in relation to my private Member's Bill on the display of flags and emblems — I repeat the same sentiment here today — it is not about removing tradition nor policing culture; it is about respect, safety and building communities in which celebration does not come at the expense of others.”
“<BR /> <BR />This year alone during the Eleventh night celebrations, there were 72 bonfire-related incidents reported out of a total of 194 incidents dealt with by firefighters. On the night of 11 July, the Fire and Rescue Service received 277 emergency calls, which was more than double the number received the previous year. That tells us that the problem seems to be escalating, potentially in isolated and repeat locations, but there is an issue that needs to be dealt with. In recent years, we have seen countless injuries, a death and even firefighters attacked while carrying out their duties. We all have to ask ourselves how long we should allow that to continue and at what point we should finally say that enough is enough.”
“That desperation is not borne out of any negativity towards the tradition per se; it is out of fear that something will happen to one of the bonfire builders on a site for which they are not covered by insurance. <BR /> <BR />It is important to be clear: many bonfires are for celebration and commemoration and are considerate of everyone in the nearby neighbourhood. They go ahead without contention and are enjoyed by local communities. It is that positivity that we must focus on. The bottom line is that bonfires must be lawful, safe and respectful. Anything else is a threat, in the immediate term, to good relations and, in the longer term, to the ability of that community to regenerate and attract inward investment.”
“I support the motion. Every summer, we witness the same problems and see flags, effigies, political posters and other racist and sectarian symbols placed on bonfires. That is not a reflection of unionist celebration or culture; nor should it be portrayed as such. Those who place such items on bonfires do a disservice to the wider loyalist and unionist community. <BR /> <BR />Every summer, we also hear reports of bonfires being built on land close to houses, play parks, electricity substations for public services, and so on. Over the years, I have been contacted by landowners — for the record, I have never been contacted by the Meridi Street landowner — desperate to find a way to prevent the collection of bonfire material taking place on their land.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your statement. Given the qualification of the Ireland men's hockey team in 2016 and 2024 and the women's hockey team in 2020, with all three teams having been captained by local players, it is clear that we are producing Olympians in that sport. Minister, you will be aware of Ulster Hockey's recent report, which looked at the state of each hockey pitch and identified what is needed at each site. Will you commit to engaging with Ulster Hockey to see how hockey clubs across Northern Ireland can be facilitated in applying to the fund?”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. During Question Time, I asked the deputy First Minister for an update on the international relations strategy. She responded by saying that international engagement as a priority area is a non-devolved area. There is a full directorate on intergovernmental international relations, and one of the key strategies should be an international relations strategy. Will you please review Hansard to see whether the deputy First Minister misled the House?”
“Thank you, Minister, for coming to the Chamber to answer the question for urgent oral answer. Many years ago, I visited Brackenburn Clinic and engaged with the healthcare professionals who were there, and I can confirm that they worked in the very best interests of the children and their families and their particular circumstances. Given that Cass is almost infamous in the whole public discourse, did you consider engaging somebody else with that professionalism to carry out the review?”
“Thank you, Minister. It sounds as though good progress is being made, but I impress on you how that school could benefit from a new build. It is incredibly diverse, and it has an excellent education and pastoral support system in place. It could do a lot better if it had a new school building.”
“I fully agree that dialogue and engagement are really important, but I continue to be concerned that we have not yet seen an international relations strategy that would underpin all types of engagement on a world stage. I would appreciate an update on that.”
“First Minister, I welcome your announcement of the £220,000, which is great news. What mechanisms and structures will your Department now put in place to ensure that that money is really well targeted at those who are best placed to get to the root cause of the racism?”
“Thank you, deputy First Minister, for your statement. There is an element missing from the statement: an update on the international relations strategy from the Executive Office. Will you please provide us with that update?”
“Thank you, First Minister, for your statement. I am sure that you will join me in expressing sadness at the tragic murder of Sarah Montgomery at the weekend. Your statement touched on ending violence against women and girls. You talked about exploring opportunities: given the unacceptably high rates of murder of our women and attacks on our women and girls, will you please give some specifics on what those opportunities will look like?”
“Thank you, deputy First Minister, for your statement. I want to pick up on the role of AI in reform and transformation. We have a pressing need for health transformation. What discussions took place on research and development in the field of diagnostics?”
“I thank the junior Minister for giving way. I may be reading too much into what you have just said, but is the posthumous date, for example, something that you will work on with departmental officials over the summer with the aim of tabling an amendment, as opposed to the Committee having to do so?”
“Those are the main issues that I wanted to raise at Second Stage. We can work with departmental officials and the Examiner of Statutory Rules on some of the technical issues in due course. I encourage anyone and everyone to get in touch with me and/or the Committee with any concerns about or unmet aspirations in the Bill. <BR /> <BR />I end where I began by paying tribute to the women and adult adoptees who have campaigned for far too long to get us to this point. The inquiry and redress scheme must deliver for them, and I commit to doing everything in my power as a member of the Committee for the Executive Office and as an Alliance Party MLA to shape the Bill to make sure that we do not let them down again.”
“Again, we need to find a way to ensure that those "relevant persons" also include the babies and children who died whilst staying in one of the institutions. On that point, the inclusion in clause 1(2) of the words "Truth Recovery" before "Public Inquiry" is superfluous. In closed session, the Committee took evidence from now adult women who had been placed in the Whiteabbey Girls Training School. They told us that they did not come forward during the Historical Institutional Abuse inquiry because they did not feel that it was relevant to them. What we need with this public inquiry is plain English. "Truth Recovery Public Inquiry" could fill a newspaper headline. We need to make sure that this speaks directly to people, so those words should be removed.”
“Thank you. I will go further and read into the record that the Committee has been very frustrated that, when we have asked the institutions to come before Committee, they have refused and have hidden under the cloth that they are all-island and that their headquarters are in Dublin. We need to find a way, through the Bill, to hold them to account. <BR /> <BR />I will now turn to the inquiry itself. Under the "relevant persons" definition found at clause 5, we need to ensure that the following persons are included and appear in the Bill: those who entered mother-and-baby institutions having been raped and impregnated while residing in a workhouse. They should have been there and should have been cared for, yet they were groomed and then led a further traumatised life.”
“On the funding, which is found in one of the schedules, the Committee has been very disappointed at the slow pace with which the institutions have come forward with contributions — so-called voluntary contributions — to the historical institutional abuse redress scheme. We — certainly my colleague Stewart Dickson and I — will focus on how we can amend the Bill to put in a requirement for the institutions to contribute to the redress scheme. They have to be held to account for the pain and suffering that they have inflicted.”
“Clause 32(2), which is about the time limit for applications for a payment, states that the time for payment may, by regulations, be extended from three years to a maximum of five years. That is a mistake. What happens if, God forbid, we have another pandemic? What happens if communication and promotion of the scheme is slow to permeate beyond these shores and those people who are eligible who live in, for example, Australia or Canada do not hear about the scheme for a couple of years? It is unnecessary to specify the maximum time for the extension of the scheme, considering that it is purported that these provisions will go into regulations. <BR /> <BR />I have a final point.”
“When it comes to historical institutional abuse, we know that, under that redress scheme, the standardised payment was £10,000, but that was from a Bill that received Royal Assent in 2019. If you take 2019 for your figure, in today's money, £10,000 would be worth £12,771, or alternatively, if you take this figure for the redress scheme, which opened in 2020, £10,000 would now be worth approximately £12,545. I note, of course, that the initial payment that was proposed for HIA was £7,500, and, through collective political action, that was raised to £10,000. I hope that the Committee and those in this Chamber can come together to raise that figure, through an amendment, to one that is linked to inflation. <BR /> <BR />I want to raise another couple of issues with the redress scheme.”
“We know from the QUB/Ulster University research that there were higher levels of infant mortality in those institutions, and while they admit in the 2021 report that the figure varied by institution and got less severe as time passed, there is evidence, from statistics and from the stories of women who gave birth, that they experienced very harsh birth conditions. They were not afforded the same support as women who were married, whether in the institutions or a nearby hospital. As such, I want to see what happened to those babies and children. Maybe they lived for only a day or two, but they should be acknowledged in what is an acknowledgement scheme. <BR /> <BR />I will turn to the £10,000 standardised payment as found at clause 31(9)(a).”
“Nobody was looking out for them, so, for decades, they were subject to very similar abuse and trauma. We cannot say that the women who went through this, because they died after a certain date, did not experience trauma and abuse similar to that which children in those institutions did. The point is that, as that lady, in her letter about her mother, Brenda, said, we cannot put a time frame on the fact that those women, who were subjected to that abuse, should be acknowledged in the redress scheme. <BR /> <BR />I will move on. I put on record my concern that the redress scheme does not seem to give any recognition to those babies and children who died early due to the harsh conditions under which they entered the world.”