Gerry Carroll
West Belfast · People Before Profit Alliance · Northern Ireland
“Yesterday morning, as others did, I stood alongside our resident doctors as they commenced a 24-hour period of industrial action. We often praise our healthcare workers in the House and more generally, saying things such as that they are invaluable and that we wish them well.”
“If we have learnt anything from the political events of the past week, it is that powerful people — powerful men, in particular — and institutions should always be held to maximum account when it comes to abuse, neglect and victims, and that victims and survivors should be believed and supported on every occasion.”
“Agency spend has, again, gone through the roof and is sky-high; locum spend has gone up and continues to go up — it has gone up by in the region of £0·5 billion over the past few years; and, almost every single year out of the past five to 10 years, hundreds of millions of pounds of public money have been pumped into the for-profit privat…”
“With bills increasing month-on-month and year-on-year, that is true, and those workers need a proper settlement that meets their needs and the ever-increasing cost of living. One striking doctor put it to me starkly yesterday. They said that they left Scotland and took a more senior position in the health sector in Belfast.”
“I commend Stephen and his colleagues in the Bill Office and the Executive Office officials, who worked closely with me to try to support, amend or help along my amendments — whatever way you want to look at it. I also want to commend the Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone who spoke out during the last few stages.”
“I commend people for speaking out on the issue, especially Sharon Burke. I think that she might be in the Gallery. She has been emailing Members on that issue.”
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“Just today, environmental campaigners gathered outside the Building to demand immediate action to tackle the environmental crisis at Lough Neagh. They gathered because the crisis is urgent, because the loss of biodiversity is rapid and catastrophic and because the poisoning of our drinking water has continued unabated since the restoration of the Assembly. Anyone who has been awake during the past three months will remember the promises that the Executive parties made about addressing the crisis at Lough Neagh. Since February, the Executive website and the media have been awash with grand statements from Ministers, who have expressed their supposed willingness to deal with that environmental disaster. Unfortunately for the rest of us, glossy PR photos of Ministers wearing waterboots by the lough shore will not fix the problems.”
“In that context, people need to go back to mobilising and to go back on to the streets to call for a free Palestine from the river to the sea. People need to end support for that apartheid system, that apartheid state and that brutal apartheid regime.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Oslo Accords gave the green light to the extension of illegal and immoral Israeli settlements. Palestinians have every right to dismantle that apartheid system and apartheid state, and we support them in their right to do so. Unfortunately, the motion does not support that. Israel has to be seen as a settler, colonial, apartheid state. Growing numbers of people see it that way. The logic that should follow, as it did with South Africa, is that the state and the system should fall. <BR /> <BR />Despite all the talk of agreeing a ceasefire, what does Israel do? With all the talk of a possible ceasefire in our midst, Israel goes to the border at Rafah, states that it will intervene there and implements slaughter on a mass scale.”
“I particularly mention the students and young people who are marching in the US and camping out in universities there. Here, I salute the students at Queen's who have occupied the Lanyon Building today to call on the Queen's administration to call out the Israeli state. <BR /> <BR />Palestine is the end of the world that never ends. It is up to Palestinians to determine what their future looks like, free from assault, slaughter, massacres and occupation. It is a mistake for the motion to dictate what that should look like. In my view and that of many others, it is a mistake to impose a discredited, unworkable two-state solution on Palestinians, many of whom do not accept it for many reasons. We have recently seen that even the US does not want a two-state solution. It has resisted calls to implement one for decades.”
“They do matter, however, to the millions of people across the world and across these islands who have marched to condemn the slaughter and to call for a ceasefire, the implementation of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) and the expulsion of Israeli ambassadors. <BR /> <BR />Palestine is a litmus test for the world. It is a litmus test for humanity that people are meeting that test. Across the world — in the Middle East and elsewhere — most Governments are failing that test. The EU, Britain and the US are complicit in the slaughter. They are not just turning a blind eye to it, which would be bad enough, but are up to their necks in funding and backing it. Shame on them all. <BR /> <BR />The people have still marched and taken to the streets. I commend all those people who have done so.”
“People often say, "What about peaceful protests?" Of course, that is always the preferred and usual way by which folk can and do stand against war and slaughter. However, when people tried to march peacefully for an end to Israeli occupation and violence, what happened? The Great March of Return was an attempt to do that. Palestinians with flags and banners were mowed down like dogs. Hundreds were killed, but there was no outrage from most Western states. Note the different reaction from states and Governments. We live in a cruel world: one in which some lives matter more than others. In that cruel world, in the eyes of most Governments, Palestinians are always at the bottom of the pile, their lives do not count and their stories do not matter.”
“One can only imagine what it is like for Palestinians who are trying to live through probably the first live-streamed genocide of our times. Although the scale is grotesque, it is not an aberration. The violence did not begin on 7 October. There has been a 7 October every other month or so for Palestinians, who have been living under terror, occupation and apartheid since at least 1948 — before that, if you include the violent British mandate system that was imposed on Palestinians. <BR /> <BR />There are a few issues with the motion that need to be mentioned before this place can hopefully call for a ceasefire. The first is that it equates the violence of those who are living under brutal occupation with those who seek to resist and push back against it.”
“It is important that the Assembly has a chance to discuss the urgent, pressing need for a ceasefire to be implemented to stop the Israeli killing machine. Despite all the declarations from this place about peace and peace processes, it is unforgivable that it has taken this long to have the debate about condemning genocide and the actions of Israel. It is long overdue for the Executive to call for a ceasefire. Rather than cosying up to states and Governments who fund the slaughter and the apartheid state, the Executive should call for a ceasefire. They should call for there to be no engagement with the apartheid state and for the expulsion of Israeli diplomats from these islands. So far, they have refused to do so. <BR /> <BR />The scale of what has been taking place is horrendous and unimaginable.”
“Minister, £1·6 million is a paltry sum given the scale of the crisis. Will you confirm whether the AERA Minister submitted a plan to you or to the Executive to save the lough, including acquisition of the lough and establishing an environment protection agency, beyond the £1·6 million figure that you mentioned?”
“To add insult to injury, they are also being asked to pay for parking again. What a shame. <BR /> <BR />During the early stages of the Bill, I raised scepticism about the delays and technological issues that the Minister had cited as the main reason for this Bill's introduction. He has now revealed that the technological issues have been more or less resolved. That confirms my suspicion that it was always about resource: raising money and putting the burden on workers and the public, which was stated by the Minister and in the explanatory memorandum. For those reasons and for the many others that I have previously stated, I oppose this regressive and unfair Bill.”
“The Minister mentioned alternative forms of transport — active travel and the like: that is important, but it is not available or accessible to everyone. I urge the Executive to allocate proper resources to infrastructure for cycling, walking and other forms of active travel. <BR /> <BR />It would be remiss of me not to mention that social workers are due to begin strike action tomorrow because they are overworked and underpaid. The very people who are equipped for early intervention cannot intervene early, because they have too much work to do with too few workers. There is a vacancy rate of almost 50% for family support services in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust area. It seems that the money that should go to those workers will not be made available in the Budget.”
“Thank you. I am always ready to speak. <BR /> <BR />I will not repeat verbatim what I said at the Bill's previous stages, but I will oppose the Bill. As with many promises that have been made by the Executive parties, the Minister and the Executive are rolling back on something that they promised and voted through. They sought votes from and campaigned on the policy and then U-turned and went into reverse gear when they got into the Executive and back into office. <BR /> <BR />The parking charge is a tax on those who work in our health and social care sector and those who need to avail themselves of those services. I repeat: it is one rule for MLAs and Ministers up here with their free parking and another for everybody else who works in or relies on our Health and Social Care (HSC) services.”
“On a point of order, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I heard the deputy First Minister state that immigration has an impact on public services. I do not believe that that is a correct or truthful comment, so I ask that your office review that point as well.”
“Given the sabre-rattling towards, scaremongering about and scapegoating of our asylum-seeking and refugee brothers and sisters, particularly in recent weeks, what commitment can the deputy First Minister give that, at the next East-West Council meeting, TEO Ministers will make clear their support for the freedom of movement of people and their opposition to any hardening of the border and to any deportation of people from here to Britain, Rwanda or anywhere else that they do not want to go?”
“Minister, thank you. I urge you to implement the scheme to support those people, and I also urge you to commit to engaging with groups that represent them to make sure that the scheme that is in place is suitable for the people who are facing that cliff edge.”
“Recently, I met parents of children with autism and special needs. There is serious concern about their children being forced into mainstream education when it is not suitable. It is unclear from your statement, Minister, whether there will be additional funding for specialist provision in mainstream schools. Can you clarify and expand on that? <BR /> <BR />Finally, given that there is a long overdue pay and grading review and you are asking education workers to implement your plan, when will those workers get the money that was promised to them?”
“A lot of anti-migrant and anti-asylum seeker rhetoric has been whipped up, particularly in the past few weeks. What discussions, if any, took place at the NSMC about the detested Rwanda scheme or any other anti-asylum seeker scheme of the British Government or the Irish Government? Will the First Minister commit to raising at the next meeting her opposition to that rotten scheme and all the anti-asylum seeker rhetoric of the past few weeks?”
“I appreciate the Minister's giving way, and I welcome the findings from the report. I am happy to be corrected, but it is my understanding that planning application PLA1/16 — I do not expect the Minister to know what that is: it is the application from EHA Exploration Limited for a petroleum licence for drilling in and around Lough Neagh — remains outstanding while it has not been granted by previous Ministers or by him. Can the Minister confirm whether it is still outstanding or whether it is null and void or give us an update on that either today or in writing?”
“— activists to keep up the fight and to keep campaigning.”
“We need to ensure that the wealthy minority, whose interests are driving the climate crisis, are forced to pay for the transition to a greener economy so that working people are not punished for the destruction that was wrought by others. The new Executive need to, as a bare minimum, urgently bring forward a climate action plan and firmly commit to meeting the emissions targets set out in the Climate Change Act. I welcome a ban on fracking and petroleum extraction, but I also encourage —”
“We only have to look at the Stormont consultation on onshore petroleum licensing, which points to the fact that the economic benefits are negligible. The only people whom it benefits are, as always, the wealthy minority who profit from the destruction of our planet. Air quality, public health and mental and physical well-being are all being sacrificed to line the pockets of a few. <BR /> <BR />We need a strategy for change, but it must put working-class people in the driving seat. We need a just transition to ensure that those working in the fossil fuel industry, in farming, in aviation and elsewhere are reskilled and given opportunities for green jobs.”
“From what I have seen so far, many are failing at that basic task. We have an Infrastructure Minister who has still not fully ruled out ending free public transport for people over 60, which would force more people into cars. As we speak, the AERA Minister is talking about pausing much-promised action to deal with the pollution at Lough Neagh, which is intrinsically linked to the need to cut farming emissions and pollution. Those are just some of many examples. <BR /> <BR />There are logical and sensible arguments for keeping all carbon — oil, gas and petroleum — in the ground. There is no room for error if we are to avoid mass extinction. The economic arguments about job creation from the fossil fuel industry have been absolutely shattered. Frankly, they were always bogus.”
“The Government should not allow an oil terminal to be constructed at Cloghan Point, and I echo the call for the Infrastructure Minister to intervene and overturn the decision on that harmful planning proposal. Cutting emissions will require an AERA Minister who is prepared to challenge the big farmers, whose livestock drive up emissions and simultaneously fuel the crisis at Lough Neagh. I have not yet seen any evidence that the current Minister is willing to do that. Stormont cannot stand by as the Sperrins, a crucial carbon sink, are blown up in the pursuit of gold. <BR /> <BR />Sooner or later, the Executive will have to grasp the nettle if they are serious about the future of the planet. Every Department has an obligation under the Climate Change Act to act consistently in reaching its emission targets.”
“It is fair to say that the proposals to ban fracking and petroleum exploration would not be in front of us today were it not for the efforts of those campaigners, including those from Belcoo Frack Free in County Fermanagh and so many others. <BR /> <BR />It goes without saying that I support today's motion, but it is unacceptable for the Executive to run with the hare and hunt with the hound when it comes to our environment. We need urgent action across the board to reduce emissions and stop the earth's temperature from rising to apocalyptic levels. That means keeping all carbon in the soil. Banning fracking is good, but it is not good enough if, on the other hand, the Government allow gas companies to dig gas caverns under Larne lough.”
“When you total all that, this state is an emblem of how not to treat the environment. It is a glaring example of what happens when the Government put the profits of energy giants, beef barons and all shades of industrialists above our natural resources. <BR /> <BR />For every issue that I have listed, there are grassroots campaigners in communities across the North who are pushing back against it, determined to save the environment from the ravages of a broken system and ensure the rights of nature. As a wealthy minority, backed by complicit Governments, bring us hurtling towards environmental catastrophe, tireless activists are fighting back against them every step of the way.”
“In virtually every corner of these Six Counties, there is an environmental disaster that has been ignored, encouraged or caused by successive Stormont Administrations. Look at the illegal dump at Mobuoy, where contaminated waste pollutes Derry's waterways. Look to the Sperrins, which Dalradian, with security provided by the PSNI, wants to strip through toxic gold-mining. We see algal growth in Lough Neagh, with Stormont providing financial incentives for industrial farmers to pollute our drinking water and continuing to allow legal and illegal sand extraction. We saw DAERA grant licences for seven gas caverns, which have the potential to create a dead zone for plants and animals. Recently, we saw DUP and UUP councillors conspiring to grant permission for an oil terminal and biofuel refinery at Cloghan Point at Whitehead.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I agree with her points on the lack of support from government. Does she agree that one of the most heartbreaking things to do when you are standing in elections is to canvass at somebody's door — it tends to be an older person — and the person keeps you a bit longer for a chat because, you surmise, they have not talked to anyone all day? Does she agree that that is heartbreaking and exposes the extent of the problem across society?”
“Parties here cannot express their concern for the very people whom they want to rinse of their limited income, driving them further into poverty and thus social isolation. They cannot pretend to empathise with the people whom they continually punish and marginalise with their vote. <BR /> <BR />There is a loneliness epidemic in the North that is produced by a system that drives us apart. It targets the most vulnerable in our society. We need to invest in our communities' infrastructure and transport to ensure that we do not drive them further into social isolation. We support the motion; however, we call on the Executive to properly fund those vital services, to invest in our communities and to lift people out of poverty, if we are ever to have an anti-loneliness strategy that is worth the paper that it is written on.”
“Today, members of the parties in the Assembly speak of the detrimental impact of loneliness on the most vulnerable in our society, yet, only last month, some parties voted to hike the rates for those households, placing the burden of revenue raising on working people. <BR /> <BR />The NI health survey, which has already been referred to, has shown that loneliness amongst older people can be exacerbated by factors such as geographical isolation and poor connectivity and transport links. The concessionary fares scheme that provides free travel for over-60s was established to promote accessible public transport for the members of the community who are most at risk of social exclusion, yet the Department for Infrastructure has not fully committed to maintaining that in the months and years ahead.”
“In housing developments, a lack of safe communal areas often inhibits people from connecting with their neighbours. Accessible and affordable spaces such as community centres, youth clubs and libraries in which community groups can meet are vital, but those services are often underfunded, to the detriment of the health of those who already live in isolation. <BR /> <BR />For many, being social is a privilege, even though it is in our nature and our DNA to be so. Almost everything costs money, whether it is travelling to meet someone or going for a coffee. Loneliness is exacerbated by lack of access to social amenities, and lack of access stems from lack of resources.”
“I thank the Members who tabled this important motion. Loneliness has become a public health epidemic, and Stormont's position as the only Government in the UK without a strategy on it is no longer excusable. Poverty is pervasive, and it intensifies loneliness. Of those living in the most deprived areas, almost 30% reported feelings of loneliness, a figure that is much higher than in more affluent communities across the North. The impact that a lack of money has on ability to take part in the celebrations and get-togethers that many take for granted intensifies isolation. The inability to join in or even provide for yourself or your family can often fill people with shame. Too often, care homes and supported housing schemes are cut off from wider communities.”
“Minister, you and your party colleagues made a lot of noise about public-sector pay you came here and took up office. Given that the money that you promised to education workers as part of the pay and grading review is not in this Budget and, according to recent reports, will not be for at least another two years, what is your message to the workers who are likely to be on strike very soon because of an Executive rollback?”
“It is the front line when it comes to facing the brutality of imperialism and settler colonialism; standing up to a brutal thug and bully who decides who lives, who dies and who lives where, with a brutal computer-assisted AI weapons system that slaughters on a mass scale; and resisting evictions from homes and towns. Solidarity with those on the flotilla and solidarity with the Palestinians.”
“Instead of all that technological skill and resource being used to help people, it is being used to commit a live-stream genocide. On the other hand, it is up to activists, volunteers and campaigners to expose Israel and call out its obscene actions. <BR /> <BR />Gaza is the end of the world that never ends. It is a daily nightmare for those who are trying to live there. Six months in, we daily see slaughter, massacre and hospitals and buildings being blown to smithereens. At least 35,000 people have been killed and 100,000 injured, not to mention the people still under the rubble. Palestine is the front line.”
“I salute and acknowledge the important work done by the Freedom Flotilla, which is seeking to break the siege of Gaza and bring much-needed aid. It is an international aid flotilla with activists from across the world bravely taking part. Whilst Governments across the world send bombs to Israel to drop on the people of Gaza, those activists are bringing almost 6,000 tons of much-needed aid. As the Freedom Flotilla says: "When Governments fail, we sail". On that boat is Tyrone man, John Hurson, a long-time Palestine Solidarity Campaign activist. I wish him and all the flotilla the very best of luck and solidarity. <BR /> <BR />That important act of solidarity really exposes the situation starkly. On the one hand, you have Israel backed by the US, the highest military power in human history.”
“I thank the Minister for giving way. Does he agree that part of the holistic approach that he outlined should be to challenge the Misuse of Drugs Act? Although it is, as he stated, a reserved matter, that Act helps to criminalise addicts. You cannot treat and support somebody through healthcare if they are criminalised. Does he agree that part of the approach should be to challenge the Misuse of Drugs Act?”
“They also need to recognise that the austerity agenda, cuts and Tory-backed Budget that they will likely implement in the days and weeks ahead will only fuel poverty and, as a result, addiction in the long run.”
“It is also unacceptable for the Government to actively criminalise addicts while refusing to address the root causes of their problems: poverty, a lack of social housing, stagnant wages, declining services and so on. The Executive need to get real about tackling those issues. If they commit to opening a rehab centre, I ask them to commit to funding it. <BR /> <BR />The Government should also recognise the failures of the Misuse of Drugs Act and the lives that have been lost due to the war on drugs. They should recognise the need to treat addiction as a health issue and commit to opening an overdose prevention centre where people can use drugs safely under medical supervision.”
“In Switzerland, which has also taken a more progressive approach, drug deaths have halved since the mid-1990s. In that same period, the UK's drug deaths have doubled. The health-based model is safer, reduces drug use and saves money that would otherwise be pumped into futile policing and justice that has not worked. <BR /> <BR />The Home Office spends an estimated £20 billion per year on the war on drugs, whilst the British Government spend just £680 million on treatment and prevention. The Executive have allocated £63 million to the PSNI's paramilitary crime task force whilst continuing to criminalise drug users who need support.”
“The law and order approach does not work. It serves only to criminalise those with serious addiction issues and allows paramilitary and criminal gangs to ultimately profit from the trade. By every metric, the war on drugs has failed: drug use has remained largely the same, whilst drug deaths have increased. <BR /> <BR />Time and again, we hear of the success of countries like Portugal, which has deployed a health-based model, yet the state refuses to accept and listen to the evidence. Portugal has the lowest number of drug deaths in western Europe, at one tenth the rate of Britain and one fiftieth of that of the US. From around 2001 to 2018, Portugal's number of heroin addicts dropped from 100,000 to 25,000 — a huge reduction of 75% — and HIV infections from drug use injection had declined by 90%. Those are incredible figures.”
“By doing so, the Government condemn more people to addiction and far too many to death. The number of drug deaths in the North has risen by 40% in 10 years. That has happened on the watch of the ruling parties here, and the need for better services is greater than ever. However, tackling this critical issue will require funding and resources. I hope that I am wrong, but I am not confident that the Executive are prepared to provide that funding in the context of yet another austerity Budget. <BR /> <BR />Delivery of the services needs to be more than a hypothetical suggestion or a distant aspiration. A safe injection centre is not mentioned in the motion — it needs to be — but we need that and more needle exchange programmes so that we can prevent overdoses, ensure people's safety and ensure that needles are disposed of properly.”
“<BR /> <BR />We need to recognise that those who use drugs often self-medicate while they are forced to cope with the ravages of a broken economic system, including having trauma themselves. Therefore, I welcome the call today for the provision of a properly equipped rehab centre, but, given the agenda of the Executive and the talk of budget cuts and budget restraints, I seriously question that they will provide the necessary funding. I hope that the motion is not just for the optics. I think that Sinn Féin and the DUP may, in theory, want a rehab centre, but are they prepared to bring that forward and fund it in practice? <BR /> <BR />Similarly, no Executive parties will say that they want people to suffer mental ill health, but they continue to underfund mental health services year-on-year.”
“I thank the Member for tabling today's motion. <BR /> <BR />It is clear that the war on drugs has failed. Working-class areas are in the grip of a deepening mental health and drug addiction crisis, and those affected deserve our support. Communities devastated by years of austerity and inequality are at the sharp end of those crises, and that is the direct impact of the failure of the state — Westminster and Stormont — to lift people out of poverty and to invest in mental health services and addiction support. Obviously, there are no quick and easy solutions to some of the problems, but we need to start with an approach that deals with it primarily as a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue.”
“<BR /> <BR />There was some allusion to a bogeyman argument that people might park in hospital or health centre car parks if they were free — people just parking there for the craic. There is no evidence of that; no data has been provided. Two years ago at the Health Committee, I asked departmental officials for that evidence, and it was not provided. That argument does not recognise the fact that, despite charges already being in place, people who work in hospitals and healthcare centres have to park off-site. There is a wider point being made by some Members and Ministers about investment in public transport. I urge them to get on with that at speed. <BR /> <BR />I ask the House to support amendment Nos 1 and 3, which are in my name.”
“We heard Members say that it is an important revenue-raising measure in the context of budgets being squeezed. Here we have the absurdity and unfairness of it all. We have huge, out-of-control waiting lists that the public are told to stomach and underpaid health and social care workers, some of whom are on welfare, who, to put the cherry on top, have to continue to pay to go to work for at least another year but possibly two years or longer. In a different context during COVID, some decisions were made quickly. Departments did not always make the right decisions, but those decisions were made quickly. It is beyond belief that it will take some four years to implement the system that Members voted through. I have heard of a snail's pace, but that really takes the biscuit.”
“It would be remiss of me not to talk about the fact that their pay has been reduced and that they are overworked. For them, the parking charges really add insult to injury. <BR /> <BR />The Minister said that the system will be in place in the coming weeks, with, amongst other things, equipment being ordered. He said that, if my amendment is made, there is a significant risk that the system will not be in place on 1 September. I respectfully say to the Minister that work needs to continue at pace to speed up the implementation of the system. We have had two years to get this correct. Leaving aside the court case and the legal challenges, I sincerely ask what has been done over those two years. <BR /> <BR />Hospital parking charges are an unfair tax and revenue-raising measure.”
“He still is one. He said that he is disappointed about the delay. Again, his party and others are disappointed about the delay, but they are voting for it, which does not really add up. There will be a continuation of the charges for at least two years. I say "at least", because who knows what the new Health Minister will decide and what state our health service will be in in years to come? Mr Donnelly also talked about pressures on the Department. I repeat that £400 million was spent on agency staff last year. Compared with that, £6 million or £10 million is miniscule. The money is there, but the Department, in many ways, is prioritising things in the wrong direction. <BR /> <BR />Alan Robinson talked about the large figure paid by junior doctors.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. We discussed that two years ago at the Health Committee. That confirms my suspicion that there is an element in the Department, and, maybe, in the Minister's team, who want to chip away at the legislation. That is my recollection of the briefings at the time, and the Member's comments confirm that. That is very concerning, and it goes against the spirit and the detail of the legislation. <BR /> <BR />Danny Donnelly, who, if I am correct, is a former healthcare worker —.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Chair of the Health Committee stated that she and her party are committed to delivery of the Act. She said that she did not want to give "false hope", but she and her party will continue to give false hope by, presumably, voting against these amendments and supporting the Minister's Bill. Generally speaking here, it is a case of free parking for MLAs and Ministers but not for the public — "Do as I say, not as I do". <BR /> <BR />Mrs Dodds said that her party would not resile from the original Bill but that, in politics, you have to be practical and reasonable. I would argue that it is impractical and unreasonable to vote to reintroduce parking charges, and that it is unfair to impose this regressive tax and penalty on people, which is what it is.”
“I want to go through some of the comments that have been made and then make some general points at the end. Mr McGrath, referring to his amendments and mine, said that, if my amendments were voted through, they could bring some "confusion and disarray". I remind him that, last week, the Minister said that the technology should be in place by September. To repeat, I want to take him at his word, hence the date in my amendments. <BR /> <BR />On a general point, this place should set out its priorities and its views on things, and Departments should take a lead and follow on from that. The Member called this an "unfair tax", and he is right. However, he criticises the Executive parties for extending it for two years, but he and his party are happy to extend it for another year. The logic of his argument does not really stand up.”