Maurice Bradley
East Londonderry · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“The proposal to establish formally the post of Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses of Crime, which is efficiently held in designate form by Geraldine Hanna at the moment, has the potential to provide victims with a stronger voice and ensure that public bodies are held to account for the services that they provide.”
“Good intentions alone are not enough. <BR /> <BR />I would argue that victims must never become an afterthought in our justice system, whether that be when considering road traffic offences, violence against women and girls, child criminal exploitation, hate crime or sentencing reform.”
“I will speak as a DUP member of the Justice Committee on the Second Stage of the Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill. For me, the Bill is not simply about creating another office or changing another piece of legislation; it is about people.”
“<BR /> <BR />As the Bill progresses through Committee Stage, I will approach its policy objectives with an open mind. I look forward to hearing directly from victims' organisations, witnesses, legal professionals and criminal justice agencies. Where the Bill can be strengthened, it should be strengthened.”
“One of the comments that I hear most often is not about what happened but about how people felt afterwards. They felt forgotten, left in the dark and like just another case number moving slowly through a system that they did not understand. That should concern every one of us. Justice should not end when an offender is charged.”
“Minister, you have partially answered my question, but it was really about the fact that, when services are centralised in the greater Belfast area, services are denied to those elsewhere in the Province. There has been a continued reduction in services across Northern Ireland because of their centralisation in Belfast.”
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“No offence, Minister, but the legislation is out of date.”
“In my day, the decibel limit was much lower: at least half of that. We also have to deal with antisocial behaviour of young people running around letting off fireworks in people's entries and at their front doors, which is a real nuisance. Again, most of that behaviour goes unreported. People just put up with it. <BR /> <BR />In an intervention earlier, I highlighted the effect of fireworks on pets. I can still vividly see what my pet went through that particular night. Its paws were stripped from gouging a door. It was unbelievable. Fireworks affect not just pets but livestock. When fireworks go off in a rural area, cattle will stampede. Horses in a field will stampede at great speed. Clydesdales will run through anything, and when it is dark, they cannot see where they are running. There is therefore a danger to farm animals as well.”
“Apologies, folks. <BR /> <BR />I will start with the PSNI's response to an FOI request in 2019, which showed an upward trend in the offences of buying, possessing or using fireworks without a licence. In 2019-2020, there were over 1,400 incidents of antisocial behaviour involving fireworks, on top of a similar number of incidents the year before, and that is before we take under-reporting into account. My take is that the legislation, as Patsy McGlone said, is nearly a quarter of a century out of date. It was introduced to deal with a situation that is completely different from the situation now, considering the price and ferocity of fireworks today. The legislation therefore needs to be updated. <BR /> <BR />EU rules as they apply under the Windsor framework allow fireworks of up to 120 decibels. That is far too loud.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I want to draw on a personal experience that happened 35 years ago. I was working on a newspaper, and we always worked late. I got home late one Halloween night — too late for the dog — and I was met by a terrified golden retriever that was shaking like a leaf. It had gouged big claw marks down the door frame and the door, and his front paws were cut to ribbons and he needed to visit the vet. That was before we had the powerful fireworks of today, so I have absolutely no doubt that the legislation needs to be changed. It is out of date. It is not only about pets but livestock, and not only livestock but horses —.”
“Minister, you highlight the value that the hospitality sector adds to the economy. What is that value in real terms?”
“Can the Minister detail the communications strategy that is in place for the three-school campus model?”
“If we get that right, we will not only help people through this winter and this cost-of-living crisis but give families across Northern Ireland a realistic route out of poverty and away from long-term dependence on benefits. I am happy to support the motion or the motion as amended.”
“<BR /> <BR />We also recognise the crucial role of the voluntary and community sector, which is often on the front line of the crisis, reaching people in places where government alone does not. The anti-poverty strategy must set out not only high-level ambitions but measurable targets and clear actions on employment, on food and fuel poverty and on supporting the organisations that work directly with vulnerable households. <BR /> <BR />Our approach is clear: help as many people as possible into good, sustainable employment; maintain a strong, targeted safety net that includes welfare mitigations; and ensure a coordinated, Executive-wide strategy that turns warm words into real, practical help for families.”
“in tackling child poverty and health inequalities. Any increase in the cost of school meals would be deeply worrying for already stretched families. That is why we agree that decisions by Departments and arm's-length bodies (ALBs), including the Education Authority, must align with the Executive's anti-poverty strategy and why the Minister of Education and the Minister for Communities must take a coordinated approach to supporting those on low incomes. <BR /> <BR />At the same time, we cannot ignore the reality of constrained budgets and statutory duties. Difficult choices are having to be made across our public services. That is why it is essential that every pound spent is clearly focused on reducing poverty, supporting families and enabling people to move into and progress in work.”
“The best long-term defence against poverty is meaningful, fairly paid employment, supported by a strong safety net for those who cannot work or face additional barriers. Work, when it pays, changes lives. A secure job gives parents the ability to plan ahead, manage their bills and provide stability for their children. That is why we welcome the focus on getting more less able people into better jobs and reducing the disability pay gap. It is why we have supported measures such as the childcare subsidy scheme, intermediate rent, co-ownership and investment in skills and apprenticeships, all of which help people get into work and stay in employment. <BR /> <BR />Employment alone is not enough, however. The amendment rightly highlights the sharp rise in food prices and the importance of:”
“In considering the motion and the amendment, we can agree that the cost-of-living crisis is still real for workers and families across Northern Ireland. Inflation may have fallen from its peak, but, at 3·8%, it remains higher than the EU average and is almost double the target set by the Bank of England. Families do not need those statistics to tell them what they already know; they see it in their grocery bill, their heating oil delivery and now, potentially, in the cost of school meals. <BR /> <BR />For us, the key question is not just how we help people cope with rising prices but how we help them move beyond long-term reliance on benefits. We have heard stark figures about poverty from the proposer of the motion, Mr Gildernew, and the proposer of the amendment, Mr Allen.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. What specific targets has she put in place to ensure that people from the most deprived communities benefit from higher-value jobs? Will she commit to publishing area-based data on those programmes?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Will the scheme and its positive impact on communities be evaluated, and will it be rolled out year-on-year?”
“Let us deliver housing justice and economic dignity on the north coast and ensure that our towns are living communities 12 months of the year. I support the motion.”
“Thirdly, we need to rebalance our economy; bring public-sector and high-quality remote jobs to Coleraine and East Londonderry; invest in digital infrastructure, transport links and childcare so that people can get to work and stay in work; invest in equitable healthcare and job creation; and make sure that training aligns with year-round sectors such as advanced manufacturing, green energy, health and social care, not just summer tourism. Finally, we need to back communities to lead and give councils the data, tools and discretion to act street by street if needed and support residents' groups that are holding their places together. <BR /> <BR />Without urgent intervention, we risk becoming a postcard economy: beautiful to visit, impossible to live in. Let us choose better. Let us invest in people and not just in visitor numbers.”
“That means a primary residence test in pressured areas; a distinct change of use class for short-term lets so that councils can set caps; a licensing regime with real enforcement; and the power to levy council tax surcharges on homes that are kept empty for most of the year. Secondly, we need to prioritise building truly affordable and social homes where demand is greatest; set binding targets for the north coast and fund them; use public land proactively; and tie planning approvals for new developments to local occupancy and affordability conditions that actually bite.”
“If we want a resilient economy, we cannot push the workforce out of the places where work should grow. I see no effect of the Executive's regional balance. I see no investment in employment opportunities, higher education or equitable healthcare. To me, it seems like, "Let's look at what Coleraine and the Causeway coast have so that we can move it here, there or anywhere", rather than investing in what is already there and working well. <BR /> <BR />So what must we do? First, we need to introduce robust planning controls where second homes and short-term lets are harming community cohesion.”
“Over 2,000 are in housing stress, yet we are delivering roughly 52 social homes a year. That is not a strategy; it is a managed scarcity. This is about more than roofs and rents; it is about the character and cohesion of our coastal towns. High concentrations of short-term lets mean transient occupation and constant turnover. Neighbourhoods do not have time to become communities. Local schools lose pupils, clubs lose volunteers and the fabric frays. Noise, litter and poorly maintained properties follow when regulation fails, deterring the very visitors who value the north coast for its clean, peaceful environment. <BR /> <BR />The economic picture is no less stark. Economic inactivity remains stubbornly high, and too many of the jobs that we are creating on the north coast are low wage and seasonal.”
“The Member raises a very valid point. There is a proliferation of Airbnbs in coastal areas. People find it more profitable to have Airbnbs instead of permanent rental people in their houses. It is a massive problem that needs to be addressed along with the rest. <BR /> <BR />Behind the postcards and summer football on the north coast, communities are hollowing out. Streets that once echoed with school runs and neighbourly chat now fall silent for months. Shops, GP practices and bus routes struggle when year-round residents are displaced by properties that lie empty for most of the year or churn over with short-term visitors every weekend. We are building a visitor economy without residents to make it liveable. When people look at the social housing safety net, they find threads. Nearly 4,000 people in our area are on the waiting list.”
“I rise to speak not just about housing but about the future of rural Northern Ireland and whether we will act or continue to manage decline with half measures. <BR /> <BR />On the north coast, in areas such as Portstewart, Portrush, Ballycastle, Portballintrae and beyond, even into the town of Coleraine, the sharp edge of our housing crisis is being driven by the unchecked growth of second homes and short-term lets. Since 2013, house prices in the Causeway Coast and Glens area have surged by almost 70% while wages have barely moved. The price of an average home now sits at about £245,000, and over 85% of properties are out of reach for the median earner. That is not a market: it is a locked door to local families, young people and key workers.”
“I thank the Member for that intervention. I mentioned that that vision needs to be produced. We all need to see it. We look forward to it. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I call on the Minister to make three firm commitments before the year's end: publish the criminal justice vision and digital strategy; align all justice partners, including the PSNI and the legal profession, under a single accountable framework; and centre every reform on victims, witnesses and public confidence, not as an afterthought but as the very test of success. Members, transformation cannot be another word for delay. Justice cannot be something that we continually promise but never deliver. The public, and especially victims of crime, deserve better. I commend the motion to the House.”
“I thank the Minister for answering the question that Mr Burrows asked me. That was very kind.”
“I thank the Member for that intervention. That is —.”
“<BR /> <BR />In closing, I echo the questions that still demand clear answers: where is the shared vision? When will a fully aligned, cross-sectoral strategy be published, with measurable goals and timelines? When will the Assembly and the public see not just promises —?”
“If that is the best that we can offer after countless reviews, strategies and transformation programmes, something deep in the system is badly broken. We have been told again that leadership is lacking, that strategic vision is missing, and that siloed working, overlapping work streams and fragmented digital investments have produced a justice system that is inefficient, inconsistent and, too often, unjust. I give credit to the Minister for saying that her Department is vastly underfunded, as is the PSNI. That is a matter for the Executive as a whole. However, the Audit Office warned us in 2018, and CJINI warned us again in 2024. The pattern repeats: recommendations are made and strategies are launched, but outcomes remain unchanged. Transformation has become a slogan, rather than a standard.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will try my best not to take the full 10 minutes. It has been a lively debate, and sometimes a wee bit fractious, but that is the nature of politics. <BR /> <BR />I return to where we began: the uncomfortable truth that, 15 years after the devolution of policing and justice powers, Northern Ireland's criminal justice system remains mired in the same systemic failures that we were promised would be fixed. The Criminal Justice Inspection's report of November 2024 could not have been more stark. Its verdict is that there has been "limited improvement". Those two words capture a decade and a half of drift. There has been limited improvement in performance, outcomes and the lived experience of victims, witnesses and staff alike.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement, which is his second statement about delivery today. <BR /> <BR />Minister, who can participate in the JobStart scheme, and where can they apply?”
“What we lack is the attention of the Executive; that needs to change, and it needs to change now. Regional balance is for all, not just a few. We lost out, as did Derry City, Institute and other clubs, through the football fund. However, we are trying to address that. I have had meetings with the Minister and Coleraine Football Club, and the club is due to meet officials from the Minister's Department tomorrow, so all is not lost. Regional balance is for everybody, not just a few.”
“In the Chamber, when we speak about the north-west, we leave out the Causeway Coast and Glens. Do not forget that the Causeway Coast and Glens area is the largest council area in the country, stretching from Waterfoot to Greysteel. <BR /> <BR />The motion is not about taking away from Londonderry, Belfast or anywhere else. It is about finally recognising that regional balance must mean more than a two-city strategy. If we truly believe in balanced economic growth, let us see it. We want to see a dedicated investment plan for Causeway Coast and Glens and other council areas, a task force for the Coleraine campus just like Magee, and an update on how the £45 million subregional plan will be spent, with real deadlines and delivery. <BR /> <BR />The Causeway Coast and Glens has the talent and ambition.”
“It is the home of Ulster University's flagship biomedical research centre, a campus of equal academic standing, yet it receives no comparable commitment or dedicated task force and no strategic investment. The truth is that no major new investment has been announced for the Coleraine campus in years. <BR /> <BR />Let us talk about the subregional economic plan, which is now a year old. It was launched with £45 million in funding, but how much has actually been spent and where? It means that businesses in the Causeway Coast and Glens are waiting for support that never arrives, so what happens? The better resourced areas pull away, and our region is left behind again. The SDLP rightly focused on Foyle; I, in turn, am rightly focused on the Causeway Coast and Glens, East Londonderry.”
“I agree with the broad principle of the motion. We have heard a lot about regional balance, but, when we hear the north-west mentioned in the Chamber, what is really meant by the north-west is Foyle. The truth is simpler, however, and far more uncomfortable, which is that there is no real regional balance in Northern Ireland. One of the most glaring victims of that imbalance, rarely mentioned and even more rarely supported or prioritised, is the Causeway Coast and Glens council area, where there are two highly deprived areas. <BR /> <BR />The Minister can cite quite a few millions for Londonderry — funding that we all welcome — yet fail to explain why the Causeway Coast and Glens area, with its world-class potential, continues to be overlooked. We hear about support for Magee, but what about Coleraine?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and congratulate him on bringing the strategy to the House. Can you tell us why the strategy has taken so long to prepare, given that the previous strategy expired in 2021? What has caused the delay?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. He has partly answered my question already. People who run halls for faith-based organisations have been unwilling or unable to apply for funding that is attached to lottery sources, because of their faith. Can the Minister confirm that this is government funding through his Department and is not lottery supported? The fund will be highly beneficial to faith-based communities and faith-based organisations.”
“Will the Minister tell us the timeline for the decision on AS levels?”
“Minister, how will you ensure that farm families are supported with grants and advice to meet climate targets, rather than being penalised? How will you prevent blanket measures that could drive smaller farms out of business?”
“Matty has become a role model for the aspiring athletes in our area, showing what can be achieved through hard work and dedication. The title was also a first for former world champion and coach Ryan Burnett, as Matty became the first boxer whom he has coached to a title. Theirs is an amazing combination, and long may it continue. <BR /> <BR />As Matty paraded his newly won belt in front of the Coleraine faithful at the game against Glentoran, it was a joy to watch the supporters show their appreciation for their new champion. We look forward to celebrating many more of Matty's successes in future and, who knows, maybe a celebration or two for Coleraine Football Club as well. On behalf of the people of Coleraine, I extend congratulations to Matty on his outstanding achievement.”
“I rise to congratulate Coleraine's first professional Irish boxing champion, Matty "Bam Bam" Boreland. Matty's remarkable victory at Windsor Park is a source of great pride for the entire Coleraine community. In a fierce and closely contested bout, the reigning champion, Rudy Farrell, was unable to continue into the seventh round. In the sixth round, Matty began landing powerful combinations that ultimately turned the tide. His precision and power earned him a crucial knockdown and a dominant finish, thereby sealing his place in Coleraine's sporting history to earn the first Irish superbantamweight title to be brought back to the town. <BR /> <BR />Matty is a down-to-earth young man whose dedication, discipline and passion for his sport began at the Golden Gloves club in the town under coach Michael Fleming.”
“I call on all parties in the Executive to explore extra finance and address that destruction. It is not just about farming practices but about sewage discharges, illegal pollution and septic tanks. <BR /> <BR />Words are nothing but empty vessels. It is time for action, not talking. In my opinion, there is no action, so I cannot support the motion.”
“Thank you. I thank the Member for his intervention. I have mixed views on river dredging, so I do not want to drift into that territory. <BR /> <BR />Has testing for cyanotoxins in water been extended to fish to help to gauge ecosystem health and inform public warnings since 2023 or earlier? What long-term ecological research and data baselines have been established to track recovery and inform adaptive management? How many of the 37-odd measures agreed in July 2024 have been implemented? What extra funding has been afforded to the Minister to roll out regulation, infrastructure and community engagement? <BR /> <BR />Minister, I feel that the situation is verging on irreversible, if that point has not already been reached. I agree with the Minister that the ecological disaster needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”
“I could be wrong, but I assume that one zebra mussel could filter at least one litre of water per day, removing valuable food plankton from the water.”
“Some operators have been forced to close entirely due to unsafe water conditions and customer cancellations, not to mention the blue flag beaches of Benone, Portstewart and Portrush along a tidal stretch of the Bann at the Barmouth. <BR /> <BR />I would like to ask questions. It is OK to highlight what is wrong, but what are we doing to fix it? Since the crisis was first discovered in 2023, how many buffer zones, wetlands, hedgerows and trees have been established to filter nitrates and phosphorus before they reach the water? What rewilding or reintroduction of key ecological players like invertebrates to rebuild the food web has happened since 2023? Has any exploration of control of invasive species such as zebra mussels taken place since 2023?”
“Mr Speaker, you will be pleased to hear that most of my points have been covered already and that I will not repeat them. <BR /> <BR />Toxic cyanobacteria blooms, especially in the summer of 2023 and 2024 as well as this year, have depleted oxygen levels in the lough to such an extent that they block light and lead to fish kills and a decline in aquatic biodiversity. It is not just the ecosystem in Lough Neagh that appears to have collapsed. I do not want to cross into the territory of repeating anything that my colleagues have said, so I will narrow my concerns to the River Bann, which is the only river to spawn salmon and white trout into the Lough Neagh system. Recreational angling and water sports businesses along the River Bann have been severely impacted.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Yes, we met at the County Hall recently. It has massive grounds of, off the top of my head, about 30 acres. It is an iconic building in an iconic area of Coleraine, and I am keen to follow up on any progress that there is on the disposal or otherwise of the building. Will the Minister pass on my sincere thanks to his staff for their frank and honest engagement during that meeting?”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answers so far. Minister, you alluded to the damage that Lough Neagh is suffering, but that damage goes the whole way to the sea. It goes through my constituency of East Londonderry and through the town of Coleraine, where we had a five-day flow of green water. What is the impact on salmon, white trout, brown trout and the indigenous coarse fish that live in the River Bann? Do not forget that, wherever a salmon is caught in Northern Ireland, it has basically come through Coleraine.”
“You talk about experts. My daughter is a nurse practitioner. She is my expert: she is whom I take my advice from. I would like you to explain to the House who is giving you advice, because this is certainly not your decision. You are acting on behalf of others who are making a decision, and you are the frontman.”
“Earlier, the Minister referenced "we", not "I". For the sake of clarity, will the Minister define who "we" refers to in his conversation?”
“What steps is the Minister's Department taking to ensure that National Lottery funding continues to reach the communities across Northern Ireland that are most in need, and how does he intend to maximise its potential in supporting social, cultural and economic regeneration?”
“I thank the Minister for not only answering the question but answering my supplementary question at the same time.”
“<BR /> <BR />A sentencing council to bring consistency and clarity may not be a bad idea, and I look forward to the Member bringing that to the Chamber. Victims deserve to understand the outcome and not to be handed complex, formal and technical language or denied access to remarks altogether. Sentences must reflect the crime. <BR /> <BR />The motion is not an attack on the judiciary or the Minister. It is about restoring trust and ensuring that justice is truly served, especially for the victims of crime. I support the motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />Lenient sentencing, especially for sexual crimes and animal cruelty, is undermining public trust. Many years ago in another setting, I was informed by a retiring senior member of the Prison Service that he felt that sexual predators could not be rehabilitated: it was an urge, and repeat offences were more than likely. That may not be what Members want to hear, but those were the thoughts of a highly experienced member of the Prison Service. Nearly 80% of prisoners are repeat offenders; a clear sign that rehabilitation is not working. Sentences must reflect the severity of the offence in order to be a real deterrent. Victims suffer years of waiting for justice only for a perpetrator to plead guilty at the last minute and get a discounted sentence, however that discount is delivered.”