Alan Chambers
North Down · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“<BR /> <BR />A relatively recent piece of important character that was added to the village some years ago was the addition of a number of trees along Main Street.”
“It is my pleasure and privilege to present a petition signed by more than 1,500 people calling on the Department for Infrastructure to drop plans to chop down a number of mature street trees in Main Street, Groomsport. <BR /> <BR />Groomsport is a beautiful village with a strong community spirit.”
“Indeed, in the past week, it has been adjudged to be the best-kept town on the island of Ireland. It has many outstanding characteristics, including three lovely beaches with clean and pollution-free bathing water; a well-sheltered harbour that is reputed to have been first constructed by the Vikings; a modern children's playground; and t…”
“Minister, I sent a question for written answer in May 2025. You told me that your officials had identified a problem on the A48 in November 2024 and that a works order had been issued.”
“The Department's approach to the problem, however, has been to fire up the chainsaws. That is a shameful and unacceptably lazy plan. There are many engineering solutions that do not involve such crude environmental vandalism. Government policy, rather than to chop down healthy mature specimens, is to encourage more tree planting.”
“For many, the ability to start or grow a family is a major priority; for others, it is not a priority at all. When fertility problems stand in the way of that dream, the emotional toll can be immense. There has already been reference to the commitment in NDNA, which was one reason why my party very much welcomed that agreement.”
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“I thank the Member for that clarity. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I am really disappointed with the continuing negativity from Mrs Dodds about the reimbursement scheme, which is a genuine attempt to reduce our waiting lists. To say that it will not have an impact on the waiting lists is a nonsense, because if it takes 1,000 people off the waiting list, that means that 1,000 fewer people are ahead of you as you wait for your procedure. When summing up the proposals, I would be interested in the DUP's clarifying whether Mrs Dodds's point of view is, in fact, DUP policy now for that scheme.”
“However, for the avoidance of doubt and perhaps to help inform the remainder of the debate, I will give way to any of the signatories to the amendment if they want to clarify that it is asking the Minister of Finance to commit to additional funding, rather than to ring-fencing existing Health funding.”
“We should all hope that the postcode lottery for waiting times, which has seen women in some trusts having to wait much longer than others, will now be at an end once and for all. <BR /> <BR />Last week, we also had an overview from the Minister on how he is going to allocate the elective funding that has been ring-fenced in this year's budget. He has understandably, and rightly, prioritised a proportion from that for tackling the urgent and time-critical waits. As the Minister will likely highlight once again, the vast majority of the £215 million is not new or additional money. I welcome the amendment that has been selected. It emphasises again the importance of multi-year funding.”
“For MLAs and, no doubt, the Minister, few issues are considered as seriously as delays in time-critical treatments. Thankfully, tangible actions have been taken and progress has been made in recent times. For instance, the pathways and treatments for blood cancer were far too disjointed, but reviews of the three main pathways have now been completed, and new ways of working have been adopted, with the primary objective of having faster treatment and better outcomes for patients. <BR /> <BR />Equally, waiting times for breast cancer assessments have been genuinely awful. Again, major progress has been made, even in recent days, which I hope will see a much greater equalisation of waiting times in the coming months.”
“Few issues are as important as cancer care. As we all know, cancer is a disease that does not wait but, instead, often thrives in any period of delay. That is what makes the current challenges, which have existed for a considerable number of years, so intolerable. The delays are being compounded by increasing levels of cancer prevalence. Cancer is increasingly becoming one of those diseases that will impact on all our lives at some point, either directly or indirectly. The motion, understandably, is shining a light on the challenges that undoubtedly face the broader service. Of course, behind every statistic, every percentage or every missed target is a patient and family going through the very real fears and anxieties that come with cancer.”
“Minister, do you share my disappointment that there is not one specific mention in the Programme for Government that suggests any solutions to tackle the pollution in Belfast lough? We both realise that it will be the next Lough Neagh.”
“Today's statement will be hugely welcome news for many of the people across Northern Ireland who are on waiting lists. The Minister uses the word "urgency" in his statement. Will he give a commitment that his Department is approaching the issue with the urgency that patients and staff want to see and that he wants to see, and will continue to do so?”
“However, I remind the proposers of the motion, not for the first time, that they are asking the health service in Northern Ireland to do more while tying its arms behind its back financially. That said, I hope that it will be rolled out as quickly as possible, not least because of the already proven benefit for the people whom it can help.”
“Whilst this is by no means always the case, too many cases of type 2 diabetes are too often driven by lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, physical inactivity and obesity. On the latter point of obesity, greater awareness and early intervention are, of course, always more preferable to trying to resolve the problem once it manifests itself. I know that the Minister has also been focusing on the issue of societal obesity. I look forward to announcements being made in that space shortly. <BR /> <BR />It is clear that better communication and awareness-raising will not, on their own, turn the tide of the rapidly rising rates of diabetes. That is why any improvements to treatments and techniques are so important. The hybrid closed-loop system is one such innovation. Like everyone else, I want to see equitable access to that technology.”
“There is no doubt that diabetes is one of the biggest health threats of our time. The number of people who are living with the condition is expected to rise dramatically in the coming years. In just a decade, from 2014 to 2024, the number of people who are on the diabetic register jumped by 40%. Similar increases have also been witnessed in neighbouring jurisdictions. We often use the word "crisis" in the Chamber, but the increasing prevalence of diabetes genuinely is a health crisis that, if left unchecked, has the potential to overwhelm our already stretched healthcare system. The condition can also have a major impact on the physical and psychological well-being of individuals and their families. Whether you are male or female, young or old, diabetes can happen to anyone.”
“The club's finances were on the verge of collapse. A series of poor internal management decisions historically had seen the higher income from the 3G pitch, which had been installed at Clandeboye Park with a view to providing a funding stream for the club, go to a third party for a time. It would have been easy to throw in the towel at that point, but a small band of Seagulls supporters took on board the advice that was offered recently by Rory McIlroy and followed their dream. Few of them had any previous experience of running a football club, but they met the negatives head on and received their reward last weekend. Long may the club continue to prosper under the stewardship of its current board.”
“Saturday past saw yet another significant day in the history of Bangor Football Club, when it was presented with the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) Championship trophy. The club's elevation to the Premiership has brought much joy to the people of the city of Bangor and has created the exciting prospect of big crowds and big games at Clandeboye Park next season. <BR /> <BR />Although the eyes of the sporting world are on the tremendous achievement of the players, management and back-room staff at Bangor Football Club, it is perhaps time to reflect on the boardroom journey of recent years, during which the club was on the brink of collapse. There was the situation in which the club had to play its football in a Ballymena league after losing its status in the upper tiers of the local game in around 2016.”
“As others have said, Rory is a superb sportsperson and ambassador for Northern Ireland and his sport. His advice to all young people that they should follow their dreams is really good advice. As I told the council in 2011, do not be too quick to put up a memorial, because that young man is going to achieve an awful lot more in his lifetime, and I am just as keen to say that today as I was then. Rory will go on to achieve an awful lot more in his sporting life. I look forward to seeing that.”
“There was not a day when he was not playing golf somewhere, and a lot of those things had to be put on ice; indeed, the invitation to a civic reception stands to this day. At the time, when the council talked about a permanent memorial, I said that it was a bit premature because the young man would probably win a lot more things in the future. I said that we should hold fire on thinking about what sort of permanent memorial should be erected in Holywood, be that a statue, a plaque on a wall or whatever.”
“It would have been easy for the headmaster and the management of the school to insist that he apply himself to his academic work, but, as has been reported, the headmaster found a creative way to relieve him of some of that work and allow him the latitude to improve his skills on the golf course. <BR /> <BR />In 2011, when he won his first major — the US Open — North Down Borough Council, of which I was a member at the time, was keen to recognise the massive achievement of the young Holywood resident. Two or three suggestions were made, and there was a call for a permanent memorial in Holywood. There were calls for signage to be changed in the town, and a civic reception was granted for him. At that time, Rory was busy and in big demand. He was travelling all over the world.”
“It was obvious from a very early age that Rory McIlroy had a special talent for the game of golf. As my colleague mentioned, from the moment he appeared on 'The Kelly Show', when he was about nine years of age, and chipped a succession of golf balls across the studio into a washing machine, you recognised that that young boy not only had a special talent but had the confidence and the determination to achieve his dreams. <BR /> <BR />During a TV interview, when he was about 10 years old, he was asked about his golfing goals. He replied with total confidence that he wanted to win all the master titles. When he went to Sullivan Upper School, education became secondary to his wish to hone his skills on the golf course.”
“<BR /> <BR />I look forward to the Minister's response on the provision in the South Eastern Trust, but I do so in the knowledge that there is no solution that will fix the issue overnight. It will take commitment, but the Minister has already shown clearly that he wants the system to do better.”
“The programme effectively and powerfully highlighted the real-life implications of the insufficient availability of short-break and residential provision in the Belfast Trust and South Eastern Trust. Through our television screens, we got only a glimpse of the challenges, but none of us could have been left untouched. The Minister, I am sure, had the same reaction when he watched the programme and listened to the families. I welcomed his swift response in committing additional funding for this new financial year and a proportional allocation for the last. I recall the Minister saying at the time that that would be a challenge to deliver but it was a challenge that he was prepared to undertake. The 'Spotlight' families and the countless others who were not broadcast but likely face the same challenges, deserve no less.”
“Lindsay House was a lifeline for many families when it served as a short-stay facility, and I know that the trust is making progress on its remobilisation. <BR /> <BR />Just as demand continues to increase, so do challenges in the provision of residential respite. Workforce pressures and the availability of beds have been greatly impacted in responding to the needs of children and young people who enter medium- to longer-term care. However, I am sure that those are challenges that the trust, the Department and the Minister are alert to. <BR /> <BR />I applaud every family member and loved one who is involved in the care of a person with additional needs and the bravery of each family that welcomed the BBC into their home for the recent 'Spotlight' programme.”
“I am sure that we all agree that adequate short-break services, whether day care or respite, are essential to the well-being of families and carers. Respite offers young people and children with learning disabilities and complex health needs a new setting to be supported in. Importantly, they also provide the families of a disabled child with a break from their dedicated caring responsibilities. <BR /> <BR />From sitting on the Committee for Health, I am aware of the significantly increased demand for family support and short breaks across a wide range of services for children with disability. In the South Eastern Trust, in particular, a significant number of families are on the waiting list for overnight respite.”
“Will the Minister detail the measures that he has put in place to oversee the mitigations?”
“<BR /> <BR />Although we all would have liked to see the level of funding be greater than it was, we need to remember that the Minister was operating in a context of severe pressures across all parts of the health and social care system. Regrettably, Members cannot seem to see the contradiction in, on the one hand, cutting the Department of Health's opening allocation in cash terms and real terms and, on the other hand, demanding that the Minister invest even greater levels of funding.”
“<BR /> <BR />Despite severe pressures on health service finances, the Minister took the decision to invest circa £1·8 million in core grant scheme funds rather than to allow the funding to be withdrawn from the sector entirely, as officials were advising him to. Coming into office last May, the Minister could have taken that advice and allowed the scheme to draw to an end. Instead, in July 2024, he announced that the core grant scheme would be redesigned to address the previous scheme's huge unfairness. The new scheme was then designed in partnership with the community and voluntary sector, through a process that NICVA facilitated, and was relaunched in the autumn. That is why the reference to meaningful engagement in the motion is so misplaced.”
“At the outset, I pay tribute to the breadth of organisations in the community and voluntary sector that are involved in the day-to-day delivery of impactive and invaluable support right across Northern Ireland. At a time when we are facing so many profound challenges, particularly in the health and social care field, one has to question whether debating such a factually flawed motion is the best use of the Assembly's time. There appears to be some misunderstanding of this year's core grant scheme. When we engage with local charities, many of which provide essential health and social care services, it is important that we as MLAs do not speak out of both sides of our mouth.”
“The Minister has replied that they will be fixed in the summer, but that means that the road will be without road markings for another three months. We need to up our game there. <BR /> <BR />The other thing is that gully cleaning is resulting in a lot of surface water, which needs to be addressed as well. We need to take a more robust approach to that matter. <BR /> <BR />Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker; I managed seven minutes.”
“I dare say that some of the streets that Peter highlighted were mentioned back in 2016, so nothing much has changed in the meantime. <BR /> <BR />North Down, however, is also being let down by the Department when it comes to central road markings, which have really fallen into disrepair. We had a conversation recently about the glare from LED headlights. When you are the victim of that, when a car is coming at you with those strong LED headlights, you can lose your sense of position on the road. The only thing that salvages the situation is the central road markings, if they are working and if they are reflective. That, at least, gives you something with which to position yourself on the road. The road markings are very poor, and I have reported some in Groomsport.”
“<BR /> <BR />Another suggestion that I have made over recent years is that there should be more consultation with elected representatives when the Department or the section office is drawing up the programme for the year ahead. It should consult us, because we know which footpaths and roads need to be fixed. Somebody in an office 30 or 40 miles away from Bangor or North Down does not know the area. They are making choices that are maybe not the best choices. A little more pre-consultation would be better than coming to the council to tell it what they are going to do. They should come along and ask what it is that we want them to do. Peter listed a lot of streets in Bangor that are really bad. In his speech that night in 2016, Alex Easton named just about every street in North Down as needing attention.”
“A number of years ago, I asked the Department whether it tried to recover the costs of repairing those signs from the car owners' insurance but the answer was no, because it was too much bother and was not cost-effective. The same thing happened after the recent storms. A lot of trees on private property fell down on to public roads, and the Department had to clear them away. I asked the Department whether it tried to recover its costs from householders' insurance or public liability insurance, but, again, the answer was no, because it was too much hassle and was not cost-effective. There is a lot of money there that could fill a lot of potholes, if the Department had the motivation to go after it.”
“It seems like a waste of resources to come out to fix three, four or five potholes but leave one. They will have to come back to fix it a fortnight later, because that one millimetre will have gone. That needs to be looked at. <BR /> <BR />I have also noticed that there is a band-aid approach to fixing potholes. Back in the day, a mechanical roller was used, and you could see the steam coming off the tar. Now, a guy with a wheelbarrow and a shovel throws a lot of stuff into the pothole and beats it down with a shovel. A fortnight or three weeks later, it is back to square one. The Department may need to have a look at that. <BR /> <BR />The other thing that I have asked questions about and about which I have a bee in my bonnet is road signage that gets damaged in vehicle collisions.”
“That is not unique to North Down. <BR /> <BR />In the 2023-34 financial year, the Department spent £410,000 on the Groomsport roundabout project. That project was definitely not needed, but it was coming to the end of the financial year, and the Department obviously did not want to hand back budget, so the money was spent. That money could have been spent better on some more pressing issues. <BR /> <BR />We are obsessed with potholes — rightly so, because they are everywhere you go. If you report a cluster of them, officials from the Department come out and put markings around it for repair. There may be four or five potholes in that cluster, but there will be one for which they will not put down a marking and that they will not repair because it is maybe a millimetre outside the criteria that it needs to meet in order to be fixed.”
“Funnily, all the comments made in 2016 are probably as applicable today as they were then. I spoke for 10 minutes in that debate, and I was tempted just to use the speech that I made all those years ago. However, I have a sore throat today, so, Members will be pleased to know, I will not speak for 10 minutes or even seven minutes. <BR /> <BR />I understand the demands on the Minister to deliver more with an ever-shrinking budget. Real world budget realities kick in; I see that in the health service. People ask for more and more, but the budget is not there. That is the reality that we are dealing with. I am sure that the Minister will expand on that. None of the problems that we are talking about are unique to North Down. I drive around the Province a lot, and I see potholes everywhere and grass not getting cut around the countryside.”
“There were four Members in the House for that Adjournment debate. I was going to say that interest in North Down roads has increased by 25%, but I see that Patsy has left.”
“I refer to Hansard for Tuesday 22 November 2016. In it is recorded an Adjournment debate titled:”
“They must be aware that the Minister's hands are somewhat tied in delivering that ask. The capital budget that they voted for, despite the warnings from not only the Minister but the broader HSC family, failed to contain the necessary allocation. Although I am happy to support the motion in the hope that further progress will be delivered at Craigavon, I once again ask that MLAs, instead of attempting to cast blame elsewhere, consider whether they, by their actions, may have contributed to the problem.”
“It is on that note that I am happy to support the broad thrust of the motion, but it would be entirely remiss of me if I did not, once again, highlight the inconsistency and double standards of the messaging on display here today. <BR /> <BR />The signatories to the motion demand that the Minister of Health:”
“Investment in the health and social care (HSC) estate is crucial to enhance service delivery and ensure that facilities are adequately equipped to meet the ever-increasing needs of the community. That applies to all the geographical areas of Northern Ireland, but living within the limitations of the resources available means that it is rarely possible to invest evenly. That includes the obvious investment that is required at the overall Craigavon Area Hospital site. There is no question that it is one of the oldest major acute hospital buildings, if not the oldest, in the region. The hospital is in need of a replacement.”
“Is the Minister concerned that the reported changes in the make-up of the construction consortium that is delivering the project will impact on the commencement date, which was previously reported as being the end of April?”
“Minister, when you were in Washington, did you recognise how important it is to create face-to-face relationships and build trust in order to eventually exploit more business opportunities?”
“The issue of patient flow and timely discharge is at the heart of the problem. While it is essential that the system works as efficiently as possible, ultimately, greater investment in community care will be one of the long-term solutions. That will mean the Assembly doing what it has often said it would, which is to prioritise our health service.”
“Over recent months, several ambulance services across Great Britain have declared critical or urgent incidents because of the level of demand. Nevertheless, even with the undoubted strains on the system, we need to make sure that we make the best use of our crews. Therefore, I welcome any and all measures to improve system efficiency and better utilisation of resources. <BR /> <BR />We also need to be honest and recognise that there is no single or easy solution. If there were, it would have been implemented long ago. I very much welcome the Minister's focus on tackling the broader pressures on urgent and emergency care, particularly in advance of next winter. I hope that, in the meantime, in the weeks and months ahead, the Assembly will approach the issue of necessary investment in our health service with a fair and open mind.”
“I suspect that every Member of the House has the same concerns regarding the pressures and delays that the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service faces. Those worries will have been heightened after the recent publication of the Audit Office report. There is no doubt that the current delays are untenable and, ultimately, pose real and significant risks. Whether it is a heart attack, a stroke or a car accident, the sooner an ambulance crew arrives at the scene, the higher the chances are of survival and recovery. I have nothing but praise for how our paramedics deal with the many daily challenges that they face. <BR /> <BR />We need to ensure that as many crews and vehicles as possible are available to respond. However, we also need to remember that the pressures that our Ambulance Service faces are not unique to Northern Ireland.”
“Focusing on the economic benefits, does the First Minister agree that her full attendance in Washington, in her position as a First Minister for all, would have added value to the visit?”
“Have the Executive considered the mutualisation of Northern Ireland Water, or do they have other plans for providing the funding that is required to enable upgrades of failing waste water plants in the greater Belfast area?”
“Whilst I hope that the Minister can today provide a further, similarly positive update, I urge his Department to maintain sufficient monitoring and oversight mechanisms to ensure that such variations do not appear again at a later date.”
“<BR /> <BR />No doubt, the longer that the Minister is in post, the more staggering he is finding the true scale of health inequalities. The outcomes for children are not immune from health inequalities. Whilst there is a multitude of explanations, children living in households in the lowest socio-economic groups have significantly worse health outcomes than other children. Therefore, it is a matter of concern that a number of one-year reviews are being missed. <BR /> <BR />The Department told me that it was alert to the problem and that steps were being taken to resolve it. Having recently received a further update on the matter, I was glad to see that real progress has been made.”
“There is no doubt that home visits are a vital source of support for new parents and their children. The first few weeks and months of a child's life can be a nervous time for any new parent, no matter how experienced. That is why the visits from midwives and health visitors are so important. Those visits and the one-year review also provide a valuable chance for parents to discuss any concerns or observations that they have in the comfort of their home. It is widely recognised that the care given during a child's first stages has more influence on their future than that at any other time in their life. If there are concerns, it is essential that they are identified and responded to at the earliest opportunity.”
“I am sure that there are many issues that occupy the mind of the Minister, but the sheer level of inequality, combined with the harm and sadness caused by substance misuse, likely features prominently with him.”
“It is regrettable that there has been so much uncertainty over funding contributions. Nevertheless, I was pleased to note the recent announcement of PEACE PLUS funding of €8 million for a community alcohol detox+ (CAD+) project. <BR /> <BR />Reiterating the comments of colleagues, I commend all the staff and volunteers at the Northlands Addiction Treatment Centre, who provide a truly incredible service for people across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />It has become clear that the Minister has a commendable focus on tackling health inequalities. The most recent annual report — last year's — once again set out in incredibly stark terms how alcohol and drug misuse indicators continue to show some of the largest of all the health inequalities that are being monitored.”
“<BR /> <BR />Much as I fully understand the logic that we can no longer continue to do the same thing and hope for a different outcome, we need to invest more in specialist addition services, more early intervention measures and more front-line support. The framework for tackling the problem already exists: the Department's appropriately titled 'Preventing Harm, Empowering Recovery' framework is a clear, action-led document to allow people to access the support that they need. Thankfully, the plan has a particular emphasis on prevention and intervening before misuse escalates into something even more damaging. <BR /> <BR />I can empathise entirely with the particular focus in the motion on a north-west treatment centre, and the 'New Decade, New Approach' document will, understandably, have raised expectations further.”
“Thank you very much for calling me. I thank the Opposition for tabling the motion. Any opportunity to discuss and highlight the damages of substance misuse is to be welcomed. Substance misuse, whether of drugs or alcohol, is undoubtedly a serious problem across Northern Ireland. Misuse can destroy lives, and, sadly, as happens all too often here, it claims lives. <BR /> <BR />Excess alcohol consumption alone costs Northern Ireland up to as much as £900 million every year, but, as the debate has rightly highlighted, misuse is not just a financial problem but a human one. It is a sad reality that addiction is an issue gripping many families across our region. Sometimes, addiction is known and can be seen; sometimes, it is hidden. Either way, it is a tragedy for the people involved and their families.”