Rosemary Barton
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Unfortunately, I see nothing about women in agriculture in your statement. You talked about succession, for example. Will there be extra support to allow women to succeed to the family farm? Many women have caring responsibilities.”
“My question leads on from Mr McGlone's. You talked about responsibility for the environment, but everybody has to take responsibility for their local environment, and that is the aspect at which I want to look. What conversations have you had with councils about how they will be able to help you meet the strategy's challenges?”
“Thank you, Minister, for that comprehensive answer. Those investments are all very fine and are very welcome in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. We still have a communication problem owing to the mobile network coverage, however. Can you think of any way in which to put further investment into Fermanagh to try to alleviate that problem?”
“When there is an issue involving devolved matters, it is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly to legislate on those matters. The UK Parliament retains the power to legislate on them, however.”
“<BR /> <BR />A number of strengthening arrangements therefore needed to be considered. There must be an assurance that the Assembly is made aware in a timely manner of those Westminster Bills that require an LCM. There needs to be improved communication from Ministers to the Assembly if normal timescales cannot be met.”
“The amendment that we are debating is to Standing Order 3, and it covers what happens in the event that a Member cannot attend, whether through illness or for another reason, the first meeting of the Assembly following a dissolution. That Member, therefore, would not be able to declare his or her political designation.”
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“Indeed, we have heard that this afternoon. That, on the face of it, is a long way from the reply to another question for written answer that I received from the Minister last week, when he said that:”
“This fact has been a bone of contention for a number of years. It is something that the Minister's party pledged in its very brief manifesto to change. It stated that:”
“In reply to a question for written answer that I put down on the first day, the Education Minister confirmed that:”
“We also did. Thank you. <BR /> <BR />The budget difficulties have come completely out of the blue to boards of governors. They have had no time at all to prepare. Schools are actually using funds raised by their excellent parent-teacher associations (PTAs) to help to fund teachers and basic classroom activities. I see that in yesterday's 'Belfast Telegraph', Minister Weir said that he is "acutely aware" of the pressures on school budgets. He is quoted as having bid for extra cash in the June monitoring round. We now know that the extra cash turned out to be £5 million. Clearly, he has found either the money tree or cash down the side of the ministerial sofa, but is it enough to plug the school budgets gap? I sincerely doubt it. <BR /> <BR />That is short term. The longer-term issue is the structure of the Department of Education's budget.”
“The continual cuts over the last five years are taking their toll, not just on teachers and principals but on all angles of school life. The stress on those who have given their life to excellence in our education system is putting unacceptable pressure on professionals.”
“All MLAs must be aware of the concerns raised by school principals and boards of governors across the country. Their budgets have been squeezed, and boards of governors will be forced to declare staff redundancies. That can only mean bigger class sizes, with all the consequences that that will have for educational outcomes. Despite Mr McElduff's claim yesterday that all is rosy in the garden, that is not what I hear from those working in the education sector. The mixture of superannuation pay rises, National Insurance rises and inflationary increases means schools having to look at cuts in their budgets of some 8%, which is worse than most schools expected. Schools are past crisis point and are having to submit budget deficits, which is totally against their professional standards. Some are considering refusing to propose the cuts.”
“As of 10.00 am, the outcome of the June monitoring round is known: £30 million for the Department, with £20 million for schools, £5 million for special needs and £5 million for the drawdown of school surpluses under the school end-year flexibility (EYF) scheme. The £15 million extra promised for the aggregated schools budget was included in the budgets that schools were notified of in March. From the answer to Sandra's question, it seems that the £15 million extra for the aggregated schools budget — the money that goes to schools — had been accounted for in the March 2016 allocations. This morning, an extra £5 million has been found. The statement suggested £20 million for schools. <BR /> <BR />Is that £5 million enough? What is that when divided among all our schools?”
“That was the £20 million announced in February, before the election, by former Minister O'Dowd. I am really not sure why there was any doubt about that money. <BR /> <BR />My colleague Sandra Overend recently asked the new Minister:”
“It turns out, indeed, that £5 million has been found from somewhere for the aggregated schools budget. <BR /> <BR />Reference was also made yesterday to a wish or a hope that an extra £20 million would be allocated to education in the June monitoring round. From this morning's statement, it appears that £30 million, not £20 million, has been found. We were told:”
“In rising to speak on the Second Stage of the Budget (No. 2) Bill, I will make some comments on the mid-year Estimates in relation to the education budget for 2016-17. In doing so, I seek clarity about the budget and greater transparency within it. Many school principals are looking for answers when it comes to their budgets, about which they have already been notified by the Department of Education. <BR /> <BR />I listened with interest to the contribution made yesterday by the new Chair of the Education Committee, Mr McElduff. He noted that, overall, the resource and the capital budgets for education had increased. While acknowledging the challenges for schools, he appeared confident that the Executive would find more money, although he did not say from where.”
“Minister, I also congratulate you on your appointment. Clearly, universities are not being funded properly to deliver the skills needed and have not been for some time. Do the Minister and the Minister of Education have a plan to deliver a funding model for third-level education that will allow universities to offer more undergraduate places and reverse the cuts that have been imposed on them in recent years?”
“I congratulate you, Minister, on your appointment. Will you give an assurance that Libraries NI will not transfer to local government?”
“— I appeal to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Education to get their act together to make sure that adequate resources are targeted.”
“Last year, as I said, the former OFMDFM only spent £12 million of its intended investment in childcare, leaving £8·6 million unspent even though the cost of full-time childcare places has risen. The motion before us calls for professional development for the entire early years workforce. In that regard, I would like to highlight the work of Save the Children in highlighting the importance of expertise in language development and skills to help parents with their children's development. <BR /> <BR />In supporting this very reasonable motion —”
“Last year, the former OFMDFM only spent one third of its £12 million intended for investment in childcare, leaving £8·6 million unspent, even though the cost of full-time places in childcare had risen —”
“The cost of childcare provision is prohibitive. Many parents struggle to pay household bills and mortgages, even though both are working full time. According to the Northern Ireland childcare cost survey 2015, published last November by the Employers for Childcare Charitable Group, 46% of parents, including 52% of mothers, reduced their hours or left work due to childcare costs, in comparison with 32% of fathers. This shows that mothers still bear the brunt of the caring responsibilities. Free preschool childcare for three- and four-year-olds must be provided by a professional workforce.”
“Therefore, it is imperative that there is a cross-departmental approach to the development of early education and childhood care through intervention programmes and family support services. Only this morning on the radio we heard the Ulster Teachers' Union general secretary talk about the removal of finance from preschool provision in special needs.”
“<BR /> <BR />In moving on to the motion, I welcome it and congratulate the SDLP on the work it has done on this important area of public policy. I wish to elaborate on the benefits of interdepartmental cooperation. Research over the years has shown how necessary this collaboration is, and health and education must develop in tandem. Poor health impacts on educational achievement, while a lack of educational achievement has a greater impact on our preschool children and their development. <BR /> <BR />There is increasing recognition that the first few years of a child's life lay the foundations for cognitive functioning and behavioural and social tendencies, together with their physical health.”
“Mr Tom Elliott, who, I am sure, many of you know, was an extremely capable MLA who had a never-ending supply of energy when it came to helping and supporting his constituents. His attention to detail on the Committees on which he served is well-documented. However, I believe he will be most-remembered for his calm, affable and reassuring manner when dealing with issues in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. <BR /> <BR />Mr Neil Somerville, his successor, had a background in tourism, and he was eventually succeeded by Mr Alastair Patterson in January 2016. Alastair was an extremely hard-working member of the Environment Committee and will be remembered for the quick and efficient manner in which he conducted business.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, for calling me to make my maiden speech today. It is my privilege to represent the area in which I was born, grew up and was educated. I am truly humbled to be here, and it is with honour and respect that I will endeavour to serve the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, the most scenic area, I believe, of Northern Ireland. I come to Stormont with a background in education and as a post-primary teacher in mathematics. Thank you, also, to all the staff here in Stormont, who have been most helpful, warm and welcoming in my first days. <BR /> <BR />I want to take the opportunity to pay my respects to my predecessors Mr Tom Elliott MP, Mr Neil Somerville and Mr Alastair Patterson.”