Robbie Butler
Lagan Valley · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Officials highlighted that alignment was provided through existing EU-derived arrangements and that coherence with existing regulatory frameworks was identified as a main consideration.”
“I note that the Member for Strangford agrees: she understands the value of our fisheries in those areas. There are other complexities. The Isle of Man Government have now done a bit of a circle around that island, which makes it difficult for our fishers from Portavogie, Kilkeel and Portaferry to craft and graft a living from some of the…”
“The Committee took the opportunity to question officials on several issues and highlight matters warranting scrutiny at Committee Stage but was not limited to those areas.”
“As the Minister said, they have possibly been viewed as competing demands, but they are not competing demands, because clean water is part of sustainable food production.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am glad to see language in the Bill on the sustainability of the aquaculture sector, and I want to lean in a bit on that. Aquaculture pastimes have, perhaps, been underutilised, whether they relate to the angling fraternity or other river and water users.”
“Today, I want to talk about a very talented young girl from Lisburn called Freya Terris. Freya, who is 17 years old, attends Friends' School and studies the piano under former Lisburn resident Rory Dowse. Freya is an incredibly accomplished young pianist and has performed in the Ulster Hall.”
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“The Minister will be aware that the Asian hornet is not the only threat to bees. Earlier in the year, there was a series of questions asked about there being no chief bee inspector. Can the Minister give us an update on how the Department is furnished for bee inspection?”
“<BR /> <BR />As we look to the future, we must also ensure that our ambition for green, energy-efficient communities goes hand in hand with building storm-proof, resilient communities. Sustainability and strength must be integrated; it is not one or the other. We need to create homes and neighbourhoods that are as efficient as they are robust. <BR /> <BR />Let us act with urgency and focus on collaboration. Let us ensure that every community, whether it is rural or urban, is not just ready but empowered when the next storm arrives. We owe it to the people whom we represent and their communities to let them know that they are not defined by tomorrow's storms and that the Chamber is speaking about it today, and we are going to act.”
“Doing so would not only strengthen our energy security, which needs to become a serious matter for debate, but decentralise generation and move us towards a more sustainable and resilient future. <BR /> <BR />We should also look outward. Other countries have faced even harsher weather. From the Netherlands to Australia, we can see cases where they have shown what can be achieved through investment and, in particular, resilient flood defences and community-based preparedness. In Australia, for example, flash flood response relies heavily on education and local drills. Northern Ireland can and should learn from those international examples, adopting what works, adapting what does not and building a strategy fit for our unique landscape.”
“We must give those people consistency, assurance and protection. <BR /> <BR />The recent storms have also raised serious questions about the efficiency of our emergency systems. Take, for instance, the late notice from the Education Authority regarding school closures on Friday 3 October. Many parents and staff were left scrambling at the last minute, while public transport had already been suspended. That confusion was unnecessary and avoidable. The early activation of emergency plans with clearer coordination can prevent panic and help keep people safe. <BR /> <BR />Our power network remains outdated and vulnerable. It is fragile, and every major storm exposes that weakness. Despite repeated opportunities, we have not yet fully embraced renewable resources, such as wind, solar, hydro and anaerobic digestion.”
“Too often, we focus on the visible damage — the fallen trees, the flooded roads and the power outages — but we sometimes forget that behind those stories are people whose lives are genuinely at risk. We need much stronger collaboration between councils, emergency responders and national agencies, and I thank the people who respond. Communication is crucial, not to create panic but to educate and empower communities to act early and stay safe. Those improvements could literally mean the difference between life and death. <BR /> <BR />I turn briefly to our modern healthcare system. More people than ever rely on medical equipment at home, such as oxygen machines, ventilators and other devices, where an interruption to electricity or broadband is not merely an inconvenience but can be life-threatening.”
“<BR /> <BR />Rural areas, as always, tend to suffer most. When storms hit, they are often the last to be reconnected and to receive help. I am often asked, "Are we the first to be forgotten?". Limited infrastructure and stretched emergency services mean that, when trees fall or flooding occurs, small villages and farms can be entirely cut off. During storm Éowyn, many rural homes, farms and businesses were left without electricity for weeks, and MLAs across the Chamber worked tirelessly to get people reconnected. People faced devastating losses of livestock and property. Better rural connectivity and stronger infrastructure are absolutely key if we are serious about protecting those communities. <BR /> <BR />The threat to life posed by extreme weather is not fully recognised, even after the devastation of storm Éowyn and storm Amy.”
“<BR /> <BR />I express my support for the residents of County Down, particularly those in Newcastle, who endured heavy rainfall and flooding over the weekend that left many fearing for their lives and the safety of their homes. I am sure that many if not all of us have seen the pictures and video footage of the properties that were damaged. I think particularly of the Tullybrannigan Road area, which was cut off, leaving residents feeling trapped and helpless. The fact that much of that was predictable and, to an extent, preventable makes it all the more frustrating. With better planning, coordination and communication, we could make a difference. That is why this debate is not just necessary but urgent. We must close the gaps in our storm preparedness and put in place permanent or long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is a matter of fact that, this year, Northern Ireland has been subject to a series of increasingly severe storms. Those storms have left a trail of damage and destruction that is both physical and deeply human. Families, farmers and entire communities have faced fallen trees, toppling poles, flooded roads, the danger of aquaplaning vehicles and, in many cases, community and individual isolation. The extreme weather has exposed our vulnerabilities. It has reminded us painfully that we are not adequately prepared. The time for reaction is over, and the time for preparation must begin. Storms will inevitably come again, and it is our responsibility to act together now to build long-term, effective solutions that will protect lives, homes and livelihoods.”
“The Cliff Edge Coalition has been clear: strengthen the mitigations; end the five-week wait; remove the two-child limit; and support private renters who have been hit by the frozen local housing allowance. <BR /> <BR />Poverty does not happen by accident. It is shaped by political policy decisions. If those are made on the basis of the right choices, we can move the dial on poverty in Northern Ireland. A real anti-poverty strategy must be measurable, time bound, targeted and properly funded. In that regard, Minister, you will have the willing ear of the Ulster Unionist Party in the Executive, because as my party leader, Mike Nesbitt, has pointed out many times, if we want to shift left in Health, we need to tackle the inequalities that are rooted in poverty, and we will improve people's outcomes as best we can.”
“Those are not radical asks; they are practical measures and have worked elsewhere. <BR /> <BR />I also have to point out and recognise that poverty is not confined to our cities. In rural communities, families face higher living costs, poorer public transport, limited childcare and older, less efficient housing. Many spend more to heat their homes and to travel to work or school. Any credible anti-poverty strategy must reflect those realities and ensure that rural households are not left behind. <BR /> <BR />We must also be honest about welfare reform. The draft strategy mentions the existing mitigations for the bedroom tax and the benefit cap, but it commits to nothing beyond continuing them. I hope that that is the subject of high-level discussion in the Executive.”
“People were clear about what would make a real difference: providing free school meals for all pupils; reinstating the holiday hunger scheme; capping school uniform costs; and increasing grants. Those are all very hard to deliver, but they are certainly worthy of debate. I welcome the fact that the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill passed its Final Stage yesterday. I look forward to it doing what the Education Minister outlined: genuinely reducing the cost of uniforms for families. Those people also called for raising the level of social security benefits to reflect the true cost of living; removing the two-child limit and the five-week universal credit wait; introducing a Northern Ireland child payment; and ensuring affordable childcare and housing.”
“They said that it focuses on personal behaviour rather than on the structural causes of poverty and, in doing so, stigmatises the very people whom it should help. <BR /> <BR />We also have the voices of those living in poverty. During the consultation, the Women's Support Network, Save the Children NI, the NI Anti-Poverty Network and Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick engaged directly with 145 people living in poverty. The results speak for themselves: 78% said that the draft strategy would make no difference to their life; 15% said that they were unsure whether it would make a difference; and only 7% believed that it would help. Eighty-two per cent stated that it was poor.”
“Yes. Thank you. I will not give way any more, because I want to get through this. I agree with the Member for East Belfast. That is the point that I am getting to. The Minister has already shown that the Department has the capacity to be specific. It goes back to the point that I made that, in bringing forward one document that was agreed in 'New Decade, New Approach', the fear was that certain specifics would be missed. Childhood poverty is one such specific that, we feel, is missing. <BR /> <BR />The NI Anti-Poverty Network, which is supported by more than 80 organisations, has called for the document to be rewritten. That is not a political move; it is the powerful testimony of 80 separate organisations that serve those people daily, whether it is at food banks or through the provision of advice and help.”
“Thank you. <BR /> <BR />Given the history of the Executive, setting aside the Ministers who have those portfolios at the moment, the difficulty is that we set strategies and then fail to deliver on them. If we fail to put it on paper, we will never hit the targets. The Minister is right to say —”
“The Northern Ireland Audit Office called for a cross-departmental plan with clear, measurable targets, and the Public Accounts Committee warned that, without those targets, no strategy can deliver real change, yet no such targets appear in the draft. To the Minister's credit, the new disability and work strategy committed to supporting 50,000 disabled people into work by 2036, which is a welcome and specific target.”
“Therefore, it is a cross-Executive matter. <BR /> <BR />However, under the New Decade, New Approach agreement, the Executive promised an anti-poverty strategy and a child poverty strategy. It was accepted at that stage that one document could serve both purposes but only if it had a clear, measurable focus on children and measurable outcomes for children. The current draft, sadly, does not. The Children's Commissioner, for instance, has said plainly that it is "not fit for purpose", and many others share that view. <BR /> <BR />It has been said by some in the sector that there are no new policies, no timelines and no ring-fenced budget. That part is unarguable.”
“The Assembly needs no reminder that child poverty in Northern Ireland needs to be tackled. We have had many debates on the issue. The 'Northern Ireland Poverty and Income Inequality Report, 2023/24' showed that one in five of our children are living in absolute poverty and one in four are living in relative poverty. Behind those numbers are children growing up in homes that are sometimes cold, parents skipping meals so that their children can eat and young people who see no realistic way to get ahead. That is the daily reality in too many households. When we look at some of the things that the Executive have tackled, poverty sits at their root cause. Take educational underachievement: we know that it is correlated with poverty. Take health inequalities: there is an inevitable correlation with poverty.”
“I thank the Member for giving way on that point, which is really important. Should the Government and Departments not deliver on the legislation and the test that that has produced to lead the way on net zero and the climate contribution? In this instance, it certainly seems, particularly on the A5, that the Department for Infrastructure may be unable or unwilling to produce the evidence that would meet the climate targets that we legislated for.”
“I offer the view, however, that the motion could well have sailed through had they not used it for politicking.”
“Without it, we cannot build new homes or attract major investment. The UUP has repeatedly raised that and suggested steps, such as mutualisation, that could be taken. Sadly, however, that has been dismissed outright. Therein lie some of the intra-Executive wrestles. <BR /> <BR />Where our view differs from the motion is in the approach that is taken, not in the sense of what needs to happen. We want to see collaboration, not confrontation, and we want to see genuine costed proposals, rather than statements or grandstanding. What we need now is for the Executive, collectively, to produce a credible, costed and time-bound investment strategy. I welcome robust analysis and scrutiny from the Opposition, and I know that we will get that. It is absolutely valuable, and it is needed.”
“I do not disagree with the Member at all. If he had stated those intentions in the motion, I think that he could have got total support for it, but he did not. <BR /> <BR />Simply criticising the delays without acknowledging the realities risks misleading the public. I will never stand here and mislead the public, and no one will ever accuse me of that. It is equally important to remember that, as I set out, the latter delay did not come about by virtue of the Executive. Similarly, the all-island strategic rail review deserves serious consideration. Work is under way on that, but Northern Ireland's participation to it should be based on evidence, affordability, value for money and, once again, deliverability. <BR /> <BR />I entirely agree that investment in waste water infrastructure is urgently needed.”
“We support the principle of key infrastructure projects that benefit communities and sport, but we recognise that the schemes have been delayed not by the Executive but by complex planning, legal and budgetary challenges. To simply criticise the delays without acknowledging those realities risks misleading the public. <BR /> <BR />The Irish Government have offered €50 million towards Casement Park, the UK Government have offered £50 million, and the Executive are holding £65 million, but the words of the current chief executive of the GAA, when he took over the post, were, "Not a penny more". Everybody has a fist in the fight and needs to speak up equally if they want to see real delivery.”
“I have no problem with that. As I outlined, we are not against having an investment strategy — we absolutely believe that one should come forward in haste — but we need the comprehensive spending review, the analysis of that review and the multi-year Budgets. We need to take the politics, which have been mentioned, out of the motion. <BR /> <BR />The Ulster Unionist Party believes in strategic prioritisation: investing where there is clear social, economic and environmental benefit and where delivery is actually achievable. Take the A5 western transport corridor and Casement Park, both of which are referenced in the motion.”
“Publishing a strategy document will not, in itself, deliver a single metre of road or rail; nor will it fix our underfunded waste water system. What matters is the political and financial will to deliver what is agreed. That is why I outlined the steps that I did at the start. The Ulster Unionist Party —.”
“Even Alliance picked up on that. When we are speaking about such high-level topics, that tone helps no one, least of all the public, who want to see delivery. Equally, one could be forgiven for thinking that the SDLP was not in previous iterations of the Executive. It recently held the Infrastructure portfolio. The truth is that the absence of an updated investment strategy is not the result of one failure — whether or not that is on the part of the Executive, as per the motion — but of a wider breakdown in long-term planning, fiscal realism and Executive coordination and, as I pointed out at the start of my contribution, as a result of there being no Executive at all.”
“What will come next is the outworkings of the comprehensive spending review and then a conversation on multi-year Budgets, as Mr Brett mentioned. All those things, although we would have liked them to happen more quickly, and although they should have come forward earlier, will help inform a comprehensive and agreed investment strategy. <BR /> <BR />Strategic planning and capital investment are essential for everyone, as the leader of the Opposition picked up on. Be it hospitals, schools, infrastructure or social capital, all are there to strengthen our economy, improve connectivity and support job creation, thus driving proper prosperity for everyone in Northern Ireland. Although the sentiment is right, we will not fully support the motion. It reads less as a genuine call for progress and more as an exercise in assigning blame.”
“Like the party of the Member to speak previously, the Ulster Unionist Party agrees with aspects of the motion, in particular the recognition of the fact that Northern Ireland needs a clear, updated investment strategy. There is no pushback from us on that whatsoever. <BR /> <BR />As I stated last night, we face stovepiped plenary time, stovepiped legislative time and stovepiped everything in Northern Ireland, because, for two consecutive mandates, we have had a collapsed Assembly, and we therefore find ourselves having compressed time frames in which to deliver. Let us look at what has happened in this mandate so far. A Programme for Government was agreed and achieved. Yesterday, we voted on the Executive's legislative programme for 2025-26.”
“I know that the Committee on Procedures did a piece of work with you, Mr Speaker, to make sure that the legislative programme is actually an important step at the start of every mandate. Let us hope that, in 2027, after the next election, that is what we do.”
“What we are witnessing is stovepiped scrutiny, stovepiped delivery and, as the Member for North Belfast pointed out, some of the last legislation that we made in the previous mandate should not cover us all in glory because when we have compressed times in which to legislate, it is really difficult, not just for legislators and Committees to scrutinise the legislation but for those who are drafting the Bills and giving the legal oversight. I hope that we are learning lessons. We have come back from two truncated periods when we did not have an Assembly, and that is why we faced those periods in the previous two mandates of having to do rushed legislation, and that should never be the case.”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for moving the motion this afternoon and the junior Ministers. I express my party's concerns to Sinn Féin and the Sinn Féin leader about what may be a family matter. <BR /> <BR />I will make a few points about the Executive's legislative programme. It should be one of those flags that we put in the ground early in any mandate to indicate to people that we are serious about making changes here and that the legislative programme matches up with the provisions in our Programme for Government. It could be argued by some, and probably will be by the Opposition in the coming weeks and months, that it probably does not.”
“The Department is using those powers actively at the moment in the development of some of its SRs. <BR /> <BR />To conclude, the Committee has seen DAERA recently run into problems in making regulations for the new farm support and development programme under the powers in the 1949 Act. DAERA was advised by the Examiner of Statutory Rules to bring forward amending regulations to ensure that it remains within the vires by amending the definition of "authorised persons" and removing offences and penalty regulations in the Horticulture Pilot Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025, the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023 and the Suckler Cow Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025. That ends my comments as Chair of the AERA Committee. <BR /> <BR />I will make a few closing remarks, if that is OK, Mr Speaker.”
“I obviously cannot speak for the Minister in my capacity as Chair, but given the truncated timescales that we have left, it is very unlikely that something of that significance will see the light of day. However, I am sure that all those things are up for discussion in the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />The present Agriculture Act dates from 1949, which trumps 1966. Indeed, a new, comprehensive agriculture Act was one of the options that was considered prior to DAERA's deciding on the small Agriculture Act that was recently passed to amend the two legacy EU common market organisation (CMO) schemes. However, we heard that scoping on the need for a comprehensive Northern Ireland agriculture Bill was at only an early stage and that gaps exist in the primary powers that are needed for the Department's new farm support and development programme.”
“The Committee recognises that the issues relating to fisheries and the water environment have changed significantly since 1966, and that a new Act is required to fully consider the wider ecosystem and sustainable development. The Committee has highlighted the importance of growing the aquaculture industry in Northern Ireland and the impact that water quality has on that sector. We commissioned research from RaISe, and we have taken evidence from the aquaculture sector. We hope that the forthcoming Bill will assist the growth of aquaculture in Northern Ireland and, helpfully, improve water quality. <BR /> <BR />Speaking of dated legislation, we would like to have seen a new agriculture Bill, but, unfortunately, it does not seem as though that will happen.”
“On 18 September, the Committee was briefed on the policy proposals and the underlying intent of the protection of the water environment aspect of the Bill. The public consultation process is live and will close on 6 November 2025. We await the outcome of that consultation. We understand that the aim is to introduce the Bill in mid-2026. The Committee certainly hopes that it will be no later than that, because we want to have time to scrutinise in detail such a wide-ranging and important Bill. <BR /> <BR />We note that the Department continues to apply the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966, which, I am sure, most accept is relatively dated primary legislation.”
“We are holding an online event with the Youth Assembly tomorrow night, so I say this to any members of the AERA Committee who are here: I want to see you online tomorrow night with our young people. The AERA Committee recognises that, beyond our usual stakeholder group, it is really important to get the views of young people when creating legislation. <BR /> <BR />The consultation on the fisheries and aquaculture policies for the development of the fisheries and water environment Bill closed on 11 September. Previous correspondence to the Committee on 3 July 2025 indicated that it was the intention to consult on the water quality element separately and that both consultations would inform the drafting instructions for that Bill.”
“I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on the legislative programme. I will take a few short moments to comment on that, as it seems that DAERA has only one further Executive Bill to come forward in this mandate — the fisheries and water environment Bill — which has already been outlined by some Members in the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />The Committee spent some time scrutinising and helping the Minister to deliver the Agriculture Bill, which has received Royal Assent. We are now looking at the Dilapidation Bill in Committee Stage. The Committee's call for evidence closed on Friday, and we have commenced our oral evidence sessions.”
“Following Friday's announcement on the cross-border initiative, will the Minister be more explicit about the target zone for the pilots? Will there be a regional assessment, or will it be in the border regions?”
“I think that the Minister has given enough in his response today to convince Members that the amendment brought by the Ulster Unionist Party is not only fit for purpose but worth supporting.”
“That awareness around young men as they grow up to be the fathers that they should be is really important. We talked about that being picked up in the RSE education piece, because the awareness around perinatal mental health still needs to be driven. <BR /> <BR />Thanks to Cara Hunter and Pam Cameron who spoke passionately and gave instances of testimony of those who have suffered and where their testimony is driving the change that, hopefully, we are going to bring about. <BR /> <BR />Nuala McAllister's questions were good. It is one of the debates where we drop the politicking, and the questions are absolutely fair. They bring a focus to the reality of the fiscal situation, the clinical guidance and getting it right first time.”
“Thank you, Minister. Hopefully, that will help some of the Members who have asked questions. <BR /> <BR />I thank Órlaithí Flynn, in particular, from the Sinn Féin team for tabling the motion. Órlaithí has walked the path with me since 2016 and has been relentless. Some of us move about portfolios, but Órlaithí has been on this one from the start. I thank Sinn Féin, and I hope that it does not see our amendment as taking away in any way from its motion. I think that it adds to the clarity, the purpose and the deliverability of what we are speaking about, because it is far too important to take any chances. <BR /> <BR />I will give a shout-out to the guys: Alan R, Alan C and Philip. We recognise the impact on mums and their babies, but dads and the wider family are also impacted on.”
“It really is not, because I assure Members that I would hold the Minister's feet to the fire on the issue. I think that I have some vires to speak about mental health. We need to establish the mother-and-baby unit, and we need to get it right, because we cannot fail those mums and their babies again. We tabled a common-sense amendment to a motion on what is a hugely important and sensitive matter. We really need to get the mother-and-baby unit done, but the direction needs to be rooted in deliverability and make clinical sense.”
“They allowed and gave confidence to pregnant mums all over Northern Ireland and more widely to speak up and demand better from us. I also pay tribute to Julie Anderson, the chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, for her partnership and leadership. Her steady guidance and professional expertise have helped keep the vision rooted in clinical best practice and compassion. Thanks to those early voices, we are no longer debating whether mothers should be supported to stay with their babies but, rather, how we make that a reality. <BR /> <BR />The level of awareness has changed, as has the tone, and the direction of travel is firmly set. I hope that the Minister's response to some excellent speeches today has given confidence that our amendment is not one of dither and delay.”
“<BR /> <BR />Back in 2016, a number of us were elected as MLAs, and we were collared — literally — by a determined group that refused to let perinatal mental health remain under the radar. They set sail firmly towards a future in which mothers in Northern Ireland could safely and humanely receive care without being separated from their babies and in which they would not have to fight for that clinical care. I acknowledge Lindsay Robinson and Nuala Murphy in particular, whose passionate lobbying from those early days helped shape the conversation on perinatal mental health, not just in the Chamber but across our health system and in communities. Their courage, persistence and honesty about their lived experience changed awareness for good.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister for sharing so openly his familial testimony. It is not easy for anyone to share such testimony. We have also heard Members share testimonies today, particularly from constituents. Before I address the detail of the motion, I will take a moment to pay tribute to some of the people whom I consider to be the early champions of raising the profile of perinatal mental health. Long before it became a topic with which we wrestled more readily, they forced us to understand it better, stood their ground and demanded change, and the Minister has outlined where some of that change has happened in the past 10 years.”
“Like the Minister and the Member who spoke before me, I say that the depopulation of the farm is happening as we speak. Our thoughts are with the farmer, because that will have wide-ranging implications. <BR /> <BR />The Minister said that this is the first outbreak in Northern Ireland since February 2025. There have, however, been outbreaks in England and in other jurisdictions. Can the Minister outline whether any cross-jurisdictional intelligence gathering is going on to try to prevent outbreaks and to better coordinate earlier identification of outbreaks in other jurisdictions?”
“Credit where it is due, Minister. As the chair of the all-party group on disability, I am delighted to see this strategy and will take some time to read it. Does the Minister have an understanding at this stage of how the new disability and work council will ensure that public bodies and Departments implement the recommended changes? Does the Minister envisage there being any powers to hold it to account in achieving the targets?”
“Connie is one of my favourites too, but we will keep that between us. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for his answer. He will know that social work is close to my heart, particularly in and around children's services and looked-after children. The Minister has given us good news about the training places, but those training places need to be transformed into paid work opportunities. Have the Department and the Minister any updates regarding employment opportunities for those trainees?”
“It was really sad to wake up this morning to read that, once again, Northern Ireland was seeing the threat of violence. I condemn it unreservedly, and I ask Members to speak with one voice in opposing it.”
“One plaque is for Senator Wilson, a nationalist who was murdered by loyalists, and one is for Edgar Graham, a unionist who was murdered by republicans. We need to own the words that we say, and we need to ensure that the words that we speak impact positively by, perhaps, bringing a little bit of peace and stability to a world that is struggling. <BR /> <BR />I pay my respects to the PSNI and the ammunition technical officers who respond, at times without political support, in the most dangerous of circumstances because they are apolitical. They provide safety for the public and for us. It is not so long ago that we were having debates about Jo Cox and David Amess, so it is not just in Northern Ireland that politicians face threat. There is global instability.”
“I add my support and solidarity to Minister Kimmins; the Member of Parliament Dáire Hughes; their families, in particular, because this extends way beyond the political sphere and the individual who has, potentially, been threatened; and, as has been picked out, the staff who work in the office. <BR /> <BR />I am sure that I do not need to remind Members of the fact that, over the past couple of years, sadly, we have been involved, through the good work of the Assembly Commission, in having to look at the security arrangements around all our offices and in reminding Members, including myself, that the platform that we have to speak on comes with significant responsibilities. This country suffers from PTSD because of the violence of the past. There are two plaques at the entrance to our Chambers, one at each Chamber.”