Linda Dillon
Mid Ulster · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“It is important to have that acknowledgement for the sake of history — so that the generations who come after us will understand what happened to you and what you went through. It is also important for our present and future: we must make sure that what happened to those women, girls and children never happens again.”
“I begin by offering the apologies of my colleague Carál Ní Chuilín, who cannot be here today owing to ill health. Carál has been very much invested in the work on the legislation. The Bill is very important to her, given the work that she does in the Assembly and the people with whom she has personally worked and engaged over many years.”
“My colleague Áine is the Member who probably comes closest to having a true understanding of what you have had to live with and endure, and continue to live with and endure, because it has affected, and will affect, you all your life, and we know that those effects are transgenerational. I acknowledge that.”
“We can never allow that to happen. <BR /> <BR />You showed bravery by speaking up. You spoke up, yes, so that people would know what had happened to you, but you also spoke up so that it would not happen to others.”
“Some lived to see the beginning of the campaign but not the Bill getting to this stage. Many did not even see the beginning of the campaign and did not believe that, in their lifetime — or anyone else's lifetime, for that matter — there would be an acknowledgement of what happened to them.”
“I apologise for not being in the House from the beginning of the statement and thank you for your latitude on that. <BR /> <BR />Thank you, Minister. You have outlined some of the benefits that Waterways Ireland ownership can bring to waterways and local communities.”
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“Had it not been for the first responders, the family would have been left on their own to deal with what was happening in their home, where that young boy was dying. We would not be able to survive in our communities without first responders or the Air Ambulance. While they could not save Hugh John's life, their response was absolutely vital. The family knew that, no matter what, everything that could have been done was done. The people who could have saved his life, had that been possible, were there.”
“I acknowledge the work and dedication of the community first responders in Coalisland in my constituency. I also acknowledge the trauma that they have to face when they go into a home where, first of all, they do not know what they are going into. They have to deal with families who are in an extremely difficult situation, and their work is outstanding. I call on all communities to support their first responders and to be aware of what they do and when they can be called on. <BR /> <BR />I particularly acknowledge the first responders and the Air Ambulance in relation to an incident that happened two weeks ago today in Coalisland, when a young boy, Hugh John Campbell, who was only 16 years old, died.”
“I thank the Member for taking an intervention. Does he agree that he would be better focusing on the likes of Donald Trump and events overseas? It is a war, and it is increasingly evident that it is about making money. Maybe the Member would be better to focus on that, rather than on things that are trying to be implemented in order to protect life, save lives and protect our futures.”
“Sorry, I cannot. <BR /> <BR />That is the situation that we are in again. If we had the powers, we could act differently. We could respond more quickly and we could target support towards the people who need it. We could make decisions based on what is best for the people here. That is why the conversation about the future of Ireland matters.”
“We will continue to do what we can, but how many times do we need to find ourselves in this position, dealing with the consequences of decisions that are taken elsewhere without having the power to respond properly?”
“I absolutely agree with the Member and thank her for that information. <BR /> <BR />Businesses, farmers, families and workers across our society are being impacted on, but the British Government are making a clear political choice not to prioritise people. The answer that we hear from some in the Chamber and many in the media is that we should raise revenue to alleviate the pressures on families here by increasing rates and student fees and introducing water charges. The answer to serious financial pressure on families and workers here is to come up with amazing and wonderful ideas to increase their financial burden. Nobody in their right mind would support that, and we certainly will not be supporting revenue-raising measures that put more pressure on people who are already at breaking point across our constituencies and communities.”
“As was mentioned, some of that money comes from the increased revenue that they are getting because of the rising cost of fuel.”
“The British Government are choosing to build up their war machine and to support others to make war above investing in people, communities and public services here. They have chosen to focus their resources on unjust wars while workers, families and essential services are left under pressure. They are quite happy to take our taxes — our hard-working people's money — to do that, but will not allow us to have any say in the decision on how that is spent. <BR /> <BR />The British Government are more than happy to take our hard-earned taxes while offering no support to people, at a time when illegal wars are creating a cost-of-living crisis for people here. They have the power to implement fuel duty relief and they have the money to put in place a meaningful support package.”
“It had to come from Departments that also have rising costs — just to be clear about that. It comes at a time when public services are already under pressure because of ongoing underfunding from the British Government. We are making decisions to target that support towards those who need it most, but it will not reach everyone. There are many workers and families just above that threshold who are struggling just as much, but they will get no support. That is why further action from the British Government is essential. While people here are struggling to heat their homes, to get to work and to make ends meet, the British Government have made their priorities clear. <BR /> <BR />I have to take issue with the point that the war is nothing to do with us and that we should not comment on it.”
“However, they have their own families, and they have bills to pay, and the price of fuel means that it costs money for them to go to work. They were already struggling, and they are nowhere near close to being properly compensated for their mileage. That is not sustainable, and it is not fair. The same applies to other healthcare workers, childcare workers and people who have already given so much and are now being hit hardest by the rising costs. They cannot just absorb the increases; they are already stretched to their very limit. <BR /> <BR />The Executive have stepped in where they can. The support package will help many low-income households, but we need to be straight about it: that is not funding that we can easily spare. They did not pull it out of their sleeve, Matthew. It had to come from somewhere.”
“<BR /> <BR />People are feeling the pressure every day in their homes, their workplaces and their communities, but we need to be honest in the debate about where the responsibility actually lies. The reality is that the key financial and taxation powers needed to respond to the crisis sit with the British Government. That is the truth. You always talk about honesty and transparency, so let us have a bit of it. <BR /> <BR />When we talk about the crisis, we need to talk about real people. Domiciliary care workers, who are mentioned in the motion, are a clear example. Those workers are going from home to home in large, rural areas, such as the area that I represent of Mid Ulster, looking after some of our most vulnerable people. They want to do the job. They care about the people whom they look after, and they care about their families.”
“Workers, families and businesses are under real pressure —. Actually, I will start by saying that I hope that the Member for South Belfast knows what he was trying to say because I have no idea what he was trying to say. In one part of the speech, he said that the Executive have everything that they need to deliver, but they need the British Government, but why are they writing to the British Government, why are they asking the British Government, the British Government need to give it to them. I am completely confused. I have never heard so many contradictions in one speech in all my life, and, coming from you, in this place, that is saying something.”
“Thank you. I would like you to provide clarity and perhaps a straight answer, because one did not come from your colleague, on whether you think that Bills should be blocked at the Executive or should come to the House for them to be subject to the democratic process. We discussed minimum unit pricing, which is one of the issues that was being blocked at the Executive and not being allowed to come to the House. Either you support Bills coming to the House or you do not. A straight yes or no answer would be great.”
“Would the Member mind clarifying for me whether his party believes that Bills should come from the Executive to the Floor or whether they should be blocked at the Executive and not come to the Floor? On a number of occasions, it has been said by your party that Bills and policy should not be blocked at the Executive and should come to the Floor to go through the democratic process. I am just wanting a wee bit of clarity around that.”
“I thank the Member for taking an intervention. Does he agree that that was highlighted again last week in the conversation around access to appointments for children with cancer and the cost to their parents of not only the parking charges but the transport to and from the appointments?”
“It was already low, but, considering what they are facing now at the petrol pumps, it is out of anybody's ability to be able to cover it. Will you agree that the British Government need to step up here —”
“Minister, on the back of the previous question, everybody has already mentioned the need for additional domiciliary care. First, can we get a guarantee that the real living wage will be implemented if and when a Budget is agreed? Do you agree that the Executive do not have the capacity? You have just said that there is a shortfall of £760 million. The Executive do not have the money. We pay our taxes. People here work hard. The people whom we are talking about — domiciliary care workers, healthcare workers and nurses in the district — are all paying their taxes. The British Government are not giving them back their taxes in order that they are able to put diesel in their cars. We need to increase the mileage payment as well, which is ridiculously low.”
“Minister, will you outline what, if any, plans you have to give further assistance to Women's Aid, particularly when it comes to refuge provision, given the fact that the cost of rent means that women in really dangerous positions are unable to leave their homes? Such a place should be their home, but it is the most dangerous place for them and their children right now.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, I had two parts to my question, but you have kind of answered the second part, which was on what AFBI and DAERA are doing in response to the need for significant improvements. What key findings does the Health and Safety Executive report highlight regarding the risks to public and animal health? You kind of answered the second part when you talked about action plans.”
“I thank the Member for taking an intervention. I recognise that issue and declare an interest as the parent of a child who went through Gaelscoil Uí Néill in Coalisland and is now in the Irish-medium sector, attending St Joseph's Grammar School in Donaghmore. That has been a constant issue. Does the Member agree that it puts constant pressure on the teaching staff and school leaders, who feel that they have to do extra work in order to ensure that those children are able to stay in their school? In Gaelscoil Uí Néill, the principal did Makaton with all the children in his school from day dot. He put in extra work every day, as did his teaching staff and classroom assistants. That is unfair.”
“We are well aware that 30 women have been murdered in the North since 2020, but we also need to understand that, in many cases, the men who killed those women displayed harmful behaviours before killing their partner, their wife or their mother. Were they challenged by their peers and their family? Many women and girls who are the victims of domestic and sexual violence will tell you that those men were not only not challenged by their peers and their family but were defended by them. Their behaviours were explained away. <BR /> <BR />I will finish with a quote from Margaret Atwood. It comes from the 1980s, but, unfortunately, it is still the case:”
“<BR /> <BR />The production was shown to many post-primary schools across mid-Ulster, and the feedback from the young people, their parents, their teachers and the adults around them has been outstanding because of the conversations that they were having afterwards. I spoke to some parents who went to see the play on the Friday night, and they said that, because of the opportunity to have a conversation after seeing it, all parents should see the production with their young people. <BR /> <BR />The thoughtful way in which the production was presented has real potential to change how people think about harmful behaviours and attitudes towards women and girls. It is important that more young people across the North get the opportunity to see the play.”
“<BR /> <BR />The difference with that production and how if differed from other things that I have seen that funding used for is that it was very aware of its target audience and how to reach it and of how it had the potential to make young people ask themselves whether they are willing to question harmful behaviours and attitudes among their peers. The play tells the story of what happens when, because they are their friends, they know them, they like them and they have grown up with them, men and boys do not challenge harmful behaviours displayed by other men and boys. It is for those very reasons that they fail to challenge such behaviours.”
“I congratulate Cahal Clarke, Aoibh Clarke, Rónán Johnson and Craic Theatre and Arts Centre in Coalisland on their production of 'Called Out', which was written by Cahal and directed by Aoibh, with Rónán playing all the characters in a one-man show. It truly was a hard-hitting production, exploring the courage required of young men in particular to call out their peers' harmful behaviours and attitudes. It was a thought-provoking piece of work, delivered through funding provided by Mid Ulster District Council through the Executive strategy to end violence against women and girls.”
“I apologise for not being in my place for question 1 during Question Time to the Executive Office. I welcome the new MLA to the Chamber and offer our well wishes to Gary. We are thinking of him. <BR /> <BR />Minister, with regard to actions to strengthen enforcement and reduce the risk of new housing developments becoming long-term unadopted sites, can you outline exactly what you are doing in working with planners? It is not all about money; some of it is about the inability to adopt sites because they do not have sight lines. Irresponsible actions are being carried out by developers, and those who end up picking up the costs are unknowing, unwitting people who buy homes in those developments and are left in a position where they cannot sell, cannot get mortgages, cannot develop their homes and cannot move house.”
“They all know that what you are saying is lies, cover-ups and nonsense. That is exactly what Phillip did a couple of weeks ago when he tried to convince people about money that was provided to the Executive that was not available to them at all. Do not let the truth get in the way of a good story. That is how the DUP rolls.”
“That is nonsensical. Let me tell you, Jonathan, nobody is convinced that you are telling the truth.”
“My message to people is that, absolutely, they should protest but do so where it matters. Hit Keir Starmer where it matters and do not listen to the nonsense coming from across the Chamber that the war in Iran has nothing to do with the rising price of diesel.”
“The solution is absolutely around the tax. We need to see a serious financial support package from Westminster. I understand why people are frustrated and want to protest. I absolutely would not want to negate anybody's right to protest, but go and protest where you need to protest. There is no point in affecting people here, because Keir Starmer does not give one damn if we block the Ballygawley roundabout or Sprucefield roundabout. He has never cared about the people of Newry, Omagh, Coalisland or anywhere else in this place. He has made very deliberate choices that ensure that we cannot provide for the people here. He already knows that we cannot provide for them, in light of the amount of money that he has given us. He has no intention of helping people here, unless he is forced to do so.”
“"Stupid" is the word; that is right. Jonathan, you need to look in the mirror. "Stupid" is the very word.”
“Do not come in here and try to convince us to go along with your nonsense, because that is what it is. It is utter nonsense.”
“It matters to the farmers, the hauliers, the care workers and those who are trying to deliver palliative care to people in their homes. It matters to all those people. It matters to people who are trying to travel to work, including teachers, nurses and doctors. Everybody is being affected by the situation.”
“I am sitting here wondering whether Jonathan Buckley and the DUP think that everybody out there is stupid. I can tell you that care workers who put diesel in their cars a couple of weeks ago at half the price that they are paying now are not stupid. They know that when Donald Trump did what he did in Iran, that is when the price of diesel doubled. That absolutely had an impact, but that does not mean that that is where the solution lies. I do not think that the solution for anybody lies with Donald Trump, unfortunately. Do not come into this place and try to convince us that your support for Donald Trump and his war policies — his war on people — does not matter, because it matters to people here.”
“I thank the Member for taking an intervention. Does the Member agree that all this distress could have been avoided and that this is causing deep distress to families who are already under the most immense pressure?”
“I appreciate the Member's taking an intervention. The Member referred to the complex needs of those children. That is absolutely correct. Does he agree, however, that the complexity of their needs does not increase in the summer compared with the rest of the year? Many of the schools do not have nurses, which is not ideal, but they do not have them during the year either, so why could they not run the summer schemes?”
“Will the Release to Rescue protocol go live in April, as we were previously told? What impact do you anticipate that will have on resolving the industrial action? I concur with Mr Gaston's comments on the death of Mr Darragh. It is very unfortunate, and I know that no Ambulance Service staff would want to think that they would leave anybody lying on the side of the road, but, unfortunately, we have all had constituents who have been in that exact position. That is not because staff want it to be that way, and we need to be very cognisant of that. How do we improve that? What impact will the Release to Rescue protocol have?”
“— perpetrated by those with excess alcohol.”
“Minister, in the Assembly yesterday, we debated a DUP motion on tackling waste and inefficiency in government. Given that a British Heart Foundation report found that, each year, an estimated 7,426 admissions to hospital are caused by alcohol consumption, will you agree that the DUP blocking minimum unit pricing will cost our health service dearly through those who have to be admitted to hospital, but, more importantly, as you outlined, it will cost families a loved one? It will cost families the person who may be the most important person in their home; the person who was bringing the money in. It also costs women and girls. We know that violence against women and girls is often —”
“I thank the Minister for giving way. What is disingenuous are the comments of the previous speaker. During the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Bill, I brought forward an amendment on Operation Encompass, which allowed for schools to be notified where children were involved in a domestic abuse incident. The Minister first tried to find it being outside the scope of the Bill, then said that it was not affordable, then said that it was an Education responsibility, and now takes credit for it being in the Bill. Sometimes, things have to be brought forward by Members because Ministers do not, will not, cannot — for whatever reason — do it. It is important, therefore, that private Member's Bills are brought forward.”
“I thank the Member for taking an intervention. Far be it from me to say that the British Government have ever done anything positive, but, during Brexit, they said that the one group among all the farmers that they would support was those farming in uplands and areas of natural constraint. They said that there were automatic benefits to the environment from protecting those farmers. Nothing else positive came from the British Government, however, and we certainly never saw any benefits for those farmers. It was, however, a commitment that the British Government gave, yet they did not stick to it, and I think that the DUP may have had a little bit to do with that.”
“Minister, I heard a female entrepreneur and leader in the world of business say this week that the most important thing to her business was the contentment and happiness of her staff. Given that the 'good jobs' Bill is about ensuring that all staff are content in their work, will you outline how the Bill will benefit women in the workplace?”
“— for those children and young people in a growing community?”
“— far too high a number of children. Will you give a commitment to meeting those at the primary school in Galbally to look at what is happening there from a health and safety perspective and at the access to outdoor space —”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. I say that I thank him, but, if I am being honest, I am not sure that I do. I acknowledge the work that your officials are doing to progress the new build at Gaelscoil Uí Néill. It is very welcome that you visited that school, and we look forward to seeing ground cut there very soon. I am also, however, dealing with St Joseph's Primary School in Galbally. Last week, a ceiling fell in there, and it has almost no outdoor space for its children. It amalgamated 50 years ago, when nobody was amalgamating, and there is nowhere for its overspill of children to go, because the nearest school is Donaghmore Primary School, which also has —”
“I absolutely concur with the commentary about the need to fund organisations such as Women's Aid and many others that help and support women. People need to stop saying, "Why do they not leave?". Where the hell would they go? Where would many of those women go with families and children? They have no home to go to, and, often, they do not have family support or the means to leave, so people should stop saying that. As has been highlighted today, women are often in the greatest danger when they try to leave. Let us take that out of the conversation and the equation. In many cases, those women cannot leave. We need to be honest about who is a danger to them. It is not the bogeymen in the streets; it is the men who live in their homes. It is their male relatives, their partners and their ex-partners.”
“We need to say that and call it out for what it is. If we do not change the culture and we do not change society, all of the investment in the world in any statutory body or voluntary and community organisation will not be worth a jot. We have to be honest about it.”
“We have seen many in very high positions in the PSNI and some elected representatives be accused — some have been found guilty — of very serious crimes against women and girls. We have to be honest about that and call it out for what it is. We need people to stop making excuses for men and boys who carry out horrific actions against women and girls.”
“First, I offer my sincere condolences to the families of Ellie and Amy and to the families of all the other women who have died in the North at the hands of men. That is the thing that is missing from this conversation: it is violence against women and girls by men. Who are those men? They are mostly men who are related to them. They are partners or ex-partners who are known to the women and are supposed to love, protect and look after them. They are not strangers or bogeymen. <BR /> <BR />Many of the men who perpetrate those crimes are men in leadership roles. We in this Chamber are in leadership roles, and we need to show leadership. We need to show people that there is no tolerance for any level of misogyny and no tolerance for any level of violence against women and girls, whether that is through what you say or what you do.”
“I thank the Member for taking the intervention. On that very point, it is important to have such a document in order to address the institutional and medical misogyny that the Member who spoke previously mentioned. To take only one instance that Órlaithí Flynn mentioned, the mesh was used as a last resort on men with prostate issues, but it was used as the cheap option for women with any prolapse issues. That tells us all that we need to know about medical and institutional misogyny.”
“<BR /> <BR />The previous contributor talked about the Derry Well Women centre and how it has been so helpful when it comes to the development of what will hopefully be a good women's health strategy. However, when I was a teenager, there were well women clinics in many of our big towns. I am far from a teenager now, and all of those well women clinics are gone. We have gone 30 years in reverse, so do the maths: I am nearly 50.”