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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“I should be allowed to speak. You did not give an intervention: would you like to be quiet now?”
“Thank you very much for giving way. Do you agree that it is one thing to criticise the report but an entirely different thing to personally attack the previous commissioner or any independent commissioner, for that matter, because that entirely undermines the standards process and the standards themselves.”
“Danny referred to what some Members said, so I do not propose to repeat what everybody said. We would not benefit from that because we are saying the same things: suicidal ideation; marginalisation,; impact on employment and educational outcomes; substance misuse; families exhausted and at breaking point; relationship breakdown; inability to access shared care; no commissioned services; access to life-changing and life-saving medication being blocked; and ending up in contact with the criminal justice system. The question for all of us is not about affordability but whether we can afford not to put in place commissioned services for diagnosis, medication, treatment and support for those who are trying to navigate this world with ADHD.”
“Too many people still face misunderstanding, stigma and a lack of reasonable adjustments. Better awareness is not a nice-to-have addition; it is fundamental to inclusion, early intervention and better outcomes. This is about the Department stepping up to its responsibility to commission, fund and coordinate ADHD services across the region, not leaving people to navigate a postcode lottery, pay out of pocket or fall through the gaps of an under-resourced system. We owe it to adults who are waiting years for support; we owe it to parents fighting for assessments for their children; and we owe it to a generation of people whose lives could be transformed by timely diagnosis, treatment and understanding. <BR /> <BR />There have been common themes during the debate.”
“ADHD support cannot rely on goodwill; it must be built into the system. <BR /> <BR />The motion calls for:”
“The Minister has committed to understanding those challenges, and I appreciate that. He has outlined that he is already having those conversations, but it is now a question of what support and assistance will be given to GPs to ensure that we overcome the challenges. Many people who receive a diagnosis — often privately because the public system cannot deliver — are unable to access ongoing treatment through primary care. GPs are being placed in an impossible position. They are expected to take on shared care without the necessary funding, training or commissioning structures. That is not a failure of individual GPs; it is a failure of the system to properly commission and support that work. If we are serious about community-based care, it must be funded and commissioned properly.”
“I welcome the fact that the Minister has confirmed that we will have sight of the report, which will show us the evidence, the gaps and the recommendations. I hope that we will then understand the plan to implement those recommendations, what we will do to deliver for people and how we will put in place the services that they require to get diagnosed, get treatment and the support that they need. Crucially, the amendment calls for engagement:”
“The cost of doing nothing is far greater than the cost of getting this right. The Minister is well aware — we accept it — of the financial constraints of his Department. I say again, however, that it is how we spend what we have. It is how we invest at the earliest opportunity and ensure that people get the treatment that they need. <BR /> <BR />We recognise the need for a regional diagnosis service and specific mental health services for those with ADHD and co-existing mental illness. Too often, people fall between services, being deemed not severe enough for mental health provision yet unable to access appropriate ADHD support. That fragmented approach fails people. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the amendment, which strengthens the motion, because transparency is essential.”
“Parents are desperate to get support for their children, only to be told that there is no clear pathway, no timely assessment and no consistent service, meaning that there is a postcode lottery to get access to any service. That is not sustainable. <BR /> <BR />The problem begins with the failure to commission services and then expecting trusts to provide services whilst being expected to reduce their spend and budget. That leads to a hotchpotch approach that causes a great deal of distress to those requiring diagnosis or treatment. The motion recognises the clear need for properly commissioned ADHD services. ADHD is not a niche issue, as we heard from many Members who spoke; it is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that, when unsupported, affects education, employment, mental health, family life and contact with the justice system.”
“I thank everybody who took part in the debate. Sinn Féin tabled the motion because the current approach to ADHD services is failing children, young people and adults across the North. I appreciate everyone's commentary and the fact that we have consensus across the House that the motion and the amendment will be supported. I welcome that. <BR /> <BR />Over the past year in particular, like so many of you, I have been contacted by a number of, in particular, adults in their early 20s and their families, as they are at breaking point. Adults and children who suspect that they have ADHD are being left in limbo for years. Many are being forced to pay privately for assessments, as Members have mentioned, because of limited diagnosis and/or treatment opportunities in the NHS. Some trusts do not offer any services for adults.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Minister, as you will be well aware, it is well documented that many disabled young people experience a sharp drop-off in support at the age of 18. Given that you have just said that we will have not have legislation in that space in this mandate, what specific conversations are ongoing with other Ministers to address the post-18 cliff edge and ensure that there is continuity of care into adulthood in every aspect of the lives of disabled young people?”
“<BR /> <BR />They are not conditions that end when the hospital stay ends; they are lifelong journeys that require consistent neurological care, mental health support, rehabilitation services and support for families and carers. Raising awareness saves lives, but awareness must be matched by properly resourced services, early intervention and long-term support for those living with the consequences of brain injury and epilepsy. Today, I call on the Health Minister to listen to those individuals and their families and invest in neurological services so that no one affected by encephalitis or epilepsy is left to navigate a complex and under-resourced system.”
“Too many families have spoken about delayed diagnosis and lack of awareness, even among our healthcare professionals, and that is why World Encephalitis Day and International Epilepsy Day are so important to improve the understanding of the signs and symptoms. <BR /> <BR />Encephalitis can lead to long-term cognitive, emotional and physical challenges. Some people recover well, but others are left with permanent brain injury, personality changes, complex behavioural needs and conditions such as epilepsy. In some cases, viral encephalitis is a known cause of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe and life-limiting condition that is a form of epilepsy characterised by multiple seizure types, cognitive impairment and developmental delay.”
“<BR /> <BR />Epilepsy affects thousands of people across our society and is one of the most common serious neurological conditions. It is not just about seizures; it impacts on education, employment, independence, mental health and family life. Many people who live with epilepsy face stigma, poor understanding and real barriers to accessing specialist neurology services, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. For children and young people in particular, inconsistent support can have lifelong consequences that affect their development, learning and social inclusion. Early recognition and rapid treatment are crucial in saving lives and reducing long-term brain injury.”
“I rise today to mark two important awareness days that will occur over the next month. International Epilepsy Day is tomorrow, 10 February, and World Encephalitis Day is on 22 February. Both shine a light on neurological conditions that remain widely misunderstood but have devastating lifelong impacts on individuals and their families. <BR /> <BR />Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain which is uncommon but extremely serious and can be life-threatening. It requires urgent hospital treatment, yet early symptoms can often be mistaken for flu-like illness, confusion, seizures and changes in behaviour or difficulty moving. Most commonly, encephalitis is caused by viruses such as herpes simplex and measles, mumps and rubella, and that highlights the need for the vaccination of our young people.”
“I declare an interest as the mummy of a Gaeilgeoir. I will not presume to speak for the Finance Minister, but I am fairly certain that he would not refuse financial assistance from the Free State Government in whatever form it comes to help people in the North and make their lives better. That would not be an issue. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you talked about the workforce issues and the fact that you have put in additional funding. Will you outline the current vacancy rate in each body and the impact that it is having on the outcomes?”
“I appreciate the Member giving way. Does the Member agree that there is plenty of social mobility in that education system and that many children and young people from deprived, working-class areas do well through the education system in the Twenty-six Counties?”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the House to address what, I accept, is a difficult issue. <BR /> <BR />Minister, can you give us the assurance that all divisions are looking at potholes and road defects across the piece and that they are prioritising those that pose the greatest risk to the safety of road users?”
“Minister, can you tell us what CPD has delivered and give us an update on how that works for public services and those who deliver the services?”
“I appreciate the Member taking an intervention, particularly so early in your speech. Do you agree that that is a very unhelpful conversation? It almost alludes to an idea that, if you have gone to a high school, you are not socially mobile. That is simply not true. I will namecheck my former school, St Paul's High School, Bessbrook, which is one of the best schools in the statelet. Also, I represent St Joseph's College, Coalisland, and many of its former pupils come from socially deprived areas and have done very well in their lives. Academic selection and grammar schools do not guarantee social mobility.”
“Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker, I appreciate what you are saying, but if you review Hansard, it will be very clear. Perhaps others were not listening to the debate in the Chamber, but I was, and the Member was very clear that the party had discussed the matter whilst the Committee was considering it. He said that the DUP discussed it, not when the report came out but whilst the Committee was still discussing what sanctions, if any, should be taken against Mr Gaston. Confidentiality is required in order to protect not only the complainant but the person who is being complained about, so Hansard should be reviewed in this case.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I would appreciate it if you could review Hansard to establish whether Mr Brett disclosed that conversations were had by the DUP as a whole about what was being discussed in the Standards and Privileges Committee. It is confidential business. You spoke earlier about the BBC reporting while the report was embargoed, so we know how seriously Members should take the issue. It is a serious breach, if that is what happened, and I would therefore appreciate it if you could review Hansard and try to establish whether that is what happened, because that in itself is a serious breach of the standards in this place.”
“Who is this "we"? The confidence of the Committee means that the three members on the Committee should have considered that, not "we", the DUP. If that confidence was broken while the conversation was ongoing in the Committee, there is another question to be answered in the Chamber today.”
“I thank the Member for taking my intervention. Does he agree, in answer to the comments that were made by the Member who spoke previously, that it is normal practice for the commissioner to engage both human rights and legal advice when she comes to her conclusions in any report? Therefore, we can assume that human rights were engaged in the report.”
“Does the Member agree that there is no such thing as a "good buyer", and that the very fact that they are buying sex and using women for sex is an act of violence in itself?”
“I thank the Minister for her proposals around GDL. As a mummy of a 17-year-old girl, I fully understand how keen and eager young people are to get out on our roads, but I also understand the impact on a family of the loss of a loved one on our roads. Does the Minister agree that, as parents, we will have a key role in ensuring that young people understand the reasons for the measures and that, when they start driving, they abide by them? The chair of the charity Road Safe NI, Davy Jackson, outlined this morning that it is really important that we, as parents, understand the measures and explain them to our young people to make sure that they are accountable and that they abide by them.”
“I thank the Minister for taking an intervention. Minister, you mentioned an enhanced focus on safeguarding. Do you agree that safeguarding must be central for all settings that are involved in the care of children and young people and vulnerable adults, regardless of the institution or organisation?”
“— that the truth is not delayed or denied and that they and all abused victims are believed.”
“We still hear the narrative about abusers being strange people whom we cannot trust, yet people say of abusers, "He's a nice guy", "He's a lovely guy", "I know him", "He's my brother" or, "He's my friend". Abusers are charmers. They are nice people. That is how they get access to children, young people and vulnerable adults. We need to ensure that the narrative changes so that everyone understands that the abusers are among us. They are people whom we know and, sometimes, love. We need to stop talking about them as though they are strange beings from another place: they are not. <BR /> <BR />Victims and survivors have shown leadership through their resilience and determination. Our responsibility is to ensure that their voices remain at the centre of this work —”
“Full and open disclosure should be considered to be the minimum standard for institutions seeking to demonstrate that they take their responsibilities seriously. <BR /> <BR />It is also essential that allegations of abuse continue to be investigated thoroughly and sensitively and that victims and survivors who wish to pursue justice through the courts be supported in doing so in a compassionate and trauma-informed way, including by the police. I declare an interest as a member of the Policing Board. Victims and survivors should be supported through the process in whatever way is required. <BR /> <BR />Finally, while addressing the legacy of clerical abuse, it is vital that we ensure that the conditions that allowed such abuse to occur are never repeated. I have some concerns in that regard.”
“We have learnt from previous processes that truth and accountability depend on the preservation, proper storage and disclosure of the records held by many institutions. There should be no circumstances in which a religious order destroys records. Religious and other organisations should take proactive steps now to ensure that relevant records are not only not destroyed but protected and made accessible to those seeking information about their experiences. No institution should be allowed to destroy or conceal material that could assist survivors. Unfortunately, as has been seen recently across different denominations, it is not simply a historical issue. For many, it is a live and ongoing reality.”
“Engagement and communication must be prioritised, and I acknowledge that it must be continuous and respectful and must be shaped by lived experience. It cannot be limited or sporadic. Any next steps must be taken carefully, ethically and with the well-being of survivors to the fore. Survivors should never feel that decisions are being made without them. They should be confident that we in the House and those making the decisions want those decisions to be developed thoroughly, responsibly and in a way that will stand the test of time. <BR /> <BR />Access to records, as outlined in the amendment, is a central issue for many victims and survivors. I absolutely support the amendment.”
“I pay tribute to the survivors' reference group, which Paula and others have acknowledged, and to all those who have campaigned to raise awareness of abuse in faith-based settings. Many have shared deeply personal and painful experiences so that others would be believed and so that the scale of harm could no longer be ignored. That courage places a responsibility on all of us in the Chamber to listen carefully and act responsibly. There is concern that the research findings and recommendations on clerical abuse have not yet been made public. Survivors rightly seek transparency and clarity. <BR /> <BR />At the same time, it is essential that we get this right. The proposer of the motion said that it is not about haste but about getting it right, and I appreciate that.”
“First and foremost, our thoughts are with all victims and survivors of clerical abuse. That abuse was a profound betrayal, and, for many, the harm was compounded by silence, denial and institutional failure over many years. Those responsible occupied positions of authority and trust and used that power to shield themselves from scrutiny. We see so often that abusers are people in a position of trust. That is how they get access to those whom they abuse. <BR /> <BR />The motion is not about institutions protecting their reputation but about people. It is about victims and survivors whose lives were fundamentally altered and who have shown extraordinary courage in coming forward. Their voices must lead the way on how truth is acknowledged, accountability pursued and meaningful change delivered.”
“I thank the Member for taking an intervention. Does he agree that the dioceses, particularly around Milltown, need to work with families and those who are trying to find the remains of their loved ones? Those people were somebody in their lives, even if they were not somebody to those institutions.”
“It is only but compassionate and empathetic delivery to ensure that they can access their pension when they are terminally ill so that they and their families do not face financial hardship. <BR /> <BR />I therefore place on record the work that has been done and welcome the legislative consent motion, notwithstanding the Committee's inability to scrutinise the memorandum. Let us hope that we can see the provisions delivered for the people who most need them: the terminally ill, who need early access to their pension, and their families.”
“Notwithstanding the issues outlined by the Committee Chair, I will take the opportunity to say that it is important that we get these measures in place. I have placed on the record before that I welcome the Minister's work in the area, specifically on early access to pensions for those who are terminally ill. That is worth reiterating today. Whilst we have not been able to carry out the scrutiny fully, we must ensure that those who need early access to their pension because they are terminally ill get it and get the appropriate amount of money. That is really important. <BR /> <BR />I commend the work of Marie Curie in lobbying the Assembly's all-party group on cancer and MPs at Westminster to ensure that people who are terminally ill will get access to the pension that they have worked all their life to pay into.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I am really happy to hear that conversations were had about children, both in death and in life. Can he give the House any update on the paediatric pathology services that were discussed at the meeting, as well as on rare diseases? I think specifically about an issue on which I have been asking for a meeting with the strategic planning and performance group (SPPG): children with specific types of dwarfism.”
“I thank the Member for giving way, particularly as she has already done so. She says that we would not blame victims and would not disbelieve them. However, does the Member agree that the problem is that victims, whether they are victims of physical abuse, sexual or domestic violence or AI abuse, are not believed, are questioned and interrogated and have their integrity completely undermined? That is why so few women report those crimes.”
“I do not agree that the public do not trust us, Matthew.”
“Does the Member agree that, while he may not agree with our position on issues, the public trust us and that that is why they voted for us? Most of us in the Chamber were voted for to be here, so we are the people whom the public trust.”
“Therefore, the report carries legal weight. You do not have to say, "I agree with everything in it", but, for once in your life, will you just accept that you were wrong?”
“Having previously sat on the Committee on Standards and Privileges, I assume that the commissioner took legal advice on her report.”
“You have an axe to grind with the commissioner.”
“You have an axe to grind with the commissioner.”
“You should be honest in these proceedings and admit that you have an axe to grind.”
“The tone of the whole conversation is sad. If it happened in the town that I represent, as a community leader, I would ask the council to open the leisure centre. I would bring the people who had been driven out of their homes by violent thugs to the leisure centre and make sure that they were safe while they were there. That is exactly what all of you who are talking now, including Mr Aiken, should have done.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am certain that you are well capable of doing your job, Mr Speaker. If you were not content with my tone during Question Time, you would have held me to account. Is it in order for the Whip of the party opposite to repeatedly tell a Member, in the middle of her question, to "calm down"? I have never heard the words "she" and "her" in the Chamber as much in the past 10 years as I have during this Question Time.”
“— because of the decisions that were taken by Members on the other side of the Chamber? You calm down.”