Jemma Dolan
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“Minister, I am really shocked at that response, because I am not aware of any Western Trust engagement on the vision plan. My question was going to be, "Will you outline how you will ensure that the public are aware of this planning, so that they can engage with it?".”
“Minister, thank you for your statement. Last week, the Irish Government announced a further €30 million investment in the Ulster canal restoration project. That is transformative for the communities along the route and will benefit local economies and tourism. What is the current position of the Ulster canal project?”
“They are the result of years of chronic underfunding by successive British Governments and a funding model that has consistently failed to recognise the real needs of people here. That is the root cause of the problem.”
“Our public services are under immense pressure. Health workers, teachers and community organisations are all being asked to do more with less. Communities that have already endured years of austerity continue to feel the impact.”
“However, the second part of the motion is profoundly flawed and contradictory. On the one hand, it welcomes the efforts of local Ministers to press for more funding for public services, while, on the other hand, it states that the Executive are purposely deciding to "impose further austerity" by not agreeing to a Budget.”
“There is an onus on us as elected representatives to deliver better front-line services. However, we cannot get away from the fact that we are a devolved region with limited fiscal powers. Almost all our funding comes through the block grant.”
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“I do not think that anyone in the Chamber would disagree that all victims of crime deserve to receive the same support following a criminal offence being perpetrated against them and during any judicial proceedings. The Victim Charter that has been referred to was launched in January 2015, and it was anticipated that it would advise victims of crime about their entitlements and the standards of service that they could expect to receive when they came in contact with the criminal justice system. <BR /> <BR />Victims need access to services that are fit for purpose. Each victim and witness in the criminal justice system has their own needs. They need to be listened to, and they need to believe that they have been heard.”
“Any legislation must satisfy the key tests that I have just outlined if it is to be effective and suitable.”
“First, that it effectively compels offenders to disclose information around the whereabouts and identities of their victims. Secondly, that it acts as an effective deterrent to any future offenders carrying out such heinous and horrific crimes, and, thirdly, that it is robust, human rights compliant legislation that will not be open to legal challenge in the future, legislation that effectively considers and mitigates against any potential unintended consequences. <BR /> <BR />I do not believe that the original motion does this, however I do commit to working with the Justice Minister to move this work forward urgently. I would like to see the consultation committed to in the amendment carried out urgently, and we would like to see the outcome of this consultation before committing to a way forward.”
“<BR /> <BR />Innocent families who are suffering immensely already should not have their grief compounded as a result of offenders continuing to torture them by not disclosing information on their victims. We need to find legislation that has the result of compelling offenders to disclose information about their victims and also has a dual functionality of being a proper, effective deterrent to prevent offences like this being carried out in the future. All victims are entitled to truth and closure. <BR /> <BR />We are determined to find legislation that makes it much harder for offenders to be released if they have not disclosed information about their victims, and we are determined to find legislation that is effective and robust. <BR /> <BR />Our test in setting out what would be an acceptable piece of legislation is threefold.”
“In relation to indecent photographs of children, unless the identity of that children or those children is known to the authorities, there is a real risk that the child might still be suffering abuse at the hands of child sex offenders, and we must do everything in our power to prevent that abuse happening. Further still, for as long as a photograph is in existence and the identity of the child is unknown, it is continued abuse, which may continue to have a serious and long-lasting impact on the child, including in later life. Everything must be done to track down the victims of these crimes to ensure that appropriate support can be provided to them, and also to ensure that the abuse is not continuing.”
“First, I send my condolences to the families of Charlotte Murray and Lisa Dorrian, whose courage and persistence has seen this issue being brought here today. I am totally sympathetic to the need for additional protections to safeguard the rights of victims and their families, and I fully support the families in their search for truth and justice. <BR /> <BR />Whilst taking another person's life is one of the most serious and horrific crimes, I consider one wilfully holding back information regarding the whereabouts of a victim's remains is another offence and a continued offence. Therefore, there is a serious need for additional protections to prevent such an offence continuing. <BR /> <BR />When dealing with the issue of child sex offences, there are a number of additional concerns that warrant immediate attention.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Can he outline the progress made in implementing the employers' guidance in respect of public-sector recruitment and vetting?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, will you join me in encouraging Minister Mallon to use some of the £15 million allocated to NI Water for the residents of Galliagh Shore in Enniskillen?”
“I, too, thank the Minister for coming here. Is it true that one convicted sex offender has been removed from the sex offenders register as a result of the error? If so, can she indicate what steps are being taken to mitigate any potential risk to the public?”
“Will the Minister update the House on the application for approval for an emergency use of diquat for 2020?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. The process of parents administering tests to under-fives can be difficult and cause anxiety. There is also a deep concern among parents that they are not doing the test properly. Does the Minister agree that it is important that parents in those circumstances are provided with professional advice, or the necessary assistance, to ensure that the tests are administered correctly?”
“Can the Minister give an update on the fiscal powers commission?”
“The Department of Finance provided a total of £411 million to the Department for the Economy in order to finance the small business grant, the hospitality, tourism and retail sector grants and the student hardship grant. The responsibility for making bids lies with the Economy Minister, who is responsible for economic policy. The Minister cannot continue to pick and choose when she wishes to assume that responsibility. For the sake of non-rateable businesses, small manufacturing businesses, the newly self-employed, sole traders and microbusinesses, I urge the Minister to take heed of the comments that have been made today and to make the necessary funding bid to support those who have been left behind by the previous schemes.”
“Up until yesterday, a further 880 have been proposed this month. <BR /> <BR />Economic leadership and the right economic interventions can help businesses to mitigate job losses. While I acknowledge that the Minister has attempted to mitigate job losses and to support businesses, her inaction is literally costing people jobs and putting many people out of business. Let us not forget that behind every one of these numbers is a person who has to pay for food, shelter and, more than likely, to raise a family. <BR /> <BR />The Minister has regularly tried to divert attention for her lack of action to the wider Executive and to the Finance Minister. However, in reality the Finance Minister has consistently provided funding to the Department for the Economy when it was needed.”
“As Sinn Féin's spokesperson for employment and workers' rights it is deeply concerning to hear of the threat of large-scale redundancies that are facing workers at this time. The Economy Minister has acknowledged that more than 100,000 people could become unemployed by the end of 2020. Of course, we already know that the number of people who are claiming unemployment benefits has more than doubled from March to August, and it increased by 800 last month to 62,700. <BR /> <BR />The past few months have seen workers and unions try to negotiate redundancy packages. While not all redundancies can be prevented, redundancies are always an option of last resort. Redundancies in the North have also more than doubled over the year, with August seeing 700 redundancies proposed and 820 redundancies confirmed.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. The Irish protocol was put in place to protect the Good Friday Agreement, the economy in the North and the economy across this island. The withdrawal agreement and the Irish protocol are the result of hard-fought and hard-won compromises. Is the Minister concerned that the British Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis, has stated that the Internal Market Bill breaks international law?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Would the Minister agree to accompany me on a visit to Galliagh Shore to reassure residents that the issues will be addressed?”
“<BR /> <BR />I am not downplaying the challenges that our emergency workers face, but, as Sinn Féin's spokesperson on workers rights, I found it horrific that any worker should face increasing abuse and violence. That should never be a part of any job. Yes, whilst the punishment of the perpetrator needs to be a priority, so too does the support provided to the victims of these attacks. Therefore, in the process of the sentencing review, it is paramount that the contributions of victims to the consultation are fully taken into account, moving forward.”
“I stand to support the amendment. There is a view that sentencing for attacks on people providing front-line public services does not reflect the gravity of the offence nor act as a sufficient deterrent. It emerged, earlier this year, that there were 36 attacks on ambulance staff in the North in January 2019 alone. In the 12 months leading to 30 September 2016, 4,382 assaults on nurses were recorded in the health and social care sector. Additionally, in April this year, a survey by the shop workers' trade union suggested that incidents towards shop workers has doubled. One in six, of the almost 5,000 workers surveyed, said that they had been abused on every shift; almost two out of three, of those questioned, said they had suffered verbal abuse; and around a third had been threatened by a customer.”
“Can the deputy First Minister provide an update on the quantum of applications to date to the redress scheme for victims and survivors of historical abuse?”
“<BR /> <BR />It is for those reasons that Sinn Féin submitted an amendment to broadly capture and support the motion's main thrust and sentiments but to target more specific and appropriate actions than those in the motion as it stands, but unfortunately the amendment was not accepted. <BR /> <BR />Every one of us, as an elected representative, has a role to play in breaking the stigma that is attached to mental health. One way to do that is to ensure that the Civil Service sickness absence policy is up to date and treats all public-sector workers, not just those in the Prison Service, with compassion and respect, and that positive engagement is used that focuses on their individual needs.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am very sympathetic to the thrust of the motion, because, as we know, prison settings, as alluded to, can be highly stressful for prisoners, prison officers and other prison staff. For the prison officers, in particular, it can be a highly challenging environment to work in, with a lot of stressful responsibilities and pressures. I am under no illusion about them facing pressures and responsibilities that are unique to the Prison Service and that demands can leave a mental toll. It is imperative that adequate support mechanisms are in place to assist prison officers who may be struggling. That must be done by showing empathy and compassion. However, to cease the practice of issuing written warnings may have unintended consequences, far beyond the motion's intentions.”
“For the Prison Service to fulfil its aims in relation to the management and rehabilitation of offenders, we must provide appropriate care and support for the staff who carry out that challenging work. However, I am concerned that to cease the issuing of written warnings to members of the Prison Service who are suffering from diagnosed mental health conditions, as the motion suggests, may not be the most appropriate way to do that. <BR /> <BR />The mental health crisis that we find ourselves in is wider than the Prison Service. As the Sinn Féin spokesperson on workers' rights, I cannot support this for just one section of the public service. It would create a number of equality issues because Prison Service members would be treated differently from others in the public service, not to mention those in the private sector.”
“This is an equality issue that needs to be addressed immediately.”
“Since lockdown in March, the closure of the food industry, the loss of product value and increasing costs — including fertiliser and feed concentrates, to name but two — brought further losses. Cattle and sheep farmers in less-favoured areas have generated substantial income losses. The loss of the ANC payment was a key contributing factor. Added to this, the HMRC scheme appears to be mostly accessible to businesses that are more profitable. <BR /> <BR />I commend the work of the Agriculture Committee in engaging with the agri-food sector to have its say and to shape and influence how this funding should be distributed. I am aware that a number of submissions have been made to the Committee in support of all farmers receiving direct support, including sheep farmers, who have not been included.”
“An NFU report, 'Farming Delivers for the Hills and Uplands', states that the value of hill farming must be recognised if it is to shape the social and economic needs of people living in rural areas. Weather, rising costs and disease lead to hill farmers getting less for their produce while facing increasing production costs. There is a demand for traceable, quality products. Natural constraints increase production costs and reduce agricultural opportunities within those designated areas. <BR /> <BR />Some 70% of land in the North is in less-favoured areas. Sinn Féin has highlighted the plight of beef and sheep farmers. We do not feel that £2 million is sufficient to deal with the crisis faced by our beef and sheep farmers. In the North, COVID-19 impacted our beef and sheep industry before lockdown, due to global markets closing.”
“The self-employed income support scheme has been helpful to those farms that are perceived to be profitable, but, where a farm is not deemed to be profitable, the farmer cannot draw down the money. We can only guess that large number of farms in areas of natural constraint will be impacted, as they are not making a full-time income from farming and therefore cannot avail themselves of the self-employed income support scheme. <BR /> <BR />I represent Fermanagh and South Tyrone, where almost 90% of land is in less-favoured areas. LFAs are restricted in their business choices, due to limitations of environment and climate. LFA farmers are at the end of the livestock production chain. They are vulnerable to price fluctuations. Hill farmers in particular have received extra support because they face additional challenges.”
“In a written update to the Agriculture Committee, Rural Support reported that the majority of callers to their helpline had concerns about some of the following issues: worries about benefits; concern about their mental health; farming-related matters, such as a possible slowdown in the supply chain, the movement of stock and the discontinuation of TB testing; older children moving back home; and fear of coronavirus and the impact that their death might have on the farm. <BR /> <BR />In the current climate, we should not underestimate the extreme pressures faced by our farming community. It is vital that the community, including our sheep farmers, gets financial support.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. While the motion is about support for beef and sheep farmers through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to be mindful of the health and well-being of farmers. I want to highlight the work of Rural Support during these difficult times. Rural Support staff deal with calls to their helpline, which have steadily increased over the period of coronavirus.”
“<BR /> <BR />The way in which the Minister has handled all this must be commended. Since the outset of the crisis, the Minister and his officials have fought to protect livelihoods. He has also ensured that resources have been made available to assist those most in need. All of that has been done, as I said, in the context of a global health pandemic, which brings not only consequences for the health and well-being of our loved ones but very difficult economic consequences. This Budget Bill basically provides authority for Departments to continue to spend until the detailed Main Estimates can be debated later in the year. As I have already said, the consequences of not progressing this legislation would be dire.”
“The Committee for Finance, of which I am a member, has been kept informed of the financial resources that are necessary to support Departments and of the need for the Bill to complete the necessary stages swiftly. While recognising that this is not ideal — the Minister himself has acknowledged that it is a very unusual step — we need to be realistic about the consequences of not progressing the legislation in this way. The unusual nature of this measure is reflective of the uncertainty that the COVID crisis has brought with it. Our block grant, which in real terms is £360 million below pre-austerity levels, has left us with health, education, infrastructure and other sectors starved of the resources that they so badly need on a day-to-day basis, not to mention in the midst of a global pandemic.”
“<BR /> <BR />Further to this, my party would like more work to be done on early intervention and prevention in order to provide better opportunities for people earlier in life and to steer them away from the type of behaviour them will land them in court where they will be sentenced with these orders. Those are the issues that need to be central to our future approach to sentencing. I support the motion.”
“The provisions included in the LCM deal with the transfer of community orders, youth rehabilitation orders, suspended-sentence orders to the North. More specifically, they address how such orders will be dealt with. <BR /> <BR />As mentioned earlier, my party is content with the provisions. However, this cannot be looked at in isolation. I would prefer that we ensure that community orders, youth rehabilitation orders and suspended-sentence orders are as effective as possible in the rehabilitation of offenders, with an ethos of problem-solving justice so that courts will not have to deal with breaches of these orders, offenders will not need to be re-sentenced and offending behaviour will not escalate and lead to further offending later on.”
“As has been said, the provisions of the Bill that will be extended to the North deal, largely, with technical changes. It is important to scrutinise these proposals in detail, particularly in the context of our ongoing review of sentencing policy and legislation in the North. My party is content with the provisions of the LCM being extended. We are committed to ensuring that all aspects of sentencing law and policy are kept modern, up to date and fit for purpose to ensure that we can deal with the root causes of offending behaviour and ensure that there is just punishment, where necessary. <BR /> <BR />Again, although the provisions in the LCM are minor in nature, the issue of sentencing at large is a key indicator of how we deal with offenders.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and commend her and her Department on its ongoing work. Reports suggest that measures that have been taken to address homelessness during the pandemic have been effective. Can the Minister outline what steps were taken to achieve that? More importantly, what can be done to address that issue in the future?”
“This employment rights provision, therefore, would give victims the time that they need to seek support, and would also address unpredictable absenteeism and reduced productivity for employers. Victims have a right to a pathway out of abuse without fear of losing their jobs. We as a party are exploring how a similar statutory entitlement could be introduced here in the North. <BR /> <BR />Additionally, the absence of a legal definition of and effective punishment for stalking has been noted by some stakeholders, including Women's Aid. However, we have been told by the Department to expect specific stalking legislation in the autumn. That is incredibly important because the issues of domestic abuse, coercive control and stalking are all interlinked and our stalking legislation is not fit for purpose. I support the Bill.”
“Departmental officials have told us that we can expect a range of supplementary provisions to follow this Bill, in the form of a miscellaneous Bill later in the year, but it is important that some of these issues can be addressed in as timely a fashion as possible. <BR /> <BR />In December 2019, Sinn Féin colleagues in the South introduced legislation to the Dáil that provides for a statutory entitlement to 10 days' domestic violence paid leave. Domestic violence can affect employment, productivity and health and safety. Domestic violence often follows victims into their place of work. In the absence of workplace policies, colleagues and managers are not equipped to support victims and ensure that they are safe.”
“<BR /> <BR />We note that, although this Bill and the provisions for the North in the Westminster Bill are largely similar, there are a few differences, including the inclusion of the generic aggravator provision in this Bill, which is welcomed. It would apply where there is any other offence — for example, criminal damage — that is aggravated by reason of involving domestic abuse and would make an enhanced sentence available to the court.”
“As Members have already alluded to, evidence shows that that can have a lasting, long-term impact on children's mental, emotional and physical well-being. It can have a detrimental impact on their mental health, child development, risk of harmful sexual behaviour, future cycles of abuse and potential for youth offending. We must also recognise, however, that children can experience the harmful impacts of domestic abuse even if they do not witness it by sight or by sound. Children can be aware and be affected by a parent's distress, fear or pain. Research shows that the impact of domestic abuse is felt throughout a household.”
“Sinn Féin would like assurances that it will cover abuse that may happen to people living in border communities, where the abuse can often happen across both jurisdictions, including, for example, on nights out or at the victim's place of work. <BR /> <BR />We also welcome the Bill's recognition of the specific impact of domestic abuse on children, which can lead to adverse childhood experiences and, consequently, have a lasting impact on a child, leading to greater problems down the line. The two aggravators in the Bill where the victim is a child in the context of an intimate relationship or family member or where a child sees, hears or is present in the context of the abusive behaviour are absolutely essential, and we welcome their inclusion.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this much-needed and long-awaited Bill. It is imperative that the Bill protects victims residing in or near border communities as, very often, abuse can happen across both jurisdictions. To this end, I welcome clause 10, which relates to extraterritorial jurisdiction. Essentially, where domestic abuse and abusive behaviour occurs outside this jurisdiction but the accused is normally resident here, that behaviour can be encapsulated as part of the domestic abuse offence. That is important, as it covers incidents that may happen on holiday, which is sometimes where the worst and the first of the abuse can happen.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement, and I really commend him and his officials for the bold yet necessary steps that have been taken over the past few weeks. Can the Minister outline the flexibilities that have been given to Departments to allow them to deal with the immediate impact of the coronavirus?”
“As a result, the agri-food sector is reliant on EU direct payments. Consequently, our economy is reliant on EU direct payments. I support the statutory rule.”
“However, we will not have a level playing field when it comes to farm support. Research shows that the North of Ireland is the most reliant on agriculture regarding its share of GVA and percentage share of total employment. Compared with Britain, Scotland and Wales, the North has the smallest average farm size. Grass-based cattle and sheep account for 89% of the total number of farms in the North. We have more dairy cattle and sheep less-favoured-area farms than any other devolved region, with 70% of the total agricultural area farmed in the North defined as being less favoured. That brings challenges in productivity. Figures reveal that farm income here, including that of dairy farmers and less-favoured-area cattle and sheep farmers, is the lowest of the devolved regions. <BR /> <BR />Farms are reliant on EU direct payments.”
“Greater support for small farms has more environmental benefits than supporting large intensive farming practices, especially in severely disadvantaged areas (SDAs), where land management and biodiversity are very important. Being the daughter of a small farmer and having grown up on a small farm, I saw the importance of that at first hand. <BR /> <BR />Although the regulations provide some form of continuity and certainty for farmers, the devastating impact that Brexit will bring to the agri-food sector and the farming community in the North of Ireland cannot be overestimated. We have no answers to so many questions. We welcome the unfettered access on an all-island basis that the Irish protocol will bring in. It will help our economy to operate on an all-island basis.”
“Border counties will be impacted on the most by the challenges of Brexit. Any changes to what we currently have will be a disaster. People work and operate on borders throughout Europe, but, when it comes to Ireland, the only real difference is the colour of the postboxes or the road markings. Agriculture is one of the most important industries in the North, with an annual turnover of £4·5 billion and a workforce of almost 48,000 people. <BR /> <BR />Regarding GDP and employment, the North of Ireland is more reliant on agriculture and the agri-food industry than any other area of Britain. Agriculture operates on an all-island basis.”
“Agriculture in an all-Ireland context will enhance and strengthen the social and economic needs of our society. Agriculture, farming and food are interconnected: they are the backbone of our communities. I represent Fermanagh and South Tyrone, which, as I outlined in my remarks a few weeks ago, sees approximately £48 million a year in single farm payments direct to farmers. As I also highlighted in the recent ANC debate, Fermanagh as a county has almost 92% of land that is severely disadvantaged. I welcome the fact that the Assembly supported the implementation of a new areas of natural constraint scheme. It goes without saying that the farming community in Fermanagh welcomed it. Fermanagh is a cross-border community, where my neighbours, my family and my friends live their daily lives with euro in one pocket and sterling in the other.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. As has already been highlighted, the SR makes technical amendments only. It will have no policy impact. The amendments will ensure that direct payments to farmers under retained EU law will continue to operate effectively in the North as far as they relate to direct payments for this year, 2020. Farmers will receive payments the same as last year. It is my understanding that 100% of payments will be made in one payment in October of this year. I also note that Scotland and Wales have adopted the same regulations. <BR /> <BR />Sinn Féin is an all-island party. We have a vision for the agri-food sector in a new and united Ireland. Agriculture has led the way in all-Ireland cooperation and trade.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Does he agree that the future roll-out of MDTs across the North should prioritise areas with GP shortages and recruitment and retention issues, such as my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone?”
“It is swift action like that that will help us to get things right for the people we represent and for future generations. The onus is now on us to work together to turn the rest of the recommendations into action.”