John Stewart
East Antrim · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Decisions taken over the next two months will determine whether Northern Ireland has a modern, responsive enterprise service or whether we simply roll forward a model that increasingly struggles to keep pace with the world around it.”
“<BR /> <BR />I understand that significant efforts have been made to bring the Department for the Economy, councils and Enterprise NI around a table to design collaboratively the modernised service for 2027, yet that meeting still has not happened. That is deeply disappointing.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank Enterprise Northern Ireland and note the outstanding work of our local enterprise agencies, which go above and beyond, often in challenging financial circumstances, for our entrepreneurs and businesses.”
“I declare an interest as the chair of the all-party group on micro and small business, but I feel that I must highlight an issue that should concern every Member, regardless of party or constituency.”
“The infrastructure in Larne West is shambolic and fails residents and commuters daily. Minister, you will be aware of an ombudsman's investigation of the missing link road at Ballyloran that reported last February on the back of my office having brought the matter to it.”
“The Bill sends an important message that demonstrates confidence in the governance arrangements that are already in place and in the boards and management teams that have successfully led the organisations for many years.”
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“We have heard about how Northern Ireland was wonderfully showcased last year at the Open, and the Minister has touched on the discussions at the meeting. What more is being done to promote Northern Ireland's sporting tourism around the world, be that in golf, motor racing, football or country pursuits, when there is so much to offer?”
“I thank the Minister for the statement. I pay tribute to Enterprise NI, our local enterprise agencies and Young Enterprise. You will be aware, Minister, that we have an economy that is fundamentally based on micro- and small businesses, key to which is encouraging people, particularly our young people, into entrepreneurship. What more can we do to sow the seeds of entrepreneurship in our young people and develop the skills to grow our economy?”
“The roads in East Antrim are in a dangerous and diabolical state, and people are losing faith. Constituents contact me, as do your officers, to say that the website simply cannot keep up with the number of reports that are going through the nidirect portal. The website removes reports of potholes before they have been repaired. Compensation claims are not being logged, and your officers are having to log claims over the phone. What is your assessment of the website? When will we see further investment in my constituency of East Antrim?”
“We will not be found wanting in making the case for Northern Ireland to secure the necessary funding. I ask that the Executive Office do all that it can to work with His Majesty's Government to secure the funding to keep those vital organisations and front-line services being delivered.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank organisations such as the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, the YouthStart consortium and the many hundreds of charities and organisations that have campaigned to highlight the injustice. They came to Stormont last week, and I know that they have engaged with many Members across the House. It is not just about protecting those organisations but about protecting people, services and the future. <BR /> <BR />Thankfully, through my colleague Robin Swann, we have secured a meeting at Westminster tomorrow. I will attend along with representatives from charities and the community and voluntary sector and meet the Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities, who has overall control of the budget and who made the decision.”
“<BR /> <BR />Those are not abstract statistics; they are real people — disabled people, carers, women and young people not in education or employment — many of whom are already on the margins of our economy and society. Sadly, no alternative services are waiting in the wings. If those community-based programmes collapse in 2026-27, the infrastructure, the organisations and the people will be gone, and no amount of future codesign will resurrect them. The situation is compounded by the injustice of the way in which it has been handled. There was no consultation or published impact assessment, and organisations were informed days before Christmas and then forced into a rushed, closed competition with a January deadline. It is hard to imagine any other sector being forced into that situation.”
“<BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland has the highest rate of economic inactivity in the United Kingdom at 26·5% and the lowest employment rate for disabled people, yet we are being forced into a capital-heavy, 70:30 funding model that simply does not work for a region where the challenges are fundamentally people-based, not infrastructure-based. The consequences will be stark. It will put dozens of charities and organisations in the community and voluntary sector out of work, place hundreds of highly skilled front-line jobs in jeopardy, remove vital routes into work and take away specialised support for thousands of people each year across Northern Ireland.”
“I will address an issue that goes to the heart of fairness, social cohesion and economic common sense in Northern Ireland. As many Members know — they have already spoken about it — from April of this year, Northern Ireland faces a funding cliff edge that is avoidable and totally unjustifiable. The funding to address economic inactivity will fall by 64%, from £25 million to just £9·2 million, as the UK's Shared Prosperity Fund ends and is replaced by the new local growth fund. Let me be clear that that is not because need has been reduced: far from it. It will be devastating for our community and voluntary sector and our charities, which already punch far above their weight.”
“Whilst others such as the Sandelford Bridge have been replaced or upgraded in recent years, the Kilrea Bridge remains largely unchanged. <BR /> <BR />The recent closures have exposed just how vulnerable the situation there has become. Failures to coordinate recent maintenance works with existing plans from 2022 have had a crippling effect on local trade and daily life. That has underscored an over-reliance on traffic road management. <BR /> <BR />There are many points to be raised, and I think that constituents in the area will be looking forward to hearing from the Minister. I thank the Member for securing the debate and look forward to the Minister's responses.”
“People in Kilrea face a different yet equally challenging picture. Councillor Richard Holmes, my colleague for that area, notes the recent closure of the Kilrea Bridge due to maintenance issues and recognises the detrimental impact on local businesses, commuters and the surrounding area. The Kilrea Bridge was, I believe, opened in 1783, which is remarkable. It is a remarkably old bridge. I believe that William Pitt was Prime Minister at the time it was opened, and it is still going strong, standing the test of time. We must acknowledge, however, that a single-lane 18th-century bridge cannot carry the weight and cope with the demands of 21st-century transport. Of the seven vehicle bridges that cross the Lower Bann, four fall within East Londonderry, as I understand.”
“Concerns have been raised about the upkeep of the paths to ensure safe passage for cyclists, for example. It may be that the only tangible benefit will end up being the resurfacing of the main road at considerable cost and disruption. This case illustrates the urgent need for stronger project management, better communication with the public and local elected reps, and realistic planning so that worthwhile goals do not just result in unnecessary hardship and delays for residents and businesses alike.”
“<BR /> <BR />Local businesses have suffered as a result. Rosemary Wright, who owns the Ashburn Image salon in Eglinton, has said that the delays have caused a massive loss, with customers late for appointments, staff delayed and income reduced. That is the experience of just one local business but also, I am sure, of many others. The inconveniences are not minor, and they have major economic and social consequences for that community. Many residents have also questioned whether the new pedestrian and cycle pathway will see much use, and it will be interesting to see the analysis on that.”
“The active travel scheme between Ballykelly and Greysteel, announced as a £2·6 million project in late 2024, was intended to deliver real benefits, with resurfacing of the carriageway and improvement of the facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. However, the project has been plagued with delays and disruption. Originally expected to take 33 weeks, it has now been extended into early 2026, and there has been a £600,000 overspend, bringing the total cost, I understand, to £3·2 million. Temporary traffic-management systems, including off-peak lane closures, have led to severe congestion. Other Members have mentioned that. What was originally a 10-minute journey through the village can now take up to 45 minutes or an hour, with drivers reporting standstill conditions. We all know how frustrating that is.”
“I thank the Member for East Londonderry for securing the Adjournment debate. As you will be aware, I am also not a Member for East Londonderry. It is rare that I leave my bubble of East Antrim, but I am pleased today to speak on this issue in East Londonderry, particularly Ballykelly and Kilrea. I am grateful to my party colleagues in the area, Councillor Richard Holmes and Glen Miller, and some local constituents for giving me an insight into the subject. I am sure that they will look forward to the Minister's response and anything that comes from the debate today. <BR /> <BR />I will begin by looking at Ballykelly and the A2 Clooney Road.”
“Like others, I welcome the change and welcome anything that will save lives on our roads. However, like the Speaker and the Chair of the Infrastructure Committee, I am deeply concerned about the way that it has been handled. It is a slight on the scrutiny of our Committee, which works in a collegial way with you and your Department to get the best outcomes in the Department for Infrastructure. It is also a slight on the House. <BR /> <BR />Notwithstanding that, will you confirm what recent consultation you and your Department have carried out, particularly with driving instructors? What recent engagement have they had with you? When can we start to see some of the roll-out of the exemptions that may be in place for young people who will be going through the scheme?”
“Minister, you said that the plan was for Reval2026 to be fair and reasonable. It is not fair and reasonable to the hospitality industry or to the constituent of mine whose small hotel has not made a profit for four years and who, despite having filled out all the necessary requirements, will see their rates bill double. They are telling me that it might be the final nail in the coffin. Your colleague in the Department for the Economy is rightly trying to encourage people to go into hospitality and tourism, yet your Department is hammering them into the ground. How do you square that circle, Minister? What do you say to the hospitality sector?”
“Or are those who erected them responsible? It is a valid question. <BR /> <BR />The second issue is around cost. Minister, you have already articulated in your response — or your party colleague did — and in your written ministerial statements that you have corresponded with those who erected the signs. I am interested to know who you are corresponding with and what that has cost the Department so far. <BR /> <BR />Simply, as other Members have done today, Minister, I call on you to get this matter sorted. Use the powers that you have in your Department to remove that illegal signage, enforce planning regulations without fear or favour and show that the law applies to everyone, no matter who you are or what party you represent.”
“That is an example of someone trying to get by, doing their best, yet the Sinn Féin Minister who is in charge of planning regulations is allowing those illegally erected billboards to remain. It is simply unacceptable. <BR /> <BR />Minister, that is happening on your watch and happened on that of your predecessor. You are responsible for ensuring that the law is applied fairly and consistently. It is simply not good enough to stand by while illegal signage remains in place because of its political affiliation. Every day that those boards remain in place, they pose a risk to drivers, pedestrians and communities. As other Members have said, there are serious questions to be asked around public liability insurance. Who is responsible? The Department? The billboards are on land that you are responsible for as Minister.”
“They breach planning regulations and pose a risk to road safety, yet they are all still up, and they remain up because, quite simply, they are Sinn Féin boards and because the Minister agrees with the message. She could have taken action; she could have actioned enforcement, but, sadly, that has not been done. <BR /> <BR />As other Members have said today, small businesses across our constituencies regularly pay the price for inadvertently breaching planning regulations. In my constituency, in Carrickfergus alone, one small business owner was threatened with a fine of £3,500, mainly because a sign slightly exceeded the signage limit on the building front in a conservation area.”
“I agree with the Member opposite on one point at least. There are, undoubtedly, better things that we should be doing today, but I do not blame the proposer of the motion for tabling it. There is an easy resolution to the matter, and that is for the Minister and her party colleagues to get together to resolve to take down the illegal Sinn Féin billboards. <BR /> <BR />If I may make a few points, this has been discussed at length at the Committee, it has gone through two Ministers and, still, there is no resolution. We could be dealing with other things, and it is deeply frustrating that we are dedicating any time to the matter when there is an easy resolution. Let me be clear. Those signs are illegal.”
“How does one follow that contribution from the Member? I appreciate, however, that he made some valid points. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the new Member for Newry and Armagh to his place. I congratulate him on his maiden speech and pay tribute to his predecessor, who was a great ambassador for the constituency.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. What specific targets has Waterways Ireland set for carbon reduction, biodiversity protection and sustainability, and how will progress on those be measured and reported on?”
“It also provides a wonderful opportunity for Peter Clarke, chairman of the club, the board, the officials and all the volunteers who are associated with that wonderful community club to go out and demonstrate the effort that they have put in ahead of tonight's final. It is a wonderful opportunity for them all, and I hope that they have a fantastic time. <BR /> <BR />I wish the many hundreds of supporters who are heading out this evening to cheer on the amber army — I understand that over 800 Carrick Rangers fans will travel to Seaview — all the very best. I look forward to joining them and hope that we can all return to Carrickfergus tonight, marching with pride as we hold the County Antrim Shield.”
“I take the opportunity to pass on my best wishes and send good luck to Carrick Rangers Football Club and the amber army ahead of the County Antrim Shield final against Cliftonville Football Club at Seaview tonight. It is a very important opportunity for the town. Ahead of tonight's final, as you can imagine, a great sense of pride is flowing through the town and across the United States, where Carrick Rangers's fan base is growing at a rapid rate of knots. It is fantastic to see, and I wish Stephen Baxter and the players the very best of luck for tonight's final. They have shown great tenacity, grit and effort to get this far, and I know that they will do all that they can to give the amber army something to cheer about tonight.”
“As you know, Minister, the lack of capacity in waste water infrastructure is having not only a massive environmental impact but a huge economic impact. On the current trajectory, what is your assessment of the total cost and time frame needed to bring the entire sewerage network up to standard and relieve the capacity issues that we face?”
“I thank the First Minister for her answer. Does the First Minister agree that it is essential for Northern Ireland's economy that the Executive speak with one voice on the issue? Can she assure me that the Executive are working together on a single policy, when dealing with His Majesty's Government, that internal UK trade should again be free and unfettered and that barriers east–west should be removed after being created under the Windsor framework?”
“Minister, our roads are in a diabolical state, and we are spending millions of pounds on compensation, which is increasing year-on-year. You have highlighted the work that is being done, but what engagement have you had with the Mineral Products Association (MPA) and its contractors about their concerns and their vital role in resolving the situation?”
“The new park-and-ride facility would have the potential to take so many cars off the road, supporting sustainable public transport and better linking Newtownards with the popular Glider network from Dundonald. <BR /> <BR />The current inaction is simply not good enough, which is why I am happy to add my voice to that of my Ulster Unionist colleagues and Members in the Chamber who are vexed about this and rightly so. We call for the Department for Infrastructure to take the matter of congestion seriously, and the Minister should do all in her power to alleviate it.”
“That is the scenario that Newtownards finds itself in, with an incomplete ring road with new homes being built on it year-on-year, but they are totally reliant on the same small infrastructure of the town centre. <BR /> <BR />Sadly, as we are all aware, we cannot undo the errors of the past, but measures can be taken by the Minister and her Department in the interim. One such measure is the completion of the park-and-ride infrastructure at William Street and at the other locations that the proposer of the motion has already identified, which have been long promised but are, sadly, still undelivered. In fact, despite the Department having vested the site some years ago, it has yet to pay the council for the purchase of the site. I am not sure: maybe the Minister can update us as to where that is now.”
“A significant cause of many of the issues was the nature of the zoning in Newtownards in the 1980s and 1990s. The need for the town to have a ring road due to population and traffic growth was acknowledged and planned for. It provided the Government of the day with an opportunity to step in and build a ring road and charge each developer as they developed the housing area. Instead of that, it was left to each developer to build their own section of road as they built the homes. A number of developers, as Members will be aware, have done that and have built their sections to a high standard, but what good is just one section of the road if does not go anywhere?”
“It affects commuters but also the residents of the many homes on the Comber Road who have to try to get into town during school runs, which all take much longer than would have been the case in the past. Members who spoke previously talked about two-hour waits at certain times of the year, and that is totally unacceptable. <BR /> <BR />So far, the Department for Infrastructure appears unwilling to seriously review what can be done to alleviate the situation, which continues to get worse, year by year. We appeal to the Department today to take the matter seriously — we thank the Minister for coming along — and do all that it can to influence it. <BR /> <BR />Other areas struggle due to the congestion in the town centre in general and in particular on the Bangor and Donaghadee Roads.”
“I know from my colleagues in the area at council and Assembly level and from my experience that the traffic appears to have worsened significantly in the locality in recent years, partly due to the success of the town, which has won High Street of the Year on a number of occasions, and partly due to the growth in population, which is scheduled to continue, with Newtownards being the only significant area of housing growth in the Ards and North Down Borough Council area plan. <BR /> <BR />There are particular issues at Messines Road and Comber Road, as has already been said, with substantial waits being a regular occurrence for drivers coming into the town from the Belfast and Comber directions.”
“I thank the Member for Strangford for bringing the topic to the Chamber and for so eloquently setting out the position. My party colleague Mike Nesbitt, the Health Minister, had hoped to be here today, but he has a prior and unavoidable engagement with a constituent on a health matter. He sends his apologies. I will say a few words as Infrastructure spokesperson, if that is OK. Undoubtedly, many points have been made, but I am happy to share a few of his concerns and a few of mine. <BR /> <BR />Newtownards is a successful market town that has grown substantially in recent years. It is not served by rail but is entirely dependent on the road network for residents of the town and those of the Ards peninsula, to which Newtownards acts as a gateway.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. He makes some very valid points, particularly about the under-reporting of firework incidents. Much of the public have given up all hope of anything being done, so most incidents are not reported. He rightly talks about the need for a review of the legislation. Unfortunately, the Alliance amendment removes the call for a review of the legislation. Supporting the amendment would therefore rule out a review. Does he agree that the legislation should be looked at again?”
“You have made a good job of giving your view, Mr O'Toole, on many subjects, and we appreciate that. However, the reality is that this is a non-binding motion on the First Minister and deputy First Minister, who are not here. Whatever amendment passes today, like most of the non-binding motions that we debate in the Chamber, nothing will come of it. Work is being carried out by the Assembly and Executive Review Committee. That is where the work needs to continue to take place, and I am pretty confident that we will see at least some of the changes that we want to see.”
“To come back to my point, previous changes that we have seen were, sadly, at times of crisis. What we saw on the back of that were bad decisions taken to pacify and placate those who created crisis. That is not a good way to do it, so I take some comfort from the fact that the Assembly and Executive Review Committee is working collegially. We are taking a good range of evidence. There is a collegial spirit in that Committee, and I genuinely believe that proposals for reforms —.”
“I take the Member's point. We discussed that, and I have no problem with the public feeding into any process. That was an integral part of the Good Friday Agreement. However, I see us as the citizens' assembly. We are all nominated and elected by the people, and we all have a mandate to be here and contribute, and we are contributing those points to the Committee.”
“That is a fair point. The motion, though, goes further than that and talks about Assembly and Executive reform generally. That is why that Committee is well placed to do that. <BR /> <BR />My second point — I made it in the Committee, and I think that others would agree — is that any changes to the institutions need to have cross-party input and agreement. We have seen what has happened in the past. On the three occasions when fundamental changes were made to the Good Friday Agreement, whether at St Andrews, at Stormont House or in 'New Decade, New Approach' (NDNA), not everyone was involved. Those changes were often made at times of crisis, and, at times of crisis, changes are made to pacify and suit those who have created the crisis, not to create the best forms of institutions.”
“That Committee has been tasked with that work. I would be concerned were it simply to be kicked to the First Minister and deputy First Minister, who are not here today, as they represent only two parties. Any successful reform of the institutions —”
“I take the Member for North Belfast's point about those who lauded the Good Friday Agreement as if it were written on tablets of stone. We in the Ulster Unionist Party take great pride in our role in creating that document and in the peace and stability that came about on the back of it. Having spoken to most of its authors, I know that there was an expectation among them that those rules would evolve over time: even its authors would have accepted that, 25 years on, we would see change. <BR /> <BR />For me, change has to come through the Assembly and Executive Review Committee. There is a great deal of work going on, and the proposer of the motion sits on that Committee with us. As has been said, we are looking at a great deal of work around Executive formation, cross-community voting and the nomination of the Speaker.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I was not expecting to be called, so I will speak to the motion briefly. <BR /> <BR />As others have said, the motion is limited in substance, but I do not say that in order to take away from its intent. I am sure that it is well meaning, but there is not a great deal in it. I have said at the Assembly and Executive Review Committee — it is good to see so many members of that Committee here — that it is in that Committee that that work should be carried out. <BR /> <BR />There has been a distinct lack of stability in this place for many years since the Assembly was founded. There is a distinct lack of scrutiny and, sadly, of public confidence,, and we see that time and time again. That is not necessarily the fault of the institutions; more often, it is the fault of the parties involved in bringing them down.”
“Minister, it will be working parents who pick up the tab for this, and there is a lot of concern among them. Concern has also been raised to me by our fantastic cooks and kitchen staff, who are concerned that some cost-cutting exercises might reduce the quality and nutrient value of the food that is being sent to schools to be prepared. Can we get an assurance that that will not happen under any cost-cutting measures that will take place?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. You talked about the fact that the regulations are some of the most robust anywhere. However, they are over 20 years old. Fireworks have moved on in both their strength and noise. Some of them are approaching the likes of explosives. Perhaps, that could be looked at. Is there also an opportunity, perhaps, through a pilot project with a policing and community safety partnership (PCSP) somewhere, to look at how we could tackle that better at a local level?”
“The men and women whom I, and veterans across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, have served with come from every single background in our community in Northern Ireland, whether that be rural or urban. They are the shared fabric of our society. Supporting our armed forces veterans is not a partisan issue; it is a shared moral responsibility. <BR /> <BR />I commend the motion to the House and, again, thank everyone who brought it forward. Let us ensure that the promises of the armed forces covenant are fully delivered in Northern Ireland so that no veteran or member of their family feels forgotten and we harness the immense potential that they bring to our society and economy.”
“In 2014, I was proud to introduce the local government covenant to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Given the overlap between services, it is essential that central and local government work together to ensure that all the service provision is there. We also need stronger collaboration between government, employers, education providers and veterans' organisations. Many local charities and community groups already do superb work to support veterans with job training, counselling and welfare advice, but, too often, their efforts operate in isolation. We can and should join up that support so that every service leaver knows where they can get help to succeed in civilian life. <BR /> <BR />I say this very clearly: the armed forces community belongs to each and every one of us; it transcends politics and background.”
“The legal duty that has been placed on public bodies to have due regard for the covenant is a significant step forward, but legislation alone is not enough; it must be actively implemented. Departments must be aware of their responsibilities; staff must be trained; and veterans must see the benefits in real terms, and not be hard done by, when it comes to access to GPs, schools and housing offices. That is why I particularly welcome the fact that the motion calls on each Department to appoint an armed forces liaison officer. Having a clear point of contact within government will make a real difference, ensuring that the covenant is not just a statement of intent but a working framework that delivers support on the ground. <BR /> <BR />I agree with the Members who mentioned the particular role of councils.”
“The transition from military to civilian life is not always straightforward. We have heard examples of that: finding new employment, adapting to different routines and accessing healthcare, housing and education for you and your family members can all be difficult steps. That is why the armed forces covenant matters. Its guiding principle is simple but profound: no one should suffer disadvantage as a result of their service. It is not about special treatment; it is about fair treatment. It is about recognising the unique sacrifices that are made by our service personnel and their families, and ensuring that they are not left behind when they return to civilian life. <BR /> <BR />As has been mentioned in the debate, we have made progress in Northern Ireland.”
“We all know the difficulties that Andy has faced, having served on the front line for the nation. I pay tribute to each and every one of my colleagues and every single person who has served our nation over the years. <BR /> <BR />Through my experience, I have seen, at first-hand, the skills, discipline, teamwork and leadership that military service instils. Those are qualities that our economy and our communities need now more than ever, whether, as the proposer of the motion said, that be in engineering, logistics, healthcare, IT or management. Those who are leaving the forces have transferable skills that represent a powerful asset for employers and our society alike. They will and do make a valuable contribution. <BR /> <BR />The motion also reminds us that, while service brings strength, it can also bring challenges.”
“I support this important cross-party motion. I thank the Members who tabled the motion, as well as the Veterans Commissioner and his staff, for carefully wording the motion and for all the efforts that have gone into it. The motion recognises the enormous contribution of all who have served and continue to serve and the families who stand beside them. <BR /> <BR />I declare an interest as a proud member of His Majesty's Reserve Army. I am very proud to continue to serve alongside hundreds of men and women from across Northern Ireland and from every background, tradition and walk of life. They are the very best of us. I am also immensely proud to be in an MLA team and a party that has a proud tradition of service. I look to my party colleagues on my left: that service and commitment can be no better demonstrated by Andy Allen.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I am sure, Minister, that you will agree that the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council planning committee took a common-sense decision last week in response to the application in Larne. Planning committees and planning offices across the country seem to be taking different approaches. How concerned are you about the different approaches that are being taken and the different interpretations? What more can be done to apply consistency when processing such applications?”