Catherine Kelly
West Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“Back then, it was much-needed: right now, it is vital. <BR /> <BR />The Western Trust has long since identified Omagh, in the southern sector of its catchment area, as the site of this acute mental health unit.”
“In 2016, there was an announcement that Omagh was the preferred location for a much-needed and long-awaited acute mental health facility. At the time, the announcement was met with relief by many families across Omagh and West Tyrone.”
“I cannot emphasise enough how awful it is to see people battle for months and years for help; how soul-destroying it is for families to witness someone go from bad to worse due to a lack of timely intervention; or how unacceptable that is when the need is so obviously there and is getting worse.”
“<BR /> <BR />Currently, Shine Play Therapy in Omagh, which is privately owned, supports children, young people and parents with referrals from parents, schools and social services. Children present with anxiety and suicidal thoughts, to name but two issues. That centre also works from a waiting list now.”
“Minister, thank you for your answer. It is completely unfair that, under current legislation, workers under the age of 22 are entitled to less redundancy pay than older workers, regardless of whether they have the same term of service. Young people are more likely to lose their jobs due to COVID.”
“Minister, what would you say to young people who worked very hard to achieve their AS-level grades and who will now not see those grades included as part of their overall A-level results? You said previously that incorporating those grades as part of the overall grades would be very different from the approach in England and Wales.”
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“Minister, considering the South's recent budget announcement for funding North/South projects, can we expect an acceleration of the A5 construction process and for two phases to commence simultaneously?”
“Back then, it was much-needed: right now, it is vital. <BR /> <BR />The Western Trust has long since identified Omagh, in the southern sector of its catchment area, as the site of this acute mental health unit. I am sure that Members are aware that there are many health professionals in the Omagh area who are suitably qualified and experienced to deliver acute mental health services. In effect, the arguments have been made and won. What is needed now is for the Minister to be decisive and waste no time in making a decision that is long overdue. <BR /> <BR />Just three days ago, we supported World Mental Health Day. This year, the theme was "Mental health for all". The people of Omagh and West Tyrone need to see that in action, Minister. They need to see the construction of this crucial facility, which will, undoubtedly, meet their needs.”
“<BR /> <BR />Currently, Shine Play Therapy in Omagh, which is privately owned, supports children, young people and parents with referrals from parents, schools and social services. Children present with anxiety and suicidal thoughts, to name but two issues. That centre also works from a waiting list now. If that hugely important facility were up and running as it should be, children, young people and adults would not sit on waiting lists, resulting in their mental health deteriorating further. The Minister at the time stated that the new facility was an:”
“I cannot emphasise enough how awful it is to see people battle for months and years for help; how soul-destroying it is for families to witness someone go from bad to worse due to a lack of timely intervention; or how unacceptable that is when the need is so obviously there and is getting worse. <BR /> <BR />The services are not in place to deal with the current volume of referrals in Omagh and West Tyrone. That is absolutely no reflection on the work of our mental health professionals in Omagh. They work day and daily for those in their care, but they are also under serious pressure. They, more than anyone, recognise the need for substantial investment to treat and support those in our community who require urgent help.”
“In 2016, there was an announcement that Omagh was the preferred location for a much-needed and long-awaited acute mental health facility. At the time, the announcement was met with relief by many families across Omagh and West Tyrone. Children, young people and adults finally saw light at the end of the tunnel and hoped that, finally, they would no longer sit on a waiting list but would receive timely mental health interventions. However, as we know, there has been no movement since the business case was passed from the Western Trust to the Department of Health. That is why we are here today. <BR /> <BR />Almost daily, my office is contacted by families who are at their wits' end. Children, young people and adults are self-harming, taking overdoses and literally crying out for help.”
“Minister, what would you say to young people who worked very hard to achieve their AS-level grades and who will now not see those grades included as part of their overall A-level results? You said previously that incorporating those grades as part of the overall grades would be very different from the approach in England and Wales. Why will you not put our students first and recognise their hard work?”
“Minister, thank you for your answer. It is completely unfair that, under current legislation, workers under the age of 22 are entitled to less redundancy pay than older workers, regardless of whether they have the same term of service. Young people are more likely to lose their jobs due to COVID. Therefore, will the Minister end the age discrimination in redundancy entitlements and standardise redundancy pay across all age groups?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. The Minister recently made a bid for £22·6 million so that the European social fund money could continue to be provided from April 2022 to March 2023. She will be aware of how important that ESF funding is in tackling youth unemployment. With considerable numbers of young people now being made redundant, does the Minister accept that the loss of European funding will have a detrimental impact on support for young people, particularly with the loss of the European social fund?”
“<BR /> <BR />In supporting this motion, Members will be adding their voices to calls to the Minister of Health to take a moment, amongst the clamour of tackling the impact of COVID-19, and help around 8,000 young and not so young people to get their hearing test and take action to address postponed cochlear implant surgery. We need seamless access to hearing health services, without interruption or restrictions. I call on the Assembly to support the motion.”
“I believe that, currently, there is no framework for paediatric audiology in the North. From what I have read, in 2018 the Regional Audiology Forum agreed that it would develop a set of quality standards for paediatric audiology services, to be applicable from birth to 18 years. The Department of Health was then to sign off on it. Will the Minister take this forward, in light of the increasingly lengthy waiting lists? It could go some way in ensuring measurable and continuous improvement of services, whilst improving access for our children and young people.”
“<BR /> <BR />Recently, a parent from the Western Trust area informed the National Deaf Children's Society about having contacted the audiology department because her son's moulds did not fit. They were able to send out new moulds adapted from the previous pattern, which worked out very well. However, the lady knew other children who were not so lucky. One child had loose vents, causing infection, and the only action was to prescribe, unseen, antibiotics which led to recurring infections because the problem with the vents was not addressed. Those are only some of the issues that have been highlighted by parents and carers with the National Deaf Children's Society. <BR /> <BR />Remote audiology does not work for children who have hearing difficulties or who are deaf. It has serious implications for the early intervention that is needed.”
“<BR /> <BR />This invisible condition requires regular screening to ensure that the problem is detected sooner and in the hope of a better outcome. Therefore, it is of prime importance that the Department of Health ensures continued vigilance regarding children's hearing. <BR /> <BR />Diagnostic testing, or the fitting or adjusting of aids, cannot be carried out remotely. I will mention some real-life experiences of children and their parents during the past seven months, such as parents not being able to reach trust support services when hearing aids break, and parents and carers having to pay for micro-suction for the child when appointments are cancelled.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is now imperative that we wear face coverings as we go about our daily lives, and that in itself is another barrier to children and adults awaiting a diagnostic test. Where once they may have been reliant on lip-reading to engage in conversation, now they are unable to. That new added barrier and complication must be taken into consideration to alleviate the anxiety that it must cause. It is now vital that the Department of Health and the Department of Education work together, as required by the Children’s Services Co-operation Act to urgently oversee the development of an action plan to address any backlog of children with delayed diagnosis of deafness, and it is essential that parents and children have a role in building that plan.”
“The evidence is clear. Early detection and intervention lead to better outcomes in language acquisition — whether spoken or sign — in young children's emotional and cognitive development, and closes any educational attainment gap between hearing and non-hearing pupils. Late diagnosis amongst the young can result in a level of disadvantage that they may carry for the rest of their lives, leading to poorer educational outcomes, worse employment opportunities, and more ill health, including mental ill health. <BR /> <BR />Right now the new school day could prove detrimental to the education of children not yet diagnosed. The need to juggle learning and follow new school safety measures is very worrying in an already stressful situation.”
“The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the number of people who are waiting for diagnostic testing soar. The latest figures, which were published by the Department of Health's information and analysis directorate in June, reveal an almost 150,000-long waiting list for diagnostic tests. Faced with such a backlog and knowing that, for many people, these are life-saving tests, it is easy to see why almost 8,000 people who are waiting for hearing tests might not be at the top of anyone's list. I argue that they should be. Diagnostic tests in order to identify hearing impairments may not be life-saving, but they are profoundly life-affirming, and for young children late diagnosis and delayed intervention are likely to have a lifelong adverse impact.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle, and good afternoon everyone. As we have just come through International Week of the Deaf, I thought that I would attempt some sign language in support of children, young people and adults who may be watching the debate. Recently, the Minister for Communities committed to bringing forward to the Assembly sign language legislation once co-design and co-production work have been completed. In response to a question for written answer, she informed me that the legislation will be built on the principles of equality and social inclusion and on ensuring that the deaf and the hard of hearing community have the same rights and opportunities as those in the hearing community and are able to access services in their own language. <BR /> <BR />Hearing is one of the most important senses that we have.”
“It is vital that the Irish Government honour their original commitment to the A5 project, and, of course, this also opens up possibilities to expedite the construction process. Minister, will you assure us that you will pursue this urgent matter with the Irish Government, who are, of course, led by your party's Fianna Fáil partners?”
“Minister, with pupils back at school, can you outline the steps being taken to minimise the spread of COVID-19 in schools?”
“Minister, is your Department undertaking to look at the potential of utilising community and other civic buildings for schools in the event of localised outbreaks and school closures?”
“With many businesses and their workers struggling to cope with the economic fallout of COVID-19, the delay in reopening wet pubs has further increased the risk to jobs and businesses in that sector. Can the Minister confirm whether she will actively look at and introduce a new support scheme for those businesses and their employees?”
“The Barnahus model of how child victims and witnesses are dealt with and assessed for serious crime or sex offence cases is an international gold standard for responding to the unique needs of children. Can the Minister tell us whether she plans to introduce a similar system here?”
“The British Government should play their part by removing the cap that they imposed on university places this year. We have already seen young people take to the streets to express their anger and demand their right to be treated fairly. Get them the places and the future that they deserve.”
“A month that should have been filled with celebrations and preparation will for ever be remembered as an anxious and distressing time. A month that should have been filled with excitement for the future was replaced by uncertainty and confusion. <BR /> <BR />I call on DUP Ministers Peter Weir and Diane Dodds to work together to ensure that all of the young people who lost out when they were denied proper grades last week are helped to find a university or college place to meet their needs.”
“The education system is supposed to deliver equality of opportunity: last week, it delivered postcode discrimination. <BR /> <BR />Let us put on record what the British Government and the DUP were prepared to preside over: more than a third of results downgraded by algorithm; pupils studying in large schools located in disadvantaged areas most harshly treated; pupils from our black, Asian and minority ethnic communities likely to be more disadvantaged; and pupils with disabilities faring less favourably. In the end, it was political pressure, not conscience, that moved the British Government and the DUP. "Sorry" is not enough: the damage has already been done. University and college places have already been lost, and young lives have already been disrupted.”
“At the heart of the past few days has been the future of a generation of young people unfortunate enough to be coming of age during a pandemic, a future that, it appears, the British Tory Government and the DUP were prepared to wantonly discard. I can understand a privately educated, privileged elite such as the British Cabinet having no regard for the hopes and aspirations of ordinary young people, but the DUP needs to open its eyes and start representing the people who vote for it. <BR /> <BR />Peter Weir waited until a British Minister in London gave way on the issue. Why? Why are children in the North of Ireland being held to ransom by decisions taken in England? Almost as soon as the results were known — first in Scotland and then in other jurisdictions — it was clear that something had gone very wrong.”
“Minister, whatever one's religion or none, the reality is that children are being let down by an education system designed to brand them as failures at the age of 10 or 11. What assurances can you give us that all P6 and P7 children's education will be supported in September, not just those sitting a transfer test?”
“Minister, how do you intend to broaden the recruitment process to ensure a representative, inclusive and diverse RQIA board membership?”
“In light of the Minister's answer, how strong is the possibility of a no-deal Brexit?”
“Mr Butler mentioned transport and the huge issue that that is: how can we ensure the safety of children and young people when they travel to and from school? Mr Lyttle talked about the need for a restart budget, given the many costs that are associated with restart when school budgets are already at capacity. Mr Frew mentioned parents and how the past three months of homeschooling has been incredibly stressful. Those are only some of the hugely important issues that have been highlighted this evening, and I thank Members for their contribution. It is imperative that Minister Weir takes into consideration all the points that have been made tonight. I urge Members to support the motion and the amendment.”
“<BR /> <BR />COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on how crucial to society our childcare sector is. Without it, it is likely that many women would not be working, and children would be without vital early education and care. Until we have more information on how the funding that was announced today will be allocated, what the process will be for applying for funds and when applications will open, this vital economic sector is at risk of collapse. Not only will that have significant implications at this time of crisis, but, in the weeks and months ahead, when we are trying to rebuild our economy. <BR /> <BR />Many comments have been made tonight. Mr McCrossan mentioned the hard work of our school leaders over the past three months.”
“Thank you for your comment. I agree wholeheartedly. We need guidance and detail as soon as possible and urgently. We have no detail yet on how this will be administered, but one thing is for sure: it cannot be a repeat of the previous scheme, with its complex and bureaucratic application process, and with many still waiting for support, after the scheme was first announced over eight weeks ago. <BR /> <BR />The new allocation needs to be readily available, with no barriers in place. Families need childcare now more than ever, and that is why our health and social care trusts need to work as quickly as they can to ensure that settings and childminders can reopen their doors safely, and parents can return to work, content that their child is in the best possible care.”
“These are very welcome easements and especially today's announcement from the Finance Minister that £10·5 million in financial support will be allocated to the sector to enable sustainability.”
“The mental health and well-being of children and their parents is paramount. They are crying out for some sort of provision, urgently, to reengage their children. This must begin as soon as possible and without delay. We are all more than aware that our childcare sector is on its knees. My party colleague mentioned in her opening statement that childcare will be a defining issue, and she is right. <BR /> <BR />We have seen many welcome interventions in recent weeks, where the key worker definition no longer applies to childcare. Capacity has ceased within settings, albeit that a play pod has been introduced, and indemnity will now cover all children until the end of August.”
“I urge the Department of Health and the Department of Education to ensure that every effort is made to remove any barriers to children and young people being able to avail themselves of this. <BR /> <BR />Tomorrow is 1 July and, as yet, parents have not had sight of what summer provision will look like for their children. There is huge frustration amongst children, young people and their parents. The most vulnerable in our society need to know when summer provision will begin, what it will look like and who will be delivering it. Since March, many parents and their sons and daughters have had little or no interaction with the outside world, no school and no respite. Summer provision is crucial to support families after such a long period with little or no support.”
“How do special schools that are already at maximum capacity welcome all children back and ensure that they are socially distancing? If remote learning will, again, come into play, the Department needs to ensure that all children are being taught remotely. In the past three months, many parents have raised issues around the lack of remote learning and the absence of any digital connection with teachers, classroom assistants or friends. <BR /> <BR />Some of us will remember a young person, a number of weeks ago, explaining their feelings during lockdown as being sad, isolated and lonely. There cannot be a return to this kind of remote learning. The guidance also mentions a reduction in health therapies and/or support provided. That is very concerning. For many children and young people, those therapies are a lifeline.”
“Settings need support to sustain themselves so that they can open their doors, with confidence, in September; reassure parents who are dropping their children off on their first day; and hold on to their skilled staff, whom we rely on so much to educate our children. <BR /> <BR />Another cohort of parents who received guidance on the return to school was parents of children who attend special schools. Many parents and school leaders had been waiting on the guidance, hoping that it would include a plan and details for a safe return but that has not been the case. Schools have been left having to read between the lines and incorporate their own plans for September. Friday's guidance has not reassured parents. If anything, they have even more questions.”
“How can this apply to preschool children, when their education is based mainly on play? How do preschool leaders ensure that learning is being achieved at home through play? Department of Education guidance does not take this into account. It is not sufficient to attach the preschool restart with school restart. This is a worrying time for preschool leaders. Will the Department issue its PEGs funding earlier so that preschool leaders can prepare their settings and, if needed, recruit and vet staff? Will the community and voluntary preschool settings receive support through a new scheme from the Department of Education or the Department of Health? Both Departments need to consider these questions.”
“The past three months have had a significant impact on our children and young people, parents, childcare practitioners and school leaders, many of which we have heard about this evening and I will touch on later. <BR /> <BR />Never before has our education system faced so many challenges. Many of our preschool children are to begin formal education in eight weeks. Their parents are busy buying uniforms and preparing for their children's first day. What will that actually look like? Some settings and classes are not big enough to hold all the children attending in September. Some settings and classes may be big enough but they do not have sufficient staff numbers to allow for more than one protective bubble. Recent guidance, issued by the Department, mentions a blended learning approach for preschool similar to that of schools.”
“The motion was tabled before the Minister's statement last week. Since then, guidance has been provided, but we feel that tonight's debate is important and has been useful to ensure that the concerns that remain are highlighted.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your statement. I am very glad to see St. Catherines’ Primary School in Strabane included in the plans, going forward. I also welcome the further commitments made around the Strule project. What does today's announcement mean for the Strule project with regard to the delivery of the campus?”
“Many sectors have been affected by the COVID crisis, including sheep and beef primary producers. Can the Minister give an assurance that those sectors will be included in the allocation of the £25 million funding?”
“Minister, thank you for your answer. What stakeholder engagement has taken place to date?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. We are well aware of the additional pressures that the economy will face as a consequence of COVID-19, so announcements like this, as the Minister pointed out, are a positive signal. Given that the Department may need to calibrate its budget as the COVID-19 situation progresses, when will the Minister be able to give us an update on a timeline for work to begin and be completed on Strule shared education campus?”
“Can the Minister assure the House that front-line workers, such as those in roads maintenance, public transport and NI Water, for example, are content with conditions in their workplace?”
“<BR /> <BR />The motion will enable MLAs to vote by proxy and Committee business to be conducted remotely by video or audio link. That is not just about protecting the lives of MLAs or the people who support their role, although that is important; it is about protecting the lives of others. It is about supporting our health service workers: our doctors and nurses and all the people who support them — the paramedics, administrators, cleaners, drivers and others. It is about supporting all the people providing vital services that support our communities: the shopworkers, warehouse and delivery workers, postal workers and others. It will take a determined effort by everyone to halt the spread of the pandemic by minimising transmission. The measures are temporary with a six-month reconsideration limit. I urge Members to support the motion.”
“First, I offer my sincere condolences to the families across Ireland who have lost loved ones to COVID-19. My thoughts and prayers are with them at this time. <BR /> <BR />The motion, which seeks to amend Standing Orders, is unprecedented, but we face unprecedented times. The amendments ensure that MLAs can meet their obligations as political representatives and Assembly Members. They ensure that the Assembly can operate efficiently and effectively, but equally important is the fact that they enable all of us to play our part in thwarting transmission by adhering to social distancing and introducing remote working practices. Finding different ways of working is imperative if we are to delay the spread of this deadly virus.”
“Today, we have been informed that the Education Authority has directed its staff to postpone training in schools. Education conferences have been postponed, and education welfare officers have been told, "No home visits". Was that a directive from the Department? Why is there a difference in the approach to school-based staff and pupils? Is their health more important than the children?”
“<BR /> <BR />Across the North, many people, mostly women, have given up the profession for which they were trained because of the proscriptive cost of childcare. As we all face the challenge of coronavirus, it is worth noting that many of those parents are trained health professionals, nurses and social care workers who, if childcare was affordable and accessible, could return to work and increase the capacity in our health service. I urge Members to support the amendment to the motion.”
“I live in west Tyrone, and I hear from mummies and daddies every day about how difficult it is to find a registered childminder or a preschool place. Grannies and grandas are using their retirement to provide informal childcare for their grandchildren, stepping into the breach of our collective policy failure. <BR /> <BR />I worked previously in Naíscoil na gCrann in Omagh, and felt and witnessed at first hand the immense pressure on our childcare practitioners. Reliance on the dedication, rather than the rewarding, of any workforce is unsustainable. Substantial investment in childcare would have a domino effect and shape the future of the sector. It would empower childcare providers and allow the workforce to grow.”
“It can help single parents who are struggling to rear and provide for their children at the same time or provide additional help for parents of children with disabilities. It can support other less-advantaged groups in our community, such as minority ethnic or migrant families. Access to affordable and appropriate childcare can mitigate the poverty that is currently experienced by many hard-pressed working families who are struggling to make ends meet. <BR /> <BR />Given the obvious benefits, it is hard to understand why it is taking so long for all of us here to develop and implement a childcare strategy. Tyrone and Fermanagh are two largely rural and border counties with little to no childcare provision.”