Colm Gildernew
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I have been working with Dungannon Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It will welcome this work, particularly in light of its concerns about vacancy and protecting the retail heart of towns such as Dungannon.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, you said that there has been an improvement. However, recently, there were reports of over 1,400 patients waiting more than 28 days. How will you ensure that trusts consistently meet the targets for suspected cancer appointments in particular?”
“However, the Committee will want to examine carefully how any new or amended powers would operate in practice. Powers relating to information sharing, official warnings, directions, removal from office and disqualification can have significant, long-standing consequences for charities, trustees, staff, volunteers and, indeed, public confi…”
“<BR /> <BR />The regulations are consequential to the uprating order and provide the supporting technical changes needed to ensure that the revised benefit rates operate correctly. The regulations increase the earning limit for carer's allowance from £196 a week to £204 a week.”
“In response to those findings, Minister Hargey introduced the Charities Bill, which was enacted in 2022. The legislation put in place many of the review's priority recommendations in the limited time remaining in that mandate. The Charities (Amendment) Bill represents the next stage of that reform programme.”
“The Committee will wish to explore the implications of those changes, including for organisations operating across jurisdictions or delivering charitable activity in or from the North. Our charity sector includes a diverse range of bodies.”
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“That reflects the Committee's view that the Bill, as drafted, appears fit for purpose and will maintain sufficient protections. I wish to place on record the Committee's thanks to all those who supported our scrutiny of the Bill, including the departmental officials and the RaISe team. <BR /> <BR />While the legislation will affect a small proportion of Child Maintenance Service cases — around 2% — it still represents a significant change in process. The Committee has therefore recommended that the Department monitor the new arrangements and review their implementation after 12 months. We expect to be kept informed of how the new system is operating in practice, including its effectiveness in reducing processing times and maintaining safeguards.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee carefully considered the Bill's two clauses and one schedule as well as the wider implications of moving from a judicial process to an administrative process. Members explored matters such as safeguards for vulnerable individuals, including those experiencing mental ill health or domestic abuse, as well as the cross-border enforceability of administrative orders. Members were broadly satisfied with those measures. <BR /> <BR />Clause-by-clause scrutiny was conducted at our meeting on 21 November 2024. Having satisfied itself that the provisions of the Bill were appropriate, the Committee agreed all aspects of the Bill without amendment. No amendments were tabled by Members or the Minister at either Consideration Stage or Further Consideration Stage.”
“Appropriate safeguards will remain in place, including access to appeal and the discharge of orders, where appropriate. <BR /> <BR />Following Second Stage, the Committee took forward its scrutiny role in accordance with Standing Orders. Despite receiving a modest response to our public call for evidence, we undertook a range of activity to inform our considerations. That included engaging directly with officials from the Department for Communities, who provided written responses and oral briefings, and commissioning research from the Assembly's Research and Information Service (RaISe), which produced a comprehensive comparative analysis and other useful insights.”
“As Chair of the Committee for Communities. I support the Final Stage of the Child Support Enforcement Bill. <BR /> <BR />The purpose of this short but significant Bill is to enable the Department to make administrative liability orders for the enforcement of child maintenance payments, replacing the current court-based process. It provides for the right of appeal to a court against the making of such an order. The Committee for Communities has welcomed the legislation, which aims to reduce the time taken to pursue enforcement action from the current average of 22 weeks through the courts to six weeks via the new administrative route. Members were reassured to note that the administrative orders carry the same weight as those issued by courts.”
“The levels of respite in general have been cut dramatically over years now, which means that many families get only a weekend or a day or two at a time. To have that withdrawn at short notice is absolutely devastating. I urge the Minister of Health and the trusts to look urgently at how the situation can be stabilised, because it is just not fair to continue to let down families who do so much on behalf of all of us. In many ways, they are the backbone of the health service, and we are letting them down repeatedly.”
“I raise again the desperate situation of many families who need respite services. It must be said that, in many situations, respite is the bare minimum that many of our carers and families get. It allows them a short time to have a break, refresh their batteries and just recharge. However, too often, we see situations in which respite is cancelled at the last minute for families who were so desperately looking forward to it. I have seen that happen once again in Dungannon in my constituency. On that occasion, the cancellation was linked to staffing, but the impact is the same. They are families, some of them with parents in their 80s, who are doing the vast majority of the care, day in and day out, week in and week out, and had been looking forward to one weekend.”
“, this is not a political issue; it is a human issue, a family issue and a matter of empathy and respect. Today, let us stand on the side of compassion, give grieving families the dignity that they deserve and affirm together that even the shortest lives leave lasting marks. Let us support the creation of the baby loss certificate not just as a document but as a symbol of love, remembrance and healing and as a tangible indication of how we in the Assembly can make a real difference in the difficult situations faced by the families we serve.”
“I wish him all the best in his endeavour to get a timely resolution to an unacceptable situation. <BR /> <BR />A chairde”
“The certificates have been available in England and Scotland for the past year. The response from parents has been overwhelmingly positive. Parents in those jurisdictions have expressed relief and gratitude at being offered a tangible acknowledgement of their loss. <BR /> <BR />I take the opportunity to raise again the related, ongoing issue of the complete lack of paediatric pathology services in the North. Grieving parents still have to make that terribly sad journey to England, if they wish to have a post-mortem completed for their deceased child. I appreciate that the Health Minister has confirmed that he is engaging with his counterpart Minister in the South to explore the potential to improve that situation via enhanced cooperation on an all-island basis.”
“, there is nothing more devastating for expectant parents or, indeed, for siblings and the wider family than the loss of a child. It is a time of profound sadness and grief. For many parents, nothing will ever fully compensate for the loss that they have suffered. The lack of any official recognition of their loss can compound parents' grief. Under our current law, parents who experience baby loss prior to 24 weeks have no recourse to seek official recognition of their child. The Bill will change that, so that parents can apply, if they so choose, to have their baby recognised in that official way. <BR /> <BR />A baby loss certificate gives parents a chance to experience validation and dignity and, perhaps most important, to remember their child. Baby loss certificates may also help parents to begin the healing process.”
“I thank the Minister for moving the Second Stage of this hugely important Bill. It deals with an issue that, I suspect, many of us have had personal experience of in our immediate or extended families. I acknowledge Kellie's personal testimony. <BR /> <BR />A chairde”
“I thank the Minister. I am aware that he will be dealing with the issue in more detail later, but, for now, can he outline briefly what a baby loss certificate scheme might entail?”
“Minister, you answered on young people, but, more generally, what supports exist for people with a disability?”
“, we must do everything in our power to stop the cuts, and we must all stand united in opposition to them. No one should deflect from that task. The British Government must turn away from the failed ideology of austerity and, instead, invest in our people and our communities. Sinn Féin will continue to press for proper funding for public services and to protect the sick and vulnerable, while making the case for constitutional change on this island, so that decisions can be made by and in the best interests of the people here.”
“I thank the Minister. I agree. I absolutely support the aim of supporting people who are often blocked from accessing the employment opportunities that we all enjoy. If that were the aim, that is where you would start. The fact that that is not where this has started tells us that that is not the aim at all. <BR /> <BR />A chairde”
“However, it was announced a number of months ago that the Minister was proposing to close that scheme. I urge the Minister to reconsider closing the scheme, particularly given the announcement of the cuts. I would appreciate it if he would provide some clarity.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important to say that many people with disabilities are already in work and contribute to our economy every day. That fact seems to have been lost in much of the discussion about the changes. However, it is also true that, although many people living with disabilities would very much like to gain employment, the support that would allow them to do so simply does not exist. Schemes such as Workable (NI) and Access to Work provide tailored one-to-one support for people with disabilities who are seeking to gain employment, but, because of the limited funding available to them, they can be limited in what they can achieve. There is also the employment support scheme, which supports 250 disabled people to remain in employment.”
“People with disabilities already face so many challenges that the rest of us do not, including the many financial penalties that come with having a disability. Trussell, which is here today, has identified that 114,000 people are at risk of falling further into poverty as a result of the cuts and that three quarters of food bank users cite the fact that a person in their family has a disability. The Samaritans, who are also here today, have clearly identified the increased risk that people with disabilities and their informal unpaid carers face as a result of disability and the fact that carers will also be impacted by the cuts. It is clear that the cuts will have the effect of punishing an already vulnerable cohort of people simply because they have a disability.”
“The share of the population who are entitled to disability benefits is much higher here than it is in Britain, which is due to a number of reasons. We are a post-conflict society in which many people still carry the wounds, physical and mental, from years of conflict, including trans-generational impacts that continue to occur. The British Government have yet to acknowledge that fact. They need to urgently clarify what the cuts will mean for the North specifically. <BR /> <BR />The British Government have also, shamefully, chosen to conflate the separate issues of supporting people to manage their disabilities and reducing economic inactivity. Our social welfare system is a safety net that is designed to support the least well-off in society to live with dignity and with a decent quality of life.”
“<BR /> <BR />The British Government have attempted to spin the cuts as being about supporting people with disabilities back into work. We need to be absolutely clear: they are about nothing of the sort. The cuts are about balancing the books. Politics is about choices, and the British Government know that there are other choices that they could make to avoid the cuts. The British Government could have chosen to increase taxes on the super-rich, but, instead, they shamefully chose to punish the sick and disabled while spending vast sums on weapons of war. <BR /> <BR />While there remains so much uncertainty about who will be affected by the cuts and in what way, one thing is certain: the North will be disproportionately affected by them.”
“I extend solidarity on behalf of Sinn Féin to all the people in our communities who live with disabilities. <BR /> <BR />The public backlash to the cuts speaks for itself. There is huge fear and concern about what the cuts will mean for some of the most vulnerable in our society. There is also an element of shock for some people, as many — wrongly, it transpires — thought that, with the removal of the Tories from power last year, we had seen the end of Tory austerity. If anything, this Labour Government seem desperate to prove that they can be just as cruel, if not even more so, than the Tories whom they replaced. Sinn Féin has made it clear that we regard the cuts as another cynical, shocking and disgraceful attack on the most vulnerable people in our society, who need and deserve our support.”
“We have heard from Sian and Kellie about some of the real, practical impacts that people face at such a time, and Colin Crawford mentioned the fact that people are often forced to navigate difficult financial systems. I welcome the Minister's commitment to stand with people and to engage with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to see what can be done in this respect. Let us stand for dignity, humanity and the right to live one's final days without unnecessary financial distress.”
“Other countries, such as France and Germany, have already recognised that need and have implemented policies that allow terminally ill individuals to access their pensions without unnecessary obstacles. While pensions are technically a devolved matter, we appreciate that it is an area where the convention is that parity with other jurisdictions is maintained. Therefore, the motion is directed at the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and asks her to consider changing the law, and asks our Minister to facilitate the change locally. <BR /> <BR />People who are facing terminal illness deserve the right to access their own hard-earned pensions when they need them most.”
“By allowing early pension access, we offer individuals the ability to cover essential medical costs, secure quality end-of-life care and support their family financially. It should also be remembered that, often, people who are at end of life have not reached pension age and still have a mortgage. That can be an additional worry and expense. <BR /> <BR />To allow people with a terminal illness to make the most of their remaining time, be that through fulfilling a lifelong dream, creating lasting memories with loved ones or simply ensuring that their affairs are in order, we should ensure that they have access to their own money. This is not about financial generosity; it is about respecting an individual's right to access their own money and make their own choices at the end of their life.”
“As we know, the death of a loved one can place a huge financial strain on a family, particularly if the person who has passed on was the chief breadwinner. It is clear that people who are ill have significant additional costs that can cover any amount of issues. Some of that has been touched on already. As political activists, we should always seek to do the right thing for families who are struggling to come to terms with the trauma of a terminal illness. That includes ensuring that they have the comfort of financial security. It is humane and just that those facing such circumstances be given the right to access their pension early, thus ensuring that they have dignity, comfort and peace of mind in their final days.”
“Inevitably, though, people with a terminal illness will also think about what their passing is going to mean for the friends, family and loved ones whom they are leaving behind.”
“I start by thanking everyone who has contributed to the debate today and has indicated support for our motion. I also thank Marie Curie, who have been in the Building today, for raising the issue with us and for the fantastic work that they do in supporting families through terminal illnesses. I worked closely with Marie Curie during its campaign on benefits, some of which the Minister outlined. <BR /> <BR />Receiving a terminal diagnosis is one of the most difficult things that any person can go through. It creates huge strain and worry not only for the individuals but for their families. People with terminal illnesses, in the knowledge that their time is limited, will often seek to make the most of the time that they have left by spending it doing things that they enjoy and with the people whom they love.”
“Members of the anti-poverty co-design group have publicly stated that, in their view, their time has been wasted and their participation in the co-design process has counted for nothing. Will you confirm whether any of the policies proposed by the co-design group have made it into the final draft of the anti-poverty strategy?”
“Carál Ní Chuilín, during her spell as Communities Minister, carried out an exercise to identify surplus public land in the North that could be used for social housing. I am also aware of great work by Belfast City Council, which has led the way in ensuring that public land in its district is used for social housing.”
“<BR /> <BR />The motion highlights another challenge that must be overcome: the utilisation of public land for social housing. I am sure that many of us can think of plots of land in our constituencies that are owned by the state and could be used for social housing but remain underutilised. The creation of a public land agency to ensure that public land can be utilised appropriately is something that Sinn Féin has called for in the past. In our document, 'A Home of Your Own', we called for the creation of an active land management agency in the Twenty-six Counties that would ensure an adequate supply of public land for the purposes of building homes while maximising the public good that can be gained from state assets.”
“I welcome the capital departmental expenditure limit (DEL) allocation of £100 million for social housing in the 2025-26 Budget. That significant investment provides a crucial foundation for increased new social housing provision and will go some way towards addressing the urgent need for affordable homes. However, we need to see even greater investment in social housing. <BR /> <BR />We urgently need to see the revitalisation of the Housing Executive. That process, which was initiated by my party colleague Carál Ní Chuilín, would see the Housing Executive having the ability to borrow finance, which would unlock the potential for greater investment. As Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald continually pressed the British Government on the matter, and I am confident that the new Finance Minister will do the same.”
“, are stark. They underpin the urgent need to increase the supply of housing. The housing supply strategy sets an ambitious target of 100,000 new homes over the next 15 years. That is the scale of what is needed if we are to end the housing crisis. However, unless we substantially increase the number of homes that are built over the coming years, we will certainly fail to meet that target. <BR /> <BR />We must overcome significant challenges if we are to deliver on that commitment. The first of those is funding. We have not seen adequate investment in social housing for many years. Many of the challenges that we face today stem directly from decades of underfunding by the British Government, and that is especially true when it comes to housing.”
“The latest house price index statistics show that the average house price in the North has reached a 17-year high and that average rent prices have increased by 56·4% over the past decade. <BR /> <BR />The lack of housing also impacts on our ability to provide social housing to those in need. There are over 48,000 households on the social housing waiting list — the most there has ever been — with over 36,000 of them living in housing stress. Those figures, a chairde”
“I thank the Members who tabled the motion. Sinn Féin believes that housing is a human right. Everyone in our society, no matter their age or the background from which they come, should have access to a decent and affordable home of their own. A home is not just a roof over someone's head; it is fundamental to the well-being of every person in our society, yet so many people do not have access to a decent, affordable home of their own that meets their needs. The simple fact is that we are not building enough homes; in fact, the number of housing completions hit a 60-year low in 2023. As we all know, a lack of housing pushes up house prices and rents to a level that is unaffordable for many people.”
“That is the case. <BR /> <BR />There is a series of strategies that urgently need to be progressed. They are interlinked and interdependent. My colleagues were involved in setting up significant co-design processes and getting groups involved. Those groups are now telling us that they feel that they have been cast aside and have no input to the process at this stage, at a time when we do not have clear timelines for delivery.”
“I do not believe that the visibility of the Irish language represents a threat to anyone.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“In light of that, I would like to know the timelines and deadlines for that process so that we can ensure that it does not act as a further delay. I am keen to hear all of that. <BR /> <BR />I underline the fact that the Minister has a responsibility to demonstrate his respect for the Irish language and those who use it or wish to learn it and to set out a clear timeline for when he will present a final draft strategy to the Executive.”
“I am keen to understand the precedent for that, the purpose of such reappointment and how it will not simply be a further delay.”
“That position, Minister, leads to a widely held view that you do not respect the Irish language or the people who cherish, speak and use it every day. <BR /> <BR />I am also curious and keen to find out more about the reappointing of departmental groups, which you referenced earlier. I am not aware of any precedent for that, and I am not sure what the purpose —.”
“Eighteen years have passed, and we still have no strategy in place, despite there having been two successful judicial reviews. <BR /> <BR />Last week, Conradh na Gaeilge presented to the Communities Committee in a powerful session. Regrettably, the Minister has refused to meet Conradh on three occasions, despite it being integral to the work of the co-design group. Minister, in relation to the comments that you made earlier, I have seen the letters that Conradh wrote to you, making it clear that it wanted to speak to you about the strategy, as well as funding issues. I have also seen your reply, in which you make it clear that you do not intend to meet them. That is a mistake. Given that you are the Minister for Communities — all communities — you should meet them.”
“it is also important to recognise the advances that the language has made in film and music. Artists such as Kneecap, through their music and their award-winning film, are bringing the Irish language into the mainstream in a way that we have never seen before. I also recognise the progress made in the Chamber in accommodating the Irish language and thank the translation team for providing an excellent translation service. <BR /> <BR />We have certainly come a long way since the days when the Irish language was openly mocked by Members of the party opposite, but we must recognise that there are still significant challenges to be overcome and understand that there is huge frustration among activists in the Irish language sector at the lack of progress. An Irish language strategy was agreed by all parties in the St Andrews Agreement in 2007.”
“As other Members have said, we have made huge progress in recent times. The Identity and Language Act 2022 was a notable milestone for those of us who wish to see full equality for the Irish language. The Act recently allowed for the ban on the use of Irish in our courts to be repealed. That ban was another reminder of the horrendous persecution that Irish speakers suffered in generations past, and the righting of that historic wrong was long overdue. The Act also set the stage for the appointment of an Irish language commissioner, and we heard last week that the appointments process for that position has begun. <BR /> <BR />A chairde,”
“exhibition at the Public Record Office. It celebrates the women who revived the use of the Irish language in the late 1960s and early 1970s and were involved in setting up the first urban Gaeltacht and gaelscoil. I commend the young women from Coláiste Feirste who helped put that important exhibition together. The growth and strength of the language is organic and grassroots-led. Many new Irish language schools are being established, which is a sign that the demand for Irish is very much growing. Those schools will be instrumental in increasing access to Irish-medium education across the North. <BR /> <BR />We must also recognise the important role that our political institutions and legislation can play in encouraging the growth of the language and ensuring that speakers of the language are treated equally to speakers of other languages.”
“are Irish words. They threaten no one and should be embraced in the same way as they were embraced in the Chamber throughout the week. I ask all parties in the Chamber to condemn those who vandalise and attack dual-language signs across the North. <BR /> <BR />I also place on record my appreciation for the current Mná na hAthbheochana”
“The Irish language is already on signs throughout Belfast: Béal Feirste”
“I absolutely agree that we need to ensure that all communities feel welcomed, supported and appropriately developed. That point was made forcefully at the Communities Committee on Thursday, when it was pointed out that some people belong to several communities and have needs that the Department for Communities is responsible for. We need to see intersecting and progressive movement on those issues.”
“is experiencing a significant revival in the North. More and more people, young people in particular, are taking an interest in learning the language. The Irish language is more visible today than it has been for many years. Irish language signage is readily available in many of our council areas, and I welcome the progress made by my party colleague Liz Kimmins in developing a pilot scheme to have dual-language signage in the Gaeltacht Quarter of west Belfast.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank all the activists who put so much of their time and energy into promoting and protecting our language. The Irish language, a chairde,”
“I especially thank the Members who indicated their support for our motion. <BR /> <BR />As a proud Gael, it brings me great joy to speak on and speak up for our native language in the Chamber and the thousands of native Irish speakers whose dedication and hard work has kept our language alive and allowed it to thrive. The motion acknowledges the vibrancy, colour, strength and dynamism of the Irish language at this time, as we bring Seachtain na Gaeilge to a close. I acknowledge the event hosted by the Speaker, Mr Poots, in the Seanad as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge, which very much underlined the importance and long-standing history of the language and how it unites us across the North with Scotland and beyond as part of a rich shared history.”