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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“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a ghlac páirt i ndíospóireacht an lae inniu.”
“Does the First Minister agree that the levels of funding supplied by the British Government to the Executive are simply not enough?”
“I agree that the Minister has set out a process. What I said, and what I believe other Committee members have said, is that that process is not giving proper recognition to the groups that put in so much effort to assist the Minister's Department with those strategies, including under the previous Minister, and, significantly, drafting strategies that they are now seeking to reiterate and have further input into.”
“I thank the Minister. I am sure that he will recognise that Conradh na Gaeilge has existed for well over 100 years, represents a huge community and wishes to speak to him about many issues, including the development of the strategy. You have made no attempt at all to engage with it on other issues, thereby showing a lack of regard for the work that it does.”
“They ensure that workers and their families receive fair and appropriate compensation, maintain parity with other places and reinforce our collective responsibility to those who suffered due to workplace exposure.”
“<BR /> <BR />The changes will align the North's compensation scheme with Britain, ensuring parity for workers and their families. We should remember, however, that it is not just about financial support; it is also about fairness and justice. Many of those workers became ill not by choice but because of failures in workplace protections. They gave years of service in harsh and dangerous conditions only to suffer devastating health consequences later in life. The payments cannot undo the harm done, but they serve as a recognition of the injustice that those workers endured and a commitment that their families will receive some measure of financial stability. <BR /> <BR />On behalf of the Committee, I am happy to recommend that the Assembly approve the regulations.”
“Tragically, for many workers, symptoms emerged only decades after exposure, meaning that, by the time that they were diagnosed, their condition had worsened significantly, leaving them unable to work or support their family. <BR /> <BR />As the Minister said, the regulations will increase lump sum payments by 1·7% in line with the consumer price index. It is extremely important that timely and fair compensation is provided to give a degree of financial security to individuals who paid the ultimate price for their years of hard work. The Committee considered the regulations at SL1 stage at our meeting on 23 January 2025 and was content for the Department to proceed. The Committee then approved the draft statutory rule at its meeting on 6 March.”
“I rise as Chair of the Committee for Communities to support the approval of the regulations, which continue an important commitment to workers and their families affected by severe life-limiting industrial diseases. The regulations ensure that those who suffer from conditions such as pneumoconiosis, asbestosis and mesothelioma caused by exposure to harmful dust in the workplace receive compensation payments that keep pace with inflation. Those diseases are progressive, irreversible and often fatal. Many of those affected worked in industries such as mining, shipbuilding, construction and manufacturing, where exposure to hazardous substances was common before modern safety regulations were in place.”
“Finally, a three-year extension, while welcome, serves only to kick the issue down the road for another period. We need a permanent solution that will give long-term certainty to the people who are in need of the mitigations. We also need to see a road map for the introduction of additional mitigations, particularly on the two-child limit. The Minister has committed to bringing forward the anti-poverty strategy before the end of this month. That anti-poverty strategy should set out clearly a way forward for welfare mitigations. Again, I urge the Minister to publish the anti-poverty strategy as soon as possible.”
“As we all know, poverty is on the rise across society, with one in five people now estimated to be living in relative poverty. The cost-of-living crisis has had the greatest impact on working-class communities, particularly on the people who are in receipt of social security. If the mitigations had been allowed to lapse, it would have been devastating for thousands of families, and many people would have been pushed further into financial hardship. I thank the Cliff Edge Coalition, in particular, for its campaigning on the issue and for highlighting the impact of removing the mitigations.”
“As has been outlined, the regulations will extend the existing mitigations until March 2028 and give statutory cover to claimants who are in receipt of universal credit and are also eligible for supplementary welfare payments. Sinn Féin was opposed to the Tory welfare reform that gave rise to the bedroom tax and the benefit cap, and the mitigation package secured by the Executive was extremely hard-fought-for. The mitigations are a vital protection for the least well-off in our society.”
“Furthermore, we must acknowledge that the current package of mitigations is incomplete. The two-child limit, the five-week universal credit wait and the lack of support for private renters are serious gaps that must be addressed. <BR /> <BR />On behalf of the Committee, I am content to recommend that the Assembly approve the regulations, but I urge Members to reflect on how we could provide long-term stability and security to those who rely on these vital supports. <BR /> <BR />I will now make a few brief remarks in my role as Sinn Féin spokesperson for communities. The passage of the legislation will come as a huge relief to many in our communities. There was, perhaps, some concern that, if the appropriate legislation were not in place in time, the mitigations could lapse after the 31 March deadline.”
“Support for private renters is entirely absent from the current mitigation package, despite rising rents placing enormous pressure on low-income households. The cost-of-living crisis has made the financial pressures on claimants even more severe. We cannot assume that the current package is sufficient to meet today's needs. <BR /> <BR />The three sets of regulations are essential and should be supported. They prevent an immediate welfare crisis, ensure continued support for claimants and place some payments on a more secure statutory footing. However, the Committee urges the Minister and the Executive to act now to ensure that welfare mitigations are placed on a longer-term legislative footing. We cannot continue operating in short-term cycles, leaving thousands of vulnerable people uncertain about their financial future.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is also crucial to recognise that, while the regulations extend existing protections, they do not address new and emerging welfare challenges. Groups such as the Cliff Edge Coalition have repeatedly highlighted the fact that the current mitigation package does not go far enough. Specifically, the two-child limit on benefits is driving families into deepening poverty. Scotland is now committed to fully mitigating that policy from 2026: should we consider the same approach here? The five-week wait for universal credit is pushing claimants into debt and financial crisis. That remains one of the most widely criticised aspects of the system, yet it has still not been addressed.”
“Mitigations were intended as temporary measures under the Fresh Start Agreement, yet here we are, almost a decade later, still relying on extensions every few years. Obviously, we hope that the Assembly will be in place in 2028, when the mitigations will doubtless be on the agenda once again. We cannot ignore history, however. Political instability has left vital decisions in limbo before. If the mitigations were to suddenly expire, thousands of families would be thrown into severe financial hardship with no immediate solution. For that reason, the Committee is keen to understand what work and what consideration of other solutions is being undertaken at this time. The Committee strongly urges the Minister and the Executive to undertake evidence-based work now that could place the mitigations on a much longer-term legislative footing.”
“They include payments that mitigate the impact of the benefit cap, which disproportionately affects larger families; the time-limiting of contributory employment and support allowance, which impacts on those unable to work due to illness; and the transition from disability living allowance to personal independence payment, which has resulted in many claimants losing out on vital financial support. Without the regulations, all those payments would end in March 2025, creating a cliff edge for thousands of households. It is therefore absolutely vital that the mitigations be extended. <BR /> <BR />While the Committee welcomed the extensions, it did so with relief. They do not address the fundamental problems. We are still dealing with mitigations as short-term fixes rather than permanent protections.”
“However, the policy ignores the realities of housing here. Many of those affected — older tenants, separated parents and disabled people — have genuine reasons for needing the additional space. Mitigation payments have protected thousands from the financial consequences of the policy, and these regulations formalise that protection for universal credit claimants, aligning them with those entitled to housing benefit. That is a welcome step, as it ensures medium-term security rather than leaving claimants at the mercy of shifting budgetary decisions. <BR /> <BR />The final set of regulations, the Welfare Supplementary Payment (Extension) Regulations 2025, extends the wider package of welfare mitigations until 31 March 2028.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Welfare Supplementary Payment (Universal Credit) (Social Sector Size Criteria) Regulations deal with what is commonly known as the "bedroom tax". As Members will be aware, the policy reduces housing support for social tenants deemed to have more bedrooms than they require, which affects housing benefit claimants and those receiving the housing cost element of universal credit.”
“Since universal credit was introduced in 2017, many claimants have received mitigation payments only through administrative means: payments that depend on annual Budget Bills rather than dedicated legislation. That has always been a less secure arrangement. Unlike statutory entitlements, administrative payments can be altered or removed more easily, as they rely on annual budgetary decisions rather than firm legal protections. The new regulations correct that weakness by making universal credit mitigations a legal entitlement, giving claimants greater stability and security. It is important to stress that that does not expand entitlement; it simply formalises the existing system, ensuring that payments continue without reliance on year-to-year discretionary allocations.”
“I support the three linked sets of regulations. They are essential in ensuring that some of the most vulnerable people in our society continue to receive the financial support that they depend on. The Committee has carefully considered the regulations and is content for them to proceed. However, while we welcome their continuation, we express our frustration at another short- to medium-term extension of welfare mitigations rather than the implementation of a long-term, stable legislative framework. <BR /> <BR />The regulations include the Welfare Supplementary Payment (Universal Credit) Regulations (NI) 2025, which is a necessary step to ensure that the support for universal credit claimants is placed on a firm statutory footing.”
“The reality is that many people who have disabilities are unable to work. Those people should not be punished. <BR /> <BR />The Labour Government need to turn away from the failed ideology of austerity and start investing in our people and our communities. The Minister for Communities needs to lobby the Secretary of State urgently, conveying our opposition and stressing the need for a rethink, particularly given that the cuts will have a disproportionate impact in the North. All the parties in the Chamber must stand together to oppose those disastrous cuts.”
“Every one of us here today will have had constituents in their offices seeking assistance with personal independence payment (PIP) applications. The idea that that process could be made even more onerous and complicated beggars belief. Entitlement to PIP is based on the added difficulties that disabilities can bring to people's lives. It is designed to ease the additional financial burden that people face as a result of their disabilities. The idea that disabled people are a burden on the taxpayer goes against everything that Sinn Féin believes in. <BR /> <BR />Our social security system is in place to give people who cannot support themselves a good quality of life. Many disabled people would like to work, but the support is simply not there to allow them to fulfil their potential.”
“I rise to voice my serious concern about the Labour Government's plans to cut disability benefits. My office has been inundated with messages from worried constituents asking what those changes will mean for them and their families. I have also received many messages asking for politicians here to take a strong stand against those cuts. It is truly shocking that a Labour Government would seek to punish disabled people in this way. The callousness shown by the Labour Government towards vulnerable people shows that they are as bad as and perhaps, in some ways, even worse than the Tories. <BR /> <BR />The detail on what changes will be enforced is due imminently. The application process could become much more stringent, especially for people with mental health issues, and support could be decreased significantly.”
“I welcome Members' support and their acknowledgement of the specific nature of the request. <BR /> <BR />In relation to Robbie's request: thank you for that. I will ensure that we do feed in. We have already engaged with the sector, prior to the Committee's scrutiny of the Bill. We have also engaged appropriately with the Youth Assembly, and he is absolutely right: people at both ends of the age range have specific requirements, and we will certainly be seeking to ensure that their views are captured and reflected in our work on the Bill.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“I ask the House to support the motion to ensure that we have the necessary time to examine this landmark Bill thoroughly and deliver legislation that is robust, effective and fully informed by those on whom it will have the most impact.”
“The Committee will seek legal advice from the Examiner of Statutory Rules, but we must allow sufficient time for the Department to provide the necessary documentation. Furthermore, the Committee needs to continue its weekly scrutiny of the Department for Communities, covering a wide range of responsibilities, including statutory rules, emerging policy and key strategies, budgetary matters, monitoring rounds and ministerial evidence sessions. Additionally, we anticipate that the Committee may soon have a further Bill for consideration. <BR /> <BR />This request is essential to ensure that the deaf community receives a full and transparent process that meets its people's needs and allows them to communicate in their own language, and the extension will allow us to consult, engage and legislate thoroughly and properly.”
“That process should help ensure that deaf individuals will be able to express their views naturally, rather than relying on written submissions, which may not be able to reflect their full perspective. It is a significant milestone, not just for this Bill, but for how we ensure true accessibility in the democratic process. It will reinforce our commitment to equal participation and will set a new precedent for future engagement with linguistic minority communities. <BR /> <BR />There are also critical legislative concerns that demand close examination within the Bill. The Bill includes far-reaching Henry VIII powers, and, as of now, the Committee has not yet received a delegated powers memorandum.”
“<BR /> <BR />Unlike our usual approach with Bills, the Committee wants to go beyond the usual consultation process, ensuring that deaf people have the time and resources that they need to digest the evidence and provide meaningful input. For the first time in Assembly history, individuals will be able to submit their views and evidence to the Committee in their own sign language, via video. Thanks to the support of Assembly colleagues in the Information Systems, Engagement and Communications teams, members of the deaf community will be able to record their views in BSL or ISL and submit them directly to the Committee. Those video submissions will then be interpreted for us, the Committee members, and transcribed for inclusion in the official Committee report.”
“Following the closure of the call for evidence, the Committee has scheduled 10 in-person evidence sessions to run on a fortnightly basis, allowing sufficient time for thorough review and discussion. Given the importance of accessibility for the deaf community, these sessions will be interpreted in both sign languages and recorded, then clipped and uploaded to the website within 24 to 48 hours. Additionally, the Committee team will provide clear and accessible updates, including slide summaries, interpreted into Irish Sign Language (ISL) and British Sign Language (BSL) to be shared on social media. We hope that this will help ensure that the deaf community remains informed and fully involved throughout the Committee Stage. All those tasks will take additional time.”
“I request Members' support for the motion to extend the Committee Stage of the Sign Language Bill to 13 February 2026. At first glance, that may seem like a significant extension, but when we take into account recess periods — Easter, summer, Halloween and Christmas — as well as a full six-week call for evidence, we are effectively seeking around six additional months for the Committee's scrutiny and considerations. <BR /> <BR />Importantly, it would be a limit not a target. The Committee will of course work diligently to conclude its scrutiny as soon as possible. However, the Bill is unique in its scope and impact. It is not like any other Bill that has come before the Assembly, and it requires an entirely new level of engagement by the Committee.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. We are in worrying times, Minister, particularly given the number of farms and food-processing companies in my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. With that in mind, what arrangements are in place to compensate the farmers and families who are impacted by some of the diseases?”
“Minister, I particularly welcome the reference to the development of the A5, N2 and TEN-T network, which is crucial. Will the Minister outline the benefits of all-island cooperation on road safety, particularly along those border areas?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a ráitis.”
“<BR /> <BR />Anti-poverty activists across the North are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of urgency with which Minister Lyons seems to treat the issue. They are also becoming concerned that the reason for the delay is that Minister Lyons has substantially watered down the draft strategy that he inherited from his predecessor. The Minister has committed to presenting a strategy to the Executive by 31 March, and he must meet that deadline, which he himself set. It is equally important, however, that the strategy that the Minister produces be ambitious and robust enough to make a real impact on tackling poverty. Crucially, it must also have the support of the activists who are on the front line every single day dealing with the consequences of poverty in our society.”
“An anti-poverty strategy for the North was a commitment first made in the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, and it was later made a legal requirement in the St Andrews Agreement of 2007. The Minister for Communities is responsible for producing an anti-poverty strategy and presenting it to the Executive for agreement. As I understand it, Minister Lyons has, so far, failed to present a final draft to his Executive colleagues for consideration. It is unacceptable that, over one year since the return of the Executive, all that we seem to be getting from the Minister is shifting deadlines and further delays. It should be pointed out that the strategy was largely completed under the previous Minister, Deirdre Hargey, so there is no excuse for this length of a delay.”
“Last Wednesday, the High Court in Belfast ruled that the Executive were in breach of their legal duty to adopt an anti-poverty strategy. The ruling came on the back of a judicial review taken by anti-poverty activists, led by the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ). I thank the CAJ for bringing the legal case and congratulate it on its successful outcome. It is the second time the Executive have been found to be in breach of their legal duty to adopt an anti-poverty strategy, as activists also brought a judicial review in 2015. <BR /> <BR />The activists should not have had to take such drastic action, as we should have adopted an anti-poverty strategy before now.”
“I thank the Minister for stepping in on behalf of the Minister for Communities. <BR /> <BR />Given the extensive work done by the co-design group on the strategy, what changes have been made since the draft was supplied to the Minister when he came into office? Will the Minister commit to re-engaging with the co-design group prior to the publication of the strategy?”
“Minister, you will know that all of us — users of the health service and the health service itself — have lost access, as a result of Brexit, to the wider European scheme. Is there any work ongoing to see whether we can restore access to that scheme?”
“I really welcome that progress, Minister. My substantive supplementary question was going to be about contact with Minister Carroll MacNeill. I welcome the fact that that has taken place and that the issue is being progressed, given that there have been difficulties on both sides. Can you outline any type of timeline for when that work might come to fruition?”
“Can you update the House on the development of projects proposed under the all-Ireland rail review, Minister?”
“Comhghairdeas leat faoi do chéad Tráth na gCeist, a Aire, agus ádh mór ort.”
“Is céim ríthábhachtach chun tosaigh í, agus ceann a mbeidh tionchar buan, dearfach aici ar thodhchaí na Gaeilge inár bpobail.”
“Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a thapú ní hamháin le buíochas a gabháil leis na heagraíochtaí sin as an obair luachmhar a dhéanann siad, ach chomh maith leis sin, lenár dtacaíocht iomlán agus lenár ndlúthpháirtíocht iomlán a chur in iúl do na grúpaí a bhí ar stailc an tseachtain seo caite. Tá easpa maoinithe d’eagraíochtaí Gaeilge ina bac go fóill ar fhás na teanga, agus ní mór aghaidh a thabhairt ar an cheist sin. <BR /> <BR />Caithfear an straitéis Gaeilge a chur i bhfeidhm gan mhoill. Is minic a chuir mé an méid sin ina luí ar an Aire Pobal. Le cur i bhfeidhm na straitéise Gaeilge, déanfar an teanga a chosaint agus a chothú, agus beifear in ann riar ar ráchairt na nGaeilgeoirí, rachairt atá ag dul i méid i rith an ama.”
“Tá go leor le ceiliúradh againn inniu le fás agus forbairt leanúnach na Gaeilge, agus is léir sin don té a dhearcann ar Sheachtain na Gaeilge. Tá an Ghaeilge ag borradh léi i bpobail áitiúla ar fud na Sé Chontae. Feicimid an méid sin, ní hé amháin san éileamh ollmhór atá ar an Ghaeloideachas, ach sa dóigh a bhfuil pobail ag titim isteach leis an Ghaeilge agus á foghlaim. <BR /> <BR />Mar sin féin, tá iomaire fada romhainn go fóill. Ní mór a chinntiú go bhfaighidh eagraíochtaí Gaeilge maoiniú cóir ceart ionas gur féidir leo leanúint ar aghaidh ag forbairt na teanga.”
“<BR /> <BR />In conclusion, the Committee supports the amended Bill. The Committee has taken its scrutiny role seriously and engaged meaningfully with stakeholders, particularly young people, pensions experts and academics. By introducing pension saving at an earlier age and ensuring robust post-legislative evaluation, the Bill marks an important step towards financial security for future generations. The legislation is not just about policy but ensuring that our workforce, particularly young people, are given the best possible start in preparing for their future financial well-being. I encourage Members to support the Final Stage of the Bill as the Assembly takes this progressive step forward.”
“I extend my sincere thanks to the departmental officials for their patience, expertise and willingness to provide detailed responses to our queries and to the Assembly's Bill Office staff for their invaluable support to ensure that we carried out our scrutiny effectively. I also thank the Research and Information Service (RaISe) team for its diligent research and advice, as well as our Committee Clerk and her staff team, who facilitated our work throughout the course of the Bill. Their combined assistance has been instrumental in ensuring that the Committee examined the Bill thoroughly. I hope that the strong working relationship between the Committee secretariat and the departmental officials continues as we move on to consider the Sign Language Bill, which has now reached Committee Stage.”
“We were informed that the Department has been working with other organisations to promote financial capability and develop educational resources such as the after-school world of work (WOW) initiative, which explores topics such as student finance, earnings, tax and pensions. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also emphasised the need for a robust communications strategy to ensure that young workers are aware of their rights and of the benefits of automatic enrolment. Traditional government websites may not be the most effective means of reaching that demographic; instead, innovative and youth-friendly communication channels should be employed to engage and inform young workers. <BR /> <BR />It is important to acknowledge the individuals and groups that assisted the Committee in its scrutiny of the Bill.”
“Furthermore, individuals will retain the ability to opt out if they so choose, preserving personal financial autonomy. <BR /> <BR />Recognising the importance of monitoring the Bill's effectiveness, the Committee sought, and the Minister subsequently agreed to, an amendment requiring a review to assess whether the Bill is achieving its intended impact. The Committee appreciates the Minister's willingness to take the amendment forward, which, we believe, has strengthened the Bill and will provide essential post-legislative scrutiny. Furthermore, the Committee made a recommendation in its report that pensions should be incorporated into the curriculum under learning for life and work (LLW). I see that the Minister of Education is here, so, hopefully, that recommendation will fall on open ears.”