Karen Mullan
Foyle · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I support the motion but would like it to have gone further. Damp and mould do not exist only in Housing Executive properties, so it is important for us to address and identify solutions for all homeowners. The right to a high-quality, safe and secure place to call home is one of the most basic and fundamental rights in any society.”
“<BR /> <BR />For the purpose of today's debate, I will focus on Creggan in my constituency, where hundreds of homes have been affected for many years by damp and mould because of lack of ventilation and poor insulation. Following the SERC report, surveys were carried out of properties in Creggan in 2015 and 2016.”
“I also carried out an online survey of residents who lived in Housing Executive and housing association properties affected by damp. Respondents outlined timelines of their experiences of damp and mould, with one resident reporting having experienced it for 33 years — absolutely shocking.”
“<BR /> <BR />The extent of the issues facing tenants was initially brought to light by the research carried out by the South Eastern Regional College in 2014. The research found that many homes suffered poor and inadequate levels of thermal protection, resulting in unnecessary energy losses and assumed high heating costs.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I said at the beginning, the Housing Executive is not the only housing provider that needs to act. I want to see the housing associations putting plans in place immediately to address the same defects in their homes, with grants made more widely available to homeowners and those in the private rented sector, so that everyo…”
“Occupational therapy is one of the most important areas of health about which constituents contact my office. I am sure that that is the same for many Members. You have given us an answer, but I want to highlight that, as of December 2020, there were at least 120 occupational therapy staff vacancies.”
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“I am only after asking my colleague who Jordan Pickford is. I will google him after this. <BR /> <BR />I welcome tonight's debate, which has been brought by my colleague, Martina Anderson, and I thank the Minister for attending. I know that she is aware of the Derry line's history and the lack of rail infrastructure. It is an issue that unites all the parties in Foyle. I was a recent attendee at an Into the West meeting and heard about its long journey and the commitment that those people have given to fighting for rail infrastructure that is fit for our city and region. I pay tribute to that group for the work that it does. <BR /> <BR />As has been mentioned, the Derry to Belfast line has enjoyed much success over the past few years, all the while fighting to be recognised as a key element of our public transport network.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. That figure was reported by the Education Minister, but it does not reflect what I know to be the case in Derry. I contacted post-primary schools in the city and found that six of them had contacted the PHA 55 times between them, with 50 confirmed cases. They also reported to me that 1,242 pupils were self-isolating, yet I could not get that detail. Minister, can you tell me who is responsible for contact tracing in schools?”
“Thank you, Minister, for acting early to provide support to businesses to Derry and Strabane and for continuing with that process. When will those businesses receive the portion owed on the higher payment?”
“We are now entering an economic crisis that is like none that we have seen before. Those are the circumstances in which the Finance Minister and our Executive are operating. Our budgetary processes have operated in an unusual way this year, but we are in extraordinary and unprecedented times. I encourage all Members to acknowledge that and to support the motions.”
“<BR /> <BR />We now need to see the financial commitments that were made in New Decade, New Approach by the British and Irish Governments delivered. Pre-COVID, Education pressures still existed, and, with those in mind, it is important that we deliver on the basis of objective need. I am extremely concerned by the disruption that the pandemic is causing for our young people's education. We must strive to create the environment in our education system where every child, regardless of their background, gets the best start in life and is given the ability to reach their maximum potential. <BR /> <BR />We must seek to enshrine a culture of collaboration and joined-up thinking across the Executive. Departments should be able and should be encouraged to share costs in achieving common outcomes.”
“<BR /> <BR />Like every Department, Education has had to make changes to its initial budget plans and bid for extra resources in order to deal with the emergency that we find ourselves in. I commend the leadership and initiative shown by the Finance Minister throughout the crisis, particularly in the context of education and, more recently, in my constituency. The Minister also ensured that our most disadvantaged children and young people were supported over the summer months with free school meals direct payments. In a very short period and in what were very difficult circumstances, the Finance Minister not only delivered a much-needed increase to the Education budget but made real-term increases to all Executive budgets.”
“I speak as my party's education spokesperson. At the beginning of this financial year, the Department of Education received an 11% increase on last year's resource budget. That was the first significant increase in the Education budget for 10 years. That increase in funding to the Department of Education made it possible to make long-awaited pay awards to our teachers and to invest further resources in areas like improving special educational needs provision. The onset of COVID-19 has brought with it much tragedy and uncertainty. I pay tribute to our teaching and non-teaching staff, our youth sector, childcare services, unions and the wider education sector for the way that they have adapted in order to continue to deliver.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. We understand that processes and time frames can mean that dealing with private and public partners can be very complex, but the residents, who have seen the site become dilapidated over many, many years, had an expectation that the site would be developed this year. Can the Minister give a commitment that the project is being taken forward urgently?”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber. However, I want to express my disappointment that he did not bring those proposals to the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />We all want schools to remain open. As a parent of a year 12 pupil who is on her third absence, I am acutely aware that her educational needs are best met in the classroom, as are her mental health and well-being needs. That said, schools must be supported to do so. The largest all-girl post-primary school in my city has closed for this week, with large numbers of pupils and staff in other schools also absent. Minister, in these proposals, I and others do not see meaningful recognition of this prolonged disruption to education. What contingency plans are you and CCEA putting in place?”
“Minister, following the release of today's Audit Office report calling for an urgent review of special educational needs, would you not be better directing your efforts to children with special education needs, rather than trying to facilitate this unregulated test during a health pandemic?”
“Minister, I also welcome the statement, in particular the extra funding for the A6 development and your ongoing commitment to addressing regional inequalities. The allocations were made alongside the announcement of a job support scheme, which is also critical to economic recovery. What is your initial assessment of the new scheme?”
“Considering that, globally, we dump 8 million tons of plastic into our oceans each year and that, unless we act decisively, there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050, is the Minister willing to go a step further and consider a total ban on all non-essential plastics?”
“Thank you for your answer. I know that that is being worked up, but we need to ensure that there are no gaps in provision. Can you commit to ensuring that those services continue and we do not allow gaps to appear in the trust areas?”
“<BR /> <BR />Before I conclude, I pay tribute, as other Members have done this evening, to those involved in delivering this service: Extern, Foyle Search and Rescue, the council, the PSNI, the Western Health and Social Care Trust and the members of the steering group, because, without them, we would not have had a local service for the past two years, a service that has saved and is saving lives. <BR /> <BR />Finally, a Cheann Comhairle, the current cost of Derry's community crisis intervention service is £130,000 a year. That is small change in comparison with the overall health budget, so it is more than value for money for the service and support that it provides. Like other Members here this evening, Minister, I urge you to provide the required long-term funding to ensure that this life-saving service continues.”
“The Derry model has been providing that for nearly two years as a pilot, yet there was no budget allocation in the strategy for 2020-21. <BR /> <BR />Earlier today, the Assembly debated a motion on the expansion of the MATT partnership across all trusts. Minister, I ask again that, when reviewing the existing model, the Derry crisis intervention pilot be part of that review and form part of the recommendations for going forward. I further ask, Minister, that you and your officials work with us and all our stakeholders as to what those services will look like for Derry.”
“That has been further demonstrated by the very welcome appointment of Professor Siobhán O'Neill as the interim mental health champion. It is good to hear from you today about the resources that are attached to that office. <BR /> <BR />The people of Derry have been expecting announcements and action on the future of crisis intervention and wider mental health services, given that mental health is a priority of New Decade, New Approach and across the Executive. When someone reaches out for help and support, they must have access to it. My party supports the appropriate funding of access to crisis services. <BR /> <BR />The Protect Life 2 strategy identifies the need for an out-of-hours crisis de-escalation service.”
“It is also disappointing to have questions not answered by their deadline, and to read in the newspapers of additional funding, without the provision of any detail to any MLA who is here tonight. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the extension of the funding, as did my colleague across the Chamber, but, as was said, that is not a way to provide vital services. Our job in the Assembly and Committees is to scrutinise while working with Ministers and Departments to deliver first-class services for all of our constituents, but, in the case of crisis intervention in Derry, that has been lacking. There is a big enough crisis in my city with mental health without a crisis every six months over finding funding for this vital service. <BR /> <BR />Minister, I know how much you care, and I heard your commitment here today.”
“I also thank Gary Middleton for tabling today's Adjournment debate on Derry's community crisis intervention service, particularly following this afternoon's motion. I also thank the Minister for being here for both debates. <BR /> <BR />This is one issue that unites the three parties here that represent the people of Foyle. The Minister and his Department have received many pieces of correspondence and questions from us and others across our city. Minister, we are all aware of the massive pressures on your Department in relation to the COVID pandemic — in fact, the pressures were there before COVID — but it is very disappointing when I, and others, write to you to ask to meet and discuss crisis intervention in Derry, but those requests are not accommodated.”
“The next step must be a joined-up approach to provide an equity of mental health and emotional support services across all trusts, with the inclusion of a fully funded crisis intervention service.”
“Minister, I ask that, when you are reviewing existing crisis intervention services, such as MATT, the Derry crisis service pilot be part of that review and form part of the recommendations going forward. I want to highlight and recognise the contribution and work of the agencies involved in this project. Partnership working is not always easy but it can have great results. One key partner that maybe does not get full recognition is the community and its needs. Behind every person who is in a state of despair or crisis, there is a reason or reasons and there is also a community that needs support. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I fully support the motion. I welcome also the Adjournment debate on Derry's crisis intervention service.”
“As my party's education spokesperson, I am thinking particularly of children and young people and the role that the education system and the Department of Education have the potential to play. The partnership process of developing an emotional health and well-being framework for children and young people by Education, Health, the Public Health Agency, the Health Social Care Board and the Education Authority is an example of the joined-up working that we need to see from now on when dealing with those issues.”
“I apologise, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle, for arriving a wee bit late. I thank the Members who tabled this important motion. I support the call for collaboration and properly resourced mental health services that include crisis intervention across all the trust areas. <BR /> <BR />To effectively support mental health and wider emotional well-being, and address the rising levels of mental health issues, we must get serious about cross-departmental working and collaboration, as has been highlighted by other Members. Someone who experiences mental ill-health does not do so in a silo. In our approach to supporting them, we should not operate in a silo either.”
“Minister, you recently announced £5 million for schools to support our young people's mental health and well-being. While this is very welcome, it is at odds with the pressure of academic testing. Is it not time to bring an end to academic selection and stop putting this pressure on our very young children?”
“Minister, will you give a commitment to support the advice sector through the mitigation package, given the crucial role that it plays in assisting people in accessing their entitlements, particularly during this challenging time?”
“Minister, the Department's recent survey on student travel behaviour showed that only 3% of students cycle as part of their journey to school, even though 50% of young people live less than 3 kilometres from their school. What is the Department doing to encourage cycling as well as working to expand educational programmes such as Active School Travel?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. The Member across the Chamber stated that the Minister acted on Thursday, once he was aware of the issue. In fact, CCEA contacted principals on Wednesday; it knew about the flaws. Scotland should have been a red alert. Does the Member agree that the Minister waited too long to rectify the situation?”
“I urge the Minister to look urgently at the curriculum for those courses and ensure that young people are not left in the same situation next year. The focus now needs to be on clear and concise guidance for principals, teachers, pupils and parents. The Minister needs to reassure us all that the mishandling of the exams fiasco will not follow him into restart. Let us not allow the chaos of this exams debacle to define the restart of our education system.”
“This could have been avoided if the Minister had not followed the Tories and waited for England to lead. The Minister needs to take a stark lesson from this: you are in a devolved stand-alone Assembly that has its own mandate and powers. Use that mandate and powers for the betterment of all young people here in the North. <BR /> <BR />As we head into the 2020-21 academic year, I am fearful that all the lessons of this year have not been heard and taken on board. As the mother of a daughter who is entering year 12 next week, I worry that her year and year 14 could be severely disenfranchised. <BR />Those young people have lost four months' learning and teaching, right in the middle of a two-year course for GCSEs and A levels.”
“That pointed to a flawed, unfit, unfair and unreliable system, and our students deserved far better. I sincerely hope that lessons will be learned from this by the Minister, his Department and CCEA. I welcome the fact that the Minister recognised the need to overhaul his approach. I also welcome his apology to the young people. However, Minister, everyone else was away ahead on this issue. Other parties had demonstrated a willingness to work together in order to reach a workable solution that worked for our young people and respected our teachers. The motion agreed by the Education Committee last week and today's motion are testament to that. <BR /> <BR />One of the most frustrating aspects of this whole episode is that many of us raised concerns with the Minister and CCEA.”
“I thank the Member for his comments. <BR /> <BR />The Minister and CCEA were all about protecting the system and disregarding the needs of the young people. If we trust teachers more, this process will level out and we will find the true ability of our young people, which is not always reflected in the pressure of testing. Over the last number of months, we have constantly heard about the new normal. Let us be adventurous and use this time to explore the new normal in education and put our children and young people first and foremost and not have an outdated exams system. <BR /> <BR />I could accept the argument made about the anomalies if this was an isolated incident. The fact is that drastic examples of downgrading were replicated right across schools in the North.”
“I found it impossible to comprehend that teachers who had spent years working with young people, had built relationships with them and are best placed to understand their strengths, weaknesses, potential and overall ability, would have their professional judgement disregarded to allow for an untried and untested computer algorithm to cast the final assertion on the results of AS and A levels.”
“Unfortunately and unacceptably, students were failed in that regard. <BR /> <BR />Like other Members, I have had numerous phone calls and contacts over the last week from distraught students, concerned parents and frustrated principals and teachers. There was understandable and warranted shock and disappointment at how the process, which was designed to standardise results, could downgrade over 11,000 A-level grades, completely throwing the professional judgements of our teachers to one side.”
“It is good to see you back. <BR /> <BR />I speak in support of the motion and the amendment. I acknowledge the deep upset, distress, frustration and anxiety that have burdened thousands of our young people over the last week. This time of year is usually difficult enough for many, but the way in which this debacle has played out in the context of truly exceptional circumstances has compounded the distress and upset of those young people. <BR /> <BR />Young people have sacrificed an awful lot throughout this global health pandemic, and it is important that we recognise that. The very least that they deserved in the absence of the usual exam process was a system that was fair and transparent and that recognised their hard work, ability and potential in the subjects that they had elected to take.”
“Minister, given that only half the number of young people on free school meals went to university compared to those who are not entitled to free school meals, will you commit to prioritising that issue in the ongoing review of the 14- to 19-year-old strategy, in partnership with the Minister for the Economy?”
“Why, then, do the intervention programmes listed in the document seem to be targeted mostly at primary-school children and primary 7 pupils?”
“Minister, I welcome the fact that you and your Department have worked speedily to deliver on the commitments made in 'New Decade, New Approach' regarding tackling underachievement. I remind you of the other commitment in the document, which includes all children and young people, regardless of their background, as educational underachievement does not recognise any religious divide. Like the Member who spoke before me, I look forward to meeting the panel and wish them well in their work. I know some of them well, particularly Joyce Logue, principal of a school in my area, who is well aware of the issues facing children coming from disadvantage. <BR /> <BR />Minister, in the document, you focus on GCSE as an indicator for measuring attainment.”
“I ask Members to support our motion and the SDLP amendment.”
“I am concerned at the pace of the developments, and our teachers are in the position of having to plan their way ahead without distinct guidance from the relevant body. <BR /> <BR />The Minister should also remain aware of the fact that we are an island, and it would be helpful if regular engagement could take place with the Minister for Education and Skills in the South in relation to all these matters. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, while much work has been done on all these issues through the education restart programme, it is quite evident that there remains much work left to do. I call on you, Minister, to enhance the approach, collaborate widely across the sector in a meaningful way and give reassurance and clarity to allay the concerns and anxieties of all those who will be at the focal point of reopening our schools.”
“That will be of particular importance come the autumn, with blended learning and the possibility that some children may be required to be at home during the week. Making the funding available is one thing, but the settings need to be able to apply for and access it. We do not want a repeat of the last round of funding, which has seen very little of the £12 million spent and seen money returned whilst the sector is struggling. We need our childcare sector resourced and ready to go in time for the reopening of schools, otherwise families will face further hardship. <BR /> <BR />There remains a lack of clarity from the Minister and from the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) as to where we are with a review of curriculum and exam specifications for next year.”
“<BR /> <BR />With that in mind, it is appropriate to take the opportunity to once again commend the compassion and leadership shown by many grammar schools in their decision to suspend the use of unregulated transfer tests this year. That is a timely acknowledgement of the reality of how damaging those tests are for young people. I urge those schools that have not yet made the decision to suspend the tests to please reconsider. If there was ever a time to place the needs and well-being of our children above academic selection, it is now. <BR /> <BR />Childcare could be the defining issue of our recovery post-COVID. While I welcome the Minister's latest update on childcare, there remain many unresolved issues.”
“We should be empowering them and giving them a sense of ownership, so that when the time comes for a return to school, they can have every confidence in the new arrangements. <BR /> <BR />I have touched on the mental health impact that COVID and school closures have had on our young people. It is important that, when reopening takes place, the schools are equipped with the necessary resources to support and address the emotional well-being of our young people. I understand that much valuable learning time has been lost due to COVID, but, in the short term, I am more concerned about ensuring that we support our young people in building their mental health and resilience back up.”
“<BR /> <BR />Furthermore, school leaders and boards of governors are trying to get to grips with coordinating what the new school day will look like in each of their settings. They are worried about health and safety and cost implications, and they are keen to get clarity on other pressing issues, such as transport. <BR /> <BR />As I alluded to, and as outlined in the motion, the widest possible engagement with stakeholders across the education sector is crucial. Understandably, one single, perfect solution does not exist, but in collaborating with, and collating all the experience that exists across, the sector, new and creative solutions will certainly present themselves. <BR /> <BR />I also re-emphasise, in accordance with the motion, the need to bring parents, guardians and young people into the process.”
“<BR /> <BR />It was wrong and absolutely unacceptable for teachers to hear dribs and drabs of information about the eventual reopening of schools, through unofficial channels. Our teachers and principals deserve far better than that. Official guidance released to date has been, at times, slow in coming, and it has also been marred by confusion. <BR /> <BR />We are now at the end of June and our teachers are preparing to take a well-deserved break. In recent days, many have been in their classrooms trying to redesign layouts and figuring out how many children that they can accommodate, and they are anxious about how remote learning and classroom learning will be delivered at the same time.”
“<BR /> <BR />To support our children, families and our teaching and non-teaching staff, the Minister must work with them and listen to them. We cannot allow the chaos that marked the period leading up to the closures to be replicated come the end of August. That requires firm leadership as well as commitment to work in the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect. No doubt there will be some level of difficulty when schools do begin to reopen, but we can minimise those difficulties if we maximise cooperation and work together. <BR /> <BR />At this point, I acknowledge the role of our unions, which have worked extremely hard over this period, alongside the many stakeholders who provided support and came forward with solutions. Their role will be invaluable over the coming weeks and months.”
“<BR /> <BR />Likewise, I also pay tribute to parents and guardians who had to quickly adjust and adapt to new home learning arrangements for their children, whilst also balancing all of their other everyday commitments. I, like many others in the Chamber, am well aware of how difficult it has been, at times. <BR /> <BR />For our children and young people, this pandemic and the associated measures that came with it have no doubt hit them hardest. Many will have found it difficult to access appropriate equipment for remote learning; many will have had to endure difficult circumstances at home; and for many the sheer isolation and boredom of not taking part in the usual school day and missing out on that crucial social interaction and relationship-building will have had a profound impact on their emotional well-being and mental health.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. First, I offer my deepest condolences to Noah Donohoe's mother, Fiona, to his family and friends and to the school community at St Malachy's College, Belfast, at this very difficult time. <BR /> <BR />At the outset of this debate I place on record my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all our principals and to our teaching and non-teaching staff. They have stepped up and delivered for our children and young people throughout the course of this unprecedented public health emergency. They have put their shoulder to the wheel and, whether it was providing supervised learning for our children, or for the children of our key workers, or delivering remote learning, they have played their part during this difficult period.”
“I also welcome you back, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />Like my party colleague, I welcome the funding for the City of Derry Airport. I particularly welcome the funding to extend free school meal payments over the summer. Minister, do you agree that now that we have a mechanism in place to make such payments, Departments should work together to continue to tackle holiday hunger and food poverty?”
“I thank Minister Hargey and this Minister for their sterling work and numerous interventions over the past number of months, particularly the measures that have protected and supported the most vulnerable. Many of those interventions, while welcome, have shone a light, as the Minister said, on many areas of poverty and need across society. Has the Minister engaged with other Ministers to develop a cross-departmental approach to food poverty?”
“I ask you to come to Derry and meet those schools to discuss their needs and outline the process.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It is welcome news for the successful schools, but many in my city will be disappointed after the announcement, in particular the Irish-medium sector. We have three Irish-medium schools in the city that have operated in so-called temporary accommodation for between 15 and 30 years. You are aware of their situation, and in your statement you say:”