Harry Harvey
Strangford · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Thank you for your statement, Minister. I am pleased to see the non-domestic rates element of the review, which we have called for as a party, progressing.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your statement. You highlighted the Change Maker funding programme and support for 65 grassroots organisations. I am sure that you will agree that it is vital that the benefit of schemes is seen at a grassroots community level.”
“Minister, the thrust of graduated driver licensing is to provide new and learner drivers and riders with better experiences and skills over time, doing so in low-risk environments. There was much consternation across the House and in Committee around the way in which the Minister first announced that plan.”
“<BR /> <BR />Further clarity will be required from the Minister and her officials on a number of proposals, particularly in relation to how the learner logbook will operate and how verification by a qualified driver will be policed in practice to ensure that there is limited opportunity for the abuse of that new element.”
“It is no secret that the cohort of 17- to 25-year-olds proportionately remains the age group with the highest involvement in serious injury collisions on our roads. It is against that backdrop that many of the changes that have been emphasised are to be welcomed as the Department seeks to increase safety on our roads.”
“<BR /> <BR />Minister, if you get a chance, I want you to tell us a wee bit more about the removal of the 45 mph speed limit. Maybe we could have a conversation about it at a later stage.”
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“Deputy First Minister, what work is being undertaken with the business and agriculture sectors to ensure that targets to reach net zero are fair as well as achievable?”
“Thank you, First Minister, for your statement, and deputy First Minister, for your answers. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, a significant clean-up operation will be required in coming days. What additional support can be provided to councils or DFI to ensure that footpaths and road verge sight lines are cleared of debris, particularly from fallen trees?”
“I look forward to engaging with the Ulster-Scots Agency and the Department of Education on how that can be achieved, as we continue to celebrate our shared history and heritage.”
“It is wonderful that Derryboy Primary School, in my constituency, has been invited to participate in the event, and I look forward to attending. <BR /> <BR />The Derryboy Primary School community takes immense pride in its cultural heritage and often marks significant events, such as Burns Night, in the school calendar. Dr Harper, the school's principal, is passionate about the school's ethos and its place within the wider community. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to her vision for the school and its pupils. Many hundreds of schools across Northern Ireland are now engaging with the educational and cultural provisions supplied by the Ulster-Scots Agency. Derryboy Primary School is campaigning to become a recognised Ulster-Scots school. Unfortunately, there is currently no official route to achieve such a status or accreditation.”
“The Ulster-Scots sector has a rich cultural tapestry, which is celebrated in communities across Northern Ireland throughout the year. Its language, music, poetry and folklore are intrinsic to this place. <BR /> <BR />Robbie Burns, poet, lyricist and cultural icon, is celebrated across the globe on 25 January every year. He is known to be one of Scotland's most notable figures. In Northern Ireland, Burns Night is marked across many of our Ulster-Scots communities, with traditional suppers and ceilidhs. My party colleague from South Down has already highlighted some of the fantastic events planned for this weekend. I am delighted that you, Mr Speaker, will host an event this afternoon in the Great Hall to celebrate the life and work of Robbie Burns.”
“Does the Minister think that it was a good idea to remove a lane for cars on the Dublin Road in advance of the Boyne Bridge being closed? Is it not the case that the congestion is being caused by Translink and the DFI and that the policy that has led to Belfast not being car-friendly has also meant that it is not bus-friendly?”
“I thank the First Minister very much for her answer. Minister, did you say that there had been direct engagement with SOLACE on the Programme for Government and on its future implementation in particular?”
“Minister, will you clarify which aspects of the programme will be delivered in this financial year?”
“Thank you, Minister. Given the fact that the departmental guidance on memberships of LEPs appears to mirror current labour market partnerships (LMP), does the Minister envisage significant duplication, and will he encourage LMPs to realign their function in order to avoid that?”
“Minister, I was going to ask whether you would consider reallocating some of the £13 million earmarked for the new prison cafe at Magilligan to help to address the issue, but you are, obviously, already addressing it. Thank you.”
“This Christmas, as we remember the greatest gift ever given — the birth of Jesus and the hope of the gospel — I encourage all Members to support that wonderful cause, be it through donation, promotion or support of those who do so much to ensure that thousands of children across the world, who otherwise would miss out, benefit from the joy of Christmas.”
“Many thousands of drop-off locations are already in full swing across the UK, with volunteers receiving and collating donations from the public. In my constituency, Ballynahinch Baptist Church will be the designated hub, and there will be many others across the Province. <BR /> <BR />There is a range of different ways in which to support the scheme. People can donate online or make their own shoebox. Many of our local secondary schools do a fantastic job in support of Operation Christmas Child.”
“As we all look forward to the next major event in the calendar, the Christmas season, I acknowledge the mammoth task that is undertaken yearly by the thousands of volunteers who gather shoeboxes and fill them with small gifts for children less fortunate than our own. The excitement that those gift boxes bring to children across the developing world each year cannot be overestimated. The supply of everything from soft toys, puzzles and board games to more useful gifts such as toiletries and personal care items brings the joy of receiving and opening a present to hundreds of thousands of children who otherwise would not get to experience the excitement that Christmas brings. <BR /> <BR />This year, the target is to reach an extra 260,000 children who might never have received a gift before.”
“I draw the House's attention to the tremendous work of Operation Christmas Child, which is led in the UK by Samaritan's Purse.”
“Thank you, Minister. Will you outline the budget that your Department intends to allocate to the women's health action plan?”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker.”
“Thank you very much. I thank the Member for his intervention. <BR /> <BR />We in the DUP have demonstrated that we will not be found wanting, whether on the reduction in the number of MLAs, the reduction in the number of Departments, Ministers and advisers or on the wider streamlining of politics here. We have always been to the forefront of change for the better. <BR /> <BR />The reform of strand two or elements of strand one cannot be conducted in isolation from a wider discussion of reform. Piecemeal reviews based on party political motivations will not serve to better our institutions. The normalisation of our system of government towards voluntary coalition, for example, is something that we would wish to see in future. However, we must approach that and other issues with a strong realism that is in the here and now.”
“Yes. I would welcome the Member's intervention.”
“No level of reform should be used as a short-term tool to punish one community or elevate another with knee-jerk reactions. On the contrary, reform should seek to better solidify cross-community support and equality. Where devolution can be improved to benefit better governance —.”
“The undemocratic imposition of over 300 areas of EU law on Northern Ireland has reframed the terms of North/South cooperation. It has attacked and diminished the principle that the NSMC and other bodies should be accountable to the Executive and the Assembly. That is where the act of bad faith lies, meaning that there is inevitable damage to the delicate balance of relations. <BR /> <BR />On reform, I remind Members that the institutions that we are all privileged to serve in are built on consensus and the necessity of working and delivering for all and are founded on commanding the ongoing support of unionism and nationalism. In times past, the SDLP was quick to remind unionism of that fact but is now, sadly, less so.”
“In that regard, the motion is factually wrong. Before the Opposition attempt to caricature my party as the bad guys holding up sensible solutions by way of cross-border cooperation, it is worth stating that we have no issue whatever with working collaboratively with neighbouring jurisdictions, particularly the Republic of Ireland, to achieve better, quicker and more efficient results for everyone on the island. Practical and sensible targeted cooperation on areas of mutual benefit is a no-brainer and should be welcomed. <BR /> <BR />The motion calls for a review of strand two; however, it should be remembered that the goalposts have already been moved in relation to the impact of the protocol on the North/South relationship.”
“I will make a few points. First, it is interesting to note the new-found interest that the SDLP has in the events of 2021. It is a pity that it did commit itself back then to working constructively to address the issues facing us in order to avoid the action that was taken. Non-attendance at North/South Ministerial Council meetings could have been avoided with a political resolution, a resolution that the SDLP and other parties in the Chamber resisted to such an extent that they called for the rigorous implementation of the mechanisms at the very heart of the problem. <BR /> <BR />The motion makes no reference to the steps that we in my party took to ensure that our removal from the Council did not impact on or impede essential decision-making on crucial issues such as cross-border health cooperation.”
“Does the Member agree that the DUP was right to take that stand at that time?”
“I will. I will finish by saying that a refugee integration strategy will undoubtedly be of great benefit in tackling the causes that have been manifested.”
“Those programmes have sought to direct interventions to where they have been needed most, particularly in areas of deprivation and ongoing community tension. Those on the Executive Office Committee and beyond are aware of the ongoing efforts to bring forward a refugee —”
“<BR /> <BR />A central aspect of any wider review of tackling racism should be an assessment of how the PSNI responded, of whether the available resourcing was adequate and of the impact, physical and mental, on the officers who had to hold the line against the unrest witnessed across Belfast and elsewhere during the summer. We cannot leave those dedicated public servants out of the equation. I hope that the Justice Minister will agree with me on that point and consider it as part of any cross-departmental review. <BR /> <BR />It must be remembered that much good work has been done and continues to be done to integrate communities, foster relationships and build capacity though many government-led initiatives, particularly Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) and Urban Villages.”
“It must be acknowledged that contextual factors such as the prevalence of misinformation and hate manifested online and on social media platforms will not be captured or addressed with an Executive Office review or intervention. Ultimately, there needs to be a new, UK-wide focus on tackling the risk that social media poses in fuelling and coordinating public unrest that exceeds legitimate and free protest activity. Openness and transparency must be the watchwords for government, law enforcement and state media in how the public is engaged with on issues of public interest to ensure that public trust and confidence is retained.”
“Rather than simply labelling those who engage in such criminality as "racist" or "fascist", any review must lift the veil on what drives individual children, young people and adults to get involved in such disorder in their own communities. We must be prepared to really seek answers to that pivotal question in the motion: why? Only when we begin to address the "why" will we begin to effect change for the better, not to condone violence, criminality or racism but to eradicate them from our streets and communities <BR /> <BR />We must bear it in mind that no review or departmental intervention will provide the silver bullet that we would wish to provide.”
“The same can be said of any Executive review flowing from the motion. Just as the factors that drive racially motivated criminality are multifaceted, any Executive review should be cross-cutting. All relevant Departments, agencies, community and voluntary organisations, elected representatives and members of the public should be engaged as part of that process. Above all, victims of the recent violence must be to the fore. <BR /> <BR />It is widely accepted — all the statistics on this issue and similar instances of criminality bear it out — that such behaviour usually has a parallel interaction with high rates of poverty and deprivation and the influence of organised crime gangs.”
“Racism is wrong, and it is incumbent on us all to call it out when it raises its ugly head and to work collectively to eradicate it from society. Contributors to the debate have reminded us of the scenes that played out on our streets and television screens earlier this year: totally unacceptable behaviour that caused untold damage to communities and individuals alike. <BR /> <BR />In addressing the questions posed by the motion, it is important that we drill down into specifics within individual communities. Broad-brush approaches to the issue will avail us little. I am hopeful that the recent cross-departmental working group involving the PSNI and the Housing Executive, established following the summer disorder, will be able to identify similarities and differences in motivations behind behaviours.”
“As has been said, the DUP supports the motion, and I believe that we can all unite on this topic.”
“First Minister, point nine of the chapter on disaster risk reduction and emergency planning mentions a series of conferences. Have any of those conferences taken place? If they have, how do they look?”
“Will that place more demands on the Minister's Department?”
“I am pleased to hear the Minister mention faith-based organisations. Does he agree that faith-based organisations play a significant role in addressing many of the challenges that face our society today? Does he agree that the Government should work further with the sector to deliver on those issues?”
“Thank you, Minister. Will you engage with UK Government counterparts to ensure that there is support for those links to be developed further?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. I look forward to the results of the assessment of the 40 mph extension. Minister, in light of the recent road accident involving a bus transporting children from Strangford College, will you reassure families that your Department is working to maximise safety on those rural links?”
“I thank the First Minister for her response. Will she commit to engaging with Treasury to secure Northern Ireland's exemption from the policy, if that is suitable?”
“Minister, do you think that that might change?”
“It has often been said that just having a past should not preclude you from having a future. It is important that the Executive support communities and individuals to achieve that future. The DUP will continue to support those who genuinely wish to leave the past behind and build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Independent Reporting Commission has said very clearly that, without such engagement, there is no credible path to ending paramilitarism once and for all. The process requires good faith from all parties. As part of that progress, programmes such as Communities in Transition, Urban Villages and Building Successful Communities have all played their part in assisting that transition. Much good work has been achieved in communities across the traditional divide. It is important that learning from previous implementation of the various phases of those schemes is used to ensure that future programmes are tailored to achieve the best possible outcomes. <BR /> <BR />No one who genuinely wants to move on and leave their past behind should be left behind by either the House or society at large.”
“That those who previously championed the early release of convicted criminals should now lament this party for seeking to support those who have a past, have served their punishment and want to move on to build a brighter future is an irony that will escape few. <BR /> <BR />A distinction must be drawn, as other Members have said, between those who wish to move out from under the shadow of paramilitarism for good and those who wish only to continue to use such structures for their own criminal exploits. We must actively seek to help and support individuals and communities who genuinely wish to secure a better future beyond what, in many cases, is all they have ever known.”
“<BR /> <BR />The gravity of the issue for society therefore impresses on us all the need to take collective responsibility not only to stand up and call out such criminality but to tackle its root causes and, in this instance, challenge the continued existence of paramilitary organisations. Although some Members are relative newcomers to the principle of the rule of law, many on these Benches have worked a lifetime to uphold and protect it. <BR /> <BR />The greatest erosion of the principles of law and justice in respect of paramilitarism ever to occur was, of course, as a result of the Belfast Agreement. Unlike the Opposition and other parties around the Chamber, our position on dealing with paramilitary criminality was the same in 1998 as it is today. It was wrong to engage in criminality then, and it is still wrong today.”
“I will make a few points on the Opposition motion. The presence of organised criminality continues to be a scourge on many communities across Northern Ireland. It is incumbent on us all to challenge the continued existence of paramilitary organisations and all groups that are involved in criminal activity. It remains, as it has always been, our position as a party that, where evidence exists that individuals have been involved in criminality in whatever form, they should face the full rigour of the law. It is worth reminding ourselves that equality under the rule of law is a key pillar of any democracy: all are equally subject to it and protected by it.”
“I thank the Minister. Minister, when do you hope to be in a position to introduce legislation on school uniforms?”
“Thank you, Minister. How does a school apply for minor works for refurbishment?”
“Thank you, Minister, for your statement. I welcome today's jobs announcement. Every new job is always very welcome. Do you have any plans to seek further job opportunities, not least in my constituency of Strangford?”
“There will, obviously, need to be an investigation of the incident, but, in the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved and the wider Strangford Integrated College community.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Education Minister will visit the school community today, and there will be a focus on ensuring that students can avail themselves of counselling services and trauma response services through the Education Authority's critical incident response team.”
“Members will have seen the events unfold yesterday evening on Ballyblack Road East near Carrowdore, where a major incident was declared following a crash involving a school bus. <BR /> <BR />A bus carrying over 40 pupils from Strangford Integrated College left the road shortly after 4.00 pm. All our thoughts are with the four pupils who were hospitalised following the incident and with their friends and families. We wish them all a speedy recovery following what will have been a horrifying ordeal for them. I pay tribute to all the first responders who attended the scene yesterday afternoon and mobilised the incident centre at the school.”
“We, as a party, will seek to work with others to ensure that specific, measurable and time-bound objectives are introduced where we deem that to be appropriate and practical. <BR /> <BR />Delivery is pivotal for the DUP. The Executive must deliver and be seen to deliver on the issues that matter to the public over the rest of the mandate. I look forward to the final programme and to seeing the work of implementation commencing.”