Rachel Woods
North Down · Green Party · Northern Ireland
“We have to get it right, but we are not starting from scratch. We only have to look across the water or down the road to the public and private sectors that already offer that type of leave. <BR /> <BR />I now turn to the comments of other Members.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is time to end the coercive control that criminal gangs have over our communities. Victim and survivors' voices must be heard and reflected in our laws and policies. Minority groups should not be sidelined or silenced. We need to educate from a very young age.”
“There is no direct cost to employers from safe leave, and it is needed to deal with the issues related to abuse. We need to destigmatise abuse and tackle root causes, misogyny and toxic masculinity. <BR /> <BR />I agree with Mr Weir's comments. We should not need to have the protections in place.”
“I thank every Member who spoke during the debate for their comments and support for the Bill. I will address the Minister's comments first. I thank him for being here, and I am glad that he is feeling better. <BR /> <BR />The Assembly cares, and we need to work constructively together to help.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I said at Second Stage, period poverty must be viewed through the lens of children's rights and how the Bill meets our obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).”
“<BR /> <BR />I take this opportunity at Final Stage to thank officials and members of the councils who took the time to discuss with me their policies, the background to them and how they are working in practice: thank you for everything that you are doing for your staff, and I hope that, should the Bill pass, your regional Parliaments an…”
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“With regard to the Department's response to the TB strategic partnership group's recommendations to eradicate bovine TB and given the strong opposition from wildlife trusts, conservation organisations, academics and the general public, will the Minister rule out the culling of healthy badgers?”
“Given that, will the deputy First Minister give a clear timescale for the anti-poverty strategy, including any consultation, or will it be a copy-and-paste exercise from previous Executive promises that ignores the advice and recommendations from those working in the sector?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Paragraph 4.11 on page 30 of 'New Decade, New Approach' states clearly that the future strategic-level programme and the anti-poverty strategy:”
“You are much loved, and I cannot wait to see you soon.”
“In a study in Australia, it was reported that two thirds of women under 35 would be pregnant after three cycles. Whilst we need to be mindful of those statistics, when looking at increasing the numbers of IVF cycles available in Northern Ireland, it is important that same-sex couples are included in the guidance and provision. There must be adequate funding, and the regional fertility clinic must be properly resourced and have adequate capacity to reflect the demand, especially for other programmes. <BR /> <BR />I will end with a short shout-out to a couple of my friends. A few weeks ago, following IVF, they welcomed a baby to the world. They would be very grateful if more rounds were available on the NHS to people, and they have commended the NHS on the aftercare that they received. Welcome to the world, baby Jenna.”
“I will not take too much of your time this evening. As we know, commitments were given years ago to work towards implementing the optimum number of cycles recommended by NICE guidelines. However, we are still waiting, as we are for a lot of things here. We have waited for long enough, especially since we are frequently told that the situation is under review. The Government need to live up to the commitments in the 'New Decade, New Approach' document and the calls for the three cycles to be accessed here in Northern Ireland on the NHS. <BR /> <BR />We know how expensive it is for people in the system and the costs that people go through — personally and financially. We know that multiple rounds of IVF increase the chances of having a baby, and we know from research that multiple cycles increase the chances.”
“This is not a "keep calm and carry on" situation. It is no longer business as usual. We owe it to our citizens and our young people to act now by declaring an emergency and showing leadership and action. This issue is above party politics. It is far too serious. <BR /> <BR />I will finish with the words of one young person who has provided more leadership in the past year than all the world's politicians together. In Davos last year, Greta Thunberg said:”
“Why spend money on cutting emissions when we are only a tiny part of a huge global economy? Let the others do the hard work, and we can follow later. Apart from the moral bankruptcy of that argument, if we do not invest in a low-carbon economy now, we will be left behind in pretty short order. With no carbon targets and poor environmental regulation on our businesses, we will all wake up one morning and realise that they can no longer compete in a green economy. That will not be their fault; it will be ours for failing to provide the leadership that is needed now. A very wise man once said that a roof should be fixed when it is sunny, not when it is raining. The time to act is now, not some time down the road when the costs of doing something about it are dire and the negative consequences of inaction are high.”
“<BR /> <BR />The just transition approach has been supported and promoted by trade unions, businesses, climate advocates and environmentalists as a way to ensure climate policies include economic and, especially, employment considerations and that any low-carbon transition prioritises jobs that are well paid, decent employment and in the new green economy. It proposes bringing together everyone in a social dialogue to formulate and drive the plans, policies and investments that are needed for a fast and fair transition to a low-carbon economy. The transition to a green economy will be an opportunity for more jobs, warmer homes and new businesses, and will therefore be a positive step as opposed to being something that we begrudgingly have to do. <BR /> <BR />There are many voices that urge us not to do anything too radical.”
“In September last year, for example, a just transition commission was established in Scotland, and the Spanish Government have committed over €250 million to compensate, retrain and offer early retirement to displaced workers and their communities. All those could serve as possible models for Northern Ireland so that we can address climate breakdown and the various transformations in different sectors and areas of our lives connected to creating a low-carbon Northern Irish economy and society.”
“Governments must cooperate with trade unions, industry and local communities to ensure that good quality jobs are available to workers in the new low-carbon green economy. We can retrofit homes, street by street, and ensure that any new houses are of the best quality and are as efficient as they can be. We can train and upskill the labour market, and we have an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in coordinating such moves. We have an opportunity to lead on quality rather than focusing on quantity. <BR /> <BR />pA just transition strategy not only is recognised in the preamble to the Paris agreement but is growing as an inclusive, realistic and positive approach to tackling climate breakdown.”
“Northern Ireland is on target to go beyond the goal of generating 40% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2020, yet levels of greenhouse gas emissions are increasing, and we have the highest levels of car use, air that is literally killing us and the highest levels of fuel poverty in the UK and Europe. As many Members know, 42% of households in Northern Ireland are in fuel poverty, which is a terrible blight on our society where people have to choose between heating and eating. We should all be ashamed of that figure. There is an answer, and that is why we need a just transition beyond fossil fuels as that is the only legitimate way to respond to climate breakdown: a fundamental change to our system. <BR /> <BR />A just transition means that no one will be left behind.”
“That agency should be appointed within 12 months as we desperately need it if we are to meet any of these commitments. We need legislation with teeth, and we need an agency that has teeth, is properly resourced and is able to respond and lead on matters, which is why we are calling for one to be introduced as a matter of urgency. <BR /> <BR />We have much to do to get up to speed on plastic pollution, marine waste, illegal dumping, air quality and air pollution, transport and long-term sustainable planning. We need to tackle our biodiversity crisis as part of a climate breakdown as the two are intertwined. Environmental and natural mitigations to climate change are available and should be utilised.”
“The second recognises that we are actually in a climate and biodiversity crisis, leading to detailed action plans on how that can be managed. This needs to include the voices of and cooperation from everyone at every level. The third calls on the Executive to live up to the promises in the 'New Decade, New Approach' document, crucially introducing a climate change Act as Northern Ireland still does not have one. The fourth reviews the Executive's strategies to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Accord and ensures that those targets are met. Finally, it calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to begin to work immediately to establish an independent environmental protection agency based on models of best practice.”
“There will not be a wholly technological solution to fix this issue. We must fix it at every level, from the home to the farm, to how we grow and consume our food, to how we travel, what we wear and up to our entire economic structure. <BR /> <BR />A crucial part of responding to the climate emergency is the decarbonisation of our economy; that is, the phased and planned transition beyond fossil fuels. What is needed is a transformational adaptation of our economy and society. We need to take a leadership role in bringing the importance of climate breakdown and energy transition to the forefront. <BR /> <BR />The motion as amended can give us five steps. First, we can declare a climate emergency, mobilising the resources and attentions that this deserves.”
“I do not have time, during this debate today, to go into the double injustice that those who will be the worst and most affected, short and long term, are those in the global south; those who did not cause this but who are having to leave their land because it is uninhabitable; those who literally have to move to another island because their current home will be under water in a few years. <BR /> <BR />Given the magnitude of this issue and its severity, there is a role to play at every level of society and government, and it should be the top priority of this Government. Accelerating our pace of change is no simple task, and it will be a challenge for everyone at times of supposed austerity and cuts, but it is a challenge that we need to rise to. There is no app for this.”
“Members do not need me to tell them that we have very little time to act on the twin crises of climate disruption and biodiversity loss. The UN scientific consensus is that we have 12 years to arrest carbon emissions. Meanwhile, another UN science body tells us that one million species are at risk of annihilation. Members do not need me to tell them that the climate is becoming increasingly chaotic, and Members do not need me to tell them that a collapse in biodiversity will be accompanied by the collapse of humanity. <BR /> <BR />Leading climate scientists have warned that there are less than a dozen years left for global warming to be kept at a maximum of 1·5 degrees, beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people.”
“Does the Minister agree that a budget of £143,000 per annum for cleanup of smaller scale waste deposits is enough, where the offender cannot be identified, and that that budget is being used, not reactively but effectively, to stop illegal dumping?”
“Assembly questions to the Minister have shown that it is not possible to know how many teachers have received the current training, but, with mandatory training, we know that we can and will ensure that everyone has received the same level of training. <BR /> <BR />In September last year, a petition was signed by over 10,000 people online asking the Department of Education to introduce mandatory training. A rally attended by people with autism, parents and teachers was held here on 11 September 2019, making their voices heard. We have much to do here to strengthen the Autism Act and ensure its proper implementation. We should listen to those 10,000 people today, and that is why we call on the Minister to introduce mandatory autism training as an important step in delivering for our young people and supporting our teaching staff.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have had time to find ways in which we can improve provision of support for those in our schools who have autism, so the time for exploring options is over. What we need now is concrete action for teachers and students. That is not to say that we do not have any resources in Northern Ireland: we do. The Department invests substantial resources in the training provision at Middletown autism centre, but, while that is to be commended, it is not sufficient and does not meet the growing demand, nor is it compulsory. Providing support to schools, including the continuing professional development of staff, has already been identified in previous strategies and action plans. The Assembly should push on with this by compelling the Minister of Education to include autism training as part of core teacher training.”
“I note that, in the autism strategy 2013-2020 and action plan 2013-16, support funding for autism-related training for those in the preschool sector is listed, as well as the publication of guides for teachers in classrooms and some school and parent resources. However, training should not be limited to those in the preschool sector; it should be extended to all those training to be teachers or classroom assistants and all those currently qualified. The initial teacher training programme in the rest of the UK covers a wider variety of the skills that teachers need to teach the curriculum, and, in 2016, the UK Government added a teacher training framework which ensures that SEN is covered, including how to support children with autism.”
“I would like to congratulate those who campaigned on the issue — specifically Mencap and their Treat Me Well campaign — and the all-party groups that have been formed. I hope that this can be fully realised in Northern Ireland too. Could this not be rolled out to our educators to better people's experiences in a school setting as well? <BR /> <BR />Research conducted by Ulster University in the greater Belfast area in 2003 found that a majority of staff felt they had inadequate training to equip them to meet children's particular needs and reported a lack of knowledge and skills to help those children. Teachers and classroom assistants are fully supportive of the motion. All of the teachers' unions in Northern Ireland support the introduction of mandatory autism training.”
“Adequate mandatory training for teachers would mean that the special education needs of all children and young people, including those with autism, were met and would be an important first step to help transform the lives and prospects of future generations of children with autism. The reason why mandatory training is so important and why we have tabled the amendment is to make sure that teachers and classroom assistants work towards a whole-school approach in supporting children. It is of note that, in September 2019, the Government announced that all health and social care staff in England would receive training in autism and learning disability, working towards a whole-healthcare approach.”
“More recently, Autism NI stated that one third of parents coming to them for advice on their children's education said that they were on a reduced timetable at their current school. I agree with the chief executive at Autism NI that that is entirely unacceptable. Autism is categorised as a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and under the Autism Act (NI) 2011, where reasonable adjustments must be made in all public organisations, but we know that that is not happening in many of our schools. All our children should be given the best possible start in life, and a child with autism should not be disadvantaged when it comes to their education. <BR /> <BR />How can children with autism not be disadvantaged in their education if we continue with the current opt-in training culture?”
“I thank the Member for his question. I completely agree. Parents have enough pressure on them, let alone dealing with a situation where, say, the teachers are not involved or do not understand what is going on at home. <BR /> <BR />Aaron stated that, if teachers were more aware of how to deal with pupils with autism and had mandatory training in their issues, their mental health would be better understood. The research conducted in 2012 also showed that expertise in schools remained patchy and that many teachers did not get the training, knowledge or resources that they needed to help children with autism. Almost one in five parents indicated dissatisfaction with teachers' understanding of how to support children.”
“<BR /> <BR />After speaking to a good friend of mine in Bangor called Aaron about his experiences in school and with tech, he told me that he would like to see the mental health of children and young people with autism talked about, as they are often forgotten —.”
“In 2012, the National Autistic Society for Northern Ireland carried out a survey of children with autism and their parents. Of the young people they spoke to, almost a third said that one of the worst things about school was that their teachers did not understand them. School is daunting enough for any child, as we all know, let alone one who feels that they are not understood. That puts undue pressure and stress on the student themselves, the teacher-student relationship, the wider interaction in the classroom with others and on the relationship between the teacher and the family. More widely, it adds to mental health pressures.”
“Given this, and the inherent tendency in Northern Ireland of reactionary training for teachers, we should be pursuing a more proactive approach. Compulsory or mandatory training on autism would be a solid foundation to build upon.”
“Autism, as we know, is a lifelong disability that affects the social and communication centre of the brain. It affects the way an individual relates to people, situations and their immediate environment. Many individuals with autism have difficulty processing everyday sensory information like sight, smells, touch, tastes and sounds. This varies from person to person. <BR /> <BR />Many Members will know someone with autism. The number of children identified with autism in Northern Ireland has increased year on year since 2012. According to Department of Health figures published in 2019, one in 30 school-age children has autism and 78% of autistic children are in mainstream schools. That is, potentially, one in every classroom.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Under "Reduced Requirements", the Department for Communities has declared £19 million in total from welfare reform mitigations and housing benefit. I also note that many people have been successful in their appeals, leading to mitigations being refunded, which calls into question the entire welfare system as it is. What does the rest of that relate to, as well as the significant budget going back from housing benefit, given the cliff edge that we are facing in March? Does the Minister have any plans for the future funding of welfare mitigations past this financial year?”
“One important example is that we are set to miss the 2020 and 2030 emissions targets on PM2·5. <BR /> <BR />The majority of Northern Ireland never consented to Brexit. They voted against it, they continue to lobby against it, and they know it is an act of self-harm. This is the first time in many years that we have cross-party support reflecting the will of the majority of people in Northern Ireland. We do not consent to the cutting of the devolution settlement nor to the withdrawal agreement, and, as such, we support the motion.”
“We must be sceptical of any assurances that this will be temporary, as the scene changes so frequently. The needs of Northern Ireland need to be understood and reflected in any agreement, but this is not what we have currently. What are the guarantees that the UK Government will be acting in the best interests of Northern Ireland on crucial decisions, such as workers' rights, freedom of movement, goods and services and the future of our businesses, and are taking these important concerns into account? <BR /> <BR />What of our common cause? What affects all of us? The future of our environment and the climate crisis. Why would we trust a Government whose current record is summed up by an empty chair and a melting ice sculpture; whose record is a prime example of greenwashing?”
“Thank you, again. Today, it is refreshing to hear such objections to Brexit. Given this, I wonder who would have thought it was a good idea in the first place. <BR /> <BR />It is of note that the First Minister stated that correspondence was received last week on this matter. I would be interested to know, given the context of the previous and current item of business, when this correspondence was actually received. It would be interesting to know when this letter was made available to Members of this House, as members of the "naughty corner" here are yet to receive it. <BR /> <BR />It is concerning that competences that had been devolved to this House and that are to come back from the EU are not to be devolved but held by the UK Government.”
“I extend my welcome to the announcement today by the Minister, and I welcome him back to the post. I am certainly glad to see that three schools in the north Down area are to be included in the scheme, as well as across the board. As Members have said, we have much to do to address the education issues that we face here. I certainly hope to work alongside the Minister, especially to address the backlog of minor works that are much needed across the estate and, as the Minister will know, have continued to pile up. Will the proposed advancement of minor works address the current backlog of projects first, and how much will be made available through that?”