Deirdre Hargey
South Belfast · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“His double standards, including his condemnation of and opposition to equality and rights for our LGBTQ+ citizens, have caused real harm to others. The revelations about his double life expose the staggering hypocrisy of the DUP's moral facade. We need to know whether failing to act sooner left more vulnerable people at risk.”
“One week ago today, Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sexual offences, including rape. That conviction was made possible only by the strength and resilience of the two victims who came forward and reported the abuse. Donaldson was an abuser. He abused children, but he also abused his position in politics and faith.”
“They now say that they knew about his behaviour, but, crucially, they did nothing to expose his inappropriate hypocrisy and double life. The 'Spotlight' programme and other reports have shown that senior members of the DUP — its most senior figures, including the then leader, Edwin Poots — were aware of serious issues and allegations abou…”
“It is therefore not credible to suggest that the intelligence agencies were blind to his compromised double standards and double life. <BR /> <BR />Those questions demand answers from the DUP leadership. They demand answers in the House from the deputy First Minister, who was closely associated with Donaldson.”
“It is clear that there is a huge disconnect between Whitehall and the reality that is being felt by people on the ground. A British Treasury policy that is managing decay, real-terms cuts and disastrous policy decisions such as Brexit or the funding of wars over public services comes on top of existing disparities between how public servi…”
“The answer is not the short-term fixes or cash injections that we have had in the past, which have allowed for the repeated Treasury script of record settlements and inability of the Executive to manage their finances — scripts that are often parroted in the Chamber.”
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“<BR /> <BR />At those engagements and since then, concerns have been raised about the widening of educational attainment gaps and the potential loss of local economic growth if closure were the selected option. It is evident that the local community, the staff — past and present — and those who attended the college feel strongly that the campus should be retained. Indeed, I am aware that a considerable number of consultation responses have been received, including many from Members of the Chamber. Again, I welcome that, and, as I said, we want to take the time. I know that the campus and the college are looking at that, and, obviously, as Minister, I will also want to look at that.”
“It was not a student event, and I know that there were other events. We heard, in particular, from the trade unions and the 167 staff who are working at the site. We also heard from ex-staff, and it said something about the campus that they still feel that connection. Importantly, we heard from the community that resides around the campus as well. <BR /> <BR />In the context of the impact of the campus, locality is important, where these things are geographically based. We know that 24·5% of the learners come from east Belfast. There is a huge cohort, as was said, that comes from beyond east Belfast, and, of course, that is a testament to the campus. When you look at the numbers there, it shows that, even in the locality of east Belfast, more could be done.”
“I welcome today's discussion. I thank Joanne for securing this important debate and thank all the Members who contributed. <BR /> <BR />At the outset, I want to say explicitly that no decision has been taken on the future of the Belfast Metropolitan College Castlereagh campus. I am acutely aware of the depth of feeling that exists around the future of the campus. There has been a large response to the consultation that has taken place, and it is right that time is taken to assess the responses and consider them in the time ahead. Indeed, as David Brooks said, I experienced that at first hand when, in my capacity as an MLA for South Belfast, similar to Matthew, I attended the public engagement event in February. I still have the notes that I took at that event. I listened at first hand to students who were there that night.”
“I also welcome the sector's involvement in city deal projects that will result in an advanced manufacturing innovation centre in Belfast, offering major opportunities for SMEs to collaborate and to work with the leading research organisations. <BR /> <BR />The global aerospace industry has a commitment to achieve net zero by 2050. This will be driven by our research base in universities as well as innovative solutions including hydrogen fuel, advanced composites and new aircraft platforms that are very different from what we see flying in the skies today. That aligns with the economic vision that Conor Murphy set out here a few weeks ago. My Department and Invest NI continue to support the local aerospace sector with the high-quality jobs that it provides.”
“My Department and Invest NI work to support the sector through investment, research and development, training and international trade support. <BR /> <BR />Building on the sector's core manufacturing capacity, Invest NI has engaged with the sector to highlight diversification opportunities. Alternative high-value advanced manufacturing sectors include space, advanced air mobility, mid tech, EV infrastructure, robotics and the hydrogen economy. Opportunities in aligned high-value sectors could enable our supply chain to pivot and diversify its customer base, and a number of our companies are already seeing success in those sectors, including space, with Resonate Testing in Newry providing testing for the James Webb telescope programme and Springco providing springs for the latest satellite mission to Jupiter.”
“The aerospace sector here has been at the forefront of providing over 500 apprenticeships to the local economy in the past few years, and work is ongoing to encourage young people into engineering and to showcase the sector as a future career for our school-leavers. <BR /> <BR />The motion also refers to support for SMEs. Our aerospace supply chain is dominated by highly productive SMEs that provide good jobs across the region. The North is the leading region in SC21 gold awards, a globally recognised accreditation in excellence for quality and delivery. Invest NI works closely with the sector to promote the supply chain and to explore new international opportunities through inward investment visit programmes.”
“Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker, and, if you give me a bit of flexibility, I will welcome to the Assembly the Japanese ambassador to the UK, who is on a trade mission here today. I welcome him and the delegation. <BR /> <BR />The local aerospace sector is made up of over 100 companies, employing 8,000 workers and contributing £1·9 billion to the local economy. The sector is recognised globally for its world-class manufacturing and its innovation, which is founded on robust research, collaboration, world-leading academic institutions, skills and experience. As a region, we supply components and parts for all major aircraft programmes. Local companies manufacture one in every three aircraft seats for the global aerospace industry. The motion refers to apprenticeships, which are key to the success of the industry.”
“InterTradeIreland funding from my Department stands at a current level, in 2024-25, at £5·2 million.”
“Work is ongoing in looking at the action plans and the additional funding that has come through the Shared Island Fund. There is collaboration with InterTradeIreland and Invest NI. We are also looking at our subregional economic plans to make sure that we have grassroots traction on the ground. We do not have specific details on going forward, but, once those are available, we will be able to share them with Members.”
“Work is ongoing on developing the resource and the plans. Once we have finalised them by way of spending prioritisation and have completed that stage of the assessment, I will write to you with more detail.”
“As part of the 2024 research programme, InterTradeIreland will continue to commission research into sustainability. The first of that is planned for offshore wind and green hydrogen.”
“InterTradeIreland has a range of programmes such as the 'Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition', which has a €20,000 low-carbon green award recognising the importance of supporting high-potential sustainability start-ups. There is an 'Innovation Boost' fund, which funds a project manager and academic partner to implement 12- or 18-month innovation projects. Those include sustainability projects and sustainability-related process improvements. There is sustainability in specific areas within the 'Business Explorer' programme, with energy-efficiency requirements and carbon zero and digitisation plans among its priorities. In 2023, a pilot supply chain programme looked at the possibility of impact substitution, nearshoring and on-island supply chain resilience activities.”
“Thanks very much for the question. There were discussions on the circular economy, looking at sustainability, which is of strategic importance to InterTradeIreland. Looking forward, following the progress of planned research on offshore wind and green hydrogen, there was discussion on what more can be done around that. Officials in both jurisdictions are engaging on the research and looking at opportunities with the circular economy, which I touched on, and they will continue to collaborate on that. Sustainability is a cross-cutting theme in several of InterTradeIreland's programmes and areas, and, looking at its central policy and research priorities going forward, we want to see a greater focus on partnership working and stakeholder engagement in the time ahead. Those were the broad areas of discussion at the last meeting.”
“I do not have that figure in front of me now, but I am happy to correspond with you to give you those details.”
“The maximum headcount for InterTradeIreland was 42, and that number was from when it was established in 1999. Increasing the complement to 65 is in line with the business case that we received in terms of Department approvals and aligns with meeting the demands of the work that now presents itself. We have scrutinised the increased resource that is needed, and it is very much aligned to the work and the demand that is coming to InterTradeIreland, which is a positive thing. InterTradeIreland will make announcements on business impact across the island in the coming weeks.”
“As I said, there has been the announcement of €30 million in Shared Island funding, which we welcome. We also welcome InterTradeIreland's work alongside Enterprise Ireland and Invest NI on cross-border enterprise and cooperation. The three enterprise agencies are now working to develop their proposals on that, and we are hopeful that anticipated spend around that can start to occur later this year.”
“We will look at any opportunities that present themselves that have not only economic but social impacts across the island. The Member picked up on an important issue around research and innovation and on shaping positive health outcomes for people who are impacted by such diseases. The research is important, and, going forward, the Shared Island Fund will bring an important an injection of resources. We will look for any opportunity, and I am happy to correspond directly with the Member after this on the specifics around that work.”
“The UK formally associated to Horizon Europe on 4 December 2023 at the EU-UK Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes (SCPUP). Scientists and businesses from here have been able to participate in Horizon Europe since the start of the programme in January 2021 through the UK guarantee scheme. Delays to formalising an association, however, have had a considerable impact on investment in science and research and on all potential all-island economic cooperation. InterTradeIreland is committed to and focused on building cross-border momentum and boosting participation, and it is looking to seize the opportunities that are available through the Horizon Europe programme. Although there are delays, we are hopeful that, by working collaboratively and collectively, we can start to pick up the pace of implementation of programmes.”
“We look to explore and take advantage of North/South and east-west relationships. That is important in the time ahead, particularly when we look at the climate challenges, in line with the climate legislation that was passed in the previous mandate, to ensure that we reach net zero. There will be ongoing engagement through arm's-length bodies such as Invest NI. I will continue to take any opportunities that I have as Minister to have direct engagement with Ministers in Westminster and Dublin and to ensure that we look through the lens of North/South link-up and cooperation but, importantly, through the east-west lens as well.”
“Part of the work will look at subregional economic development plans and ensure that all the networks and arm's-length bodies (ALBs) feed into those development plans and work with each of the localities, particularly through engagement with local councils, the local private sector and social enterprises in each council area. As the Member knows, in the north-west, that work is complemented by the task force that Minister Murphy set up recently.”
“Good work has taken place on looking at the opportunities that dual market access presents. InterTradeIreland and Invest NI continue to work together to look at those opportunities and, importantly, at how we can profile them and alert people to them. A series of engagement events will be held over the next period in order to do that. That sits with the economic vision that Conor Murphy, as the then Minister, outlined in the Assembly a number of weeks ago. The Member will know that part of it involves addressing the regional imbalance that there has been for a long time.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Council agreed to hold its next trade and business development meeting in sectoral format in autumn 2024. I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome engagement with Members.”
“The Council noted the achievements and current position of the US-Ireland research and development partnership, noting that it has now provided over $100 million in funding to researchers collaborating on 55 projects in the three jurisdictions. <BR /> <BR />The North/South Ministerial Council noted recent achievements of the InterTradeIreland synergy programme, which includes the synergy flagship project, the fintech corridor. The Council noted the focus on sustainability as a cross-cutting theme in a number of InterTradeIreland’s programmes and its plans for upcoming research in offshore wind and hydrogen energy. Ministers agreed that officials and InterTradeIreland will continue to engage to identify opportunities to address climate change and loss of biodiversity from both the policy and operational perspectives.”
“The Council noted InterTradeIreland’s annual reports and accounts for 2020 and 2021, which have been certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General and laid before the Assembly and both Houses of the Oireachtas, and the annual report and accounts for 2022, which will be laid shortly. <BR /> <BR />The North/South Ministerial Council approved the recommended increase in InterTradeIreland’s staffing complement from 42 to 65 to assist it in meeting the increased demand for its services. Ministers noted the position in relation to the Horizon 2020 programme and the progress and current position of North/South collaboration in relation to the Horizon Europe programme and welcomed the opportunities available following the UK’s association with the programme.”
“Ministers welcomed the work of InterTradeIreland, alongside Enterprise Ireland and Invest NI, in developing a cross-border enterprise cooperation scheme, which was recently awarded €30 million in Shared Island funding. The Council approved the InterTradeIreland business plans and budgets/grants for 2022, 2023 and 2024, which have been completed in accordance with agreed guidance issued by the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and have been agreed by sponsor Departments and Finance Ministers. <BR /> <BR />Ministers approved the InterTradeIreland 2023-25 corporate plan, which has been completed in accordance with agreed guidance issued by both Departments and has been agreed by sponsor Departments and Finance Ministers.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Council welcomed the overall achievements of InterTradeIreland from 2021 to date and commended the valuable contribution that it has made through its trade and development programmes for small and medium-sized companies trading across the border and in both jurisdictions. Ministers recognised the positive impact of the innovation and technology programmes administered by InterTradeIreland and its support for building relationships between companies and researchers. <BR /> <BR />The Council noted InterTradeIreland’s research priorities for 2024: a study of the business support ecosystem across the island; research into the changing nature of trade on the island; offshore wind and hydrogen energy; cross-border service trade; artificial intelligence; and access to funding.”
“With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 regarding a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in trade and business development sectoral format. The meeting was held in Armagh on 26 April 2024. Junior Minister Pam Cameron MLA and former Economy Minister Conor Murphy MLA represented the Executive. The Irish Government were represented by Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. This statement has been agreed with Minister Cameron, and I make it on behalf of us both.”
“I declare that I also have a family member who works in the Courts and Tribunals Service. I welcome the regulations. The Act is important legislation that was passed during the last mandate. I was happy to assist with the passage of the Bill, which was introduced by Pat Catney. <BR /> <BR />The regulations specify which public service bodies in the Justice family will make and maintain arrangements for period products to be made available free of charge on their premises. That is a step in the right direction in addressing period poverty. It is also important to normalise the subject, given that over 50% of our population currently have or previously had periods. It is important that that is recognised and supported.”
“I welcome the motion on the draft Lay Magistrates (Eligibility) Order. It brings the age for lay magistrates into line with that of other members of the judiciary, which is currently 75 years old, whilst keeping the other reappointment criteria, as laid out by the Minister earlier. Addressing the unfairness that existed for some individuals who may have been prevented from continuing in their role is an important step, and this rule corrects that unfairness. Lay magistrates play an important role in our judiciary, particularly, as was said, around the youth courts, family proceedings and signatory duties. I am happy to support the motion.”
“The Minister knows that tourists are becoming more inquisitive about local places, their histories and their impacts. What plans does he have around political tourism and local social tourism to engage those key sectors and, importantly, to involve communities in feeding into those bigger strategies?”
“To conclude, I quote from a statement made by Superintendent Norman Haslett, the district commander in the Newry, Mourne and Down area, which includes south Armagh, on 15 November last year:”
“— of policing activities. <BR /> <BR />In addition:”
“I will give you an indication of the relevance of some of the key recommendations for the local community that were outlined in the review. One recommendation stated:”
“Such a model would be welcomed in all areas by all citizens who wish to see the delivery of a policing service in a constructive and inclusive partnership with the community at all levels.”
“The review produced 50 recommendations, which sought to ensure that the:”
“The review was conducted in the spirit of a partnership approach with the local community and its political representatives. I am sure that anyone who is interested in improving relationships and working practices between the Police Service and the local community will applaud that approach.”
“It was initiated in January 2020 over a six-month period by the then Chief Constable, Simon Byrne, and published in August 2021. It dealt with the policing arrangements in south Armagh. The terms of reference were wide-ranging and sought to:”
“Anyone who deliberately rams a police vehicle or assaults not only a police officer but any emergency service worker, be they police officers, doctors, nurses, paramedics, firemen or firewomen, commits a crime against those who are on the front line of protecting our communities. Such actions are unacceptable, and those responsible must face the full rigours of the justice system. However, such attacks cannot be used as a platform to justify or support any attempt to undermine an important policing initiative that was conceived in conjunction with the local community and sought to enhance engagement and cooperation while developing confidence levels and consent between the police and the local populace. Such an initiative came in the form of the south Armagh policing review.”
“Will the Minister detail any plans that she has to review the non-domestic rating system?”
“Sinn Féin is ready and willing, through our four-party Executive and working with the Opposition and others in the Chamber, to push the British Government to address underfunding in the North and its implications. That should remain our clear focus today and, importantly, in the coming weeks and months. We urgently need to address that underfunding. Of course, we need to look at the redesign and prioritisation of policies, resources and services, but we also need to look at the fiscal levers and the framework in its entirety. <BR /> <BR />I believe that a fundamental pillar of all that has to be targeting social need and effectively addressing poverty and inequality. Our families, communities and workers deserve nothing less.”
“Many of those cuts affected front-line services, as we heard from many contributors today, in Health, Education, Communities and our Justice Department. Those cuts are felt hardest by our most vulnerable people. We have seen and heard about that from the voluntary and community sector, which is often the low-hanging fruit that is cut first. That should be an alarm for all of us. <BR /> <BR />It is unacceptable that the British Secretary of State chose to inflict so much hardship on the most vulnerable. I am glad that the first act of the restored Assembly was a united call from all parties in the Chamber for a new fiscal framework that would ensure that we were provided funding on the basis of need.”
“It is important that, here today and in backing these resolutions, we reinforce our support for fair pay for our public-sector workers. <BR /> <BR />Many in the Chamber have said that part of the reason that we are here today is because the British Government have admitted to underfunding the North for many years. We know that that underfunding over the past few years and, indeed, over the past decade or more has caused deep and lasting damage to our public services. Let us remember that a big part of that was a British Government policy of austerity to rob our public services, which impacted on the most vulnerable in our communities. It was that policy of choice by the British Government that has crippled our public services. <BR /> <BR />Last year, the Tories continued to impose cuts on our public services.”
“I support today's resolutions. As was said, this is not the normal process by which these resolutions come forward. We know the reasons why, and, since she came into post, the Finance Minister has been clear on that. The spring Supplementary Estimates give effect to the allocations that were announced when the Assembly returned, and a key element of that was our public-sector pay. Many of us stood on the picket lines with public-sector workers in the lead-up to the Assembly's return. We know that that was a critical element of the Budget that was coming forward. I am glad that, in the Estimates, the Finance Minister has given an additional £100 million to public-sector pay. I am hopeful that a resolution can be reached in each of the Departments as soon as possible.”
“How many students benefit from existing financial support measures?”
“The decision that they have taken in recent weeks does the complete opposite. It does not work with the Executive, nor does it offer hope to our young people or to our education community, which wants to work together to offer better opportunities by building a society in which everyone can take part. <BR /> <BR />I hope that we can all support the motion and the amendment. I call on the British Government to recommit to the statement that they made in 2016 and, importantly, to reinstate the funding.”
“The British Government have acknowledged that themselves. It is children and young people who will pay the price of the scandalous approach that the British Government have decided to take. You have to ask this question: why would you do that? Why would you punish education, and, importantly, why would you punish children? We need to ask that question of the British Government. <BR /> <BR />Back in 2016, when the Fresh Start funding was committed to, the British Government said:”
“I know that the Minister is aware of the situation, and I ask him to look at that case as well to see what can be done to rectify it. <BR /> <BR />As has been said in the debate, it is important that we do not forget about shared education projects. I was a bit surprised that those were not included in the motion. Shared education projects, too, are impacted by the decision on the Fresh Start funding, and there are concerns within the shared education community. Young people, schools and the wider community involved in shared education projects want to work more collaboratively. They, too, could be negatively impacted by these decisions. <BR /> <BR />On the re-establishment of these institutions a number of weeks ago, all parties tried to work together to endorse a position on how we are being underfunded by the British Government.”
“As local MLAs, we know the direct impact that those decisions have on the school community, on the children in particular, on their families and on the wider community. That was reflected by the Education Minister in recent correspondence, particularly pertaining to Millennium Integrated Primary School, in which he said that the funding would provide additional special educational units in the new development. All the construction tenders were returned for that school, and it urgently awaits funding to proceed to construction. That is how close those projects were to completion. You can understand the real frustration and fear of the schools involved and their communities. <BR /> <BR />Scoil an Droichid, a primary school in south Belfast that provides for special educational needs, is in a similar predicament.”
“I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important issue, which is causing real concern to young people, their families and school communities. As has been said in the debate, we worked collectively in the Chamber in the previous mandate to deliver the Integrated Education Act 2022. Important work was done in the previous mandate to ensure that families that wanted to avail themselves of an integrated school place had the opportunity to do so for their children. <BR /> <BR />In that context, it is a real act of bad faith by the British Government to treat the agreed funding in the way that they have done. It is deeply damaging to the affected schools, some of which are in my constituency such as Millennium Integrated Primary School and Forge Integrated Primary School.”
“I would like to think that we will get early sight of the drafting so that we can scrutinise it. We all want to ensure that we have more effective measures that enhance the role of live links for victims, defendants and others and that we speed up the justice system overall. <BR /> <BR />Thank you very much, Minister, for tabling the order.”