Matthew O'Toole
South Belfast · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“I appreciate my colleague's giving way. Unfortunately, I was not here for all of the Minister's remarks — like her, I have been in the Chamber for a lot of today, so I had to pop out and attend to some other business. I presume that the Member will agree that these provisions could be more properly included in the Sentencing Bill.”
“Clearly, however, the regulatory and enforcement regime for all those watercourses and marine environments is way out of date ecologically and, indeed, economically.”
“We learned about the antics of Jeffrey Donaldson that were not criminal — so far — only after his conviction. Reporters have been able to go and find that information and people have been able to speak — felt able to speak — because Mr Donaldson has been sent to prison, convicted of appalling crimes, and is therefore less likely to seek r…”
“We are pleased, in broad terms, to support it at Second Stage. We welcome the move towards an approach to fisheries management that is ecosystem-based rather than narrowly species-based.”
“We were robust in opposing those who were not willing to deal with the nutrients action plan, for example, which should have been a core part of dealing with Lough Neagh. Of course, the farming industry needed to be engaged, and the Minister has been doing a lot of that work recently.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. In just a few hours' time, the House will go into recess for more than two months. There are two outstanding and grave matters that the public in Northern Ireland want us to deal with, but we are walking away, so I want your advice on Standing Orders.”
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“This is the first Bill of its kind in 12 years. It has a wide-ranging scope, and it was originally drafted to bring together administrative and financial provisions from seven Departments. Normally, those provisions would have been legislated for in separate Bills or on more regular occasions. I think that I am right in saying — the Minister may be able to correct me — that it started life as a financial provisions Bill to tidy up the provisions of the sole authority of the Budget Act or, as it is sometimes colloquially referred to, the "black box", but it then took on other provisions that were more administrative than financial and became a much broader Bill. The Committee led the detailed scrutiny of the Bill.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister for his comments on the amendments. I will speak on behalf of the Committee in relation to our scrutiny of the Bill, including the amendments, albeit the Committee has not reached a final view on them.”
“Minister, I want to be absolutely clear about something. Your permanent secretary has said that, without a multi-year Budget, healthcare transformation, which would include tackling what, Gerry Carroll correctly says, are the shameful levels of excess deaths because of emergency care issues, cannot be tackled. In the Chamber earlier, your party leader lambasted the failure to set a multi-year Budget. You, on the other hand, have now said that, in effect, we cannot set one in the current context because of a lack of funding. Is it your position that a multi-year Budget is required, and do you support the proposals for such a Budget that the Minister of Finance made earlier this year?”
“What conversations has the Minister had with home heating oil providers to ensure that the benefits of the scheme will be passed on properly and that there is no profiteering?”
“I welcome the fact that an announcement was made last week, following weeks of the Executive bickering and shifting blame. We will, however, want to hear more, and I welcome the fact that the Minister has indicated that more is to come. The scheme also needs to properly help people who use gas, particularly those who are on lower incomes. <BR /> <BR />There are many reputable providers of home heating oil, and I am not in any way saying that all providers will profiteer, but, given that home heating oil is entirely unregulated in Northern Ireland, there is nothing, legally, to stop home heating oil providers simply jacking up the price of 500 litres of home heating oil before the Minister's scheme starts.”
“I will return to the substance of the Bill. It would have been a much stronger Bill had we been able to include no-fault divorce in it. A majority of Members of the Assembly supported that. This is the obvious legislative opportunity to do that, and I think that people will reflect on this as being another failure of the Assembly to deliver timely progress. <BR /> <BR />We are supportive of the Bill and everything that is in it, and we look forward to scrutinising it. It is regrettable that no-fault divorce was not included in it, but we otherwise look forward to scrutinising it and will support it at Second Stage.”
“— without no-fault divorce. <BR /> <BR />Those are the only points that I wanted to make on that, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. It is critical stuff. We support the Bill —”
“We are the only part of the UK and Ireland —”
“It is highly regrettable, when we are trying to prioritise ending violence against women and girls, that we have missed the opportunity to include no-fault divorce in the Bill. I appreciate that the Finance Minister's predecessor wanted to make progress in that area, and it would be helpful to have an update on why it is not in the Bill. I simply make the point that we are now the only part of these islands —.”
“I think that this is vital and germane. At one point, there was an expectation that it would be included in the Bill, and it is important that I am able to bring that point up. I am not talking about something that is utterly irrelevant. No-fault divorce is critical, because it has the possibility of making divorces less adversarial when assets and, particularly, the custody of children are being dealt with. It can make for much less difficult and adversarial situations. It can also be a vital tool to ensure that women who are in situations of domestic abuse can be freed from very difficult marriages without having to go through the difficult, adversarial, exhausting and often traumatic process of a fault divorce.”
“It would have been very welcome to see progress on no-fault divorce and its inclusion in the legislation. Almost exactly two years ago, there was a debate in the Chamber, secured by the Minister's party, in which the then Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, indicated her broad support for including no-fault divorce in the Bill, although she said that there would be ongoing work with officials. This is the only part of these islands where fault divorce persists. It is a fairly archaic system that perpetuates certain problems. One such problem is that it can create an adversarial situation during what is often a sad and regrettable situation.”
“She certainly does, and much more than that, Minister. <BR /> <BR />Over the past nine years, those who have wanted to have a belief marriage have been able to seek one in the North, but the Bill puts that on a proper statutory footing. I welcome that; it is overdue. I congratulate those who had to litigate to address that anomaly. The truth is that, too often, people have had to litigate, campaign and pressurise in order to get social change and reform in Northern Ireland. It is welcome, however, and the Committee will understand all the various impacts and hear from the various people affected. I welcome the bit of progress that is represented by that being formally enshrined in law. <BR /> <BR />One slight drawback — an issue with the Bill — is the absence of no-fault divorce.”
“It is 10 years on from that, and she has not kicked me out yet. That is proof that —.”
“As the Minister said, there are a relatively small number of people in Northern Ireland who are in that category in 2026 in any case, but that does not mean that the law should not be changed to make it properly illegal. The Committee will want to see precisely how that is going to be managed. I do, however, welcome the fact that that change is being made. <BR /> <BR />The next part of the Bill relates to putting belief marriage on a legislative footing. At this stage, I will declare an interest as someone who, 10 years ago, just before the temporary arrangements were put in place — my wife and I were still living in London, but we explored the possibility of having a belief marriage in Northern Ireland in 2016. That was not possible, but we had a registrar marriage, which went very well.”
“There could and should have been three broad parts, but I will come to that. <BR /> <BR />The first part is about changing the law on cases in which one of the partners is under the age of 18. As the Minister, said, there is now a broad and, in a sense, overwhelming consensus that the law needs to be changed to make it illegal, in effect, for 16- and 17-year-olds to marry. That is a welcome development. The Minister talked about the UN convention and the widespread global work on reducing and ending child marriage and the various kinds of exploitation and inequality that are furthered by the existence of that form of child marriage. Societies move on, understandings of what is appropriate in a marital context move on, and it is welcome that, albeit somewhat belatedly, the Assembly is now moving to end that.”
“The Committee has noted interest in the Bill from Church groups, humanist bodies, the Children's Commissioner, the Equality Commission and the Human Rights Commission and, assuming that the Bill passes at Second Stage, will seek their views. <BR /> <BR />In broad terms, Committee members support the principles of the Bill and its passage at Second Stage and referral to the Committee for detailed scrutiny. Members look forward to working with the Department and other stakeholders and to undertaking in-depth scrutiny of the Bill. I look forward to hearing other members' contributions during the debate. <BR /> <BR />I will make a few remarks in a political capacity, as leader of the Opposition. In that capacity also, I welcome the introduction of the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill. As the Minister said, there are two broad parts to it.”
“When we discussed them with officials in April 2024, they indicated that the sanctions would be broadly similar to those in GB legislation on forced marriage that deals with minimum ages of marriage. <BR /> <BR />The Committee received a further briefing on 23 October 2024. During that meeting, the Committee was informed by officials that they hoped that the Bill would be introduced prior to summer 2025. The Committee is, obviously, disappointed that it has taken nearly a year since that indicated date for the Bill to be introduced, but, in broad terms, we welcome its contents. We look forward to our meeting on Wednesday, when departmental officials will brief Members on the contents of the Bill, including the two broad parts that the Minister has talked about today.”
“The Bill needs to deliver that change and to provide clear, robust and enforceable protections to prevent child marriage in all circumstances. The Committee noted that, in the Department's consultation, approximately 70% of online respondents and all written respondents who commented on the development regarding belief marriage supported it. None of the three Churches that responded to the proposal raised any objection. As for increasing the minimum age of marriage to 18, 97% of online respondents supported the potential change. Members also discussed the potential sanctions for breaking the law, assuming that it passes, and the enforcement of the minimum age of marriage.”
“The Committee notes the importance of the Bill and has been regularly kept up to date on its progress. Officials from the civil law reform division, which is a small but busy team in the Department — I acknowledge them; they are in the Box today — first briefed the Committee on 17 April 2024. That briefing focused on the proposed Bill, which, as the Minister said, would see the minimum age of marriage raised to 18 and would put into law temporary arrangements for non-religious belief marriages, putting them on the same footing as civil and religious marriages. The worldwide campaign against child marriage is now well known to most of us, including all in the Assembly, and is of the utmost importance.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I will speak first as Chair of the Finance Committee and then make few remarks in a party capacity. <BR /> <BR />Let me thank the Minister for his comments. I welcome the fact that we are debating the Second Stage of the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill. The Committee looks forward to scrutinising the Bill in detail, and I thank the Minister for giving the Committee advance sight of the explanatory and financial memorandum. I hope that, as with three Bills thus far in the mandate, constructive engagement between the Committee and the Department will continue on the legislative process.”
“The students, staff and faculty at Ulster University and, indeed, our economy more broadly deserve better than that. They deserve proper accountability, and we in the Opposition will be pressing for that.”
“You can add that to a long list of other things at the Executive and at Stormont that we have been promised but that have not been delivered, including a plan for NI Water so that houses can be built and Lough Neagh can be defended; and an investment strategy to set out to the public and private sectors the infrastructure and investment priorities of the Executive over the next number of years. The list goes on and on. <BR /> <BR />Prime among that list is the multi-year Budget. All the things that we want to build in the long term when it comes to our public services and our economy cannot be done without a multi-year Budget, but the Executive have failed. The Minister has not stood up and accepted responsibility, because the culture in this Executive is to shift responsibility to someone else.”
“We have had successive Ministers claim credit and take photo opportunities when it suits, whether that is at the Ulster University campus in Belfast or when progress has been made at Magee. Although we welcome that, those Ministers then fail to support higher education when it matters. As the Member who spoke previously said, we have been promised a review of the funding of higher education, but that still has not arrived. We do not know where it is.”
“They talked about a range of issues, including their own prospects. They are very passionate, brilliant young people, and, if we can, we want to keep them here to grow our economy, contribute to public services and grow this society. Some of them are perhaps thinking about leaving for onward education or employment. Everything about the announcement from Ulster University goes against those priorities and what the Minister and her predecessor have said about the priority being placed on higher education here in Northern Ireland, both in relation to the expansion of Magee and, more generally, when it comes to building a high-skill economy here in the North. <BR /> <BR />The problem is the failure to take responsibility.”
“I was not going to speak on this matter because my colleagues have covered it all fairly comprehensively, but I want to reflect for a couple of minutes on where we are with the situation at Ulster University. First and foremost, my thoughts are with those directly affected at the institution, the first being staff who are worried about their jobs and livelihoods. I stand in solidarity with them. I know that the University and College Union will campaign hard to try to establish the position, to defend against compulsory redundancies and to give those staff the maximum help. <BR /> <BR />My thoughts are also with the students. I met a group of Ulster University students from the student council when they came to Stormont just last week. I sponsored them to have their student council meeting here.”
“It would be helpful if the Chair and the Speaker's Office, at some point, could offer more guidance on this. There will be real concern in the public about our inability in the Assembly to make those vital changes to deliver environmental protection. Thank you.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. While not challenging the judgement of the Chair, I wish to ask under Standing Orders for guidance on why two specific amendments were not selected for debate on the Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill, which was drafted with a very wide scope. We submitted a number of amendments as the Opposition, but two were particularly critical and have wide consensus. One is on the creation of an independent environmental protection agency (EPA), and the other is on a provision for minimum unit pricing in Northern Ireland. Both have significant degrees of political consensus; indeed, there is a degree of urgency with both, particularly the EPA. Therefore, with respect to the Chair and while not challenging the judgement, it goes back to some of what you were saying earlier.”
“Minister, you have said repeatedly that recruitment and retention is contingent on adequate funding. I presume that you have been in conversation with the Finance Minister about your budget. Have you agreed your allocation for the multi-year Budget, and is it sufficient to recruit the requisite number of prison officers over the next three years?”
“<BR /> <BR />I commend the Member who proposed the motion. It is apposite. It is right that we agree that it should be brought forward. However, we would be better hearing from the First Minister and deputy First Minister, whose collective voice on behalf of the devolved Government in this region would have even more impact in London, Dublin and Brussels to ensure that that funding continues. My party is happy to support the motion.”
“The Executive match-funded the European social fund work on employability in Northern Ireland. When that fund came to an end in 2024, they saved £30 million. We have never found out where that £30 million went, but the community and voluntary organisations that have had to lay people off and stop doing work for vulnerable communities were told, "No, we do not have any money", despite the fact that, just a few years ago, the Executive saved £30 million. Therefore, when we are accounting for European funding and match funding, let us reflect on that and on the fact that the Executive, in conjunction with the UK Government, have, I am afraid, let down the organisations who benefited from the European social fund. When it comes to PEACE PLUS, I hope that we never get anywhere near that.”
“Those organisations were able to continue that work. Now, the Labour Government have insisted on a local growth fund that is calibrated differently, with an emphasis on capital as opposed to resource. That has created an extreme problem for local organisations. The frustrating thing for them is that the UK Government's short-termist and, frankly, reckless and heedless approach has been made worse by the fact that the Executive have simply put their hand up and said, "Talk to them. Go away and talk to London. Not our problem, not our doing". It is important to note that, because people have also talked in the Chamber about who has paid for what. <BR /> <BR />When the old European social fund ended, the Executive saved money. That was a match-funded project.”
“It has a specific purpose and set of purposes that are distinct from other areas of European funding. It has helped with the process of reconciliation. I hope that it can help with the continued process and ongoing work of conflict resolution and reconciliation on this island. <BR /> <BR />It would be remiss of me not to mention — it has not been mentioned thus far — another issue with regard to European successor funding that looms large in Northern Ireland at the minute: the loss, a few years ago, of European social funding. The European social fund was critical to funding things like employability and employment-related support. It was succeeded by something called the "Shared Prosperity Fund". Most people in the Chamber were not fans of it, but it did, at least, continue the cash amount of funding for a year or two.”
“I do not need another minute. It is fine, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />Let me say this: PEACE PLUS is an extraordinarily important fund. It is extraordinarily important for community groups and voluntary organisations that have benefited from it in the border counties and across the North. As Stewart Dickson said appositely a moment ago, it is a unique fund. Therefore, while people will say, "Ah, but the UK was a net contributor and a lot of that money was funded by the UK Government", and that is true — I have no difficulty in acknowledging that the UK Government clearly are a major and, in fact, majority funder and I am glad that, even in the dark days, Tory Brexiteers were willing to fund it — it is a distinct and unique pot of funding.”
“Of course, I am old enough to remember not just the DUP's stance on Brexit but a certain MEP from this part of the world getting kicked out of the European Parliament for calling the Pope an Antichrist. Now, the DUP is in league with a fella who literally presents himself as Christ on social media. What a turn up for the books. Talk about meeting yourself coming back. We all evolve over the years. Sometimes, certain people should, perhaps, look at their own history and think more carefully before they call out others.”
“Given that it would appear that the parties of both the First Minister and deputy First Minister are in agreement with the motion, even if they present the text in a slightly different way, it would probably have been, in a sense, more useful for them to have collectively communicated that agreement in person or via some other means to London, Dublin and the European Union, rather than our coming here to debate the motion. Nevertheless, we support the motion. <BR /> <BR />People have talked about their parties' perspectives. My party is strongly pro-European and always has been. Mr Brett was talking about the history of Sinn Féin: perhaps, it was not quite as pro-European as it is now. He talked about being old enough to remember Sinn Féin not being so pro-European.”
“It has been an interesting debate this evening, and we are happy to support the motion. PEACE PLUS has been a hugely important financial support for this island, particularly the North and the border communities, as we journeyed from conflict into peace. I welcome the fact that we are able to debate its continuation today, and I welcome the fact that there is in-principle agreement from London, Dublin and Brussels that PEACE PLUS will continue. I agree that there is some concern about the central funding, and I welcome the fact that MEPs are working on that, so I am happy to confirm our agreement to all of that. Obviously, it would have been more impactful to have the First Minister and deputy First Minister here to respond to the debate or, even better, to have embraced this as a policy collectively.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I would be grateful for your advice. First, I welcome what the Minister said about freezing public transport fares. She said that when Mr Gildernew asked about it, but, before that, when my colleague Justin McNulty asked her about engagement with Translink, she did not mention the engagement that she had had and the decision to freeze public transport fares. Is it in order for Ministers to choose not to give an answer in response to a question from a Member of the Opposition but to wait to answer the same question from a Member from their party, because it is more politically useful to do so?”
“Finally, on behalf of the ordinary people of Northern Ireland, I ask this: will the Executive take some responsibility?”
“— one another and then shift responsibility to London.”
“That is just a short list, but all of those are specific, practical actions that you could have taken, but the Executive have done none of them. You, your party and Sinn Féin have sought to theatrically blame —”
“Deputy First Minister, I did not hear a single specific action that the Executive have led on. I will leave aside for one second the irony of your listing all the people affected when you and your colleagues flew over to Washington to plámás and flatter the man who caused the crisis in the first place with his reckless war. <BR /> <BR />Deputy First Minister, you said that the primary responsibility lies with the UK Government. You are right about that in relation to fuel duty and things of that nature. The Opposition agree with the Executive on that. However, I refer to actions such as spending the £17 million of support money, engaging with farmers and small businesses, delivering a reduction in transport fares and supporting domiciliary care workers with the pressures that they face in getting around the country.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. On that, deputy First Minister, do you agree that many people in the BAME community here feel really let down by the Executive? Hate crime increased by 50% in the final year of the last racial equality strategy. They really want to see more practical action ahead of the summer, in particular, because there is the fear of more violence, given that we have seen that during the last two summers in Northern Ireland.”
“— can tackle that affliction. Rest in peace, Michael.”
“His funeral is happening literally now, and he will be buried later today. His wife, Naomi, and his entire family, who live in south Belfast, have had a profound loss, but the gift that Michael was able to give us in his short time on earth was extraordinary. Let his legacy be one not just of that artistic achievement but of more research into the awful affliction that is motor neurone disease. He bore that affliction with such courage and dignity. He did lots fundraising work and other work to raise awareness of motor neurone disease, and we hope that medical research —”
“He then worked with another talented playwright from this part of the world, Oisín Kearney, to develop memorable shows, including 'My Left Nut' and a range of other funny, vivid and inspiring pieces of art. Michael had an extraordinary future on the stage, an extraordinary lifetime of artistic endeavour to pursue and, in a sense, a gift to bestow on us all. It is an extraordinary tragedy that he was not able to live out the rest of that life, but, in the years in which we had him, he gave an extraordinary gift to everybody. The British and Irish theatre scenes have paid extraordinary tribute to Michael's contribution.”
“He, in a sense, used his extraordinarily difficult diagnosis and affliction to create the most profound art, including a stage show called 'My Right Foot', which finished just a few months ago, and an extraordinary performance as Richard III in a version of the play that was adapted to specifically reflect Michael's condition. For anyone who saw that play, it was, I think, a truly awe-inspiring and seminal performance. I was not fortunate enough to be able to see it, but my wife and lots of other people whom I know were unbelievably affected by Michael's performance. <BR /> <BR />Michael Patrick was an extraordinary artist. From my constituency of South Belfast, he made his way to Cambridge University, where he shone in the Footlights, and then pursued a career in the theatre, including with the Royal Shakespeare Company.”
“Earlier today, we joined in celebrating the extraordinary success of Rory McIlroy in the sporting field. I wish also to share some words of profound sadness about someone of the same age who was lost from the arts community not just in Northern Ireland but on the island of Ireland: a man named Michael Campbell, whose stage name was Michael Patrick. <BR /> <BR />Michael was diagnosed with motor neurone disease early in 2023. He was an extraordinary artist and an exceptionally talented man who bore his illness with extraordinary bravery.”
“There was nothing stopping the Communities Minister, the Economy Minister and other Ministers coming up with a support package for home heating oil users weeks ago. There was nothing stopping them working with Translink to implement a plan for reduced transport fares. They have done none of that; they have come into the Chamber, rowed with each other and deflected. They need to work with the British Government, who have a responsibility, to support the people and businesses of this society.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is no use the two big Executive parties coming here, throwing digs at one another, writing letters to London, going for selfies with Donald Trump and then refusing to be honest with the public of Northern Ireland about their responsibility. That is deflection. It is one of the reasons why our politics has become broken and why people in this society do not trust those two parties to prioritise the common good, their needs, their communities, their businesses and their livelihoods. What they see is that, when it comes to a time of crisis, those parties will simply prioritise theatrical falling out and their own party political interests. <BR /> <BR />There was nothing stopping the First Minister and deputy First Minister urgently convening a meeting of affected sectors weeks ago.”
“I am not aware that, over the past fortnight, the First Minister and deputy First Minister or any other Ministers have convened an urgent meeting with, for example, farmers, hauliers, domiciliary care workers or other affected groups to ask them about the impacts on their businesses and communities and to come up with a package of support or at least to work to develop what such a package might look like, were there to be more financial support from the UK Government. Indeed, those two parties told us that they did not have the financial firepower. As the official Opposition, we said, "We back you. What scheme do you want to deliver?". They got £17 million. We agreed that it should have been more and that we wanted to see more, but it has been stuck in an Executive bank account for more than a month.”