Cara Hunter
East Londonderry · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“<BR /> <BR />At Committee, we heard such compelling evidence from young people about why girls should have the choice of wearing trousers in school. Outside of the young people themselves, the conversations that we had with Menstruation Matters, particularly on the dignity piece about young girls and periods, really resonated with me.”
“I am happy to be here. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I fear that I will repeat a number of points that have been made this evening. As a relatively young woman — I am 30 now — I am absolutely baffled that we have to debate this issue. It is truly astonishing. If I did not have notes in front of me, I would have no words to say.”
“That is why it is so important to echo today that, despite the simplicity of this change, it will be so meaningful in protecting young girls and their dignity in a number of ways. We also often hear directly from young women that they simply want to be comfortable.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. Ultimately, the Department of Education and the Minister will tell our young people, "Aspire to be the best that you can be. Get out into the world. You can do and be anything — but you cannot wear trousers". That is lunacy. It is lunacy and hypocrisy of the highest order.”
“<BR /> <BR />I find it extraordinary and depressing that this did not pass previously and that we have had to regroup. As the Chair of the Education Committee rightly said, this could be done at the stroke of a pen. It is nonsensical that we have to do it this way.”
“I thank the Member for his point, but, respectfully, I am not here to talk about other jurisdictions; I am here to talk about the rights of my constituents in East Derry and people right across the North.”
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“Notable areas include the establishment of a transport decarbonisation branch tasked with delivering on the ground on modal shift. <BR /> <BR />I could truly go on all day, and there really is a positive abundance of activity and delivery that the Minister and her Department have been working on. That deserves not only recognition but our support as a Statutory Committee. I welcome what much of the report seeks to achieve, and I can see that aligning with the Minister's priorities and policy direction. However, I want to mention again the energy strategy. While that is not for Minister Mallon — I understand that it sits with the Economy Minister — does Minister Mallon today have any information from the DUP Minister on where the energy strategy is and what it will potentially look like?”
“She has been greening her departmental fleet, has been making planning changes and has been clear that she has worked to ensure that the Executive's energy strategy has a focus on decarbonising transport, including measures to support modal shift, the electrification of transport, the use of alternative fuels in transport and the future of mobility. That all comes on top of the £20 million blue-green infrastructure funding, showing that our Minister is truly putting money where her mouth is. The best thing about the blue-green money is that it empowers local communities to create a shared space. Even in the face of a global pandemic, with the restart of vast operational public services, our Minister has continued to press for change.”
“We truly need to get a move on. We want to see change as quickly as possible in order to reach net zero. We are leading the way at Westminster and here in government. At Westminster next month, the SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood, will introduce radical legislation to demand the rapid response that we need to protect our planet and our future generations here and to tackle that aspect of generational injustice surrounding climate change. In government here, our SDLP Minister, Minister Mallon, has been leading from the front. At the Conference of the Parties (COP) 26, she announced a task force to deliver more EV charging infrastructure and more investment in zero-emission buses.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank the Chairman for his detailed contribution on the report, and there are a few aspects of that that I would like to draw out. I am sure it is accepted across the House that tackling the climate crisis is not one Department or Minister's responsibility; the weight of responsibility to deliver this lasting change rests firmly on all our shoulders. That said, we all recognise that transport is a massive emitter, and I know that that is an issue that, since coming into office, our Minister Mallon has worked tirelessly to address. While I will not rehearse all the Minister's actions to date, as, I am sure, she will provide us with more detail, I applaud the Minister's leadership on the issue. <BR /> <BR />It is frustrating and, frankly, embarrassing that the North is still without legislation to tackle the climate crisis.”
“I rise today as a relatively new member of the Infrastructure Committee. I am also our climate champion in the SDLP as well as our infrastructure spokesperson, so it will be no surprise to colleagues to hear that I am pleased that the Committee has been able to focus its time on this important report on decarbonising our transport here. Before I begin, I pay tribute to my colleague Dolores Kelly, my predecessor on the Committee, who put a lot of hard work into the report. I know that she will join me today in offering the support of us in the SDLP for decarbonisation and our intentions to see the report as a partnership between the Committee, the Minister and the wider Executive for delivering change to our society, our people and our environment and its urgent needs.”
“I thank the Minister for her response. I express my support for, and solidarity with, her following the events that took place last week. I agree with her wholeheartedly: education is a big part of the answer in teaching young people what abuse looks and sounds like. It is extremely disappointing that the Education Minister has not responded on the matter. Will the Justice Minister assure us that her Department will liaise with the Department of Education, where possible, in the future, to ensure that, on these sensitive issues, our curriculum is fit for purpose for young people?”
“I thank the Minister for her work on the review, and I recognise that she is focused on finding a solution. Minister, can you provide Members with a little more insight into the main concerns that were raised?”
“I welcome the Minister's statement to the House this afternoon and also her announcement at COP26 about the new task force for increasing electric vehicle charging in the North, which is badly needed. I note that the Minister attended a British-Irish Council (BIC) panel at COP26. Minister, can you update us on what further plans you have to work collaboratively across these islands to tackle the climate crisis?”
“We keep the bags in the bathroom; people can close the door; they can take what they need; no one is looking; and there is no judgement. It is all very discreet. It is a small initiative, but we know that people avail themselves of the bags. People come in and use them, so we are aware that they are vital. The products are needed, so it is crucial that people are provided with them. <BR /> <BR />I am delighted to say that I strongly support the Bill at this stage. I hope that other Members will also support it and that they will continue to engage with Pat as the Bill goes through its stages.”
“The SDLP's Bill asks the House to put the North on an equal footing with other parts of these islands. <BR /> <BR />Let us be real: when girls do not have sanitary products, their education, work and livelihoods are affected. It has an impact on their professional and personal lives. On average, women menstruate for roughly seven years throughout their lifetime, so I assure Members that the issue will not go away. <BR /> <BR />I thank all the young activists who have been involved in promoting this key issue and who have worked alongside Pat in crafting the Bill. The SDLP is committed to tackling period poverty. All our constituency offices are stocked with period products. We are part of an initiative called Take What You Need, which provides small bags of diverse products to meet the public's needs.”
“It is a good time to ask ourselves where we are with education about periods. Can we do better? I agree with Mr Lyttle: I think that we can. <BR /> <BR />Currently, one girl in 10 aged between 14 and 21 cannot afford menstrual products. Today, approximately 16,000 girls across the North fall into that category. Since lockdown last year, that has risen to three girls in 10. What impact does that have on the overall confidence, well-being and academic achievement of our young girls? As previously mentioned, 40% of girls in the UK have had to use toilet paper because they cannot afford period products — that is 40% of girls who deserve dignity. They deserve free products. The North is the only place in the UK where young women do not have access to free period products.”
“We have a long way to go in tackling period poverty, but I am absolutely delighted that the Member to my right, my friend and colleague, a father of three girls, introduces the Bill without an ounce of embarrassment but with wholehearted and genuine determination to assist those who need these products and to see the Bill through. We thank Pat for that. <BR /> <BR />The Bill touches on the importance of free provision across the world to ensure that everyone has access to these products, whether single mothers who cannot afford them or those who are now choosing, as we come up to Christmas, whether to heat or eat. Period products may not be within their budget. The average cost of a period for a year is £128, which is roughly £5,000 in a woman's lifetime. However, the true cost is the shame, stigma and taboo that still surrounds periods.”
“It is a delight to speak on the Bill. As a young woman, I think that this is a day of great significance as this important Bill reaches its Second Stage. <BR /> <BR />We are here not only to discuss the financial cost of these products but the true cost if they are not provided. What does that reality look like for girls across the North? It looks like embarrassment, shame and stigma, and it is happening right now. The Bill is a crucial first step in tackling a societal issue. To this day, many wince, blush and hush at what is an everyday reality for 50% of the world's population.”
“These attacks on our public transport are an absolute disgrace and serve absolutely no one. In my constituency in recent months, a car was set on fire on the train tracks in the Bellarena area. That caused significant distress to all on board the train, including the driver, and to the local community. These acts serve absolutely nobody. <BR /> <BR />Our transport staff are hard-working people who ensure that our constituents are transported from A to B. They deserve respect and, of course, safety. On that note, will the Minister update us on how transport workers are being supported after this unnerving experience, and will social media be updated by Translink to advise users when services are back up and running?”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. Minister, regarding some of the anti-fraud measures that are in place, a number of married women and transgender individuals are failing the name verification process. What measures has your Department put in place to rectify that?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. We would all love to see more transitioning from fossil fuels to cleaner renewable initiatives for green growth and farming. How is his Department working with farmers and farmers' unions to assist our farmers with a just transition?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. The North has the lowest density of woodland in Europe, with just 8% of our land being forest. You have committed to the Forests for Our Future initiative. Will you give an update on it? <BR /> <BR />At my recent visit to COP26, I noted the importance of planting seagrass to help reduce carbon. Are the Minister and his Department exploring its use?”
“<BR /> <BR />I hope that, with this motion, the Assembly finally recognises the housing crisis that we face. As an Assembly, we can all work together to give our young people here the chance to go from a place in which they just live to a place that they can call home.”
“<BR /> <BR />According to Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) statistics for 2021, the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area had the lowest earnings of all local government districts, with employees earning just £452 a week, compared with £618 a week in Belfast, meaning that the area with the highest increase in housing prices is the area with the lowest wages and wage growth in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I am truly worried for the health and well-being of my constituents who have the threat of insecure tenure and homelessness hanging over their head. We are staring down the long road of a mental health crisis that already exists here, and the added pressures of unaffordable housing will have an impact on the overall health and well-being of all who live here.”
“I am a Portrush resident, but, on the wider north coast, in areas such as Castlerock, Portstewart, Portballintrae and even Benone, we are seeing an influx of second homeowners who rent out their property in the tourist season and are pushing local people away from their town. There are no affordable homes for local residents. Communities here are being eroded. Families are being forced to split and live in different towns. The SDLP believes that we can and must do better. <BR /> <BR />It is deeply worrying and disturbing to see the impact of the housing crisis on young people across Ireland, with the average cost of a rental in 2021 being £729. How are young people meant to be convinced to stay here when housing prices are continuing on an upward trend?”
“They are being priced out of their own communities.”
“In the two council areas in my constituency, for example, we have seen prices in the Causeway Coast and Glens area increase by 16·9%, which is nearly 17%, and, in Derry City and Strabane, there has been an increase of nearly 6%. Many tenants across Northern Ireland are being evicted by landlords who wish to sell up, with my constituency office receiving many phone calls from worried constituents, especially those with small children. They have a fear of becoming homeless, and they really have nowhere to turn, as was eloquently put by my colleague. <BR /> <BR />In places such as Portrush and Portstewart, areas that are more popular with tourists, local people are being pushed out of the town where they spent their childhood by landlord greed, spiralling rents and the lack of available affordable social housing.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have been contacted by many constituents across East Derry and, indeed, across the North about housing, as have other Members. Those constituents have different jobs, ages and backgrounds. They are renters, buyers, homeowners and people who are still having to live with their parents. Housing is the number one area that the caseworkers in my office are contacted about. Many constituents are trying to get social housing as a result of being handed a notice to quit after their landlord decided to sell the house during the pandemic. It is of the utmost importance that we increase the housing stock to tackle the long and ever-extending waiting lists that people here are facing. <BR /> <BR />The average value of housing has increased dramatically, especially over the past 12 months.”
“Having tabled the motion, alongside my colleagues, I welcome the opportunity to speak on it. Over a third of young people around my age — between the ages of 20 and 34 — still live at home with their parents, often moving back because of soaring rents, financial hardship or lack of economic opportunity to save for a mortgage deposit for their first home. I truly believe that we are entering dangerous waters for the future of our young people. In my constituency of East Derry, in the past year, only 58 social houses were completed against a backdrop of 2,538 applicants. Those statistics are worrying and show the scale of the problem that we face, given our growing population, and we know that it will only get worse.”
“We welcome the Department for Infrastructure's efforts throughout this challenging time. Recently, the Infrastructure Committee heard from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Will the Minister provide further assurance to drivers, ahead of their MOT, about the PSNI and insurance?”
“Will future affordable warmth schemes focus on support for energy efficiency programmes and the use of renewable energy sources?”
“I call on the Department to meet the leadership of the Irish-medium sector as a matter of urgency and to work to address the issues and concerns. <BR /> <BR />Fundamentally, excellence and achievement in education are vital for equality and prosperity in our society. The SDLP is committed to the development of an education system of which all our young people really feel part. All children have an equal right to academic achievement regardless of the language that they speak. I wholeheartedly encourage the Minister to visit and to see first-hand the commitment from teachers and pupils to the language and its growth.”
“In relation to Irish-medium education, we must ask ourselves, "Where are we, today?". Gaelcholáiste Dhoire has gone from 13 pupils to nearly 300 in just five years. That is remarkable. Does current departmental funding adequately support and help to sustain that growth? <BR /> <BR />I will be raising several key issues with the Minister of Education on teacher training in the North, examiner issues and the pressing matter of unsustainable, unsuitable accommodation. At present, 60% of Irish-medium schools are housed in non-permanent buildings. Most importantly, long-term planning and investment are badly needed in the sector. I feel strongly that the Irish language is not being facilitated and legislated for in the way in which it should.”
“The agreement rightly highlighted the duty of promotion and protection of the Irish language. Crucially, it gave the Department of Education a statutory duty to:”
“I welcome the opportunity to raise the need for correct and further investment in Irish-medium education in the North. <BR /> <BR />Recently, I was lucky enough to visit Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Dungiven, in my constituency, to see at first hand how Irish-medium education is one of the fastest-growing movements on the island and to see the passion in our young people, right now, for this living, breathing language. While I was there, I was aware of several challenges. It is vital to raise in the House some of the current barriers in the sector. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 states:”
“<BR /> <BR />Concerns were raised, and Members across the Chamber acted. They will undoubtedly be grateful that those concerns have been not only heard but accepted and acted on. It shows the leadership and integrity with which the Minister for Infrastructure works in her Department. She does so with professionalism and political maturity, as we have seen on so many occasions. As one member of the public commented online, the Minister's action showed depth of character and a willingness to listen. Government in partnership, government that listens and government that cares about rural communities is the type of government that citizens deserve. I am pleased that our Minister has not shied away from hard decisions or fair governance; instead, she has stepped up today, as she always has.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in my first week as a member of the Infrastructure Committee. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the decision by our Minister to instruct her officials to remove the planning advice note on development in the countryside. She has listened carefully to rural voices and, in particular, to her SDLP colleagues who represent rural communities. Many in our rural communities understand that the planning note was well intentioned and was simply to help provide councils with certainty and clarity on the current strategic planning policy statement (SPPS). I have heard clearly from the Minister and her officials that there is no change in policy. That notwithstanding, I welcome the Minister's recognition that rural communities felt that the PAN added confusion rather than clarity.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Can she outline whether her Department will revisit keeping records of COVID-19 infection rates in our schools in order to inform policymaking?”
“That is intended to help them to reduce the effects of toxic substances released in fires, with actions such as taking showers soon after fires being advised. The SDLP wholeheartedly agrees that introducing additional annual cancer screening to monitor and manage health will greatly assist in assessing the health status of our firefighters and better serve them. The inclusion of the amendment on post-incident decontamination is also warmly welcomed, as it will ensure that family members are also prevented from being exposed to those harmful contaminants. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP strongly supports the motion and the amendment, and it strongly supports our firefighters.”
“As of 6 September 2021, it was listed that 250 New York City Fire Department deaths have taken place since 2001, resulting directly from 9/11-related illnesses. Those are real people who made great sacrifices and who have left loved ones behind. Research reveals that those firefighters developed those conditions as a direct consequence of breathing in toxic fumes ejected by the collapsing World Trade Center. <BR /> <BR />That leads me to the wording of the motion. It is deeply worrying that studies reveal that firefighters have a higher risk — four times higher — from environmental contamination from fires, leading to great concern about their health. We welcome the fact that the Fire Brigades Union has launched new training that aims to fight the threat of cancer to our firefighters.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate, and I thank the Members who proposed the motion and tabled the amendment. <BR /> <BR />Firefighters are undoubtedly amongst the most selfless people in our society. I can recall the bravery and selflessness that we all witnessed in New York City during 9/11 and, more recently, in London following the Grenfell tower fire. Both incidents were heartbreaking and both had a profound negative impact on firefighters' physical health. In particular, 9/11 has left a devastating, decades-long imprint in the form of mental and physical illness that, for first responders especially, has proven deadly. As has been mentioned, many of those who did not die on the scene that day developed deadly chronic illnesses such as cancer and respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions.”
“I thank the Minister for questioning me at Question Time. When I spoke to HGV and LGV representatives on the ground, they raised their concerns with me, and that is why I ask the question on their behalf.”
“I thank the Member for her intervention. I wholeheartedly agree. Look back at the AIDS pandemic of the 1980s, for example. Many people protested outside AIDS clinics, saying that it was a "gay disease". That shows the level of disgust that I have towards the attitude shown outside those clinics. These are vulnerable individuals attending the clinics to seek healthcare and support. They deserve dignity and privacy when doing so. I thank the Member for her important intervention. <BR /> <BR />This is not about criminalising prayer. It is about preventing harm and promoting the safety and well-being of women who are trying to access healthcare. The SDLP supports the Bill.”
“We do respect that, and we accept the right to protest.”
“<BR /> <BR />I fully recognise that all anti-abortion activities outside those clinics can cause great distress, and I extend my sympathies to all those who are either going through or who have previously gone through that extremely difficult and personal process. I hope that Members agree with me that women have a fundamental right to privacy and dignity, especially when they are visiting a hospital at a very sensitive time when they are profoundly vulnerable. Let us be clear that that is not always women who are having a termination; it is often any women of childbearing age entering clinics. <BR /> <BR />I am aware that some see the argument as being complex or reject the Bill due to the nature of competing constitutional rights, but let us be clear: we respect the right to religious belief and the right to assembly.”
“The first includes protestors displaying banners and handing out leaflets; the second includes protestors handing out model fetuses displaying graphic images, following people, blocking their path and, as Ms Bailey mentioned, even assaulting them. One cannot begin to imagine the damaging and detrimental impact that this behaviour has had on patients and staff. Women who have just had a miscarriage are being forced to look at those images. This behaviour can leave patients distressed and has caused some to rebook their appointments, resulting in further delay, or to not follow medical advice in order to avoid the protestors.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill as our party's health spokesperson and as the SDLP MLA for East Derry. I would like to thank Ms Bailey for bringing forward this important Bill. Recently, we have seen an increase in much-needed discussion of the harm and intimidation of and violence against women in our society. I feel that the Bill addresses a real part of that issue here in Northern Ireland: the worrying normalisation of harassment towards women who are seeking medical treatment. Let us be clear: no form of intimidation, harassment or violence has ever been, or ever will be, acceptable. <BR /> <BR />Many of these protests happen at places that offer family planning, counselling for those who have suffered miscarriages and a host of other services as well as terminations. This behaviour can be divided into two groups.”
“I therefore ask the Minister, in his response, to touch on what steps his Department will take to try to ensure that there are no further circuit breakers or lockdowns.”
“I hope that the loosening of regulations will assist those businesses to get back on their feet. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome the increase in the number permitted to gather indoors at a private dwelling from 10 to 15 persons from four households. That will certainly aid events such as wakes and will provide community support in homes and at gatherings following a loss. Such restrictions caused great difficulty and sorrow at the peak of the pandemic. <BR /> <BR />Many of the points that I was going to raise have been raised by Members previously, so I will wind up and ask the Minister whether he can come back to me on this. As we approach the winter months and flu season, there is concern about the pressures on the health service.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome the fact that, as a society, we continue to move forward and regain some sense of normality. The amendment regulations being discussed today are a small step towards our returning to normality. I hope that we can continue to do so cautiously and consciously. Businesses in the hospitality industry will welcome the fact that the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2021 (Amendment No. 15) Regulations 2021 remove the requirement to be seated at a table to order or collect food and drink. I note the removal of the requirement for music to be played at an ambient level, which will assist in adding atmosphere. We know that our hospitality sector has struggled and suffered significantly throughout the COVID crisis.”
“I thank the Minister for being here today. I welcome the opportunity to speak briefly on the health regulations. As we are talking about grief, I put on record my sincere condolences to all those who have lost their life with COVID since the beginning of the pandemic. I also give thanks to our carers, nurses, doctors and mental health professionals. They have persevered throughout what has been an exceptionally difficult almost two years. Speaking recently with the RCN, I heard first-hand how COVID has affected their well-being. That shows the impact that constant pressures have on our health professionals. I sincerely hope that well-being measures continue and that they can be extended to support them as we come out of the pandemic.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. I agree; any families that I have spoken with want more support post-adoption. Hopefully, the Bill will do that.”
“That would bring us in line with other legislation, such as the provisions in the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021. <BR /> <BR />While I regret that the legislation is a long time coming — Paul Goggins unveiled the Adopting the Future strategy in 2006, which set out some of the changes that were needed — I am very grateful that we are here today. I thank the Minister for bringing this important Bill forward. Each year, 85 to 90 children are adopted in the North; that is a lot of new beginnings. I hope that the Bill will go as far as possible to support them and their families in the new chapter of their lives.”
“I hope that as, we progress the Bill, we can see that same enthusiasm and language of inclusivity. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome wholeheartedly the inclusion of stopping young women and girls from undergoing barbaric FGM. <BR /> <BR />Lastly, I urge the Department to outline how the additional services in the Bill will be resourced and to ensure that consultation and engagement with the Department of Justice and the Courts Service is maximised so that the changes are implemented with minimal disruption. Along with Barnardo's and the Chair of the Committee, I have some concerns about clause 133, "Definition of harm". The definition should be expanded in order to recognise that children do not need to witness ill-treatment by sight or sound to be affected and impacted by it.”
“I would like to hear a little bit more about that. It is important to highlight and make clear to all those who are involved, including trust employees and prospective parents, the rights of same-sex couples to adopt. The National Adoption Service in Wales, for example, states:”