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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“I have to be frank: I did. I benefited from a grammar setting. I went to Loreto College, Coleraine, and the Dominican College in Portstewart. I am well aware of the privilege. I come from what I describe as a middle-class home, and I had access to tutoring and opportunities. I returned from America just before I sat my exam and, thanks to my parents' paying for tutoring, spent my entire summer preparing for it. Yes, I acknowledge the privilege that I had, the home that I come from and how I benefited from the transfer test. I am lucky to have parents who supported me and my well-being throughout that time. Other children are not so lucky, Mr Burrows. I am here to speak to that. <BR /> <BR />The Republic ended widespread academic selection decades ago. In its place, it invested in universal access to school-based supports.”
“That shows the divide between working-class children and children who come from middle-class homes and are more likely to have access to tutoring, familiarity with exams and, of course, parental resources to help shape the outcomes that their parents desire. We are sorting our children along socio-economic lines by the time that they are 11, and then we act surprised when the attainment gap later in life persists. That will go on to shape their lives and, as the Health Minister has said, even their health outcomes. The whole thing feels grossly unfair. <BR /> <BR />Today is an opportunity to learn from other areas. Our amendment speaks of the importance of the steps that the Republic has taken. The motion acknowledges —.”
“In fact, over 90% of teachers surveyed believe that the transfer test has had a negative impact on children's mental health. When the professionals who are closest to our children tell us that it is causing damage, it is important that, certainly, the Committee and we, as elected representatives, listen. <BR /> <BR />This is the importance of our amendment: academic selection doubles down on disadvantage. It simply does not identify ability: it reflects the advantage of the child, the home in which the child is growing up and the child's access to resources. Only 14% of pupils in selective schools are entitled to free school meals, compared with over one third in non-selective schools.”
“Evidence has shown that, during the transfer process, around half of pupils report feeling anxious or stressed; one in six struggles with sleep; and one in eight says that the experience has had a long-lasting negative impact on their confidence and well-being. That is terribly sad. The transfer test is not an opportunity for resilience-building. It is a way for young people to feel boxed into whatever grade they come out with; it is a way of understanding that they are one of two things: a smart kid or a not-so-smart kid. Parents are feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place. They want their child to do well and feel obligated to have their child sit the exam while they struggle with the morality of not wanting them to. Teachers to whom I have spoken see that every year.”
“I can cast my mind back to my experience in 2006, when I sat my 11-plus. Before going into the exam hall, we did breathing exercises, in a circle, and played relaxing music before going to sit the exam. As an adult looking back, I think that it is bizarre that that was normalised. It is depressing that, to this day, we still force our young people to sit those exams.”
“That is why I asked you that question yesterday, Minister. It is really important that, if children are given one moment to prove themselves in what might be in an unfamiliar environment, which I find very cruel, we at least grant them the opportunity to resit.”
“We know that the home that a child returns to matters. How the family operates matters. We all know that our children do not grow up equally. Some children grow up in rich or middle-class homes; some grow up not knowing where their next meal is coming from. Some grow up in dysfunctional homes, while others do so in complete stability. The system is not fair. <BR /> <BR />As Members have rightly said, the fact that we ask 10- or 11-year-old children to sit high-stakes exams that tell them whether they are a success or a failure — as Cathy said, a winner or a loser — is really hard on them. I have spoken to children after they got their results, and some were so disappointed in themselves. That is really hard to see. We then move on to organise the rest of their education around one exam at one moment in time with no chance to resit.”
“One thing that, hopefully, we can agree on is the motion's recognition that the education of our children is shaped both inside and outside the classroom and highlighting the importance of working closely with your colleague the Minister for Communities:”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to speak to our amendment and to talk further about the impact of academic selection on the health and well-being of children in Northern Ireland. I thank the Members who tabled the motion. It rightly expresses concern that the Minister's programme of educational reform will be unsuccessful in tackling educational disadvantage unless we confront the reality of academic selection in the North. That concern is well founded and well researched. <BR /> <BR />Minister, I acknowledge what you said in the Chamber yesterday about academic selection. It is one of those things on which we cannot find common ground. That is sad, but I understand it.”
“Minister, thank you for your detailed statement and for giving the House so much clarity around the issue. Can you outline how you and your Department will ensure that a reformed RE curriculum could be used to strengthen mutual understanding and enhance community relations to end the division and the mistrust that exists in our society? Will you be extending your consultation to non-Christian faiths and to those without a faith?”
“Thank you, Minister. Even for parents and pupils who participate in the system for understandable reasons, the process is unacceptably opaque, especially for those who wish to resit the exam but cannot. You have said that you are happy enough for this exam to continue, but will you explore the potential for children who are unhappy with their grades to resit the exam?”
“What is the rationale for treating the issue differently from other criminal justice provisions in the Crime and Policing Bill that we are content to extend to Northern Ireland? <BR /> <BR />Finally, I would also welcome any clarification from the Minister on what engagement she has had with the Justice Secretary on the extension of the deepfake-related provisions to Northern Ireland and whether other options were discussed. Was the question of whether it was possible to include them by way of legislative consent explored? <BR /> <BR />This is not about opposing the approach that is being taken; it is more about understanding it and ensuring that we act with clarity for the public and, most important, with urgency when it comes to protecting victims of that emerging abuse.”
“The Minister may correct me in her winding-up speech, but, instead, the Executive propose to address the issue through amendments to her Justice Bill. While we understand and support the objective of legislating locally, there are several elements of the LCM that equally could be delivered through the Justice Bill but are being introduced via legislative consent. Any clarification from the Minister as to why, in this case, proposed amendments on non-consensual deepfake imagery are better placed in the Justice Bill, rather than by way of the legislative consent motion, would be helpful. I ask her to clarify in her winding-up speech whether it is quicker to do it in that way.”
“Given our debate last week, I would like to use the opportunity today to ask for some clarity on the issues of AI, online harms and deepfakes. I ask the Minister, when she makes her winding-up speech, to help us understand what the next steps will look like. It is my understanding, Minister, that the Crime and Policing Bill contains provisions to tackle the filming and distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery, including the growing and deeply concerning use of AI-generated deepfakes. As was discussed last week, that is an area in which rapidly evolving technology is causing clear and evident harm, so there is a need for robust legal protections. <BR /> <BR />It is my understanding that those protections are not being taken forward through this legislative consent motion.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of today's legislative consent motion. From the outset, I want to be clear that we broadly welcome the extension of the provisions in the Crime and Policing Bill to Northern Ireland. The measures will strengthen our criminal justice framework, improve public protection and ensure that people here benefit from legislative advances being made elsewhere. In that sense, the LCM is sensible and proportionate. I also acknowledge the principle underpinning legislative consent motions more generally that legislation should, wherever possible, be delivered as close to home as is practical. Devolution matters, and the Assembly should always be mindful of protecting and exercising its legislative competence. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you will be mindful that I have never been on the Justice Committee.”
“Some businesses in the area feel, however, that communication with them could be improved. Nothing is perfect, but it is about taking the opportunity to learn what could be done differently. People are stuck in traffic, because of the projects in Kilrea and Greysteel. They are being kept late, and they are stressed. They want communication from the Department. They are asking us, as elected representatives, to step up. Any clarity that you can provide on lessons learned would, therefore, be so helpful, Minister. I am grateful that you are here.”
“If you would like to do that, I will meet you and your officials during a peak time, so that you can see, at first-hand, the pressure that people are under when the road is busy and talk to parents, commuters and, of course, the business owners who, while they try to pay their bills, have been put under significant pressure, because of missing appointment after appointment due to the ongoing traffic problems. Stormont often gets criticised, fairly, for being slow and somewhat disconnected from its people, but today is an opportunity to show that we are listening and can respond. <BR /> <BR />I will finish by talking about the important issue of the delays at the Kilrea Bridge. I have found communication with me, as an elected representative, to be very good.”
“For many of my constituents, that could be something as simple as a sign that says, "You may be stuck in traffic for 30 or 40 minutes". That would be such a simple and effective way of communicating that message, keeping things going and letting people know how long they will be sitting in traffic for. Thirdly, Minister, I will extend an invitation. I know that you have been to Greysteel, and it would be insincere of me to suggest otherwise, but you are more than welcome to come again.”
“HGVs are being forced down narrow country roads that were never meant for them, so the issue is not just frustrating but dangerous. I must reiterate that it is not about being anti-active travel; today's conversation is about common sense and delivery. It is about taking a moment to reflect on what the Department for Infrastructure has learned from the project, given the significant delays. Could anything have been done differently? <BR /> <BR />Minister, I ask you, first, to urgently review how the project is being managed, including the use of working-hours traffic controls and consideration being given to whether resurfacing can be done at different times, such as off peak or through the night. If not, why not? What we have learned? Secondly, we need to give people clear and honest timelines.”
“One of them has had accidents while sitting in traffic, despite being potty-trained, due to the length of time that it has taken to get home. The other is being assessed for autism and finds the delays and disruption deeply distressing. When she is upset, her mother cannot comfort her, because she is at the wheel of the car, and they are stuck in traffic. That is the human cost of the project. It is important to raise that, but it does not stop there. <BR /> <BR />People are now taking risks in the traffic. I have heard reports of drivers using the hard shoulder, running red lights and overtaking stationary traffic and of confrontations breaking out on the main road. It is a main road that runs through the heart of my constituency and is used by thousands of people every day.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important to note that, across the House, we all recognise the importance of active travel. It is very important, but many in that area feel that they would have liked a bit more engagement throughout the duration of the roadworks so that they could understand how long they would take and what they are for and to get some answers to ongoing questions. <BR /> <BR />I will share another story from a mum of three in Limavady. Her children go to school and nursery in Eglinton, and she works in Derry. On some days, she gets through the lights in 10 minutes; on other days, she is stuck for 45 minutes, an hour or even longer. There is no pattern, no reliability and no way for my constituents to plan the basic aspects of their life. Her twins are three years old.”
“One woman from Greysteel contacted me, saying that she was unwell and needed an urgent prescription from Boots in Ballykelly, involving a journey of about five miles. Her options were to sit in traffic for up to an hour or drive 14 miles each way through narrow, muddy country roads to avoid the traffic, while sick, with everybody else sadly doing the same thing. Even the back roads are clogged up, because people use them to avoid the traffic. That is really not a reasonable choice to ask people to make. Another constituent told me bluntly that the whole saga is "ludicrous". She is right. She lives in Eglinton and regularly visits her elderly parents in Limavady, or, at least, she used to. Daytime visits have basically stopped, because they are not manageable any more.”
“However, I feel strongly that what matters just as much is my constituents getting to work on time, picking their kids up, getting to a hospital appointment or simply the chemist without it turning into a military operation or them having to guess how long it will take. Right now, for thousands of people across my constituency, whether they are constituents or commuters, that is not happening. For over two years, those roadworks have dragged on. It has been years of unpredictable delays, completion dates rolling on and people leaving early — just in case — only to still end up being late. It is all completely beyond my constituents' control. <BR /> <BR />I will share some testimonies. I spoke with a number of constituents ahead of the debate, and I want to raise on the Floor their annoyance and how they feel.”
“<BR /> <BR />I want to talk about something that may sound small on paper but that truly has a massive impact on everyday life for people right across my constituency: the roadworks between Ballykelly and Greysteel, which feel never-ending. I do not know whether I should declare an interest; I use that road almost every day. I am one of the commuters who are really annoyed at the circumstances. I have been late to a number of meetings in the past week, which has been painfully embarrassing and annoying. I have to put that on the record. <BR /> <BR />We talk a lot in this place about infrastructure, active travel and long-term planning. Of course, we know that all that matters.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the fact that the Infrastructure Minister has given her time to us, the representatives of East Derry, and other Members, representing North Antrim, East Belfast and other constituencies, to discuss traffic delays in our constituency and the wider area. Minister, today is not an opportunity for Members to berate or belittle you; it is more about sharing some lived experiences of my constituents, who are overwhelmed by and, frankly, quite angry about the delays that they experience, particularly this week as road resurfacing work really kicked in. It has been really profound. Certainly, we have heard a number of stories in the media from people who are really fed up. Today is an opportunity for me, as an SDLP MLA, to raise the matter in the House.”
“What we have seen from those social media giants and tech companies over the past number of weeks has been truly abhorrent. It is despicable. Today, hopefully, the Minister will be able to provide clarity on those issues and on what legislation will be brought forward, potentially in this mandate, to protect our young people.”
“We can provide assurances today, and we hope that you will do everything in your power to get this over the line within the mandate, because this issue affects every constituency, every constituent, every family and every child who is growing up online. Today, we can provide hope and understand the next steps in providing adequate protection for our children. Let us ensure that Northern Ireland leads, not lags, on the issue and stands up to AI-enabled abuse. <BR /> <BR />I thank Members for their attention and their contributions. I thank those who have been vocal on the matter. I urge Members across the House to support the motion, please. I believe that we all share the core value that nothing should harm our children.”
“Will past victims be able to seek justice? We need to know how new laws will interact with encrypted platforms and, due to the intense sense of privacy that those platforms provide, how we can balance the right to personal freedoms with tackling harm and harassment. Something important that has come to my attention is the legal loophole of images being qualified for personal use and of that loophole being used for abuse. <BR /> <BR />Stormont is often criticised for moving too slowly, but I believe firmly that today can be different. Let us show cross-party leadership on the issue. Let us show victims that this place really works for them and that their safety and dignity matter. Minister, today is the moment.”
“Sexualised images were created, faces superimposed, threats made and friendship networks weaponised, with a young person targeted in one of the most isolating ways humanly unimaginable. <BR /> <BR />Today is not about pity. This is not a pity party. Every victim to whom I have spoken carries severe shame and embarrassment for something that, fundamentally, they did not do. Today is about lifting the blame and shifting the shame to where it belongs: with the perpetrators. That is why the motion matters. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the engagement that the Minister has had on the issue. We need to get some clarity on timelines today. We need to understand what new laws could look like, when they could be introduced and how the Minister will engage with her counterparts in the South and across the water. Will it be retrospective?”
“You do not need a degree in Photoshop any more; you could be a 12-year-old boy and use them. There are not enough words to describe the painful purgatory of victims who lie awake at night with phones pinging constantly with messages that say, "I saw that video of you. You must be a deviant. I saw it on my phone". That is what deepfakes are really about: reducing women to sexual objects — reducing them to nothing — and deriving sick satisfaction from the humiliation of and the harm done to women in Northern Ireland. To that I say this: no more. No more of that unique form of cruelty. <BR /> <BR />Recent headlines have shown just how close to home the issue is. In early January, sadly, a GAA club in the Portadown area warned parents, after a young member was targeted in an AI-generated blackmail attempt.”
“<BR /> <BR />Let me say this clearly to the House: victims should not have to advocate for themselves, and they should not be forced to retell their trauma again and again. They should not be left torn apart by faceless trolls who can ruin their lives at the click of a button and then move on and have a laugh in the group chat, while the damage to the victim lasts for ever. I ask the House what we Northern Ireland are doing in to stop this. What are we doing to ensure that it never happens again? I have spoken to teachers and school leaders every day this week who contacted me to say, "Thank God the issue is finally being flagged. We are dealing with it constantly, and we do not know how to protect the children we teach". <BR /> <BR />Nudification apps are readily available.”
“Unforgivable stuff. Since then, Gráinne has become an unstoppable campaigner, writing to the Garda Commissioner, the Taoiseach, EU commissioners, Ministers, TDs, Senators and major tech platforms. Victims should not have to become full-time advocates just to survive, but thank God for voices such as hers and those of academics such as Professor Clare McGlynn at Durham University; for campaigners such as Jess Davies and Adele Walton, who do phenomenal work in safeguarding the online space; and for organisations such as Not Your Porn, founded by Elena Michaels, for stepping in when victims do not know where to turn or how to navigate the technology being used against them.”
“No victim here in our home in Northern Ireland should live with that fear. <BR /> <BR />Sadly, the crisis recognises no border. The problem exists on an all-island basis and is escalating. I acknowledge the extraordinary bravery of Gráinne Seoige, a journalist of decades' standing and a Fianna Fáil candidate, who experienced one of the most horrific deepfake videos during the previous election. She shared her experience with RTÉ:”
“That is not just traumatic; that is a system failing a victim at every possible point. Another victim told me:”
“Sarah became aware that a normal image of her wearing a floral dress had been deepfaked so that her breasts were visible. To this day, she is too traumatised to tell her parents that that happened. When speaking about her experience, Sarah said:”
“<BR /> <BR />What unites all victims is this: their consent is stripped away, their dignity is destroyed and the consequences can follow them for a lifetime. The issue is not niche, nor is it hypothetical. It is not something that happens elsewhere. The apps are being used every day in Northern Ireland in our schools, our workplaces and, sadly, our communities. Children's images are manipulated and shared before they fully understand what is happening. Lives are altered in minutes, sometimes irreversibly. That is why I want to start by sharing some of the testimonies of deepfake victims in Northern Ireland. They are individuals with whom I have had the absolute pleasure of engaging over the past number of years. <BR /> <BR />I will begin with a young student. This is not her real name, but, for today, let us call her "Sarah".”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Members who have joined us for an important debate, and I look forward to their contributions. <BR /> <BR />We speak often in the Chamber about ending violence against women and girls, and I am confident that every Member of the House wishes to do that and supports that objective. I want to make it absolutely clear, however, that the motion is about recognising a new and rapidly evolving entry point for that violence, one that the Assembly can no longer afford to ignore. Deepfake and so-called nudification apps represent a profound abuse of technology. They are designed to violate, humiliate and control. While women and girls are overwhelmingly the targets, I state clearly that men and boys have also suffered the abuse, and they, too, deserve recognition today as well as protection and support.”
“I thank the Minister and welcome the range of issues touched on at that important meeting. As AI is mentioned in an ethical context in the statement, I declare an interest, as I sit on an AI ethics board outside my role as an MLA. <BR /> <BR />With the topic and the week that is in it, digital safeguarding is so important. We have talked about AI harms this week and last. Will you tell the House whether you wish to offer or issue any guidance to our school leaders and parents on how to talk about those emergent technologies and the threats that they bring when it comes to online safeguarding of our children?”
“We are bringing forward practical solutions, such as the importance of robust rent controls and the issue of supply and rebuilding. We encourage Members to support our motion and to continue debating the issues to find a way forward that ensures that every family, regardless of who they are or where they live, has a right to a safe and happy home.”
“<BR /> <BR />Timothy Gaston touched on the importance of the NI Water issue and waste water infrastructure, articulating again the problem for young couples who want to get on their feet. It is so important to highlight that today. <BR /> <BR />Mr Carroll gave voice to one of the most profound points in the debate when he said that working-class people did not create this crisis but, sadly, will suffer the most because of it. That really summarises the entire debate today. <BR /> <BR />We are blessed to be in the position that we are in. We have the capacity not only to put some of our constituents' concerns to the House but to articulate some solutions. In the SDLP, we find it deeply regrettable that the housing situation has been allowed to deteriorate.”
“The Minister for Communities is no stranger to my torturing him about the issue, so I welcome any movement from his Department on engaging with the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council in particular, as the issue continues to impact on businesses, schools and local families, including young families who are just starting out and want to have a home and a stable life. <BR /> <BR />Robbie Butler mentioned that housing insecurity did not happen in isolation. It is an outcome of successive Executives, who have contributed to the issue through the lack of available social housing. We need to be honest about what is deliverable in the coming months in the mandate.”
“<BR /> <BR />Kellie Armstrong articulated the anxiety that so many feel when wondering whether they will have a roof over their head because of unaffordable rent. That can feel suffocating and cause significant distress. She also echoed concerns about coastal homes. She was followed by Ms Mulholland, who stated that we hear about that issue every day. She and I have beautiful coastal constituencies, but we share the downside of that, which is that local people are struggling and suffering due to there being no regulation, data or monitoring of coastal homes.”
“We also need more social housing immediately. <BR /> <BR />I will move on to Members' comments, and I will do my best to get in as many as possible. Pam Cameron mentioned that the cost of living is having a profound impact on potential buyers, particularly young couples who are trying to save for a deposit, who are already having an extremely stressful time. <BR /> <BR />Ciara Ferguson, who, I know, does great work as part of the all-party group on homelessness, talked about the importance of the security, peace and dignity that come with having a stable life in a home. It is something that everybody wants, but thousands are in acute need. I agree wholeheartedly with her about the impact on the mental health of those who are experiencing homelessness.”
“It was very emotional to listen to the stress that they had experienced, and I would not wish it on anybody. Those are the people whom we are talking about today. <BR /> <BR />Rent affordability in my constituency, as Members across the House mentioned, continues to price people out of the very communities and streets in which they grew up and were raised, which is eroding a sense of community almost entirely. We know, all too well, the impact of that in East Derry. From Castlerock to Portrush, Portstewart or Portballantrae, many places are completely unrecognisable due to second homeownership, which has shot up so sharply over the past number of years. It is leaving locals, with whom I grew up, being forced to move their families away from the support networks and the familiarity with which they grew up.”
“Speaking for each and every one of us across the House, I know that that is something that we never want to see. Its continuation is truly unforgivable. Homelessness creates a sense of hopelessness, and, right now, over 10,000 households in Northern Ireland are viewed as being homeless. Two families in my constituency recently faced homelessness, in the week of Christmas, and that was undoubtedly one of the most emotional cases that I have worked on in my nearly six years as an MLA. Two families, one of which had seven children and the other a single mother of two girls, were traumatised by the delay in getting access to adequate housing. The imagery of how they described putting up a small Christmas tree inside a hostel would have moved anybody.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the discussion, although I am sad that we have to continue to have it. Across the House, we have different political beliefs and come from different backgrounds, but housing is the one issue that unites us. We recognise the suffering in our communities and the significant distress that it causes to people whom we meet each and every day. We have a shared desire to see the issue resolved, albeit we have different reasons or pathways in how we try to get there. <BR /> <BR />With rents rising every day, our constituents ask desperately, "Where do we go from here?". As of March 2025, over 49,000 households were waiting for social housing, which is the highest that that number has been for over a decade. Every day, children are spending their childhoods — their Christmases and birthdays — in hostels.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your detailed answer. We share the goal of keeping our kids safe in the classroom and online. On the back of that, will you commit to having discussions with schools and school leaders about educating and informing our young people about harmful AI-generated content and even, perhaps, include in the curriculum review some mandatory technology talk to ensure that our kids are really safe when they use technology, which is ever advancing?”
“As my question pertains to AI ethics, I declare an interest, as I sit on an AI ethics board outside my role as an MLA.”
“With regard to fuel poverty, can you outline what effort you are making to tackle the issue of damp and mould in houses across Northern Ireland? Have you considered introducing Awaab's law in Northern Ireland?”
“That is my intervention. <BR /> <BR />Minister, I understand that you face financial pressures, but it is our moral and professional duty to bring the issue to the House and to put it to you, as the Minister of Education, that starving children have the right to be heard and that under-pressure families have the right to be listened to. <BR /> <BR />I categorically state that I was not gone for half an hour. Thank you.”