Nicola Brogan
West Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“Rinne muid Lá Idirnáisiúnta an Aistriúcháin a cheiliúradh an mhí seo a chuaigh thart. Tugtar seans dúinn an lá sin leis an obair thábhachtach, fhiúntach a dhéanann fir agus mná teanga ar fud an domhain a cheiliúradh.”
“Tugann sé seans do na daoine a bhfuil na teangacha sin acu a gcuid a bheith acu den tsaol anseo agus a bhuíochas sin ar na haistritheoirí agus na hateangairí.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mar sin de, a Cheann Comhairle, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis na haistritheoirí agus na hateangairí uile go léir, bíodh siad ag obair in institiúidí polaitíochta nó amuigh fríd na daoine sna hotharlanna agus sna cúirteanna.”
“<BR /> <BR />Despite an extremely tight budget that continues to be stripped to the bone by consecutive British Governments, investment in waste water infrastructure is continuing. NI Water is getting 90% of the capital money that it could spend this year, which is an increase from last year.”
“The appeal has been supported by the AERA Minister and is due to be heard this December. <BR /> <BR />I have said this before and will say it again: we need to continue to work together to ensure that the A5 is delivered.”
“Minister Kimmins and her predecessor, Minister O'Dowd, have fought tooth and nail for the progression of the A5 road upgrade. As a representative of West Tyrone and someone who uses the road daily, I appreciate the Minister's commitment to that vital project.”
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“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire fosta. I thank the Minister for her statement. In relation to ongoing and future cooperation, what is the Minister's assessment of the impact of COVID on cross-border shared education projects?”
“I welcome the Minister to her new position and wish her the best of luck in it. The previous Education Minister announced plans to pilot counselling services in primary schools. Given the huge challenges experienced by our children and young people throughout the pandemic and our need to support them, will the Minister give us an update on that pilot project?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement this morning. Minister, I welcome your commitment to include infant mental health in the overall strategy. In relation to funding the strategy, will you outline where the £285 million one-off capital investment will go? Will it go into a perinatal mental health unit, an eating disorder inpatient unit or maybe even the acute mental health unit in Omagh that was agreed in 2016?”
“The pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on many sectors of society that were already disadvantaged such as children and young people, women, those on low incomes and those with disabilities. Will the joint First Minister agree that our approach to recovery is an opportunity for us to build a better and fairer society by tackling inequalities and disadvantage?”
“If there is no capacity to escalate and provide enhanced inpatient services, their needs will not be met by already stretched and hard-working community services. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the Minister's recent announcement of £400,000 from the Department that will go towards the modernisation of mental health services in Omagh. However, that is simply a sticking plaster. We need the outdated facility to be replaced with the modern, fit-for-purpose facility that has already been agreed. The people of Omagh and West Tyrone cannot be left behind or ignored. <BR /> <BR />I hope that the Minister listens to all those who have signed the petition and understands just how crucial the service is to the people of Omagh.”
“It may be too early to assess the full impact of COVID-19. However, we can already see in just one specialist service — eating disorders — that referrals have increased by 43% and review appointments by 64% between March 2019 and September 2020. My concern and that of many members of the public is that, if we do not have a unit suitable for escalating cases, those in need do not receive the service required. <BR /> <BR />We are constantly advising and reminding our friends, families and colleagues to speak out and ask for help when we feel like we are struggling to cope or having our own mental health issues. Whilst it is obviously really important to have that space to talk about concerns, we also must ensure that the necessary professional help and support is available to those who need it.”
“The facility at Omagh would include a 26-bed acute mental health unit with six integrated psychiatric intensive care beds and a therapy day centre. It would have an eight-bed alcohol and drug treatment unit and an older people's mental health unit, with space for older people with mental health concerns and those with dementia. <BR /> <BR />I bring the petition to the Assembly on behalf of almost 600 signatories. The people of Omagh, Fintona, Trillick, Strabane and all of west Tyrone deserve high-quality, safe and effective mental healthcare based on the identified needs of the local population. Following the pandemic and the increase in mental health concerns throughout the population, it is more vital than ever that we have a facility that supports those struggling with mental health and addictions.”
“A LeasCheann Comhairle, I present this public petition to you on behalf of the people of Omagh and the wider west Tyrone area. The petition calls on the Health Minister, Robin Swann, to progress the acute mental health centre for Omagh town that was announced in 2016. The business case for the facility was created by the Western Health and Social Care Trust. It proposes a 6,700 square metre new-build facility to be located adjacent to the Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex. The new centre was intended to replace outdated facilities and provide the people of Omagh and the wider west Tyrone area with modern, fit-for-purpose accommodation. We have already seen new builds for Belfast and Derry and, recently, progress on a new site at Holywell Hospital.”
“I thank the Minister for her answers and for the update on what she is doing to address social housing waiting lists in West Tyrone. How does the Minister plan to revitalise the Housing Executive?”
“I share the Minister's concerns about the delays to the justice Bill by some parties in the Executive. The delays really are inexcusable. It is a concern that children and young people are still at risk and will remain at risk of grooming and sexual abuse while there are no adequate protections in place. Will she outline what the potential implications are if the legislation is not passed in this mandate?”
“It does not consider best practice or take into account the lives that are lived by people here and the experience of precarious work. We need a bespoke piece of legislation that supports our people here in the best way possible. I support the Bill and its progress to the Committee Stage, during which, I hope, those issues will be given more consideration.”
“Most parents need to go to Liverpool for post-mortems. That aspect requires further consideration. <BR /> <BR />Finally, the definition of a child in this instance should also be given further consideration. As I understand it, the legislation applies only to parents who lose a child who is under the age of 18. There is no doubt that a parent who loses a child will suffer tremendous grief, regardless of the child's age or whether they are, technically, an adult. Those parents deserve the same compassion and support. That is something that is worth considering if the legislation gets to Committee Stage, which I hope that it does. <BR /> <BR />As it stands, the Bill is a cut-and-paste job, as it has been described, and taken from legislation in other jurisdictions.”
“Mr Storey very eloquently described the devastation that comes to parents who suffer a miscarriage. They do not seem to meet the criteria within the legislation, but it should extend to those parents, because miscarriage is a devastating thing to happen to them. An entitlement to two weeks' leave and a minimum payment of £150 a week is not a great deal. We could extend that. <BR /> <BR />Restricting the taking of leave to blocks of two weeks seems unnecessary. We would never legislate in such a way that might result in a parent not being able to attend the funeral of the child, but the failure to facilitate sufficient flexibility in relation to when leave can be taken could lead to parents being unable to attend the post-mortem at short notice, especially since, I think, nowhere in the North performs them.”
“It acknowledges the loss of some workers, but it appears that if, for example, you are an agency worker or there are breaks in your employment record because you have a zero-hour contract, you fall outside the limits of our compassion. Maybe the Minister can clarify that, because there seems to some confusion about it. A worker who has been in a job for less than six months still deserves our understanding and financial support. It is also worth considering the self-employed in the Bill. At a time of bereavement, those who are self-employed may be unable to continue in their work. Entitlement to statutory pay could assist them in taking the time that they need to grieve. <BR /> <BR />I have further concerns, as mentioned by most Members, that the Bill is limited to support for bereavement as a result of stillbirth.”
“This is, obviously, very important legislation. These rights for parents and workers are long overdue, so I welcome the Bill's introduction. The Bill recognises parental bereavement as a significant issue that impacts on the lives of working people and offers some support through the provision of leave and pay. It provides a clear statutory framework for employers and protects businesses. The underpinning motivation of the proposed legislation is compassion. I have, however, real concerns over how the need for compassion and empathy is calculated and then demonstrated in the Bill as it stands. <BR /> <BR />The Bill excludes some parents and overlooks some categories of loss.”
“I thank the Minister for his answers. I welcome the information about the regional hub in Omagh. That will be very welcome to people in Omagh and across West Tyrone. Will the Minister outline what steps he is taking to ensure that there are job opportunities for those furthest from the labour market?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. That sounds like a positive development, but many students are still in the dark about whether they will be taught online or on campus. The guidance needs to be issued now so that they do not take up accommodation that is not required. Is the Minister willing to set up a working group with universities and students that will outline exactly how teaching will be facilitated in the next academic year?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. This is an ambitious plan, and we need to see that ambition if we are to address the long tail of educational underachievement in the North. In order to make sure that the plan is implemented properly, we need a robust monitoring and accountability mechanism. That is even more important, given the collaborative approach outlined in the plan. I know that we have the Children's Services Co-operation Act, but it has not reached its potential. Will the Minister outline how cooperation will be maximised, how the plan will be monitored and how key players will be held to account?”
“I thank the Minister for her answers so far. For how long does she anticipate the Nightingale courts will continue to be used?”
“Parents want their child to feel safe, loved and supported in that setting. <BR /> <BR />I support the call, in this motion, for mandatory reporting and recording of the use of restraint.”
“That childcare worker reported the use of restraint but lost her job as a consequence. She left, hoping that her actions led to the ending of the practice of restraint in that particular setting, but, like us, she does not know. <BR /> <BR />Without a mandatory duty to record, monitor and review incidents, not only do we, NIPSO, the Children's Commissioner nor any of the advocacy groups that we have mentioned not know the full figures, neither do the parents. That is wholly unacceptable in all cases, but with pre-verbal or non-verbal children, it is horrifying. No parent leaves their child in childcare, nursery school or school and thinks, "We will not know what happens to them today". A parent leaves their child, trusting an entire team of staff to act in the best interests of the child.”
“<BR /> <BR />The following testimony that I received from a carer who worked in a pre-school setting might explain why some are reluctant to come forward with their concerns. This is her account:”
“<BR /> <BR />We have received information and reports from the Children's Commissioner, from NIPSO and from the Association of Social Workers in the North. We have also heard evidence from a wide range of stakeholders and advocacy groups, as mentioned. The reports highlight a number of recurring themes about restraint and seclusion in schools, but one issue that jumps out for me is that there is no mandatory duty to record or report an incident of restraint and seclusion. That means that we have no way of knowing how widespread the issue is across our schools and that no one is held accountable for those wrongdoings to our children. The NIPSO report, published today, tells us that NIPSO is currently dealing with 20 complaints or enquiries. However, that is only the tip of the iceberg; it does not reflect the true rates of incidence.”
“At times, I had to catch myself on because those children had suffered that treatment and the parents had to relive it time and again to try to get some sort of change, so the least that I could do was to listen and to try to be a voice for Harry, Callum, the parents and any other child who had suffered such cruel, restrictive practices and those who are vulnerable to it in the future. I commend and thank Deirdre and Beth. It is worth saying that those children have suffered cruel, restrictive practices previously, but they are recovering now and are safe. It is also worth noting that the families are still working hard and fighting so that other children and families do not have to go through the same heartache. I commend them for that as well.”
“I want to pay particular attention to Deirdre Shakespeare and Beth Morrison. They are the co-founders of ICARS, which is the International Coalition Against Restraint and Seclusion. Deirdre and Beth addressed the Education Committee a number of weeks ago and eloquently told the stories of their sons, Harry and Callum. Listening to Harry and Callum's stories, I had tears in my eyes. It was hard to listen to them. At one point, I wanted to mute the computer; it was like watching a scary film where you want to put your fingers in your ears and close your eyes because you cannot listen any more.”
“I have the utmost respect and admiration for all the parents and groups involved in this, and there are a number who have been involved in the campaign.”
“First, I would like to respond to Mr Allister's intervention on the Chair of the Education Committee. Mr Allister asked what a teacher should do in those circumstances: if he had read or listened to the accounts of the likes of Deirdre Shakespeare and heard about what her son has suffered, he would know that the last thing that helps in those situations is physically or mechanically restraining or secluding the child. <BR /> <BR />At the outset, I thank the parents and advocacy groups that have worked so incredibly hard and shown such determination. They have been encouraged, first, to raise awareness of the issue of restraint and seclusion in schools and then to work towards policy change.”
“Young people have made huge sacrifices throughout the pandemic to safeguard those most at risk. As we cautiously emerge from the COVID-19 restrictions, it is our turn to help young people by promoting their well-being and mental health and by supporting resilience and positive mental health actions and behaviours. We also need to improve access to services and outcomes for mental health services, where needed. I ask all to support the motion.”
“I have recently made calls for the Health Minister to improve mental health services in Omagh to meet the demands of the people of West Tyrone. I support calls for increased spending on mental health issues, including for CAMHS. <BR /> <BR />The mental health champion, Siobhán O'Neill, appeared at the Education Committee and agreed with an assessment made by my colleague Pat Sheehan that, as we emerge from the pandemic, our children and young people are set to face a tsunami of emotional health and well-being challenges. In her evidence to the Committee, Professor O'Neill noted the link between prolonged stress in childhood and mental illness and poor educational performance. Both she and the Children's Commissioner made calls for children's well-being to be prioritised on their return to school.”
“A survey of over 2,000 students across the North, carried out by the Secondary Students' Union between November and December 2020 showed that 76% of respondents had experienced mental health problems. That is a startling statistic. It was made very clear to us that more needs to be done to support young people and their mental health needs. <BR /> <BR />Mental health issues can and do affect people across all categories. They do not discriminate, but support services do. For example, only 40% of GPs in West Tyrone provide an in-house counselling service. It causes great concern that services are not accessible locally or in rural areas. There is disparity among the mental health services and treatment available across the North. As I said, service provision in rural areas is even more limited.”
“<BR /> <BR />Earlier this year, the Education Committee hosted a delegation of young people representing a number of groups, including the Belfast Youth Forum, the Secondary Students' Union of NI, Pure Mental, Crisis Cafe, the Children's Commissioner Youth Panel and the NI Youth Forum. That engagement provided us with an insight into the impact that COVID-19 has had on young people and into their experiences. The main issues highlighted were an increase in anxiety and stress, driven by the uncertainty around GCSE and A-level grading; difficulties with remote learning; loneliness and isolation from their peers; uncertainty about returning to school; and the fear of bringing COVID home to loved ones.”
“It is clear that we are facing a mental health crisis, and there is no doubt that the impact of COVID-19 has exacerbated that. Fear and anxiety swept through our communities as coronavirus swept the globe. Feelings of isolation and depression owing to the exceptional, yet necessary, restrictions were experienced by many of us. Mental health difficulties can affect all ages, genders, races and religions, but, in my capacity as Sinn Féin spokesperson for children and young people and a member of the Education Committee, I will focus on the mental health and well-being of our young people.”
“I thank the Health Committee and its Chair for bringing the motion to the Assembly today. It has already been a really worthwhile debate, and I appreciate all the contributions. I am, of course, speaking in support of the motion, and I welcome the discussion. I join my colleagues Paula Bradshaw and Colm Gildernew in acknowledging the organisations, charities and staff that work so hard in the area of mental health and provide important support to the people of the North. Mental Health Awareness Week provided us with an opportunity to show our appreciation for the work that they do. It also raises awareness of mental health issues and highlights the importance of promoting good mental health. <BR /> <BR />We have heard time and time again about the rising rate of mental health issues in the North.”
“<BR /> <BR />It has also been mentioned today that the Equality Commission has recommended the removal of the exception from secondary schools and early consideration of its removal from primary schools. It also recommended that teachers be included in the monitoring and review obligations attached to fair employment legislation. <BR /> <BR />It is clear that what was once seen as a pragmatic compromise is now viewed as a barrier to equality. All workers should be afforded protections under fair employment rights. I do not think that anyone would disagree with that. I support the motion and urge other Members to do the same.”
“<BR /> <BR />The changes do not remove the right of schools to exercise exception where the nature of the task is directly related to a particular religious belief. Our schools already work together to promote understanding and tolerance across different faiths. It is simply an extension of the good work that our schools are undertaking. They do not need me to tell them that diversity is to be cherished and even celebrated. <BR /> <BR />As Mr Butler said, and Mr Lyttle had the same statistics, recent research has shown that only 2% of teachers in Catholic primary schools were from Protestant backgrounds, and, in primary schools with mainly Protestant pupils, only 7% of teachers were from a Catholic background.”
“I support the motion and thank my Committee colleague Robbie Butler for bringing it to the Floor. Those in the education sector who, at some point, supported the exception, argued that it was necessary in preserving a specific ethos in some schools. I have no doubt that a strong ethos is the foundation on which a lot of the academic success that many of our young people enjoy is built, but fair employment legislation is not the place for dealing with issues of ethos. <BR /> <BR />In recent times, teacher representatives quite rightly viewed the exception as discriminatory and called for its removal. I am sure that our faith-based schools are sufficiently confident and resilient to welcome teachers from all backgrounds and of different faiths.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. I commend him for his ability to find new and innovative ways of working, in this case to generate employment and opportunities that would otherwise not have been there. When does the Minister expect the new social value policy to come into force?”
“I thank the joint First Minister for her answer. Given the disproportionate effect of the pandemic on the most vulnerable in our society, does the Minister agree that the Executive's recovery strategy should focus on addressing social inequalities as we emerge from the pandemic?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, you referenced collaboration with England and Wales and consultation between CCEA and UCAS in relation to third-level and further and higher education. What engagement have you had with your counterparts in the South?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer and the update on the Strule Shared Education Campus. I take the opportunity once again to press the Minister to ensure that the project is moved forward at a quick pace. Have there been any delays to the construction of the campus because of COVID? If so, will those delays have an impact on the budget for delivering the project?”
“I am sure that many Members have heard accounts from teachers who struggle to manage classrooms without additional resources or appropriate training. In supporting people with autism, we must support them from the earliest possible moment. That is why Education as well as Health must take a prominent role in the development of a longer-term strategy in this area.”
“I thank the parents and advocates who worked tirelessly and campaigned relentlessly to ensure that the guidance was updated. I know that their work is not done, but I take the opportunity to say "Well done". <BR /> <BR />Last year, the Assembly supported a motion on mandatory autism and special educational needs training for school staff. That was touched upon throughout the debate. Some weeks ago, the Education Committee received a briefing from Autism NI, which also supports calls for mandatory autism training in schools. Our teachers and school staff want to be equipped with the necessary skills to support children with autism. The Education Minister should update us on his plans to act in accordance with that motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />The meaningful involvement of children with autism, their families, carers and others in developing policy and services is critical. From an education perspective, some pressing issues could be resolved in the interim, which would have a positive impact on the school experience of children with autism and their families. The Education Committee recently heard shocking testimony about the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. The lack of statutory guidance on the monitoring and recording of such incidents in schools was even more worrying. <BR /> <BR />I am very pleased that the Department of Education published interim guidance yesterday on the use of restraint and seclusion and on how incidents are monitored and recorded.”
“The Public Accounts Committee recently published a report on the Audit Office's 'Impact Review of Special Educational Needs' in the North. One of its conclusions was startling. It concluded that despite the vast sums — up to £1·3 billion over five years — spent, neither the Education Authority nor the Department of Education could demonstrate value for money in that expenditure. <BR /> <BR />Agencies and Departments cannot simply throw money at special educational needs. Our children deserve strong, accountable leadership that offers a strategic vision of how they will be supported in their education journeys. While Health may take the lead on delivering the strategy, it must be done in collaboration and partnership with Education and others.”
“As has been asked today, why is there such disparity between trust areas? Why should one family wait up to two years, sometimes three, for an assessment simply because of where they live? It is unfair. It is unfair on parents and families who want the best for their child and on the child who deserves to have their needs met. <BR /> <BR />When it comes to supporting and developing our children, we hear time and time again that early intervention is critical. The system fails countless children with autism and their families from the outset. We need to fix that. We need to ensure that early intervention is embedded in the health and social care system and the education system. <BR /> <BR />Key to the success of any strategy for supporting people with a diagnosis of autism is accountability.”
“Our education system is only one piece of the puzzle in supporting children with autism. In the absence of a timely diagnosis, it cannot support or deliver for those children. MLAs across the Chamber said that they had heard from distressed families who are at their wits' end after waiting for up to three years for an autism diagnosis. <BR /> <BR />Alongside my colleague Maolíosa McHugh, I have spoken to a range of families in my constituency of West Tyrone. They have been left frustrated, angry, upset and exhausted. They have, ultimately, given up hope because they have waited so long for an assessment. <BR /> <BR />As of April 2021, the Western Trust had 1,099 children waiting for appointments, with the longest wait being 720 days, yet families in the Southern Trust wait less than the recommended maximum of 13 weeks.”
“<BR /> <BR />In my capacity as a member of the Education Committee and as Sinn Féin spokesperson on children and young people, I will focus my remaining remarks on the educational needs of children and young people, particularly those with autism. <BR /> <BR />According to the Department of Health's monitoring report of May 2020, one in 24 children in the North receives a diagnosis of autism. Their journey through education and how they are supported on that journey are crucial to ensuring that those children have access to the same opportunities as their peers. Statistics suggest that 25% of those presenting with a diagnosis of autism will have an accompanying learning disability. <BR /> <BR />The challenges that those children face must be met with an ambitious strategy that incorporates their health, social and educational needs.”
“<BR /> <BR />In winding on the motion, I will not summarise each individual's remarks, but I will touch on some of the main points that have been highlighted. The main one is the lack of access to diagnostic services for children and adults with autism. As we said, it is just not good enough. We heard about the waiting times, with some of them being up to three years. That is not good enough. The current system is letting down our children and adults with autism and their families. It is simply unacceptable that some families are paying up to £1,400 for an assessment for autism. That is unfair, and it creates a two-tier health service and further disparities. <BR /> <BR />Most Members mentioned that we need a cross-departmental focus and approach to an autism strategy to tackle those issues. I completely agree with that.”
“First, I thank my colleague Colm Gildernew for proposing the motion and Pam Cameron for her amendment, which I will support. I also thank all Members for their contributions. I am glad to say that there has been widespread support for the motion. <BR /> <BR />I declare an interest in the topic. A family very close to me is going through this process, and I can see at first-hand their frustration and exhaustion and the fact that they are having to fight so hard just to get a diagnosis. It is worth remembering that a diagnosis is just the beginning of the process for a child or adult with autism and that they will need support services after that. It is really disheartening and frustrating for families to face all those hurdles at the very beginning of the process, so I am really glad that we are having the debate.”
“On the topic of mental well-being, many anglers and locals in the Dromore and Fintona area of west Tyrone have been left completely devastated by the major pollution incident at the weekend that resulted in thousands of fish being killed along a 5 km stretch of the Aughlish river. Can the Minister outline what actions his Department is taking to deal with the serious incident?”