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.”
The complete record
Every one of 617 lines we hold for Nicola Brogan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 13.
“Rising feed, fertiliser and energy costs are crippling incomes. Inflation is hurting every sector, but farmers are particularly vulnerable. Meanwhile, as Robbie has alluded to, mental health issues among farmers are rising, as highlighted by Rural Support's recent report. Brexit has only deepened those challenges. Leaving the EU's common agricultural policy has been disastrous for the North financially and structurally. The EU provided multi-annual funding through the CAP, giving farmers long-term security. Now, with Brexit, we have a shrinking agriculture budget, a loss of environmental funding and post-Brexit trade deals that have left our farmers exposed to cheap imports that undermine their ability to compete. <BR /> <BR />The looming end of the basic payment scheme adds further uncertainty, and we have seen no clear replacement.”
“I speak as a member of the AERA Committee. I welcome Robbie Butler as the new Chair of the Committee and wish him well in his role. <BR /> <BR />I thank our farmers for the work that they do in producing food and stewarding our environment. Farmers play an essential role in producing high-quality, nutritious food and contribute significantly to food security. Agriculture is not just an economic driver; it delivers crucial social, economic and environmental benefits. Farmers and the agriculture sector are the backbone of our rural economy, supporting jobs and sustaining communities. <BR /> <BR />DAERA must take all necessary steps to retain the basic payment scheme beyond 2024. The upcoming UK spending review is critical, especially for our farmers, who need certainty to plan. The pressures on the agricultural community are immense.”
“I thank the Minister and his officials for their continued commitment to and support for the project. It is very much welcomed by the people of West Tyrone, who have waited far too long for the road to be upgraded. <BR /> <BR />Will the Minister explain what engagement DFI has had with the Dublin Government to discuss funding for the scheme and common interests?”
“Those deaths have left families and whole communities devastated. It led many to campaign to have the A5 road upgraded, and I thank them for their determination and strength after having suffered such horrifying and unimaginable loss. I also thank Tyrone GAA for its Enough is Enough campaign and, in particular, for its efforts at the public inquiry to highlight just how dangerous the A5 road is and how the people of Tyrone want to see it upgraded. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the news that the A5 upgrade will commence early next year and thank all those involved in getting to this stage.”
“I welcome the news that the A5 road upgrade has been approved by the Executive, following Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd's proposals to proceed with the project. Work on the A5 is due to commence early next year. As you can imagine, that is incredibly positive news for the people of West Tyrone, who have been waiting for far too long to have that dangerous road upgraded. I have received many messages and spoken to local people, who are delighted and relieved that the road upgrade has been approved. <BR /> <BR />I thank Minister John O'Dowd and his departmental officials for their hard work and commitment in ensuring that the A5 has progressed to this stage. I also pay tribute to the families, friends and communities who have lost loved ones along the A5. Over 55 people have lost their lives on that road since 2006.”
“Can the Minister outline the role that the Paws for Thought multi-agency group will play in coordinating efforts between stakeholders to address different animal welfare issues?”
“<BR /> <BR />As my party's spokesperson on the environment and climate, I thank the Minister for her continued commitment to protecting our environment and, in particular, for the funding that has been made available to rescue and restore Lough Neagh. <BR /> <BR />It has been widely acknowledged, even by the British Government, that the North has been chronically underfunded for decades. Repairing the damage and healing the wounds caused by that will take time. If we are to address those issues, such decisions must be made here, and we need real fiscal devolution. In the meantime, the Minister has sought to deliver a Budget that provides stability and security. I thank her and her officials for their efforts in these challenging times. I support the Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Minister has, once again, prioritised Health in the Budget, with more than 50% of the available funding going to health services. That underlines the point that Health is a priority, even with such limited resources. The Minister has also managed to deliver on key priorities for the Executive. Those priorities have been outlined in the draft Programme for Government; for example, the £25 million allocated for childcare and the £47 million for transformation. Today, we have heard how around 12,000 children in the North have been registered for the new childcare subsidy scheme, which has helped many families to reduce the cost of their childcare. There is still work to do on the childcare strategy. We must ensure that all families and childcare providers are offered support. However, those are very welcome first steps.”
“As the Budget Bill makes its way through the legislative process, which is now at Final Stage, we are reminded of the intense pressures that the Finance Minister and her Department faced while drafting it. In delivering the Budget, Minister Archibald has done a commendable job in very challenging circumstances, ensuring that vital public services will continue to be delivered and that many worthy community and social projects will continue to be supported. Unfortunately, the cruel reality of British Government austerity and the understanding that their priorities lie elsewhere mean that not all bids could be met. However, the Minister has worked hard to deliver a fair Budget that supports our public services and offers stability.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Economy Minister, Conor Murphy, has made decarbonisation and green growth one of the central pillars of his tenure, whilst the Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, despite an extremely challenging Budget, has sought to ensure that funding is in place for green growth and other environmental projects, such as the rescue and restoration of Lough Neagh. <BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that there are challenges ahead, but we will continue to work with others to harness the potential of a green growth economy.”
“<BR /> <BR />As an island, we are in a unique position to take advantage of our abundant natural resources, ending a reliance on the volatility of the fossil fuel market that has caused financial distress for many families and ushering in a new era of energy stability and independence. Across the island, we see the development of state-of-the-art renewables technologies, such as the offshore wind projects being developed in conjunction with Denmark or the innovative work being carried out on hydrogen-powered transport. By ensuring a just transition, we can not only create new jobs and industries but, through upskilling initiatives, maintain and repurpose the expertise that people have acquired in carbon-intensive industries.”
“The Assembly has a duty to do everything that it can to assist a just transition to a net zero society powered by clean, renewable energy. That is not just a legal commitment but a moral responsibility to ensure that we protect and preserve our environment for future generations. However, we should not allow the development of a narrative that portrays that transition as something that challenges economic growth. The development of a green economy here is a huge economic opportunity for this generation. The importance of harnessing a green growth economy is one of the three missions set out in the Executive's draft Programme for Government.”
“Does the Minister agree that promoting regional balance should be a key element in the delivery of the Programme for Government?”
“I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their statement today. The four-party Executive have taken significant action since coming into office on matters around the public-sector pay award and the interim fiscal framework. You have made progress on the Budget and agreed a legislative programme. Building on the work to date, can the deputy First Minister detail what is in the draft Programme for Government?”
“The Minister has done excellent work within the extremely limited powers available to her to mitigate, as much as possible, the effects of Tory austerity. However, in order to provide the Budget stability and security that we require, we must see greater devolution of fiscal powers to the Assembly. The current system gives the Treasury, which is not accountable to the people here, far too much of a say over our finances. Undoing the damage caused by years of British Government austerity and underfunding will require greater flexibility around Budgets, greater borrowing powers and more fiscal devolution.”
“The new interim framework also alleviates concerns that we face a cliff edge in 2026, as the fiscal floor will be baselined at the relevant spending review period.”
“Unfortunately, the British Government's previous Budget delivered cuts amounting to £1 billion, decimating our public services and having a disproportionate impact on those who were already struggling most with the cost-of-living crisis. The Finance Minister has been relentless in her battles with the Treasury to secure the funding that the North deserves. <BR /> <BR />The interim fiscal framework that the Finance Minister has secured will go some way to addressing our chronic underfunding by the British Government. The agreement sets the fiscal floor at 124%, meaning that, for the first time in a generation, the North will, in future years, be funded at or above its relative need. That is a radical change to how the North is funded and will help us to mitigate British Government underfunding in the future.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Budget aligns with the key priorities set out by Executive parties, which are expected to be included in the Programme for Government. They include the £25 million set aside for childcare and the £47 million set aside for transformation. <BR /> <BR />As a member of the AERA Committee and my party's spokesperson on the environment, I want to specifically mention the £1·5 million that is being made available for Lough Neagh. Earlier today, the AERA Minister updated us on his Lough Neagh report and action plan. I hope that that helps to reassure those who live near the lough that Departments are working together to protect and restore it. <BR /> <BR />Of course, many worthy and important projects will not receive the vital funding that they need.”
“However, I am hopeful that, as we move into the new spending review period, a multi-year Budget will be developed to give Departments the certainty that they need to plan ahead. <BR /> <BR />The Budget has been a challenging one for all Departments. Only £1 billion of resource DEL was available for allocation, set against bids totalling £3 billion, and it was a similar picture for capital DEL. In the allocations, Health was prioritised, as it received over 50% of the available funding. Indeed, Health received an additional £1·6 billion, as well as more than half of the funding made available in June monitoring. That underlines the point that Health is a priority for Sinn Féin, even when there are limited resources.”
“I thank the Finance Minister for bringing forward the Budget (No. 2) Bill, particularly given the challenging time pressures that her and her officials were under. Bringing forward a balanced and fair Budget is challenging at the best of times, but doing so after 14 years of British Government austerity, when the bids for funding far outweigh the funding that is available, required exceptional skill. <BR /> <BR />In addition to dealing with the chronic underfunding that the North has been subjected to by successive British Governments, it must be noted that the Minister had to develop a single-year Budget. That is far from ideal, but unfortunately, as we are in the last year of the current spending review, a multi-year Budget simply was not possible.”
“Will the Minister offer an assessment of the Fiscal Council's impact to date, please?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It is welcome to see the developments regarding Lough Neagh; we know how important it is for the people around the lough. <BR /> <BR />On 22 April this year, my colleague Declan Kearney wrote to the Minister to ask him to meet the eel fishermen who have been and continue to be devastated by the effects of algae bloom on Lough Neagh. Will the Minister indicate when that meeting will take place and whether his plan will include support schemes for fishermen directly impacted by the algae bloom?”
“I thank the Minister for that answer. That news will be really welcome to people right across West Tyrone and everyone who uses the A5. As I say, we have been waiting patiently for progress on it. I thank the Minister for the work that he has done and the commitment that he has made to deliver the A5 upgrade. What is the Minister's assessment of the impact that the upgrade can have on road safety?”
“Will the Minister consider a wildflower planting scheme for road verges to promote biodiversity and reduce maintenance costs?”
“<BR /> <BR />In producing the Main Estimates, the Minister has dealt with an extremely complex task in the most difficult of circumstances. I commend her for remaining true to her principles and the commitments she gave when taking on the role. I am content that the Minister has done and will continue to do all in her power to shield as many people here as possible from Tory austerity. I commend and support the motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />As a member of the AERA Committee and Sinn Féin spokesperson on the environment, I welcome the £1·5 million that Minister Archibald has designated to DAERA for Lough Neagh initiatives. The lough is of huge environmental, economic and historical significance to all of Ireland, and we have worked on the issue of blue-green algae blooms with various stakeholders, so I personally thank the Minister for the additional support. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome the Minister's commitment to continue to battle with the Treasury to secure proper funding for the people of the North. It is now accepted that the North has been chronically underfunded for years, and I appreciate the Minister's ongoing work to increase that funding.”
“<BR /> <BR />While the British Government's 14 years of austerity Budgets have represented a relentless assault on low-paid workers, I am pleased to see that the Minister continues to stand by their side, providing £43·7 million for education support staff, who do vital work that often goes unrecognised and has been undervalued for far too long. <BR />Minister Archibald has also continued to demonstrate her and Sinn Féin's commitment to health. Once again, the Department of Health has been prioritised, with more than half of the total June monitoring allocation going to that Department. That will, of course, be welcomed by the Department, the health and social care trusts and the healthcare workforce.”
“I start by thanking the Finance Minister for the work that she has done on an extremely challenging Budget and for bringing forward the Main Estimates, which will give effect to that Budget. I also acknowledge the announcement made earlier today in which the allocations for June monitoring were outlined. There is an urgent need to provide funding certainty to Departments. Even a short delay to those funds being released presented risks for Departments and their work going forward. Proceeding now allows time for Assembly debate and scrutiny in advance of the summer recess and allows Members to discuss these important issues. Departments and the groups that they support urgently require certainty on funding for the immediate future, and the Minister has delivered that.”
“I welcome the announcements in the Minister's statement. The funding will be greatly appreciated by all Departments, which have suffered from having very tight budgets. Will she confirm whether any money from underspends will be returned to the Treasury?”
“It is great to hear that Lough Neagh was discussed and that it is still a priority for the North/South Ministerial Council. <BR /> <BR />The Minister will be aware that, over the weekend, Mr Nicholas Ashley-Cooper made comments about his ownership of the lough and his intention to transfer it into the hands of the community. He also commented on how no body is set up to take on ownership of the lough. Does the Minister have any intention of discussing that with the stakeholders, including councils, that would be involved in creating a body to take over ownership of the lough?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a ráiteas.”
“Will the tourism partnership board include hospitality representatives, and will the tourism action plan include actions that will help the hospitality sector?”
“The First Minister will know that the Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, has been working on behalf of the Executive to get a better financial deal from the British Treasury to ensure that we get better public services in the North. Will the First Minister outline when the June monitoring allocations will be made?”
“<BR /> <BR />Setting aside the broader issues, many of the solutions that are being put forward by companies for dealing with the blue-green algae in Lough Neagh involve the use of the shore and the lake bed, so removing those from private ownership should help to simplify and speed up the process. Although his comments are welcome, Mr Ashley-Cooper also stated that there is currently no entity that is offering to take on the lough. I hope that the AERA Minister will begin discussions with local community groups, councils and other Departments to help to set up such a body as soon as possible.”
“I also welcome the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil here this afternoon. <BR /> <BR />As Sinn Féin spokesperson on the environment, I acknowledge and welcome the recent comments that were made by Nicolas Ashley-Cooper regarding the ownership of Lough Neagh. Mr Ashley-Cooper stated that he would like to transfer his estate's ownership of Lough Neagh into a charity or community trust model, with rights of nature included. That is a hugely positive development. Lough Neagh is of enormous historical, environmental and economic importance to the people of Ireland. Indeed, 40% of the drinking water in the North comes from Lough Neagh, and so it is only right that its ownership should lie with the people.”
“Is the Minister or his Department aware of or examining any other dumping sites to ensure that a situation like that at Mobuoy does not develop again?”
“Livelihoods must be protected, rural communities must not be vilified, lower-income families must not be left behind, and the bulk of the burden for the change must not fall on the backs of ordinary workers and families. Protections, supports, incentives and grants must be put in place to ensure that people not only are capable of making the changes necessary to reach net zero but can benefit from the environmental and economic advantages that it provides. <BR /> <BR />The task that we face is enormous, but we should not lose sight of the incredible gains and opportunities that are available to us if we can rise to it. I am happy to support the motion here today.”
“Cleaner air and water will help us to restore our ecosystem and halt the biodiversity crisis that we are experiencing. That crisis is linked to climate change, drops in food production and increases in infectious diseases, pests and pathogens. Transitioning away from fossil fuels and towards renewables will give us a fighting chance of keeping global warming below the 1·5°C threshold. That threshold represents the tipping point at which certain aspects of climate change become irreversible and we condemn not only our children and grandchildren but their children and grandchildren to dealing with those. It is crucial for not only us but those future generations that we embrace the transition to net zero. However, it must be a just transition.”
“As Sinn Féin spokesperson for climate and the environment, I am happy to speak here today in support of the motion. Whilst the move to net zero will, no doubt, bring challenges, we should be aware of the very many opportunities that it will also bring. The shift to renewables brings enormous potential in energy security, stability and independence. The development of the green economy here is an exciting environmental and economic prospect. In addition to creating good jobs and generating income and investment, it will play a huge role in helping us to meet our climate targets. <BR /> <BR />There are further advantages to moving to renewables. Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels will massively improve our air quality. That is an issue that currently leads to around 1,700 deaths across Ireland every year.”
“Will the Minister consider a wildflower planting scheme for road verges to promote biodiversity?”
“On addressing climate change and loss of biodiversity, it seems sensible to have a joined-up approach to biodiversity loss on our island. What scope is there for a truly integrated approach to the issue through the development of something like an all-Ireland biodiversity strategy?”
“Can the Minister describe the current position on the PEACE PLUS programme, please?”
“Thank you, Minister, for that answer. In closing the scheme, will you ensure that participants are fairly compensated?”
“I welcome the Minister back to his position. <BR /> <BR />Given the funding constraints imposed on us, can the Minister explain what he is doing to leverage alternative sources of funding for climate change schemes?”
“Sinn Féin would like to see greater flexibility around Budgets, greater borrowing powers and more fiscal devolution. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I thank the Minister for sending her officials to the Finance Committee meeting last week to brief members on the budget outcome for her Department. Like the budgets of other Departments, the Department of Finance budget is extremely challenging, with a 6·4% reduction in resource DEL from 2023-24, excluding earmarked items. By proposing such a significant reduction to her Department, the Minister has led by example, which is the correct approach, given the scale of the challenges faced by all Departments.”
“That is a radical change to how the North is currently funded and will help us to mitigate British Government underfunding in the future. The new interim framework also alleviates the concerns about the cliff edge that was coming once the financial package had been spent in 2026, as the fiscal floor will be baselined at the relevant spending review period. <BR /> <BR />We need to see greater Budget sustainability. The Minister is working on a report that will set out a path to achieve that. The report should include proposals that will allow us to have more control over our Budgets. The current system gives the Treasury, which is not accountable to people here, far too much of a say over our finances. That is not fair or democratic.”
“That has been accepted publicly by the British Government. When the Assembly was down, the British Government brought chaos to our public finances. Under Tory rule, the 2023-24 Budget delivered cuts amounting to £1 billion, decimating our public services in the process. Those cuts had a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable in our society, many of whom were already struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis. This Tory Government could not care less about people here, and many will be looking forward to seeing the back of that Government. <BR /> <BR />The interim fiscal framework that the Finance Minister has secured is a game changer. The agreement sets the fiscal floor at 124%, meaning that the North will be funded at or above its level of need in future years.”
“Almost £1 billion of resource DEL was available for allocation set against bids totalling £3 billion. It was a similar picture in capital DEL. Within the allocations, Health was prioritised as it received over 50% of the available funding. Indeed, Health has received an additional £1·6 billion. That underlines the point that Health is a priority for Sinn Féin, even when it has limited resources. <BR /> <BR />The Budget aligns with the key priorities that were set out by the Executive parties and are expected to be in the Programme for Government. That includes £25 million being set aside for childcare and money for transformation. However, the financial situation remains difficult as a result of Tory austerity. For a number of years, the North has been funded below its level of need.”
“I begin by thanking Minister Archibald for all the hard work that she has put into bringing forward the Budget, particularly given the very challenging circumstances that we find ourselves in. <BR /> <BR />It is a hugely welcome development that the Executive have agreed a Budget for 2024-25. That will provide some certainty and stability and allow Departments to plan. As some Members have pointed out, this is a single-year Budget, which is far from ideal. Unfortunately, as we are in the last year of the current spending review, a multi-year Budget was not possible. However, as we move into a new spending review period, a multi-year Budget is vital to allow Departments the space that they need to plan ahead. <BR /> <BR />This Budget is challenging for all Departments, with no Department getting all the funding that it wanted.”
“In addition to England and Wales, no-fault divorce has been introduced in countries such as America, Canada and Australia and in many European countries. Now is the time for the North to follow suit. I urge Members to support the motion.”