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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“Minister, we want to make sure that you are listening. We need to be certain that you are seeking solutions and formulating an action plan so that schools can remain open safely. Schools and school leaders face unprecedented challenges, and it would be really unfair if were to leave them to face those challenges alone. <BR /> <BR />As my party's spokesperson for children and young people, I alert you, Minister, to the grave difficulties currently facing childcare and the early years sector. I am glad to hear that you have put in a bid to extend the childcare temporary closure fund and the childcare sustainability fund. I have raised those issues with you a number of times, because the sector really is struggling. It is accepted that that sector is often overlooked, especially in education.”
“<BR /> <BR />The school leaders on the front line had serious concerns that required urgent addressing. They included the unrealistic workload faced by principals; teaching staff absences due to the virus, which we have discussed widely this afternoon; and difficulties recruiting the temporary staff that we need to ensure that schools remain open safely. Their concerns also included outstanding maintenance issues that are undermining basic ventilation measures, such as being able to open windows, the failure to distribute CO2 monitors and the lack of ventilation units. However, their main concern was the apparent lack of planning: there was no blueprint or plan A or B. <BR /> <BR />As a Committee, we raised many of those issues with the Minister directly. As MLAs, we wrote to the Department, and today we have recalled the Assembly.”
“<BR /> <BR />I acknowledge that the Education Minister faces a difficult task, but doing nothing and not having the right plans in place does not address the reality. For months, school leaders and teachers and their union representatives have been crying out for the correct support and guidance from our Education Minister. In the lead-up to Christmas recess, the Education Committee heard from those on the front line. Every one of them wanted to keep schools open. Everyone said that they placed a high value on children's learning and recognised the importance of children learning together in a school environment. Everyone recognised the significant safeguarding role played by schools and the negative impact that school closures had on the mental health and well-being of pupils, which Mrs Dodds highlighted in her remarks this afternoon.”
“Right across the House, we are in agreement on the need to ensure that schools are kept open so that pupils receive face-to-face learning, but we must ensure that schools are safe for pupils, teachers, classroom assistants and other school staff. The disagreement today seems to be about who is responsible for supporting schools to ensure that they can remain open safely. Of course, that responsibility is with the Education Minister. <BR /> <BR />On the financing of air filtration devices, which was discussed, the process is clear: the Department of Education costs the equipment that the schools need; it then submits a bid for funding to the Department of Finance; the Finance Minister brings a recommendation on the funding for the bid to the Executive; and the Executive make the final decision on how much funding should be allocated.”
“I thank my colleague, the Deputy Chairperson of the Education Committee, Pat Sheehan, for initiating the emergency sitting of the Assembly and all the Members who supported his petition. We are here to discuss a really important topic, and I am glad that we have had the opportunity to do that. I also thank all the Members for their contributions and the Minister for attending and making her remarks. I join all other Members in thanking our school leaders, principals and all school staff for their hard work in ensuring that schools have been able to reopen after Christmas and that face-to-face learning continues, despite the huge challenges.”
“Minister, the A5 is a hugely important flagship project. It is really important for the people of west Tyrone. The delays to the project are really frustrating for them, because they use the A5 so frequently. With the public inquiry set to reconvene next year, if there is a positive outcome, will your Department be properly prepared to finally see the vital project commence?”
“It offers a unique opportunity to reshape cancer services across the island by providing us with access to cutting-edge, modern research and development into cancer and treatments for it. I am pleased to note that the implementation group met in October 2021. How often is it due to meet? Does the Minister expect the collaboration to result in increased funding for cancer research and development across Ireland?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon. As he rightly said, the establishment of the cancer consortium in March between the North and the South of Ireland and the US National Cancer Institute is really welcome.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire fosta. Thank you, Minister, for your statement. I welcome your announcement that over £65 million will be ring-fenced to tackle holiday hunger. A light has been shone on the issue during the pandemic, and that funding will provide vital support to tens of thousands of families. Will the Minister please confirm that the funding is intended to support children and their families during all school holiday periods throughout the school year and not just during summer holidays?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, the report is withering, and it outlines huge failures on a number of levels. The General Teaching Council was meant to be a regulatory body with responsibilities in our education system and to our teaching professions, our children and their families. It is clear that it has not lived up to those responsibilities. In the wake of the report, how does the Minister intend to ensure that there is appropriate accountability and that something like this never happens again?”
“I am deeply concerned about the delay in taking forward the recommendation for a review of the RSE minimum content order. Children and young people deserve RSE that is fact-based, inclusive and age-appropriate. We should see it being consistent and mandatory across schools. When are we likely to see progress on the issue?”
“It is my understanding that we would be the first jurisdiction in the northern hemisphere to extend the rights to parents who suffer miscarriage. It would be a positive step, so I will support the Committee amendments and hope that the Assembly will do so as well.”
“As my colleague Órlaithí Flynn said, there is a gap in support for parents who suffer a miscarriage. Representative organisations such as the Miscarriage Association have found that there is a lack of specialist support and recognition for parents who experience miscarriages. Again, as Órlaithí said, maternity leave entitlements do not apply to mothers who have a miscarriage. Parents who were surveyed by the association said that they felt under pressure to return to work before they were ready. <BR /> <BR />This Bill is an opportunity for us in the North to set a trend, to be at the fore and to show compassion to parents who miscarry a baby by including them in the Bill and by providing support to those who, in the past, have had little or no support.”
“I am pleased that the Committee has tabled amendments to include parents who have lost a child before 24 weeks of pregnancy due to miscarriage. We know the suffering that miscarriage can cause and the devastating impact that it can have on parents and families, so it is important that we extend the support to them.”
“So, parental bereavement leave and pay, as discussed in the Bill, will offer some support to those who need it in the most difficult of times. <BR /> <BR />I am not a member of the Economy Committee, but I spoke in the Second Stage debate and supported the Bill's passage to Committee Stage. During Second Stage, I highlighted a number of concerns that I had with the Bill and areas that I hoped could be developed by the Committee. I am glad that the Minister and the Department for the Economy have agreed to include parental bereavement leave for those who suffer stillbirths. At Second Stage, I, along with a number of other Members, suggested that it should be extended to parents who suffer miscarriage.”
“I welcome the opportunity to participate in today's debate, because this is really important legislation and the rights that it contains are long overdue. The Bill recognises parental bereavement as being a significant issue that, unfortunately, affects the lives of so many people. Parents who experience the unimaginable pain of losing a child deserve to be supported and offered compassionate leave from work to give them some time to deal with the grief. <BR /> <BR />In an ideal world, for someone who has suffered a devastating loss, such as the loss of a child, work and finances should be the last things that they have to worry about. However, in reality, bills still need to be paid. They still need to pay their rent or mortgage, food needs to be put on the table and heating needs to be paid for.”
“I am sure that the Minister will agree that, whether it is down to COVID or Brexit, many of our rural communities are facing huge challenges. Those difficulties need to be addressed within the rural policy framework in order to make any great difference. While the rural halls refurbishment scheme is a good initiative, is the Minister considering any rural business and community investment programmes as part of that framework?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. A recent survey by USDAW revealed that 90% of respondents have been assaulted in the last 12 months and that one in seven has been physically attacked. Last week marked Respect for Shopworkers Week. Does the Minister agree that this is an opportune time to consider more legislative protection that will act as a deterrent against that behaviour?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. In recent weeks, representatives of safeguarding organisations have criticised the sentencing guidelines for cases involving indecent images of children, particularly in relation to those cases in which offenders have avoided prison after pleading guilty to charges of making indecent images of children. Does the Minister intend to review the sentencing guidelines?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. The Minister will know that many of the roads in and around Omagh are in a terrible state. The longer the delays go on, the worse the roads get. Has the Minister assessed the road safety impact of the delays to resurfacing work?”
“Given my former role as a manager of a dental practice, I am acutely aware of the pressures that dentists and dental staff face, particularly throughout the pandemic, but I also know how important it is for people to get access to dental care quickly. Can the Minister outline from where he has sought to source temporary capacity to address the pressure on NHS dentistry in particular?”
“Is the Minister aware of the particular pressures facing Arvalee special school in my constituency of West Tyrone? Will she outline what she is doing to ensure that the school can remain open safely and provide the wide range of services needed for the children who attend it?”
“I thank the First Minister for his answer. All the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement are interdependent, including, of course, the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC), the DUP boycott of which has been branded unlawful by the High Court and is creating unnecessary tension and instability. The outworking of that can be seen in the recent criminal attacks on buses, bus drivers and passengers. Will the Minister give a commitment here and now that they will show some belated leadership, tone down the reckless rhetoric and end the boycott of the North/South Ministerial Council?”
“I thank the joint First Minister for her statement. I welcome its emphasis on the importance of victims and survivors having access to records in this jurisdiction, but, as the Minister is aware, babies were moved across the island. Will she detail how access to records in the South will be facilitated, please?”
“Most importantly, its vision will progress us all into a better future with an ethos of sharing rather than division.”
“That is of real concern to school leaders in particular. I am not sure whether it makes much financial sense to put in temporary fixes, which is another reason that we need to see the project completed. <BR /> <BR />More recently, I urged the Education Minister to prioritise the campus, and I welcomed the Minister's recent confirmation that the tender to build the five remaining schools is due before the end of this year. <BR /> <BR />The delivery of this groundbreaking project will see schools with state-of-the-art facilities and will enable pupils to benefit from opportunities provided through enhanced collaboration and sharing. The Strule Shared Education Campus will bring social, economic and educational benefits. It will also provide much-needed regeneration to the town of Omagh and the wider district.”
“We have to invest in peace and progress. <BR /> <BR />It is against that hope that recent increases in the estimated cost and the lengthening timescale for completion should be judged. The Minister recently confirmed that the final cost could run up to £60 million over the original budget and that the date for completion is now 2025. While that is disappointing, an increase in budget and timescale is to be expected in the wake of the pandemic and the outworkings of Brexit. <BR /> <BR />Delays in the procurement process and the higher cost of construction materials have inevitably led to those rising costs. When I met the Minister's predecessor in January this year, I highlighted to Mr Weir the frustration felt by schools due to the delays. I raised the issue of the state of repair of schools in the Omagh area.”
“More importantly, the Department recognises that strategically placing education at the heart of the community means that young people are connected through education, which filters into the wider community. There is a potentially huge social and educational dividend that can promote and enhance community relations. <BR /> <BR />The Strule project is not just about a shared campus; it is about a shared vision. That vision transcends mere construction. It offers more than the bricks and mortar of school buildings and facilities. It is a vision that sees the physical structure as the building blocks of a better future for all our children and young people. We cannot hope to wish away the divisions of the past that were often amplified by physical barriers and inbuilt separation. We need to take action to make reconciliation a reality.”
“The Department cites a number of gains from developing a shared campus. These include the delivery of a 21st-century curriculum in "progressive, modern and flexible facilities", the availability of a wider range of subjects, the sharing of resources and:”
“<BR /> <BR />The Department of Education identifies the Strule campus on its website as:”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I welcome the opportunity to highlight the incredibly important issue of Strule Shared Education Campus. It is important to me, and, obviously, to my constituents in Omagh and across West Tyrone. It is particularly important to the young people of West Tyrone, who deserve top-quality education in top-quality facilities. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Education Minister for being here to respond to the Adjournment debate and for the work that she has carried out for the Strule Shared Education Campus, particularly the ministerial direction that she issued this year to move the project on to its next stage. Although I am grateful to the Minister for that, I secured the debate to make sure that there are no more delays to the project, because the youth of Omagh have waited long enough.”
“The cycle of women's lives from menstruation to menopause must be mainstreamed and recognised as part of the whole human experience. I support the Bill, and I hope that it makes it through to Committee Stage so that the Education Committee can go into greater detail.”
“Equality and human rights demand that those needs be recognised and met. <BR /> <BR />In the past, for women and girls, menstruation was one of many aspects of their lives that was shrouded in secrecy and even shame. That was not an accident; it was part of a wider system of control and marginalisation. Secrecy and shame underpinned the mistreatment of women in mother-and-baby homes, and they often underpin violence against women and girls. Against that backdrop, the provision of period products might seem like a small step. Even if it is a small step, it is a vital step. <BR /> <BR />Recognition of menstruation is a public as well as a private matter. It challenges misogynistic attitudes that view women as "other" and women's business as "outside".”
“Along with poverty, attendance levels are a factor known to drive the educational gap between our most and least advantaged children and young people. All affected by this issue need access to period products.”
“Others have spoken about the difficulties of accessing products and managing menstruation where facilities do not match their need. <BR /> <BR />A number of international obligations also underpin support for the Bill. Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), there should be no barriers to accessing education, and girls should have access to appropriate and sufficient products to manage their periods as well as the right to manage their periods with dignity. <BR /> <BR />As party spokesperson on children and young people, I am particularly concerned about the impact of period poverty on attendance at school, as outlined by the Chairperson of the Education Committee.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. The topic is important, as is the legislation, which has gone a long way towards shining a light on the issue, removing the shame and embarrassment around periods and giving us an opportunity to ensure that nobody in the North suffers from period poverty. I congratulate the Bill sponsor, Pat Catney, and I thank him for bringing the Bill to the Floor. <BR /> <BR />The facts in support of the Bill speak for themselves. One in 10 of those in need of period products is unable to afford them at some time in their life. One in seven reports struggling to afford period products. Research among girls found that 49% had missed a day of school because of their period.”
“I thank the Minister for his detailed answer. He will be aware of a number of barriers that, in particular, women who are trying to get back into employment after having children face. One of those, as he mentioned, is access to affordable childcare. Is the Minister considering investing additional funding in the women returners programme in order to help mothers back into work and education?”
“The Bill could go further and ensure that the CPR and AED training for children and young people is annual. Although my workplace was a medical practice, I was not on the front line. Thankfully, I never had to use my training, but I needed a refresher every year. Maybe we can look at that. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, can we extend the CPR and defibrillator training to basic life support? Say, for example, somebody who has epilepsy; if they take a seizure, how do you deal with that? If a diabetic person goes into a hypo, what is the best way to cope with that? There are other things that could be explored to improve the piece, but I am happy to support the Bill and I hope that it reaches Committee Stage.”
“<BR /> <BR />The vast majority of cardiac arrests take place in the home, a setting where young people are well placed to make a difference, not only through direct intervention but by sharing their new skills with other family members, which then increases the number of people in the community with the skills and confidence to intervene and make a difference. Jurisdictions right across these islands have already committed to teaching CPR as part of the general education of young people. I hope that the Bill progresses. I will support it as it moves to Committee Stage. <BR /> <BR />I have a couple of other points that I want to raise with the Bill sponsor. Maybe it is something that we can discuss further if the Bill makes it to Committee Stage. As part of my previous employment, I received annual CPR and AED training.”
“The significance of teaching CPR in schools has also been recognised by the World Health Organization, which endorsed the Kids Save Lives statement. Teaching young people CPR as part of the school curriculum and providing them with the skills to resuscitate people in cardiac arrest is a tried and tested intervention that also empowers young people to be active and engaged citizens. Having acquired those skills, young people can take that beyond the classroom into their homes and the wider community.”
“Its intention is to mobilise the agency of young people by giving them the necessary tools to intervene and save lives in the event of a cardiac arrest. Within the relatively small population in the North, around 1,400 cardiac arrests take place every year outside of a hospital setting. In the event of a cardiac arrest, there is a very small window of opportunity to save someone's life. Every minute without trained intervention reduces the chance of survival by up to 10%, and that is why it is vital that training and equipment become more available to the general population. <BR /> <BR />Currently, the survival rate here sits at one in ten. However, in parts of Europe where CPR is taught in schools, survival rates are reported to be one in four.”
“First, I offer my condolences to Robbie and his family on the death of his sister-in-law. I am very sorry to hear that. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate as Sinn Féin spokesperson on children and young people, and I thank the Bill sponsor for bringing this important legislation to the Assembly. The training will have huge benefit not only for the children and young people who might suffer cardiac arrest and the older people who are more generally affected by it but for those who learn from it and increase their confidence about how to approach such medical emergencies. <BR /> <BR />In recent days, we have seen children and young people coming together to challenge climate change and, in doing so, take action to save lives. In a way, this Bill hopes to do the same.”
“Minister, relationships and sexuality education is important in tackling domestic and sexual violence and violence against women and girls. It is quite timely, given, as you said, the recent reports on drinks being spiked. Does the Minister share my concern at the lack of progress being made by the Education Minister on relationships and sexuality education in schools?”
“That is why we put forward an amendment that focused on meaningful financial interventions that the British Government should deliver, rather than talking about the already overstretched departmental budgets here. <BR /> <BR />The motion recognises the role that the British Government, and the adoption of their policies, have played in driving the crisis. As was mentioned, the end of furlough and the removal of the £20-a-week universal credit uplift have impacted on some of our most vulnerable households and struggling businesses. However, the motion does not call upon the British Government to reverse those decisions, which they should. I support the motion, but it could have gone further to call for more support from the British Government.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Member for his intervention. Today, we are discussing rising energy costs and how that is affecting everyone throughout the North. My point was about children and young people specifically. I will leave it to the Minister to respond to that. <BR /> <BR />Meaningful solutions to a crisis of this scale require intervention at the highest level. As has been said already, the Assembly has limited powers and a restricted Budget, both of which are determined by Westminster. Westminster has the power and resources to deliver solutions on the scale that is required to meet the crisis.”
“For adolescents, there is an increased risk of mental health problems. Obviously, these risks are hugely concerning and that is why we need the British Government to step up and face up to their responsibilities, just as Governments across Europe have done. We are asking them to introduce significant measures to tackle rising energy prices.”
“Meanwhile, ordinary workers and families will pay more National Insurance, and families here who are most in need have had their universal credit cut by the British Government. It is unfair, and it will potentially leave many families unable to heat their home this winter. <BR /> <BR />I am Sinn Féin's spokesperson on children and young people, so I want to look at how this could potentially affect children and young people. The likely consequences and impacts of unaffordable energy costs on children and young people are really concerning. According to research, for those living in insufficiently heated homes, there is a 30% greater risk of hospital admission for infants, and for children there is a significantly greater risk of health problems, particularly respiratory illness.”
“It is clear that we are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. Ordinary families and workers are struggling to make ends meet, and, as Members across the House have said, energy costs have skyrocketed over the course of this year. When you add that to the rising cost of food, increased costs at the petrol pumps, inflation and the costs of unsubsidised childcare, you see that families right across the board are struggling to get by. Despite this, the British Chancellor delivered a Budget last week that offered no direct support for families facing these Bills. <BR /> <BR />Last week, the Tory Government demonstrated once again that they are wedded to the rich, with cuts to taxes for the banks.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire fosta. I thank the Minister for the statement. Minister, I welcome the funds that have been allocated to Education and particularly to special educational needs (SEN) provision. I am glad that that remains a priority for you. Will you provide more detail on the £1·3 million that has been allocated to IT systems in Education?”
“Will the Minister outline the role that Belfast City Council is playing in addressing the issues around the Holylands?”