Barry McElduff
West Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I empathise to some degree with those who are qualified longer needing to secure posts, and I encourage the Minister to look creatively at that in the future, if he can. Is there any possibility of introducing or exploring the possibility of a scheme to refresh the head teacher workforce in our schools?”
“Further to Mr Agnew's question, I point out that your predecessor, Minister O'Dowd, was able to increase provision in the most socially deprived areas from 20% to 25%. We want universal provision, but, in some wards that are otherwise regarded as affluent, there are big pockets of deprivation, so is there any scope for looking at that?”
“In light of the fact that there have been increases to teachers' pension contributions and employees' National Insurance contributions as well as, in recent years, changes to income tax thresholds, will teachers be better off or worse off? How does that compare with other public-sector workers?”
“Members will be aware of some problems with the process in the last mandate. For example, the primary schools consultation feedback took the Education Authority over one year to analyse. It was not without its problems.”
“Parents with children in special schools are part of the process for the first time, and they want assurance that the added-value nature of special schools will not be lost in an attempt to standardise provision. <BR /> <BR />As a Sinn Féin MLA, I will say in Irish that we will support the DUP amendment.”
“I will make the first part of my contribution in my role as Chair of the Education Committee, and then I will make some comments from a party political perspective.”
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“Go raibh maith agat. I thank the Minister for his answer and welcome the commitment that his people based in Omagh are working with Primark on the matter that he described. Let me say to the Minister that there was recently a detailed list of locations where the Department held job fairs in 2014, and no locations in either Tyrone or Fermanagh were mentioned. I ask the Minister whether he can work with the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to create opportunities for highly qualified and skilled graduates in west Tyrone who are unable to secure employment locally at this time.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I refer to the part of the statement that deals with sectoral priorities and new sectoral priorities. Can existing sectoral priorities be enhanced and further developed? Access to GP out-of-hours provision has been a pilot in Derry and Inishowen and in the Castleblayney, Keady and Crossmaglen area. Will the deputy First Minister take on board my suggestion that access to GP out-of-hours provision might be a suitable existing sectoral priority for enhancement and further development?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Can I thank the Minister for his answer and his pioneering work in leading this iconic Lisanelly education campus. Can the Minister indicate the key milestones that are up ahead for the project, for this calendar year and for future calendar years? Are we on course for the 2020 opening — is it? — of the schools that will be on the site? What are the key milestones up ahead?”
“Go raibh maith agat. I thank the Minister for her answer go dtí an pointe seo. Cén ról a bheidh ag na grúpaí seo? What role will core funded groups have in implementing the Irish language strategy?”
“Is é mo cheist, cad iad na céad chéimeanna eile don straitéis sin?”
“I believe that there is a taxi for Durkan to take him out of the Building.”
“— in social deprivation, but this is everyone's business.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Like many, I have and have had close family and community links with St Mary's. Members who, principally, represent Belfast constituencies rightly emphasise how damaging this would be to an area of social deprivation. I want to point out from a slight distance that student satisfaction surveys constantly put St Mary's up there. I know this anecdotally from speaking to many students from rural parts of the North and from over the border. I commend the way in which the Belfast Members are speaking about the damage it will do —”
“The essence of my contribution was that this is a contested issue. Will the Member accept that half the people of the North of Ireland view the Irish national flag of green, white and orange, inclusive of its own tradition, as being their national flag? When I say that we matter, we count, which, in Latin, is cogito, ergo sum.”
“I would say this: we exist. The nationalist and republican people of the North of Ireland exist, we matter and we want equality as well.”
“The Minister rightly quoted, in answer to me, the Good Friday Agreement, which talks about all participants acknowledging the sensitivity of the use of symbols and emblems for public purposes. We exist. We are entitled to equality. People elect us to come here to represent their views and their sensitivities. <BR /> <BR />If there is one issue that I might like to see addressed, in perhaps striking some common purpose with Pam Cameron, the Member who proposed the motion, it is clarification of who actually took the decision. The Minister said that he did not take the decision. There is maybe a wee inconsistency, because, in the 'Derry Journal', a party spokesman for the SDLP claimed that it was the Minister's decision. It would be good to have that cleared up. I have just digressed from my script to make that one and only other point.”
“I have often listened to the voice of Radio Kerry, my good friend Weeshie Fogarty, and he maintains that the kingdom is indeed Kerry and that its flag is green and gold. <BR /> <BR />To desist from being facetious, I want to say that it does nobody any favours for some unionist politicians to constantly impose this agenda. The obsession with the Union flag being put in our faces comes across as politically immature, intolerant and insecure. One of the best tweets of the last week was a tweet that celebrated the fact that Craigavon council will dissolve on April Fool's Day after its decision on imposing the Union flag against the views of people as expressed in a consultation in that community. <BR /> <BR />I have read Hansard from the Environment Minister's Question Time.”
“No, the Member will have adequate opportunity during the debate to make his points, and I will take some time now to make mine. <BR /> <BR />The definition of the national flag is contested, to say the least, because, speaking personally and on behalf of very many people in the North and more people throughout Ireland, we view our national flag as green, white and orange. That represents unity and peace between Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter. It is even more inclusive. That is my view and the view of very many people throughout Ireland and very many people who elect people to this Chamber. People talk about "the kingdom", but all that language is contested. To me, "the kingdom" is the kingdom of Kerry, and, in Gaelic football terms, the flag of the kingdom is green and gold. That has been told to me often by the voice —”
“You might wish it to be different, but it is not different.”
“Certainly, those who elect me to come here and almost half the population of the Six Counties do not view the Union flag as their national flag. That is the way it is.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. The business of passports and emblems and symbols on driving licences does not seem like an accurate comparison. It does not stand up because, in this society, one can apply for and receive either a British passport or an Irish passport. <BR /> <BR />An chéad rud a ba mhaith liomsa a dhéanamh ag tús na díospóireachta seo ná. I want to express our party’s opposition to the motion. Many will view the motion as a waste of time. Many will believe that the subject received sufficient ventilation during the Environment Minister's Question Time on Tuesday 20 January. The motion refers to the Union flag as the national flag, and, of course, the definition of national flag in this society is contested, to say the least.”
“The Deputy Speaker can rule on the accuracy or otherwise of this attempted point of order. Is it legitimate for a Member to attack officials in the way that the Member is doing? It is fair game to attack Ministers and political, elected figures, but a theme seems to be running through that speech, which is attacking officials.”
“Go raibh maith agat. Is the Minister satisfied that the recommendations are being addressed to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect? To be specific but not too specific, I am concerned that a prisoner from the Omagh area has been in solitary confinement for over two years. I have spoken to his family. Can the Minister undertake to investigate the background to that unhealthy situation and perhaps communicate directly with me on the matter?”
“At the heart of that are some people who have particular circumstances and would like or need to remain in the setting in which they currently work, for health or other reasons. So there are a number of challenges in that. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for bringing forward the commencement order.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I welcome that the commencement order has been brought before the House. I hope that it is relevant to mention that my concerns, at this stage, are that the strategic planning policy statement, which comes later, will afford some flexibility to local government to tweak or interpret policy in a rural community, for example, where there might be strong feelings about lack of opportunities. That flexibility is an important point for me. <BR /> <BR />The Minister made some reference to my second concern, which is the whole human resources aspect of this. People will be transferred from one working location to another. That is a very difficult exercise, which is being undertaken by HR Connect etc.”
“If it happened in Belfast, it would not be accepted.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Will the Minister explain why those areas worst affected by the industrial action etc are all located west of the Bann? Does the Minister accept that there might be a perception out there that we are suffering neglect and discrimination largely because of the community make-up and geography west of the Bann?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Tá ceist áirithe agam ar an Aire. Following Mrs Overend's reference to the word "equality", does the Minister agree that, in this matter and in all matters to do with symbols and emblems, the underlying principle for his Department and all Departments should be equality or neutrality?”
“I would like to give the Member an opportunity to put on record his goodwill towards the constituency of West Tyrone and to express some disappointment that the motion did not refer to the Omagh district.”
“I welcome what the Member said about the education budget. I ask Mr Allister whether he would continue to approach positively the issue of more money for education, basically because of what we are hearing in our communities from principals, governors, classroom assistants, teachers and parents. I welcome the tone of Mr Allister's remarks in this matter.”
“I think that the Minister is talking about dementia care and not palliative care.”
“Minister, will you fast-track a community planning process? Some of those nonsensical proposals would never have seen the light of day had local councillors and MLAs been properly consulted. We should fast-track community planning for health.”
“The Minister will accept that we are all at one on the issue of recognising the excellence of staff throughout the Western Trust. There is no divergence on that point whatsoever, but I echo Ross Hussey's point that among those staff are the staff at Ash Villa, who were due to receive recognition from Stirling University for their excellence. They should be listened to at this time.”
“Can the Minister do anything about that or address the difficulties in recruiting specialty doctors and consultants, including locums for hospitals such as Tyrone County Hospital? <BR /> <BR />I look forward to the opening of our local enhanced hospital in Omagh in 2016, with the maximum range of services and acute mental health services at the site of the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital. Forgive us for representing our people and reflecting deeply held concerns on the part of a community that has seen some very important health decisions go against it in the last 10 years.”
“I have been told by senior managers in the Western Trust that no member of staff or user of day centre services in Omagh will lose out, yet I am told by a lady from Mountfield, County Tyrone, that it has been suggested that her sister may no longer have a place at the day centre that she has attended in Omagh for 28 years. This is very important for her socialisation and for the activities that she enjoys there. I want that cloud of uncertainty to be removed. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the fact that the Minister, through Michaela Boyle's representations, has acceded to a request from the six MLAs for West Tyrone for a meeting. The Western Trust says — quite rightly, I believe — that the palliative care service in Omagh is not properly funded by the commissioner.”
“We often hear that the direction of Transforming Your Care is towards caring for patients in their own home, but these proposals tend to be undermined by a savings plan that suggests that home care packages will be reduced. I also want some certainty about that.”
“I support the Member for North Antrim in putting his case, and I commend him and the other parties who worked collectively with the local community to raise the issue of Dalriada. That showed great participatory democracy in that the community came here and filled the Public Gallery in support of that case. <BR /> <BR />My emphasis today has been on the reduction of the number of palliative care beds from 10 to six. It has also been on the reconfiguration — or closure — of a particular service within dementia care at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital, but there are additional issues that I want to raise. I know that other Members will also take up the issue of domiciliary care. I would like to hear more detail about the proposals for domiciliary care in the Western Trust area.”
“I have a duty to forward that to the relevant authorities — the trust and the Minister — and I have asked that question. <BR /> <BR />I asked a series of questions about the dementia care proposal, and I ask that the Minister do everything in his power to ensure that there is a strong presence at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital for patients who present with challenging behaviour, and that they are suitably accommodated there and not put alongside people who are being assessed.”
“The term "closing" was used at the beginning by the Western Trust officials, but they have now changed that and are using words such as "service reconfiguration". Anybody who is engaged with staff at Ash Villa at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital, or with family members or relatives of users of that service, will know about the great anxiety there. <BR /> <BR />The questions that I have raised have related to, for example, occupancy rates. Did the trust block admissions for a number of months in order to contrive the figures? One staff member has said to me — I am not scaremongering or being alarmist; I have to reflect what people say to me — that they wondered whether a police cell was one possibility being considered to accommodate patients with challenging behaviour who presented in a crisis situation.”
“Mrs Sweeney died about a month ago, and while they are obviously keen to praise the staff at Tyrone County Hospital, they want answers to that question on the current levels of usage when there was an obvious demand on the part of other end-of-life patients. <BR /> <BR />The Minister will be aware that I have tabled a series of questions on dementia care at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital. I am grateful for his replies, but, essentially, it again seems inappropriate that dementia care patients exhibiting challenging behaviour should be placed in the same setting as patients with less challenging behaviour or patients who are being assessed. It has been asked whether Ash Villa will be closing.”
“The problem that I have with that was evidenced at the rally in Omagh and a few days beforehand, when I was sympathising with a local family on the death of their loved one. I know that the family will not mind my mentioning the lady who died who was Mrs Violet Sweeney from the Brookmount Road area. Her family were at pains to point out to me the level and excellence of care that their beloved mother received in the hospital's palliative care ward. However, at the time when Mrs Sweeney unfortunately died, the family believes that there were at least four other patients in a queue waiting to access a palliative care bed. To me, the notion that 10 beds can be reduced to six in order to reflect the current level of usage is not borne out by that empirical evidence. I say that with all respect to the Sweeney family.”
“That was welcome, but then a decision was taken to reduce the number of beds in the palliative care ward, now to be kept separate from rehabilitation, from 10 to six, and there was to be a further loss of six beds in the rehabilitation ward. <BR /> <BR />One of the key phrases used by the Western Trust and, subsequently, by the Minister was that the justification for reducing the number of beds in the palliative care ward — temporarily, and to be restored in 2016 with the opening of the new hospital — was about reflecting current levels of usage.”
“That is the context, and we are awaiting decisions on, for example, the acute mental health admissions for the future. <BR /> <BR />The proposal on palliative care, in particular, provoked widespread dismay and anger in the local community. It did not make any sense to anybody. It appeared to be a most insensitive and really inappropriate mix of patients, with those receiving end-of-life care being placed alongside patients who are recovering. That proposal was greeted with widespread dismay and even anger in the community. Thankfully, the Western Health Trust did withdraw that proposal and showed some evidence that it was listening to the community.”
“It was at that rally, on a Saturday in November, that I was handed a list of the services that have seen reductions since 2009: accident and emergency; ward 5 surgical; ward 6 men's surgical; ICU; recovery main surgery theatre; ENT, children and adults; community stores; laboratory; ward 12 medical; psychiatric ICU Spruce; and Ferone Drive, an alternative to hospital provision for many. <BR /> <BR />The latest proposals involved — initially, anyway — a merger of palliative care and stroke rehabilitation, with the loss of 10 beds, the merger of the cardiac assessment unit with urgent care, and the closure of the challenging behaviour ward in Tyrone and Fermanagh, and Pine C day care and community equipment stores in Tyrone and Fermanagh.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have a personal memory of being involved in putting the case for Omagh's acute services. I was with a group of community-based individuals and other elected representatives handing over the case for Omagh, and the Department at the time was pleased to take receipt of the document, which was backed up and supported by the York Health Economics Consortium, only to be told, "Thank you for the document. We will now set about rebutting your arguments". I have a memory of that. Forgive us for being a wee bit sceptical and cynical at times about plans for our community. <BR /> <BR />The Minister knows that the current proposals have provoked public protest in Omagh. There was a rally and a further protest.”
“It is my belief that the Omagh area suffers a disproportionately negative impact, not least in palliative care, but also in dementia care, with a resultant negative impact on patient care and staff. <BR /> <BR />There is another very good reason why it mentions the Omagh area. The Omagh community is understandably vigilant about essential health services. In the past, we lost our maternity services at the Tyrone County Hospital. We then lost our acute services per se at the Tyrone County Hospital. While we await 2016 and the opening of a new local enhanced hospital in Omagh, forgive us for being anxious to retain the maximum range of services in the Tyrone County Hospital and at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital ahead of the transfer of services to the new local enhanced hospital.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also want to state that I appreciate that, from the point of view of the Western Trust, this would have been a very difficult exercise, and I have professional respect for the senior management team of the Western Trust who have engaged with me on these issues in the recent past. However, the principles that should be observed when identifying areas for savings should be quality of patient care, defence of front-line services and retention of staff where possible. I do not always agree that making wrong choices amounts to strong leadership. <BR /> <BR />The topic before us makes specific and particular reference to the impact of proposed cuts on service provision in the Omagh area, and there is good reason for that.”
“The Minister will, no doubt, tell us that all trusts in the North have been asked to develop saving plans to deal with the financial deficit facing his Department. However, the Western Trust is looking at a savings plan with cuts amounting to £7 million. At the heart of this, I believe it needs to be said that our financial difficulties, as an Assembly and Executive, are largely as a result of this time of British Government — Tory Government — economic policies: cutting the block grant year-on-year and, at the same time, depriving us of levers to generate our own revenue.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. I am pleased that the topic before us, the proposed savings in the Western Health and Social Care Trust and their particular negative impact in the Omagh area, has been selected for discussion. I am also grateful that Minister Jim Wells is in attendance for the debate. Knowing Jim Wells as I do, I hope that he will listen to the various points made throughout the debate and not merely rely on a pre-prepared script that may have been written for and with him by the Department. I ask the Minister to listen carefully to the points made. <BR /> <BR />Six weeks ago, on 30 October, the Western Trust announced its savings plans for the remainder of the 2014-15 financial year.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I seek assurance from the deputy First Minister that the Executive are exerting maximum pressure at this time on the Irish Government to play their full part in meeting their financial obligations in respect of the crucial A5 road project.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. My question relates to the environmental protection section of the Minister's statement. Can he tell me whether, before the second and final phase of the all-island air-quality research study is completed, Ministers will engage directly with key stakeholders, including coal importers and distributors and those organisations that seek to combat fuel poverty?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Will senior representatives of health trusts at director level be compelled to participate in the community planning process? I say that because, recently in Omagh, negative proposals came forward regarding palliative care and dementia care that would never have seen the light of day if local elected representatives had been alongside health chiefs in decision-making.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. The Minister will be aware of my party's total opposition to the introduction of the levy for HGVs travelling into the North. Is he aware of serious disquiet among hauliers in the South and among businesses in all parts of the island regarding this levy? In his discussions with the Irish Government, has he encountered any appetite on their part for introducing a reciprocal levy, which would be a disaster?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I welcome the Minister's mention of the A5 and confirmation that it remains an Executive and a North/South Ministerial Council priority. Can I ask the Minister to outline the timetable for progressing the A5 project in the remaining weeks of 2014 and in 2015? What level of funding commitment is there from his Department and from the Government in Dublin?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Of course, coownership will suit some, but there are towns and villages in West Tyrone that have not seen social houses built for years, indeed decades. Can I ask the Minister whether he is aware of the waiting list for social housing in the Omagh and Strabane districts and to explain how his Department plans to address this objective need?”