Ciara Ferguson
Foyle · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“<BR /> <BR />The Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill instructs the commissioner's office to prepare a strategic plan as soon as reasonably practicable after their appointment to review the effectiveness of the Victim Charter and the Witness Charter at least every three years and to provide annual business plans and reports.”
“Sinn Féin very much welcomes the fact that the Bill is the continued evolution of that work to strengthen the rights of victims and witnesses of crime, including the right of complainants to an opportunity to make oral or written representations to the court about any application, to be present at any hearing of the application and to be…”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill will strengthen protections for complainants in serious sexual offence cases in which pretrial applications for a witness summons are made.”
“It is important because being a victim or a witness of crime is often a traumatic experience that requires dedicated support to recover from. It is important because all victims and witnesses of crime should be subject to a fair and supportive legal system that fully engages with them.”
“Victims and witnesses of crime are entitled to be treated fairly, professionally and with respect in all their interactions with the justice system; to be kept regularly updated, including being provided with relevant information in a timely fashion; and to have their needs considered.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak at Second Stage of the Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill. I will begin by acknowledging the importance of the Bill in placing the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses of Crime and that office and its functions on a permanent statutory footing.”
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“A majority in our local Assembly has instead voted to continue our post-Brexit trade arrangements and recognise the need to maintain the hard-fought and hard-won protections against Brexit's worst excesses.”
“Those who so whimsically dismissed the qualitative advice from so many sectors have a brass neck when they continue to complain about the outworking of the wheels that they set in motion. <BR /> <BR />Our electorate voted overwhelmingly to remain. Our people know only too well the continued impact of Brexit on our economy, trade, small businesses, opportunities for students, our young people and even the stronger collective vigilance concerning human rights and standards in a post-Brexit era. Equally, however, our people know that unionism is no longer the monolith that it once was. Its electoral majority in the Assembly and at Westminster is gone.”
“No, thank you. Sorry, I want to move on. <BR /> <BR />Some even defined the Brexiteers' choice to advocate a project that would increase trade barriers and hinder free movement as supporting self-inflicted recession. Brexit is a child of the DUP. You were repeatedly warned that it would be bad for the North and our economy. If we cast our minds back to the publication of a report by the Department for the Economy in July 2019 that warned of a possible 40,000-plus job losses, we remember that one DUP politician said that they could live with that. Another stated:”
“It has to be said that, to me, the motion reads as little more than the TUV tail wagging the DUP dog, to be honest. Members, as you are all well aware, next June will mark a decade — 10 years — since the Brexit referendum in which the majority of people in the North voted to remain in the European Union. The majority of our citizens in the North were not beguiled by those who found themselves at the behest of Boris and the Brexiteers, yet, here we are again, listening to a DUP motion that refuses to acknowledge that the challenges about which they now complain are in fact the very outworkings of that failed project, which we were all well warned about. Economists, commentators, academics and organisations all warned of the many potential negative economic and social consequences of Brexit.”
“I very much welcome the work of the local economic partnerships, particularly in the north-west, in addressing regional imbalance. Minister, what is your assessment of Invest NI's contribution to regional balance?”
“only strong, unified and relentless global pressure can bring Israel's death, destruction and devastation to an end. Today, let our message be heard loud and clear: we condemn any aiding and abetting of the rogue state of Israel; we condemn the decimation of medical supplies and ambulance services, with no fuel or electricity to save the wounded and dying; we condemn the deliberate starvation, bombardment and suffocating grip of colonial occupation and blockade; we demand immediate action and accountability; we ask for strong, unified, global pressure; and we must deliver an end to Israel's impunity.”
“The Occupied Territories Bill must be passed and fully enacted as a matter of urgency, and the triple lock must be protected and defended. <BR /> <BR />A chairde,”
“the campaign of genocidal destruction that the US and British-backed Israeli forces are unleashing in Gaza is far from new. It is a continuation of a centuries-long process of Western colonisation. Whilst the British Government are threatening to define Palestine Action as a proscribed organisation, our message to them is that they would be better served by acting immediately to end their own complicity. <BR /> <BR />Our motion calls on the British Government to stop all arms sales to Israel; to introduce real, meaningful political and economic sanctions; and to officially recognise the state of Palestine. To the Twenty-six County Government, our message is simple: you have a duty to represent the will of the Irish people, and we are fiercely proud of our Palestinian solidarity and our Irish neutrality.”
“Just yesterday, a final, desperate plea was heard from Nasser Hospital, which was that, in 24 hours, there would be absolutely no formula left to give to any surviving premature babies. At the very same time, a 33-year-old mother lay on the site with her baby clung to her breast. Unknown to her baby, she had nothing left to give, her body starved and dehydrated. This motion is another desperate plea for humanity, courage and action in the face of the most catastrophic humanitarian crisis of our time. <BR /> <BR />For over 20 months, the Israeli Government have waged a campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people with total impunity, day in and day out, showing total disregard for international law, morality or human rights. As stated by Amir Amini:”
“I thank the Member for his answer. The Member mentioned hybrid working: is hybrid working available to all staff, and what provisions are available for annual leave?”
“Minister, what more do you feel can be done by the Department to raise awareness of legal aid waivers for domestic violence protection?”
“We believe that the establishment of a sentencing council would go some way to ensuring that sentences match the seriousness and severity of the crimes, mainstreaming policy and increasing public awareness and confidence in sentencing and in access to justice within our criminal justice system more generally. <BR /> <BR />I commend our amendment to the House.”
“<BR /> <BR />Our party supported the introduction of sentencing guidelines in the Twenty-six Counties for the establishment of the Judicial Council Bill. Our spokespeople rightly raised the issue of judicial training, including adequate training on domestic abuse and trauma, due to cases sometimes evidencing a lack of understanding or displaying attitudes that have dated poorly. Whilst there must be respect for the independence of the judiciary, that does not mean that there should not be support for fostering a common judicial culture with regard to core issues and greater clarity in respect of sentencing guidelines. As outlined in the European Judicial Training Network conference, issues such as gender equality cannot simply be decreed but must be embedded in the system through training and changes in habits.”
“Sinn Féin supports the need for a clear, human rights framework for sentencing, with a comprehensive statement of principles and purposes of sentencing, to help direct the broad purposes of punishment: protection of the public, deterrence, rehabilitation and reparation. We acknowledge the broad principles currently around sentencing, as laid out in the R v Gavin Coyle 2024 case in the Court of Appeal and guidelines from the Lady Chief Justice's Sentencing Group. We also believe that there is a need to reform sentencing guidelines procedures here to tackle any perceived lack of fairness or inconsistency in sentencing judgements. That is fundamental not only to protect public confidence but to encourage victims of crime to come forward and prevent further trauma, particularly prevalent for victims of hate crime, sex crime or drug crime.”
“We acknowledge that there have been several consultations on sentencing issues since the 2012 announcement from the Department of Justice of the review into sentencing guidelines here. Additionally, there have been several useful reports from the Criminal Justice Inspection, Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee and, indeed, the Gillen review. We agree with the Human Rights Commission's recommendations in its submission to the Department of Justice sentencing review consultation back in February 2020 that support the need for commitment to restorative and reparative approaches to community sentencing.”
“That includes the many different voluntary and community sector groups that support the Probation Board and the Prison Service by working in the provision of rehabilitation and resettlement services, such as Through the Gate, Housing Rights and Beyond the Gate and many others. We know the linkages between poverty, homelessness and reoffending. <BR /> <BR />The purpose of sentencing guidelines that lay down the maximum or, in some cases, minimum sentences that are available for specific offences is to increase the transparency, consistency and reliability of judicial decision-making and not only to help individuals, including victims and witnesses, to better understand the process but to build public confidence.”
“The Audit Office 2023 report on reducing adult reoffending rightly sets out some of the factors that are required to be dealt with to address the root causes of reoffending, including stable housing; access to education and employment; mental health and well-being; dealing with substance dependence; reliable relationships; and social support. That is a fundamental point to raise in the debate about problem-solving justice collectively and in the context of the current draft anti-poverty strategy. It is important for us all to engage continually with the individuals and organisations who work at the coalface of tackling poverty and inequality.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />We all have a duty to ensure that justice is accessible to all in our society. That is why issues such as access to legal aid, fair sentencing and improvements in rehabilitation and restorative justice are fundamental. Whilst the most recent report will not be published until later this year, the findings in the prison population report for 2023-24 are stark. The daily prison population here has increased by 11·4%. The average daily immediate custody population has increased by 10%. <BR /> <BR />I thank those who tabled the motion and acknowledge the line in the motion that highlights the issues and the rate of reoffending, which is nearly 80%.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, given how vital it is for all of us to work collectively to end the violence, abuse and harm suffered by women and girls in all our communities, I welcome the support for the project advisory groups' focus on domestic violence and their interest in the Power to Change campaign. Can the Minister outline what further enhanced work and joint initiatives are being progressed with her ministerial counterpart to address gender-based violence across the island?”
“We need to provide stability for key organisations such as Echo Echo. Let us collectively ensure that local artists and our locally based arts organisations are adequately and equally supported to thrive right across our island. I remind everyone that cutting arts funding is not saving; it is starving our local potential.”
“Just recently, in Derry, the Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company lost 100% of its core annual funding programme, endangering staff roles, community outreach and the very sustainability of its dance studio in the city walls. We have a duty to protect that group and so many others. The arts have a significant social value. Arts Matter has suggested that, for every pound invested in arts, there is an £8 return in local economic benefits. <BR /> <BR />I want to finish by making a call to the Minister. You have rightly acknowledged the need for equitable funding, but now is the time to act. We need to rebalance distribution geographically and ensure that places such as Derry, Strabane, Coleraine, Fermanagh and our rural areas receive their fair share. We need to enable and support arts organisations, not help to close them down.”
“Last November, in Stormont, we heard directly from talented Derry-based artist Muire McCallion and other Equity members about how they are being forced to emigrate to tell stories of home on a foreign stage. Why are we exporting our creatives and denying their contribution to their own communities? <BR /> <BR />Unfortunately, as we have heard, as a result of austerity, we have the lowest per capita investment in arts. It is approximately £5 per person here, but it is twice that amount in Wales and four times that amount in the Republic of Ireland. That needs to be addressed through additional investment and support over a longer period.”
“Everybody in the Chamber will agree that Derry city is well renowned for its status as the first City of Culture, and, equally, everyone will agree that the success of that time was wholly due to the vibrancy, character and dedication of our local artists and our local arts organisations. We all know that the arts are so much more than a form of entertainment. They are the beating heart of culture, and they drive individual well-being, strengthen our communities and drive social and economic vitality. However, the lived reality of the working and living conditions of our artists in the North is not reflective of the contribution that they make. The Perspective Economics report commissioned by the Arts Council in 2024 was stark in its findings. On average, artists here have to generate their income from at least 2·6 different sources.”
“I thank the Minister for starting the consultation process. Minister, the anti-poverty co-design group had a very involved role in the early stages of drafting the strategy, but you decided to end the co-design process. You have mentioned what is in the strategy, but the co-design group is bitterly disappointed, because it sees little evidence of its initial input and most of its recommendations have been cast aside. Can you highlight for us the key recommendations that the co-design group brought forward that you have cast aside? Why have they not been incorporated into the strategy?”
“I ask the Minister and his Department to explore ways, particularly in the context of the north-west, to strengthen cross-border collaboration on healthcare, to be more innovative and to work more closely on the treatment of cancers in order to deliver better experiences for patients across our small island. That includes supporting the All-Ireland Cancer Network and the development of improved cancer policy and research alongside meeting the existing need for additional services, including those that I have outlined, which, so far, have been refused. I urge the Minister to reconsider whether those services can be implemented to support the delivery of the key principle of universal health coverage so that our citizens have access to the full range of services where and when they need them.”
“A lack of identified funding means that no timeline for introduction can be provided. <BR /> <BR />I raise the issue today because several local people have contacted me about income-based health inequalities. They have voiced serious frustrations that, at such a difficult time in their life, only those who can afford to go privately have options available to them in relation to cancer treatments. While I fully appreciate the need for sustained investment in primary and community care and in various specialised services, as an MLA for Foyle and vice-chair of the all-party group on cancer I have to speak up for my constituents across Derry city and the north-west who face significant health and social inequalities.”
“I rise to talk briefly about equal access to services for people with cancer. Previously, I wrote to the Minister about the provision of cold caps for the treatment of cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia. The response indicated that, due to system pressures, their introduction was not being routinely commissioned or prioritised, despite the fact that they are available across the Twenty-six Counties and GB. Additionally, I queried projected annual staffing costs and a timeline for the delivery of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy — a precision-targeting form of radiotherapy — for the North West Cancer Centre, which has the equipment. I was advised that, given annual staffing costs, costs could be in the region of £284,000 to recruit therapeutic radiographers and medical physicians to support the service.”
“I thank the Minister, and I welcome the statement and the progress that has been made to date. I pay tribute to and am quite proud of Alma White and Dee Geary, in particular, who have advocated on behalf of children. For children and families that currently feel in limbo — those who are not under Health or Education — the Minister mentioned that we may be able to explore the development of collaborative and co-funded cross-departmental pilots to try to provide pathways for those young people for whom existing systems do not work. I am conscious that there is goodwill within the Executive. Will the Minister throw some light on that aspect?”
“I also thank the Minister for bringing the statement to the House. It is welcome news for all pensioners who will receive the winter fuel payment this winter. I commend our older people's advocate groups, which have relentlessly campaigned for the payment to be reinstated. Do you, Minister, foresee any logistical or implementation issues with the payments in relation to the option to opt out?”
“I thank the Minister for her commitment to the Derry airport. It is really welcome. What is the Minister's assessment of the recently published report, 'A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation'?”
“I thank the deputy First Minister. Loyalist paramilitaries are behind many disgraceful attacks such as the ones that I mentioned. Does the deputy First Minister agree that it is entirely unacceptable in 2025 that loyalist paramilitary groups still exist, intimidating families and exerting control over communities? Does she also agree that those criminal gangs should immediately disband and leave our communities and families to live in peace?”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for her answer. Minister, will you set out the current position on the transfer of the Ebrington site to Derry City and Strabane District Council?”
“I also thank the Minister for his statement this morning. I very much welcome the upcoming consultation on the next steps for the Mobuoy site, and I urge everyone to take part in that. <BR />There has been significant concern ongoing over many years, particularly among local representative organisations such as River Faughan Anglers, Strathfoyle Community Association, Maydown Community Association and Enagh Youth Forum, all of which have been there from the start right through. Minister, you mentioned that you will meet the council and us as MLAs. Will you open that meeting to those representative organisations, which have continuously engaged throughout the process?”
“You have generally answered the point that I was going to make. I welcome the extra posts, but will you ensure that they are fairly allocated across our hospital sites, particularly the medical posts? I have found that a lot of the training posts are Belfast-centric, and when young ones go to train in Belfast, they set up home there and do not necessarily come back to the north-west. If there is a fair allocation of those posts across the hospital sites from the start, we can ensure that we retain and build upon the skills and the teams that we have in the north-west, particularly at Altnagelvin hospital.”
“Minister, as you mentioned, we often hear about how long it can take schools and colleges etc to get simple repairs done. Will the changes make things much easier?”
“It is vital that patients can access their GP when they need them, and ensuring that our GP surgeries are viable and sustainable is a key component of that. Is the Minister convinced that what he is proposing can deliver on that?”
“It is important that the Executive's online safety strategy be renewed and updated. <BR /> <BR />Ofcom's online safety policy director has also produced some important advice on helping tech firms better understand their duties under the Online Safety Act 2023 so that they can assess the risks of harm and take proportionate and necessary steps to manage and mitigate risk. <BR /> <BR />Online safety is a justice issue and a safety issue, and it has the potential to have a direct impact on the rights, safety and well-being of children and other individuals. We have a duty to support communities, parents and families in that regard.”
“We would benefit from strengthening relationships and sexuality education for children and young people, as they all should have the right to comprehensive, accurate and reliable information on their bodies, as well as information on how to foster safe and healthy relationships, how to make informed decisions and, importantly, how to stay as safe as is possible within their control from potential harms in person and online. <BR /> <BR />As a member of the Justice Committee, I welcome the ask of the Minister of Justice to ensure that funding adequately prioritises the issue, including funding for the PSNI's child internet protection team, which investigates serious and complex online abuse cases. Just last year, it was involved in 125 searches and made 52 arrests, so its work should not be underestimated.”
“We also have the Chief Medical Officer's commentary on screen time, which provides advice on the impacts of prolonged screen time on mental and physical health. Balancing the risks against the potential value of online learning that can be done on computers and smartphones is a 24/7 societal challenge. While we sympathise with the sentiments expressed in the debate, we think that making information and support available should be its practical outworking.”
“I will go further and say that it is not just a whole-government approach that is needed but a societal effort to include whole-school approaches from teachers to staff, governors, parents and volunteers. Similarly, across our communities, workplaces, youth clubs, organisations, internet service providers and platforms, enhancing the safeguards and strengthening child protection efforts require increased knowledge and training on child protection. Good guidance and toolkits are available for parents and carers, but additional support should be sought where needed in relation to using device controls, checking content and age suitability.”
“It is not about banning something; it is about how we all actively get involved and engaged in supporting child protection. <BR /> <BR />For children under 11 years old, we have Talk PANTS and Techosaurus to help, with additional guidance available for older children and teenagers. The Thinkuknow platform is provided by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre education team. It provides education, training, resources and information to professionals working with children, alongside young people, families and carers, with separate guidance developed for a range of age groups from age four up to age 18. Furthermore, we have the Safeguarding Board, which has online safety hubs that are accessible for under-13s, 13-to-18 year-olds and over-18s. <BR /> <BR />We welcome the call for strengthened cross-departmental working.”
“I thank the proposer of the motion, as it expresses serious concerns around some of the more negative impacts of social media for young people in particular and how best to protect and ensure children's safety, happiness and well-being online. As outlined by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), children today grow up in a modern and technologically advanced world, so it is all the more important to have regular, age-appropriate conversations. <BR /> <BR />A good few Members in the House will remember when the internet came into being in the mid-1990s and the challenges that we had to face. My children are in their late twenties, and they are helping me now with social media. I am the one who is passing over the controls when my grandchildren come to my house, so it is intergenerational.”
“I thank the Minister for highlighting the importance of promoting regional balance. The Minister referred to the expansion of the Magee campus, which is a key economic catalyst for the region. Will she explain the benefits of a partnership approach to that critical project?”
“I urge everyone here, when they see information around that, to continuously share it on social media. <BR /> <BR />Finally, we must think beyond the borders. There are real opportunities in the cross-border healthcare directive and in an all-Ireland approach. We already have outstanding all-Ireland cancer research bodies. We should be building on that, sharing knowledge, expertise and capacity across the island to ensure that no one waits longer than they have to for a diagnosis, a treatment or a fighting chance. Let us match our words with urgency and compassion. Let us ring-fence the funding and make it count. Let us reform, not just react. The people of Ireland deserve nothing less.”
“At the same time, women are underrepresented in clinical trials, leading to gaps in understanding of how treatments affect them. Between 2019 and 2023, male-only clinical trials outnumbered female-focused ones by 67%. That is unacceptable. We must raise awareness, equip healthcare professionals with gender-sensitive training and ensure that clinical research includes and reflects the needs of women. I urge all women to attend breast and cervical screening and also to take up bowel screenings, skin checks and other cancer diagnostics. As we know, vigilance saves lives. <BR /> <BR />I take this opportunity to commend the work of Cancer Focus, Cancer Research and a local organisation in my constituency, Hive Cancer Support, which does fantastic work in raising awareness in the local population of the key symptoms and signs to look out for.”
“The people whom we represent want to see action, and we urge the Minister to take the lead and engage proactively with Executive colleagues to drive change across the board. It is also imperative that the voices of teenagers and young people are heard on this issue. Around 115 teenagers and young adults here are diagnosed with cancer every year, and they must be fully represented in healthcare planning and support services. <BR /> <BR />We also need to confront a serious issue: women are more likely to experience late diagnosis and worse outcomes in many non-sex-specific cancers. In bladder, kidney, colorectal, gastric and head-and-neck cancers, women face significantly longer delays than men, sometimes by weeks. Those delays cost lives. Too often, women's symptoms are dismissed or misattributed to stress or menstrual pain.”
“It must be spent efficiently and strategically and not be lost in any bureaucratic layers or swallowed by systems that are no longer fit for purpose. We need a dual focus on short-term capacity and long-term reform. Elective care centres, rapid diagnostic hubs and mega-clinics can make a real difference. So too can better data, better planning and better cross-community trust and cooperation. We cannot just pour money into old models; we must invest in smarter, more sustainable outcomes. This is not just the Minister of Health's responsibility; it is a shared responsibility. The Health Committee, other parties across the Chamber and the wider health and voluntary sectors all stand ready to help the Minister.”
“This subject touches every one of us in the Chamber and, indeed, throughout our communities, whether it be through personal experience or the experience of a family member, friend or neighbour. We have all been affected by cancer. If, by some small chance, you have not been yet, you will be. Obviously, that is the brutal truth of it. Let us be absolutely clear: lengthy waits for a diagnosis can devastate a person's prognosis, limit the treatment options available and place an unbearable burden on the mental health of the patient and their family. That is not acceptable, not in 2025 and not ever. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the £215 million that has been ring-fenced in the Executive's Budget to address waiting lists, but what matters now is how that money is spent.”
“I send our thoughts and prayers to the Familola and Sibanda families. We know that the people of Buncrana, Inishowen and Donegal will continue to rally around the two families, school friends, response teams and all those affected by the devastating tragedy.”
“<BR /> <BR />As the next May bank holiday approaches and as we enter another period of good weather across Ireland, we need to make water safety part of our conversations with family and friends alike. A focus needs to be put on Water Safety Week, which is approaching, so that everyone, young and old, is aware of the hidden dangers posed by the water. Across Ireland and particularly in Donegal, which alone boasts over 100 beautiful beaches, we are blessed with natural beauty, but we need to take advice from the RNLI and others about respecting the water and remaining vigilant at all times.”