Deborah Erskine
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Minister, you did not mention the removal of the zero-detriment policy, which is a concern that I have. That is worrying for anybody who sits in the Chamber, and for the construction industry in particular.”
“I thank the Minister for his comments about the Western Trust's chair. I, too, pass on my sympathies to his family. <BR /> <BR />Minister, we had the pause to the emergency general surgery consultation process last July. You asked the trust to provide a vision plan.”
“Quality assurance is really important when looking at roads. A number of us in the Chamber could take you to potholes that we have raised with the Department that have been fixed but have then reopened within a matter of days, meaning that we have had to go back into the portal to raise it with DFI staff again.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and hope that she enjoyed her visit to Enniskillen. The statement mentions moorings. I want to focus on the Fermanagh end of the Ulster canal. I have received communication about accessible jetties and ensuring that jetties and moorings are up to standard.”
“<BR /> <BR />That was laid bare last Wednesday when representatives from the ICRIR said that they had written to the Irish Government 11 or 12 times without receiving any form of reply from them. That is shameful.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is interesting that, for years, Sinn Féin has called on the UK Government to provide information, yet its silence on the Irish Government is deafening. There are people who sit in the Chamber who know exactly the truth about what happened, yet they are prepared to lie about their involvement in the IRA.”
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“The First Minister has said in the Chamber many times that she, her Ministers and Sinn Féin are taking time to seek legal advice on the court judgement on the A5. One option is to appeal the High Court decision. When I asked the Infrastructure Minister about that in the Infrastructure Committee last week, she indicated that nothing is off the table. Will the First Minister confirm whether legal advice has yet been received by the Attorney General, and if appealing the High Court decision is still an option that is open to the Infrastructure Minister?”
“There is a specific problem with attacks on masts. We have seen those in west Belfast recently and in some nationalist areas. It is important that there is leadership in relation to the attacks that have happened, because mobile infrastructure is vital for people's connectivity. <BR /> <BR />I want to ask about the barrier busting task force. Can it be strengthened to have a specific look at rural areas such as my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. Like the previous Member to ask a question, I will focus on the Ulster canal, particularly as it relates to Fermanagh. It is good to see development. Obviously, the Ulster canal touches on a number of counties. It is important for tourism in the area as well. How much is the Minister thinking about taking a joined-up approach to an integral transport system for the area, making sure that people are able to access the Ulster canal with public transport networks whenever they use it? That will also help to boost tourism. What work is she doing with the Economy Minister on that?”
“I thank residents from across Northern Ireland who have contributed to the process so far, particularly those from Fermanagh and South Tyrone, by sharing their first-hand experiences. <BR /> <BR />The issue cuts across urban and rural areas. It affects people from all backgrounds and has persisted for far too long. Today, we take the first step towards ending the inertia. Hopefully, by getting the public's views, we can start to build a system that is fair and enforceable and, above all, that puts residents first.”
“They are caught between developers, the Department for Infrastructure and Northern Ireland Water (NIW). All the while, their quality of life suffers, and the value of their home may also be affected. <BR /> <BR />My Bill is not about punishing developers or shifting the burden on to local authorities. Rather, it is about creating a fair, transparent and enforceable system that ensures that developments are completed to an adoptable standard before the keys are handed over. Crucially, it is about restoring residents' trust in the Government and the private sector. We need to send a clear message that developments must not be left in limbo and that homeowners should not be left to foot the bill for unfinished work.”
“Too many homeowners find themselves trapped in housing developments that they had been promised would be fully completed and adopted, with the associated roads, footpaths, street lighting and green spaces, yet, years after moving in, they are left with unfinished infrastructure, uncertainty as to where the responsibility lies and very few answers. Mr Speaker, I declare an interest as someone who lives in an unadopted development. <BR /> <BR />It is unacceptable that families who pay their rates and mortgage — who do everything right — are left to live in a development with street lights that do not work, with roads that are not resurfaced and with basic public services being withheld, because, for a variety of reasons, the development was never adopted by the relevant authority. In many cases, residents feel abandoned.”
“Today, I launch the public consultation on my private Member's Bill, which will seek to tackle a long-standing and deeply frustrating problem for many homeowners and communities across Northern Ireland: unadopted developments. I urge the industry and homeowners to get involved by giving their views. The Bill is not about restricting housebuilding or the housing market but about fairness for people who bought their home in good faith, believing that the appropriate infrastructure would be available outside their front door. <BR /> <BR />The Bill is the product of my listening to constituents, residents' groups, colleagues, developers and even officials from the Department for Infrastructure. The common message is that the current system is broken.”
“I thank the Finance Minister for his statement. Work has proceeded on the A5 route, and, in places, land is unrecognisable. Jobs have been lost, as have contracts that were in place with businesses. There will be financial impacts as a result of last week's High Court decision. I noted the Minister's response to Mr O'Toole. What does all that mean for the ring-fenced A5 budget and, in particular, the £15·6 million underspend for 2024-25? Where is that allocation going? Will it go towards redress?”
“I thank the Minister for the work that he is doing on the anti-poverty strategy. He was the Minister who brought forward a strategy for consultation — I did not see too many others doing so. Has any impact assessment been carried out on Labour's changes, as proposed in the Green Paper, and how they may impact on poverty?”
“The Department for Infrastructure is part of the clean air strategy, as I am sure that the Minister will agree. However, the AERA Minister cares so much about climate change emissions and targets that his Department did not have input into the A5 project. That project, therefore, is effectively stopped at the moment. Does the Minister accept that the climate change targets are causing real problems for Infrastructure? Will he commit to taking on board what the Communities Minister asked him to do by urgently looking at the climate change legislation?”
“Does the First Minister accept that climate change legislation and targets will have an impact on all Departments here, particularly on infrastructure and capital projects? The A5 and the all-island strategic rail review were mentioned. We cannot build at net zero; that is pretty much impossible. How does the First Minister intend to rectify that tangibly?”
“The A5 is a key economic driver for the west. Companies are already talking about their disappointment that a key route for freight is not seeing infrastructural improvement. There is also a massive human cost: the loss of jobs and the potential skill drain as a result of last Monday's decision. Many people were in touch with me at the weekend to say that they or their family members have lost jobs as a result of the decision. <BR /> <BR />The parties in the Chamber must face up to the realities of their decision-making. I call on Ministers to come to the Chamber and put forward their next steps, and I ask parties to reflect on the decisions that they took in the Chamber.”
“To date, there has been silence from DAERA on that, despite the fact that that Department is referenced heavily in the judgement for not providing information. I ask the Finance Minister this: what funding will be available from the public purse for compensation and the reinstatement of land? Lastly, the Economy Minister must show why she co-signed the amendment in 2022 that brought forward the stricter net zero targets.”
“I ask the Infrastructure Department these questions: who is responsible for giving the go-ahead for works to continue at risk during the High Court challenge? How will land be reinstated? What will the Department pay to affected landowners? Given the safety concerns and the chilling words of the judge that more lives would be lost on the A5 in the intervening period, how will the Minister make sure that safety measures are in place to stop that? To date, there has been no plan. <BR /> <BR />There are also questions for the AERA Minister. My colleague, Community Minister Gordon Lyons, has written to Minister Muir, calling on him to deal with climate change legislation urgently. Minister Muir must act with urgency. He must also, with urgency, support landowners. Their land has been ripped up and, in some cases, will be unable to be farmed.”
“Before I start, I declare an interest by saying that my husband's family are landowners along the route of the A5. <BR /> <BR />Today is one week since the A5 court ruling. That means that it has been one week with no plan on the way forward from the Infrastructure Minister and no public apology from Alliance, the SDLP and Sinn Féin on why they voted for net zero targets that sound a death knell for the projects that we all want. It is down to those parties to answer why they did not heed the warnings of the DUP in 2022 but called for stricter targets. It is also incumbent on the Infrastructure, AERA, Economy and Finance Ministers to come to the Chamber and outline how they plan to rectify the situation, given the cross-departmental ramifications of the judgement. <BR /> <BR />There is still major uncertainty.”
“I thank the Minister for her response. I would like to check the timeline. This is concerning, and, obviously, there has been some public discourse, particularly around Enniskillen courthouse. It is essential that we do not lose that service. We have already seen it diminished in that the times of opening have been reduced. Will the Minister provide a timeline for when we might see decision-making on that?”
“We need action from her and the Department now.”
“There are major challenges for people who have to travel long distances and work unsocial hours while meeting family demands. Solicitors work unsocial hours, and those from our constituency are travelling long distances to provide a service. Justice should not depend on one's postcode, and I urge the Minister of Justice to acknowledge the specific challenges facing Fermanagh and South Tyrone and to act decisively to reverse the trend. What options is the Minister actively considering in order to reverse that trend? There is a host of other issues facing the legal system, and I have highlighted just a few in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Some of the issues are compounded by my constituency's rural nature, and I urge the Minister not just to use the phrase "Justice delayed is justice denied" but to live by it.”
“Finally, I must speak about the serious challenge that we face in recruiting and retaining legal professionals in rural areas. The legal sector in Fermanagh and South Tyrone is experiencing real difficulty in attracting solicitors, barristers and support staff. Support staff in particular are crucial to the delivery and administration of the work that goes on in practices. That leaves existing legal practices under pressure and unable to meet demand, and it narrows access for the public to legal advice and representation. I record my thanks to those legal practices and their workers, who are going above and beyond to provide that access to people in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. <BR /> <BR />I will touch on the need to attract women into the legal profession.”
“The timescale for the completion of the Omagh custody suite has now doubled. It is now expected to be completed by October 2025, having closed in October 2023. The situation is unacceptable and unsustainable. Officers also now have to transport arrested persons significant distances, and my constituency colleague Diana Armstrong spoke about the size of other custody suites. Doing that not only ties up front-line officers for extended periods but reduces on-the-ground capacity, disrupts investigations and impacts on victims and witnesses who are awaiting justice. It is deeply concerning that the two principal urban centres in the west of Northern Ireland, Enniskillen and Omagh, have no custody provision at all at present. Has the Minister been involved in discussions with the Chief Constable and local police about that?”
“Our constituency spans vast geographic distances, and transport infrastructure is limited. In such a setting, police officers are expected to cover immense areas with minimal backup and insufficient resources. Yet, rather than investing to meet that rural challenge, we see decisions being taken that further weaken our justice system and policing capacity, chief amongst which are the closure of the Enniskillen custody suite and the delayed refurbishment of the Omagh custody suite. I recently wrote again to the Chief Constable about that.”
“Enniskillen courthouse was once central to administrative justice in the region, but its reduced opening times leave constituents and members of the profession with no local venue in which to access vital court services. People who are required to attend hearings must now travel longer distances, often to Omagh, Dungannon or beyond. Such journeys are neither reasonable nor fair, particularly for those with mobility issues, limited financial means or caring responsibilities. A justice system that requires people to travel an hour or more to seek redress or to defend their rights is not truly accessible. Frankly, it is a structural inequality. <BR /> <BR />The problem is compounded by the rural nature of the district, which has a knock-on impact on policing in our area.”
“However, adding rurality to the issue brings a different component to it. At present, as has been said in the Chamber, there are just 16 private practice solicitor firms in Fermanagh. Three of those firms have already ceased to provide legal aid services in recent years due to a number of factors, such as stagnant fees, delays in payment and increased bureaucracy in the system. <BR /> <BR />Let me begin, however, with the most symbolic and practical representation of justice in our communities: our courthouses. As it stands, in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Enniskillen courthouse is operational on only three days a week, primarily for Magistrates' Court business, as was mentioned.”
“I thank my constituency colleague Diana Armstrong for securing this Adjournment debate. It is a by-product of a recent meeting that we had in our constituency, which party MLAs attended, with representatives from the Law Society and local solicitor firms. I welcome those in the Public Gallery who have travelled to join us. Having your support today is much appreciated. <BR /> <BR />Laid bare at that meeting was a matter of growing concern that strikes at the core of public confidence in our legal system and the principle that justice should be equally available to all, regardless of geography. Access to justice in Fermanagh and South Tyrone is under serious strain. I know that it is an issue right across Northern Ireland. The Chair of the Justice Committee, who has joined us, and I have talked about that a number of times.”
“Minister, when the Assembly returned in 2020, Sinn Féin trumpeted the fact that one of the first motions that it brought to the Assembly demanded that Stormont declare a climate emergency. The Minister's party was then joined by the SDLP and Alliance in imposing unrealistic and punitive climate targets, despite the explicit warnings from the then AERA Minister about the long-term impacts of those targets on other Departments, including the Department for Infrastructure. Minister, will you now take responsibility for the real-world impacts of the virtue signalling that has led us to this point, apologise for it and outline how you intend to solve this mess, which other parties and yours created?”
“Thank you for that answer. I put on record my thanks to the education team, because it is probably one of the lesser-known things in the business that happens up here in the Assembly. I know from schools in my constituency that they really appreciate coming to Stormont and hearing about the work that goes on. Can the Member detail how many pupils take part in the Assembly's education programme annually?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and for the pre-brief. This process cost the Department thousands of pounds, yet it is a whitewash: it pinpoints themes that we knew would be the case before the forensic accountant even began work. Those themes can be replicated across a number of public bodies and in the spending profile of the public sector. Therefore, there is nothing new really. <BR /> <BR />In the statement, the Minister talked about discussions that were already taking place with NI Water. Will the Minister come back to the Assembly with measurable targets for how NI Water will meet the aims and recommendations of the review?”
“<BR /> <BR />Lastly, farmers are facing huge uncertainty about their land that has been vested, stripped and left unrecognisable. I hope that, following the High Court ruling, that uncertainty is lifted very quickly for those affected landowners.”
“In fact, it wanted tougher and stricter net zero targets. <BR /> <BR />I find it quite funny, therefore, that, over the past 24 hours, the SDLP, which is supposed to be such an effective Opposition here at Stormont, is now rolling back on the climate change and net zero targets that it hailed in the Assembly in 2022. It is rolling back on those. I heard it yesterday in the media, so I find it quite hypocritical of the SDLP that its Members would stand up in the Chamber today and roll back. <BR /> <BR />The Climate Change Act needs to be repealed because of the problems that it has created for the delivery of major road infrastructure projects. I am concerned about what that will mean for infrastructure in Northern Ireland. I am glad to see that the SDLP has come late to the party and joined the DUP in recognising those problems.”
“Everybody in the argument understands that there is a road safety concern with the A5, but it is also about fairness for people in how that project is delivered. <BR /> <BR />Climate change — the climate change legislation with the net zero targets — was the main factor in the decision at the High Court yesterday. I would like to remind the SDLP that its Infrastructure Minister was in place when that climate change legislation went through the Assembly. It should have realised the consequences for the Department for Infrastructure from the net zero targets in the Climate Change Act. That is fact. The DUP consistently raised in the Chamber at that time the point that those net zero targets were going to have a severe impact on Departments and the Executive, yet those clear concerns were not heeded by the SDLP.”
“I know that, later today, there will be a question for urgent oral answer to the Minister, but, listening to the rhetoric in the Chamber this morning about the A5, I feel that it is important to stand up and put on record some facts for people, particularly the SDLP. <BR /> <BR />At the outset, I say that my sympathies are with all those who have lost loved ones or have been seriously injured along the A5 route.”
“I stand with our Communities Minister on everything that he is trying to do to deliver for Northern Ireland. I support him wholeheartedly. As we have seen in the Chamber today, Members are still playing political games on the issue. For those who have not been listening, will the Minister clarify for the record the timeline in this case, given the ambiguity that some in the Chamber have presented over the past number of days?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. It is really important for rural areas. I was disappointed in LINK. It did a reassessment in Lisnaskea, which is an area that I have raised a number of times in the Chamber. That area is without banking services and needs a banking hub. Unfortunately, on Friday, I got news that LINK has not changed its decision, so I ask the Minister to step in. There is a crisis in access to banking services in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Will the Minister step in and support the calls for Fermanagh and South Tyrone to be treated as a special case to ensure that we receive that equality of banking services in our area?”
“There is a strength of feeling in the Chamber today. People from my constituency have come to show their frustration —”
“I asked the Minister whether he would jointly fund event duration monitors so that we can truly monitor overspills, which would arrest the pollution incidents that result from our waste water treatment works, rather than skewing the data. Has the Minister followed that up with the Infrastructure Minister? <BR /> <BR />The moves to end the SORPI arrangements are not happening quickly enough. In fact, NAP provides no details of the water quality measures that are proposed for river catchments. We cannot scapegoat one sector while allowing other sources of pollution to persist unchecked. Therefore, like my colleagues, I call on the Minister to immediately withdraw the current public consultation on NAP. The Minister must know that it is not just the DUP calling for that: over 4,000 people have done so via our petition.”
“I asked the AERA Minister about the monitoring of overspills, which create pollution, and, indeed, about SORPI. Northern Ireland Water confirmed that more than 20 million tons of untreated sewage and waste water spill into our waterways annually. There are 76 waste water treatment works around the inner edge of Lough Neagh and 10,000 septic tanks that, I should add, NI Water is aware of. <BR /> <BR />The Minister knows that we are not monitoring overspills effectively, and I raised that with him last July. Back then, there were 724 storm overflows, and only 60 of those were deemed satisfactory, and only 260 had been assessed.”
“They are not the enemy in the conversation. <BR /> <BR />We cannot afford to have any more top-down diktats that ignore the reality on the ground. I will quote the chief executive of Northern Ireland Water, Sara Venning, who, at her first Infrastructure Committee meeting, said:”
“I have little time, but, at the outset, let me say that no one in the Chamber denies the environmental and water quality issues that we face. However, we are entitled to question why one section is being demonised without proper account being taken of others. A blind eye is turned to others that constantly create problems in our waterways. The algal blooms choking Lough Neagh and the pollution that I see there are symptomatic of wider issues. <BR /> <BR />I have just come from a briefing by the Fiscal Council on the sustainability of Northern Ireland Water. What did they raise? Major pollution incidents caused by NI Water. The NAP proposals risk devastating our agriculture community when many in that community are operating on razor-thin margins, and our agri-food sector is a cornerstone of the community.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement, and I share the concerns that have been expressed. I want to look at it from a roads point of view. Roads infrastructure is really important in opening up the north-west, and I note the delay of phase 2 of the A6 project. What detailed discussions is the Minister having with the Minister for Infrastructure at this time? I know that he is waiting for the consultation, but what discussions are happening between the two Departments on the A6 road infrastructure project?”
“<BR /> <BR />Infrastructure is an important part of being able to deliver our Programme for Government aims and achievements. I am just not wholly sold on things like developer-led contributions, because that will increase housing prices for homeowners. We need to look very carefully at the measures that we put in place. However, I am confident that the Committee will continue to scrutinise that.”
“Infrastructure has a huge capital budget, and that really needs to be planned on a multi-year budget to make sure that planning is appropriate for the road infrastructure projects that we have, particularly when you look at PC21. However, I am concerned about the sustainability of funding for Northern Ireland Water and the constraints that that places not only on Northern Ireland Water but on investors and developers in Northern Ireland. We are hearing from construction companies about the difficulties that they are having with employment as a result of underfunding in NI Water and the difficulties in getting housing up and going. It is causing difficulties with social and affordable homes and with school capital builds. We need to be realistic about that.”
“Moreover, day by day, the commitments under the Climate Change Act will become more of a reality, which will require significant and sustained funding to encourage a modal shift from our reliance on cars. Our public transport system will play a key part in achieving those commitments, but without the necessary funding to provide a reliable and convenient alternative, particularly in rural areas, road users will be reluctant to make the switch. <BR /> <BR />As Chairperson, I am confident that, as a Committee, we are all working towards the common purpose of improved delivery to the benefit of everyone across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I will talk briefly as DUP infrastructure spokesperson and as an MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. I pinpoint my comments in relation to NI Water and the concerns there.”
“Increased funding to other business areas will mean that more can be delivered to improve the condition of our road network through a well-funded maintenance programme and comprehensive winter service. It is no secret that the Committee continues to be concerned by wider road safety issues. Therefore, I urge the Department and relevant stakeholders to place a particular focus on tackling irresponsible driver behaviour. <BR /> <BR />Turning to Translink, the Committee recognises the legitimate concerns around the impacts of reduced funding on services to those living with disabilities who are reliant on public transport. I am confident that the Committee will seek to engage not only with Translink but with relevant representative groups to examine the impacts that arise from the funding for this financial year.”
“That is particularly relevant since essential updates to our already ageing water infrastructure cannot be commenced, which will undoubtedly impact on the delivery of the Programme for Government priorities. In addition, the Committee will be keen to explore the significant improvements that will be delivered because of that increased funding for roads, rivers and waterways. I am sure that that will form part of its ongoing scrutiny throughout the financial year. It is important that the Committee has a clear understanding of the rationale underpinning those decisions over the coming weeks. <BR /> <BR />Balancing a budget is not easy, particularly when resources are constrained, but it is essential that the Committee can work collaboratively with the Minister to understand her decisions and what improvements will be delivered.”
“Moreover, given the Executive's reinvestment and reform initiative (RRI) capital borrowing of £105·7 million, that would provide a significant uplift to Northern Ireland Water if that were in addition to what it received in the previous financial year. It would appear, however, that that borrowing is being used to maintain similar levels to the 2023-24 Main Estimates, albeit with a modest increase for Northern Ireland Water, to enable additional funding to be provided to other business areas in the Department. <BR /> <BR />I note that the Main Estimates 2024-25 provided approximately £245 million for roads, rivers and waterways. In the Main Estimates 2025-26, I see that that has increased to £336 million, some £91 million more.”
“As I have stated repeatedly, the Committee recognises the funding constraints and the level of funding that the Department provides. However, we also need to recognise that the Department sets the policies, and, through the price control process, a determination is made by the Utility Regulator on the funding requirements to deliver those policies. <BR /> <BR />At its meeting next week, the Committee will receive oral evidence on the final allocations in the Main Estimates. I note, however, that Northern Ireland Water's capital allocation is approximately £332 million. Although that essentially provides a nominal increase in the region of £8 million, compared with the indicative allocation of £323·7 million in the Department's equality impact assessment, it still falls way below the determination under price control 2021-27 (PC21).”
“As I have said during previous debates, the Committee for Infrastructure has spent considerable time exploring the financial position of the Department for Infrastructure and the organisations that it funds to assess the potential impacts that that might have on real terms delivery over the course of this financial year. We know that many of the priorities under the Programme for Government are dependent upon our having a well-maintained and fit-for-purpose infrastructure network that seeks to complement the aspirations that can be delivered through growth to our economy and to support the lives of the those who call Northern Ireland home. <BR /> <BR />It will come as no surprise that the funding of Northern Ireland Water has been a recurring issue, not only for the Committee for Infrastructure but for other Committees.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. I noted that she highlighted joint collaboration as part of the all-island strategic rail review and further noted her mention of sustainable public transport in rural areas. My council area — Fermanagh and Omagh District Council — has one of the highest rates of car ownership and usage, yet Fermanagh is not included in the all-island strategic rail review. That is a huge omission, given that we are talking about trying to reduce emissions. Can you update the House on the progress of feasibility studies arising from the review, including anticipated dates for commencement or completion? The inclusion of Fermanagh will be reviewed in 10 years' time. What is your Department doing to look at feasibility in the meantime?”
“Roads are crumbling. There have been warm words about delivering a new road maintenance scheme using technology. The major roads prioritisation programme has been delayed. There has been an increase in the number of claims because of potholes. Road safety has been put in jeopardy as a result of the poor maintenance of our roads. I understand, however, that £4·2 million was underspent on roads in the previous financial year. Why was that?”
“It is a cross-departmental issue, and it should involve Infrastructure and Education as well as Justice, through the resourcing of the police to carry out speed checks and apprehend offenders. <BR /> <BR />A child's journey to school is not confined to the moment that they step on or off a bus. Risks are present at poorly lit rural bus stops, narrow verges and fast-moving traffic zones. Any review of legislation must encompass safer, designated bus stops with protective features; targeted signage and lighting, particularly in high-risk rural areas; driver education; public awareness to shift culture and behaviour; and better guidance for schools and parents on how to keep pupils safe for their entire journey. The current system leaves too much to chance. That ambiguity creates danger. We must remove the guesswork.”