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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“I thank the Minister for his statement. Tackling waiting lists is important, but, obviously, I want to see the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) at the top of the list in the commissioning of theatre space. What are the Minister and his Department doing to ensure that the SWAH does get that extra commissioned theatre space? We want to see a bolstering of elective surgery there.”
“Congratulations to every person who made it possible, and may the celebrations in Dungannon and south Tyrone continue.”
“He has been such a big part of Dungannon's journey. Rodney grew up with the club, and the win is down to the dedication of those men through the years. I am absolutely delighted for them. The captain, Dean Curry; the goal-scorer, John McGovern; and all the team deserve credit. Last night, Dungannon had a hero's welcome for them. From Stangmore Park to Market Square in Dungannon, the streets were lined to celebrate, and people did so in style with Philomena Begley, the queen of country herself. <BR /> <BR />The achievement was hard fought for, but it has inspired a generation. On Saturday, I put a request to the Communities Minister that we recognise the historic win. For south Tyrone, for Dungannon and for Dungannon Swifts, it will live long in the memory.”
“A lot of people feel blue today. One town in particular has been painted blue and white in honour of the mighty Dungannon Swifts, who beat Cliftonville in the Irish Cup final on Saturday. What a final it was. When I congratulated Dungannon Swifts in the Chamber on their semi-final win, I said that there would be 90 minutes between us and getting the cup, but it turned out to be a nail-biting finish with extra time and penalties. You could tell how much the win meant to Dungannon Swifts on Saturday. It was the first time that the club had lifted the trophy, and it certainly put to bed the disappointment of 2007, when the club missed out on an Irish Cup win. <BR /> <BR />Deserving of credit are manager, Rodney McAree, and club chairman, Keith Boyd. However, there was no prouder father in Northern Ireland on Saturday night than Joe McAree.”
“yet the Member has just said that he does not want another review. Can you clarify that?”
“I am a little bit confused. The Opposition's motion:”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for giving way. That is what I was pointing to in my contribution. It is important that we have the right skills in place and that we get to the nub of the issues. For example, when legal challenges take place, community engagement pieces must be done correctly to avoid the misinformation that can lead to delays in our infrastructure projects.”
“There should be an onus on all Executive Ministers to put their shoulders to the wheel for that. Therefore, we will not support the substantive motion.”
“It did not reference an infrastructure commission, but it recommended that relevant stakeholders work purposely towards establishing appropriate arrangements to effectively coordinate and manage such investment. That is where our focus remains. <BR /> <BR />We are not beholden to the idea of a commission. We recognise that improvements could be accelerated through other means, including taking forward the changes that stem from the review of the Strategic Investment Board and the outworkings of the investment strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI). Progress will also be realised by ensuring that the right skills and expertise exist in our Departments and robust measures are in place to increase accountability and the oversight of public money across the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS).”
“Without the teeth to deal with the issues, I wonder whether an infrastructure commission would be able to deal with the issues that I have raised. Could it truly stop people taking the legal challenges that cause delays to our infrastructure projects? Will an infrastructure commission be able to do that or stave off the inflation that has crippled projects in recent years? Those are the things that we need to look at, if we are going to create an infrastructure commission. <BR /> <BR />We need to truly get to the nub of the challenges. The recent Northern Ireland Audit Office report on the funding of Northern Ireland Water (NIW) made general remarks about planning.”
“I have a lot to get through. You did not mention it in your speech. I have a lot to get through”
“The SDLP did not provide an indication of how much it will cost an already cash-strapped Executive. It is important that we understand the costs of this.”
“Infrastructure investment is vital, and it is appropriate that we ensure that money is spent wisely, with projects delivered on time. While I recognise that major capital projects have failed to be delivered on time and within budget, we must be live to some of the challenges that have resulted in that outcome. Mainly, infrastructure projects face legal challenge, and, in the intervening periods, inflation increases costs. Not only that, but, in some cases, planning matters can have an impact. <BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland already has the Strategic Investment Board, which should hold such projects to account. We have to be honest and ask ourselves what an infrastructure commission will achieve. Will it be another talking shop or quango? More important, how much will it cost?”
“Can the Minister confirm whether the accountant is in place and carrying out the work? How much will it cost the Department? When will the Committee and the Assembly have sight of the report?”
“Last month, the Minister announced that a forensic accountant would look at NI Water's finances for 2024-25. It was reported that it would take about six weeks for the forensic accountant to do that work. I note that the terms of reference state that there will be a:”
“— and our public services. I look forward to the remaining contributions.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I draw my remarks to a close, I thank, on behalf of the Committee for Infrastructure, the Committee for Finance for coordinating the responses to the debate on the draft Budget. It is clear from those responses that there are mounting challenges in how we deliver our finances —”
“When it questioned Translink representatives in February 2025, the Committee noted that, under its Treasury management policy, Translink's day-to-day cash reserves should not fall below £30 million. It is expected, however, that, by the end of the financial year, its reserves will be approximately £23 million. The Committee further noted that public transport spending in Northern Ireland is the lowest in the UK, at approximately 35% of the UK average. The Committee recognises the legitimate concerns about the impact of reduced funding on services, particularly on those who live with disabilities. Those concerns are worsened because of the number of wheelchair-accessible taxis operating across Northern Ireland.”
“The Committee will undoubtedly be keen to explore the specific improvements that will be delivered through the transport and roads asset management (TRAM) group from the proposed increased resource allocation of approximately £30 million, compared with the 2024-25 opening position. <BR /> <BR />I will now turn to Translink. During its oral evidence, Translink highlighted the point that the uncertainty over funding presents a significant ongoing challenge in planning for future years and that its funding is insufficient to meet the requirements under the public service contract, leading to a substantial loss and leaving its cash reserves at an unsustainable level.”
“That falls far below the investment required to maintain and update our existing infrastructure in line with the Utility Regulator's determination to address the historical underfunding under price control 21 (PC21). It would be helpful if the Minister could indicate the basis for the RRI borrowing. For example, have the Executive approved that borrowing just as a means to access additional capital in order to give DFI the flexibility effectively to reduce the conventional capital allocation to NI Water? <BR /> <BR />The Committee continues to be concerned about road safety and the limited maintenance service for our road network, which prioritises upgrades only on the basis of the extent of a road's condition, often to the detriment of less significant but necessary works.”
“<BR /> <BR />Having noted that the draft Budget for 2025-26 highlights reinvestment and reform initiative (RRI) borrowing of £105·7 million that is earmarked for NI Water, the Committee questioned DFI and NI Water officials in order to understand whether that money will provide additional capital or whether it will be used to offset a lower capital allocation. The Department's equality impact assessment of the draft budget seems to suggest that Northern Ireland Water's capital allocation has been effectively reduced from £323·7 million to £244·3 million and then supplemented with RRI borrowing. Although the Committee was told that no final decisions had been made, the net result seems to be that Northern Ireland Water's capital budget will be just £26·3 million better off, despite the Executive's having borrowed £105·7 million.”
“That not only complicates delivery but is undoubtedly a more expensive way to fund capital projects that can take a number of years to complete. The Committee noted the Department's assessment that its opening draft resource allocation is 8% less than what it considers to be its requirement. The increase in National Insurance contributions for the Department and its arm's-length bodies will place a further strain on resource spending and is forecast to increase it by over £12 million. <BR /> <BR />As we have seen recently, NI Water forecast that it would be in an overspend position in 2024-25. That resulted in the Minister's decision to engage forensic accountants to examine NI Water's spending. We await the findings of that work.”
“The Committee received oral evidence from the Department for Infrastructure, Translink and Northern Ireland Water to consider their assessment of the funding requirements for 2025-26. The Committee sought to understand how each organisation will manage and prioritise its capital and resource spend to ensure that they remain within their approved totals. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the assessments of the requirements vary significantly when compared with the proposed allocations in the draft Budget. <BR /> <BR />The Committee is well aware of the Department's requirement for significant capital investment. However, in the absence of a multi-year capital Budget, we lack the certainty of funding for projects.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Community pharmacy and primary care, as I said, are very important for everybody. The Minister will remember that I had an Adjournment debate on the shrinkage in NHS dentistry in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. We could see further shrinkage, decline and closure. Has your Department done any assessment of what that will mean for rural constituencies such as mine, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, where health inequalities are worse because of many different factors?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does he accept, as I do, the fact that there is a UK Climate Change Committee, which is an expert body in looking at these issues for the whole UK? Why would we spend that amount of money when that body is already in place?”
“The Member has rightly pointed out the financial impacts and constraints. I will put the DUP's position on the record. We objected to the amendment at the time, but, once it was made, we would have had to vote down the entire Bill. Doing so would have knocked out everything.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. In his written ministerial statement of 3 April, he highlighted the fact that the Department for Infrastructure had identified an easement of £15·7 million. As Chair of the Infrastructure Committee, I put it on record that the Committee was sadly not briefed on that during any of our budgetary sessions. Given the pressures in the Department, will the Minister outline from where the easement has arisen and whether it was ring-fenced?”
“No road can be claimed by a sole entity or person. <BR /> <BR />Everybody in the Chamber will recognise, sadly, the number of lives that have been lost on the A5. We send our sympathies to every family. It is important that respect is given to all. I have written to Jarlath Burns to ask that he retracts his comments and recognises the hurt caused to families, some of whom I have spoken to in recent days, who feel that their loss was not reflected by the GAA president's comments. I trust that Mr Burns will reflect on the hurt that he has caused.”
“To classify a road as belonging to one section of the community is crass and does not take into account the fact that people from all sections of the community have lost their lives on the A5. Nor does it recognise that the funding was not won by the GAA, never mind the fact that the farmers and landowners who care for the land are trying to manage their own businesses and their future viability at this time. Last week, the DUP agriculture spokesperson, Michelle McIlveen, and I met landowners on their farms to hear their concerns. All that landowners ask for is fairness when they give up their land. Mr Burns's comments are ill founded and disgracefully tone-deaf, given the wider issues that are under consideration. It is taxpayers' hard-earned money that pays for road infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland.”
“I declare an interest, as I have family members who live along the A5. <BR /> <BR />This is a reminder to all in the Assembly that road infrastructure projects are for everyone in Northern Ireland. I say that because, unfortunately, comments from the GAA president, Jarlath Burns, last week seemed to miss that point. He claimed that the A5 was "a GAA road". I can only the imagine the outcry if the grand master of the Orange Order called it "an Orange road". There are people who seek to dismiss those comments, but those who do so have little concept or understanding of the feeling on the ground. <BR /> <BR />I represent an area in which the upgraded A5 will be constructed.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I know full well that, in my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, services have been reconfigured and some services have moved to Craigavon. The Member talked about need and the fact that people have to travel. However, people rightly question why services at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), which is a wonderful facility on my doorstep, are being reconfigured to a hospital such as Craigavon, which has poor facilities — not poor service — that do not help aid people's recovery from some of the conditions they are suffering from.”
“Such celebrations do not just happen. They are down to teamwork: people working together. The teams bring communities together, and I pay tribute to them all for their achievements. Long training evenings, weekends away from family and friends and their dedication to training in all kinds of weather are part and parcel of that. Congratulations to them all.”
“<BR /> <BR />Huge congratulations also go to Enniskillen Rugby Football Club, which won the Ulster Junior Cup final against Dromore Rugby Football Club at the Kingspan Stadium. I was delighted for the club. It is always wonderful to see our local clubs doing well. The celebrations went on until the small hours, and Mullaghmeen was bouncing when the victors returned home with silverware.”
“Saturday was "Super Saturday" in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, with major wins for two local teams. First, I congratulate Dungannon Swifts Football Club on getting through to the Irish Cup final. It is a huge achievement for Rodney McAree and his side and for the club. It has been a dream in the making for the Swifts for around 15 years. Only 90 minutes and Cliftonville Football Club, the team that Dungannon will face on 3 May at Windsor Park, are between us and the cup. It was no "Blue Monday" yesterday in Dungannon. It is safe to say that everybody is buzzing from Saturday's win. I wish Dungannon Swifts all the best as they prepare for the final, and we look forward to cheering them on next month.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I thank him for mentioning Dungannon: that work has assisted consumers because it has helped with the price of energy in that area, as well as the local businesses that feed into that development.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and for the opportunity to have a pre-brief. It is interesting that she has taken this decision in the dying days of this financial year. Northern Ireland Water's overspend is nothing new, and I would have thought it prudent to take this action before now. What outputs is the Minister hoping to achieve, and does this decision undermine the Utility Regulator's determination, which was made through the price control process?”
“That would lead to increased costs for our businesses, which, ultimately, would be placed on customers, given that that company makes bottles for a range of companies and household names. A pricing policy framework needs to be introduced so that businesses in Northern Ireland do not become uncompetitive. Whilst that company welcomes the Department's recent call for evidence on biomethane, it wants to see that policy area progress. <BR /> <BR />I commend our amendment to the House.”
“A stark reality is also painted in KPMG's 'Accelerating Renewables in Northern Ireland' report, which surveyed developers. Some 82% of them said that Northern Ireland was currently not an attractive place in which to invest and that that was because of the lack of planning support that they felt that they received. <BR /> <BR />That leads me on to a matter that was raised earlier. I will use the example of Encirc, which is a business in my constituency. I have met Encirc representatives a number of times, as well as along with my party leader. It wants to continue to move to a greener form of manufacturing by investing in cleaner energy such as biomethane, which is now three times more expensive than natural gas.”
“The RenewableNI report indicated that, on average, it took 1,136 days for onshore wind projects to gain planning permission in Northern Ireland between 2020 and 2023. That compares with 217 days in England and 413 days in the Republic of Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In its written evidence, SSE warned:”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. To ensure that green energy transition does not create shocks in our system, it is important that we have such a debate in the Chamber. Our amendment pinpoints where we need to do better in order to have a true just transition. We have included in it the need for Departments to work with the Infrastructure Minister. <BR /> <BR />I will focus briefly on the impact that our inefficient and ineffective planning policy has had. It has been mentioned a number of times already, but I will add some figures. It is no surprise that our planning policy creates a delay to further decarbonisation of the network, which my colleague Mr Middleton mentioned. The scale of the problem is huge and was laid bare in various pieces of written evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee inquiry.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. We are all human, but today the Infrastructure Minister failed to answer a question in the Chamber. I understand that Ministers are briefed before they come into the Chamber for Question Time. The question was not withdrawn, and I wanted to ask a supplementary question on it. We all prepare in advance. We seek answers on behalf of our constituents. Can you make a ruling on that, Mr Speaker? Can you investigate how and why that happened and report to the Assembly?”
“Road infrastructure projects are very important. They are important to an awful lot of people outside the Chamber. On 27 January, I asked the then Minister when the review of the prioritisation of major roads programme would be published. I was told that it would be within weeks: we are now two months down the line. When will it come out? What is the cause of the delay?”
“Schools should be a safe haven, but incidents such as this cause fear. Thankfully, quick actions this morning helped to ease some of the concerns, and I trust that the PSNI will now act swiftly with the Met to identify the culprit and ensure that safety and justice are secured.”
“Targeting schools, which are places of learning, personal growth and friendship for young people, is particularly reprehensible and deeply troubling. It was a scary incident for our schools — the staff, pupils and parents — especially for the staff, as they daily keep everybody's safety as their highest priority. I pay tribute to the school leadership and to the police, who acted quickly to assist the affected schools. However, I understand that some of the affected schools in Northern Ireland had to close. No child should have their education disrupted in that manner, and no family should have to endure the fear and uncertainty caused by such reckless actions. <BR /> <BR />Today, in the Chamber, we offer our support to the schools that have had to deal with the incident.”
“Today, a concerning email was sent to schools across Northern Ireland, including in my constituency. It was sinister and prompted security fears. This morning, police confirmed that an email sent to schools in Enniskillen, Strabane and Ballycastle is believed to have involved nine schools. As a result of the email, the police are conducting inquiries and liaising with schools affected by the incident. The PSNI is also working with the Metropolitan Police in London, as, I understand, such emails were sent to schools in other parts of the UK. I was in touch this morning with the police and three schools affected in my area. <BR /> <BR />The email was a despicable act that was designed to wreak havoc in communities and among our children. Threats issued against schools are to be unequivocally condemned and have no place in society.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and, indeed, for the measures that his Department is putting in place. As the Minister will know, I have mentioned the mental health of farmers in the Chamber a number of times. When statements such as this are made, they always raise fear. On the timing of the statement, have you noticed anything to indicate a push to make sure that we get that messaging out as quickly as possible? How often does tracking of the disease and of control of the spread take place? Does information-sharing between the different jurisdictions take place daily, weekly or monthly?”
“The AERA Committee and the Infrastructure Committee looked at that in a joint meeting. What is the composition of that working group? What are its specific objectives for ensuring successful outcomes through the planning process? For example, will it include measures to expedite planning permission on structures to support those who have been impacted on by a vesting order?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. I declare an interest in relation to the A5: my husband's family are landowners along the route. Her statement references:”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. In 2007, I was still at school, so it just shows the importance and the need to introduce the strategy to review the curriculum. The Minister will agree that every child deserves the best start in their education journey. With regard to the skills that are needed to equip pupils, particularly those who are dealing with dyslexia and dyspraxia, who have a lack of confidence in school and have high absence rates —.”
“<BR /> <BR />If you have not been to the Enniskillen Drama Festival, I encourage you to go along. It runs until 15 March with plays such as 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time' and Brian Friel's 'Translations'. I say a massive "Well done" to Dave Rees and all the organisers in continuing that wonderful event in Fermanagh.”