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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“It was wonderful to see so many in the audience escaping the realities of our everyday world to come together and enter a different world. That is what theatre is all about. It is important that we cherish and continue to cultivate our cultural offering here in Northern Ireland. However, we need to make sure that we continue to support our arts and culture in every way possible. Our Communities Minister is keen to do so and to ensure that there is regional balance in promoting and providing money for the arts, because it is only through the support of local businesses and funding from the council and DFC that such festivals can exist. They promote our local, home-grown talent, support people's mental health and are important in breaking down social isolation in our communities.”
“At the festival's inception, two amateur drama groups, Enniskillen Amateur Dramatic Society and St Michael's Drama Society, joined together to form the original committee. The first five festivals were held in the assembly hall of what was then known as the Fermanagh College of Further Education. The festival's home is now Enniskillen's Ardhowen Theatre. It is wonderful to see how the festival has progressed since its inception. Enniskillen Drama Festival's popularity led the way in lobbying for the funds that built the Ardhowen Theatre, so it is fitting that the festival still takes place in that same theatre. <BR /> <BR />On Friday, I attended the opening night and saw a comedy, 'The Whiteheaded Boy', performed by the Bart Players.”
“I congratulate Enniskillen Drama Festival, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. It is a nine-night amateur drama festival that has been staged in the Ardhowen theatre each year since the spring of 1980. It was founded by a small group of local drama enthusiasts to showcase and celebrate the best of amateur drama and encourage such productions locally to as wide an audience as possible.”
“I thank the Minister for bringing forward the 10% increase, because childcare is so important. I know that because a number of parents have been in touch with my office, and it is vital for our economy as well. I thank the Minister for what he is doing on childcare while others are lacking in their development of initiatives. What initiatives will the Minister take forward with the £50 million that is earmarked in the draft Budget for 2025-26?”
“Today, those words are more important than ever, as is the need to promote those vital values, including in this Chamber. I am proud that we are part of the Commonwealth and of the principles that it continues to hold.”
“It is wonderful that we can join the hand of friendship with those throughout the world. A special service will be held this afternoon in Westminster Abbey that will celebrate the diversity and unity of the Commonwealth. <BR /> <BR />This year's theme is "Together We Thrive", celebrating the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family, which comprises 56 independent member countries that are united by shared values enshrined in the Commonwealth charter. The Commonwealth is rooted in the principles of family, unity and peace. Only together can we continue to promote those values and work to ensure that they are respected throughout the world. <BR /> <BR />I will finish with the important words of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who said in 1953:”
“I stand proudly in the Chamber today to mark Commonwealth Day, which is celebrated across the world. Today marks the day when nations join together in an act of unity. <BR /> <BR />The Commonwealth is an important and not insignificant body. It is home to 2·7 billion people and includes advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-three of its members are small states, including many island nations. Countries continue to sign up to and join the Commonwealth. In 2022, Gabon and Togo joined the Commonwealth, so it is thriving, despite being one of the world's oldest political associations of states. <BR /> <BR />Events and activities will take place throughout March, including civic and faith gatherings, school assemblies, cultural celebrations and flag-raising ceremonies, including ion this Building today.”
“I thank the Minister for giving way, because I did not get to my point about the all-island strategic rail review during my contribution. I recognise that transport plans are coming forward, but does the Minister not think that it is short-sighted that Fermanagh is not included in those plans to make sure that the north-west and the south-west are connected and that we have that tourism offering, which can be enabled through the all-island strategic rail review?”
“At the heart of government policy is regional balance, and that must stretch to our infrastructure offering. Ultimately, we are trying to promote the tourism product that is outside Belfast. Our infrastructure is letting the side down on that. Tourism makes an essential contribution to Londonderry, the north-west and, indeed, my area of the south-west. An estimated 185,000 hotel rooms were sold in the Londonderry City and Strabane District Council area in 2019, which is the second highest figure of all the council areas after Belfast. <BR /> <BR />I must quickly add that, if we are using Londonderry as a gateway to the north-west —”
“It is important that we keep in mind, however, that Londonderry, as beautiful and as rich in history as that city is, is not where investment stops and finishes. We must look at the north-west and the south-west as an overall piece. We must be strategic in linking up our public transport network. By developing infrastructure, we can create jobs and opportunities. Yesterday, we chatted about the Programme for Government being a key enabler of all the priorities. Doing that in the north-west, which is an area of economic deprivation, will be a major boost to the economy. <BR /> <BR />As stated in the 'North West Transport Plan 2035 Baseline Report', which was published in March 2024:”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate, even though I am speaking about the north-west, not the south-west. Hopefully, colleagues can support our amendment. <BR /> <BR />Go to anybody who lives in the west of the Province and you will find that they talk about the lack of investment in our transport network and infrastructure. Strategically placed and expanded infrastructure networks, be they roads or public transport, can be the gateway to income generation and employment, which is desperately needed in the west, given the number of towns and villages that have high deprivation figures and indicators. <BR /> <BR />As mentioned by my colleague Gary Middleton, the regional development strategy 2035 identifies the significant role that Londonderry has to play in the expansion of the north-west.”
“I welcome the Minister to her first Question Time today. I declare an interest as somebody who lives in an unadopted development. The Minister will be aware that I hope to introduce a private Member's Bill on the issue. <BR /> <BR />There does not seem to be any deterrent for developers who continually build homes but leave the infrastructure outside the homeowner's door in a very poor condition. Homeowners are left in a merry-go-round situation, with the issue going back and forth between DFI and the developer. Minister, has any enforcement action been taken, even in the past five years, against developers who have created that situation?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It is welcome to see the transforming planning bid moving forward, because planning is central to our economy and investors are turning away from Northern Ireland due to the delays in our planning system. The Minister mentioned that the £3 million for transforming planning will lead to the appointment of independent persons. Can he confirm whether those people will sit under any Department and, if so, he is confident that they will have the flexibility to deal with ongoing issues that arise about the length of time for and quality of responses from statutory consultees, which impinges on the time that applications remain in the system?”
“"Shaping a Better Tomorrow" will require collaborative working and innovative approaches. In working to shape a better tomorrow, the foundations of funding will need to deliver long-term improvement.”
“However, the Committee has heard about the difficulties faced by the Department due to budgetary constraints and the impact of those on its vacancy rates. <BR /> <BR />The Committee considers that the Programme for Government must be underpinned by robust and measurable milestones. It would be helpful if the First Minister or the deputy first Minister could set out what they consider to be the key infrastructural milestones and provide an assessment of whether those will be achieved in the context of the draft Budget. That is particularly in the context of the investment strategy, which is coming imminently, and the statement in the Programme for Government that the Executive are:”
“The Committee has been actively engaging with the Department and stakeholders to find out how that can be supported. The Committee played its part in supporting the vehicle emissions trading scheme (VETS). It is essential that the electric vehicle network be sufficiently developed to facilitate that. I urge the Executive to look at options such as financial transactions capital (FTC) as a means of borrowing to enable the private sector to support growth in our private charging network. <BR /> <BR />Active travel is identified as a key indicator of the "People" mission in the Programme for Government. The Committee looks forward to considering the results of the consultation on the active travel delivery plan. <BR /> <BR />Reform and transformation of public services will require significant investment.”
“Measures such as progressing the delivery of the A5 will not only improve road safety and save lives but create jobs and benefit the economy. In addition, developing the rail network and providing more public transport for our rural and disabled communities are essential to keep pace and to support our economic goals. <BR /> <BR />I turn to Lough Neagh and the environment. The Committee is acutely aware of the importance of Lough Neagh, given that it supplies 40% of Northern Ireland's drinking water, and is concerned about the issues that have been caused there by blue-green algae. Although not the only cause, pollution incidents from waste water treatment works and septic tanks are key contributors, and that must be addressed. <BR /> <BR />In addition, the commitments under the Climate Change Act will require investment.”
“Given that its objectives are likely to include seeking to reduce pollution, strengthen resilience to extreme weather events, introduce more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to manage the water resource and reduce and mitigate flood risk. it is important that the Committee takes sufficient time to scrutinise those proposals. <BR /> <BR />I turn now to our transport infrastructure. It is clear to the Committee that a well-maintained, safe and reliable road network and public transport system will contribute significantly to the successful achievement of the Programme for Government priorities. Maintenance of the wider road network is an ongoing concern for the Committee, particularly due to the scaling back of an effective and well-funded winter service and the potentially detrimental impact on road safety.”
“Inadequate waste water infrastructure impacts on the delivery of that. Whilst there are some initiatives to introduce developer contributions, the Committee considers that those will not be sufficient, given the scale of the overall investment needed. The Committee has taken a keen interest in capacity constraints, particularly with regard to waste water infrastructure, and looks forward to receiving detail on how that will be improved. <BR /> <BR />Both water and flood-risk management will be important factors in the achievement of the Executive's priorities. The Committee is supportive of the Department's ambition to develop a new flood forecasting system. The water, flooding and sustainable drainage Bill will be introduced in the coming weeks. However, we still await its introduction.”
“Delivering an effective and efficient planning system will not only contribute to economic growth but support the delivery of an appropriate housing supply strategy, which is key to the delivery of the Programme for Government. <BR /> <BR />As Members will be aware, unadopted developments is a frequently recurring issue that can impact on the quality and maintenance of our roads, our street lighting and our water and waste water infrastructure, which, in the worst cases, can be problematic and place an expensive burden on homeowners who have to undertake remedial works to meet the required standards or risk being unable to sell their property. Water and waste water infrastructure are crucial, too, to economic growth and facilitating the provision of more social, affordable and sustainable housing.”
“The Committee welcomes recent legislation to provide councils with the power to publish planning application validation checklists, which are anticipated to reduce processing times for applications. More, however, needs to be done to support that key area in order to grow our economy. It is apparent that delays can often be caused by the timeliness and quality of the responses from statutory consultees. Therefore, the Committee urges all Ministers, Departments and agencies that undertake a statutory consultee role to ensure that they are well resourced with sufficient staffing and have measurable processes in place to ensure timely and meaningful responses to planning applications.”
“The Committee heard that, although the Department does not take the lead on any of the nine priorities in it, a number of them are particularly relevant to DFI's core functions, which are to grow a globally competitive and sustainable economy; to provide more social, affordable and sustainable housing; to protect Lough Neagh and the environment; and to reform and transform public services. In responding to the draft Programme for Government, the Committee highlighted the fundamental role that the Department will play as an enabler in achieving the priorities and in shaping a better tomorrow. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has taken evidence from a wide range of stakeholders on their concerns over the length of time that it is taking for planning applications to be processed.”
“I will declare two interests at the outset. During my contribution, I will touch on unadopted developments. I live in one and intend to introduce a private Member's Bill on the subject. I will also touch on the A5, along the route of which my husband's family are landowners. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on behalf of the Committee for Infrastructure. In October, we received oral evidence from Department for Infrastructure officials on the draft Programme for Government 2024-27.”
“I urge you, Minister, to take immediate and meaningful action to support NHS dentists, to increase the number of available services and to address the inequalities in access to dental care. The people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone deserve nothing less.”
“That will only deepen existing disparities in health outcomes, particularly in rural areas like mine. It is essential that we take urgent action to ensure that dental care is universally acceptable and affordable for all our citizens, regardless of where they live or their income level. <BR /> <BR />Dentists obviously also play a crucial role in identifying cancers such as oral cancers, incidences of which look set to double in the UK by 2035. I do not want my area of Fermanagh and South Tyrone or, in fact, any area in Northern Ireland to be a statistic for oral cancer. It is as stark as that. <BR /> <BR />We need to rebuild confidence in the system. One dentist put it like this: "Dentists do not go on strike; they leave". Do not let anybody else leave. Let us stop creating more health inequalities. Let us save NHS dentistry.”
“Essentially, patients rely on the goodwill of that dentist to provide dental treatment to them over a weekend. I want the Department to support the trust and my local dentists in finding a site and paying a sessional rate per patient that is the same as elsewhere in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />We need to address the growing health inequalities that are exacerbated by the switch to privatisation. You cannot blame dentists, who have seen no change in their contract and lost faith in the system, nor can you blame patients, who are worried about the decreasing service and frustrated at the fact that they now have to pay for that service. It is clear that access to dental care is not equal across Northern Ireland; in fact, it is becoming increasingly determined by one's ability to pay.”
“Minister, what further steps are you taking to ensure that we increase the number of NHS dentists? Dentists are literally waiting to make the call on what they will do. We need more practitioners; we need to see them in areas that are currently underserved, like Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Therefore, I ask the Minister to consider incentives like reinstating the commitment payments given to NHS dentists to stay in the system. Those were done away with in 2016, and we perhaps need to look at them again. <BR /> <BR />That brings me to another point that affects my constituency: the out-of-hours dental service run by 13 practices. At the weekend, one dentist is responsible for over 65,000 patients. They are only obliged to see registered patients, but there is no way of checking whether patients are registered.”
“We need to see a third-party review of how much dentistry costs so that dentists can get a fair rate of return. We also need to look ahead to the key questions of where we want to be in 2027. The space between now and 2027 is key. We need urgent action to top up the fees now and to give the all-important signals to dentists to stop the mass exodus from NHS dentistry. By dealing with the funding issues, you will support dentists to stay in the system.”
“Scotland has similar levels of deprivation to us, yet it has got to grips with the issue. <BR /> <BR />I know, Minister, that you will point to the need for a cost-of-service review. The British Dental Association (BDA) has called for that for years.”
“I argue that the underfunding of dental services is one of the main factors that is pushing dental practices in my constituency and other constituencies towards switching to private practice or closing. I recently spoke to a hard-working, dedicated dentist in my constituency who told me that, compared with when they first opened their doors, their operating costs alone had increased by over 40%. That is before even touching on the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions that is hurtling down the track. <BR /> <BR />There are ways in which we can try to stem the flow. Other jurisdictions have dealt with the issue. In Scotland, changes were made in 2023 in the form of the dental payment uplift in the NHS. The short time that it took to do that proves that things can be done.”
“I therefore must challenge the Minister on that. He knows that socio-economic determinants are a key factor leading to poor oral health. Given the increase in private dental practices, what specific action are you taking, Minister, to address the critical issues that affect the affordability and availability of NHS dental care in our community? What steps will you take to ensure that NHS dentists are properly reimbursed for their services so that their practices can remain viable and continue to serve our citizens? Without adequate financial support and incentives for dental professionals, the trend towards private dental practices will only increase, leaving more of our constituents and more of the residents of Northern Ireland behind. <BR /> <BR />The cost of running a dental practice must not be ignored.”
“In the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area, the percentage drops to only 53% living within that distance. When the rural nature of our area and the fact that public transport is lacking are taken into consideration, we can see how the inequalities stack up. Intervention is needed now. Furthermore, in the same publication, the figures paint a grim picture. The Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area had the lowest adult registration rate, at 49%. That is 17 percentage points below the Northern Ireland average. We are a dental desert in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. <BR /> <BR />I am aware that the Minister is committed to ensuring access for all to NHS services. The reality faced by constituents, however, tells a different story. Access to dental services is becoming more of a luxury than a public health provision.”
“My dentist knows that, in an area of deprivation, hard-pressed families are experiencing difficulties as a result of the financial impacts that they face at this time. <BR /> <BR />The publication 'General Dental Services Statistics for Northern Ireland: Annual Statistics 2023-2024' shows that, in urban local government districts such as Belfast, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Lisburn and Castlereagh, and Ards and North Down:”
“In Fermanagh and South Tyrone, we have seen multiple practices reduce or completely withdraw their NHS services, leaving families and individuals with limited or no access to affordable dental care. <BR /> <BR />Coincidentally, I attended my dental practice just last week and heard that it is switching to a private model. That change does not just place a financial burden on individuals and families but risks further marginalising the most vulnerable in our society, including those on low incomes, the elderly and people living with chronic health conditions. "People will simply not show up" was the message from my dentist, who, sadly, anticipates that being the case, because the practice has had no option but to switch to private dentistry.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I rise to address a matter of great concern to my constituents in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and I welcome the fact that my constituency colleagues and the Health Minister are in the Chamber to consider the issue. <BR /> <BR />We have seen a significant shift from NHS dental services to private provision. It has created a lack of NHS dentists in my constituency and, more worryingly, a difficulty in accessing services. The issue has been escalating for some time and now threatens to deepen the existing health inequalities in our area and across the region. As many know, the transition of dental practices from NHS to private care has led to a growing number of people being unable to access basic dental services.”
“Like you, Mr Speaker, I welcome the opportunity that has been presented by the Minister's making the statement in the House and thank her for coming to the Chamber so that we can ask questions on it. It is deeply disappointing that the announcement was made in October 2022 and that this is where we are at now, in February 2025. I therefore look forward to hearing officials give evidence to the Committee for Infrastructure, as I believe that there is more to scope out from the statement. <BR /> <BR />How confident is the Minister that there is security of funding for delivering that phase and the other phases that are set against key milestones for project delivery along the projected route?”
“We need to take a strategic approach to looking at how our budgets match up to all those policies, which, unfortunately, tend to sit on shelves. I would like to see those policies dusted down and an ambitious approach being taken to infrastructure and how we fund it. <BR /> <BR />Suffice it to say that I will watch carefully where the money goes, as it affects our daily lives. I urge officials to understand that we, as elected representatives, need to have information in a timely and clear way so that we have complete transparency and can have fulsome scrutiny of the issues.”
“<BR /> <BR />My colleague Stephen Dunne put forward many pertinent points about infrastructure yesterday, so I will not rehearse everything. I will, however, say this: it is key that we have a budget that reflects the need for modal shift — moving people out of cars and on to public transport — and that understands the concerns of rural people who cannot access the public transport network, whether they are seeking to get to work or to socialise. It is important that we see an ambitious approach being taken to the rail review, with budgets matching delivery. I am glad to see that the Union connectivity review provided funding for feasibility studies, but I would like to see Fermanagh included in that.”
“If we do not have the right budget allocated appropriately, and if money and time run over on those projects, it costs every Department in Northern Ireland. We have to take a strategic look at that, and I thank my colleague for her work on that. <BR /> <BR />I will move on to other issues, including NI Water. Capital budget is paramount when it comes to unlocking areas of constraint. Discussion must now move on to proper solutions. I am glad to see that the Minister is bringing forward a consultation on developer-led contributions. I will watch that carefully to make sure that it does what it says on the tin and works for people on the ground. Discussions must move on, however, and we must have action. I urge the Minister not to put the eggs in one basket but to bring forward an ambitious approach to dealing with the issue.”
“Our rural roads need urgent attention, particularly after the recent storm. I want Budgets to focus on that, with the ring-fencing of a rural roads funding pot, which I have mentioned in my role on the Infrastructure Committee. <BR /> <BR />My colleague Diane Forsythe's work has been vital to scrutinising how funding is allocated, how budgets run over and how time is spent in delivering capital projects, of which there are many in the Department for Infrastructure. I recognise that, as the Minister well knows, legal challenges also play a role in that. Whilst that does not negate the fact that it is important that people have an opportunity to challenge decisions, we have to take into consideration how that impacts on vital infrastructure projects across Northern Ireland.”
“I understand and accept the need for the Bill to progress without delay to ensure that Departments have the legislative authority for the first few months of the next financial year. <BR /> <BR />I will make a few brief remarks as DUP MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. It is no surprise that infrastructure is a key economic driver in our society. It is key that we scrutinise where the money is spent. The numbers on a page will affect everything outside these doors. I talked about roads earlier: obviously, from my point of view as a Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA — I am looking across the Chamber to my colleague from the same constituency — rural roads are vital. We cannot and should not forget the need to ensure that they are maintained to a proper standard and are developed.”
“<BR /> <BR />We need to be innovative in developing solutions to overcome the barriers to accelerating that delivery by reviewing relevant areas in our planning system, our use of financial transactions capital for private-sector borrowing and wider capacity across our electricity network. In addition, our public transport needs to evolve to greener forms of transport to lead the way and reduce the pollution caused by harmful greenhouse gases. As we all know, that will require significant capital investment over a number of years, particularly for Translink. Given our future commitments under the Climate Change Act, we need to provide adequate funding to allow that to occur.”
“In addition, we need to see an acceleration in our network's ability to accommodate the changing needs of motorists as they switch from petrol- or diesel-powered vehicles to electric or zero-emission forms of transport. That acceleration needs a holistic approach to identify viable improvements in our current systems that will support our future needs. The electric vehicle charging network is a key component in that. Following Northern Ireland's inclusion in the vehicle emissions trading scheme, demand will continue to grow as a result of the targets placed on vehicle manufacturers when phasing out the scale of manufacturing combustion-powered vehicles in favour of greener alternatives.”
“<BR /> <BR />Looking forward, our roads will continue to be a critical component in supporting our daily lives. However, commitments under the Climate Change Act will require us to adapt our transport network and how we use it. The Committee welcomed the opening of Grand Central station in Belfast, which will provide a regenerated hub in Belfast with the capacity to reduce our reliance on cars. However, whilst that investment is welcome, it needs to be complemented by the equivalent upscaling of services to promote a modal shift from our reliance on cars. At the same time, we must take the time to understand the needs of and barriers faced by those living across our communities, particularly in rural areas, so that we can best provide services that meet their needs, albeit with finite and stretched resources.”
“In addition, it will be important to gain an understanding of the specific benefits that will derive from that spend and how it might be used to alleviate the historical underfunding of our water network. <BR /> <BR />On roads, over recent years, the constraints on our public finances have meant that the Department has been able to deliver only a limited service to maintain our roads, which, as Members across the House will know, has led to the deterioration of roads throughout all our constituencies. Additional funding has, typically, been secured from monitoring rounds, but the absence of specific provision at the start of the financial year means that the Department has no certainty of funding for its winter service, which includes the gritting of roads.”
“<BR /> <BR />During an oral evidence session on 5 February, the Committee noted that, under the reinvestment and reform initiative (RRI), borrowing of £105·7 million was earmarked for Northern Ireland Water. Theoretically, that should provide some additional funding to enable Northern Ireland Water to progress upgrades to our ageing network, but the extent of those upgrades will largely be impacted on by the overall allocation in the final Budget. Given the cost of borrowing, that will undoubtedly be an area of interest in the Committee's future work. Undoubtedly, it will explore that in more detail with Northern Ireland Water tomorrow to get a sense of the capital projects that it will progress from that funding.”
“However, for that to occur, we need the investment to provide the much-needed building blocks that will help to address the shortage of housing, maintain the condition and safety of our road network and develop our transport network to provide a meaningful alternative for road users, who are reliant on their vehicles. <BR /> <BR />With a high capital spend, the Department's need for a multi-year budget is a well-rehearsed discussion that requires a resolution to provide the certainty of funding for capital projects, which can take a number of years to complete. Only then can we start to make an impact on addressing our wider goals of delivery.”
“As the Deputy Chairperson outlined in yesterday's debate, the Committee has engaged extensively with departmental officials throughout the year to identify where pressures are being faced and the proposed response to try to address them. The Committee knew from the outset the challenges that the Department faced when seeking to balance its budget allocation against managing its core functions. As a Committee and Members of the House, we all want to see more development in our infrastructure so that we can deliver more homes, maintain our roads, develop our public transport network and meet our future commitments under the Climate Change Act.”
“Given the seemingly more regular frequency of those types of events, it is becoming increasingly important that the necessary resources are available to respond to them. The Committee will be interested to receive further details of the actual costs that were incurred, once the analysis becomes available. <BR /> <BR />Turning to road safety, the House will be aware that the upgrade of the A5 was announced. That upgrade aims to reduce the number of those who are killed or seriously injured on our roads. However, road safety is not limited to users of the A5 but covers users of the entire road network across Northern Ireland.”
“As the Deputy Chairperson, John Stewart, indicated during yesterday's debate — I thank him for speaking on behalf of the Committee — the Committee noted that the impact of recent storms has resulted in departmental pressures due to the level of available resource for remedial works to restore or replace items that were damaged. Whilst the Committee has sought further detail from the Department to establish how those pressures will be managed, it is important that the remedial works be completed to ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs of our constituents across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />As we have seen, the adverse weather left thousands of people without power, access to water and unable to go about their daily commute due to the blockage of roads from fallen trees and issues with other key parts of our infrastructure.”