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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“There must be better service planning in the here and now and for the future. <BR /> <BR />At a recent meeting of the Infrastructure Committee, officials briefed us on the all-island strategic rail review. It will not surprise Members that Fermanagh was high on my agenda. Whilst mention was made of the Fermanagh and Omagh transport plan as a means to understand the transport needs of people in County Fermanagh, that plan is being developed up to 2035. I have read the document. I did not see rail wholly mentioned in that document. Furthermore, the timescales do not fit in with the 10-year review of rail for the area, as mentioned in the strategic rail review. Surely, we need to look at the inclusion of rail in transport development plans now for its inclusion ahead of the 10-year review.”
“All those plans are important for creating a better public transport offering in those parts of Northern Ireland. I know that the SDLP likes to shout about being the proponent of the all-island rail review, but its motion does not recognise the review's failure to ensure that each and every county of Northern Ireland will have train track considered for it. To me, the real lack of ambition from the Department for Infrastructure does not necessarily pertain to fares but, in fact, to stepping out and building infrastructure in rural areas. Not including Fermanagh in the all-island rail review has led to significant regional imbalances and will create inequality. For a border constituency such as mine, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, not having ambitious plans for bus and rail expansion and development has, essentially, cut us off.”
“That is why our party has focused on the rail feasibility studies that are funded by the Union connectivity review. The plans consist of:”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is important that any modern, forward-thinking society have infrastructure projects that will aid the betterment of its people, socially and economically. Setting our sights high for infrastructure capital investment should be at the forefront of all our minds. No matter how ambitious the plan, however, we must ensure that we think first about our own jurisdiction and how a plan impacts on each and every citizen who lives and works in Northern Ireland. In these days of budgetary constraint, any plan must be fair and proportionate in order to balance the books. <BR /> <BR />The DUP seeks to amend the motion to ensure that we promote the needs of Northern Ireland's rail infrastructure and boost the opportunities that should exist for Northern Ireland plc.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement today. He is delivering on the key needs of schools here in Northern Ireland. I have no doubt that, when the call goes out, he will be inundated with schools looking to apply. That points to my question about the criteria: will the projects need to be spade-ready through the planning system to be able to access the fund? He will know about Devenish College's need for a hockey pitch; he is a hockey fan. Fermanagh has no hockey pitch provision. Will the projects need to be spade-ready to access the funds?”
“Those are the untold stories of what happened during our dark days. Too many innocent lives were a price too high to pay. Many young lives, such as the lives of those two young men, were stolen. There was always an alternative to the bomb and the bullet. We will remember them.”
“On that cold, foggy, December night, the windows of homes nearby were left open to ensure minimal blast damage. <BR /> <BR />Alistair was 28 years old, serving with the SAS that night. He was out on patrol, keeping my family and the Kesh community out of harm's way — totally different from the actions of the IRA terrorists that night. One thousand pounds of explosives were recovered, and countless RUC and civilian lives were saved. Such was his bravery that he was awarded posthumously the Military Medal for his role that night. A line from his obituary is as poignant today as it was then:”
“My Granny Armstrong, who lives with Alzheimer's, can still recall that night, so deeply ingrained is it in her memory, because the incident happened outside the Armstrong family home. The bomb planted by the IRA could have killed many that night. Police officers on duty were spared being murdered as a four-man terror unit from the IRA callously carried out its act of mayhem and terror. They had been attempting to attack the RUC car with a landmine. Inside a family home, a stone's throw away, my Granny Armstrong was putting to bed my two elderly and unwell great-grandparents. Fifteen minutes later, shots rang out across the area. Yesterday, I spoke to many locals at the service who recalled that moment.”
“Today I remember two brave and valiant men on the anniversary of their murders. I remember Warrant Officer 2 John Arthur Maddocks, Royal Army Ordnance Corps. He was 32 when he was killed by Provisional IRA terrorists who planted a bomb in a milk churn 50 years ago today. His murder took place at Gortmullen, Derrylin. Forty years ago today, Sergeant Alistair Slater from First Battalion, Parachute Regiment and 22 Special Air Service was murdered by Provisional IRA terrorists at Drumrush, Kesh. <BR /> <BR />Yesterday, I attended the 40th anniversary service to dedicate a memorial plaque for Sergeant Alistair Slater at Tubrid Church of Ireland, Kesh. Whilst I was not alive at the time of the murder, it was a period of deep reflection for my family.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. In my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Encirc, which is a glassmaking company, has done significant work on decarbonising its production. It is a global company, and it is important that we see such pioneering initiatives. Does the Member agree with me that it is important that there is a fair and just transition for companies towards decarbonisation?”
“What level of council engagement is happening?”
“The Minister will know that I have raised the issue of puppy farming in my constituency in the Chamber before. I am interested to know what level of council engagement has taken place on Lucy's law. Councils seem to be a turning a blind eye to it slightly. Lucy's law gives an opportunity to limit premises to one breeding licence.”
“On 'The View', the Infrastructure Minister did not recognise the Northern Ireland Water figure that 19,000 developments cannot be connected due to capacity issues. We know that the connection problem is an issue for housing associations that are trying to get houses onto the system. The draft housing strategy will be coming forward. How can we ensure that money is ring-fenced for Northern Ireland Water capital infrastructure projects, which will be vital to delivering our Programme for Government commitments.”
“Timothy Gaston referred to the infection levels in badgers that were recorded in roadkill post-mortems, herd incidence and the evidence of that, which was a vital contribution. <BR /> <BR />There will be very difficult decisions to make on the issue. Looking at wildlife intervention is emotive, but we cannot do nothing. We have to move on this, and it is vital that we do so very quickly because time is ticking for our family farms and what it means for them.”
“When a debate on a hunting ban comes to the Floor, we will see where Members stand on that. <BR /> <BR />Nicola Brogan commented on biosecurity and the importance of support to farmers, which is vital. I thank William Irwin for his contribution and for pointing out the compensation levels and the impact that any reduction in them will have on our farming families. Sian Mulholland pointed out the stress that bovine TB causes and the impact of that. We need to have effective measures in place to help with that. <BR /> <BR />I congratulate Robbie Butler on his elevation to Chair of the AERA Committee. Let us hope that we get this issue sorted out. I welcome the Minister's comments on the impact and cost of bovine TB and what it means for the economy, because it also impacts on our agri-food sector and we have to take cognisance of that.”
“I know that Miss McIlveen is deeply interested in this issue and knows an awful lot about it. I welcome her passion. She really wants to make sure that the issue is dealt with for farmers in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I have not had an opportunity to formally welcome my constituency colleague Diana Armstrong to the Chamber. I welcome Diana to the Chamber, and I look forward to working with her on Fermanagh and South Tyrone issues. This is an issue that really affects our constituency. Patsy McGlone touched on the impact of the loss of herds on farm families and what it means. He mentioned deer, which is really important. I have seen wild deer in my constituency. They are quite prevalent, and it is important that he pointed that out. I thank him for that.”
“When you look at the cost to the public purse, you see that it is an issue not just for farms but for all taxpayers. Miss McIlveen mentioned that in her speech. In my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, which has very high rates of TB, I have seen the very real consequences: farmers are at breaking point and unable to cope with the situation. Farmers care — they care about their animals — and they cannot bear the effects of this any more. <BR /> <BR />I want to briefly point to what some Members have said in the debate. Declan McAleer talked about wildlife intervention and said that it must be humane. That has come up in the Chamber, and Members have agreed on it. I apologise to Miss McIlveen and Mr Blair that I was not here to hear what they said, but I welcome the Alliance Party's support for our amendment.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the debate. At the outset, I declare an interest in that my husband's family has a farm. <BR /> <BR />In the Chamber previously, we have mentioned the very real challenges that TB places on farms in Northern Ireland. In the past year, one in 10 farms has experienced the difficulties associated with TB breakdown. As has been discussed in the Chamber today, that takes a toll mentally and physically. We have the highest rates of bovine TB in Europe, according to the UFU. <BR /> <BR />The bottom line is that the status quo, whereby we do the same thing but expect different results, is no longer viable. The continuous testing and removal of animals and paying of compensation has far from dealt with TB. Instead, it wrecks family farms and surrounding farms.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It will be really welcome in my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. The Minister has put in place extra help for debt services, and he has now put in place fuel support for pensioners. Will he tell me whether, rather than just saying that the payment needed to be fully restored for constituents, any other party came to him with a concrete plan? Will he provide a breakdown of exactly what the payment will mean for constituents across Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Minister. He will know that Northern Ireland Water has special dispensation; in fact, we do not know the full scale of the pollution. We know that 40% of storm overflows already fail the standard and, indeed, that 1,200 overflows are still to be assessed. When, exactly, will we see details of what his Department will do about SORPI? Time is ticking on this really important issue. Farmers are not always to blame. It is important that we deal with the problems in our Government on the issue.”
“I share some concern about that, because time is ticking on a crisis in NI Water. There is a funding gap of £145 million, and the £39 million of capital in the October monitoring round will not be just for NI Water. Last week, we had a debate on unadopted sites. When asked about developer-led contributions, NI Water said that it might have difficulty in getting some of the sites adopted. What will the Minister do to ensure that there will be mitigations for that in any future legislation?”
“My question is related to flooding, but I have a different way of asking about it. A number of constituents have come to me in relation to the flood maps that are being updated and their home insurance. What conversations is the Minister having about the high cost of home insurance for homeowners in flood areas that have been identified in the updated maps? Is he having conversations with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) about that?”
“I saw in a recent media report that, in the past four years, £150 million from the public purse has been paid to private providers. Does that point to a capacity issue? I had a meeting recently with the trust in relation to the SWAH and it said that it had a demand/capacity gap, which it is looking to sort out, and it would rather get recurrent funding. Can the Minister point to the funding constraints that relate to elective care?”
“On enforcement, I think that I read somewhere that the legislation includes a penalty to developers of about £500. Five hundred pounds is a pittance for developers. I do not want to stop housebuilding in Northern Ireland, but we need to ensure that enforcement is stringent, so that things like this do not happen again.”
“I thank the Member for giving way and for raising that point. I know that, in some circumstances, homeowners are then left with a bill that can run into tens of thousands of pounds because a developer has either gone into liquidation or gone bust. Homeowners are left counting the cost of that, which is huge when you think about the fact that they also bought the homes in the first place.”
“I thank the Member for giving way and for raising the issue of alleyways. Being a Belfast rep, he will know that it becomes an issue because nobody seems to want to take responsibility for it, yet it has a huge impact on residents, with health and safety concerns. There is a lot of fly-tipping and nobody is taking responsibility for it.”
“We need a review of the main statutory instruments. The Private Streets (Northern Ireland) Order 1980 and the Private Streets (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 are outdated and require amending in order to update them, to ensure that they offer protection to consumers and, furthermore, to ensure that they adequately address the issues that surround unfinished developments and roads. I trust that Members will join me in calling for greater action and urgency on this matter this evening in the Chamber.”
“I have seen situations in which housing developments have been built, homes purchased, developers go bust and leave homeowners in the lurch; or, indeed, developers go bust and then, frustratingly, pop up in another area or, as is the case in the past, even just down the street from the last unadopted site, under a different company, and start building again. That brings me to a key question: how is that allowed to happen? In my view, developers should face a penalty for that. <BR /> <BR />Poor infrastructure is surely something that nobody in the Chamber wants to see outside the doors of our constituents.”
“It was then estimated that it would take £300 million to bring roads up to an adoptable standard and somewhere between £41 million and £100 million — quite a range there — to allow for adoptable sewerage and waste water schemes. What does the Department believe that the costings will be now? <BR /> <BR />In 2021, the Infrastructure Committee brought a motion to the Assembly that pointed out the lack of progress made in addressing the failures in adopting sites since the report in 2012. It called on the Minister to formulate and implement a more robust and time-constrained package of guidance and enforcement. I ask the Minister this: what has his Department done since, and why has that crucial element not been addressed? <BR /> <BR />Time is critical.”
“In fact, they are the middleman stuck in a back-and-forth between the developer, DFI and NI Water, and that is if you are lucky enough that the developer is still in business. Where the bond is not sufficient to bring the development into an adoptable standard and they have ceased trading, DFI and NI Water have no funding mechanism or legal responsibility, I understand, to bridge the shortfall between the bond and the cost of the necessary works. That leaves homeowners literally picking up the pieces of the broken streets and footpaths, and, even worse, the site reverts to the homeowners. <BR /> <BR />We have been here debating this issue before. In 2012, a former Assembly Committee, which was then the Committee for Regional Development, held an inquiry into unadopted roads.”
“<BR /> <BR />I recognise that there is already legislation whereby, if construction of a private street is not progressing properly, DFI can intervene and issue a notice under article 11 of the Private Streets (NI) Order 1980, which requires the execution of all works necessary to bring the street into conformity with the regulations. If the notice is not complied with, DFI/NI Water can proceed to carry out work using contractors and recover the cost of the work from the bond and bring the roads and sewers up to an adoptable standard. However, how many cases has that happened in? It seems to me that powers are not being implemented and, indeed, that they are not tough enough. <BR /> <BR />There is no redress for homeowners.”
“<BR /> <BR />In the majority of cases, it could be a simple matter that it is an elongated process, but, for a huge proportion, there seems to be an issue that brings logjam to the process. Developers believe that the bond that they have in place is sufficient. Meanwhile, at the end of the development construction period, DFI or NI Water attest that it is not. The developer, in most cases, points to the fact that the guarantee bond is a tripartite agreement between the developer, their bank insurer, which provides the funding for the bond element, and DFI and NI Water. The value of the bond is determined by DFI and NI Water and is based on what costs they would incur if required to complete works.”
“The first phase of the development goes live, they purchase, and they know, as anyone would, that, whilst building work may go on, on another stage in the development phase, they have the hope that, one day, the development, which is in construction, will be completed, and they will have street lighting, better footpaths and roads. However, a year or two after all the construction has finished, houses are built and purchased, everybody starts to notice that nothing has changed. We might get a call to our constituency offices from residents in the development, checking in to see what the relevant authorities are saying, but it becomes clear that the residents are living on an unadopted site.”
“It is a substantial document that highlights each street and development, behind the names of which are those who are in the predicament of having poor infrastructure right outside their door. Hundreds of thousands of residents across Northern Ireland are affected. Quite rightly, residents are angry. "I pay my rates and my taxes", is a cry that I hear often. They are right. Many work hard, do their jobs for a living and have bought a house in good faith. I will give an example. A person who bought their house 30 years ago complained about a pothole in their development, but it turns out that it cannot be fixed because the development is unadopted. <BR /> <BR />Another prime example is a first-time homebuyer.”
“In order to protect homeowners, we need to have an enhancement of property certificates to offer greater protections when those properties are being resold. Therefore, I am calling for a clear and strategic plan to address the backlog of unadopted roads in order to ensure that legacy sites are identified and prioritised for adoption. It is crucial that the Minister works alongside Northern Ireland Water, councils and other relevant bodies to identify the sites and ensure that they are brought up to an adoptable standard without further delay. We will support Mr Carroll's amendment. <BR /> <BR />In Northern Ireland, there are 1,868 unadopted sites. I obtained the list of housing developments across the country.”
“We have seen how unfinished and unadopted sewerage systems and drainage networks are affecting our waterways and polluting the very environment that we all depend on. <BR /> <BR />Beyond the environmental and safety concerns, a very real and urgent issue faces homeowners who wish to sell their properties. Unadopted infrastructure makes properties difficult, if not impossible, to sell. Many buyers are wary of purchasing homes that are in developments in which roads and paths are not adopted and where they would be left financially liable for the costs of repairs and upgrades. That creates a stagnant housing market for affected communities and places an unnecessary burden on homeowners who are unable to move forward with their life.”
“It is not just the fact that they are aesthetically unappealing; they are a major health and safety concern, from the potholes that damage vehicles, to the poorly lit streets that increase the risk of accidents and the footpaths that are so poorly maintained that they pose a risk to pedestrians, particularly those with mobility issues. The neglect of those developments has far-reaching consequences. The residents who have done nothing wrong other than buy a home in a development that they believed would be finished are left carrying the financial and emotional weight of unfinished work. However, the situation is even more troubling. Unadopted housing developments are contributing to environmental damage.”
“At the outset, I declare an interest as a homeowner living in an unadopted housing development. Today's motion is nothing new to the Chamber, but it is an issue that I know Members deal with on a regular and frequent basis. To date, we have been unable to fully implement a road map on it. We are failing our constituents if we do not act on the issue. We must make progress on it in the here and now and in this mandate. I feel strongly about the issue, and I know all too well about the impact that it has on homeowners. That is why I am developing my private Member's Bill on it. <BR /> <BR />Roads and footpaths have been left for decades without adoption.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and welcome this move. Given the cut to the winter fuel payment, we could see increased demand for debt services this year. I thank the Minister, because he is thinking about support for people on the ground. Will he clarify exactly how much Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and Mid Ulster District Council will receive? Will he consider extending support beyond 2026 if the scheme is successful? In my council areas, each year, services are stretched and so is funding. This funding will therefore be of huge support to those services.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer and welcome the fact that the round table will be happening. The Minister will know that I have asked about the issue before, because banking facilities are vital in rural areas. I note that, since the rules were confirmed in July, LINK, which manages the UK's cash access and ATM network, reassessed the needs of areas where banking facilities have changed. Fifteen communities that previously were not able to have a banking hub will now get one, but none of those is in Northern Ireland. Will the Minister make the case for banking hubs to the FCA when it attends the round table? Lisnaskea, in my area, is a prime example of somewhere that needs to be reassessed.”
“The club cares about the community that it represents, and I am delighted to see its development. The club received significant Levelling Up funding for its sports ground and facility, and I know that it plans to do much more. Through investment, the club has been able to develop into something bigger and better, which proves the importance of investment in grassroots clubs and sports. I know that the club's development does not end here, and I have no doubt that it will reach its goals and aspirations for the future. From the Assembly Chamber today, a massive "congratulations" goes to Fivemiletown United on receiving this well-deserved accolade.”
“It is not only a facility and club that boosts the health and well-being of people living in the area; the club has created a sense of community and belonging, as attested to by its slogan, "Town, team, together". <BR /> <BR />Awards like this do not just fall into people's laps. They are a testament to the hard work and dedication of a small group of people. I put on record a massive "well done" to the management, coaches, players and supporters. Special congratulations go to club stalwarts, such as Davy McQuigg and head coach, Chris McDowell. Nobody understands the amount of time and energy that men such as them put into the life of the club, but it does not go unnoticed by me. <BR /> <BR />The club fights tooth and nail to better itself each season.”
“I want to give some good news from my constituency. I put on record a massive "congratulations" to Fivemiletown United Football Club, which secured a win at the Irish Football Association Grassroots Football Awards held recently at Belfast City Hall. Fivemiletown United was deservedly crowned amateur club of the year. I am delighted for the club. Also nominated at the awards, in the volunteer of the year category, were Mike Long and Scott Long for their superb social media creations, which highlight the very best of the club. <BR /> <BR />Fivemiletown Football Club has been going from strength to strength in the mid-Ulster community since 1898.”
“Like everybody else around the Chamber, I condemn the attacks against women and girls. We have the strategy and the framework, but we need funding to ensure that the likes of our community and voluntary sector can do the work and implement the aims of the strategy and the framework. In Fermanagh, Women's Aid had to let go of some staff, one of whom helped train organisations to recognise the signs of domestic abuse, yet we see an increased incidence of such abuse all the time. Will the Minister make sure that community and voluntary organisations have adequate funding to implement the strategy and the framework?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Given the amount of pressure that there is on our public services and given the fact that there probably will have been a cost to put the document together, what is the Minister's advice on this guide to civil servants in his Department?”
“The Minister is well aware that without capital and resource investment for our waste water treatment works, we will not be able to deliver on key Programme for Government commitments, such as stopping water pollution and increasing our housing stock. Given that capital costs have risen exponentially, does the Minister recognise that the Budget will not be enough, given the pressures across our public services? Therefore, what extra is being done to ensure that funding for that key component of our infrastructure is on a more secure footing in order to stop the constraints in our towns and villages across Northern Ireland, so that we can deliver more affordable and social housing?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. Like her, I welcome the fact that the Government have un-paused the Mid South West growth deal.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Minister, you talked about how the pressures need to be looked at collectively. However, we need to increase police numbers. Sadly, 42 females have been murdered in eight years. We have had an increase in hate crime, and we need to look at prevention and rehabilitation measures. How do you intend to prioritise those pressures with the budget that you receive?”
“Thank you, Principal Deputy Speaker. There seems to be a bit of work to go on the recommendations in Professor Renfrew's report. You have referenced the funding that is required quite a bit. I am looking specifically at the regional action plan. How does that fit in with your hospital reconfiguration framework document, and when can we expect to see the regional action plan? I am looking specifically at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), where there has been quite a bit of good work on stabilisation. There seems to be a lot of work to do on the regional action plan and on fitting it in with the reconfiguration document as well as getting funding.”
“The deal will be an economic game changer for my area, and tomorrow, at Westminster, that event will showcase that for the affected areas.”