Cathy Mason
South Down · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“The result is that pupils can still face barriers, whereas a straightforward legal entitlement would have resolved the issue once and for all. <BR /> <BR />Picture this: one of our daughters is sitting in a classroom during her period. She is worried about leaking through her skirt. She is anxious about standing up.”
“We have no new arts strategy in the North, while, in the South, serious efforts were made to rebuild the sector following COVID. Arts funding here has suffered real-terms cuts of around 40%, while funding per capita in the South is around four times higher.”
“I, too, welcome the fact that this important legislation has reached its Second Stage. Like the Chair of the Committee, I thank the Committee for its hard work, and I thank the Committee Clerk, the Bill Office and the legal team for getting us to this point.”
“I thank the Member for that, and, again, I could not agree more. Would any of us accept not being able to wear a coat in the pouring rain or the freezing cold when we walk in here? I do not think so. <BR /> <BR />A girl should not have to ask for permission to wear trousers.”
“When the Assembly returned, I had intended to introduce a private Member's Bill to make school uniforms more comfortable for pupils and more affordable for their families. The Minister, however, indicated that he planned to address the issue himself, so I was unable to progress that legislation.”
“Across the North, many girls still do not have the automatic right to wear trousers to school. Instead, they find themselves having to seek permission, request exemptions or rely on the goodwill of individual schools. I have heard the Minister use that as an excuse for why this legislation is not needed.”
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“Is that in the Bill? Is that what we are discussing here today?”
“— and silence those who speak out against the Minister's failures. That cannot be amended away. <BR /> <BR />Mr Brooks, did you want an intervention?”
“Some may argue that the Bill can be fixed through amendments. If we genuinely believed that, we would have gone down that route. Let us be honest, however: we have been here before. Members need only look at the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill. We have already heard about the difficulties with it. This Bill is broken not because of a drafting error but because of its intent. The Bill's intention is not to improve our schools. Its purpose is to intimidate teachers, undermine workers' rights —”
“Perhaps the Minister should look at his legislative priorities and focus on the urgent challenges that our education system faces. He should scrap his harmful reform agenda, tackle the workload crisis and sort out the chronic backlog of maintenance issues. Punishing teachers for standing up for themselves, their profession and the children for whom they care will not repair a single classroom, reduce the pressures facing teachers or improve the education of a single child.”
“The swathes of teachers who contacted us over the weekend and the concerned parents who see the work that their local teachers do day in and day out can also see through it. <BR /> <BR />I have no doubt that every Member wants children to receive the highest-quality education possible. Effective inspections that support schools, help teachers improve practice and, ultimately, benefit children are an important part of that, but high-quality education is built on a supported, valued and respected workforce. Outcomes for children are not improved by threatening teachers with professional sanctions. Outcomes for children are improved by tackling workload, addressing burnout, supporting schools and ensuring that teachers can focus on teaching our children.”
“He tries to silence teachers and undermine their workers' rights, rather than meaningfully engage on the workload crisis, and people can see that for exactly what it is. Teachers are under immense pressure. They are dealing with increasing workloads, growing classroom challenges and a SEN system that is failing far too many children and families, yet, instead of supporting teachers, the Minister has chosen to target their rights. If he truly wants an education system that works, he should focus on the issues that matter most to teachers, families and, most important, our children and young people. I am sure the Minister will continue to dress up the Bill any way in which he wants, but we can see through it.”
“<BR /> <BR />At a time when nine out of 10 teachers report experiencing burnout, with workload identified as the primary driver, what does the Minister do?”
“For the Minister's information, the first five paragraphs of my content are directly related to the Bill, as is the safeguarding aspect, which the Minister has brought up on numerous occasions. <BR /> <BR />I could go on about where the Minister has failed to protect children, but I do not see where the Minister's concerns for safeguarding are on all of these issues. Unions have repeatedly confirmed that inspections relating to child safeguarding have not been obstructed, so we will not sit here and listen to DUP propaganda on a matter as serious as safeguarding. Safeguarding has been protected, and teachers whom I know take it seriously and have the best interests of their children at heart.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.”
“The Minister also failed to protect children when he denied girls the basic human right of being allowed to wear trousers to school. He failed to protect children who are sitting in classrooms with rain coming in through the windows and holes in the roof. He failed to protect children when some staff working with the most vulnerable children are without AccessNI checks.”
“I am 100% for real. That is coming from teachers.”
“He failed to protect children when many vulnerable children are still left without a school placement.”
“<BR /> <BR />Teachers and unions will take no lectures from the Minister on safeguarding when he has failed to protect all children. He failed to protect children when he removed the guidance for transgender young people. He failed to protect children when children with SEN were placed in settings that do not meet their needs.”
“Unlike the Minister, I stand here today in support of our hard-working teachers and school staff, who go above and beyond every day for our children and young people, despite the growing pressures that they face. It is clear that the Bill is an attempt to intimidate and punish teachers who dare to engage in lawful industrial action. The Minister's bullish conduct and language against trade unions today have made that much more evident, conflating the issue of inspections with the punitive crackdown on teachers. The Minister wants to sanction teachers who take part in action short of strike. The DUP wants a charge of unacceptable professional misconduct levelled against teachers who exercise their right to industrial action. It wants teachers who dare to challenge them struck off.”
“Minister, you mentioned a number of positive schemes from your Department. Can you provide us with an update on your proposals for the introduction of a business growth accelerator relief?”
“Will councils and partners be able to target help more effectively? Will duplication be reduced? Will people be reached before the crisis deepens? Will communities see evidence that government is joined up? Those are the practical tests by which the strategy will be judged. <BR /> <BR />In closing, I thank Members for their contributions and the Minister for his response. The Committee's report reflects evidence from all 11 councils. It is a serious piece of work over which the Committee took time. It recognises the vital place and voice of local government in tackling poverty across the North.”
“If the system responds only when it is at the point of crisis, however, we will always be chasing the problem rather than reducing it. <BR /> <BR />The final strategy must also deal with the reasons that people fall into poverty and the reasons that they cannot get out of it. That requires paying serious attention to housing, childcare, low-paid and insecure work, transport, rural isolation, health inequalities and access to advice. <BR /> <BR />The report comes at an important moment, because the anti-poverty strategy is still in draft form. An opportunity has been created to strengthen the strategy before it is finalised. The test will not simply be whether the final strategy says the right things but whether it changes how government and public services work together. Will support become easier to access?”
“For a household with no heating oil, a fuel payment can be essential; for a parent who cannot afford a school uniform, practical help can reduce the pressure; and, for someone facing debt or benefit issues, advice services can prevent a bad situation from getting worse. I have no doubt that all our constituency offices will deal with an increase in cases, such as parents skipping meals so their children do not have to and workers taking on extra shifts just to stay afloat. We have heard that they all feel let down. They feel abandoned by the lack of action on an anti-poverty strategy and that they have been left to fend for themselves again. Interventions can prevent serious harm, and the Committee recognises the value of the councils, community organisations, advice workers and volunteers who deliver those services.”
“I am glad to hear the Minister mention getting people back into work, and good jobs are central to that. I am also glad that the Minister has recognised the need to take views on board and that the next draft of the strategy will be substantially different, and we look forward to seeing that. I have no doubt that the Committee will want to reflect carefully on the Minister's remarks, and I urge him to view the report as a practical contribution to strengthening the strategy before it is finalised. The Committee does not want to add unnecessary complexity; in fact, much of the report is about avoiding duplication and missed opportunities. <BR /> <BR />An important theme of today's debate is the need to move beyond a crisis response, and immediate support will always matter.”
“They do not want to sacrifice their career to take up those caring responsibilities, but they have no choice in the matter because they are the only person who can provide the care. <BR /> <BR />I am also slightly disappointed that we went down a rabbit hole about fraud and error, rather than following the essence of the motion and the report that we brought forward today. We have to look at everything in the round, but the motion was about the involvement of local government in the anti-poverty strategy.”
“The Minister mentioned that the British Government had a role, and I was glad to hear that, because delivery would be much easier if we were funded to need. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for his response to the debate, and there are issues that I want to point out. Language is important, and it goes back to something the Minister said about those who are economically inactive. Some people are in that situation by choice because of caring responsibilities, and it is important for us to be careful about the language that we use. I am sure that those who are caring for a sick child, sick parent or sick partner do not think it is a choice; it is the lack of choice.”
“I appreciate the figures that the Minister has mentioned, but we need to explore them further because there was a concern that the criteria had changed when they were being calculated. I appreciate the figures, but it is something that we need to look at. <BR /> <BR />It came through clearly that poverty is not experienced in neat, departmental categories. The pressures overlap for families and individuals: housing, income, transport, childcare, employment, health and debt can all interact, and that is why a narrow or fragmented response will not be enough. The anti-poverty strategy must be much more than a Department for Communities document; it must be cross-cutting, supported by local delivery and informed by lived experience.”
“I raised that with the Communities Minister, and he said that the trend is showing a downward trajectory, but that is not what we hear from the experts, and Gerry Carroll mentioned that as well.”
“He raised a really good point: when the Committee heard evidence from councils, those councils expressed real confusion as to why they had not been central to the draft strategy. <BR /> <BR />Maolíosa McHugh did something that we failed to do: he thanked councils for the work that they do and urged the Minister to act on that. <BR /> <BR />Maurice Bradley said that the current draft strategy lacked ambition and clarity. That is what we heard that day. He said that the focus needs to move away from short-term funding measures to more sustainable measures and to have less of the sticking-plaster approach of temporary measures. <BR /> <BR />Gerry Carroll raised the important issue that poverty levels are skyrocketing, and it has doubled in his area.”
“She mentioned her council area of Causeway Coast and Glens, where, I think, 23% of people live in poverty. That shows why it is so important that we recognise the role of local government. All the councils have so many different issues and so much detailed information on hand, which is really important. <BR /> <BR />Robbie Butler mentioned that councils deal with poverty every day. He mentioned a key issue: parents who are already in the phase of worrying about the summer coming up, the return to school and issues with school uniform costs. We had hoped to see strong legislation on that. It remains to be seen what impact that will have. <BR /> <BR />Mark Durkan mentioned councils being leaders in the fightback against poverty.”
“It has real experience that must be built into the strategy from the outset. <BR /> <BR />A number of contributions from Members across the House were really important. I will raise a few of them. Pam Cameron mentioned that councils already do so much work through social supermarkets and community transport and have so many local insights, which is important. She also mentioned sustainable employment and the fact that having good jobs is a good starting place. I hope that that is an indication that the DUP will put its money where its mouth is and support Minister Archibald's 'good jobs' Bill, which, clearly, could be a really good first step in trying to tackle poverty. <BR /> <BR />Sian Mulholland mentioned councils being a key delivery partner.”
“I thank the Chairperson for moving the motion and Members from across the House for their contributions. I thank the Clerk and her team for their extensive work on this very important report. <BR /> <BR />The motion asks that the Assembly note the Committee's 'Report on Engagement with Local Government on the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy' and calls on the Minister for Communities and the Executive to implement the recommendations in the report. In many ways, today's debate has focused on a practical question: how do we ensure that the final strategy is capable of making a real difference in people's lives? That means moving beyond a document that just sets out ambition and towards a framework that supports delivery in our communities. It also means recognising that local government has knowledge.”
“I thank the First Minister for her answer. I, too, was really glad to hear the DUP recognise in an earlier debate that employment sustainability is a good first step in tackling poverty. The First Minister said that the 'good jobs' Bill will be the most significant legislation in a generation. Does the First Minister agree with me, therefore, that it is critical that that much-anticipated Bill be brought before the Assembly without further delay?”
“As you rightly said, Minister, it is a serious issue for the sector, and I am glad to hear of the engagement with the British Government. What engagement have you had with the sector on the issue?”
“I have engaged with the Minister to seek that support, and I ask him directly today whether he will commit to working with us all to develop a long-term and properly resourced vision for St Patrick's Day in Downpatrick. <BR /> <BR />As has already been said, this is about more than just one day; it is about unlocking huge potential, investing in our people and finally giving Downpatrick the recognition and support that it has long deserved. The world already knows St Patrick, so why is his home town still waiting for the investment that so many others take for granted?”
“We have seen hundreds of thousands of pounds invested elsewhere in cultural projects, yet the home of St Patrick, one of the most recognised cultural figures in the world, still awaits the support that it deserves. That imbalance cannot continue. This is about recognising opportunity where it exists, and the opportunity in Downpatrick is undeniable. <BR /> <BR />I will take a moment to acknowledge the work of the Downpatrick regeneration working group and all those on the ground who continue to drive the ambition for Downpatrick forward, often with limited resources. We need a meaningful partnership between the council, the community and, crucially, the Department for Communities.”
“Last month, Sinn Féin councillors on Newry, Mourne and Down District Council took a step forward by agreeing to establish a new working group to plan ahead for a bigger and more ambitious St Patrick's Day celebration. I know that all parties will be represented on that group. It is a vision that would support local businesses, showcase local talent and truly reflect the heritage of the place. <BR /> <BR />The council's ambition alone will not be enough, however. I appreciate that the Minister for Communities is here to respond to the debate. If he really is serious about regional balance and investing in all cultural assets, Downpatrick has to be part of that plan.”
“It really is something special, and the work that Tim and the entire team at the centre continue to do in telling the story of St Patrick is a credit to them. They cannot do it alone, however. They need support, and, by that, I mean proper support. It cannot be left to local people and organisations alone to carry on something on that scale without the backing that it deserves. <BR /> <BR />Let us be honest: we are scratching the surface of what is possible. While Downpatrick holds the global story, it is not yet receiving global investment. There is huge untapped potential for tourism, for storytelling, for local businesses, for the arts and culture scene and for the wider economy.”
“The festival has grown, powered by the dedication of local volunteers, community groups, organisers and all the local Churches, which are actively involved. This year's celebrations were vibrant and creative, and the entire community can be proud of them. With proper support, they can be better, however. Real credit has to go to the local arts centre and to our schools and community groups: their creativity and commitment are what truly brings St Patrick's Day in Downpatrick to life. <BR /> <BR />Downpatrick, as has already been mentioned, is also home to the Saint Patrick Centre, the only permanent exhibition in the world that is dedicated to St Patrick. As Andrew McMurray said, it is this year celebrating 25 years, which is an incredible achievement.”
“I love these South Down Adjournment debates. You are never quite sure what topic you are going to get or where the debate will go. <BR /> <BR />Downpatrick is a place of regional and global significance. It is steeped in history from the Battle of Downpatrick at the Mound of Down, laid by John de Courcy, to the ancient Ballynoe stone circle, the stunning ruins of Inch Abbey, the healing waters of Struell Wells and, of course, the final resting place of United Irishman Thomas Russell. It is also, of course, the resting place of St Patrick, a figure who is recognised across the world and whose legacy is deeply rooted in Downpatrick. <BR /> <BR />Each year, people travel from across the island and from across the globe to celebrate that legacy, specifically on St Patrick's Day. In recent years, we have seen progress.”
“The Minister must spell out how his strategy will keep childcare costs down, support struggling providers and guarantee high-quality childcare, ensuring that all our children get the very best start in life.”
“The Minister of Education must outline how the childcare strategy will address the trend of increased support being overtaken by rising fees. Hard-pressed working families need to receive the tangible cost reduction that was intended from the childcare subsidy scheme. Rising overheads, staff shortages and retention issues are still hitting providers hard. Childminders have been further squeezed by the loss of the 10% wear-and-tear allowance and the minimum income floor. Unfortunately, the review of minimum standards has failed to deliver the transformations that the sector so badly needs. <BR /> <BR />It is time for the Minister to go back to the drawing board and deliver a childcare plan that actually works. Parents and childcare providers are clear about that.”
“Families across the North are stretched to breaking point. Soaring living costs continue to pile unbearable pressure on workers and families across the North. For too many households, the rising cost of childcare remains a heavy burden. Last week, the Department of Education stated that childcare fees have risen by 17% since the introduction of the childcare subsidy scheme. Parents were told that that support would help them, but rising fees have entirely erased the 15% subsidy, leaving families feeling abandoned. A huge Executive investment in a scheme that was meant to make childcare more affordable has instead left many families worse off. They have been forced to shoulder the cost of a serious policy failure. <BR /> <BR />Parents are under significant pressure and need reassurance that the situation will not continue.”
“I thank the Minister for her update. I will just state that our local offices are extremely helpful and engage with us regularly. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you mentioned the recent recruitment campaign. Can you give us an update on its progress to recruit industrial road workers?”
“Thanks to the Member for giving way. Will the Member agree that it is vital that SENCOs get release time to work on all of the extra pressure that they have? Will he also agree that school leaders need assurances that they will have an earmarked budget next year for SENCOs who currently have that release and that will continue? We hear concerns from a lot of principals that the extended schools programme, nurture and other things are being cut, and they fear that SENCO release time is going to be next.”
“I do believe, however, that your ego has clouded your judgement because when every single voice on the ground is calling for you to pause, reset and listen, and you continue on regardless, that is not leadership. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you spoke in the Chamber this morning about wanting to work with Sinn Féin. Now is your chance; prove it. It is time to face reality. Reset, listen and please work with all of us. Work with the SENCOs. Let the ego, bluster and deflection go. Work with everyone before more damage is done.”
“Minister, no amount of spin in the Chamber is going to change that because I know what is going to come next: a list of actions and plans, and the familiar line that more money is needed. That is just not going to wash with SENCOs anymore. They are just words. This is about the reality on the ground, and the reality is that the system is stretched to breaking point and the people holding it together are crying out for help. <BR /> <BR />The Children's Law Centre issued a clear and unequivocal warning that the reforms risk moving things in the wrong direction. That cannot be ignored. Minister, I do not believe for one second that you want those children to come to harm or that you want SENCOs and EA staff pushed to the edge.”
“They are pleading to get children who are in their care the support that they so desperately need or are sitting answering telephones, tied up in a system that they feel is failing children, and not just failing children but actively harming them. They feel blamed. They feel that they are being talked about as part of the problem. Let me be absolutely clear: this is not their fault. They are dedicated individuals working across the Education Authority, doing everything that they can in incredibly difficult circumstances. I have heard from them directly, and I know how hard it is for them. This is not a failure of people, it is failure of a system that they are being asked to operate in.”
“Seventy-eight per cent feel poorly supported or not supported at all. Eighty-six per cent are considering leaving the role entirely. Let that sink in. The very people who we rely on the most are asking themselves whether they can keep going. <BR /> <BR />At the same time, I have been contacted by so many staff who are working in the Education Authority, particularly those in the local impact teams and in literacy support roles, and it is genuinely heartbreaking to listen to them. Those are skilled, committed professionals who should be out in schools helping children who are struggling to read. Instead, they are spending their time trying to navigate and, at times, work around a system that is failing them.”
“The question is no longer about what the problems are; the question is when will they listen? <BR /> <BR />What we are hearing from those on the ground is deeply alarming. SENCOs are at breaking point. They are not just raising concerns any more. They are pleading with the Education Authority and pleading with the Minister to reset, to listen and to make changes before more damage is done. This new system is stretching them to breaking point. We have already heard about recent research showing that nine out of 10 teachers are experiencing burnout, many of them pointing directly to the pressures of supporting children with additional needs. A SENCO workload survey that we heard about in Committee laid bare the reality of overwhelming paperwork, impossible workloads and the lack of very basic communication.”
“I will start by thanking Michelle and Nick for bringing this really important issue to the Chamber, but I have to say that it is getting to the stage where SENCOs are coming to us and asking what the point is in raising these issues again and again if the Minister and the Education Authority are not prepared to listen and if the Health Minister is not even at the table. We could stand here today and list every single pressure facing our SENCOs: the workload, the lack of support, the constant firefighting and the barriers to getting help for children. Michelle outlined all those issues really well. The truth is that all of this has already been said time and again. It has been raised by principals, by teachers, by classroom assistants, by SENCOs and by the parents who are watching their children struggle.”
“Minister, from what I have heard this morning, you are trying to say that teachers are not leaving the profession and you have a stable workforce. That will be a slap in the face for many principals, who really struggle to fill vacancies. You said that you are "greatly encouraged" by the feedback from the teaching profession: I am horrified. I am horrified to hear the statistics: nine out of 10 teachers report burnout. Are you content having that on your watch? Are you, as Education Minister, seriously content that that is happening on your watch? Despite what you say in your statement, will you start listening to teachers and to the concern that nine out of 10 teachers are experiencing burnout?”
“Minister, at a time when people are struggling to heat their homes and fill their cars — issues that you have been raising here today — you have been able to find hundreds of thousands of pounds for the US250 project, but you have yet to demonstrate value for money. It is OK to tell us what, you think, was good about your trip, but will you outline the projected return on investment from those projects and confirm how your Department assessed value for money before proceeding with all of them?”
“I thank the Minister for that information, and I acknowledge the work that is being done in such an important area. Does he agree that the introduction of an areas with natural constraints scheme could support improved land management in the Mournes and help to reduce the risk of wildfires through better grazing practices and sustainable upland maintenance?”
“Absolutely, but, as has already been pointed out, Irish-medium education is on the back foot. That is why we are trying to bring it in line with the rest of the sectors. <BR /> <BR />As I was saying, I welcome the Bill as a significant step towards bringing about a workforce that can nurture and sustain the growth of Irish-medium education, thus ensuring that the children in that sector are placed on an equal footing with the others. I urge everyone to support the Bill.”