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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“<BR /> <BR />Whilst the Bill is narrow in scope, it is about much more than numbers or workforce planning; it is about recognising the reality on the ground, valuing the people who hold the system together and finally matching the growth of Irish-medium education with the support that it needs. No child should be disadvantaged because of the language that they learn through, and no workforce should be expected to carry a system without the backing of the system itself. <BR /> <BR />If we are serious about equality, we must be serious about investing time and effort in the people who make it possible, and the Bill is a step in the right direction. I, therefore, welcome the Bill as a significant step towards bringing about a workforce that can nurture and sustain the growth of Irish-medium education.”
“I am not saying that nothing is happening in the Irish-medium area, but it is not enough to address the acute problems. In the meantime, the sector is left waiting, while the workforce pressures grow, children go without the support that they need and staff are stretched to breaking point. They are tired of it. They are tired of being treated as an add-on and of being something that is always promised for tomorrow but never prioritised today. The strategy will not recruit a classroom assistant or train an early years worker, and it will not put an Irish-speaking language therapist in front of a child who needs that support today. However, the Bill will, and that is why it matters.”
“There is a clear shortage not just of teachers but of the wider workforce, including early years staff, classroom assistants and Irish-speaking allied health professionals, and the consequences are real. Children are being supported through a language that is not their language of learning; staff are being stretched to breaking point; and families are worrying about whether the support that their child needs will be there. That is not equality. <BR /> <BR />The Minister has pointed to the forthcoming Irish-medium education strategy as a reason for the Bill not being required. However, there is little confidence that another strategy will be delivered — certainly not in this mandate — and it will not be as concise and to the point as the Bill.”
“That is not just a gap in provision; it is a failure to meet those children where they are, and it places an unfair burden on the families who are simply trying to do what is best for their child, because, for a child with additional needs, communication is everything, and, when the communication is not in the right language, we are not giving the child the very best chance to succeed. <BR /> <BR />That is why the conversation about the workforce matters so much. It is about having the right people with the right skills, in the right language, to properly support every child. When I speak to school staff in my constituency of South Down — in Downpatrick and Castlewellan — I see the growth, energy and commitment to Irish-medium education, but I also hear the same message time and time again that the system is not keeping up.”
“<BR /> <BR />We also need to speak honestly about children with additional needs, because the consequences of the workforce gaps are much more profound for those children. I hear from parents who are already fighting every day to get the support that their child needs, only to face an additional barrier because that support is not available through the medium of Irish. Children are assessed, supported and sometimes misunderstood because the support is not delivered in the language that they are learning through.”
“<BR /> <BR />Alongside that, we need to talk about those who are too often overlooked in the conversations: our classroom assistants and our special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs). Let us be clear: they are not an add-on to the system; they are its backbone. They sit beside a child who is struggling to communicate, and they calm, support and encourage, often quietly and without recognition. They are the ones who know those children inside out. In Irish-medium settings, they are doing all that through the medium of Irish, supporting not just learning but language acquisition, confidence and inclusion. Yet, despite the vital role that they play, they are too often undervalued, under-supported and left out of workforce planning, and that has to change.”
“and organisations such as Altram that they are struggling to recruit and retain staff. They are trying to build immersive language environments for our youngest children at the very stage where language development is most critical, but they are doing so with limited workforce support and very little strategic planning. If we do not get early years right, we are setting the entire system up to struggle, because that is where the pipeline into Irish-medium primary and post-primary education starts, and that is why the Bill matters. It allows us to finally start building the workforce across the entire Irish-medium sector, including early years, which is so often overlooked but is fundamental, because, without that foundation, growth simply will not be sustainable.”
“Yet, time and again, I hear from Irish-medium childcare providers, early years settings, our naíscoileanna”
“I welcome the introduction of this important legislation here today by my colleague Pat Sheehan. The work that he has done not just on the Bill but for the Irish-medium sector over many years is truly commendable. The Bill reflects the ambition and determination of the Irish-medium sector. A sector that has grown, expanded and delivered for children, often without the support that it deserves. The reality is that Irish-medium education has not been carried by the system; it has been carried by people — passionate educators, committed parents and a workforce that continues to go above and beyond day in, day out. That goodwill can only stretch so far. <BR /> <BR />Nowhere is the pressure more acute than in early years. Early years is not just the starting point of education; it is the foundation from which everything flows.”
“for giving way. I commend the Member for bringing forward the important Bill. Can he outline just how important the early years sector is to the success and sustainability of Irish-medium education, and why it is really important that it is truly reflected in workforce planning?”
“We need to be serious about ending holiday hunger, tackling educational underachievement and fulfilling our shared duty to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, is supported, protected and given the strongest possible start in life. No child should ever be left behind, and no child should ever go hungry.”
“The Department for Communities should go back to the drawing board with the anti-poverty strategy. The Bill will, hopefully, move us towards universal free school meals, a society where no child is left behind and the beginning of truly tackling educational underachievement. When a child is hungry, they cannot learn or thrive, and we as a society are failing them. <BR /> <BR />The Bill should be our moment to act. We need all parties in the Assembly to get behind the legislation. As Danny has already mentioned, we in Sinn Féin stand ready to work with anybody who wants to scrutinise the Bill to make it the very best that it can be.”
“Why can hundreds of thousands of pounds be spent on mobile phone pouches, yet when it comes putting food on a child's plate, suddenly the coffers are empty? This is not about resources but about priorities. The priority must be our children. Protecting children is not optional; it is the most fundamental duty that we have. <BR /> <BR />The Bill is therefore not just welcome but necessary. In the absence of leadership from the DUP Minister, Sinn Féin will step up to deliver for those children and young people. No child should go without food; it really is as simple as that. While the Bill alone will not end child poverty, it is a vital step forward. It is a practical, real intervention that will make a difference to families across the North. As has already been said, it must be seen as part of a wider ambition.”
“You find it acceptable to sit and laugh. That is why we must step up. It is why we have not a choice but a moral obligation to act. Yet, what do we see? We have a former DUP leader, Arlene Foster, calling for cuts to welfare in order to boost defence spending. We have sitting DUP Education and Communities Ministers gaslighting the public, claiming that there is no money to tackle poverty and disadvantage while actively blocking the agreement of a multi-year Budget that would allow Departments to plan, invest and start delivering. <BR /> <BR />In his earlier intervention, the Minister asked what services would need to be cut. I then asked why money can always be found for war but not for hungry children. Why can millions of pounds be found for pet projects such as the TransformED reform agenda?”
“At a time of global instability, including Mr Burrows's mate Donald Trump's reckless and illegal war in Iran, which is sending economic shock waves across the world, it is the most vulnerable in our society who are left to carry the heaviest burden. Mr Burrows, I am delighted that you find it so funny that we are talking about children in poverty and how that war is further impacting on them.”
“They are struggling to concentrate and to stay awake. Staff are reaching into their own pockets to buy cereal bars, and they are keeping drawers full of snacks just to try to get those children through the school day. How on earth can we accept that and expect children to thrive in their education? Surely that very simple, real-life example alone should be enough to compel any Education Minister to act and to prioritise ensuring that those children receive a decent hot meal and that they are not left without support during the summer months when they are, perhaps, at their most vulnerable. <BR /> <BR />The soaring cost of living is pushing countless families to the brink. Far too many parents are facing the cruel and impossible choice between heating their homes and feeding their children.”
“Let us be very clear today — David Brooks mentioned it earlier — that children do not fall into poverty by themselves. Those children do not choose poverty or hunger, nor do they choose the circumstances that they are born into. They should never have to pay the price for political failure or economic decisions that are completely beyond their control. Poverty does not just shape childhood; it limits the future. It does not stop at the classroom door. That is something that the Minister of Education and his colleagues need to wake up to and realise. Every time that we fail to act, we are telling children that being left behind is acceptable. No one should ever stand over that. <BR /> <BR />I have spoken to teachers across the North who are witnessing this every single day. Children are arriving to school hungry.”
“However, this is about so much more than numbers; it is about our responsibility and duty to protect the children who need it most.”
“I welcome the introduction of the important legislation that my colleague Danny Baker has introduced. As has been said, if the Bill is passed, it will, during the school holidays, support more than 90,000 children who are in receipt of free school meals, ensuring that no child is left hungry simply because the school gates are closed.”
“For all of us, it is a reminder of how sport can be so powerful: it does not just entertain; it inspires and unites people and gives them something to believe in. Today, we recognise not just a victory but a moment in history that will be remembered for years to come. We say with pride, "Well done, Rory".”
“<BR /> <BR />To go to the Masters, finally claim that green jacket and then come back and defend it under that pressure takes something extraordinary. Let us be honest: it was not handed to him. With Scheffler clipping at his heels, he had to fight for it. At one point in the final round, it looked as though it might slip away. The mark of a true champion is not perfection, however, but how they respond when things go wrong, and Rory McIlroy showed exactly why he belongs among the greats of the game. For young people who were watching from home, particularly across the North, it really matters, because it shows that, no matter where somebody comes from and what setbacks they face along the way, they can, with hard work, belief and determination, reach the top.”
“I also wish to mark the truly historic sporting achievement of Rory McIlroy, who has become a back-to-back Masters champion. It is not just another win; it is a legacy. Rory is only the fourth person in history to win back-to-back Masters titles, placing him alongside the greatest that the game has seen. It is fair to say that we all thought that last year was special, but this win has sealed the deal. We were all behind our own, across the island, as we cheered on both Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, willing them on at every step of the way in Augusta: from the fairways at Holywood Golf Club, where the atmosphere was absolutely electric as spectators followed every shot, to living rooms across the country and, in fact, the world. I admit that even I was peering out from behind my sofa as we were all on that journey with him.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does he agree that members of the EA board are appointees and not political representatives? I also point out that they did raise this with us, and I raised the issue with the Minister in a question for written answer, only to be told that it was an operational matter and not to do with him.”
“After this week, Minister, families who have already been through so much hurt and anger have also lost confidence in you. <BR /> <BR />I ask you again today, plainly and clearly: will all summer schemes in special schools definitely go ahead this year? With no spin, no deflection and none of your usual bluster, for the families who are watching today, is the answer yes or no?”
“You chose to instruct officials to draft a written ministerial statement attacking two female Members simply because they dared to question your decisions, bruising your fragile ego. That speaks volumes about your priorities. <BR /> <BR />Minister, I am not here to agree with you or to rubber-stamp your poor decisions; I am here to hold you to account, to challenge you when you get it wrong and to stand up for the families who are too often left fighting on their own. On this issue, you have failed them. The Assembly has already agreed a vote of no confidence in you; school leaders have lost confidence in you; and the teachers, classroom assistants and special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) who come to us every day have lost confidence in you.”
“One principal told me that they felt sick to their stomach about having to deliver the news to the families. Many staff members rely on that week or two of summer scheme work, and others give up their precious time with their families during the summer: you have pulled the rug from under them, too. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you have long been aware of the crisis in on-site nursing provision in special schools. You should have lifted the phone and worked with your colleague in the Department of Health, with special schools and with children in specialist provision to try to expand the summer schemes so that those children could access them, not taken them away from the most vulnerable. <BR /> <BR />Instead of addressing the issues that matter to people, what did you spend your time on last week, Minister?”
“I also acknowledge Alma White and the Caleb's cause campaign. That family knows all too well the reality facing so many others and the devastating impact that decisions such as this have on families across the North. These schemes are not optional extras; they are lifelines. For children, they are joy; they are routine; they are friendship; and they are a chance to learn and grow in a safe and familiar environment. For parents, they are a breathing space: a moment to rest, to reset and to cope. <BR /> <BR />Let us not forget the pressure that this has piled on to our special schools' principals and staff. Already stretched to their limits, they are now left scrambling to deal with the fallout that this unnecessary decision and consequent U-turn have caused.”
“They now watch you scramble, unsure that anything will actually replace what you took away. That mother asked me to ask you whether you will still get your summer holiday this year, because her family may not.”
“The decision has caused unnecessary distress to families who already have to fight tooth and nail for every bit of support for their precious child: families who plan their entire year around those summer schemes and depend on them not as a luxury but as a necessity. The cancellation did not have to happen, but, instead of stepping up and doing the work, the Minister took the easy road. He cut the service. Let us be honest: it was a cowardly decision. <BR /> <BR />Minister, a family contacted my office and asked me to raise this directly with you in the House today. Each year, they get one short holiday. They rely on the summer scheme as respite. It provides the only opportunity that they have to get away each year. When the news broke last week, they cancelled their holiday out of fear.”
“The confusion and chaos of the past week around the cancellation of summer schemes in our special schools have been nothing short of a disgrace, but let us call it what it is: a crisis of the Minister's making. He knew about it for months, and what did he do? Nothing. There was no urgency, no leadership and no plan. Instead, while families here cry out for support, the Minister is off chasing his TransformED pet projects, travelling abroad, visiting Israel and the occupied territories, cheerleading an illegal war and rubbing shoulders with warmongers, all while failing the most vulnerable children at home. That is the reality, and the consequences have been devastating.”
“I am sure that those who are sitting at home, worried about paying their heating bill and financial security, will say that he has achieved nothing for them. <BR /> <BR />Mark Durkan told Ministers to stop passing the buck. The Minister referred to that comment. Yes, people want support. The quickest way that we can see that being done is through the Communities Department, where the mechanisms exist. The Minister for the Economy has said that she will support the Communities Minister in whatever way she can to get that money into the pockets of those who need it. <BR /> <BR />Households are struggling to heat their homes — they are sick with worry. The Communities Minister must work at speed to get that funding out the door to households that are in desperate need of support as a result of energy bill hikes. There can be no more delays.”
“We recognise that, and our Ministers have continued to press the British Government for an improved package for struggling households, but every penny matters as workers and families see prices spiralling out of control and struggle to heat their homes. <BR /> <BR />The Minister seems to think that he deserves a pat on the back, but his Department is the Department with responsibility for tackling fuel poverty, and he is responsible for administering the fuel support payments, but we are yet to see any movement. <BR /> <BR />Phillip Brett made a comment about gaslighting. I found that ironic. During the Communities Minister's theatrics earlier, he tried to tell us that if he had stayed at home and not cosied up with Trump and his cronies, he would have achieved nothing.”
“He was cheerleading, while Trump's illegal war in Iran has led to a rising cost of fuel to his constituents. The DUP and its Ministers have, once again, got their priorities wrong. <BR /> <BR />Instead of gallivanting around Washington and rubbing shoulders with warmongers, Sinn Féin Ministers were here, locked in and focused on ensuring that our communities are sheltered from the spike in energy prices. While the DUP was displaying its financial illiteracy and spreading misinformation, Sinn Féin Ministers, including the Economy Minister, were working hard to secure £17 million for energy support payments. As Sian Mulholland mentioned, that is a drop in the ocean.”
“I thank the motion's sponsors for the timely opportunity to speak on the issue and our amendment. <BR /> <BR />Earlier this month, when Trump and Netanyahu launched their illegal attack on Iran, the DUP could not do enough gloating and cheerleading. Last week, the DUP Communities Minister, who is responsible for tackling fuel poverty, was in America showcasing his vanity projects and talking about how Ulster's ties with the US are stronger than ever. It seems to hit a nerve when those are described as "vanity projects". The reality is that, when people would have expected to have heard a statement in the Chamber from the Communities Minister on how he is going to deliver support to the most vulnerable, we instead heard a statement on the US250 activities. That is tone-deaf.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Minister, you have now taken a number of trips to America during the US250 project. Do you realise that, while you are jetting back and forth to America, rubbing shoulders with warmongers and promoting your pet projects, people here are sitting at home in the cold, are afraid to turn on their radiators and are cutting back on very basic car journeys? Families here are struggling right now, and they will be concerned that you cannot tell us the cost of these projects today. You seem to want a pat on the back for doing your job. When will those people see the support that they need?”
“I thank the Minister for that information. Will she explain how her Department is supporting local businesses to maximise the opportunities that have been highlighted in the latest regional trade statistics?”
“Minister, you are not giving us transparency. Had there been an investigation, would it be right and proper and provide transparency for pupils, teachers and all the staff who work under the direction of your Department for you to stand up and clarify that? If there had been, would you apologise?”
“Silent Cuts' entire concept met their needs, from him entering through the door to him leaving with a huge smile on his face and freshly cut hair. It might seem trivial to many, but it certainly is not trivial for parents who have to face those issues. <BR /> <BR />I was delighted to see that Silent Cuts received £2,000 after winning the Social Enterprise Dragons' Den competition, which is supported by Community Finance Ireland. I pay tribute to everyone involved in the project and encourage everyone to check out its services. I wish Silent Cuts the very best of luck in the years ahead.”
“I was also honoured to be invited along to Silent Cuts' official opening. I was completely blown away by the entire concept and just how truly inclusive it is. <BR /> <BR />Those of us with children know that early-years haircuts can be really challenging, but, for a child with sensory needs, it can be a truly traumatic experience for the child and their parents. I spoke with one mother who had tried on many occasions to take her son to get his hair cut. After so much stress and anxiety, she just had to give up. No matter how patient and good the hairdresser was, the child just could not handle his hair being touched and all the sounds that go along with a haircut. She explained how Silent Cuts came along just as she had resigned herself to the fact that she would never be able to have her son's hair cut in a proper salon.”
“The salon also has sensory lights and toys for children. <BR /> <BR />The salon is closed to the public for a couple of days a week so that training can be provided to its apprentices, who also have special educational needs or disabilities. I was lucky to get to chat to some of them, and it was lovely to hear what working there meant to them.”
“I will highlight the amazing work of Mainstay DRP in Downpatrick and its new social enterprise, Silent Cuts. Silent Cuts offers sensory-friendly appointments for adults and children with sensory needs who may find it difficult to visit a hair salon or barber's. That quiet space with dimmed lighting and minimal distractions is the perfect inclusive and calm environment in which to get their hair cut. It employs fully trained stylists. Those ladies are absolutely amazing, and they are experienced in supporting clients with sensory needs. They offer flexibility and choices for clients, such as opting out of the usual small talk, bringing in their own comfort objects, choosing whether to have the radio on, off or turned down low and sitting in a chair with or without a mirror in front of it.”
“Does the Member agree that any SEN reform must enhance provision and not weaken it? Does he also agree that there is a strong fear out there that classroom assistants are the latest victims of a cost-saving exercise?”
“This is their precious child whom they leave to school every day, safe in the knowledge that they have the care to help them stay there and help them thrive. <BR /> <BR />Another thing that was raised at the event was the fact that classroom assistants do not feel undervalued. They know that they are valued: they know that they are valued by their principals, their teachers and the parents. However, they are asking whether they are valued by the Minister. Their patience —.”
“They are skilled, compassionate professionals who work every day with some of the most vulnerable children in our education system. <BR /> <BR />Classroom assistants are the first point of contact for many children with special educational needs. They offer key support to the educational and emotional development of our children and young people. They are the person who knows how to spot the first signs of distress and how to help them to regulate. As Mr Durkan mentioned, just last week, at a UNISON event, we heard directly from some parents what their child's classroom assistant has meant to their child's school life. We heard from Sophie and Juliana about their sons' really touching stories.”
“<BR /> <BR />For many families across the North, one-to-one support is not an added extra or a luxury; it is what allows their child to feel safe, to regulate, to learn and to go to school and enjoy their school life. Often, parents have to fight tooth and nail to secure that support. It can take months or even years of assessments and appeals. To leave those families in limbo is simply not fair and not acceptable. Classroom assistants from across the North, including nursery assistants; general assistant 1s; general assistant 2s; SEN assistants; additional support for educational needs (ASEN) assistants; and behavioural support assistants in education other than at school (EOTAS), are watching this unfold with deep concern.”
“The Education Minister's SEN reform agenda has been heavily criticised by parents, school leaders, teachers and experts who are concerned that the plans do not sufficiently address the lack of or inappropriate placements for children with SEN. On top of that, the Education Authority's proposed enhanced model of support, which was basically dropped on a Thursday evening via social media, has created real and growing anxiety and, frankly, a level of distrust. After weeks of raising concerns in the Assembly, questioning senior officials and pressing the DUP Minister directly, we still do not have a clear answer on what this will mean for our classroom assistants and the children they support. Having listened to the DUP contribution so far today, I do not believe that they will feel any comfort.”
“Minister, I have lost count of how many times you have mentioned stress, pressure and anxiety on students. You say that you want to reduce that, notably for 14-, 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds but not 10- and 11-year-olds who have to sit a high-stakes exam. Under the new system, most GCSE subjects will now be decided entirely at the end of year 12, which means that you, effectively, rejected the consultation responses that you received. Minister, time and again, I have heard from pupils who suffer from anxiety when they are going into exams, even though they know that they will have a chance to repeat them, and I am sure that you will have heard those stories as well. Please explain your rationale for concentrating assessments in high-stakes final exams. How will that reduce stress for our young people?”
“Will the deputy First Minister detail what meetings and engagements have taken place on historical clerical child abuse since the completion of the three research reports and on the independent working group's recommendations?”
“I did not say that you were blaming somebody else. I just asked you not to.”