Alan Robinson
East Londonderry · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“As the school year comes to a close, 2026 will see the loss of two high-profile educators in Roe Valley. Those two individuals have given many valuable years of service to the education system.”
“<BR /> <BR />Marshall and Nicola, I hope that you begin your well-earned rest with immense pride in all that you have accomplished. Your schools will undoubtedly miss you, but your legacy will continue through every pupil whose life was enriched because of your years of service.”
“<BR /> <BR />While the two individuals led very different schools, they shared a calling: to provide the best education for young people and to inspire those around them. They have been a steady, reassuring presence for generations of children and trusted colleagues to their staff.”
“He has been an incredibly popular head of school and has the respect of many across the education system in the Province. I wish him well and trust that he will enjoy having more time for the sports that he is so deeply fond of, including rugby.”
“I thank the Member for that response. I very much welcome the addition of a padded protective area, which is something that I had lobbied for. I am keen to know whether there are any plans to increase the number of Changing Places facilities in Parliament Buildings in order to improve accessibility for staff and visitors.”
“Like others, I support the motion. For many individuals and couples across Northern Ireland, the dream of becoming parents is accompanied by years of emotional heartbreak. Couples who have undergone that journey will tell you that it is the uncertainty that kills them.”
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“I want to highlight one of the greatest local sporting events: the North West 200. Before I do so, I acknowledge the death of a rider in the Superbike qualifiers on Thursday at Station corner. Forty-eight-year-old Kamil Holan from the Czech Republic will be for ever remembered, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family circle at this most difficult time. <BR /> <BR />Every year for almost a century, for the North West 200, the roads linking Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine are transformed into a world-famous circuit that attracts the best riders and tens of thousands of bike fans from across the globe. There is simply nothing like it. As someone who lives in the north coast area, I know that the atmosphere during race week is electric.”
“<BR /> <BR />I will end by referring to the words of a local dentist in my constituency of East Londonderry. I received this correspondence recently:”
“I appreciate that the Minister said today that he is expecting to receive a rewrite and that he wants that within weeks. I hope that, once he receives that rewrite, the review will be published. As I say, we need that review to be published and for there to be an overhaul of the current practice system. <BR /> <BR />Dentists want a payment model that reflects the true cost of providing care. NHS dentistry needs to be stabilised before more practices walk away from it, because if the Department does not get to grips with the situation, we in the Province will drift quietly but steadily towards yet another two-tier system: one in which those who can pay get seen quickly, while those who cannot are left waiting or simply go without. Once that line is crossed, if it has not been already, it will be very hard to come back from.”
“As we have mentioned today and many times before, there is also a wider cost involved. When people cannot access dental care, that has a knock-on effect. What could have been a simple check-up turns into an emergency. What could have been prevention turns into intervention. We all know that patients sometimes end up in GP surgeries or in hospital settings, which are already bursting at the seams. That is why the continued wait for the publication of the Department of Health's cost-of-service review is so frustrating. We have been waiting, dentists have been waiting and patients have been waiting. Without that review's findings, we are trying to fix a huge crisis without having the full picture. We therefore really need that review to be published.”
“Unless there is a fix, nothing that we say here today will make any difference, and, sadly, following the debate, nobody will be able to ring their local dentist and have the door flung open to them. If I am fed up, how do the public feel? <BR /> <BR />There are also smaller decisions that are having big consequences. Take the issue of registrations lapsing due to non-attendance, for instance. On paper, that might seem reasonable, but, in reality, it can mean that someone misses an appointment because they, perhaps, could not get time off work or their childcare fell through, and then, suddenly, they can be out of the system. Once they are out, getting back in is incredibly difficult. Effectively locking people out for reasons that often have very little to do with choice is just not right.”
“I have to be honest and say that I do not get job satisfaction from saying the same things but nothing changing. I can understand it when the public say that they are sick to the back teeth, if they have any teeth left. <BR /> <BR />We need to be honest about why this is happening. It is not because dentists do not want to treat NHS patients. It is because health service dentistry is no longer viable. As has been said by multiple Members, material, energy and staffing costs — all costs — have gone up, but dentists say that the payments that they receive for NHS work has not kept pace. Therefore practices are being squeezed from both sides, and the result is entirely predictable: they are reducing the NHS work or stopping it all together.”
“At the same time, the number of health service treatments being carried out is nowhere near what it was before the pandemic. People might hear that things are recovering, but that is not what the public are experiencing. Every Member can vouch for the fact that our constituents — I say "our", so the constituents of every one of us — are ringing practice after practice and being told, "We're not taking NHS patients". Their experience is putting them off treatment until the pain becomes unbearable, and they are experiencing a growing sense that unless you can afford to go private, sadly, you are on your own. That is not how our health service is supposed to work. People are, rightly, asking why they are paying National Insurance. We said all of this just a year ago: it is a case of rinse and repeat.”
“Thanks very much, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. Hopefully, today, we will achieve a record. Earlier, we had a couple of hours' debate on the Sign Language Bill and achieved unanimity, and, hopefully, we will get unanimity on this matter of such significant importance. <BR /> <BR />I will say some words that my constituents will very much expect me to say. I do not think that it is an exaggeration to say that getting a NHS dentist feels close to impossible for many people in Northern Ireland. Half the population is not registered with a dentist, compared with over two million who are registered with a GP practice, and it is getting worse, not better. As others have said, registrations have dropped by 17% in the past year, and all future projections point one way: downwards.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement, and I hope that my question is in relation to it. Can the Minister provide an update on capital projects for special schools?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I will expand on some of the earlier questions. Will the Minister set out how he expects the implementation of TransformED to help address the workload pressures?”
“Will the Minister highlight how much money is provided to the EA for REACH?”
“Sadly, in recent weeks, the club has lost loyal stalwarts Alec Trainor and Winston Moore, and, of course, we can look further back to see the club's biggest superfan, Mr David Brewster, who passed away suddenly five years ago. The party has been huge in the town, but it will be even bigger where those three are. <BR /> <BR />Winning the Playr-Fit Championship is not easy. It is a tough league, and it takes a lot of character and heart; the team has shown that. I say this to everyone connected with the club: "Enjoy this. Take it in, because history like this does not come around often". Limavady are champions, and that is fully deserved. The league table does not lie. From the House, I say, "Well done, every one of you".”
“There were games during which the football was brilliant, full of energy and belief, and there were a few bad days, but the group never lost sight of what it was chasing. <BR /> <BR />It has been an incredible team effort. You cannot talk about the league win without mentioning the way in which the players fight for one another and represent the Limavady badge. Those standards, including the pride that they should have in playing for the club, are set in the dressing room. <BR /> <BR />To the loyal band of supporters I say that this is your moment too. They have travelled and backed the team, believing that they could get the job done. I know that there were days this season when the support made the difference: the manager, Paul Owens, has admitted that.”
“It is built on lads who train after work in all kinds of weather, coaches who give up their time, because they demand results, and supporters who turn up week in, week out, whether it is freezing or there is lashing rain, at the Showgrounds or any other venue across the Province. That is what makes the Playr-Fit Championship win so special. <BR /> <BR />I have had the opportunity to watch Limavady play on about a dozen occasions this season. I think about the season that they have had: grinding out results when it mattered, sticking together when things did not go their way and finding a little bit of quality on the big occasions. There were games that were not pretty, but the group of lads dug in, and the supporters got behind their team.”
“I congratulate Limavady United, who, at the weekend, clinched their league title and will now play in the Sports Direct Premiership along with the likes of the current top four — the Coleraines, the Larnes, the Glentorans and the Linfields — two of which they have beaten recently. It is hard to put into words how much it means for the town: not just the players and staff but everyone connected to Limavady. <BR /> <BR />We all have to remember that the football club is not one that is built on big budgets or big headlines; it is built on people who have pride and passion for the local game and their local area.”
“There is a lot of focus in the report on the large number of deaths, and rightly so. Minister, how are staff in emergency departments being affected by current pressures, and how is the Department supporting ED staff, given the reports of stress, poor mental health and unsafe working environments?”
“I very much thank the Minister. All of us in the House will look forward to Wednesday. Can the Minister advise on any future roll-outs of the fund?”
“On behalf of the traders whom the Minister met, I certainly thank him for that visit. They pass on their very sincere thanks for the interest that he has shown. <BR /> <BR />What action is his Department taking to tackle dereliction?”
“I thank the Minister for that response. Has he looked at basing more staff in Ballykelly, either those in his Department or, via conversations with other Ministers, those in other Departments?”
“Will the Minister indicate whether she will travel to the USA to highlight and promote the tourism offer that we have in Northern Ireland?”
“<BR /> <BR />Across Northern Ireland, we have the highest rates of mental health problems and demand for mental health services. Staff are under serious and unrelenting pressure. Health surveys indicate that around one fifth of adults show probable mental health problems, with one in eight children and young people meeting the criteria for depression and anxiety. It is, therefore, vital that the health service here has the best tools to plan for the future and the very best data-driven evidence to support public services and understand how effective they are.”
“It is difficult to fully assess whether our services are improving people's mental health, and, without outcome measures, you cannot properly evaluate what works. Without that evaluation, it is difficult to be assured that services represent value for money. <BR /> <BR />Trying to manage reform without being able to see clearly is incredibly difficult and provides only a partial understanding of important aspects of mental health. Nor can it offer the opportunity to determine value for money for services. The Office for Statistics Regulation said that Northern Ireland needs a standardised dataset across all mental health settings, supported by clear regional guidance. It also suggested that the Department should consider developing a dedicated mental health data strategy.”
“I am content to support the motion today. The Northern Ireland Audit Office report on mental health services in Northern Ireland published in May 2023 highlighted how good data underpins effective services. The report identified weaknesses in the data landscape across healthcare. As far back as 2018, the Commissioner for Children and Young People's 'Still Waiting' report identified gaps in operational data, particularly in relation to young people and children. In 2021, the Office for Statistics Regulation reviewed mental health statistics in Northern Ireland and reached a similar conclusion: that there is limited data, leading to information gaps, that does not provide a complete picture of mental healthcare. In particular, there is an incomplete picture of data relating to outcomes and the effectiveness of treatments.”
“Has the Minister's Department made any assessment of the potential long-term physical harms, including impacts on bone density and fertility, arising from the use of puberty blockers in children?”
“An appropriately resourced 24/7 thrombectomy service, with rapid access, would represent exactly the high-impact, outcomes-focused reform and vision that we would want from the Health and Social Care reset plan. It is targeted and evidence-based, and it focuses relentlessly on improving patient outcomes, which is something that everyone in the House is calling for. <BR /> <BR />The Minister highlighted that the thrombectomy rate in Northern Ireland was 5·2% in 2024-25. That is higher than the regional rates in England, Scotland and Wales. We should all acknowledge that, but we need to strive for further improvements and better outcomes for patients.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important to say that rapid ambulance transfer to the regional thrombectomy centre at the Royal Victoria Hospital hinges on more brain tissue being saved. Therefore, a rolled-out 24/7 thrombectomy service is only one part of the overall jigsaw. A workforce plan is another part of that, given that the number of strokes is projected to increase by 60% across the UK by 2035. We have dedicated stroke teams, occupational therapists (OTs), physios and speech therapists who are at their brilliant best and could realise the potential of the treatment. I have met the stroke team at Causeway Hospital and cannot speak highly enough of the work that they do.”
“<BR /> <BR />In recent days, the Health Minister has kindly told the Health Committee, in a letter, that a considerable volume of evidence shows that the expected net savings from treating a patient with a thrombectomy and thrombolysis are £35,000 per patient over five years, in comparison with that for thrombolysis alone. That is driven by a reduced hospital stay and the requirements of long-term care. While we have to recognise that there is a significant recurrent cost to establishing such a 24/7 service, we all look forward to progress being made on the ongoing strategic outline case, which will provide further evidence of the savings to be had by introducing a 24/7 service.”
“I can testify to that, having a family member who had a rapid intervention and, as a result, now lives alone at the age of 85, independently and without the need for carers. Every minute that a large-vessel stroke goes untreated, millions of brain cells are lost. Despite that, access to a thrombectomy service in Northern Ireland remains limited to office hours. We all know that stroke does not and never will respect working hours. It does not pause overnight or at weekends, yet 24/7 access to that life-saving treatment does not exist for patients who suffer a devastating stroke at 6.00 pm, at 2.00 am or on a Sunday morning.”
“I am content to support the motion. We thank the proposer of the motion for bringing it to the House. <BR /> <BR />We all know that thrombectomy can be a life-changing treatment for patients who suffer the most severe forms of stroke when it is delivered promptly, especially in the first six hours. It can dramatically reduce the number of deaths and long-term disabilities. It can allow people to do many of things that they once loved to do and live independently again. In a challenging financial landscape, evidence points to it providing long-term savings for our Health and Social Care system by reducing the need for lifelong support. <BR /> <BR />In stroke care, time is everything. We all know the phrase, "Time is brain".”
“I offer congratulations from the House to the Limavady team, manager and backroom team and to the Limavady board, who have invested really well in recent seasons. It sets the team up against their neighbours Coleraine, which is only 13 miles away, in what will be a mouth-watering game that will draw a large crowd from both towns. <BR /> <BR />I am what they call a cross-breed. I have a Limavady-born father and a Coleraine-born mum. I was schooled in Limavady but lived in Coleraine for decades. I have a Coleraine-born wife, but I have an office in Limavady. My late grandfather took me to my first Coleraine match as a boy. I have a great affinity with both towns. I could go on and on. Given my ties to both towns and the fact that I watch both teams and want to see them do well, I find myself saying this: may the best team on the night win.”
“How many times have we heard the phrase, "The magic of the cup" about football over the years? That certainly was true at Coleraine Showgrounds on Friday evening when Limavady United defeated the current premiership champions, Linfield Football Club, 1-0 to progress to the quarter-finals of the Irish Cup. <BR /> <BR />I have watched Limavady play on several occasions in the Playr-Fit Championship this season. Going into the game, I had a quiet confidence that they would give Linfield a serious contest, and that they did. I watched Limavady do similar last year when they knocked out the league champions, Larne, in the fifth round, winning again by a single goal. Linfield have won the Irish Cup a record 44 times, whereas Limavady never have, which makes this one all the more stunning.”
“Investment in ADHD services is therefore investment in prevention and long-term well-being. It is an investment in Northern Ireland plc. We hope that the Minister can move quickly and begin to address the recommendations in the ADHD needs assessment, which, we understand, is now with his Department. In this case, I do not envy him with the scale of the task that he has ahead.”
“Research shows that people with ADHD who receive prompt support are more likely to remain in education, sustain employment and avoid crisis-driven contact with health, social care and justice services.”
“Budget will be referred to today, but, as we all know — it is said here frequently — early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are not only clinically effective but cost-effective.”
“That is fundamentally at odds with the principles of a publicly funded health service. <BR /> <BR />We have often heard about people paying huge amounts of money that they can ill afford to seek out a private assessment. We have been told at the Health Committee that some pay out upwards of £1,500 for those private assessments. We have even been told of patients who sought private assessments only for the private doctor to close down his clinic, leaving families out of pocket and with no diagnosis or repeat medication. Furthermore, research indicates that the cost of a monthly dose of Elvanse to treat children and adults can be anywhere between £65 and £116, which some have described as an "ADHD tax".”
“All of us in the Chamber will be well aware from our constituency offices of the challenges in accessing ADHD services in Northern Ireland, and I am sure that the Health Minister can testify to that. Constituents routinely report challenges in accessing an adult ADHD diagnosis across trusts. Referrals for their children are sometimes delayed for years, and getting help can depend on their reaching complete crisis point. As a result, those who can afford it pursue private assessments, often at considerable personal expense. For families who are struggling through the cost-of-living crisis, that is simply not an option. All that it serves to do is to create a two-tier system in which access to diagnosis and treatment depends not on clinical need but on the ability to pay.”
“I welcome the opportunity to say a few words in support of the motion and the amendment. If you look on the Assembly website, you can see that, in this mandate, Members have asked 262 questions regarding ADHD. That, in itself, reflects the interest in and demand for services related to this clinically recognised developmental condition, as acknowledged by the World Health Organization and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. NICE estimates that ADHD affects 3% to 5% of children and young people and 2% to 3% of adults. On that basis, tens of thousands of people here are likely to be living with ADHD. <BR /> <BR />As other Members have said, many of those people are undiagnosed and unsupported.”
“I thank the Minister for that answer. Minister, for the past seven years, my colleagues and I have pushed for a car park at Bellarena rail halt. Do you recognise that the delivery of that project is long overdue?”
“Given that it will place added pressure on pharmacies and GP surgeries, it is vital that the Department of Health works closely and urgently with its counterparts on the mainland to ensure that this part of the UK can continue to access vital prescription drugs. More importantly, we owe every effort to the most vulnerable — the elderly and those with long-term conditions — who depend on regular drug treatments. It is those people who, today, are incredibly worried about the prospect of their next visit to their local pharmacy.”
“I will say a few words about what we learned last week regarding a global shortage of the supply of some prescription drugs, including everyday items such as aspirin, which is used to prevent stroke and heart attacks, and common painkillers. Worryingly, we were told that the shortage could affect more than 100 common drugs and last until at least the summer, which directly impacts patients' ability to access the treatments that they depend on every single day. <BR /> <BR />Pharmacies are having to consider rationing supplies to keep patients going. The outworking of that will put pressure on patients with chronic conditions and people who are dependent on regular prescriptions, and it will add real risks.”
“I thank the Minister for that response. Can he detail to the House what evidence there is that current support arrangements are inadequate for the controlled sector specifically?”
“It is the template of all templates on how not to do roadworks on incredibly busy stretches of the road network. <BR /> <BR />I will end by saying that I am not someone who plays a lot of low politics in this place, and I am sure that you will recognise that, Minister. However, your party often tries to tell the House that the economy of the north-west is vital and that your party is driving the big changes in the Assembly, but I am afraid that the only thing being driven here is road users being driven round the bend.”
“<BR /> <BR />Your records will show that I have asked that question on several occasions. I am sorry to say this, but, when MLAs stand up in the House and call for action on an issue of deep concern, we get what feels like a pat on the head. I sat on a council for nearly two decades, and, when we asked officials and staff to deal with issues, on the whole they were actioned. Therefore, I have to ask this: who is in charge of this place? Is it you, Minister, or is it your officials? <BR /> <BR />This is your opportunity to let the people of Ballykelly, Greysteel, Limavady, Eglinton, Londonderry and everywhere in between know that you are listening to their concerns, their pleas and their frustration. I really hope that lessons are learned from the project.”
“<BR /> <BR />Minister, you and your Department's officials underestimate the anger in the north-west as a result of the works. I have been a public representative for more than two decades in that region, and I have seen a simple gully repair on that road cause traffic to be backed up for miles. Even I, as a layman with zero engineering expertise, could have predicted that 14 months of intensive work with lane closures and no opportunity for night working would be incredibly challenging for road users. Why, then, Minister, was your Department blind to the fact that it would descend into chaos for road users? Why was night-time working not bolted on to the contract? Even at this late hour, will you intervene and instruct officials to revisit the contract and have at least some work carried out beyond the rush hour?”
“People have said to me that the year-long delays that my constituents have had to contend with would not have happened in Belfast, had a major, key corridor required work in this city. One has only to recall the route that takes many MLAs to their place of work at Stormont: the A2 Sydenham bypass. That was a £3·2 million resurfacing scheme that involved significant evening and weekend work, and it was completed within six months just last year. One must ask why a roadwork contract for one of the busiest routes in Belfast can allow for night-time working, yet one of the busiest routes in the north-west appears to have had no such option for work to be carried out outside of rush hour, thereby minimising the huge upheaval for the people whom I represent.”
“I cannot speak highly enough of the good work of the North West Cancer Centre. Can the Minister detail to the House what plans there are to expand services at the centre?”
“Can the Minister tell the House how many businesses' valuations decreased?”
“What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that data held by his Department on issues that impact on deaf and disabled people is fit for purpose?”
“The RCEM's recommendations did not stand a chance this winter. At the start of the winter pressures period, my colleague Diane Dodds revealed that, on 1 October 2025, 589 inpatients who were fit to leave had been left languishing in hospital. Addressing delayed discharges needs to be at the top of the agenda. Any plan that does not properly resolve patient discharge and care package issues is doomed to fail, and hospitals and emergency departments will only ever operate at a fraction of their real capacity if the elephant in the room is not dealt with decisively.”
“The winter preparedness plans published in recent years saw a range of measures, but, while they were worthy, with little funding for some they just have not been enough to prevent overcrowding and prolonged waits. <BR /> <BR />The RCEM's several recommendations included calling for social care arrangements to be improved to help with delayed discharges, thereby restoring patient flow. The 2025-26 winter blueprint acknowledges the structural drivers, such as ambulance handovers, bed flow, discharge problems, proposed improved handover targets, vaccination clinics and extra GP sessions, but bed occupancy and discharge pressures remain through the roof.”