Danny Donnelly
East Antrim · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for that answer. It will not satisfy the people of the area. The completion of the 3 km distributor road was planned to be a key part of the development, linking hundreds of houses to the wider road network, but, due to a planning issue by her Department in the 1990s, it never happened.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, as you mentioned in your statement, the inquiry was highly critical of what it describes as "an adversarial and oppositional approach" by the Belfast Trust to the inquiry.”
“The Minister mentioned the need to reform the health service. In light of the recent startling figures that show that half a billion pounds was spent on locums over the past three years, does he agree that investment in attracting permanent doctors may be a more prudent use of Department of Health resource?”
“<BR /> <BR />As a nurse, I condemn the attacks in the strongest possible terms and highlight the specific impact that they have had on people who care for us when we are at our most vulnerable.”
“Every day, they treat patients with skill, compassion and professionalism. Let us be absolutely clear: when a nurse is intimidated on her way to work and chased by masked men into the Ulster Hospital, that is an attack on our health service.”
“I will speak today about the attacks on our international healthcare staff. I begin by saying that my thoughts are with the victim of the brutal attack in north Belfast and his family. I hope that he recovers well. <BR /> <BR />Violence has no place in our society.”
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Every one of 1,031 lines we hold for Danny Donnelly, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 18 of 21.
“I appreciate that much of what I have mentioned is outside his responsibilities, and, indeed, we need a coordinated approach from several Departments, including Finance, to any rates review; Infrastructure, to ensure effective transport links, particularly along the Belfast to Larne railway line; and Communities, to work to enhance our local heritage, including local campaigns to restore and improve historic buildings and other sites. I ask the Economy Minister —.”
“<BR /> <BR />Other financial issues require the intervention of either central government in the UK or the Executive here. Many local B&B owners have told me that the rates system does not work for them, as it is increasing their costs during an already difficult cost-of-living and cost-of-doing-business crisis. Some of the larger hotels in the constituency are similarly concerned about VAT and would welcome an urgent review of VAT for hospitality, saying that the margins of doing business are very slim. I note that that was one of the suggestions that Trade NI made in its economic report, 'The Prosperity Dividend', which was launched last year. <BR /> <BR />I look forward to hearing from the Economy Minister about what his Department can do to improve prospects for our tourism and hospitality sectors.”
“<BR /> <BR />We must do what we can to link our tourism attractions in East Antrim to the local economy so that people who visit them will benefit our local economy and businesses. More widely, the workforce crisis in our hospitality sector has led to shortages for many local businesses such as bars and restaurants, many of which can open only on certain days or restrict their days by, for example, opening only at weekends or in the evenings. Some have reduced menus as a result of not having sufficient resources. That decline is sadly evident in East Antrim and across Northern Ireland. It also reflects the difficult reality for many families who, in the cost-of-living crisis, cannot afford to eat out or to pay for increasingly expensive meals.”
“<BR /> <BR />Brexit has also resulted in a workforce crisis, as I have heard from many business owners who work in our hospitality sector in East Antrim. Brexit and the outgoing Government's obsession with confronting immigration have led to a reduction in available staff for many of our hotels, since many of our valued hospitality staff were EU nationals. The loss of EU funding will diminish opportunities for future planning and restoration such as we had in the past. For example, the restoration of the Gobbins, which we talked about, was delivered partly due to EU Peace funding. It remains to be seen whether UK equivalent schemes can deliver, but, so far, that appears unlikely.”
“There clearly is some work to be done to make Northern Ireland an attractive place for tourists from GB. <BR /> <BR />The vast majority of international tourists who come to Northern Ireland come through the Republic of Ireland as part of a wider visit to the island of Ireland. Most will spend two or three days focused on Belfast, passing through East Antrim on the way to other tourist locations such as Portrush or Derry. In that respect, our tourism sector is under threat from the long-term impacts of Brexit, particularly if cross-border tourism is negatively impacted by the UK Government's plans for electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for non-UK and non-Irish citizens. We must work with the new Government to ensure that that measure does not hinder cross-border tourism, which is desperately needed.”
“Many of those tours stop at Carrickfergus Castle, which is, obviously, welcome, but many immediately leave the town and head north without visiting the rest of Carrickfergus, missing out on the sights of the town and the positive hospitality that Carrick's many restaurants, bars and coffee shops have to offer. In other words, many people pass through our key towns and villages, but few stay for the day or overnight. <BR /> <BR />I noticed an interview with Howard Hastings in the 'Belfast Telegraph' today. He mentioned visitors, particularly those coming from GB. He said:”
“<BR /> <BR />I could talk all day about the opportunities for tourism in East Antrim, but, given the time constrains, I will focus on what we need to do to confront the challenges facing hospitality in our constituency and what the Executive and UK Government could do to support our hospitality and tourism sectors. It has been pointed out many times that tourism and hospitality are interlinked. You cannot have a good tourism destination without hospitality. <BR /> <BR />It should be acknowledged that much of the tourism to East Antrim consists of tour groups, as the previous contributor mentioned, that visit specific sites over the course of one or two days.”
“Our fascinating historical connections are evidenced through some of our brilliant museums, including Carrickfergus Museum; the Andrew Jackson cottage, which tells the story of the seventh US president, whose parents emigrated from Carrickfergus; and the Larne Museum and Arts Centre, which is located in the redeveloped and restored Carnegie Free Library in Larne. <BR /> <BR />North of Larne, we have the famous Antrim Coast Road, which is recognised as one of the greatest coastal drives in the world. Each village along that road, including Ballygally, Glenarm, Carnlough, Waterfoot and Cushendun, has its own sights and attractions, many of which have been positively highlighted by our growing film and TV industry, with shows such as 'Game of Thrones' being filmed in the area.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am happy to have the opportunity to contribute to the Adjournment debate. I thank my constituency colleague Cheryl Brownlee for securing the debate. <BR /> <BR />There is no shortage of options for tourists who visit East Antrim. Some are well known and renowned. For example, Carrickfergus Castle, which was mentioned, is one of the best-preserved Norman castles anywhere in these islands and is well preserved as a monument after 750 years of military operation. Several miles up the road is the Gobbins, a spectacular cliff-face walk that has been restored to its former glory, along with a new cafe and exhibition and visitor facilities in nearby Ballystrudder.”
“The teachers, children, parents and governors of Carnlough Controlled Integrated Primary School are a fantastic example of integration, providing direction for the future development of integrated education in the area and across Northern Ireland.”
“There is a specific pledge in the Good Friday Agreement:”
“In assessing the school for the award, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) stated:”
“The principal, Miss Claire Mulholland, and her staff and governors are absolutely committed to the holistic development of each child in their school. They are very proud of their integrated status and live out every day the values for which integration stands. <BR /> <BR />According to the Integrated Education Fund (IEF):”
“I congratulate Carnlough Controlled Integrated Primary School, which, last Friday, was awarded the excellence in integrated education award (EIEA). That small rural school on the east Antrim coast transformed to integrated status in 2001, the first to do so in the millennium. Since then, for more than 20 years, it has been a leading light in the field of integrated education in the area. The school provides education for children between the ages of four and 11 from all faith or no faith backgrounds, and it is committed to providing the highest standard of education for every pupil. The staff and pupils celebrated winning the award by putting on a fantastic performance in the local library of the Dr Seuss classic 'The Butter Battle Book' and having a day of play at the school.”
“The Minister mentioned his commitment to the Bengoa report. We all know that, were it not for the repeated shutdowns of this place, we would be eight years into a 10-year programme of reform of the health service. Will the Minister outline his priorities for transformation over the remainder of the mandate?”
“The group regularly pick up litter and make our local streets tidier for everyone. It now numbers more than 100 dedicated volunteers and last year picked up over 11 tons of litter. I can attest that they are a great bunch and that their litter picks are good craic. The Larne Renovation Generation is a group of volunteers who have brightened up Larne town centre by painting colourful and eye-catching murals that relate to local history and culture. They have made a real difference in the town centre over the past few years. <BR /> <BR />For those examples, I am grateful. Thank you to all our local volunteers who do so much to make this place better for everyone. I encourage anyone who has some spare time to look for volunteering opportunities in their area.”
“Sadly, we have seen a huge expansion of food banks across the UK and in Northern Ireland since 2008, reflecting the growth in need during that period. The past few years have seen a huge rise in requests for assistance due to the cost-of-living crisis, and volunteers have risen to the challenge and met local need in our food banks. Larne Foodbank fed more than 3,000 people last year, and it is dedicated to reducing the levels of hunger in our area. St John's Ambulance supplies trained first-aiders at public events and helps to transfer patients from hospitals across Northern Ireland, reducing pressures on our ambulance system and helping patients get home from hospital. The Eco Rangers is a group of litter pickers in east Antrim that was started by one man, Abe Agnew, and his dog, Bobby.”
“There are many groups doing great things, and I am sure that we can think of shining examples of such dedication in our constituencies. They might be community workers, for example, who provide services for groups that, otherwise, would not be able to access them, sometimes saving the statutory services significant resources. There are approximately 280,000 formal volunteers in organisations across Northern Ireland and many more informal volunteers. The annual economic contribution of those volunteers is in excess of half a billion pounds a year. Volunteering offers a great opportunity for social interaction and giving back to your community. There are many groups across my constituency of East Antrim, several of which I would like to highlight for their work.”
“I wish to highlight Volunteers Week, a week when we celebrate the people who generously give their time and energy to doing things to support others across Northern Ireland. Those people are deserving of our gratitude and recognition. Denise Hayward, CEO of Volunteer Now, said:”
“What is the Minister doing about community pharmacies? Twelve community pharmacies have closed in the past year due to financial pressures. It is vital that people are able to receive medication across Northern Ireland. I would like to hear the Minister's plans for community pharmacies, but I appreciate that he is only in the role a couple of days. As a Member of the Health Committee, I look forward to working with him.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Minister will be aware of the workforce pressures and the ongoing industrial action, especially the upcoming second strike by junior doctors. I hope that the Minister will meet that group of workers urgently to try to avert that.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It is good to hear about his priorities for the rest of his tenure. We all want better outcomes, but everyone in the House knows that many serious issues require urgent attention. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the Minister's comments, particularly about avoiding the two-tier health system in Northern Ireland, but the reality is that that already exists. Many people across Northern Ireland, including my constituency of East Antrim, languish on waiting lists for years, while those who can afford to pay — some of them may be using huge amounts of their life savings or even borrowed money — are able to get timely treatment. That is a sad state of affairs and one that we should work to rectify.”
“I encourage the Minister to engage productively with them and to work to resolve the unacceptable disparity.”
“It has been highlighted that it is only through transformation that we can deliver fair pay, but, without staff, there can be no transformation. Without staff, there is no health service. <BR /> <BR />The Minister needs to engage productively with junior doctors urgently and do what he can to resolve the long-standing issues. Pay is not the sole motivation of many people working in the health sector; instead, they are motivated by a desire to help those in need. However, we must ensure that those who work in the health service are paid appropriately and at a similar level to their colleagues across the UK and Ireland. It is worrying that 72% of our junior doctors are considering leaving the health service. They are the doctors, GPs and consultants of the future, and we cannot afford to lose them.”
“First, from 2022 to February this year, there was no Executive or Health Minister in place, and, as has been mentioned, the Secretary of State refused to engage on that basis because health is a devolved matter. However, it has also been disappointing that Minister Swann has insisted that we must wait and see the agreement reached in England before concluding an agreement in Northern Ireland. That has not been the case in Scotland and Wales, which have successfully averted strike action through meaningful engagement and a commitment to pay restoration. <BR /> <BR />As mentioned before by me and other Members, it is essential that the Minister considers the unique circumstances here and the impact of another jurisdiction being so close and having more favourable pay and working conditions.”
“That is particularly the case in the Republic of Ireland, where doctors living in Northern Ireland can work without having to move. We see that even more with other medical professionals, and we have known about consultants for a while. That is why we cannot simply copy and paste the approach of the Westminster Department of Health and Social Care. <BR /> <BR />The motion rightly recognises that strikes are a measure of last resort when all alternatives have not worked. We should acknowledge that the vast majority of junior doctors have voted for strike action, with 97·6% being in favour from a 63·7% turnout. The position for junior doctors has been extremely frustrating.”
“A BMA survey of junior doctors indicated that many were unable to take regular breaks or get a decent meal during the long shift hours. Some even mentioned having to sleep on the floor during night shifts in between exhausting jobs due to a lack of rest facilities. In that survey, 60% of junior doctors described their morale as "low" or "very low", and 49% described their physical and mental well-being as "low" or "very low". That is clearly concerning. All of this is much worse than before 2020, given the huge and lasting pressures caused by the pandemic, and things will only get worse until action is taken. <BR /> <BR />Another challenge that is more specific to Northern Ireland is that pay and conditions are more favourable in other jurisdictions.”
“Nonetheless, it is unacceptable that those differences in pay are as substantial as they are. <BR /> <BR />The workforce crisis that we face in our health service is a consequence of many issues, but one key issue in particular is the pay erosion that has occurred since 2008. Calculations from the BMA estimated that junior doctors' pay has been eroded by 30·7% since 2008. That makes Northern Ireland a less attractive location to work and train in than other countries. <BR /> <BR />We also need to acknowledge that, in addition to pay, wider working conditions remain a difficulty for many junior doctors. With many doctors leaving for better pay and conditions, that leads to greater burdens on the remaining staff and to regular understaffing.”
“For example, when there is a medical emergency on a hospital ward in the middle of the night, it is generally the JHOs who come running when the alarms go. <BR /> <BR />It is right that junior doctors are paid appropriately, and it is concerning that, in Northern Ireland, pay is significantly lower than everywhere else in the UK. We have heard that from several Members today. According to the BMA, junior doctors in foundation training are paid a basic salary of £26,713 for a 40-hour week; in contrast, in England, junior doctors start on a higher salary of £32,398 a year. Of course, there are differences between here and England, not because of devolution but because there are different contracts and different circumstances with out-of-hours working. We have heard about them already today.”
“This is a very important motion and one that I am proud to be a co-signatory to with my Alliance Party colleagues. <BR /> <BR />Junior doctors are a critical part of our Health and Social Care staff, and it is right that we recognise their contribution to the health service, especially given the unprecedented pressures that we have faced in recent years, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and political instability in this place. Junior doctors work in extremely challenging circumstances, with huge waiting lists — the worst in Europe — increasing vacancies across the system and more favourable working conditions being available in other jurisdictions. Personally, I am very aware of the long hours and the high-pressure nature of the junior house officer (JHO) role.”
“The Minister will be aware of the many inquiries into patient safety failings in Northern Ireland. We have already mentioned the hyponatraemia inquiry and we also had the neurology inquiry. How are the findings and recommendations of all those inquiries being knitted together and progressed in Northern Ireland?”
“Thank you for your answer, Minister. I look forward to that communication. I tabled a two-day question for priority written answer last week, and it has still not been answered. What is the Minister doing to reassure patients and to communicate with them about that service?”
“If I understand the Member correctly, he is suggesting that Brexit may prevent the LCM being applied to Northern Ireland. Is that correct?”
“If it succeeds, it will fundamentally change our society for the better, preventing suffering from lots of smoking-related diseases that have been mentioned, saving thousands of lives and removing many of the associated pressures and costs to our health service. As a former smoker, I am familiar with how hard it is to quit smoking. As a nurse, on many occasions, I have seen people with smoking-related conditions that have had a huge impact on the quality and length of their life. <BR /> <BR />For those reasons, I am content to support the LCM, but I encourage the Minister to continue his engagement with UK Government colleagues to ensure that the Bill delivers as intended and, most importantly, is concluded before the end of the parliamentary term, which approaches quickly.”
“There are procedural issues that need to be resolved over how it will work in the long term, including how the proof of age will be required in subsequent decades, as people born after 2009 move into middle age and beyond, and, more locally, how councils can be supported around enforcement with respect to vapes. <BR /> <BR />As a liberal party, we need to balance the competing rights and obligations in society and are not convinced that bans are always the answer, but it should be said that the Bill is not intended to ban smoking for anyone who can smoke today. Instead, the intention is to prevent anyone born in or after 2009 from ever being able to smoke.”
“Vaping products that contain nicotine are highly addictive and will create lifelong vapers, so the Bill's provisions to restrict the sale of vapes will, hopefully, reduce the attraction and the sale of vapes to young people. <BR /> <BR />I echo the Chair of the Health Committee's comments in thanking the Youth Assembly Members for their engagement with the Committee on the issue. I found their opinions and life experience very informative and useful to us. Like other Members, I look forward to working with them further. <BR /> <BR />The Bill offers an ambitious opportunity to create a smoke-free generation across the UK and in Northern Ireland, and we must do what we can to deliver that. As other Members have mentioned, the Bill is not perfect.”
“If we can prevent people below those ages from taking up smoking, there will be a huge reduction in lifelong smokers. <BR /> <BR />We have seen a concerning increase in the use of vapes over the last decade. Although vaping can be an effective tool to help smokers quit smoking, given that it is less harmful than smoking tobacco, it is associated with some short-term effects, including headaches, coughs and nausea, and the long-term effects are not yet known in detail. Disposable vapes are a concern not just because of the aforementioned health risks but because of their low prices and appealing packaging and flavours, which appear to be directly marketed at young people.”
“I thank the Minister of Health for his work on the LCM, which I welcome the opportunity to support today. As the Chair of the Health Committee said, the Committee has considered it in detail. I thank departmental officials for their helpful updates and for answering our questions on the matter. <BR /> <BR />Smoking is the largest preventable cause of illness and premature death. It is also a key factor in health inequalities and life expectancy, often coinciding with social deprivation. For the purpose of this debate, what is particularly concerning is that, according to the health survey Northern Ireland 2022-23, approximately two thirds of adult smokers take up smoking before the age of 18 and over 80% before the age of 20.”
“When I speak to GPs, they mention to me that core funding needs to increase for general practice. The recent GMS contract agreed for this year is a good starting point. However, more is needed to prevent GP practices from failing. That would mean that we would have more GPs, which would make general practice more viable for GPs to commit to. <BR /> <BR />The expansion of MDTs is vital. Although it will not be a magic bullet, it will maintain the level playing field between practices that have MDTs and those that do not, which will equalise the delivery of healthcare across Northern Ireland.”
“That is evidenced by the fact that, in a presentation to the strategic planning and performance group (SPPG), 83% of the 18 practice contract hand-backs that occurred from March 2022 to November 2023 were in areas with no MDT allocation. The remaining 17 were in areas where only a partial MDT was in place. It is for those reasons that we need an urgent timescale for the full implementation of MDTs across Northern Ireland. I welcome the planned roll-out, particularly in East Antrim. The call for that is strengthened in the amendment. <BR /> <BR />It has never been more important to see vital changes to how primary care operates in Northern Ireland to support our workforce and deliver for patients, including through the implementation of the MDTs, in line with previous recommendations and commitments.”
“They are a central aspect of the 'Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together' report, which envisaged a 10-year approach to transforming health and social care, but progress in implementing MDTs has been delayed by budgetary and staffing constraints and, of course, political instability. Of the 17 GP federation areas, only one has introduced a full MDT in the four years since the launch of the aforementioned report. The evidence in support of MDTs is clear, as we heard from Members who have spoken already. According to data from the Department, 62% of MDT patients are treated entirely within primary care, meaning that there is no need for onward referral. <BR /> <BR />MDTs provide a key stabilising factor for practices in crisis.”
“That will require a commitment to funding a fellowship scheme across Northern Ireland, but it is also necessary for us to compete better with other parts of the UK, as well as the Republic of Ireland, which is particularly important since the South currently provides more favourable conditions for GPs due to the higher salaries and more favourable work-life balance. Until we address specific conditions here, which are very different from those in GB — due to circumstances already mentioned — we will not have the necessary conditions for a stable primary care workforce. <BR /> <BR />I also want to discuss MDTs, which have been well mentioned in the debate.”
“It is welcome that the Minister is retaining the additional number of GP training places at 121, which was agreed two years ago, but the Minister and the Department need to go further. A commitment to a workforce plan for general practice would be an important step forward, particularly one that includes an intervention to make general practice positions in Northern Ireland more attractive to boost recruitment and an intervention to provide support to our existing workforce at all stages of their careers. We have heard from GPs — time and time again — that we need more GPs in general practice in Northern Ireland. Urgent action needs to be taken to retain the GP training cohort that finishes in August.”
“As it rightly states, primary care is normally the first point of contact in the wider health service for people who are unwell, and it encompasses many areas including pharmacy, social work, mental health and physiotherapy, to name a few. One of the issues that the Health Committee picked up on was the impact that waiting lists have had on general practice, as was mentioned. We heard that up to 20% of the workload of GPs is affected by people who are on our extremely long waiting lists here in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I want to focus on a couple of issues, one of which is the importance of our workforce and, especially, the need for a workforce strategy.”
“I thank my DUP Health Committee colleagues, Mrs Dodds and Mr Robinson, for tabling the motion and my SDLP Health Committee colleague, Colin McGrath, for his amendment. Alliance will support the motion and the amendment, as mentioned. Some of the context has already been described. Certainly, Alan pointed out the many practices that have sought crisis support over the past couple of years. In our areas, as we heard from across the Chamber today, we all know of practices in crisis that have been struggling or have closed. <BR /> <BR />The motion presents an opportunity to acknowledge the valuable role that is played by primary care workers in Northern Ireland.”
“I want to go back to something that the Member said. He said that the UK is second in the world in environmental protection, but Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that does not have an independent environmental protection agency. Does the Member think that there is any connection there?”
“Given the inability of authorities to deal adequately with the display of symbols promoting proscribed organisations in breach of the Terrorism Act 2000, is there any recognition that there remains a fundamental failure to remove the scourge of paramilitary gangs from too many of our communities?”
“I encourage him to make it a priority, and, as a member of the Health Committee, I look forward to working with him to ensure that we deliver a fair deal for our nurses.”
“We have again seen pay levels fall behind the rest of the UK as a consequence of political failure in this place, owing to lengthy periods without a Minister and an Executive in place. The current pay offer is an improvement but does not fully achieve pay parity. <BR /> <BR />The second important issue is safe staffing. Nursing is a safety-critical profession, but, too often, nurses have been forced to deal with unacceptable workloads, which can cause stress and have an impact on their mental health. It is not acceptable that patients' needs cannot be met effectively. It is for that reason that we need new legislation on safe staffing, which the Minister has indicated he intends to bring to the Assembly before the end of the mandate.”
“<BR /> <BR />There are currently around 1,725 nursing vacancies in HSC, and there is a similar estimated vacancy rate in the independent and nursing home sectors, with nurses reporting high levels of stress and burnout. We have recently seen nurses have to resort to strike action to get equal pay with their colleagues across the UK. That is not an acceptable or fair way in which to treat that proud and compassionate profession. We must address the serious issues that are impacting on the profession or else the situation could deteriorate further, meaning that patient care will suffer. <BR /> <BR />We need to make sure that our nurses are respected and valued. Two key issues must be addressed by the Department during the remainder of the mandate. The first is the issue of fair pay for nurses.”