Diane Forsythe
South Down · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“The Schomberg Society and the staff and pupils of Kilkeel Primary School worked hard alongside the team from Blue Eagle Productions, especially director Rosie McClelland, to deliver a fantastic performance. We saw Northern Ireland's history, heritage and the pupils' great talent shining through.”
“<BR /> <BR />The production was an excellent way to mark that important historic event and for those P7 pupils to bring their time in primary school to a close. It was bittersweet for the year group, as one of their dear classmates was notably missing.”
“As we come to the end of another school term, I pay tribute to some excellent work at Kilkeel Primary School in my constituency, especially by the P7s. I declare an interest, as my son is one of them.”
“Mrs McCabe, the school principal, shared with the children the words of Proverbs chapter 17, verse 17 on how true friends love at all times — through the good times and the hardships of life. I thank Mrs McCabe for her leadership.”
“The Minister will not be surprised by my question on the delay of the accounts certification on SEUPB, as we are in June 2026, 18 months after the end of financial year 2024. Those accounts have still not been certified in both jurisdictions, and a full further financial year has since passed.”
“Minister, you say that you want to avoid unintended consequences for businesses and property owners, but those measures do nothing for existing long-term businesses that are struggling on, already occupy premises and cannot afford to invest in their properties, and there will be consequences for them.”
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“Mrs McCabe, the school principal, shared with the children the words of Proverbs chapter 17, verse 17 on how true friends love at all times — through the good times and the hardships of life. I thank Mrs McCabe for her leadership. The support, guidance and care offered to that class throughout this difficult year by all the staff of Kilkeel Primary School, especially the P7 staff and Mr Annett, has been incredible. It really shows us how much school staff go above and beyond and the fact that school life is about more than just education; it is about life lessons, friendship and fellowship, setting young people up for their journey into the world.”
“<BR /> <BR />The production was an excellent way to mark that important historic event and for those P7 pupils to bring their time in primary school to a close. It was bittersweet for the year group, as one of their dear classmates was notably missing. It was almost five months ago that I spoke in the Chamber about the tragic death of young John Doole. He remains so dearly missed and loved by his classmates in Kilkeel. <BR /> <BR />Following the production, we had the P7 leavers' assembly, at which John's big smile filled the screen and we all remembered him fondly. Theresa, Wesley and John's entire family remain in my thoughts and prayers. John will always remain part of that year group.”
“The Schomberg Society and the staff and pupils of Kilkeel Primary School worked hard alongside the team from Blue Eagle Productions, especially director Rosie McClelland, to deliver a fantastic performance. We saw Northern Ireland's history, heritage and the pupils' great talent shining through. <BR /> <BR />The key roles that were played by people in Northern Ireland in the formation of the United States have become much more clearly understood on both sides of the Atlantic in the past few years, and it was fantastic to hear those stories through those young people. It was a pleasure to be joined at the performance by Lisa Guyselman from the USA, who is a direct descendant of one of the key characters portrayed in the drama, Captain Alexander Chesney. Her presence really helped bring the story to life.”
“As we come to the end of another school term, I pay tribute to some excellent work at Kilkeel Primary School in my constituency, especially by the P7s. I declare an interest, as my son is one of them. Last week, the P7s put on four incredible performances entitled 'Tha Lang Road Tae Liberty' to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The drama production told the story of the Ulster Scots, their journey from Scotland to Ulster, including the connections to Mourne, and then to America, where they made their contribution to the Declaration of Independence. <BR /> <BR />That production was delivered thanks to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and his USA-NI250 funding.”
“The Minister will not be surprised by my question on the delay of the accounts certification on SEUPB, as we are in June 2026, 18 months after the end of financial year 2024. Those accounts have still not been certified in both jurisdictions, and a full further financial year has since passed. <BR /> <BR />Minister, are there any plans to move forward and speed up the process in the interest of financial accountability, noting that, for the financial year ending in March this year, the accounts mainly will be laid before summer recess here for the Departments in that size?”
“Minister, what are you doing for the businesses that have been in our communities and on our high streets in the long term that are also struggling?”
“Minister, you say that you want to avoid unintended consequences for businesses and property owners, but those measures do nothing for existing long-term businesses that are struggling on, already occupy premises and cannot afford to invest in their properties, and there will be consequences for them.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Today, on this sitting day, the Finance Minister issued a written ministerial statement at 12.03 pm, embargoed until 2.30 pm, on the 2025-26 provisional out-turn and available funding for 2026-27. That statement was embargoed until the end of listed questions for oral answer, with that embargo ending at the beginning of topical questions, which did not give me and other Members the opportunity to question the Minister on statement. Given the serious financial circumstances that we find ourselves in, on which a debate took place yesterday, there are at least half a dozen questions that I and other Members would have hoped to have the opportunity to ask. Can you advise whether it was in order for the statement to come in that way without Members having the chance to ask questions in the House?”
“I agree with the First Minister that childcare is a key Programme for Government priority. On that note, will she consider approving the Department for Education's urgent procedure paper on the funding of early years education and childcare in order to avoid cuts being made to a project that has been an Executive priority?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does he accept that, if a Budget were to be set and signed up to by Ministers today, that would mean signing up to £1 billion of cuts up front as well as the £1 billion that he mentioned in his motion? Does he have an alternative proposal for a Budget that could be agreed today?”
“The DUP will continue to work at all levels, including alongside Executive colleagues. Our MP team will continue to work alongside the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee to secure, as soon as possible, a long-term funding package that is meaningful to Northern Ireland, enables a multi-year Budget to be delivered and is sustainable to enable us to deliver high-quality public services for the people in Northern Ireland. We believe that the amendment improves the motion and will support it.”
“Ministers have fed back that the Executive have sat around the table and agreed that that Budget cannot be brought forward. It is not a Budget that prioritises things such as social housing, as there is insufficient capital allocation to enable the Communities Minister to meet the housing targets set out in the Programme for Government. The Budget is wholly inadequate to deliver the SEN agenda. As I said, Minister Givan has outlined the potential for mass compulsory teacher redundancies numbering 6,700. By the end of the multi-year period, the shortfall in Justice would equate to the combined annual budgets of the Prison Service, the Probation Board, the Youth Justice Agency (YJA) and Forensic Science Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />We believe in constructive solutions.”
“<BR /> <BR />We want to see a multi-year Budget in place to support our public services on a long-term, sustainable basis, but we need the right funding model in place to do that. We will continue to make the case for that and will strive for efficiencies and the transformation of the current delivery of our public services. We regularly meet the Government. Gordon Lyons recently met the Chancellor to seek a better deal for Northern Ireland, particularly in borrowing powers to build houses. The current drama in the Labour Party does not help us, but it will not deter us. When John O'Dowd laid the multi-year Budget earlier in the year, I was one of the first to criticise it. The Education Minister set out exactly what it would mean for education if those cuts were to be put in place.”
“The SDLP is on the airwaves slamming the fact that those things might be cut if we cannot agree a Budget by 1 August. Realistically, however, those are the things that Ministers would be signing up to if we were to agree a Budget today. <BR /> <BR />The Opposition should be honest with people. They need to move away from sound-bite politics and get serious. What are they actually doing? The SDLP has mentioned the current chaos in Westminster, yet, in the 2024 general election campaign, it boasted of the great influence that it would have in Westminster through its relationship with the SDLP's sister party, Labour, with which it sits on the same Benches. What has it used that influence for? There have been no constructive outcomes for Northern Ireland's finances and no constructive opposition. There is a pattern there.”
“Are the Opposition really saying to the Executive, "Agree a Budget now, rather than wait until the looming date of 1 August"? Are they saying that the SDLP supports £1 billion of cuts to Northern Ireland public services in 2026-27 that would see outworkings such as the loss of 6,000 teachers? The SDLP has not given many answers on where the money would come from. There is no constructive opposition here. Once again, the Opposition stand on the sidelines and criticise the Executive without bringing an alternative to the table. Where is the SDLP's draft alternative Budget for now with the funding that is currently available? What cuts does it suggest? Some specifics would be great. Would it make cuts to teachers, healthcare staff or the PSNI?”
“The Opposition say that that will happen only if the Executive fail to set a Budget by 1 August, but the truth is that, if the Executive were to set a Budget now with the funds that are currently available to them, the £1 billion pressure would be signed up to and we would have to make £1 billion of cuts or raise £1 billion of revenue in this financial year. That is completely unrealistic and would decimate our public services.”
“The SDLP has been on the airwaves portraying itself as having discovered some great unknown: that we may be facing £1 billion of cuts.”
“As we speak about the Budget once again, I make the point that everyone here accepts that there is not enough money. Northern Ireland is being asked to deliver first-class public services with second-class funding. The gap between what our hospitals, our schools and our front-line services need and what the Treasury provides has been growing year after year. That is no longer sustainable, and it is impossible to make the books balance without additional funding. <BR /> <BR />Westminster cannot keep expecting Northern Ireland to do more with less. However, today's Opposition motion and its framing in the media is gaslighting the public. I am glad that the leader of the Opposition heard some of my comments on that this morning.”
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Could you make a ruling on whether it is in order for Members of the House, particularly Ministers, to declare that other Members are incompetent?”
“I thank everyone, and I am pleased to see the legislation reach this stage today.”
“While the Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill has been moving alongside that and does not directly cover those concessions, I welcome the fact that the Bill includes that one small protection for the over-60s from the Department for Infrastructure — the clause on travel passes — and I urge the Infrastructure Minister to proceed with caution on decisions in that area. <BR /> <BR />Overall, the legislation is widespread and does multiple different things. The scrutiny of it has been complicated and interesting. I thank the Minister, all his officials, the Finance Committee and its staff and all other Committees and their staff. I also thank the drafters in the Bill Office. As was mentioned, there were a number of amendments and a number of conversations going on, and the Bill Office did a lot of work on that.”
“<BR /> <BR />The current context must be included in the conversation. We have recently seen the Infrastructure Minister put a freeze on Translink fares again, horrifying the trade unions, which have said that that will have an impact on jobs, as it did in the past. The Minister then went on to say that she will reconsider removing concessions in place of that to make up for the millions of pounds of shortfall from not applying inflationary increases to fares. Concessions were put in place for certain groups of people for a reason, and the more vulnerable in society will be hit.”
“<BR /> <BR />The other point that I want to raise, which I have raised at every stage of the Bill, is the DUP's concerns about the attempt by the Department for Infrastructure to introduce a clause to bring in charging for travel passes by negative resolution. Travel passes for over-60s in Northern Ireland are important and valued by many who have worked hard and paid their taxes all their life; in fact, they are seen by many as the only thing that they receive from the Government. Potentially changing that was not well received, and I welcome the amendment that requires any such attempt to come to the Assembly Floor for a vote rather than slip through. I welcome the engagement with the Department for Infrastructure, the Infrastructure Committee, through our Finance Committee and the Finance Minister to bring that forward.”
“No new powers are being brought forward; it is more of a reorganisation of the administration of spending, which is not devolved. Immigration policy remains a Westminster responsibility. It has been good to clarify through our scrutiny that the Bill would not address wider issues such as accommodation providers, as those are operational matters rather than legislative ones. I note that the safeguards on spending are needed. We should not allow ourselves to be found in a situation where the Executive, through TEO, are offsetting the Home Office's failure to address the impacts of immigration on our communities financially and practically.”
“At this Final Stage, we welcome the Bill, which, as other Members have said, covers a wide range of powers over many critical areas. There are 20 substantive clauses on the operations of seven Departments. It has been 12 years since the Executive have brought forward a Bill of this kind. A lot of work has gone into it, and it is good to be here today. We welcome the reduction of items managed through the black box as a result of the legislation and the significant improvements that it means for financial governance in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The DUP's concerns have been outlined by me at every stage of the Bill. I will not recount them all again, but I wish to highlight two issues. The first is our ongoing concern about the high level of public expenditure on asylum and immigration integration support services.”
“What forums are in place where healthcare workers from across the board can come forward and highlight the issues that are ongoing for them, week in, week out, so that those issues can be picked up and addressed — you used the example of carers going into homes, where vulnerabilities or dangers may lie — and so that we can work together to support them where needs are not seen?”
“I thank my colleague Deborah Erskine for speaking in such a heartfelt way on the issue. We know the amazing job that healthcare workers did for Deborah and Olivia. Minister, I welcome your firm message here today and over the past week. As Deborah outlined, however, a lot of these issues happen all the time. They did not just flare up in the week when we saw that absolutely horrific violence on the streets. There is a temptation for some now that that is not as visible that everyone steps back from the issue.”
“I welcome the Minister's continued approach to tackling fraud in our welfare system as well as in social housing. Does the Minister agree that it is hypocritical of Sinn Féin to turn a blind eye to tenancy fraud yet, at the same time, demand more social housing?”
“The Fiscal Council is a professional organisation already in existence that deserves full legal status. <BR /> <BR />We believe that the Fiscal Council should be fully independent. We support the Bill, and we welcome its further progression today. Again, we thank the Minister, the Department and all who have worked on it. We congratulate the Fiscal Council on its excellent work and look forward to continuing to work with it in the future.”
“The DUP has long called for a reduction in the number of quangos and arm's-length bodies, of which some 140 are in operation here — a number that we feel is ridiculous for a country of this size. We recognise, however, that the Fiscal Council does not fall into that category. The Fiscal Council has been in operation since 2021, demonstrating its professionalism and status, but it has operated through the Department of Finance, and this Bill is just setting it apart in status. Its operation, structure and funding are already in place. This is about its governance, independent credibility and legal footing. It is not a brand-new body being set up, like the multiple new commissioners being established at running costs of at least £1 million a year for an array of causes.”
“In fact, quite the opposite was the case. We fully support the Fiscal Council having full and complete professional discretion to do any work that it selects and defines. Nothing is blocked. To be perfectly honest, that is precisely what the Bill does: at its core, it allows scrutiny in its fullest form on an independent legal basis. Putting the Fiscal Council on an independent footing, with its having the independence and credibility to do all that work, is at the centre of everything that we in the DUP have decided as we have applied our scrutiny to the Bill. We fully support the Bill and, as I said, the delivery of the commitment, which was made in NDNA. <BR /> <BR />A separate point has come up in the Bill process.”
“The Alliance and SDLP amendment would have involved more cost for the Fiscal Council and potential duplication of its work. We believe that the Fiscal Council should be a fully independent professional scrutiny body that sets its own work plan, rather than its work plan being prescribed by political parties, and we have been clear on that throughout the Bill process. We believe that the Alliance and SDLP amendment would have involved more cost. We welcome scrutiny by the Fiscal Council, but at its own professional discretion rather than because of political intervention. <BR /> <BR />An array of false claims was rolled out by both the SDLP and the Alliance Party following a previous Bill stage, including on social media, to say that the Fiscal Council was being blocked from doing specific pieces of work.”
“That is a theme that has come through, but it did not pass in this Bill. The focus should be on the independence of the Fiscal Council. <BR /> <BR />The Alliance and SDLP wanted the Fiscal Council to be mandated to produce reports on the "cost of division", without defining that term or the scale of the work in terms of annual staff resources. The Fiscal Council already has the scope, the professional discretion and the bandwidth to consider all the costs of duplicating services. In the debate at a previous stage of the Bill, I said that I fully supported that across the board, especially in the Department of Health. The council does that in its work, where it is relevant, and does not need a specific mandate or applied staff to do it.”
“We believe in the Fiscal Council's ability to apply scrutiny in its fullest form to all aspects of public finance, and we have clearly supported that throughout its work. <BR /> <BR />Other parties have seen an opportunity to bring political points to the Bill, mandating for specific pieces of work to be carried out by the council. When those parties did not get those proposals passed, they framed false narratives. The SDLP tried to mandate the Fiscal Council to produce costed analysis of the Opposition's proposals. That is somewhat unsurprising, as the leader of the Opposition never misses an opportunity, in the Chamber or on the Committee, to make the call for additional funding for Opposition services. In a point of order today, he asked for a review of the privileges that are available to the Opposition.”
“Throughout the Bill's progress, that point about independence has underpinned our position on the Bill and the positions that we took on the amendments. Where the Fiscal Council sits within the Department, the perception that that creates, the budget parameters and the governance have been key. <BR /> <BR />The clear status of the Fiscal Council as independent is important. As others have outlined, the Fiscal Council has been in operation since 2021 and has demonstrated its professional operation and status, but it has been operating through the Department of Finance. The Bill sets the council apart from the Department of Finance. We believe in the importance of the council's professional independent discretion to select its topical work without political interference, which it has done exceptionally well, time and time again.”
“The Fiscal Council has helped us to gain a better understanding of our public finances. The critical value of the Fiscal Council is in its independence. Financial reviews, opinions, presentations or bids that come from within government are often shaped, or perceived to be shaped, by a particular perspective. If the Department of Finance, which is where the council sits currently, were to present a position, there could be a perception that the Fiscal Council's position within the Department could lead to its bringing forward the Department's, the Minister's or a party-political view. I am not suggesting that that has, in any way, been the case — the Fiscal Council has been excellent — but the legislation will, rightly, remove that potential perception. We need to make sure that the independence of the Fiscal Council is paramount.”
“That clearly shows the range of what is available to the council and its ability to scrutinise across departmental remits and address uncomfortable truths that hamper our collective ability to deliver for households, communities and the economy. The challenge from the Fiscal Council is so important to us.”
“We have seen many reports from the council, including one on the Northern Ireland Water funding model that demonstrated that it is neither fit for purpose nor sustainable.”
“At this time of economic uncertainty, public-service delivery faces unprecedented pressures. Having that legally binding oversight body in place should help the efforts to place our finances on a steady footing, and, looking forward, it should spearhead the transformation that we need here. <BR /> <BR />As public representatives, we all know that nothing is more important to our taxpayers and constituents than transparency and accountability when it comes to public money. We need to take steps together to restore public confidence. To date, the Fiscal Council has demonstrated its positive impact in improving transparency, scrutiny and understanding of our public finances. The wide range of reports that it has produced far exceeds what it is required to do.”
“We continue to lead the calls for a fair fiscal framework in particular, one that is underpinned by Treasury funding so that it meets the objective needs of our vital front-line services. That need has never been more evident. I welcome the Executive's combined work on that and the united messaging on the need to continue to make the case to Treasury for funding here. The leader of the Opposition has once again set out his stall in criticising the position with the Budget, yet he has offered no constructive solutions. If the SDLP were in the Executive, would it impose and sign up to a Budget of catastrophic cuts? <BR /> <BR />The statutory grounding of the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council will further bolster its ability to carry out independent scrutiny of our financial situation, continuing the excellent work that it has been doing.”
“At Final Stage, we in the DUP once again welcome the Bill, which gives formal legal status to the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council as an independent body scrutinising Northern Ireland's finances. The Bill delivers on a commitment made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement by providing a clear legislative framework for the council's functions, independence and governance. I thank the Minister, the Department of Finance officials, the Finance Committee staff, my Finance Committee colleagues and all who gave evidence to the Committee throughout our scrutiny of the Bill in order to see it here today. <BR /> <BR />The DUP has been a consistent voice on the need to transform Northern Ireland's public finances.”
“That offence has seen significant application and significant work from the police. I believe that catching that early indicator before it results in death has saved many lives. I believe that amendment Nos 88 and 89 will be of a similar theme, and I hope that Members will be able to support them.”
“Our amendments explicitly define the harm of, threats to and interference with animals as a form of domestic abuse. They extend non-molestation and occupation orders for courts to prohibit abusers from harming, threatening or interfering with animals, and to consider the welfare of the animals. If the amendments are acted on, I believe that they will make a significant difference. They will prevent animal harm and empower abuse victims to stand up with the force of the law against the perpetrator. <BR /> <BR />As I said previously, animal abuse is a proven indicator of future, more violent crimes. Prosecuting those offences will catch perpetrators earlier in the triangle of violence. I consider the amendments to be similar in type to the relatively new offence of non-fatal strangulation, which was previously introduced.”
“Abusers also use animals as weapons. Our amendments recognise that behaviour as a form of domestic abuse and allow the courts to protect animals through existing civil protection orders. There is an established correlation between those who commit animal abuse and those who are domestic abusers. That correlation is regularly cited in the risk assessments that are used by support organisations such as Women's Aid. When victims are terrified that their abuser will threaten to harm their animal if they do not comply, it is devastating and frustrating for them to feel that they do not have the power to take any further action in that context. <BR /> <BR />The amendments will have a significant and practical effect by formally recognising how animals are used for coercive control and by strengthening the legal protections.”
“Those who seek to degrade and abuse their victims through coercive control use every tool in their box to do so. They exert control over finances and they use children as a weapon. It is heartbreaking that innocent children are used in that way. My colleague Paul Frew has tabled an amendment to address children's being used as an aggravator.”
“They would extend the domestic abuse protections to Northern Ireland to explicitly cover threats or harm to animals. <BR /> <BR />I have always been an advocate for victims of domestic abuse, and I worked in that area before becoming an MLA. I am acutely aware of the sheer evil that exists in plain sight at every level and position in our community.”
“I thank my colleague Paul Frew for his leadership on the consideration of the Justice Bill. I thank my colleagues Maurice Bradley and Brian Kingston for their work on the Justice Committee, as well as other Justice Committee members and the Minister, as we work through such hugely significant and complex legislation. I support the position that Paul Frew put forward — at length, some might say — and my DUP colleagues. I will not rehearse the details that have already been well covered. <BR /> <BR />I will speak on our amendment Nos 88 and 89 specifically, to which I was pleased to put my name. Those amendments are on:”
“There is no doubt that our hospitality sector faces considerable challenges given the cost of doing business. Does the deputy First Minister agree with me that the UK Government should introduce a hospitality VAT pilot to reduce VAT in Northern Ireland and help revitalise that sector?”
“— with the unionist and loyalist community in Scarva and across Northern Ireland.”
“I called on the police there and then, "What are you doing to police them? You rammed a peaceful, innocent protest". It was an absolute disgrace on the ground. I have never seen anything like it. The DUP unashamedly stands firmly —”