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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“However, the Department's initial discussions with the Departmental Solicitor's Office seem to suggest that statutory rules could be introduced under the Civil Registration Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012, following an amendment to those regulations that would alleviate the need for primary legislation. The Committee was content for that to happen so as to allow the Department to move away from the extensions under the Coronavirus Act, which was not designed for that kind of long-term application. Due to that reassurance from the Department, the Committee considered two proposed statutory rules, and the Committee indicated at its meeting of 8 May 2024 that it was content with the proposals. The two statutory rules were, however, never laid in the Business Office.”
“The Committee agreed at its meeting on 10 April 2024 to extend the use of the provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 until 24 September 2024 through SR 2024/57 on the proviso that that would be the last time that the Coronavirus Act would be used. Departmental officials indicated to the Committee at that time that they would proceed to make the changes permanent so that the continued use of the Coronavirus Act 2020 would no longer be necessary and that that could be accomplished using delegated legislation. Although the Committee was supportive, it was sceptical about whether that would be possible through the use of delegated or secondary legislation.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee notes that there has been no consultation on the Bill. As per normal procedure, the Committee will undertake a call for evidence on its provisions, should the Bill be referred to the Committee following the debate. <BR /> <BR />The Committee previously agreed statutory rules made under provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 relating to the recording of deaths and stillbirths. Those changes allowed the registration of deaths and stillbirths by telephone, without an informant's signature and the electronic transfer of registration documents between the various parties in the process.”
“The Committee takes its legislative scrutiny role extremely seriously and will be diligent in its approach to examining and reporting on the Bill if, as expected, the House agrees that it be referred to the Committee for consideration. <BR /> <BR />I do not plan to repeat what the Minister said about the content of the Bill other than to say that the Committee is supportive of the provisions in the Bill, which make the processes to report deaths and stillbirths and to transfer documents less onerous on all parties concerned. That is important at a time that will already be very difficult for all those concerned. <BR /> <BR />As Members will be aware, the House previously supported the introduction of baby loss certificates, and that it was the Committee that urged that they be included in the Bill.”
“In the absence of Matthew O'Toole, the Chair of the Committee for Finance, who is on paternity leave, I will speak about the Committee's scrutiny of the Bill. I thank the Minister for his comments. <BR /> <BR />The Committee very much welcomes the Bill. I know that other members of the Committee will agree that it has been quite a journey to get here. However, that does not diminish the importance of the Bill or the very positive impact that it will have. Members will be aware that it was the Committee that pressed for baby loss certificates to be included in the Bill. The presence of an enabling power to bring forward the certificates is very welcome.”
“I thank the Minister for the statement on the Budget. This week, the impacts of Labour's Budget decisions are being felt acutely across the country through the increases in wages and employers' National Insurance contributions. In the Minister's Budget statement, we heard an acknowledgement that our core Northern Ireland public sector will be short £55 million this year towards the increases in employers' National Insurance contributions, and that our GPs and community pharmacies will be short more than £30 million. Minister, going into 2025-26, what are you doing to address those upfront shortfalls?”
“<BR /> <BR />This is another key example of why it was so important for us to be in Washington last month, making the case for Northern Ireland. I am proud that Emma Little-Pengelly took those opportunities at every chance that she had when she was over there. We will continue to fight daily to safeguard Northern Ireland's economic interests, and the best way to do that is by fully restoring our place in the UK internal market. Anything less leaves us at risk.”
“The tariffs are hugely significant globally, and we need to quickly figure out what it means for us here in Northern Ireland. It is clear that the UK Government must take some urgent steps to protect Northern Ireland's interests and ensure that our place in the UK internal market is fully safeguarded. There is still a lot of detail that needs to be worked through, but what is clear is that President Trump's tariffs will have a far-reaching impact on international trade. Importantly for us, Northern Ireland is vulnerable to being caught in the crossfire of any EU retaliation, and my party leader, Gavin Robinson, made the same case to the Prime Minister last week. The Prime Minister has said that he will protect the national interest, and that must include Northern Ireland. Our DUP MPs will continue to raise that at Westminster.”
“I thank the Member for her intervention. She makes a really important point. For those of us who represent very rural areas of Northern Ireland, it is important to remember that patients are at the heart of this and that their care needs to be at the forefront when we look at such things. The lack of investment in hospitals is felt most by those who need the care. <BR /> <BR />In closing, I repeat the call from my colleague Diane Dodds and others that Craigavon Area Hospital be prioritised as part of the Department of Health's future capital plan. It is simply not feasible for constraints and deficiencies in current provision on the site to be ignored any longer. I look forward to the Health Minister's response.”
“That money was not found out of thin air; it came from other areas in the Health budget, and it displaced much-needed capital investment in other areas. I would love to have seen that value of investment in the Southern Trust, in the development of Craigavon and Daisy Hill hospitals, but, no, it was applied to the overspend as part of the catalogue of £3 billion of overspend across the board on major capital projects reported by the Northern Ireland Audit Office. The lack of investment in Craigavon sends a terrible message to patients across South Down, Newry and Armagh, Upper Bann, Fermanagh and South Tyrone and Mid Ulster. I am glad to be joined in the Chamber today by my colleagues who represent those constituencies.”
“We have some of the most rural areas of Northern Ireland, with some of the longest distances to travel for healthcare, and the people of South Down and surrounding areas deserve investment in their hospitals. As my colleagues mentioned, in the last decade, the Southern Trust represented roughly 11% of the capital expenditure by trusts and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, the bulk of which was for preventative maintenance. Meanwhile, major injections have been made elsewhere. <BR /> <BR />I remind the House that the Department of Health's failure to deliver major capital projects over a number of years has led to the waste of hundreds of millions of pounds, and the significant overspend on the maternity hospital, for example, has meant that hundreds of millions of pounds have had to be found.”
“<BR /> <BR />Where we see drives towards regionalised specialist services, with the backdrop of the financial pressures that we face and reduced capital budgets, I am incredibly concerned that the result of the continued underinvestment in Southern Trust hospitals will see services taken away from the area completely, with the predetermined excuse that the hospital buildings that are there do not have the capacity to house additional specialisms. Why should patients in the Southern Trust be faced with the potential of losing their local hospital or having their services and capacity reduced? Where is the regional balance in that? <BR /> <BR />We need to see equity in healthcare provision across Northern Ireland. The people in the south-east of the Province deserve better.”
“While some are in the South Eastern Trust area, the majority of people in South Down live in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area and are served by Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital. Both have amazing staff, and I record my thanks to them. However, it is a disgrace that those hospitals have been left behind in capital investment for many years. Where the buildings are in bad shape, they do not best serve the patients or the staff, and they reduce the capacity to deliver healthcare.”
“I am grateful to my colleagues for tabling this important motion. The DUP is clear that, when it comes to investing in our hospital network, no part of Northern Ireland should be left behind or disadvantaged. Regional balance is often mentioned in the Chamber, but it is important that that phrase is not just used in some political campaigns. We need to recognise what it means for healthcare for people in every corner of Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I am privileged to represent the people of South Down in this place. At every turn, I have taken the opportunity to make it clear that the people in my constituency should not be left behind. As it is a hugely rural constituency, people have to travel some distance to a hospital already.”
“The deputy First Minister mentioned that next year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. How much of an opportunity is that to highlight the significant role of the Ulster Scots — the Scots Irish — in building modern America?”
“<BR /> <BR />There was a consensus in the Committee to support the statutory rule, and the Committee agreed to recommend that the SR be affirmed by the Assembly. Therefore, the Committee for Finance supports the motion.”
“However, following discussions with the Examiner of Statutory Rules, the statutory rule was laid again, as a technical error had been identified in the procedure used to lay and make the rule, for which the Department apologised. <BR /> <BR />The revised statutory rule was laid in the Business Office on 10 March as SR 2025/0000 and considered at the Committee's meeting on 26 March. The Department confirmed that there had been no changes to the policy content in the revised statutory rule. At that meeting, as is the usual practice, the Committee noted the assurances provided by the Department on the position in Great Britain regarding the regulatory and financial impact. The Examiner of Statutory Rules reported on the revised rule and had no objection.”
“The policy proposal, in the form of the SL1 letter, was first considered by the Committee at its meeting on 15 January. Members noted the Department's consultation with the Law Society and the Bar Council. The Department indicated that the Law Society had subsequently notified the Department of its willingness to implement the agreement should the Department require it. Members confirmed that they were content with the policy proposal brought forward by the Department, subject to the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules. <BR /> <BR />The original statutory rule was laid in the Business Office on 24 January as SR 2025/10.”
“In the absence of Matthew O'Toole, the Committee Chair, who is on paternity leave, I will speak about the Committee for Finance's scrutiny of the draft statutory rule (SR). I thank the Minister for his comments. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has considered the draft statutory rule to implement the agreement between the UK and the Swiss Confederation on the recognition of professional qualifications insofar as they relate to the legal profession in Northern Ireland. The agreement requires the UK and Switzerland to recognise comparable professional qualifications or experience obtained in each state.”
“It would be interesting to learn whether Alliance engaged with the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council before including the proposed statutory duty in today's motion. Our amendment supports placing the Fiscal Council on a statutory footing, as was previously committed to, not introducing specific duties on it. <BR /> <BR />Our amendment addresses all efficiencies and savings that could be achieved across Departments to relieve pressure on public services and increase the scale and pace of the reform and transformation agenda in Northern Ireland. I commend the amendment to the House.”
“The cost to our health service alone was £179 million in 2023-24. In the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS), which has an agency framework, we have seen a rise of £127 million to a total cost of £552 million as of 13 January this year. When it comes to arm's-length bodies (ALBs) and quangos, 120 bodies, with their administration and governance costs, deliver public services in Northern Ireland. There are huge opportunities for efficiency in Northern Ireland, and we want to see them all investigated — not a selected few. <BR /> <BR />We do not feel that it is appropriate to dictate how the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council conducts its work of independently assessing public spending in Northern Ireland.”
“There are also capital projects with reported overspends of £2·5 billion between 2019 and 2023 and rising, including the new maternity hospital at the Royal Victoria Hospital. More focus is needed on ensuring that our major capital projects are delivered on time and within budget. <BR /> <BR />Unpaid and written-off rates are also an issue. Uncollected revenue of £65 million in rates arrears has been written off by officials in the past five years and over £100 million in arrears. We are not seeing the maximisation of our revenue stream from collecting those. Benefit fraud costs the taxpayer in Northern Ireland £163 million a year. That needs to be reduced, and I am grateful that the Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, is taking action on it. <BR /> <BR />Agency staff is another issue.”
“I thank both Members for their intervention. Diane Dodds put on the record well the detail of the 2016 report and some of the issues around the citation of it. <BR /> <BR />Our amendment recognises that there are many inefficiencies across Departments and savings that could be achieved to relieve pressures on public services and increase the scale and pace of the reform and transformation agenda. That includes a range of things, including public procurement, through which, each year, 5,000 contracts are awarded, worth between £2 billion and £4 billion. That spending is recurring with no overarching strategy in place, and it needs to be managed better, with the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), on which I sit, questioning its cost-effectiveness.”
“Notably, the independent review of education and previous studies in Scotland have highlighted the fact that the existence of separate school sectors does not necessarily lead to additional costs and that, where savings can be made, they should not be exaggerated.”
“A Northern Ireland where our young people want to live, work and raise a family irrespective of their background — a truly shared future — will be one in which every community and person in Northern Ireland is better connected and better equipped to succeed. <BR /> <BR />Interestingly, the motion refers to using funding otherwise caught up in addressing division for "improving education provision". Previous debates and past actions by the motion's authors suggest that they wish only one sector of our education system, the integrated sector, to receive the dividends. That is a cause for more division, not a panacea for it.”
“Without community buy-in, removing the causes and costs of division simply is not feasible. The DUP believes that we should focus on progress to date and on what we can do to build on the solid foundation that we already have, whether that be revamping the Urban Villages and Building Successful Communities schemes or continuing to invest in the Communities in Transition programme, helping many communities to move on from the presence of paramilitarism. In light of the motion, the Justice Minister needs to clarify whether she agrees. <BR /> <BR />Promoting economic development and equality of opportunity for all must be the driving force behind removing the costs of division.”
“The DUP does not consider additional spending on tackling terrorism and paramilitarism and providing danger money for officers and staff as expendable, yet the Alliance Party's motion frames that as a waste. How, exactly, does the Justice Minister propose to reduce additional policing and justice costs? Is it the case that all that the Alliance Party is offering is warm words and aspiration without a plan? <BR /> <BR />The motion focuses on the cost of division, but there is no reference to the causes or any mention of the communities affected, which stand to be detrimentally impacted if additional spending on policing and justice is stopped or local amenities deemed by Alliance to represent duplication are closed on a whim. Community engagement is central to applying a bottom-up approach to a shared and inclusive future.”
“<BR /> <BR />Furthermore, there is a central contradiction in the argument that Alliance has put forward today. On one hand, it says that it wants to see the additional money spent on police and justice in Northern Ireland diverted to other critical public services; on the other hand, it has rejected out of hand the prospect of a group transition process for the paramilitaries who are a key factor in creating those additional costs in the first place. Does the Justice Minister want to see less money going towards fighting terrorism and paramilitarism in Northern Ireland without a viable alternative to tackle the harm that those groups cause?”
“The authors of the 2016 report also said that it would be wrong to suggest that the headline figure of £883 million represented achievable savings, so there is a need for honesty at the heart of the debate. <BR /> <BR />The Alliance Party has been keen to lament the cost of policing parades, bonfires or protests, notwithstanding the fact that only a few per cent of parades in Northern Ireland are deemed to be contentious. However, some of Alliance's policies would drive up those costs rather than remove them. For example, there have been calls for the PSNI to intervene routinely to prevent every act of expression in the public space that might be deemed to be offensive, despite the implications that that would have for public order and operational policing in other areas.”
“<BR /> <BR />The authors of the motion have put the annual cost of division at £833 million. That figure was pulled from the Ulster University 2016 report, yet what is not mentioned is the fact that even those who published the report accepted that the headline figure, which actually ranged between £400 million and £800 million, took account of a range of factors that led to the additional cost of delivering public services here compared with Great Britain, not just the cost of division. For example, compared with England, Northern Ireland spends 25% more on inpatient care and 33% more on long-stay patients: is that the product of division?”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity, in advance of tomorrow's statement, to discuss the pressures on our finances in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The DUP supports a shared future. We are committed to investing in and transforming our public services and ensuring that they are accessible by everyone in Northern Ireland. Moreover, we have a manifesto commitment to working together with the other parties to ensure that resources are not wasted, particularly in the current challenging financial climate. However, to infer that the costs of division are the main if not the only cause of higher public spending in Northern Ireland is not only wrong but a huge distraction from areas where tangible savings could be made in the short to medium term. Our amendment seeks to widen that point and add value.”
“Minister, every month in the Finance Committee, we hear the reported out-turns and the direction towards reaching a balanced budget for this year. As Minister for Infrastructure, it is your responsibility to get us there. The indications were that we were on track for that. For the board of NI Water to instruct NI Water to overspend against budget completely undermines your position as Minister. Have you lost control of your Department and its associated bodies?”
“Please stay safe and respect the countryside, especially our beautiful Mourne Mountains and surrounding nature, which is a huge asset to Northern Ireland, our environment and our tourism industry.”
“I am so grateful that there were no reports of deaths or injuries to the public. <BR /> <BR />In 2021, we saw gorse fires on a horrific scale in the Mournes that destroyed nearly 300 hectares of land. The images are ingrained in our minds, and, years later, the area has not fully recovered. I never want to see that again. <BR /> <BR />I say to anyone out and about who spots fires, please ring 999 immediately, as the fires spread rapidly. If you are out in the countryside, please exercise fire safety. Please extinguish cigarettes, barbecues and other flammable materials properly. Please avoid lighting open fires. Please do not leave glass or bottles behind, and please be considerate when parking, because vehicles that are parked improperly impede our emergency vehicles' access.”
“The destruction of nature, lands, habitats and the well-managed trails that we all love to walk in our mountains is devastating for us locals to see. <BR /> <BR />We are so grateful for the amazing response of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS). During yesterday's fires on Slieve Binnian, it reported having six fire appliances from Newcastle, Kilkeel, Warrenpoint and Rathfriland at the scene, with the command centre from Lisburn down in Newcastle. On Friday, fighting the wildfire up at the Silent Valley, again, six fire appliances and 49 firefighters from Kilkeel, Warrenpoint, Newcastle, Rathfriland and Newry contained it. I record my sincere thanks to members of the Fire and Rescue Service for putting their lives at risk to keep others safe.”
“The Mourne Mountains are one of the most spectacular attractions in Northern Ireland. They are our highest and most dramatic mountain range and are in an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), with peaks such as Slieve Donard, Commedagh, Binnian and many more. They are my home countryside in the heart of South Down, and it was devastating yesterday to see them on fire once again. That is the third time in just over a week. <BR /> <BR />At this time of year, the area is very dry, and, when a fire starts, it spreads incredibly fast and is difficult to contain and extinguish. The fires are often started deliberately or are the result of careless behaviour. That is completely unacceptable. They then spread like crazy, and we see from the foot of the mountains the smoke and the huge flames engulfing their sides.”
“I escaped that, but I am very proud to celebrate with my home school. <BR /> <BR />As a former deputy head girl, house captain and hockey captain, I am so proud to congratulate Kilkeel High School on its continued success, decades on. I also wish the boys all the very best tomorrow, as they are in the Burney Plate final. I am very proud to congratulate my home school and celebrate the mighty, mighty Mourne.”
“I put on record a massive, heartfelt congratulations to Kilkeel High School, which last week had huge success in girls' hockey. I thank the Education Minister for putting on record his congratulations for that. <BR /> <BR />Kilkeel High School completed the High School Cup treble, winning the under-14, under-16 and under-18 competitions, all of which happened last week. That is an absolutely outstanding achievement, and I congratulate all the players, coaches, teachers and families and supporters who travelled to support the team. I was privileged to join the supporters at the under-18 final on Thursday morning in the Stormont Pavilion, and it was a pleasure to be a part of the celebrations. I very nearly ended up in the Public Accounts Committee with maroon and blue face paint.”
“I welcome the study of the cost of doing business in Northern Ireland as we look into April and the incredible pressures. The childcare sector is a key aspect of the Northern Ireland economy. Is the childcare sector represented on the group that the Minister is meeting, and will he continue to engage with that sector, as it underpins businesses in Northern Ireland?”
“I wish everyone a very happy St Patrick's Day.”
“St Patrick's legacy is a testament to the transformative power of Christianity. His life reminds us that faith is not just about personal salvation but about sharing God's love with others, even in the most challenging of circumstances. <BR /> <BR />My constituency of South Down has close links with St Patrick's story. His grave is at Down cathedral in Downpatrick, where the occasion will be marked again this year. It is great to see so many events locally and across the world, including in America, where I will be proud to see Emma Little-Pengelly represent Northern Ireland to its very best on the international stage, maximising opportunities for us at home. <BR /> <BR />St Patrick's breastplate read:”
“For six years, he worked as a shepherd, enduring loneliness and hardship, yet it was during that time of suffering that Patrick's faith deepened. He turned to Christianity for comfort, praying constantly and growing in his relationship with God. Over the course of his ministry, Patrick baptised thousands of people and established churches. He travelled extensively, often in danger, to spread the message of Christ. <BR /> <BR />Patrick's work laid the foundation for Christianity in Ireland, but perhaps even more remarkable than his achievements was his character. Patrick's writings reveal a man of deep humility, gratitude and love for the people whom he served. Despite being mistreated as a slave, he returned to Ireland not with bitterness but with a heart full of compassion and a desire to shape the hope of Christ.”
“This weekend, across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the world, people will join to celebrate St Patrick's Day. On St Patrick's Day, we embrace the way in which a former slave, who embodied togetherness, brought Christianity to this island some 1,500 years ago. In context, a single century is a brief yet significant moment in time, and anniversaries can provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on our history and explore what can be learned for today. <BR /> <BR />St Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, a time when Christianity was already well established in parts of Europe. However, his life took a dramatic turn when, at age 16, he was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave.”
“I welcome the order, and I encourage the Minister to consider whether there is anything else that he can do to help people in rural communities to continue to access their cash free of charge, because that would be most welcome.”
“I welcome the motion. Cash is king in Northern Ireland, and I welcome any motion that does its best to secure its availability. Individuals and businesses in Northern Ireland should have the right to access their cash free of charge, especially in rural areas, such as South Down, which I represent. The order, which brings in a rates exemption for ATMs in rural areas, is so very welcome. I urge the Minister to consider whether there is the potential to do any more, as it would be greatly welcomed. In areas such as mine, you often have to travel quite far to get cash, which means that individuals and businesses are quite cut off. At times, such as during the recent storm, there are prolonged periods without power and internet connectivity, so people's access to electronic banking and their finances can be a challenge.”
“Will the Minister confirm that the Communities Minister has engaged across the Executive on the forthcoming anti-poverty strategy and that it will include actions for every Department and, ultimately, be a strategy for the entire Northern Ireland Executive, not just one Department?”
“I thank the Minister for this statement and announcement. People right across Northern Ireland recognise that we need transformation of our public services, and it is welcome that this £235 million was ring-fenced for that in the financial package. Minister, with the announcement of £129 million for transformation projects, starting immediately, how will you, as Minister of Finance, monitor centrally how each of those projects are delivering transformation? Ultimately, as Minister of Finance, you will have to report back on the package and whether transformation was delivered and how it was measured.”
“Evelyn will be dearly missed. She made a huge impact on so many lives in her too short a time on earth. My prayers are especially with John, Ann, Sarah, Newell, Gordon, Paul and John today as they gather in Mourne Presbyterian Church. I hope that they find comfort in knowing that Evelyn is safe in the arms of Jesus.”
“Her testimony to the world was in how she was every day: loving, kind, unassuming, faithful, hard-working and a family woman. If only we were all more like Evelyn, the world would be a better place. On Friday night in hospital, among friends and family, Evelyn shared in the reading of Psalm 121, which is on the lectern of her own Ballinran Orange hall:”
“<BR /> <BR />Evelyn was a founding member of Orangefield Cultural Society and was hugely involved in doing the best for Ballinran Orange hall and the community, working hard behind the scenes and putting everyone else before herself. Evelyn was a stalwart, steadfast and loyal member of the Schomberg Society in Kilkeel, volunteering immeasurable time and energy to its Ulster-Scots work, which she loved. She was also a long-serving member of the Schomberg fife and drum band. <BR /> <BR />Evelyn founded the Ulster-Scots women's group, the Highland Heathers, which, as chairwoman, she put her heart and soul into. She was even ringing up from hospital last week to make sure that the ladies had everything in order. She cared so much for others. <BR /> <BR />Evelyn was a Christian woman of firm faith.”