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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“There has been a feeling for a long time that the arts have been very Belfast-centric. My question builds on your previous answer. Does the Minister agree that regional balance across Northern Ireland is important in the arts sector, especially in rural areas of the country such as my constituency of South Down?”
“and the voluntary and community sector. We also ask the Minister:”
“I ask the SDLP to reach out to its sister party, Labour, for any intervention that may be possible, but, in keeping with what the motion is asking for, it is imperative that the Minister of Finance works with Executive colleagues to:”
“Those organisations will have the additional cost of tens of thousands of pounds per regional body imposed upon them. That will reduce the capacity of Women's Aid, Nexus and others to support services at a time when the Executive are prioritising ending violence against women and girls and of high levels of murders of women in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is one of the most dangerous places in Europe for a woman to live, and we cannot afford to see those services reduced. <BR /> <BR />The increase in employers' National Insurance contributions from 1 April, which has been imposed on us, will be of huge significance; it is a cliff edge, and we need action.”
“A recent Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) survey, which had responses from 68 organisations representing a breadth of organisations in size and scale across the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland, showed that 76% of them expected major financial impacts, with many facing additional annual costs of between £5,000 and £200,000 from April 2025. One social care provider anticipates annual costs of up to half a million pounds. The reduction in the capacity of our voluntary and community sector will have devastating effects on our healthcare system and wider public services. <BR /> <BR />I wish to specifically mention the impact on organisations that support victims of domestic and sexual abuse in Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have previously made the point that the Executive need to identify the full scale and reach of public services and public-sector outcomes that are delivered by our voluntary and community sector. The failure to do so has, I believe, exposed us to a much bigger risk than is fully realised. The voluntary and community sector groups provide direct health services, including mental health support, to thousands of people across Northern Ireland, with direct referrals from the Department of Health and GPs into the sector.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also take the opportunity to highlight, once again in the Chamber, the incredible contribution of our voluntary and community sector to the delivery of front-line public services in Northern Ireland. On government-funded contracts, supplemented by fundraising, they deliver critical services to the public across all of our Departments. They will all be subject to this substantial increase to employers' National Insurance contributions, but have been advised that there will be no subsequent increase to their funding from Departments to cover it. There will inevitably need to be a reduction in service provision under the existing funded projects as the costs of employing staff go up. The impact of reducing service provision is a reduction in our front-line public services. That is of huge concern.”
“Facing increases of tens of millions of pounds in employers' National Insurance contributions from April will have a destructive impact on our public services. We simply do not have the money to fund that. I ask the Finance Minister to, please, seek clarity urgently on the total additional cost to Northern Ireland and on how much of that will be provided by the Treasury and the Labour Government who imposed this extra cost of employment on our public sector. It was widely reported recently that, in Scotland, only three fifths of the additional costs will be funded by Treasury. That falls well short. We need to know where we stand in Northern Ireland.”
“I also note the health service businesses, such as GP practices, dentists and community pharmacies, which will face increases but do not operate in a business environment in which they can pass increased costs on to the end consumer. They are expected to continue to provide the same high-quality health services with significantly higher overheads. <BR /> <BR />Most local councils are looking at an increase in the region of £1 million, which will be passed on to ratepayers without any intervention. That is huge. In Northern Ireland, we are already under significant financial pressure. Our DUP leader, Gavin Robinson MP, has long led the fight to achieve a fair funding model for Northern Ireland. Whilst we have made progress, we are not there yet.”
“<BR /> <BR />We need to protect our local businesses and local economy, including our childcare sector, and we also need to highlight the risk that this increase by the Labour Government will have for our public services in Northern Ireland. Through a series of Assembly questions for written answer, I have identified some of the increases in the cost of the National Insurance contributions across different Departments and their arm's-length bodies. I will give you a flavour of those. For Infrastructure, it is an additional £9 million; Justice, an additional £10 million; DAERA, an additional £0·8 million; the Department for the Economy, an additional £6·8 million; Communities, £2 million; Health, some £100 million; and Education, through the Education Authority's employer National Insurance contribution, an additional £51 million.”
“However, with the cost-of-living crisis, the public do not have the disposable income to be able to pay those increased prices for goods and services. <BR /> <BR />The childcare sector is one that has been prevalent. Childcare is widely accepted as critical economic infrastructure and is a key priority of the Executive. A sector that is already under pressure sees the increases to employers' National Insurance contributions leading to a number of settings considering closure, and, again, if they remain open, they will need to pass on the additional cost to the public, which will see childcare costs increase further when it is already unaffordable to many. That is a real risk, with many businesses facing a cliff edge on 1 April 2025.”
“Combining those factors with an increase to the national minimum and living wage will result in a rising cost of doing business, and that leaves many of us feeling as though we are being taxed to death. <BR /> <BR />Hospitality Ulster in particular has warned that trying to balance the books from the pockets of high street businesses will simply leave hospitality as collateral damage, threatening jobs, future investment, price increases for consumers and business viability. We have seen reports, recently, of investments being on hold due to the rise in National Insurance contributions. We also have the impact of the increased costs being passed to consumers, which businesses will need to do to remain profitable.”
“It warned that employers are likely to pass on the higher tax to employees, there will be lower nominal wages and labour supply will be impacted by a reduction in employment and a reduction in hours for those who stay in work. The impact will be far-reaching throughout our society, with lower wages and higher prices. Many businesses are considering redundancies and pausing their growth plans on the back of that announcement. It is incredibly detrimental to our economy and our workers, who may be paid less or even be out of work. <BR /> <BR />Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy in Northern Ireland, and we want to see them grow. However, this Budget will see an increase in the employers' National Insurance contribution and a decrease in the threshold at which businesses start making those contributions.”
“<BR /> <BR />We tabled the motion to call on all in the Northern Ireland Assembly to recognise the huge impact and the need for us, as elected representatives, to take steps to protect our businesses, public services and community and voluntary sector. We know that the Labour Budget has caused increased anxiety for many of our small business owners and their staff, who make our high streets and town centres thrive. They provide essential services to the most vulnerable and are at the cutting edge of manufacturing and food production in all our communities. It is alarming that, following the Budget announcement, the Office for Budget Responsibility downgraded its projections for growth in real household incomes.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I move the motion with huge concern for what is about to hit us on 1 April 2025. Since the Labour Government came to power over our United Kingdom last year, they have acted unpredictably and with incredible detriment to so many of us. First, it was their shocking removal of the winter fuel payments, seriously hurting some of the most vulnerable in our society. Then, in the autumn statement, it was the unexpected announcement of the increase in employers' National Insurance contribution, imposing a hugely destructive impact on employers, their businesses, our public services and our voluntary and community sector. The fact that both of those significant decisions were not in the Labour election manifesto and were not consulted on is disgraceful.”
“Does the Minister accept that many controlled schools represent a wide range of children from all backgrounds? Will he take the opportunity to pay tribute to the work that they do?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. On 3 December, in the Adjournment debate that I secured, the Infrastructure Minister advised that he was waiting for further correspondence from Forest Service. Since 3 December, has the Minister had further engagement with the Infrastructure Minister on that specific issue?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, I welcome your comments about the importance of early intervention, and I will refer to last May's announcement on a range of measures for early education, including the Northern Ireland childcare subsidy scheme. As well as progressing the new measures that you announced today on early intervention, will you confirm whether the measures that were announced last year will continue beyond the end of this Budget period in March 2025?”
“Today, we stand together and send a clear message that support is available for victims of abuse, regardless of when that abuse took place.”
“<BR /> <BR />I close by again congratulating Nexus on its excellent work in this space over the past 40 years. I remember the victims of sexual violence in Northern Ireland and pray that we see improvements in the services that are needed here.”
“We have moved to give victims who decide to report abuse better protection and support during their court hearings, but there is more work to be done. The Justice Minister has the ability to introduce domestic abuse protection notices and must move forward with that work. Their introduction would make a real difference to the safety of those at risk of harm from domestic abuse. <BR /> <BR />We must do everything possible before any more lives are lost. Today, on the news, it was reported that over 1,200 people have been arrested for the new offence of non-fatal strangulation since June 2023. That demonstrates the overwhelming need for legislation in this space, but it also shows how changes in the law that are needed can save lives. We can make a difference here.”
“There are many strands to that work, one of which is supporting actions to tackle all forms of sexual abuse and abusive relationships, including properly funding organisations that provide the front-line support to victims of sexual abuse and investment in raising awareness and prevention measures. <BR /> <BR />Our justice system also needs to play a key part. It is devastating that so many in our country have experienced sexual abuse and abusive relationships. However, in the 40 years that we have had Nexus in place, there has been some change. In recent years, we have seen work being done to tackle domestic abuse through the introduction of new offences such as coercive control. We have banned stalking, upskirting, downblousing and cyber-flashing.”
“Other organisations working in this space include Women's Aid, the Men's Advisory Project and ASSIST NI. In my area, in the Southern Trust, we have the excellent services of Advocacy VSV. I commend all those working to support people impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships. They save lives every day. The stories of the victims, who are predominantly women, are absolutely heartbreaking. <BR /> <BR />It is most welcome that ending violence against women and girls has been highlighted as a key Executive priority in the draft Programme for Government (PFG). The recent launch of the strategic framework was a landmark in Northern Ireland. It was so long overdue but so very welcome.”
“It is challenging to get people to acknowledge what has happened to them and get them to seek the support that they need. Many of those who come forward for support are reluctant to report the matter to the police or take the charges through the justice system due to the re-traumatisation associated with our criminal justice system and the continuous reliving of their trauma as well as the fact that they often have to face their perpetrator in court. <BR /> <BR />Organisations like Nexus are often the first port of call for victims as they struggle to come to terms with what has happened to them and look for support. Our voluntary and community sector groups should be commended for providing advice and advocacy support to victims to help them navigate the justice system.”
“<BR /> <BR />As chair of the all-party group on domestic and sexual violence and the all-party group on the voluntary and community sector, I care about the issues. I care about the victims of those crimes and realise that they need support, and I recognise the real truth that, on the ground, it is our voluntary and community sector groups that provide most of the support that is needed. We always need to put the victims at the heart of the conversations and reflect on their needs. We give a voice to those victims in the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />Crimes of sexual violence are heinous and cause huge physical and emotional trauma to the victims. Such crimes are significantly under-reported due to their nature, the extreme personal violation and the associated shame, coupled with victims' belief that they will not be believed.”
“It is an honour to rise today to speak to this all-party motion tabled by the Northern Ireland Assembly Women's Caucus. I thank our chair for leading on the motion. <BR /> <BR />With female representatives now composing over one third of the House, it has been a pleasure to join together in the Women's Caucus to discuss issues that we unite in sharing and supporting. Today, we join in recognising the 40th anniversary of Nexus, which started from humble beginnings as a group of volunteers in south Belfast. Today, Nexus is an organisation that supports adults, children and young people impacted by sexual abuse across Northern Ireland. We are not here to celebrate the fact that, 40 years on, there is still a need for the service; we are here to remind people that support is available.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement on the review of the rating policy, including her commitment to align with the Executive priorities. In considering alignment with three specific Executive priorities — to grow the economy, deliver affordable childcare and reduce health waiting times — does the Minister acknowledge that there is a need for immediate action to save some businesses, including those in retail, hospitality and childcare and GP surgeries, as they look to the 1 April cliff edge of increased employer contributions and minimum wage? Will the Minister take steps to consider intervening now, applying rates relief to prevent business closures?”
“Many of my constituents travel to Belfast to access essential chemotherapy or surgery or children's hospital appointments. When they are hit by congestion, they miss those appointments. That really affects their health and has knock-on effects on our waiting lists. What is the Minister doing to ensure that access to medical appointments runs a bit more smoothly, especially for those who come from rural communities?”
“Minister, I want to speak about access to medical appointments that are affected by traffic congestion. In South Down, we have no rail links and our bus connections are limited and disparate. Last week, during the Adjournment debate, we talked about the quality of the roads.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement today. Does the Minister agree that, when it comes to climate change and net zero, people should come first, before targets, and we should not limit the ability to build warm homes for people in Northern Ireland?”
“— and a capital DEL budget of £3·061 million. The Committee looks —”
“As the Committee set out in its letter to the Minister of Finance, it agreed that the Executive's draft Budget document for 2025-26 should make provision for the Assembly Commission to have a resource DEL budget of £64·197 million —”
“Members will be aware that the issue remains in litigation, and the Committee will seek updates on the potential impacts on future budgets in due course. <BR /> <BR />Before closing, I again record the Committee's appreciation of all the Assembly staff who work in the Building, often behind the scenes but, at times, very much in the public glare. They make a significant contribution to the democratic process, and I am sure that all Members will agree that we value their commitment and support. <BR /> <BR />The Committee, in coming to its conclusion, was mindful not only of the wider public expenditure position but of the need for a well-resourced and fully functioning Assembly, now more than ever.”
“Members heard that other planned capital works are needed to address underinvestment in the fabric of the Building in previous years and viewed them as necessary to face the challenge of a fully functioning Assembly. The works included the continuing enhancements to the Long Gallery, the Blue Flax and the visitors' restaurant. The Commission also intends to commence a project to make the non-public areas of the Building more secure via a partial secure access project. The Committee welcomes those projects and looks forward to seeing the works being progressed as quickly as possible. <BR /> <BR />The Committee was given further information from the Commission on the ongoing issues in relation to the remedial work that was required for Parliament Buildings' roof.”
“They included the cost of enhanced scrutiny, including a significant strengthening of the secretariat; members' personal security and that of their constituency offices; the Commission information systems (IS) strategy; and the ongoing potential financial impact of roof repairs to Parliament Buildings. The increase in resource DEL is primarily due to the planned recruitment of 16 new members of secretariat staff. That is a necessary and welcome increase in resource to assist us all in our scrutiny of the Executive. Other cost increases included MLA constituency costs and party allowances and a modest increase for secretariat staff salaries to reflect pay progression. <BR /> <BR />The amount of capital DEL has been reduced since last year's Budget.”
“The Committee welcomes that update. <BR /> <BR />During the recent evidence session with Commission officials, members covered all aspects of the indicative budget for 2025-26. However, certain issues were explored in more detail.”
“As Members will be aware, the Commission has a legal requirement to meet all costs associated with Members, including salaries, allowances, expenses, Members' staffing costs and pension contributions. <BR /> <BR />Those budget elements are determination-driven and are not under the control of the Commission. Officials advised the Committee that the Commission intends to bring forward new legislation to establish an independent remuneration board to determine Members' salaries and replace the former independent financial review panel (IFRP). Members should note that the budget for 2025-26 does not estimate the impact of future determinations once the board is established. However, the Commission recently agreed an updated determination for 2024, and officials confirmed that that will be published sooner rather than later.”
“To reflect the constitutional independence of the Assembly from the Executive, a methodology was introduced in 2016 similar to that adopted by the Audit Committee in agreeing the Main Estimates for the Audit Office and the Public Services Ombudsman. Incidentally, the Committee has recently started a piece of work in which it will re-examine its more formal arrangements for agreeing the Commission's budget. The intention is that that review will be concluded and an updated agreement between the Committee and the Commission will be codified before the end of the current mandate. <BR /> <BR />The Committee commenced its scrutiny of the Commission's indicative budget at its meeting on 18 November 2024.”
“Normally, the Audit Committee would produce a full report outlining its deliberations on the draft budgets for the Assembly Commission, the Audit Office and the Public Services Ombudsman. However, because of the tight time frame for the 2025-26 Budget process, the Committee reported by way of a letter that was sent to the Minister of Finance. That is the letter that is referenced in the motion. <BR /> <BR />Before I give some detail on the Committee's scrutiny of the Commission's budget, I will outline the background to the Committee's approach. The Committee followed the approach set out in its arrangement with the Assembly Commission, which reflects the approach used by previous Audit Committees.”
“I hate always to be negative in the Chamber in my interactions with you, but we need to see significant investment in our roads. At the very least, the roads that have been in need of repair for some time must have two-way traffic or at least a date for a commitment to give people some faith that things are moving in the right direction. I call on you to commit to delivering more in South Down and to reinvigorate the Mourne coastal route by committing to resurfacing. It will save you a fortune in car damage claims, and it will improve the lives of many people working in and visiting South Down. I invite you at any time to come down for a drive, if you are brave enough.”
“Recently in my area, we have had the road out at Glenloughan on the Banbridge Road, Rathfriland. Just this weekend, I felt I was playing dodgem cars as I navigated my way around it. The poor quality of repairs, when the tar comes out of the road and it gets worse, is a really significant issue, and I ask the Minister for a review of the quality of the repairs. <BR /> <BR />I love my constituency. I love where I live and represent, the people, the businesses, the groups and clubs. I want to see South Down be the best it can be: thriving. In order for that, we really need to be connected to the rest of Northern Ireland by better infrastructure. South Down is one of the best parts of Northern Ireland; we all know that, in spite of the many challenges that are faced by us.”
“When we get the good news of a road resurfacing scheme, I get regular feedback and comments, "How long until it is open again for another piece of work?". I hope it is not true, but I have had a few messages today about the newly resurfaced piece of Kilkeel Road being cut into. I hope that that is not true, but I can only believe what my constituents bring to my door. It is so visible on the ground, and there is nothing more disappointing, when you fight and get to deliver a lovely new piece of road, than seeing it cut open. It needs to be managed better. <BR /> <BR />The quality of repairs also needs to be improved. We have potholes repaired only to fall further apart and in a worse state, needing repeated and more significant work at higher cost.”
“With the volume of traffic and farm machinery on those roads, we need investment to fix and improve them for the long term. Again, whilst they are not motorways or dual carriageways, in rural South Down they are our main through roads, our connectivity, and when the roads are failing, we lose that and the critical infrastructure connecting our rural communities. <BR /> <BR />It would be remiss of me not to mention the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) report released today: 'Road Openings by Utilities'. To maintain and enhance assets and services, the utilities regularly open the road network to access their gas and water, and it is their responsibility to reinstate the road to an acceptable standard. Today's report notes that the issues are significant, with 55,000 openings in 2023-24.”
“We need the infrastructure to support that. <BR /> <BR />In the upper part of my constituency, people have long been disappointed by the lack of progress on the promised Ballynahinch bypass. I wonder whether the Minister has any plans to revisit that. In the absence of an official Ballynahinch bypass, we all know that drivers take an unofficial one. That has led to serious deterioration of the roads through the Spa. Alongside my local Slieve Croob councillor, Alan Lewis, I call for significant investment in improving the road in the Spa to cope with the volume and complexity of traffic that travels through it to bypass Ballynahinch. <BR /> <BR />Up over the mountains to Rathfriland, and it is often said to me that there is no road into Rathfriland that does not need significant work. Patched-in jobs do not cut it.”
“However, Minister, that is far from the worst part of the road, and I ask you to please support the continued resurfacing out of Kilkeel, past Council Road towards Newcastle, as it is currently like a train track that no vehicle could run on. Motorbikes and cyclists face incredibly dangerous conditions, and it is an issue of constant complaint to my office. Further down the road, as we reach the Ballagh, we also need to see the long-promised road widening scheme, as two large vehicles cannot pass without a high-level collision on that part of the road. With many buses and lorries on that through route, it is a significant issue. <BR /> <BR />Mourne needs investment in the improvement of the roads. This is the Mourne coastal route, and it should be a tourist attraction, with people out enjoying their drive.”
“<BR /> <BR />Two significant roads in South Down are in need of significant work just to allow two-way traffic to resume as it was. We need to see the improvement soon. We do not know, as we look across the country, whether we would see this anywhere else. <BR /> <BR />As well as those significant, long-term, one-lane road closures, the road network across South Down is in serious need of other significant works. The A2 from Kilkeel to Newcastle is in a terrible state. Alongside my local Mournes councillors, Glyn Hanna and Henry Riley, I have campaigned for much-needed resurfacing for a long time, and we will continue to do so. Earlier this year, I asked the Minister about that issue. Initially, there was no money for it, but I am grateful that he was able to secure some for a small 1·4 kilometre stretch of road.”
“<BR /> <BR />The B27 Kilkeel Road in Hilltown is another significant road and is the main road through the mountains from Kilkeel to Hilltown and Rathfriland. It is used by many commuters and large vehicles every day. The restriction to one lane is, as in Rostrevor, slowing emergency response vehicles and causing significant delays. The Minister has outlined the complexity of the land slippage and the scale of the repairs in previous responses to me. Again, however, as with the road in Rostrevor, I ask you, Minister, to please advise when the Kilkeel Road at Hilltown can be open again to two lanes of traffic and repaired. I make the point again that people are exasperated and are looking for some progress and clarity.”
“<BR /> <BR />On 1 July, Minister, you told me that steps were being taken to move the concrete blocks back to the verge and there were issues to be resolved by DAERA, Forest Service and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). Last month, the AERA Minister confirmed to me that NIEA officials had told DFI Roads that the measures were permitted in the NIEA-managed Rostrevor Forest nature reserve, so the ball is in DFI's court. Minister, when you respond to the debate, I ask you to please advise when the A2 Shore Road in Rostrevor can be opened to two lanes of traffic again and repaired. People in the area see no end to the situation. They are depressed and in despair, and they are just looking for clarity.”
“The emergency services are significantly impeded by the road restriction, and that could cost lives. Until last year, the road was regularly filled with lorries and industrial vehicles with wide loads for business purposes, but now that it is down to one lane and a narrow lane for tall vehicles, many vehicles have to take an alternative route, adding significant distance to their journey, with increased fuel costs and challenges for the businesses that they are reaching. For locals, the routine journeys in and out of the town to work and to school are severely impeded, and the large metal plate over the huge hole in the road on the only open lane is often loose and has clipped up and damaged many vehicles.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Shore Road in Rostrevor and the Kilkeel Road in Hilltown are, however, a much worse story, and I have written to the Minister on a number of occasions about them. Both roads still operate with temporary traffic lights and single-lane traffic, 13 months after they were first damaged and closed. That is not good enough for the people of South Down and those who travel to and through it. The failure to repair and reopen those roads for so long is raised with me every week, everywhere I go. My constituency office is inundated, so I ask the Minister to hear the significant impact that it is having on people and businesses and to please take some urgent action. <BR /> <BR />The A2 Shore Road in Rostrevor is the main road from Newry through Warrenpoint to Kilkeel and Newcastle.”