Connie Egan
North Down · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“As the Minister referenced in her opening remarks, creating a legislative assumption that hate crime victims are to be treated as being eligible for assistance on the grounds of fear and distress will give them deeper assurance that they will not be put into a traumatic and distressing situation in which they are forced to engage with the…”
“Being a victim of or a witness to a crime can be one of the most traumatic and challenging periods in one's life. It is therefore vital that, when entering the justice process and throughout it, people have confidence that it will be as fair, trauma-informed and comprehensive as possible.”
“Minister Long's proactive step to create that role before the legislation was introduced served the dual purpose of giving victims and witnesses as much of a voice as possible in the here and now and testing some of the responsibilities that could end up in primary legislation.”
“When I speak to victims who have engaged with the commissioner's office and ask them about their experience, their answer is always one that is grateful in nature. They highlight the importance of having someone independent who listens to them and engages with their experience.”
“Clause 27 addresses a future legal gap caused by the implementation of direct committal, limiting the power to dismiss charges involving the death or serious physical harm of a child or vulnerable person. <BR /> <BR />Part 3 provides for the creation of regulations and orders, including the commencement of the provisions.”
“Clauses 24 and 25 add offences that involve aggravation by hostility, otherwise known as "hate crimes", to the list for which witnesses are eligible for special measures.”
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“Minister, your Department is, obviously, responsible for ending violence against women and girls. The racially motivated attacks mean that many women and their children have had to leave their home in Northern Ireland. What work will your Department do to ensure that women who are from ethnic minorities here feel safe and confident in making a life here?”
“Now we have to get on with the hard work of delivery. We need continuity, and we need multi-year Budgets to allow for planning. We need transformation so that the public know that they can trust us to deliver for them.”
“This year's Budget is a welcome one, but it must be the beginning to build something better on a sustained, long-term basis. <BR /> <BR />Before I wrap up, I will say that it is positive to see the Budget and have a Programme for Government that states:”
“For example, the complexity of modern cases due not least to the mass and importance of digital evidence can make those cases harder and longer to investigate and process through the courts. Our prison population has risen, and many people arrive with complex or undiagnosed needs. Lack of capacity in health and social services means that the justice system is unfortunately becoming the place of last resort for people who should be supported by other public services instead. The costs of legacy systems have never been properly reflected in our devolved funding model. While critical to providing truth and justice for victims and survivors, they are, undoubtedly, on the capacity of the contemporary justice system. Those are just some examples of the extra demands. We need to reverse the historic underfunding to fully address them.”
“The Minister and her officials continue to engage with the Department of Finance and the wider Executive to ensure that the funding needed to fulfil the ambitions of that plan is provided. <BR /> <BR />This year's positive budget outcome does not change the fact that our justice system has been grossly underfunded for a number of years. While Stormont's block grant has increased by 66% in 14 years to 2025-26, DOJ's budget has grown by just over 25%. As a proportion of the total block grant, the Justice budget is now smaller than it was in 2011, despite the growing demands being placed on our prisons, courts, police service and other parts of the justice system.”
“Those moneys will go towards speeding up and transforming our criminal justice system so that we can provide quicker resolutions for victims and invest in electronic tagging to provide real-time monitoring of offenders. All the funding will contribute to the Justice Minister's plans to deliver effective services for victims, keep our streets safe and make access to justice easier, faster and more effective for everyone. <BR /> <BR />Funding for the PSNI has been much discussed recently in the Chamber. The Minister's commitment to stabilising the police is demonstrated through the fact that the PSNI currently receives approximately 65% of the Department's core budget, alongside the vast majority of the additional safer communities funding. It is to be welcomed that the PSNI recovery business case has been approved as being value for money.”
“That reflects what I know to be the work that is ongoing in the Department to ensure that the Finance Minister and his predecessor have an understanding that the services that Justice funds, whether they are courts, prisons, police or support for victims and witnesses, are incredibly vital public services that deserve our attention alongside the likes of health and education. <BR /> <BR />Aside from Justice's core budget, I welcome the additional £5 million of investment in creating safer communities, as driven by our shared goals in the Programme for Government, and an additional £23 million of funding for justice-related transformation.”
“In my role as the Alliance representative on the Justice Committee, I will make some short remarks regarding the Department of Justice's financial position. <BR /> <BR />The Bill indicates a positive allocation for the Department of Justice, which has been underfunded to a significant degree over the past decade. In this year's Budget, the Department of Justice received the third-largest non-ring-fenced resource departmental expenditure limit alongside £100 million in capital spend.”
“Minister, as well as the Queen's Parade redevelopment scheme, you are responsible for the disability strategy. Will the new development be accessible to everybody in Bangor and have a Changing Places toilet and an adequate number of accessible parking spaces?”
“Thank you, junior Minister. The ending violence against women and girls change fund is very welcome. How does your Department work with local councils to evaluate and monitor how the money is being spent?”
“Minister, I would also like to add that the abuse that you, your officials and others in the sector have received is totally unacceptable. <BR /> <BR />How will the deposit return scheme align with those in the rest of the UK and Ireland?”
“Minister, I have been contacted by many parents who have concerns about how the family court system operates. What steps is your Department taking to make the family courts more transparent?”
“Progress on the Queen's Parade redevelopment is, of course, welcome. Can you give us any indication of what your announcement tomorrow will be about? When will work on the Queen's Parade development start? Many people in Bangor will not believe it until they see it.”
“Even when he and his family were targeted and attacked during the Troubles, he did not waver in doing what he could to serve our public and improve the lives of people in Northern Ireland. His dedication, commitment and contribution to public life will not be forgotten. On behalf of the Alliance Party, I extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Lady Elizabeth and the family circle on their very personal loss.”
“I pay tribute to Sir Kenneth Bloomfield following his passing at the weekend at the age of 94. Sir Kenneth, who was a North Down constituent, had a long and distinguished career and life, modelling for all of us what it means to hold a lifelong commitment to public service. Sir Kenneth served in a number of prominent roles throughout his career, including head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Cabinet Secretary to the 1974 power-sharing Executive, Victims' Commissioner and member of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains. <BR /> <BR />Sir Kenneth was one of the most distinguished civil servants in Northern Ireland's history.”
“Thank you, Minister. Is your Department effectively evaluating any transformation that has already successfully taken place in order to garner more public and political support?”
“Thank you. I thank the Minister for his answer. I understand that the social care workforce review in 2022 indicated that 60 more university training places for social workers will be required every year, but, last year, there were 20 more. How many places will there be in the upcoming year? Will there be enough to meet the demand?”
“However, with the known pending exceptional pressures and other factors, including an increase in National Insurance contributions and a rise in legal aid fees, challenges still lie ahead. I look forward to working on the Committee this year as we support the Minister in resolving those concerns.”
“The Minister highlighted the role that her Department has played, in collaboration with the Chief Constable of the PSNI and the Policing Board, in submitting a business case to the Department of Finance to move workforce levels up to 7,000 officers and over 2,500 staff over the next three years. The Minister outlined that it works out at about £40 million a year for five years to do the recovery work needed. I commend the Minister and her Department's commitment to that. <BR /> <BR />The Department of Justice's portion of the Budget, including the indicative allocations via the June monitoring round process towards safer communities and public-sector transformation, has set a foundation to work off for the year ahead.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Justice Committee has received regular updates on the financial position of the Department and has been kept informed of developments throughout the process. On 29 January, a written briefing on the draft Budget was sent to the Committee, and, on 6 February, an oral briefing took place with officials. Additionally, the Minister appeared in front of the Committee in March and spoke of the Department's financial position, including the welcome steps that she has taken to raise the need to increase policing numbers with a degree of pace to the Secretary of State, the Finance Minister and other Executive colleagues.”
“<BR /> <BR />The financial remit of the Department covers a plethora of work, including but not limited to preventing and educating on domestic and sexual abuse, funding for the PSNI, tackling paramilitarism and organised crime, reducing court delays and ensuring high standards in our Prison Service. At a time when budgets are being stretched and hard decisions are being made, the Minister and her Department have not shied away from the challenge. We cannot afford to do things the way we always have. Transformation is vital for the longevity and sustainability of every Department. I welcome the recently announced allocation from the public-sector transformation board of £20·45 million to help to speed up and transform the criminal justice system, and £2·19 million has been allocated to an electronic monitoring project.”
“<BR /> <BR />Justice is a historically underfunded Department, and this Budget recognises the role that Justice plays as a Department that cross-cuts through many of our PFG commitments, particularly in its role to create safer communities. The justice system as a whole interacts with some of the most vulnerable people across our society not just when something goes wrong but by actively seeking to protect and intervene before troubling circumstances even arise. The driving mission of the Department of Justice in the new financial year, as before, is to work in partnership to create a fair, just and safe community across Northern Ireland where every one of us respects not just the law but one another.”
“<BR /> <BR />With that road map in place, it is incredibly welcome that the Department of Justice has received the third-largest non-ring-fenced resource departmental expenditure limit, coming in behind Health and Education. Whilst more is always needed and there are outstanding concerns, including exceptional pressures in the realm of £227 million to be dealt with, that signifies a constructive and workable foundation for the year ahead. It must also be noted that a proportion of those sums will be redistributed to other Departments for collaborative projects that Justice is the assigned lead on, including the Executive programme on paramilitarism and organised crime.”
“I rise to make some remarks on the final Budget for 2025-26 as the Alliance Party member on the Committee for Justice. <BR /> <BR />The process of setting a Budget for any Government is not necessarily straightforward, with competing pressures between and within each Department, particularly in the knowledge that prioritising one project, programme or plan may be to the detriment of another. Without leadership and strategy, funding will not have the opportunity to make the most impact and get the most value per pound from the public purse. That is why having a Programme for Government and a road map for delivery has been vital in aligning where public moneys should be spent.”
“That has caused great distress to many people across our city. We must be clear: guns have no place on our streets. However, what unfolded last night was an extremely difficult and sensitive situation. I commend the PSNI, which had to balance the safety of the public, the individual involved and its own officers while de-escalating the situation at hand. Officers showed bravery, compassion and professionalism in incredibly intense circumstances. I hope that those who were involved get all the support that they need. <BR /> <BR />I wish to record my thanks and gratitude to the PSNI for its work in dealing with a number of challenging incidents across North Down over the weekend.”
“I rise to remark on two separate, extremely concerning incidents that occurred in North Down over what was a challenging weekend, and to thank the PSNI and the emergency services for their swift and diligent response. <BR /> <BR />On Saturday night in Millisle, a car collided with pedestrians outside a licensed premises on Main Street, resulting in a number of injuries. That was an irresponsible and cruel incident that was, seemingly, carried out with little regard for life. That incident could have been devastating, and I am relieved that it did not result in a fatality. However, I understand that those who were involved sustained serious injuries, and I wish them all the support that they need to make a full recovery. <BR /> <BR />Last night, an incident occurred in Bangor that involved the use of firearms on High Street.”
“Whilst internal budget allocations and the administration of resources are ultimately a matter for the Chief Constable of the PSNI, Alliance recognises the importance of that work and is committed to assisting the PSNI in any way that it finds appropriate, including through supporting the Chief Constable's recovery business case for the policing workforce. It is imperative that all Departments work with the PSNI to ensure that the protection of children online is on the agenda, including using departmental touchpoints with the public to educate in conjunction with the police, raise awareness of how to talk to young people and recognise the signs of criminal exploitation and activity. It is imperative that we protect young people from the quickly developing dangers of the online world. We need to work together to do that.”
“My party will today support an approach that allows flexibility with an advancement of the ongoing work on limiting smartphone usage in schools, where realistic. We still need to explore how a ban would work practically and whether it would factor in exceptions for young people who rely on smartphones for reasons such as their health. Some children and young people monitor their diabetes on their smartphone in school. It is for those reasons that, at this stage, we support the Minister's working towards the development of appropriate whilst flexible policies on smartphones instead of implementing a full blanket ban. <BR /> <BR />Both the motion and the amendments call on the Minister of Justice to ensure that there is funding for the PSNI's child internet protection team.”
“As an example, Amnesty International published the results of a poll earlier this year on how misogyny is shaping the online experience of young people in the UK. It exposed that 73% of Gen Z social media users have witnessed misogynistic content online, with half encountering it weekly. Less than half of those polled felt that social media was a safe space, and 65% said that tech leaders, particularly on the platforms TikTok and X, have an essential role to play in challenging the discourse.”
“We need effective legislation and statutory guidance on advertising, harmful messaging and the role and responsibilities of influencers in the online space that ensure safety by protecting freedoms of speech. There need to be consequences for social media and online platforms that do not do their bit to protect their users, particularly their young users.”
“As the motion and both amendments recognise, tackling online harms requires genuine cross-departmental working by the Departments of Education, Justice, Health and the Executive Office. I will go further and say that, due to the fact that telecommunications legislation is a reserved matter, collaboration across all levels of government is required, particularly engagement with colleagues at Westminster and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. <BR /> <BR />Mobile phones, tablets and laptops allow the harms that are out there to be at our children's fingertips, but that will not be fully ended by banning smartphones in schools. We need legislation and regulation that not only works but keeps up to date with the times.”
“Naturally, the average percentage of children and young people who are exposed to that massive online world will only grow with time. Digital platforms and websites are intertwined with our young people's lives to an extent that we have never seen before. We have a responsibility, as the motion suggests, to ensure that our young people are safe, accessing age-appropriate content and protected from bullying or harmful ideas that make them fundamentally question their worth at an age at which they are discovering who they are to begin with. <BR /> <BR />Integrating online safety into the curriculum, including additional training for teachers and recognition of its impact on the mental health of children and young people, is essential.”
“We are debating an issue that, over the past decade, has had a growing relevance and importance in our schools and communities and for families and policymakers: how to keep young people safe online and protect them from harm in a digital world. Technology has given us so much — connection, community and knowledge — but it also presents us with distinct challenges that reflect and build on some of the most damaging ideologies and behaviours that exist in our societies. Unregulated, it can, unfortunately, be a vehicle for bullying and hurt. <BR /> <BR />A report from Ofcom suggested that, in 2023, 61% of children aged three to 17 in Northern Ireland had their own mobile phones, with 95% using video-sharing platforms and 80% using messaging sites or apps.”
“The disruption and delay cannot continue. The people of North Down deserve answers and better than that for their city.”
“In January 2023, the Marine Gardens scheme was awarded a grant of £9·8 million from the Levelling Up Fund, and the developers assured us that we were on track for works to begin in early 2024. In January 2024, we were told that it would be summer 2024. Promises were given in September that works would begin in October. That was pushed to November and then to January at the beginning of this year. When that deadline was missed, we were told that it would be by the end of April 2025. <BR /> <BR />On the final day of April, I tabled a priority question for written answer, asking the Minister of Communities, whose Department owns the land, when the works will begin. His response was that they were "more complex than anticipated". With all due respect, Minister, that will not give the people of Bangor much hope.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I call for urgent action on the Queen's Parade regeneration project in my constituency of North Down, following yet another delay in the commencement of construction. <BR /> <BR />That £50 million project was agreed six years ago, with agreement that the first phase would be the public realm scheme in Marine Gardens. To date, we have had nothing. However, the site has been derelict for much longer than that — for decades, in fact. It has been derelict for longer than I have been alive. The people of Bangor and our local business community have been let down time and time again, and they have lost hope. <BR /> <BR />I will recap the timeline that we have endured. Planning permission was granted in autumn 2022.”
“I welcome the update on joint working on youth mental health and well-being. Was there any direct engagement with children and young people in the development of the policy and delivery framework to ensure that the approach is led and informed by the user?”
“At age 3, he was able to hit a 40-yard drive, and he practised at home by hitting balls into the family's washing machine — something he demonstrated to us all in his now-famous appearance on local broadcaster Gerry Kelly's show in 1999. <BR /> <BR />Rory's parents, Rosie and Gerry, worked endlessly to ensure that his talent could be nurtured and supported from a young age. They worked to ensure that their child had the best chance of success. Rory's resilience, talent and determination have set a sterling example for everyone across these islands. He is a fantastic ambassador for Northern Ireland, and everyone across our communities is immensely proud of his achievements. <BR /> <BR />I finish with Rory's words to his daughter Poppy following his historic win:”
“I thank my North Down colleague for introducing the Matter of the Day. <BR /> <BR />I rise to recognise the immense sporting achievements of Rory McIlroy, a Holywood man with big dreams and big determination. Two weeks ago, Rory showed not just us but the entire world a masterclass in sportsmanship not just by winning the Masters but by joining the small group of people — now totalling six — who have completed a golfing career Grand Slam. <BR /> <BR />If you are from North Down or interested in golf more widely, you will be familiar with Rory's story. From humble beginnings, his aspirations started at Holywood Golf Club, where he became the youngest ever member and dreamed of becoming a professional golfer.”
“We need clean, accessible transport that works for our communities, environment and economy. There are many competing demands on the Department, and I appreciate the challenge that you have, Minister, in taking them on, especially as you are new to the role. However, there are steps that we can take in the short term: better signage, better visibility and 20 mph zones would make a massive difference to the lives of those whom we serve.”
“Last year, during a long campaign for many of us here for the resurfacing of Castle Park Road, I was contacted by a constituent whose car had experienced damage as a result of the condition of our road network. I directed them to DFI Roads claims unit. The cost of that compensation to the public purse is substantial. Between the financial years 2019-2020 and 2023-24, DFI paid £29·6 million in compensation to those who had vehicles damaged or injury caused by our roads. In one year alone — 2023-24 — the cost was a staggering £8·2 million. That money could have been invested in making our roads better and safer instead of dealing with the consequences when they are not fit for purpose. <BR /> <BR />I close with this: investment in North Down's road network is essential.”
“<BR /> <BR />By investing in our road network, we can build confidence in our communities and keep them safe. I also think that it might have an added benefit of encouraging more on-foot and active travel as a result of the lessened fear of contending with traffic. <BR /> <BR />Of course, I cannot go through the debate without mentioning potholes. The statistics are stark. In 2024-25, Ards and North Down experienced a massive uptick in the number of potholes reported — 7,003. That is a 22% increase on the year before. A survey by CompareNI.com found that 85% of people in Northern Ireland think that the pothole situation is getting worse, not better. <BR /> <BR />That brings me to my last point, which is the cost of inaction.”
“<BR /> <BR />Increased traffic calming measures across our road network would be extremely beneficial to safety in our communities. I am often contacted by constituents who raise with me the need for road safety measures, such as 20 mph zones outside local schools, because they fear for the lives of their children, who cross those roads every single day. <BR /> <BR />Minister, I put to you only last week the need to expand the 20 mph zones, particularly intervening in cases where children have been involved in traffic collisions. Whether it is Millisle, Donaghadee, Bangor or Holywood, concerns run right through our community. I welcome your willingness to consider it, but I will use this opportunity to urge you again to do it quickly, before any more young people, school staff or their families are hurt.”
“As pointed out in the debate, North Down is suffering as a consequence of that not being the case. We need transformation for the safety of our communities and those who drive and use our roads. <BR /> <BR />One of the best-known examples and, potentially, the road most frequently used by the public is, of course, the A2 from Bangor to Belfast. That stretch of road can be incredibly dangerous. There has been a pattern of accidents across many years, and, devastatingly, some have been fatal. In the spring of last year, the Department confirmed that a review of the road's safety would be undertaken. I understand that that is still to happen. It is imperative that safety measures be put in place and the review be taken forward.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Alliance Party believes that we need radical improvement to the transport infrastructure to prepare Northern Ireland and our constituency of North Down for the future — a future that ensures the safety of pedestrians and drivers on our roads, a future of interconnection for the benefit of our citizens, culture and economy, and a future that allows us to meet our domestic targets to tackle the climate crisis. <BR /> <BR />The cost of investing in North Down's road network is not just financial; as I said, it is about people's lives. We cannot brush the challenge under the rug and ignore it. <BR /> <BR />The state of our roads provides clear, physical evidence for why the Department for Infrastructure and every other Department should have multi-year budgets that allow for long-term planning.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank my constituency colleague Peter Martin for securing this debate on the lack of investment in the road network in North Down. He highlighted well the statistics that show that North Down gets less investment in its road network when compared with other council areas. I really hope that the Minister will speak to that in her contribution. <BR /> <BR />We all get this issue coming through our constituency offices every week, and it is something that I recognise as a driver on roads in North Down. Before I go on, I offer my condolences to anyone who has been caused harm or lost a loved one as a result of an accident on our roads. Real people and lives have been lost and impacted on due to a lack of investment and action, and we must keep that in mind as we progress through the debate.”
“When those girls were asked about what they wanted the future to look like, they talked about the regulation of social media companies, protecting nature, curriculum change, more money, better houses and jobs and communities of welcome and acceptance. They talked about a future where equality and equity play a key role in any society. <BR /> <BR />I thank Girlguiding Ulster for inviting me to the report's launch and for undertaking that vital work. We must not lose momentum on tackling violence against women and girls and gender inequality. We must do better for those girls and for girls all around the world who find themselves at risk just because of their gender.”
“Some 69% of girls aged seven to 10 feel as though they are expected to behave differently because they are a girl. More than one in five girls aged seven to 10 has seen rude images online, a figure that has doubled since 2021. Half of the girls surveyed feel anxious about their future, with 57% of 11-to 21-year-olds worried about not having a secure income or being able to afford a home. That data reflects the sad reality of what I hear from my young constituents in North Down and across Northern Ireland, and it is why the work of the ending violence against women and girls strategic framework is so vital. Everyone across our society has a role to play in eradicating misogyny and changing the prevalent culture of sexism that exists to this day. <BR /> <BR />It is not all so bleak.”
“It was reported that three in four girls aged 11 to 16 see or experience sexism. That increases to 95% for young women aged 17 to 21.”
“Girlguiding plays a vital role in the lives of young girls across the UK, giving them a voice and community to ensure that they grow into women who know that they matter. I recently visited Lorne estate, the hub of Girlguiding in Northern Ireland, where I learned more about the brilliant work that it undertakes. There are thousands of groups UK-wide that are run by volunteers, who come every week to inspire and nurture the next generation. <BR /> <BR />I am sure that every woman in the Chamber knows the feeling of being treated differently — being looked at differently, seen differently, and talked to as though they are less than — just because they are a woman. What the report on girls' attitudes encapsulates, however, is how young that feeling can begin. It is startling but, unfortunately, not shocking.”