Nuala McAllister
North Belfast · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“I have submitted quite a number of questions for written answer on autism services, and the answers, sometimes on the same day from the Department, contradict themselves. The Minister often refers to the emotional health and well-being framework as the idea that will frame all of the uniform services.”
“Absolutely. Everyone is taking my speech; I was going to say that. Of course, it is complex and subjective to the individual person. If we are truly talking about keeping an individual safe and other prisoners safe, we would not do what the amendment proposes; we would carry on in the way that the system already operates, using a risk-bas…”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Assembly Commission is progressing a programme of remedial works to address defects identified in the roof of Parliament Buildings and to protect the long-term integrity of this grade A listed building. The works have been structured in two phases.”
“More often than not, we have conversations in the Chamber or in public about trans women, but that would place a trans man who has been convicted of a violent crime against a woman in a prison with women. It does not make sense, and it is not coming from the perspective of safety; it is coming from ideology.”
“In providing catering services throughout Parliament Buildings, the Assembly Commission strives to meet the differing demands of the special dietary needs of our wide customer base.”
“I support amendment No 96 and oppose amendment No 97. I do not plan to speak to amendment No 96, as there were a number of interventions last night, and I will leave many of the remarks to my party colleague the Minister of Justice. <BR /> <BR />We oppose Timothy Gaston's amendment.”
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“As we move closer to the new financial year, there is growing concern among GP practices and dental practices about the hike in National Insurance contributions. Every one of us in the Chamber has heard from constituents about access to and availability of GP services in our areas. That frustration for many of our constituents is shared by GPs. Their services are under more pressure now than they ever have been. They and their staff not only share that frustration but see it every day. They are worried about outreach and reaching out to patients who desperately need primary care every day. <BR /> <BR />I visited my local GP practice to see first-hand the pressure that happens every morning. I arrived just before 8.00 am, when the phone lines open.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is really important to focus on the situation and to give the funding model for dentistry the proper focus. I do not doubt for a second that the Minister's hands are tied by the available budget, but, where we can, we should do everything in our power to ensure that there is equity in those services across Northern Ireland. It is easier for those who live in the city and have access to public transport to travel that little bit further than for those who live rurally. <BR /> <BR />I thank the proposer for securing the Adjournment debate. I had not intended to speak, but it is important that someone who sits on the Health Committee and represents a city constituency speaks up and recognises that there are individualised issues for rural constituencies.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important that we speak with one voice when we talk about securing reform of dental services. On the Health Committee — I know that we have other Health Committee members here — we consistently look at that area, and we often speak to the British Dental Association. It knows that dentistry is at crisis point. When we visited Daisy Hill Hospital a few weeks ago, we heard about a pilot of dental services there that is providing a lot of the treatment being given to children across Northern Ireland. When we see its impact, perhaps it could be rolled out. The children whom we are talking about need dental services in hospital because they have waited so long for treatment or they have been so badly affected where they are based. That hospital reaches out into rural constituencies.”
“We see that in all constituencies in Northern Ireland now, unfortunately, because people simply do not have a choice; they do not have access to dental care. <BR /> <BR />There has been a bit of an uplift in access for children throughout our constituencies. When people contact my office, there is now somewhere we can refer them, but we cannot refer adults anywhere. I can only imagine what it is like in the more rural constituencies. It is easier for me, as I can walk down the Antrim Road in North Belfast and pass numerous dentists on my way. I cannot imagine what it is like in a rural constituency where you have to drive from village to village and to different towns because there is a general lack of services, never mind dentistry.”
“When we look at the convenience foods, quick snacks and things that we can buy on the cheap, we see that they, more often than not, have added sugar and other additives. That results in more need for access to dental care. <BR /> <BR />There is also an issue with the services provided by schools and Education. When I first spoke in the Chamber about access to dental treatment, it was as Health spokesperson for the Alliance Party, after a dentist had reached out to me to highlight the fact that children can and should be brought to a dentist by the time they reach their first birthday — most parents would not recognise that — yet, a lot of children have not been to a dentist by the time that they get to primary school.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I do not intend to take all five minutes, but I thought that it was important, even though I am not an MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, to speak to the issues. As the Member who secured the debate stated, the issue affects all of us across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />An issue that I would particularly like to highlight today is people in areas of multiple deprivation not being able to access dental services. I am sure that the constituency MLAs will recognise what I see in my constituency of North Belfast, which is that people in areas of multiple deprivation have greater need of dental treatment. Not only are they unable to pay for private treatment but their need to see a dentist results from societal issues, because of living in poverty.”
“Many community hubs across Northern Ireland seek to do that by bringing healthcare providers together to assess the needs and by bringing that together with the initiatives that the Department for Communities creates in order to target and intervene at the earlier stages. However, the investment is simply not enough, because I do not believe that it is taken as a strategic approach. <BR /> <BR />As I said, I am glad that the Member proposed the motion today. As someone who was a carer for my late grandfather, I saw just how vital it is to ensure that every older person can play their part in everyday life. Whether it is through Health, Economy or social activities, we all have a role to play in ensuring that we take that approach.”
“The CLARE project is another great initiative in north Belfast that reaches out to older people. During the pandemic, it was overwhelmed, like many others, because loneliness was exacerbated. We have local befriending services that, unfortunately, do not get the volunteers that they need. We also have a number of schools that are interacting with older people, particularly in care homes, which is a great initiative. <BR /> <BR />It is not just about Health; it is about a whole-society and Executive approach to ensure that every older person can play their best part in life.”
“Good Morning North Belfast is an organisation that makes calls across the community every morning, mostly to those who live alone, to make sure that everybody is OK and see whether they need anything for the day. That is important, because they can highlight and intervene when a person needs extra help.”
“<BR /> <BR />I hope that the junior Minister can take from the debate that it is about cross-departmental working. It is not just about the health service but touches on every aspect of life. Yes, health is important, but older people have much to give to society, particularly when it comes to the economy. The proposer of the motion touched on childcare: how many older people look after our children to enable their kids and grandkids to get back into the workforce? <BR /> <BR />We have an increasing number of people who are lonely. Loneliness is a disease, and it is harming and killing our older generation. Many projects across north Belfast take that issue on to tackle it at its heart, and I pay tribute to them.”
“We need to ensure that the Department of Health in particular spends its budget to ensure that spending now saves for future years and includes investing in strategies that promote a healthy lifestyle and well-being initiatives for a healthy ageing population. <BR /> <BR />Many stakeholders get in touch with MLAs regarding motions brought to the House, and this was one of the ones with the most feedback. Age NI, for example, was in touch over the past few weeks to ensure that all MLAs were on board with the issue. It is important that we listen to the experts who engage with people on the ground every day. Age NI highlighted the current inability of the health and social care system to meet the demands placed on it, and it is likely to worsen without strategic action to support healthy ageing.”
“We are seeing the reform of adult social care coming down the line, but we have been promised that for years; in fact, I believe that it was in 2012, maybe 2013, when the first changes were talked about. It was consulted on in 2014-15 and again a number of years later, and we still have not seen the effect of a lot of that change. The Alliance Party tabled a motion on social care reform in October, and we heard the Department of Health say then that reform was ongoing through work streams, but that just means more bureaucratic schemes and forms to hear the issues rather than come up with solutions. That is simply not acceptable, especially when many stakeholders have solutions, when the population is not getting any younger and when the need is so great.”
“I also thank the Member for moving the motion. Sitting on the all-party group (APG), I know that she is really engaged and is leading on the issue. As a member of the APG, I cannot always attend because it conflicts with other diary commitments and other APGs, so we go where we can. However, it is one of the APGs that has the most attendance by outside stakeholders and people who are bringing forward solutions to problems in the community that are faced by older people, so it is a worthwhile APG where we can hear what the problems are and have solutions for them. <BR /> <BR />I will focus on the health and social care system. We do not have a health and social care system that meets the needs of our older population.”
“I thank the Minister for the statement today. It is disappointing that the Glider is not currently being extended into Glengormley, but I use the word "currently" because we want to see that in the future. The Minister mentioned the park-and-ride on O'Neill Road, which is where some residents want it to be. However, is that park-and-ride for those using BRT, or will it link to the Abbey Centre or the city centre? We have no information about it. Can the Minister shed some light on that? Where exactly in north Belfast will the Glider stop when phase 1 is initiated?”
“It has now gone beyond residential respite; it is about permanent places for many families. They are in desperate need of help, and we can no longer turn them away.”
“I asked the Health Minister at Committee two weeks ago whether he could outline how many beds would be allocated to those families, but he was unaware of the figure, as it was yet to be finalised. He was also unaware of the issues surrounding Redwood, one of the residential places that was due to open, but, given that I had tabled a question for written answer and received an answer to it several months before that Health Committee meeting, the Department was well aware that there were issues that could be resolved. That is simply not good enough. <BR /> <BR />We cannot have families relying on the justice system and the police to respond to their desperate cries for help. We need to ensure that there is a healthcare response so that families do not reach crisis point.”
“I got a response, and I believed at the time that he and his Department would take the issue seriously. Since then, the Health Committee has taken seriously the Ray Jones review and has had updates on where we are, particularly with residential provision. <BR /> <BR />We then saw the 'Spotlight' programme about four mums who were dealing with the difficult and complex needs of their children but were not being provided with the residential places that they deserve. The issue is yet to be fixed, and we are yet to see stepping stones towards solutions. Despite £13 million being secured for respite provision, we are not getting information on how many extra beds or how many extra members of staff we will see.”
“Last week, we saw in public the story of Sophie Rodgers. Her mother bravely spoke out publicly for the first time because her daughter — an 18-year-old with complex needs — was being held in Hydebank due to a lack of residential places. Sophie has never been convicted of a crime but has been arrested three times and jailed — first in Woodlands and then in Hydebank. We should never have a justice response to a healthcare issue. <BR /> <BR />That is not an isolated incident. Families are at breaking point and in crisis because they need the help that they are simply not getting, and it is help that they are entitled to. That is why, last March, I raised with the then Health Minister, Robin Swann, when he first appeared at the Health Committee, the lack of respite places for families.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer and welcome the publication of the terms of reference last week. It is a very positive opportunity to learn from missed opportunities in the past. On the partners to be involved, can the Minister confirm whether there is scope to include trusts other than the Western Trust? We now know that Katie Simpson, unfortunately, attended hospital in the Southern Trust area, on many occasions with Jonathan Creswell. It turned out that she was a victim of his abuse at the time, and he was the reason why she attended hospital.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. I note what she said about local councils working with the Department and about 65% of investment outside of Belfast. How will the Minister ensure that regional rebalancing serves the people of North Belfast, whom I represent, and West Belfast, for whom economic opportunity is so vital, given that those areas suffer the worst economic and health outcomes in Northern Ireland?”
“The Department for the Economy and Belfast City Council need to work in conjunction with those in the hospitality sector —”
“The work that the PSNI and Hospitality Ulster have done on that is massive, and they should be supported. <BR /> <BR />As the Member who spoke previously said, we need to think about city centre living. We also need to think about the student population, but we need to do that in conjunction with the communities who live close to the city centre. We need an economy that serves everybody — the entire community — and we need to ensure that it is not just about the weekends but about the entire week. <BR /> <BR />There are solutions. As an Assembly, we need to work with Belfast City Council to ensure that we have a joined-up approach. There is no point in tackling issues in silos, whether that is tackling antisocial behaviour or other issues.”
“If people want to go out in Belfast but live further afield than the greater Belfast area or even just the Belfast area, where, at times, it is so difficult to get a taxi, they need to leave at 11.00 pm to get a train: most people do not want to do that. If we are serious about having a thriving night-time economy, we need to be serious about the offer that we have. <BR /> <BR />We need to ensure that our city centre and wider Belfast is safe. I give a shout-out to Reclaim the Agenda for the Reclaim the Night marches that it organises, which really promote women's safety during evenings and nights out. It is important that everyone can and does feel safe. Other campaigns, such as Ask for Angela, run in Belfast around our pubs during the night.”
“In that area, I think of the MAC, of St Anne's Cathedral with the orchestra and the candlelight festivals and of the LGBT scene. <BR /> <BR />The wider community, however, is not seen as part of the Belfast night-time economy because of the connectivity issue. I have had many meetings and engagements with the community in Sailortown, which wants to be more connected to North Belfast and to the city centre but is cut off, particularly by the York Street interchange. Such communities are vital if we are to grow the night-time economy, so we need to bridge the connectivity issue. We cannot forget about that. <BR /> <BR />The Member who secured the debate spoke about public transport. It beggars belief that it took so long for us have night-time buses. I do not understand why that was the case.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Belfast city centre night-time economy needs not just to include a transient community such as students — Ulster University is absolutely fantastic for North Belfast, bringing such vibrancy to the area — but to cater for all types. The night-time economy is for those who live in the city centre, for students and for families. When we think of the Cathedral Quarter, we think of the vibrancy of the arts and culture scene in the area. My colleague Sian would not be happy if I did not mention the Oh Yeah music centre. My family and I were there last month for an arcade games night. That was a fantastic opportunity, and we opted to stay in town for dinner, because there is something that caters for everyone.”
“I thank the Member for securing the Adjournment debate. I will focus on the parts of the city centre that are in North Belfast, and my colleague will speak about the wider night-time economy issues. <BR /> <BR />When I think of North Belfast and the night-time economy, I think immediately, as, I am sure, do many others, of the Cathedral Quarter. When I think of the Cathedral Quarter, I think of the times that I had there. I am not as young as the Member who secured the debate, although I am not that much older. He sometimes likes to think that he is still a student and can party like that, but I mostly do not go out past 9:00 pm these days.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. The resolution conferred the function of allowances to the Assembly Commission. That enabled Members to take maternity leave, which is something that the independent body had not provided for. I am proud that the Assembly Commission moved on that to support those in the Building with young families.”
“<BR /> <BR />Members will note that the debate on the motion has been scheduled to coincide with the introduction of the Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill. That Bill is the formal mechanism under which the power to determine allowances is separated from the power to determine salaries and pensions, although, in practical terms, that occurred in 2020. The Bill ensures that the salaries and pensions of Members will continue to be determined by an independent body. Today's motion, together with that passed by the Assembly in June 2020 and the introduction of the Bill, will provide coherent arrangements for the salaries, pensions and allowances payable to Members and former Members. I commend the motion to the House.”
“However, going forward, today's motion will provide the authority for the Commission to determine allowances to former Members, most notably winding-up and resettlement allowances. Therefore, the motion will provide consistency for the Assembly Commission to make determinations for the full range of allowances payable to Members and former Members. <BR /> <BR />The motion in itself introduces no changes to allowances to Members or former Members; that will require the Assembly Commission to subsequently publish a determination. Therefore, the motion has no financial implications. The House will also be aware that allowances paid to former Members do not form a significant proportion of the Assembly Commission's overall expenditure, and that is unlikely to change.”
“That resolution was passed in accordance with section 47 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which provides for payments to be made to current Members of the Assembly, including payments of allowances. <BR /> <BR />Subsequently, the Assembly Commission made the 2020 determination, which amended certain allowances provisions in the 2016 determination, notably those relating to Members' employees. However, the resolution made by the Assembly in June 2020 did not confer functions on the Assembly Commission in relation to section 48 of the 1998 Act, which provides for payments to be made to former Members. That was not problematic at the time, as the 2020 determination was not concerned with issues related to former Members.”
“After the panel left office in 2016, the Assembly Commission decided that it was appropriate to review the existing arrangements and legislation. Political developments after 2016 meant that the Assembly Commission did not believe that it was appropriate to treat the matter as a priority when the Assembly was not sitting. <BR /> <BR />On 18 March 2020, the Assembly Commission decided that, while it would introduce legislation to appoint a new independent body to continue to determine Members' salaries and pensions, it would resume the function of determining the allowances paid to Members. Consequently, on 30 June 2024, the Assembly passed a resolution to confer power on the Assembly Commission to make determinations on Members' allowances.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I move the motion on behalf of the Assembly Commission to make a technical addition to the Assembly Commission's functions, which is consistent with decisions previously made by the Assembly. I will briefly set out some background for the benefit of Members. <BR /> <BR />Members may recall that the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 established the independent financial review panel (IFRP) with powers to make determinations in relation to Members' salaries, allowances and pensions. The panel last exercised that power to make the Assembly Members (Salaries and Expenses) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2016.”
“The murder of Katie Simpson was an absolutely horrific event. The failings that occurred before Katie's death and in the investigation afterwards are a blight on our society. It is important that none of that is repeated. As the previous Member referenced, not just the PSNI but many bodies are involved. Does the Minister agree that it is essential that there is compliance from all the agencies involved?”
“Given that the consultation showed that there is no consensus around the redress scheme, and given that it must proceed and that time is of the essence for victims and survivors, will the Minister outline when the redress scheme will proceed?”
“Minister, your Department told the Audit Office in November, I believe, that it could afford only urgent repairs and statutory requirements. My question relates to Lisneal College's football pitch. Why is a football pitch that needs to be made to Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) standards an urgent repair or statutory requirement? That is a genuine question.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I welcome the removal of points and the review of primary social needs criteria as part of the overall review. My question is about the review of the emergency grant. In North Belfast, housing is a major stressor, and I am sure that Members' constituency staff will be pleased to hear the statement and will look forward to working with the Housing Executive in the transition period. Minister, how will you ensure that, in the review of the emergency grant, equity will be considered so that those who are most immediately affected are supported?”
“I am perhaps not encouraged by not knowing that we will not come under the same pressures or face the same issues as the Belfast Trust. Perhaps the Minister could commit today to keep on top of that as we move forward over the next five years; hopefully, it will not be longer than five years.”
“That is why, when it comes to true transformation, we need to do it on the basis of looking at the whole approach: what impact will closing one area have on another area? I would like to hear from the Minister about the opening of the minor injuries unit. Has there been a review of that? What has been the benefit? What analysis has been done to make it better? I also want to encourage a holistic approach to transformation. We need to ensure that people outside Belfast, particularly in rural areas or areas that are harder to reach, are not left behind. It is really important to ensure that all our hospitals are on a community transport network. <BR /> <BR />I am encouraged by hearing from Members today about the new business case that is being put forward by the Western Trust.”
“When we debated the motion on ambulance waiting times last week, I reached out and spoke to colleagues in emergency medicine and the Ambulance Service. I understand that they presented short-term measures that could be implemented because of the winter pressures and then stepped down. Maybe the Minister could relate to us any such measures that could be taken to make physical changes at Altnagelvin. <BR /> <BR />I will move from short-term measures to transformation. My party advocates transformation, and I have no shame in saying that. Across Northern Ireland, we have seen the consequences of doing it piecemeal. Piecemeal transformation or transformation by service collapse results in pressures elsewhere: it is about just shifting it from one place to another.”
“One issue that she raised about the time that she was waiting with her mother was that older people — they are more susceptible to confusion, may not know where they are if they are sick with infection and may need help with their basic needs — may not be able to be assisted in the physical structures at Altnagelvin due to its washing and toilet facilities. In Committee, the Minister confirmed that. He said that, when he visited the department, he came across a patient who had been there for days and did not have access to those facilities. We hear it not just from constituents but from the Department and the Minister. <BR /> <BR />I recognise that there is a commitment for a new build. However, short-term measures are needed.”
“That provides hope that we can do better and have better facilities. However, we also need to learn from what is going on at the new maternity hospital that is being built in Belfast and ensure that, when the Western Trust completes the development of Altnagelvin, all those stumbling blocks are not there in the first place. There are lessons to be learned from that. <BR /> <BR />Like many Members who sit on Committees, we in our party are contacted by constituents from across Northern Ireland. Some of the contact that I have had about Altnagelvin in particular has been about some of the issues that have been raised. I recall a mother who contacted me. She had left her young child in order to bring her mother to A&E. Her mother was elderly and frail but perhaps not as frail as those who were waiting in ambulances.”
“I thank the Member who proposed the topic for the Adjournment debate. I appreciate that, usually, Adjournment debates are very much constituency-based, but, as health spokesperson for the party, I will say that, regardless of the constituency that you are based in, it is important that you advocate, raise awareness and highlight issues across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />It is my understanding — the Minister will correct me, if I am wrong — that Altnagelvin's A&E department has the oldest physical structures of any such department in Northern Ireland. On my last visit to Altnagelvin A&E, which was in a personal capacity, I was reminded of the structures that previously existed in the Royal Victoria Hospital. The state-of-the-art facility that is there now stands in stark contrast to what we have at Altnagelvin.”
“I appreciate that your Department did not get all the budget that you require. While I respect that the requirement could be between £7 and £9 more per head, it equates to £144 more per head right now, as I highlighted in Committee. Clearly, something is going wrong. We need to look at the way in which we spend our money, so that we can tackle the root of the issue, instead of spending more money at the top and not getting to the problems at the bottom. The reality is that more money is spent here than in England and Scotland, but why is that happening? Why are we inefficient?”
“— taking place in my constituency. We are happy to support the motion.”
“It is very important that we tackle those issues. <BR /> <BR />I am glad to speak on the motion today to highlight the good work that is —”
“I do agree. It is worth highlighting the fact — you mentioned the education sector — that there are young people taking the lead in their schools. Teachers and staff could learn a lot from them. There is a lot of pressure in education: a lot of pressure to do well, even from the young age of 11, in the transfer test, GCSEs and A levels, not to mention social media. However, young people often have the answers too, so the Department could engage with youth sector organisations on how best to reach out to them. It is about all of us in society — young people and older people. <BR /> <BR />With regard to postnatal issues, I know that when I did my prenatal care, postnatal mental health issues were not really touched on. That is one area that has improved, I am learning from friends, but there could be more improvement there too.”
“It is about taking what works best, not reinventing the wheel, and putting that into the areas of Northern Ireland where it is most needed. We know that more areas need that work. <BR /> <BR />Staying on the issue of young people's mental health, I know that the Elephant in the Room campaign has been excellent. It is a class campaign. It was designed by young people for young people.”
“When I visited it for the first time after becoming an MLA, the team spoke about the work that they do particularly with young boys. We know that it is hard to get young boys to open up, speak about their problems and accept help where it might be needed, but they do fantastic work. They speak to young male teenagers about the need to talk about whether they are OK and how, if they are not, to get help. That peer-on-peer support is very valuable. I look forward to going back to hear more about their evaluation of their work with local schools over a number of years. That is just one example of how the community and voluntary sector — I know that the previous contributor highlighted this — is already doing what needs to be done.”
“<BR /> <BR />I turn to suicide rates in North Belfast. In my constituency office, we hear every day about different issues that affect people. Suicide is the issue that goes most to our core, and, unfortunately, it happens too often in North Belfast. Between 2015 and 2019, the rate of suicide per 100,000 population was 25·6, compared with the overall rate for Northern Ireland, which was 9·6. We need to ensure that we tackle that by talking about the problem that exists in the first place. As I said, there are organisations in my constituency that are doing really well. I think of PIPS and Lighthouse. I have spoken about them quite a few times in the Chamber. I want to touch a little bit on Lighthouse because of the work that it does, particularly in local schools.”
“We do not need to talk about spending millions, but we can target it where it is needed. <BR /> <BR />Many issues cause poverty, and we need to get to the root of those as well. First, though, we must acknowledge that mental health issues cause poverty, exacerbate it and make it worse. I think of my area in North Belfast. Poverty is one of the key drivers of mental health issues, as are legacy issues from the Troubles. When they combine, they create a problem, and we are really not getting to the bottom of it. Five out of the 10 most deprived areas in Northern Ireland are in North Belfast. It is the third most deprived constituency overall, based on income, health and disability. We can think about health inequalities that are exacerbated every day that we do not tackle them. They will get worse unless we do something about it.”