Michelle Guy
Lagan Valley · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“It can be seen from those quotes that the issue impacts on girls in a real and practical way. If they feel too uncomfortable to be in school, it is impacting on their access to education. If they hold back in PE or while playing at break or lunch, what does that say to them about how we value exercise and sport?”
“Essentially, he was saying that we had to draw the line somewhere, and the automatic right of girls to be allowed to wear trousers is where that line has been drawn. <BR /> <BR />Some will play down the issue and say that it is relevant in only a small number of schools.”
“When I explain what the legislation would do, the reaction from people is almost always the same. They ask, "Are you seriously saying that, in 2026, girls can't wear trousers in school?". The answer is that they do not have that right.”
“The Assembly should support the Bill. I again ask the Minister to save us time by simply updating the statutory uniform guidelines. I find the DUP position of enabling the Bill to progress to Committee Stage while its Minister is against it to be quite bizarre.”
“<BR /> <BR />I question why that basic request from girls and young women is being denied or is deemed to be unimportant. Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that some people — mainly men — still want to control what women wear.”
“I take the Member's point. Ultimately, however, the person who could make the change is the Minister, and he has decided not to. Saying that schools have a choice or that they have autonomy does not absolve the Minister from his ultimately having responsibility to be able to make that change.”
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“I support the Bill's passing Second Stage. I will welcome getting to look at it in more detail in the Education Committee, but I will say a number of things about it up front. I wish that the Bill was not needed. Child poverty is absolutely intolerable. I wish that the original scheme had not been withdrawn by a permanent secretary without political oversight or accountability during an Assembly collapse. I also wish that the Department for Communities had listened to calls for a long-term life cycle approach to tackling poverty, and child poverty in particular, but there is no action plan, no targets and no real strategy for children living in poverty. The Bill, therefore, is not only the best option that we have to deliver something for those children right now but the only new pathway available.”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for the response. Based on what she said, was it appropriate for the Health Minister to refer the issue to the delivery unit, or can that be viewed as an attempt to simply pass the buck on action to deliver post-19 provision to the Executive Office, in effect, delaying action on post-19 provision in this mandate rather than accelerating it?”
“That must be the core takeaway here. Again and again in the Education Committee, we have seen that those two Departments do not collaborate effectively, and that cannot go on. Those families are not extras or others, but integral to our community. We have to stop failing them. There should be no more passing the buck or pointing the finger. The challenge that we all have to meet now is about how we step up and deliver. It is an indictment on all of us that, to date, we have not done that.”
“It is worth noting that that particular contribution was met with applause from the Public Gallery. The Education Minister outlined months of engagement between Health and the EA, but that does not explain the U-turn within a 24-hour period, nor does it absolve them of the pain that was caused. <BR /> <BR />The DUP Members raised the issue of the Education budget, but they failed to acknowledge that the Minister of Education waited until well into the financial year before thinking about balancing his budget. He is also supportive of, and is presiding over, a segregated education system that is costing hundreds of millions of pounds a year. <BR /> <BR />To conclude, I want to sum up by finding some hope for the families concerned. What this debacle has shown is that when we come together and when there is focus, we can deliver.”
“Thank you, Minister. I genuinely welcome your apology, because the families who are here today deserve that. <BR /> <BR />Attempts to displace and deflect accountability, however, have been disappointing. The two Ministers are absolutely responsible for the situation, and redirecting to the EA or its board is unhelpful and inaccurate. I agree with Mr Gaston that Ministers are happy to come to the Chamber when they want credit, so the cynical timing of that announcement, as we went into recess, has not gone unnoticed by anyone. As he said, political calculations were made. <BR /> <BR />The respite issue and the failure of the trusts to deliver for families more generally has been highlighted. Parents are in crisis, and some are going as far as to relinquish their children to the state.”
“Many went to the heart of the issue, which is the failure to address nursing provision in special schools. That is an issue that both Ministers have failed to grasp and one that has been raised many times at the Education Committee. My question to the SDLP and others is, "How did you miss it?". <BR /> <BR />The failure by the Departments of Health and Education to work together and the failing of our children with additional needs have been raised many times; Pat Sheehan made that point. My colleague Nick Mathison was the first to point to the Children’s Services Co-operation Act. We need to see Departments using that legislation and working together meaningfully. <BR /> <BR />Parents will also want me to reflect their disappointment at the Health Minister's not contributing to the debate. Attempts to displace —.”
“By failing to grasp the issue earlier and to work together to prevent the fallout that we are experiencing, they have made that challenge even harder. <BR /> <BR />It is incumbent on me, as the Member winding up on the motion, to summarise the debate. It has been good in some parts and disappointing in others. Many Members noted how essential summer schemes are. The key phrase, "These schemes are a lifeline not a luxury" reflected the words of the motion. The distress of families and what the decision represented were rightly highlighted. Members, including Cheryl Brownlee, highlighted families’ ongoing struggle not just over the summer but year round. <BR /> <BR />Largely due to the U-turn, many Members broadened the issue in various directions.”
“The decision to remove the service from families who are already desperate may have eroded what little trust remained between SEN families and the Health and Education Ministries. Neither the scale of the harm that that decision would cause to those directly affected nor the chill factor for other families watching it was understood: that is damning. <BR /> <BR />Both Ministers are embarking on reforms that require the support of the families. Authentic leaders deliver change by bringing people together and face up to the tough calls. More authoritarian or simply ineffective leaders are associated with imposing change and being egotistical and hypersensitive to challenge. The former builds trust; the latter shatters it. This episode, therefore, makes me worry about the difficult reforms that the Ministers are trying to deliver.”
“If we are to extract anything constructive from how it has played out, it is this: by standing here now, when people are finally listening to and empathising with the experiences of the families, we can expose and lay bare the fact that, once the Assembly adjourns today, the daily struggle of families with children and young people with complex needs will continue. That also allows us to point out the terrifying reality faced by post-19 families. Summer schemes for post-19 young people do not get cancelled, because there is nothing to cancel. There is nothing, full stop, for so many of the families. <BR /> <BR />I asked Alma from Caleb's cause to sum up the mood of families after the U-turn. She replied with one word in capital letters: DESPERATION.”
“We heard them, and we responded, using the tool of a recall motion to apply political pressure. It appears to have succeeded, but I say that with a hint of caution, because the debate has rightly thrown up the question of how we got from schemes being unsafe one day to their being safe the next. It is right that points such as that and that provision of nursing care alone is not the only measure of safety required have been raised today. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the decision to reinstate the schemes with relief rather than celebration. The U-turn came only after the cynical timing of the original announcement was called out, but, by then, the unnecessary distress that it caused had already been inflicted on families.”
“Being the Minister who has been forced here to respond to the debate and face accountability for the collective failures of his Department is not hard. His doing so is the very least that the families deserve, and that is what they have been conditioned to accept: the very least. <BR /> <BR />Summer scheme provision is not a luxury, and it is not guaranteed for every family of a child with complex needs. However, that community of families, who look out for one another, advocate for one another and hold one another up, stood up for one another when the announcement came. More than that, on this occasion, the people of Northern Ireland stood with them and said, "Absolutely not". The people of Northern Ireland said, "We will not accept this failure".”
“Some parents were in sheer panic; others were simply broken, so exhausted by the daily fight for services and support that they could not even muster anger. Anger takes energy, and many have so little left.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. When I realised that I would be speaking on the motion, I worried about it. I lay awake and worried about it, because I knew then, as I know now with the words in front of me, that I cannot do justice with words to those families' experiences. None of us can, but I will join others across the Chamber in attempting to do so. <BR /> <BR />What snapped me out of my worry about making this speech was the realisation that it is just not that hard to stand here and deliver a speech. What is hard is being a parent of a child with complex needs who depends on a week or two weeks of a summer scheme for essential respite, only to hear, without consultation or warning, that it is being taken away. That uncertain 24 hours before the U-turn was announced was hard.”
“I thank the Minister for her really welcome statement. My constituency office in Moira often gets complaints from residents about access to their homes competing with access to businesses. Equally, we get the same concerns raised by parents who are doing school drop-offs and pickups. How will the scheme balance those competing priorities? What is the lead-in time for new schemes to come online?”
“As a member of the Education Committee, I particularly welcome the support provided by the Department of Education and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in making resources available to teachers through the relationships and sexuality education (RSE) hub. High-quality RSE plays a vital role in helping young people understand consent, respect and healthy relationships. It equips them to challenge harmful narratives, recognise abusive behaviour and support one another. Resources like that give teachers the tools to have informed age-appropriate conversations and to build a culture where victims are believed, harmful attitudes are challenged early and the responsibility is placed where it belongs —”
“"If you did not report it immediately, it did not happen": myth. Taking time to report an assault does not mean that it did not happen; it reflects the reality of a deeply personal trauma. "If there are no physical injuries, it must have been consensual": myth. Rape is defined by the absence of consent, not the presence of violence; violence is not required for it to be a crime. <BR /> <BR />I hope that Members will support the campaign as it rolls out on social media, but challenging the myths cannot happen through social media alone. Education is central to changing attitudes and preventing harm in the first place.”
“Yesterday, the Justice Minister launched an incredibly important campaign to challenge common myths about rape. Experiencing sexual assault is traumatic. It is life-changing, and it is not for those of us who have not experienced that trauma to presume to tell victims how they should respond to it. <BR /> <BR />Rape myths are deeply damaging. They create shame and self-blame for victims; they discourage reporting; and, far too often, they shift the focus away from the perpetrator and onto the person who has been harmed. As Gisèle Pelicot said so powerfully, "Shame must change sides". If we are serious about achieving that, we must challenge such myths clearly, confidently and with care. For example, "If both people were drinking, it is not really rape": that is a myth. Someone who is intoxicated cannot give informed consent.”
“really grates and makes a mockery of the absolute crisis in our education system. <BR /> <BR />I will close as I opened: this must only be about ensuring that our children get the support that they deserve.”
“<BR /> <BR />Many schools want to have flexible budgets in order to be able to bring in speech and language therapists or counsellors; train up a small number of classroom assistants; or even deploy an additional specialist teacher. However, the proposed reforms give no clarity on whether that workforce is available, or whether schools will hire specialist people from the EA or be responsible for that themselves. Until there is complete clarity and openness on the plans, families have every right to worry. <BR /> <BR />I could have accepted the DUP amendment, as I agree with much of it, but to state:”
“They do a complex, challenging and crucial job for little money and with little job security. If you want to change that model of support, asking people just to trust us is not enough. Instead, show us the detailed plans of what the changes will mean. Give us the timelines and the budget attached. Treat the families and professionals impacted on with the respect that they deserve. <BR /> <BR />I am absolutely willing to accept that reforms are required. I do not have any issue with accepting that, because school leaders, SENCOs and other experts have made it clear to me. The SENCOs who I have spoken to tell me that the change could work if implemented well. That is the crux of the issue: it is a big "if" right now.”
“It is also one of the key reasons why families are deeply worried. The other reason why they worry is that the first time that many of them heard about the proposed changes was in the Minister's five-year budget strategy document, which focused on budget savings. I am glad that, at Committee, departmental officials, at least, recognised that that approach was not helpful. I have full sympathy with the families who have no trust in the Minister or the system. They have fought and fought to get any kind of support for their children. Those with one-to-one support were told that that was the route to go down, and, now, that could be taken off them, so, yes, they are scared. <BR /> <BR />Equally, the classroom assistants who took on the support roles have changed the lives of many young people.”
“I am happy to support the motion. I appreciate having the time to openly discuss the reforms proposed by the Department and the EA. It is time that has been severely lacking, given that the Minister did not bring the proposals to the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />The children and young people who are impacted on need to be at the centre of any of these decisions. The central goal needs to be ensuring that those with additional needs have access to their education and are empowered to thrive and develop. Too many young people do not have full access to their education, and that should shame us all. <BR /> <BR />We do not have a lot of detail around the proposed new model of classroom support, and I think that that is because the Department does not actually know how it will work. I find that lack of detail disappointing.”
“Skills groups and industries in Northern Ireland have consistently expressed that it is vital that our young people focus on developing life skills, including communication and teamwork, especially in the AI era. Does the Minister believe that the proposed changes will ensure that more time is placed on developing those essential skills?”
“Being in government is hard. Being a Minister carries a heavy burden of responsibility. We all get that, but leadership is human if nothing else. Yesterday, you made an error — we are all capable of that — but you have time now to reflect and decide what you do next, and that fact is something that we all understand.”
“I hope that you will come with an announcement that you, as Health Minister, have used your authority to instruct your officials to prioritise the amendment in this mandate or, at the very least, that you will say how you will progress that policy so that we can deliver this speedily in the next mandate.”
“<BR /> <BR />There is no MLA who understands the Caleb's cause fight better than the lady who founded it, the mother of the young man who inspired it and the tireless advocate who, in around two years, has made that cause a household name. She has had post-19 SEN reform included in the Programme for Government, has moved the Economy Minister to act with legislation and has cultivated a social media community of thousands of parents all in that same struggle for their children. Believe me when I say that she understands. They understand. <BR /> <BR />Next Monday, there is a Caleb's cause event at Stormont in the Long Gallery. Minister Nesbitt, I hope that you will still attend. I hope that you will come with an apology.”
“As MLAs, when we rise during Members' statements, we do so to elevate issues that we care about, to celebrate local achievements or to acknowledge special individuals. We also use that platform to hold Ministers and other elected Members to account. That is expected, but there are lines that we do not cross or, rather, that we should not cross when we do it. In that context, no campaigner, not least a mother advocating for her child, should hear themselves referred to in the Chamber by a Minister in a way that leaves them feeling deeply hurt and absolutely humiliated. That is how Alma White felt yesterday when the Health Minister spoke of a private meeting that they had had recently, characterising Alma as being "upset" and not really understanding — not really understanding.”
“Studying in Dublin, Cork, Galway, London or Edinburgh can help students to build networks that create opportunities for employment or broaden horizons and experience that can add value for local employers in Northern Ireland. Encouraging our young people to move away from home to study is positive, but we must create the conditions that attract them back and, equally, attract others here. <BR /> <BR />At its heart, the motion is simple. It is about ensuring that no young person's ambition is limited by administrative misalignment, a lack of awareness or unnecessary barriers. Our job is to expand opportunity, not to restrict it. I hope that that is something that we can all support today.”
“Modest resource investment is required to deliver that, and the outcome would ensure that every student in Northern Ireland is fully aware of, and supported in accessing, opportunities across the island. A careers action plan is in place, and it seems entirely reasonable that structured CAO awareness and guidance would form part of that work. <BR /> <BR />The practical challenges — the differences between post-qualification and pre-qualification admission models; the risks that students feel in waiting for CAO offers; and the ongoing issue of language requirements on some courses — have already been referenced. Those are real barriers, which deserve continued engagement. However, while we often focus on how to retain students close to home, we should also recognise the value of outward mobility.”
“We know that positive work was done following the Universities Ireland report to improve equivalence between A levels and the Leaving Certificate, but removing AS levels would complicate that picture and potentially create new barriers. Secondly, it highlights an information gap. Our schools are familiar with the UCAS system, which is embedded and well understood and supported. The CAO system operates differently. When making decisions, students need to be clear that the CAO is a post-qualification admissions system that does not make conditional offers in the same way as UCAS. <BR /> <BR />Ensuring that schools and careers advisers have clear, accurate guidance is not an insurmountable challenge.”
“Her immediate response was, "Well, of course you can't remove AS levels; sure that would impact on getting into a university in the South". She went on to explain the rationale for that in really impressive detail, so much so that I offered her the chance to write this speech for me. My initial encouragement that she had obtained that information as part of her careers guidance in school was short-lived, though: she obtained it through her own enquiries at an event that she attended recently. <BR /> <BR />That short exchange between a mum and a daughter highlights two key issues. The first is that if the Minister proceeds with removing AS levels, we unintentionally risk narrowing pathways for students who wish to apply to universities in the South.”
“Over the weekend, we were chatting about that, and I mentioned the Education Minister's recent consultation on qualification reforms, particularly the fact that 77% of respondents oppose the removal of AS levels.”
“On this island, North and South, and, indeed, across these islands, there are outstanding educational opportunities available to our young people. Matching the interests and ambitions of our students with the full range of pathways open to them should be one of the simpler challenges for us to resolve in this place. <BR /> <BR />The last time that I spoke on an economy motion, I said that my first motivation for entering politics was to make home a place that my children do not have to leave to be successful. For me, the motion aligns directly with that objective. Coincidentally, this week, I will attend an A-levels option event with my daughter at her school. Foremost in the decision-making is the entry requirements for her preferred university course.”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for that response. What impact do the attacks in the Middle East have on the Executive Office's international relations strategy?”
“Does the Minister accept that adding proposals for transformation of special educational needs support in a budget-saving consultation has undermined the case with families that those are entirely child-centred interventions?”
“If we are serious about reform, the strategy must go further, with clear definitions, real protections, proper workforce planning and sustainable funding proposals. Families and providers deserve nothing less.”
“The tension between rising operating costs and rising parental fees is real, but it is not for parents and providers to resolve that: it is for the Department to step in and provide a coherent, properly funded framework that balances sustainability, quality and affordability. <BR /> <BR />In the current draft strategy, there are no concrete targets to expand provision, particularly in the community and voluntary sector. There is a commitment to map provision — frankly, that should already be complete. While £169 million is cited to raise the subsidy to 30% by 2030, the draft Budget allocates only a fraction of what would be required to deliver that ambition. <BR /> <BR />Childcare is essential infrastructure. It enables parents to work, train and study. It underpins economic growth and shapes children's early development.”
“On paper, that sounds ambitious, and I welcome ambition, but in practice there are concerns. There are no protections if fees rise sharply; there is no clear definition of affordable childcare; there are no conditions around quality improvement or workforce development attached to receiving public subsidy; and projected savings for families are calculated using today's prices, ignoring the reality that costs will continue to rise. <BR /> <BR />We must be careful not to pit providers against parents. Providers, including childminders and community day cares, are not the enemy here. They face rising costs in wages, energy, insurance and regulation. They are trying to retain skilled, experienced and highly qualified staff in an already fragile workforce.”
“I highlight the increasing pressure on families as childcare costs continue to rise and question whether the draft early learning and childcare strategy is truly up to the challenge. Many families are being hammered by increasing fees. While we welcomed the NI childcare subsidy scheme as an emergency intervention, we were clear that it could not be the end point. It needed to be the foundation for long-term transformational reform. However, the draft strategy largely offers more of the same. Yes, there was consideration of capping fees, but that was dismissed as having caused problems in other countries. However, having spoken to those implementing fee caps in the South of Ireland, I challenge that assertion. <BR /> <BR />The headline affordability proposal is to increase the subsidy to 20% in 2026, 30% by 2030 and 40% by 2032.”
“Failure to comply must have consequences, with significant fines for persistent offenders and suspension of services in the UK. Time caps should be considered because prolonged, chronic exposure is most clearly linked with harm. <BR /> <BR />The Sinn Féin amendment raises legitimate concerns but removes the vital recognition of the harms caused by addictive design and harmful content. The original motion, for us, strikes a better balance, calling for proportionate restrictions alongside robust regulation. Children and young people deserve online spaces that are safe, healthy and designed around their well-being. That requires real restrictions, real accountability and real enforcement, so we are happy to support the motion.”
“It also cannot be about saying that all social media or technology is harmful; in fact, there is evidence of real positives for young people using digital spaces. Let me be clear: we are content to shut the door to social media when it is unsafe but to open it when it is safe. Restrictions alone will not fix the problem. We are not against age bans, but we need to go further and give the issue the focus and detailed solutions that it deserves. It must sit within a wider system of regulation, enforcement, digital literacy and support for parents. Alliance supports a stronger and more considered approach; for example, a tiered, risk-based system of age restrictions up to 18. That would regulate access to specific platforms and high-risk functions.”
“A University of Cambridge cohort study, tracking almost 19,000 young people, found that nearly half believe that they are addicted to social media. It is no wonder that families feel that they have been left to navigate this alone. Companies worth billions with enormous lobbying power dominate this space, and Governments have failed to act decisively or effectively. There is now an ever-growing evidence base on the harms that young people face on social media. Therefore, Alliance supports the motion and believes that the Government should act in the best interests of children and families and not be swayed by the power wielded by huge corporations. <BR /> <BR />We also need to be honest. This debate cannot start and end with a simple age ban.”
“First, I thank those who tabled the motion. I know that colleagues across the Chamber genuinely care about online safety, and that matters because parents, teachers and young people want to see us working together on it. <BR /> <BR />The reality is that childhood has changed. Every generation faces new risks, but the pressures created by smartphones, constant connectivity and social media are unlike anything that we have ever seen. Those platforms are highly addictive by design and are engineered to maximise time online, because that is how profit is made through advertising and data extraction. A 2019 King's College London study found that almost a quarter of children were using their smartphones in a way consistent with behavioural addiction.”
“I thank the Minister for his response. He mentioned negotiations on the contract dispute. Does he have a timeline for those negotiations?”
“Part of the Minister's reform plan is to ensure that people are treated close to home. In my constituency of Lagan Valley, however, people still struggle to get a GP appointment. They make phone call after phone call and are often redirected to local hospitals.”
“<BR /> <BR />At a time when we all acknowledge that there is a childcare crisis, it makes no sense to introduce tax changes that actively drive trusted, experienced childminders out of the system. I urge HMRC to pause these plans and engage properly with childminders and the devolved Administrations. Locally, I call on the Education Minister and Finance Minister to make strong and urgent representations on behalf of Northern Ireland's childminders before we lose even more people from a profession that our children and families simply cannot afford to lose.”
“Rising costs, increased regulation and workforce burnout are already pushing people out. Removing that allowance risks being the final straw for many dedicated professionals. <BR /> <BR />The wear-and-tear allowance recognises a simple reality: childminders use their homes as working environments every day. Furniture, flooring, toys, equipment and household items experience constant and unavoidable wear. Removing the deduction will reduce incomes overnight and make childminding financially unsustainable for many. What is particularly alarming is the absence of any meaningful impact assessment for Northern Ireland. There has been no proper assessment of the impact on the sustainability of the sector or on the affordability and availability of childcare for families.”
“That is particularly true for parents of children with additional needs, where continuity, flexibility and a calm home setting can make all of the difference. <BR /> <BR />I spoke recently to a childminder in Lisburn who described her anger and distress at the proposed changes, not only because of the financial impact that they would bring about but because they reflect how poorly the childminding profession is understood and valued. Childminding is being treated as if it is equivalent to other forms of self-employment, when, clearly, it is not. A childminder's home is their workplace, and their work is vital for families. It is a sector that is already under intense pressure. The number of registered childminders in Northern Ireland has been falling, year-on-year.”
“I start by acknowledging what Diane has just said. That was really tough. I offer my sincere condolences on the passing of little John. <BR /> <BR />I rise to express deep concern about HMRC's plans to remove the 10% wear-and-tear allowance for childminders as part of the move to 'Making Tax Digital'. Childminders do not simply provide childcare: they play a vital and formative role in the lives of children. A childminder is one of the most important adults in the early years of many children. Children are cared for in a home-from-home environment and are often embraced as part of the family. I knew, when I dropped my kids off to our childminder, that they were being not just minded but cared for, loved and developed. Families should have the option of childminding where that best suits their circumstances.”
“In my speech, I did offer an alternative. The independent review of education offered an alternative — a way in which to phase out academic selection by bringing together a different pupil profile, informed by statutory assessment and adaptive testing. Would you give consideration to what the independent review has said is an alternative to the current system?”