Peter Martin
North Down · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Minister, the Northern Ireland Audit Office report is very critical of your Department on the topic of flood risk. You have just read out some interventions that your Department has made. The report's most substantial criticism is that your Department cannot show that its activities to build flood risk defences:”
“It also seeks to rebalance a level of government control by removing certain powers that the Department currently holds, including direction and control over appointments to board positions. That supports the case for reclassification by ONS.”
“<BR /> <BR />Members were keen to hear directly from young people, who will probably be most affected by GDL, so we consulted the Youth Assembly. The Committee was impressed by the thoughtful and constructive nature of that engagement.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am confident that the Committee will be able to engage positively and work collaboratively with the Department to ensure that the Bill reflects the current areas where reform is required.”
“<BR /> <BR />Having considered all the evidence, the Committee ultimately concluded that it would not be appropriate to proceed until it was fully satisfied that the driving instructor sector believed that the proposed date of 1 October 2026, which the Minister referenced, was realistic and achievable.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, it is important to consider the proposal in the context of the wider legislative package that is required to bring GDL into operation, and the Minister referenced that. <BR /> <BR />At the outset, I make it clear that the Committee supports the principle of GDL.”
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“They did research with a large sample of 1,500 parents on the main causes of educational underachievement in Northern Ireland, and number one was the level of family and parental support. Out of 14 causes, academic selection came twelfth, with only 3·5% of parents saying that it was the main cause of educational disadvantage or underachievement in Northern Ireland. Those are the views of parents, and I accept that, but that is a ranking. <BR /> <BR />Some of the things that they cited are the things that the Assembly should be looking at. In dealing with educational disadvantage, the Minister is addressing poverty. I agree with the Members opposite that poverty is a driver. All the research suggests that, so we have to address that.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I do not have figures on the latter part of his question, but what I say about the former is that I am simply making the point that any testing is stressful. We are talking about emotional impacts on children, and phones and social media have greater emotional impacts than the transfer test. <BR /> <BR />Some of the debate has been framed in a way that says that ending academic selection will somehow deal with educational underachievement or, as the motion suggests, it frames it in terms of educational disadvantage. I want to address that. Many Members will be aware of the 'A Fair Start' report, and I believe that Noel Purdy and Joyce Logue were on the panel that the Minister mentioned earlier. I looked at the research that was commissioned for 'A Fair Start'. They were tasked to look at that.”
“I was not planning to speak in the debate, but I am passionate about tackling educational underachievement. <BR /> <BR />I will start off with Danny's comments. To a degree, I agree with him on some of his points that it is a stressful test. There is no doubt about that. I suppose all tests are stressful, and children will face tests at some point in their lives. However, I disagree with him in that, if we are looking at negative impacts on children in schools today, the transfer test does not stack up against, for example, mobile phones or social media. Those things roll on every day for children. I honestly believe that they have more impact on children than the transfer test. I have a couple of kids who have gone through the test and one who is facing into it.”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the House and for the speed with which he has made the statement. I also take the opportunity to congratulate Noel and Joyce on their appointments. Minister, you will know that there has been concern amongst principals and boards of governors about a dilution of the Christian ethos in schools in the controlled and maintained sectors. I therefore ask for clarity on whether schools can continue to provide daily Christian worship and on whether Christianity will remain a key part of the curriculum and the syllabus.”
“We also recently launched the APG, which will be conducting an inquiry into those pimping websites. <BR /> <BR />If Northern Ireland is serious about preventing exploitation and disrupting those who profit from it, we cannot ignore the role that such platforms play. In my role as chair of the new APG on modern slavery and sexual exploitation, I hope to take forward actions that will impact on their ability to function in Northern Ireland. The motion is a necessary step in acknowledging the reality of the situation that we face and in signalling the Assembly's support for doing something about it. I commend the motion to the House.”
“Those websites sit at the heart of a system that profits from inequality and vulnerability whilst making enforcement much more difficult and exploitation much more efficient. <BR /> <BR />As I referenced last week, I was proud to host an event in the Long Gallery. I can see the deputy chair of the newly formed all-party group (APG) on modern slavery and sexual exploitation sitting on the Front Bench over there. Alongside CARE NI, we marked over a decade since the Human Trafficking Act came into effect in Northern Ireland. We had a number of notable speakers at the event, and one was the Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner, Eleanor Lyons. Eleanor is conducting research on adult services websites and is passionate about holding them to account.”
“They embed the idea that a woman's body can be purchased, browsed and rated, and they reinforce attitudes of entitlement and objectification. While some may argue that such platforms often offer safety and autonomy, that fails to take into account the realities of exploitation and the volume of evidence that points towards abuse, coercion and third-party control. Those are not marginal issues confined to a small number of bad actors; they are fundamental to how the sites operate. <BR /> <BR />The motion is not about rhetoric, the debate is not about rhetoric and it is not about revisiting settled debates from the past. It is about recognising that the landscape of exploitation has changed and that our response must duly change with it.”
“Ruth Breslin from the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute (SERPI) in the Republic, who came to the event that we had last week, highlighted how pimping websites facilitate those who actively want to take advantage of vulnerable women and girls. She recounted how Escort Ireland encourages those wanting to purchase sex to come to its website to meet a beautiful Ukrainian escort. In the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, it wrote a blog inviting sex buyers to do exactly that. <BR /> <BR />Such exploitation is highly profitable. It has been alleged that sex traffickers can earn almost €200,000 per year for each woman whom they exploit in the South. Those seeking to exploit women can gain great wealth, and pimping websites are a tool to facilitate that.”
“An inquiry into sexual exploitation advertising websites by a cross-party group on commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) also drew extremely worrying conclusions. A detective superintendent who heads Police Scotland's human trafficking unit told the inquiry:”
“The link between prostitution, advertising websites and trafficking is now well established. One major concern about pimping websites is the facilitation of human trafficking, which, in itself, is not a new revelation. In 2023, a House of Commons Home Affairs Committee report said:”
“Northern Ireland's legislative framework, particularly since 2015, sought to reduce the demand and disrupt the commercial structures that sustain exploitation. Indeed, my DUP party colleague Lord Morrow led the way in opposing and tackling sexual exploitation in Northern Ireland with the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015, creating a significantly more robust framework for confronting the systemic roots of sexual exploitation. <BR /> <BR />I take the opportunity to thank Christian Action, Research and Education NI (CARE NI) for its work and support, both then and to date. However, we must not become complacent. The growth of technology has provided new mechanisms through which commercial sexual exploitation can operate.”
“The platforms generate substantial income and profit while creating an environment that enables exploitation, shields traffickers from detection and increases demand for sexual services.”
“Thank you very much, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. The motion addresses a persistent driver of commercial sexual exploitation in Northern Ireland: the rise of so-called pimping websites. Such websites allow the advertisement and purchase of sexual access to women in a way that mirrors online retail. Individuals can filter searches based on appearance, location and sex act. In allowing them to do so, the websites reduce human beings to commodities and normalise the idea that access to another person's body can be bought on demand. <BR /> <BR />Whilst such sites often present themselves as neutral intermediaries, or even as safeguards for those involved in prostitution, the evidence increasingly points in the opposite direction.”
“Minister, this morning you announced what you called the biggest ever change to driver tests and licensing, and I cautiously welcomed that on the BBC's 'The Nolan Show', as I believe that anything that reduces road deaths is helpful. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you failed to sight the Committee on any of the proposals that you brought to the media today. You certainly did not mention them to me, as Committee Chair, or to the Deputy Chair. You did not even bring the proposals to this place. That is appalling, and it smacks of not caring about scrutiny. Is what you have done today to avoid scrutiny of the policy, which is generic, or is it that you just do not care to follow the procedures?”
“I was going to ask whether the Minister would consider meeting me, some constituents and some experts to discuss how Arctic terns could be better protected. They are like the special forces of bird wildlife, travelling more or less all the way around the world and landing back in Groomsport every year. Therefore, Minister, I am really keen to take up your offer of a meeting so that we can see how those birds can be protected during this season. They really are remarkable creatures.”
“that resources in her Department are finite and that there is a low risk to road safety and public safety at the billboard. <BR /> <BR />I ask Members to support our motion.”
“and asked the legitimate question of whether the billboard gets a pass because Sinn Féin holds the Ministry. <BR /> <BR />In summary, the Minister said very clearly:”
“I am sorry. Sinéad said that there was an irony in our party bringing the motion, and there are more important things to talk about in the Assembly. My colleague Stephen said that the billboard is clearly illegal and also highlighted the hypocrisy and double standards of Sinn Féin on the issue. My colleague Jonathan Buckley asked where the enforcement letters went and pointed out that Sinn Féin's defence was to say nothing. Mr O'Toole — who is very often not there when I refer to him — said that there was hypocrisy on all sides, and he did not believe that we could build a united Ireland through erecting billboards. Timothy Gaston said that it was a Sinn Féin position:”
“I thank the Member for his question. I do not know the answer, but the Committee will take it on and write to the Minister. I have two minutes to summarise the debate, and I am going to try my best to do that. Apologies if I do not mention everything that has been said. <BR /> <BR />Mr Boylan pointed out that the motion was not worthy of debate today and there were more pressing things to talk about. Mr McMurray said that the issue was both serious and trivial and pointed out that there are other illegal structures in Northern Ireland. Mr McNulty said that Sinn Féin was willing to break the law and asked who had received the enforcement notice. Mr Stewart stated clearly that the Minister should remove the illegal billboard as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />Mrs Ennis — I hope that you are Mrs. I should just use your first name, Sinéad.”
“<BR /> <BR />I accept that today we are talking about a billboard, and I agree with the Minister that there are big infrastructure issues facing her Department and Northern Ireland that need to be resolved. Therefore, it frustrates me that we are here today talking about a billboard in Newry and Armagh that Sinn Féin owned at one point, probably put up itself, is illegal, does not have any planning permission attached to it and that nobody on the other side of the House knows who now owns or how to get it down. However, we are here because we do not have those answers, and it is my job as Committee Chair — I am not in that role today — to scrutinise the Minister and find those answers, because that is what the party opposite would do to us if it was our Minister down there.”
“I think that the party opposite has accepted that it had a Sinn Féin logo on it, and the party might make the case that it is not its billboard now. However, everyone in the Chamber and those who are listening to the debate will accept that it certainly was at some point. Where did she get the information that ownership had been transferred — I am using those words; they are not her words — and who gave that information to her? It would be useful to find out who owns the billboard so that her Department can go about enforcement action against them. Does she agree that, in line with planning law, which her Department owns intra vires, the billboard is erected illegally and should be removed, and will she commit today to instructing officials to remove it? I do not think that we have the answers to those questions yet.”
“I do not believe that we are getting enough transparency from the Minister on this issue, and we have heard the reasons for that during the debate. <BR /> <BR />I have questions that have not yet been answered, and I do not believe that we are going to get to the bottom of it today. However, in reference to the Minister's comments today and in June last year, how does she know that the current billboard is not owned by Sinn Féin, and who does she believe owns it? Based on her answers in June 2025 and here today, the Minister has some knowledge about it. I am willing to give her the Floor if she has any knowledge of that. As a Newry and Armagh Sinn Féin MLA, does she know who erected the billboard?”
“<BR /> <BR />Our motion refers to the ministerial code. All Ministers, just like everyone else sitting on these Benches, must adhere to the Nolan principles, one of which is:”
“It should not be the case that a Committee Chair has to make a FOI request to the Department that he has been put in place to scrutinise in order to find information that is in the public interest. I had to do that last week because the Minister refused to answer one of the questions that we asked. Therefore, I have FOI-ed the Minister's Department, and I will furnish the Committee with that response when I get it. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, I find it difficult to comprehend that a Minister whose responsibilities include planning can effectively ignore a billboard in her constituency that was erected illegally — those are not my words; those are her Department's words — by her own party. Even someone who is neutral on the issue who hears that fact — those are all facts — would have to recognise that there is something wrong with that.”
“Last week at Committee, I asked, somewhat rhetorically, how one transfers ownership of an illegally erected billboard from a political party to someone else. That may sound comical, and, to the Members opposite, it may even sound facetious, but it is legitimately not intended to be. Some of the things that we are debating today lend themselves to a level of farce. It is fair enough for the Members opposite to say that this is a minor issue, a billboard issue or however they want to frame it. They are entitled to that opinion. However, we have to apply the law fairly and equitably, and that must be seen to be the case coming from the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />That brings me on to two issues that I have with the Minister's handling of the situation. The first is the lack of information coming back to the Committee.”
“I thank my colleague for that intervention. I agree with him completely. I will come on to that shortly. <BR /> <BR />Most recently, in response to a topical question from Mr Gaston in June 2025, the Minister replied:”
“The Minister did not say to whom that correspondence had been addressed.”
“A couple of weeks ago, the Committee wrote to the Minister to ask whether her Department had requested the removal of the billboard, and, if so, to whom exactly the Department had written. The response, which was mentioned during the debate, was:”
“It may not be there now, but it certainly was. The second is that, on 8 October 2023, when no Ministers were in place, a DFI spokesperson said:”
“Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I start by congratulating my colleague Gareth on his maiden speech. Gareth's office in Parliament Buildings is right beside mine, on the third floor. If he ever wants a cup of sugar, he knows that I am in the office beside his. Well done on your maiden speech, Gareth, and welcome to the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />For clarity, I am speaking not as Chair of the Infrastructure Committee but as my party's spokesperson on infrastructure. Before winding on the motion, I will make a few comments to try to capture the flavour of the debate. <BR /> <BR />I believe that there has been a clear attempt by Sinn Féin to distance itself from ownership of the billboard. I listened carefully to what the Minister said. She seemed to ignore two pertinent facts. One is that Sinn Féin's party logo was on the billboard.”
“The Minister, like my colleague across the way, is aware that K9 Search and Rescue is based in my constituency. Can she update me on whether it is on the NISAR register yet? Will she meet me to discuss how it could improve its application, if it is not yet on the register?”
“The measure of our commitment will be found not in words but in the protection that we offer our most vulnerable.”
“I also bring the Assembly's attention to the brilliant work of Ruth Breslin, who is the director of the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute in the South. <BR /> <BR />Critical to addressing commercial sexual exploitation is tackling the persistent myth of choice. The presence of money does not negate the presence of coercion. Where there is an imbalance of power, or where there is vulnerability, fear or a lack of viable alternatives, consent is rendered meaningless. I am proud that my party, the DUP, introduced that legislation to protect women. However, we must all now refocus and adapt our energy to combat the new and pervasive enemy that is in our midst. If we are to call ourselves a society that values dignity and justice, we must ensure that exploitation is neither tolerated nor ignored.”
“<BR /> <BR />Globally, growing evidence shows that websites that cynically attempt to label themselves as "adult services" websites profit from the trafficking, exploitation and abuse of women and girls. Such websites are often heralded as providing women with empowerment. Instead, they are full of adverts for women who have been trafficked, deceived and manipulated. A House of Commons Committee recently found that the advertising of sexual services has moved increasingly online and that adult services websites are "the most significant enabler" of trafficking for sexual exploitation. <BR /> <BR />I will pause briefly to thank the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Eleanor Lyons, for her excellent work and research in the area.”
“In 2015, my DUP colleague Lord Morrow got his Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Further Provisions and Support for Victims) Bill through the Assembly, and it became law. I am thankful to him for that. I am also thankful to Christian Action Research and Education, a Christian social policy charity, for its work at that time and its ongoing focus on the issue. However, human trafficking remains a pervasive, adaptive and deeply entrenched issue. Criminal networks continue to exploit gaps between immigration systems, labour markets and social protections, and technology has accelerated recruitment and control. As the chair of the newly formed all-party group on modern slavery and sexual exploitation, I am keen to push forward with our inquiry into the operation and impact of pimping websites in Northern Ireland.”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for her statement. Was there much discussion at BIC regarding the recent UK Budget? Does she agree that, as we approach our own Budget discussions in Northern Ireland, it is incredibly important that we fund the PFG priorities adequately?”
“Is it not for you, as Finance Minister, to make the business case, as it were, for the further devolution of tax powers? What would you do with those powers? Can you rule out income tax rises now, for example?”
“In his answer to the Member for South Belfast, the Minister mentioned his desire to have further devolved tax powers, including income tax powers. When I asked the Minister about that before, he said:”
“The issue needs not only cross-departmental working but cross-departmental Executive support. <BR /> <BR />I thank my North Down colleague for bringing the debate to the Assembly, and I very much look forward to what my colleague the Minister has to say at the end of the debate.”
“There is pressure to buy presents and to feel happy and content. Those are pressures that many folk simply do not need at this time of year. There are real challenges for working families, as well; I was glad to hear Ms Egan reference that. That is a major concern for me. We have to do all that we can to support people — the families who work hard, raise children and struggle financially at the end of the month, having to make incredibly tough decisions. That is a key policy area that the Minister is working on. <BR /> <BR />The Communities Minister will not be able to tackle or solve the issue of poverty in Northern Ireland in a silo. He simply cannot do that, and he certainly does not have the money allocated to his budget that is needed to do it.”
“Their work is invaluable and must be underpinned by stable funding and strong collaboration. I thank my colleague the Communities Minister for all his work and the support that he gives. Some of that is done directly, but some comes through programmes that are delivered by Ards and North Down Borough Council. As has been referred to, we have a neighbourhood renewal area in North Down — Kilcooley, which is the third largest estate in Northern Ireland. I note, from some research that I did earlier, that about £0·5 million has been put through the scheme this year, supporting 13 projects, all of which are making a real difference to people in the area. <BR /> <BR />I have to note that it is Christmastime. I am not a big fan of Christmas. For some, the income disparity is highlighted most acutely at Christmastime.”
“There are some excellent charities and third-sector organisations, and I will highlight a few that have been mentioned. Kilcooley Women's Centre runs a superb social supermarket that I have visited on numerous occasions; North Down Community Network runs a range of support programmes; and Bangor Foodbank, in partnership with Trussell, distributed 2,500 parcels during 2024-25. As mentioned, there are other organisations, such as Christians Against Poverty, which my family supports, and a range of churches that run programmes and offer support networks such as homework clubs. <BR /> <BR />We need to continue to support the community organisations that already make a measurable difference. I mentioned food banks, and there are also advice centres, mental health centres and many other brilliant youth groups and social enterprises.”
“As Ms Egan mentioned, our North Down constituency is frequently associated with prosperity. We all know and are aware of jokes about living on the "gold coast". However, the truth is very far from that for a number of my constituents. Behind the averages and headlines, households are struggling to meet basic needs, families are navigating the rising cost of living and individuals are feeling disconnected from opportunity. Poverty in North Down may be less concentrated than it is in other parts of Northern Ireland, but it is no less real for those who have to experience it. As highlighted, there are significant income disparities across our constituency. <BR /> <BR />I thank the organisations that work in North Down and support those who are in need.”
“after the company described it as a "goodwill gesture". Some of us will recall the press coverage from that time. <BR /> <BR />Unless Just Eat wants me to stand in the Assembly talking about the company, how it acts, the percentages that it takes off our local businesses and the fact that I have a constituent who is £17,000 down through no fault of his own, I suggest that it engages with MLAs better than it has done and sorts out the matter.”
“I am not sure that I will need that extra minute, Mr Deputy Speaker, but I will do the best that I can. <BR /> <BR />I completely agree with my colleague. Just Eat is an enormous company. My understanding is that it has offered some of those businesses small sums. It was reported in 'The Irish News' that:”
“I would like to address Just Eat. I have two questions. First, what action has it taken to recover those funds on behalf of my constituent from its account? Secondly, how will it make the matter right? A fact in this case is that the company is not registered in the UK — apparently, it is registered in Amsterdam — and it is charging our restaurants and takeaways fairly high levies for their business. That is not money that is staying in our local economy. It is money that is being siphoned off, in this case —.”
“and that Just Eat has been in dispute with businesses, many of which feel that the company has not done enough to prevent fraud. I have been working on the issue for a number of weeks. I think that it was yesterday that my office received a statement from Just Eat. The more I read the statement and looked at the press coverage from the time of the incident, the more I realised that it had simply sent me a press statement from about a year ago, because all the details and sentences in the statement that I received were part of the press coverage at that time. That is wholly unacceptable. <BR /> <BR />My understanding of that phishing scam is that the money was taken not from the restaurant's bank account but from its partner centre account, which is some sort of holding account between the restaurant and Just Eat.”
“I was not planning to speak on the motion, but the more I saw of the debate on my monitor upstairs, the more I thought that I had better come down and say something about it. I pay tribute to my colleagues from the Ulster Unionist Party for tabling the motion. <BR /> <BR />I will focus on one issue and pick up on my constituency colleague Ms Egan's comments about Just Eat. I have a constituent who runs the Bokhara Indian restaurant in north Down. They were defrauded out of £17,000 as part of some sort of scam. That incident was reported in 'The Irish News', which stated:”
“It simply points out that, in order to tackle the big problems that we face, we have to start somewhere. I urge the Minister of Health to look at this area, examine the review and do what he can to find the money to fund it. It will make a real and present difference to people who are suffering with these incredibly debilitating illnesses across Northern Ireland.”
“He highlighted the fact that it is not acceptable for a quarter of neurology patients to be admitted with no neurologist in place, and I agree completely. In winding up on the amendment, Nuala mentioned training places and workforce planning. <BR /> <BR />A lot of the issues that we have talked about in the debate will not be solved today, and they would probably not even be solved if the Minister were to get more money in next year's Budget. We all know the challenges around the Budget. However, like many of the problems that the Executive face, it reminds me of the Indian proverb that asks, "How do you eat an elephant?". The answer is, "One bite a day". I am not suggesting that anyone leaves this place, finds an elephant and tries to eat it.”