Timothy Gaston
North Antrim · Traditional Unionist Voice · Northern Ireland
“I begin my remarks by putting on record, once again, my thanks to the victims and survivors who have campaigned for many years to bring us to this point today, where the Bill will pass its Final Stage.”
“There is an onus on the Assembly in the next mandate to ensure that the work continues, with a second phase of redress that will consider individualised acknowledgement of the harm and trauma that the birth mothers and adult adoptees experienced.”
“I trust that those who have worked diligently in the background on the terms of reference will reflect the requests of the Committee and those who have given evidence to ensure that they are victim-centred and that truth and justice will be pursued.”
“Throughout the process, the Committee has taken steps to ensure that victims and survivors of religious institutions, state homes and private homes see themselves reflected in the Bill.”
“At a recent meeting of the Committee for the Executive Office, the Migrants' Rights Network complained that, in the second half of 2025, the UK Government increased raids focused on illegal working. When raids increased by 76%, arrests increased by 169%.”
“The revelations that have come to light since dirty Donaldson's conviction and the red flags that his colleagues ignored raise profound and troubling questions for the DUP, but for Sinn Féin generally and Deirdre Hargey in particular to come to the Chamber and pontificate about safeguarding is utter hypocrisy.”
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“You did not want me to talk about McMonagle, but you are happy to let the Member for West Belfast go unchallenged for a long time. That is unfair and calls into question how you, as Principal Deputy Speaker, treat me. It is utterly unfair. You do not want to talk about McMonagle, but you let other Members talk without intervention.”
“Principal Deputy Speaker, it seems to me that, any time I try to raise issues in relation to this, I am shot down, whether at the Committee or in the Chamber. We are talking about the FAPP scheme, which is about financial assistance for political parties. We are talking about Members and what they can spend their money on. It seems that we do not want to talk about the thorny issues. I am mightily disappointed in that, mightily disappointed. We have an opportunity to air some of the issues, but it seems that, perhaps because you are a Member of Sinn Féin, you do not want to listen to what I have to say.”
“After all, it is expenditure associated with the scheme that we are talking about. Mr McMonagle was employed by the First Minister from March to May 2020. As detailed in paragraph 18 of the report, the money is for "expenditure associated with Members", not political parties or press offices. At the Committee, the First Minister would not say how many days a week. It is pertinent that we talk about that today. Sadly, on that day, the Chair of the Committee, true to form, was anxious to make sure that she avoided that question.”
“I am coming back to it, Principal Deputy Speaker.”
“He was employed as a constituency officer worker by a succession of MLAs, including our First Minister and the Sinn Féin Member for North Antrim, Philip McGuigan. On 23 October, when the First Minister was before the Executive Office Committee, I asked her how many days a week Michael McMonagle was in her constituency office. After all —”
“I remind the House that the 3% uplift did not apply equally to all parties. No, the Commission decided that, when it came to the Assembly, apparently, some staff were more equal than others. Sinn Féin got an additional £90,000 in public money; the DUP got an additional £45,000; and the Alliance Party, too, obtained additional moneys. It seemed that other parties, like mine, could just do with what they have had for the past eight years. <BR /> <BR />It is worse than that, however. Since the 3% uplift in the budget for the FAPP scheme was agreed, we have had the Michael McMonagle scandal. He was universally acknowledged inside and outside the House to have been a Sinn Féin press officer.”
“I also draw Members' attention to paragraph 75 of the briefing paper, which says that, "The 2025-26 budget for FAPP" now sits at £1·048 million and:”
“When I read the Commission's briefing to assist the Audit Committee in its scrutiny of the Commission's budget, I noticed that the first paragraph quoted section 40(4) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998:”
“The farming community has also braved the elements to clear the roads of fallen trees and debris. Many roads would still be blocked were it not for those people and their help. At a time when the Labour Government have treated farmers so badly and when, once again, the local community was in need, farmers answered the call.”
“There will be many this season with nothing under the Christmas tree and little in the cupboards. I trust that those who are blessed with extra provision will support their local food bank to ensure that no one goes hungry this Christmas. <BR /> <BR />Mr Speaker, while I am on my feet, I pay tribute to those who braved the elements of Storm Darragh over the weekend to keep the country moving. I pay particular tribute and give particular thanks to the staff of Northern Ireland Electricity who worked hard day and night to restore power to thousands of households throughout the weekend and to keep people such as me updated when we sought updates for those placed on the critical connection list. I also highlight the work of the farming community and pay tribute to it.”
“<BR /> <BR />My constituency office, as well as being registered to issue food bank vouchers, is now a registered food bank drop-off point, which not only promotes the charity but enables people who can donate to do so during opening hours. With the current cost-of-living pressures, many people find themselves choosing between heating their home and eating. I urge anyone who has the resources to support those struggling to do so through buying an extra item when out shopping or by donating directly to the food bank to allow it to source the critical items on which it is running low. As the author of 'The Pilgrim's Progress' observed:”
“I pay tribute to the many food banks across Northern Ireland and highlight the vital work that those organisations do to ensure that those in need do not go hungry. Over the past number of years, I have worked closely with my local food bank to support multiple families in the Ballymena area who have found themselves in difficulty. During this season of goodwill, there can be an increased focus on such causes, but the reality is that this is a matter that needs to be supported 12 months of the year. I have witnessed first-hand the incredible work that the food bank volunteers do all year round to ensure that those who find themselves struggling have somewhere to reach out to for support and advice.”
“Will the Member detail or advise what changes have been made by the Commission in the light of the fact that a Sinn Féin employee, who stood accused of child sex offences, was given the run of this Building for months because of Philip McGuigan's failure to cancel his pass? When will we see the publication of the report on the issues that have arisen from the Michael McMonagle scandal?”
“On a point of order, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. Yesterday, I wrote to the Attorney General to raise a query about the legality of the democratic consent vote that is due to be held in the Chamber next week. Section 38 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 provides that the Windsor framework must be applied "without prejudice" to the constitutional status of Northern Ireland, which means that the suspension of article 6 of the Acts of Union is unsustainable. Will you confirm that the consent vote will not be held before the Attorney General's advice as to its legality is obtained?”
“Minister, you previously told me that the budget for InterTradeIreland had ballooned by more than £1·8 million since the introduction of the protocol and that it had taken on three additional staff. Based on your previous response, when will you become a Minister who is in charge of his whole Department, rather than one who is interested only in his all-Ireland agenda?”
“Since the Northern Ireland market has become integrated with that of the Republic, many hard-pressed homeowners and businesses in Northern Ireland have seen a divergence from the lower power prices in the rest of the United Kingdom and a trend towards the higher prices in the Republic. Does the Minister believe that that project has the potential to undo some of that damage and deliver future savings for homeowners in Northern Ireland?”
“To truly tackle homelessness, we need to eliminate wastage and prioritise everyday essentials, such as sewerage infrastructure, in order to allow us to build new, efficient and fit-for-purpose social homes. We will tackle the problem only by building new homes for those who are already classed as homeless and those who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in that position in the weeks and months ahead. Instead of raising awareness of homelessness, the Executive need to tackle homelessness.”
“I was just coming back to it, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I was asking whether that is the sort of organisation that should be in receipt of public money ahead of ones that provide vital core functions to tackle homelessness. I certainly think not. <BR /> <BR />It is all well and good to say fine words about how we will address the housing situation, but let us not diminish and dismiss those who would question the spend on people who entered the UK illegally when we cannot meet the needs of folk who are already here. Let us address the wastage on questionable lobby groups and instead spend the money where it is really needed. All Ministers need to take a step back and examine what their Departments are currently spending money on.”
“Is that the sort of organisation that should be in receipt of public money?”
“In that regard, I think particularly of the funding that the Department for Communities funnels into the Rainbow Project. It is an organisation that, as a search of the Department's website shows, has been included on a reference group and an expert panel established by the Department in the past, as well as being in receipt of departmental funding. <BR /> <BR />In his response to the debate, I would like the Minister for Communities to address whether he will review that relationship in light of the content of the Rainbow Project website, which advises people to use Post-it notes to snort powdered drugs. My goodness. The Rainbow Project website goes on to advise readers that people can still consent to sex if they are a bit tipsy or a bit stoned. Indeed, it says that that is fine.”
“Furthermore, as was clarified in a response to my questions, the figure of £6·4 million is only the money that is going to the Executive Office for pressures related to refugees and asylum seekers and does not include funding for other Departments, such as Health and Education. That is something that I will pursue by way of questions for written answer. <BR /> <BR />Before we take on the problems of the world, we need to sort out our home-grown ones. Then, of course, we have the very questionable wastage by Departments, such as the Department for Communities, as well as lobby groups and organisations that pursue political agendas rather than doing anything to address the Department's core functions, such as dealing with homelessness.”
“I thank the Member for his input. I have not been to one of the hotels, but I have been in many houses that are being used as emergency accommodation for asylum seekers. I cannot see that accommodation being any worse, Gerry, than a lot of the emergency accommodation that is currently being offered to my constituents, and, I am sure, to your constituents as well. <BR /> <BR />A number of weeks ago, the Executive Office Committee received a briefing on the monitoring round, and we were advised of a pressure of £6·4 million on service delivery to refugees and asylum seekers. That money does not come from our block grant, but it does come from the Home Office, which, of course, is funded by every taxpayer in Northern Ireland.”
“We need to get away from relying on temporary accommodation and instead invest in building more social housing, through either the Housing Executive or the housing associations, to meet the growing demand. There are many people who look at the lack of housing provision and at the problems that are associated with connecting new builds to an at-capacity sewage infrastructure and rightly question this Government's priorities. <BR /> <BR />One complaint that I hear regularly from those who are listed as being homeless is that many people perceive the gold standard to be the treatment that asylum seekers in Northern Ireland receive. Just last week, I received a response from the Executive Office telling me that there are 301 asylum seekers housed in hotels in Northern Ireland.”
“The spectre of homelessness is currently unlikely to threaten anyone in the Chamber, but, as public representatives and legislators, it should greatly concern us all. I say that because, like all Members, I received a briefing paper from the Simon Community that highlights the fact that 58,241 people are currently legally homeless in Northern Ireland. In the past decade, the number of homeless people here has grown by more than 135%. As shocking as they are, even those figures are believed to be an underestimate. <BR /> <BR />The ballooning of spend on temporary housing accommodation, which has amounted to some £34·5 million over the past five years, is a false economy.”
“That, frankly, is what the inclusive language guide is all about. It is about control of speech and control of thought to the point at which we do not know what a mother is, what a father is, what a husband is or even what a woman is. There are serious policy issues that flow from that. I am appalled that there is no veto of the guidance by the Executive.”
“The guide also seeks to ban the term "Illegal immigrants". <BR /> <BR />The truth is that there is nothing inclusive about the policy document. It seeks to eradicate any trace of our nation's Christian heritage and assaults the most basic building blocks of society, seeking to eradicate not just husbands and wives but even mothers and fathers from official speech. All of that comes from a Department that has responsibility for the legislation that covers marriage in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In '1984', George Orwell described how the state creates "Newspeak", a controlled language of restricted grammar and limited vocabulary that is designed to limit freedom of thought. Why? Because, as a character in '1984' says:”
“Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. The Civil Service inclusive language guide, which was published by the Finance Minister, amounts to an attack on the basic building blocks of society. In spite of that, the Finance Minister has confirmed to me that there was no call-in at the Executive triggered by other parties; thus, the document could be said to carry the Executive's stamp of approval. <BR /> <BR />One has only to consider page 16, where civil servants are advised that instead of the words "Mum" or "Dad", they should use "Parent", "Adult" or "Caregiver". Civil servants should not talk about "Husband", "wife", "boyfriend" or "girlfriend", but instead "Partner" or "spouse". On page 23 of the guide, civil servants are told not to refer to "Christian Name" but should instead ask for a person's forename.”
“The First Minister tells us that she wants to combat violence against women and girls yet maintains that there was no alternative to the murder of women and girls in Birmingham. Her party leader does not think that it is fair to ask her about the IRA, yet what was she doing on the night of the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham bombs? She was sharing a stage with the Wolfe Tones, who famously wrote the words: "Ooh Ah Up the Ra". Perhaps if our young people were educated about Birmingham, they would sing and chant those words with a little less gusto. It is time for justice. It is time for a public inquiry for the Birmingham families.”
“One of the couple's sons, Eugene, was out in the pub that night, and his father went to identify his body. When he was at the makeshift mortuary, he found not only Eugene's body but that of his other son, Desmond Reilly. Desmond had returned to the city unexpectedly and had gone for a drink with his brother. Desmond's wife gave birth to their child the following March. <BR /> <BR />Fifty years on, no one has been held accountable for the slaughter on that day; in fact, the IRA has never even officially admitted its shameful responsibility. I publicly support the call of victims for justice and for a public inquiry. I commend the tenacity of the campaign group Justice 4 the 21, particularly Julie Hambleton, who lost her sister Maxine that day, one of six women and girls murdered.”
“On 21 November 1974, two pubs in Birmingham, the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town, were bombed by the IRA. The first bomb exploded a mere six minutes after a telephone warning. With the second pub situated below ground level and crowded with more than 100 young people, the slaughter was entirely predictable. Reports from that day are chilling: people blinded by molten metal and human skin burned like meat shoved under a grill. Yet, Birmingham came together as a city and rose to the challenge of Provo evil. Taxi drivers took on the role of ambulance drivers. Medical staff, who worked into the early hours of the morning, came in again after just a few hours off. <BR /> <BR />Among the 21 lives lost that day there are many moving and tragic stories. The Reilly family had moved from Donegal to Birmingham 27 years previously.”
“However, there is another debate this week on legislation that is a direct threat to those with disabilities: the assisted suicide Bill in Westminster. One has only to look at what happened in Canada, where there is already provision for this. Disabled people recount how they have been offered euthanasia multiple times, how they have been traumatised and how they have felt devalued. One disabled person expressed it this way: "They look at people with disabilities and see us as just better off dead". There is nothing loving or compassionate about such an outlook, whether one is talking about pre- or post-born.”
“If the law is changed on that issue, it will send a chilling message to those with disabilities. Such legislation has the potential to change the culture of society so that the elderly see themselves as a burden. There is a real risk that what was introduced supposedly to provide people with a choice will become an expectation. Tellingly, even co-sponsors of the Bill are unable to tell us how a judgement can be made on whether someone has been coerced into availing themselves of the provisions of the Bill. In light of the significant financial windfall that death brings to some people, that is a most serious issue. <BR /> <BR />It is all well and good to table a motion telling us how you value the disabled. Regardless of the result today, nothing will change.”
“I welcome the intervention. It gives me the opportunity to say that I am pro-life and always will be. We should not take the decision to end the life of a child. It is not the child's fault, and I am unashamedly pro-life and will remain so. When my predecessor, Jim Allister, asked the Minister of Health what happened to bodies of aborted babies, he did not get a straight answer. Why is there not a concern for them? One thing we know is that, since the change in the law, somewhere in the region of 8,500 children have never got a chance to live in Northern Ireland. Members, that is a disgrace. <BR /> <BR />I will touch on something else. I will judge the sincerity of how much the Members of the House value the lives of the disabled by how their MPs vote on the assisted suicide Bill when it comes before the Commons.”
“How loving or compassionate does one have to be to believe that people with a disability or long-term health condition would be better off never being born? How can you, on the one hand, say that we need to recognise the diversity of disabilities in society and, on the other, ignore the fact that fewer people are being born with disabilities expressly because of the abortion laws in our Province?”
“but the issue is what the motion does not say. There is no acknowledgement of the fact that, in Northern Ireland, we have the most brutal assaults on people with disabilities and that, when legislation came before the House to address that, the Alliance Party, in the main, opposed it.”
“I join those who tabled the motion in saying that we need to recognise:”
“I support the DUP amendment, which brings much-needed clarity to the important issues that are being discussed. It is all well and good to claim, as the Alliance motion does, that we acknowledge:”
“<BR /> <BR />MLAs from all parties should recognise that, when their constituents come to them about farming issues, they should be honest with them and tell them that, in many instances, we cannot make the changes that are necessary here because those powers have been surrendered to Brussels, where none of us has any say. That is a constitutional obscenity. It also has profound practical ramifications that need to be faced up to when we discuss matters like those that are in the motion.”
“From 2025, veterinary medicines produced in Great Britain will not be permitted to enter Northern Ireland. Up to 50% of our medicines will be excluded from Northern Ireland. Movements of livestock from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are subject to every EU law. That results in quarantine periods of six months for those wanting to bring in livestock and 30 days for the host farm from which it comes. That is particularly an issue when it comes to sheep farming, which requires farmers to constantly improve the genetic line. They need to bring in new rams, but bringing in one from Scotland or Wales, which are our traditional sources, is now nearly impossible because of those quarantine rules.”
“That is not available in Northern Ireland. However, courtesy of the Windsor framework and the protocol, we have a situation in which Northern Ireland farmers are subject to the same rules and regulations but none of the benefits. Members should not forget that, when it comes to agri-food, most debates that happen in this place will amount to nothing more than hot air. Why? It is because the laws concerning farming in Northern Ireland are not made in this place; they are made in a foreign Parliament to which we elect no one. We have a situation in which, in more than 300 areas of law, the laws are foreign-imposed, colony-like, on Northern Ireland. The laws concerning the whole agri-food industry are made not here but in Brussels. We have a looming crisis because we are subject to the European veterinary regime.”
“I support the amendment in the names of Miss McIlveen, Mr Irwin and Mr Buchanan, and I thank them for tabling it. <BR /> <BR />Although sheep farming is a significant part of our agriculture industry, it is very much the poor relation, as the incomes of sheep farmers are among the lowest in the sector. That underscores the need for a sheep support scheme. We already have a beef support scheme, the beef carbon reduction scheme and a separate cow scheme. Those contribute to environmental enhancements to the direct payment. There is, however, no scheme for sheep farmers. That is a failure on the part of the Department. It has had a task force recommendation since early last year. What has it done on the matter? Perhaps the Minister, in his response, will tell us. <BR /> <BR />In the Republic, a sheep support scheme pays up to €20 a head.”
“Special advisers who are taking up new jobs have to comply with the Northern Ireland Civil Service standard of conduct in order to maintain public trust and avoid the risk that a firm or organisation might gain an improper advantage. That has not happened with Dr Carson. Minister, you claim that there is nothing to see here. Will you ask the head of the Civil Service to investigate the matter?”
“A previous victims' commissioner Patricia MacBride caused outrage after being appointed when she described her terrorist brother as an "IRA volunteer" who was "killed on active service". Will the deputy First Minister advise the House why she did not veto her appointment to the Judicial Appointments Commission, given that views that endorse or express acceptance for violence and terrorism are not protected political opinions?”
“I join other Members in wholeheartedly welcoming today's announcement on ensuring that a defib is present in each school throughout Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I want to pick up on the point, Minister, about how there are 297 defibs already in schools. This is a fantastic opportunity to work with those schools to ensure that each defib that is already in situ is also registered with the link. When schools purchased them previously, there was a tendency to keep them in-house and use them primarily for themselves. It will be a missed opportunity if we do not work with schools that already have them to ensure that they are registered with the link and that, where possible, with the promise of help with maintenance going forward, they are put in accessible places so that the community can use them outside of school hours.”
“Members, we need to live our lives for the things that are of eternal value.”
“Ken will rightly receive many tributes from inside the House and outside it, but his death reminds us of the words from scripture:”
“I join the House in paying tribute to the life of Ken Reid. Ken was one of my constituents, who, from humble beginnings as a newspaper reporter, became one of the most recognisable faces in Northern Ireland. While I am new to this place, no set of crisis talks were complete without Ken reporting live from the Great Hall or, more often than not, from outside in the cold. <BR /> <BR />In more recent days, we saw something of the other side of the man. When faced with the challenge of chronic leukaemia, he used his profile for good by campaigning to raise awareness of the condition. His colleagues at UTV and, indeed, throughout wider media circles will, no doubt, miss him deeply. I assure his entire family circle that they are in my thoughts and prayers. <BR /> <BR />Any death reminds us of the reality of mortality.”
“There is an option available to the school to take over the old but dilapidated Ballymena Nursery School building. With an intervention from the Department, there could be an option to relocate Ballymena Nursery School to a new site and allow Castle Tower School to expand on to the Ballymena Nursery School site. I ask the Minister to engage with Castle Tower School directly in order to consider what help he can offer to meet the growing demand for the school, which supports much of North Antrim.”
“I commend one of my colleagues on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Matthew Armstrong, for his work on the issues affecting Castle Tower School. He previously arranged a meeting between the school, the Department and the council to urge some outside-the-box thinking about the school's facilities. His summary of how that initiative ended up, however, was this: to say that the Department loves wallowing in red tape would be an understatement. Although that is predictable, it is depressing. If the Department is to get serious about addressing the lack of special educational needs provision, it needs to abandon its piecemeal approach and start to make wholesale changes that will last longer. <BR /> <BR />There is one thing that I will say about Castle Tower School.”
“Given limited class sizes, the school, for obvious reasons, is now in the position of having to turn away children who are clearly in need of a place. It has simply run out of room. The demand for specialist services simply outstrips supply.”