Aoife Finnegan
Newry and Armagh · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on Second Stage of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill. Sinn Féin recognises the need to modernise the legislation governing our fisheries and water environment.”
“Those who deliberately pollute our waterways should be held accountable, but enforcement alone will not resolve the underlying causes of poor water quality. If we are serious about restoring our rivers, lakes and waterways, we must continue to invest in waste water infrastructure.”
“Approximately half of respondents to the Department's consultation on the policy proposals expressed the view that the impact assessments accompanying the consultation did not adequately consider the potential impacts of the proposals. That is a significant concern and should not be overlooked.”
“It is one of the reasons for many victims never coming forward and for others withdrawing before their case reaches trial. That should concern every one of us. Clause 26 is therefore a welcome and important step forward.”
“They are asked why they had not reported it sooner; whether they had been drinking; what they were wearing; or whether previous relationships somehow diminish their credibility. No victim should ever feel that they are on trial, yet, for too many survivors, that has been their lived experience.”
“Catalysed by the infamous rugby rape trial, it exposed uncomfortable truths about how victims were treated, and it challenged us to build a justice system that delivers justice without compounding trauma.”
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“I thank the Minister for her answer. How has the Department progressed the other recommendations of the 2022 community wealth-building report, which comes under DFE's remit?”
“I fully support the legislation, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the Assembly to ensure that what comes next is ambitious and credible and delivers for people and the planet.”
“That means supporting technologies that genuinely reduce emissions, prioritising energy efficiency and ensuring that the support reaches those who need it most, including our rural communities, low-income households and small businesses. We must also learn from the past. Any new scheme must be robust, well regulated and built on clear principles of sustainability and fairness. It must support our climate targets, stimulate local supply chains and contribute to a just transition for workers and communities. <BR /> <BR />The Bill gives the Department the powers it needs to close the current scheme and begin shaping a better future for renewable heat policy in the North.”
“I commend the Minister for her clear and determined leadership in bringing the legislation before the Assembly. The Minister has rightly focused on fairness, value for money and the need to protect public finances, but, from an environmental perspective, the legislation also represents an opportunity to reset, refocus and build something better. We know that decarbonising heat is one of the most complex and critical challenges in our journey to net zero. It requires innovation, investment and a clear policy framework. The legacy of the RHI scheme has made that harder, but the Bill begins to clear the way. <BR /> <BR />I emphasise the importance of ensuring that any future scheme is designed with climate impact front and centre.”
“Is geal liom deis bheith agam labhairt ar son an Dara Céim den Bhille.”
“The situation is not suitable. It is not good enough. We need urgent action: not more reviews, but real investment and reform. Woodlawn needs guaranteed continuity of service and an assurance that respite will be protected and not treated as optional. Behind every statistic is a person. We cannot turn away from the issue. We owe it to those families to do better, to protect respite and to strengthen Woodlawn and other centres like it, making sure that every person with additional and complex needs is supported, valued and given the opportunity to live their best possible life. That is what those families deserve and what we must deliver.”
“That is not morally, financially or socially acceptable: it is not morally acceptable, because every person who has additional and complex needs deserves to live with stability, dignity and continuity of care; it is not financially acceptable, because out-of-area placements cost millions that could be invested in strengthening local services; and it is not socially acceptable, because families are being pushed to breaking point when they do not know whether they will get suitable respite provision for their loved ones. That is not what compassionate care looks like.”
“When respite provision is withdrawn, placements are cancelled, and it is then the carers who carry the burden and the most vulnerable who suffer. <BR /> <BR />Woodlawn is a vital facility. It was established to provide short breaks so as to prevent crises, but it is now under immense strain, not because of any failings on the part of staff, who do incredible work, but because the system is broken.”
“Think about that: an elderly woman, who has devoted her entire life to caring for her daughter, now faces uncertainty and exhaustion every single week, never knowing whether the one short break on which she depends will happen. <BR /> <BR />Her story is not unique. One of my constituents in south Armagh, a young man with additional needs, is regularly offered a dementia care unit for respite, which is not an appropriate setting for his needs. That highlights the lack of suitable, specialised provision for adults with complex needs. Families right across our communities — mothers, fathers, sisters and so on — are holding the line every single day. They do so out of love, but they cannot be expected to do so alone.”
“I thank the Member for securing the Adjournment debate on an important topic that has caused real worry and distress for families in the Southern Trust area and that speaks to a wider failure in how we support people with additional needs and their carers. Just last week, an 80-year-old mother contacted me in desperation. Her daughter, who is 40 years of age, has complex and additional needs and attends Woodlawn House in Dungannon. For that mother, Woodlawn House is not simply providing a service. Rather, it is her lifeline. It is her only respite, as it provides her with a few hours of relief that allow her to keep going. She told me, however, that respite provision at Woodlawn is regularly being cancelled.”
“The families involved in Youth Club for All do not want charity. They want fairness, equality and a system that recognises their children as having the same rights as everybody else. It is time for the Education Authority and the Department of Education to step up and take responsibility to ensure that inclusion is not optional but guaranteed.”
“Too often, when young people with additional needs reach adulthood, the support simply disappears, with no youth club; no meaningful day opportunities; and no funded pathways that recognise their abilities, interests and right to continue participating in community life. Sinn Féin has consistently called for the Government to stand up properly for post-19 youth provision, so that young people with additional needs are not simply left behind once they turn 19. I encourage the Minister of Education and the Department to complete the priorities for youth review as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />Youth Club for All stands as proof that it works when inclusion is done right and when families, staff and the community work together to make sure that every child is valued and supported. It should not be the exception; it should be the standard.”
“For many young people, it is the only opportunity to develop friendships and confidence in a safe space outside of school. Parents have described it as a lifeline, which is exactly what it is. It should never have to rely solely on the goodwill of volunteers and the determination of parents. Those young people deserve consistent, statutory support, not a piecemeal provision that depends on who can fight the hardest. The reality is that the Education Authority has no statutory obligation to provide youth services for children and young people with additional needs. That gap leaves families fighting year after year to secure basic inclusion. It is not good enough. <BR /> <BR />We also have a serious deficit in post-19 services.”
“I want to take a moment to highlight the incredible work that is being done by Youth Club for All in south Armagh — a small, community-led group with a huge heart and an even greater impact. The group was born out of the determination of parents who simply refused to accept that their children with additional needs should be left without a place to belong. When formal inclusion for youth provision was stopped during COVID, those parents, supported by Sinn Féin, worked to reinstate it. Out of that was born Youth Club for All, which provides a safe, inclusive environment where young people with additional and complex needs can socialise, learn and thrive alongside their peers. <BR /> <BR />Over the past two years, Youth Club for All has transformed lives. For many families, it is their only outlet outside of school.”
“Minister, do you acknowledge the real risk that the sheep sector, which already faces challenges, could be further disadvantaged and left vulnerable by competing departmental priorities and a policy process that appears to be increasingly disconnected from the realities on the ground?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, given the report's finding that animal health diseases such as bovine TB and sheep scab not only harm productivity but drive up greenhouse gas emissions, and given that climate change and the environment are your top two priorities, how can your Department justify the ongoing delays in tackling bovine TB?”
“Will the Minister provide an update on the new cruise tourism facilities that are being constructed as part of the Shared Island project?”
“It will help to unlock stalled housing developments by easing the pressure on our water infrastructure and supporting the delivery of more homes, which, we know, are an urgent need. <BR /> <BR />The Bill is another example of how we can make real progress to protect communities, support sustainable development and respond to the climate crisis, even in the face of the serious financial challenges that have been imposed on the Executive. The Minister has shown that determined leadership can deliver, and I acknowledge her commitment to delivering for workers, families and the environment.”
“It allows people to take action to protect their homes with direct support from the Government and helps reduce the long-term damage and disruption caused by repeated flooding. <BR /> <BR />A key part of the Bill is the introduction of sustainable drainage systems into our water and planning infrastructure. They are low-maintenance, nature-based solutions that help manage surface water more effectively, reduce the pressure on our existing sewerage network and help prevent the kind of pollution events that we have seen in Lough Neagh and other waterways. They also deliver real environmental benefits from supporting local biodiversity and improving water quality to making our towns and cities greener, healthier places to live. <BR /> <BR />As well as the environmental impact, the Bill supports other Executive priorities.”
“I am pleased to speak in support of the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill that the Minister has introduced. It is practical and much-needed legislation that tackles a range of issues from flooding and drainage to sustainable development. The Bill does so in a way that benefits people and the environment. We are all aware of the need to upgrade our drainage infrastructure, and the Bill is a step in the right direction. <BR /> <BR />The reality is that climate change is already impacting on communities here. More frequent and heavier rainfall has increased the risk of flooding across the North, and many households live with that worry throughout the year. That is exactly why the introduction of flood protection grants is such a welcome step.”
“I thank the Minister. How will community benefit and objective need be scored as part of the scoring criteria?”
“This space should be safe, respectful and inclusive, not because that is in the rule book but because it is the right thing to do. Ending violence against women and girls is not about what we oppose; it is about the example that we set. The way we conduct ourselves here must reflect the society that we are trying to build, one where dignity is upheld, differences are debated without demeaning and leadership is shown through respect, not control. <BR /> <BR />The best leaders lead with respect, integrity and fairness. If we want our words on ending violence against women and girls to mean anything beyond these walls, we must live them in the Chamber every day.”
“The truth is this: the culture that allows violence to persist starts not with physical acts but with words, attitudes and the behaviours that tell women that their voices matter less, that their place in public life is conditional and that their right to respect is up for debate. If we in the Assembly cannot set the highest standards of respect and inclusion, how can we expect society to follow? <BR /> <BR />When the public sees harmful behaviours going unchallenged, it sends a message that, even in the highest political office, women can still be belittled, sidelined or silenced. Every day, strong women enter the Chamber, which, in itself, takes courage, consideration and compromise, but courage should not be the entry fee for political participation.”
“Ending violence against women and girls is one of the most urgent challenges facing our society today. It is a challenge that knows no boundaries. It affects women of every age, background and community. It demands action from every part of government, from every agency and from every one of us. We all know the statistics, but behind every number is a woman with a name, a family and a future that should never have been taken from her. <BR /> <BR />Violence against women and girls is not inevitable. It is the result of choices, attitudes and a culture that all too often excuses or minimises harm. That is why, as public representatives, we have a responsibility to create the conditions for real change in workplaces, schools, homes and, yes, here in the Chamber.”
“Minister, you have set out your position on this and the depth of feeling in the area. How many representations were received and what was the nature of those representations?”
“In the past, we have seen how the current arrangements have resulted in regulation falling between stools, with agencies not taking responsibility or not having sufficient responsibility, while the lough suffered the consequences. <BR /> <BR />I welcome today's debate and the opportunity to once again set out Sinn Féin's unwavering commitment to addressing the issue of Lough Neagh. Let us work constructively together with the Minister, the Executive and, most importantly, local communities to ensure that, step by step, day by day and bit by bit, we undo the environmental damage that has been done to the lough and restore it for future generations.”
“While it forms part of the solution, it is clear that restoring the lough will require not only short-term actions but a range of long-term measures to have a meaningful impact. Part of that solution must be an end to the Earl of Shaftesbury's ownership of the lough bed. That is something that Sinn Féin has long called for, even before the presence of the algae. Ownership of the lough should be informed by the communities that live beside it and have been its guardians for generations. On a practical level, transfer of ownership would help to better regulate and implement environmental protections pertaining to the lough.”
“That is a welcome development, but it is also an admission by the Department that there should have been more of an effort on the Minister's part to properly engage farmers, fishermen and communities at the outset when developing the NAP proposals. Equally, the Department's acknowledgement that there needs to be a more detailed economic impact assessment of how NAP proposals would affect farmers underlines the need for greater engagement so that the impact on family farm incomes is fully understood. <BR /> <BR />Let us be under no illusions: whether NAP was agreed or not before June, we would still have experienced the blue-green algae in the lough during the summer.”
“In April 2025, John O'Dowd, as Finance Minister, reiterated Sinn Féin's commitment to the action plan by allocating an additional £5 million towards tackling the pollution and safeguarding the lough for many years ahead. <BR /> <BR />On the nutrients action programme, let me be clear: Sinn Féin supports the principle of a strong nutrients action plan that protects water quality and tackles pollution. However, we want one that is workable, deliverable, fair, based on just transition principles and works in conjunction with farmers. The establishment of a stakeholder group to bring together communities, farmers, fishermen and environmental bodies is a step in that direction.”
“In July 2024, at the Executive, Sinn Féin agreed to the Lough Neagh action plan, which had 37 actions, many of which have already been implemented, with others earmarked for delivery. The action plan is not a complete solution, and there are no quick fixes. However, it provides a clear and practical pathway towards addressing the environmental breakdown of the lough and restoring it to its natural beauty. Among the actions is a small business research initiative, which gives businesses the funding opportunity to innovate, research and bring forward solutions to remove pollution from the lough and restore it for future generations.”
“I reiterate my party colleague Declan Kearney's call for supports to be provided to the eel fishing sector, which has been affected by the eel fishing ban and has received no support to mitigate that loss.”
“Sinn Féin is deeply concerned at the return of blue-green algae in Lough Neagh and other waterways. That pollution has severe environmental, economic and social consequences. Its continued presence harms biodiversity, threatens public health and is a hammer blow to our eel-fishing communities, which have already suffered losses of income over the past two fishing seasons.”
“Does the Minister agree that the new fund should respect devolved government?”
“I thank the Minister for his statements today. What opportunities exist for North/South agriculture research on climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, including methane reduction technologies for livestock?”
“I acknowledge the leadership that the First Minister and deputy First Minister have shown in highlighting ending the scourge of violence against women and girls. Making progress will require a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. Can the deputy First Minister provide an update on how TEO is working collaboratively with Departments to tackle sexual violence against women and girls?”
“It means having the courage to believe her, even when her story makes us uncomfortable. It means looking deeper, because coercive control does not always leave bruises. <BR /> <BR />If we are serious about protection, we need to stand with those women before they are broken. We need systems that understand coercion, protect maternal bonds and treat emotional abuse with the same urgency as physical abuse. There needs to be a cultural and systemic change through each of our Departments and society. I say this today not just to raise awareness but to call for action, because there are women and children who need more than sympathy. They need justice; they need truth; and they need to know that someone is willing to say, "That is not love. It is control, and we will not let it win".”
“It is the manipulation of the systems to isolate a mother, erase her from her child's life and paint her as unstable or unworthy, all while appearing respectable to the outside world. We do not speak enough about the impact that that has on children: children who are used in battles that they never chose; children who are shaped by control, fear and silence; children who learn to second-guess love; and children who carry confusion, guilt or false loyalties into adulthood. Those children grow up believing that love is conditional, that safety is unpredictable and that truth depends on who has the power to tell it. Protecting women and children means more than responding to physical violence. It means recognising when a mother is being erased from her child's life through manipulation, gaslighting and legal intimidation.”
“I rise with a heavy heart not only as a public representative but as a woman, a mother and a witness to the deep and lasting scars that coercive control inflicts on women and children. Since 2020, 27 women have been killed due to domestic abuse, with Sarah Montgomery — a pregnant mother of two — the latest to be lost to that type of violence. We often speak in the Chamber about protecting women and children, but the truth is that protection cannot exist only in words or the safety of a well-written policy: it must exist in reality, and that reality is often brutal, complicated and hidden behind closed doors. <BR /> <BR />Coercive control is a form of abuse that strips a woman of her autonomy, her voice and, often, her children: the psychological violence is quiet but lethal.”
“Minister, the North previously had a gender equality strategy, which ended in 2016. Will you outline how the upcoming strategy will differ from it or how it intends to build on the work of the previous strategy?”
“I thank the First Minister for her statement. She will, no doubt, agree that the Peace programme has been central to supporting peace and building cohesion in many communities throughout the island. Can she provide an update on whether a successor programme was discussed at the plenary meeting?”
“As someone who lives and works in a border community, it further highlights the nonsensical nature of partition, because patients who live minutes away from each other cannot access the same equality of healthcare. Therefore, I have again written to the Department of Health to urge it to look into the possibility of introducing such a scheme so that men and women in the North have the same sense of dignity and equality of care that is offered to those in the South so that they can live their lives comfortably and confidently.”
“The scheme provides funding to patients who have lost their hair through illness, including alopecia, and cancer treatments to pay for wigs, hairpieces and scalp treatments with a specialist of their choice. I tabled a motion at council level, as I found it astounding that patients in the North are forced to pay so much for a hairpiece or face a lengthy waiting list for a wig. <BR /> <BR />The reasons that were given previously by the Department for its decision not to support a contribution scheme for the care of individuals with medical hair loss are extremely poor, full of unsubstantiated assumptions and a remarkable lack of empathy.”
“Stress can have a major impact on hair loss, so the support would benefit those who already suffer hair loss from a medical condition.”
“I highlight my call on the Department of Health to investigate the possibility of replicating the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) scheme in the South for those in the North who suffer from medical hair loss. <BR /> <BR />Whilst we are all aware of the pressures that our public services face, brought on by over a decade of savage austerity policies from Westminster, we should recognise the devastating impact that medical hair loss can have on a person's confidence, mental health and overall quality of life. <BR /> <BR />In the South, if a person suffers from a medical condition such as alopecia or hair loss brought on by chemotherapy, their GP can sign a PRSI health certificate that allows them to claim up to €500 towards the cost of a wig, hairpiece or scalp treatment.”
“Her story touches everyone who hears it, and I know that Brendan Carr's family could not have chosen a more deserving recipient of this year's award.”
“In 2018, she faced breast cancer, carrying the same genetic mutation of her late mother, and she underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. Despite all that, Rosie continues to push forward. Last year, she was unable to take part in the triathlon having collapsed after suffering the effects of two rare brain syndromes, yet, this year, she returned, supported by her amazing team, and completed the triathlon with unwavering spirit. <BR /> <BR />Rosie is a devoted mother of five children, including her son Anton who lives with complex heart conditions and requires multiple carers. Her strength is seen not only in her physical achievements but in how she raises her family and uplifts her community. Rosie Tennyson is the epitome of resilience, courage and hope.”
“I rise to pay tribute to an extraordinary woman, Rosie Tennyson, who was awarded the Spirit of Triathlon award at the Crooked Lake triathlon in Camlough a few weeks ago. That special award was established by the loved ones of Brendan Carr, a much-missed member of our community who tragically passed away. Brendan had a deep love for the triathlon. The award honours his memory by recognising those who embody courage, determination and resilience — qualities that Rosie Tennyson has in abundance. <BR /> <BR />Rosie's journey is nothing short of inspirational. She lost her mother to breast cancer at the age of nine, and her father passed away in 2003. In 2010, she suffered the loss of a child, who died in her arms shortly after birth. In 2016, Rosie lost her leg following years of battling vascular malformation.”
“Minister, how does an area qualify for a banking hub?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Tiny Tots has requested to be relocated to St Michael's Primary School. Can his Department do anything about that?”
“Minister, what are the next steps, following last week's spending review, on setting a multi-year Budget?”