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Official Report (Hansard) Tuesday 18 May 2021 Volume 139, No 5 Session 2020-2021 Contents Matter of the Day HMICFRS Inspection of the PSNI's Handling of the Bobby Storey Funeral ..................................... 1 Executive Committee Business The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 ................................................................ 6 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 ................................................................ 15 Committee Business Mental Health Awareness Week ....................................................................................................... 15 Oral Answers to Questions Health ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Committee Business Mental Health Awareness Week (Continued) ................................................................................... 37 Private Members' Business Public Inquiry into the Murder of Human Rights Lawyer Pat Finucane ............................................. 43 Adjournment Opposition to a Waste Incinerator from the Residents of Hightown, Mallusk and South Antrim ...... 56 Assembly Members Aiken, Steve (South Antrim) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Allen, Andy (East Belfast) Kearney, Declan (South Antrim) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Archibald, Dr Caoimhe (East Londonderry) Kimmins, Ms Liz (Newry and Armagh) Armstrong, Ms Kellie (Strangford) Long, Mrs Naomi (East Belfast) Bailey, Ms Clare (South Belfast) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Barton, Mrs Rosemary (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Beattie, Doug (Upper Bann) Lyons, Gordon (East Antrim) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Blair, John (South Antrim) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Bradley, Maurice (East Londonderry) McCrossan, Daniel (West Tyrone) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Bradley, Ms Sinéad (South Down) McGrath, Colin (South Down) Bradshaw, Ms Paula (South Belfast) McGuigan, Philip (North Antrim) Brogan, Ms Nicola (West Tyrone) McHugh, Maolíosa (West Tyrone) Buchanan, Keith (Mid Ulster) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McLaughlin, Ms Sinead (Foyle) Buckley, Jonathan (Upper Bann) McNulty, Justin (Newry and Armagh) Bunting, Ms Joanne (East Belfast) Mallon, Ms Nichola (North Belfast) Butler, Robbie (Lagan Valley) Maskey, Alex (Speaker) Cameron, Mrs Pam (South Antrim) Middleton, Gary (Foyle) Carroll, Gerry (West Belfast) Muir, Andrew (North Down) Catney, Pat (Lagan Valley) Mullan, Ms Karen (Foyle) Chambers, Alan (North Down) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Dillon, Ms Linda (Mid Ulster) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Dodds, Mrs Diane (Upper Bann) O'Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Dolan, Ms Jemma (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O'Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) O'Toole, Matthew (South Belfast) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Easton, Alex (North Down) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Ennis, Ms Sinéad (South Down) Rogan, Ms Emma (South Down) Flynn, Ms Órlaithí (West Belfast) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Sheerin, Ms Emma (Mid Ulster) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Stalford, Christopher (South Belfast) Gildernew, Colm (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Stewart, John (East Antrim) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Hargey, Ms Deirdre (South Belfast) Sugden, Ms Claire (East Londonderry) Harvey, Harry (Strangford) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Weir, Peter (Strangford) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Hunter, Ms Cara (East Londonderry) Woods, Miss Rachel (North Down) Northern Ireland Assembly Tuesday 18 May 2021 The Assembly met at 10.30 am (Mr Speaker in the Chair). Members observed two minutes' silence. beloved husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Matter of the Day Edinburgh. Yet, at the same time, the deputy First Minister and other Sinn Féin Ministers HMICFRS Inspection of the PSNI's were calling on us all to heed the advice when Handling of the Bobby Storey they were devising means whereby they would Funeral apply a different standard. Mr Speaker: Mr Mervyn Storey has been given Let it be remembered that my colleagues and I leave to make a statement on the HM on the Policing Board — I declare an interest as Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Rescue Services (HMICFRS) inspection of the Board — supported bringing in HMICFRS to PSNI's handling of the Bobby Storey funeral, carry out this review. Therefore, we will not shy which fulfils the criteria set out in Standing away from addressing the issues that it has Order 24. If other Members wish to be called to raised or the commentary that it has made. We speak, they should rise in their place and will now apply ourselves to ensuring that continue to do so. All Members who are called everything is done to address the concerns will have up to three minutes to speak on the raised. subject. I remind Members that I will not take any points of order on this or any other matter We should also remember that we still do not know the outcome of the review of the decision until the item of business has finished. of the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) or whether the Police Ombudsman will carry out Mr Storey: I welcome the opportunity to make an investigation. Therefore, there is some way this statement to the House on the findings of to go in bringing this matter to a conclusion. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary that were published yesterday. The scenes that The PSNI's handling of the events and its were witnessed at the funeral of Bobby Storey, engagement with the organisers, which the when thousands of people were brought on to PPS and Her Majesty's inspectorate have the streets by Sinn Féin, were in breach of the concluded provided a reasonable defence from spirit and the letter of the COVID regulations. prosecution, have contributed to long-standing Their actions cast a dark shadow over the concerns and the lack of confidence in policing, culture of lawfulness and were an particularly in the unionist and loyalist embarrassment to law and order in Northern community. Ireland during the pandemic. Not for the first time in the history of Sinn Féin have we seen it use the dead or the dying for its own agenda. If Mr Speaker: Will you bring your remarks to a it was prepared to ignore the dying wishes of close, Mr Storey? Bobby Sands, one of its republican icons, encouraging and organising thousands of Mr Storey: I am glad that those concerns were people on to the streets of west Belfast would recognised by the Chief Constable yesterday. be seen by it as what needed to be done. No We will work with the police and our respect, no regard, no restraint. The movement communities to ensure that there are no double was more important than any other standards when it comes to applying the law. consideration. Mr G Kelly: Mervyn Storey did not once How different were the actions of many across mention that the family of Bobby Storey is Northern Ireland who had to bury their loved grieving, but it is. Bobby Storey was a bad loss one alone, isolated and within the law. It all to his family and many others. Perhaps, in the stands in stark contrast to the way in which our middle of this, it is worth remembering that gracious Majesty The Queen laid to rest her another family is involved. I accept entirely that 1 Tuesday 18 May 2021 people, including other families, were hurt. I Indeed, on many occasions in the lead-up to have said that on a number of occasions, as this funeral, the deputy First Minister asked have other Members. people to stay at home and not to go out if they did not need to do so. This was the third, possibly fourth, investigation into these events. As the result of each comes I note that the police, quite rightly, put safety out, the DUP does not accept it. Mervyn Storey and security above the COVID regulations in a said that there is to be another review, and broader sense, but there are questions about there will be. The review of the PPS decision is from where the violence would come had yet to come. COVID regulations on funerals, or the spirit of those regulations, been implemented by the I understand that Mr Storey wants things to be police in the way that they have been at other corrected, because some criticisms were made. funerals. I know that the police spoke to However, I make it very clear that HMICFRS mourners at funerals in and around the Lurgan said that there was no bias or preferential area because there seemed to be a large treatment by the police at the funeral. The number of cars outside churches. I also know terms used were that the actions of the police that priests who officiated at funerals advised came nowhere near the threshold for mourners in advance that they should not even disciplinary action against anybody involved. Of gather in church grounds or cemeteries and course, it took different legal advice from that should be very aware of and alert to their taken by the PPS and came to the same individual responsibilities to keep themselves conclusion. and others safe. Therefore, at some stage, instead of just People can spin it in whatever way that they rejecting every report that comes along, maybe want. The police have questions to answer we will get to the point at which we can move about the planning. Political leaders have to on. A family is grieving, and it also has to move help to rebuild the confidence in policing that is on. Every time this comes up, it affects the vital to any democracy. family as well. Maybe we can take some cognisance of that when we deal with this.