Official Report (Hansard)
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Official Report (Hansard) Monday 17 September 2012 Volume 77, No 3 Session 2012-2013 Contents Matter of the Day Spence Family Tragedy……………………………………………………………………………………. 1 Assembly Business Extension of Sitting ............................................................................................................................ 5 Committee Membership .................................................................................................................... 5 Ministerial Statements FG Wilson: Job Losses (Enterprise, Trade and Investment) ............................................................ 5 FG Wilson: Job Losses (Employment and Learning) ........................................................................ 15 North/South Ministerial Council: Health and Food Safety ................................................................. 23 Oral Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister ......................................................................... 28 Regional Development ...................................................................................................................... 33 Ministerial Statement North/South Ministerial Council: Health and Food Safety (continued) .............................................. 39 Executive Committee Business Business Improvement Districts Bill: Second Stage……………………………………………………. 40 Committee Business Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill: Extension of Committee Stage .................................. 53 Private Members' Business Tourism: Visas ................................................................................................................................... 54 Republic of Ireland Government: Apology ......................................................................................... 66 Suggested amendments or corrections will be considered by the Editor. They should be sent to: The Editor of Debates, Room 248, Parliament Buildings, Belfast BT4 3XX. Tel: 028 9052 1135 · e-mail: [email protected] to arrive not later than two weeks after publication of this report. Assembly Members Agnew, Steven (North Down) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) McCallister, John (South Down) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCorley, Ms Rosaleen (West Belfast) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Brown, Ms Pam (South Antrim) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McDonnell, Alasdair (South Belfast) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGahan, Ms Bronwyn (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) McLaughlin, Ms Maeve (Foyle) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Easton, Alex (North Down) McNarry, David (Strangford) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Farry, Stephen (North Down) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Fearon, Ms Megan (Newry and Armagh) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ford, David (South Antrim) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) O'Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) O'Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Hay, William (Speaker) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hazzard, Chris (South Down) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Rogers, Sean (South Down) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Northern Ireland Assembly Monday 17 September 2012 The Assembly met at 12.00 noon (Mr Speaker in the Chair) Members observed two minutes' silence. not as good as Nevin Spence — but the family Matter of the Day will never replace the empty chair in the home of a brother and son, nor that of Noel, a father Spence Family Tragedy and husband, nor that of Graham, a father, brother and son. Mr Speaker: Mr Edwin Poots has been given leave to make a statement on the Spence When we visited the home yesterday, the sense family tragedy, which fulfils the criteria set out in of shock in the entire community was palpable. Standing Order 24. I remind the House of the Many people will have been at the wakes of recent changes to the arrangements for those who have passed away in different speaking on matters of the day. Mr Poots and circumstances. There can be a degree of any other member who is called will have up to conviviality at those wakes. However, this three minutes to speak on the subject. house was just very, very quiet, as a Members other than Mr Poots should indicate consequence of the death of the three men of clearly that they wish to be called by rising in the house. The Spence family have farmed in their place and should continue to do so as the area for five generations, and the happens at Question Time. I know that community has come to know and love them. Members from all sides of the House want to Two things will give them some crumbs of make a contribution this afternoon to mark the comfort. First, Emma, who was rescued by tragedy and send condolences to the Spence local farmers who were quickly on the scene family. I ask Members, as far as possible, to be and were then supported very ably by the very brief, and we will try to allow as many Ambulance Service, the Fire Service and the Members as possible to make a contribution. Police Service, is home from hospital and will make a full recovery, certainly physically. Mr Poots: At 7.00 pm on Saturday we were Secondly, the Spences have a strong personal hosting a charity barbecue when I got a phone faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Noel, Graham call from someone who had intended to come, and Nevin all sought Jesus Christ as their saying that the Spence family had been hit by a personal saviour. As a result, that family serious tragedy, that two bodies had been believes that it will be reunited. They have found in a tank and that they were looking for absolute confidence that they will be reunited in two other bodies. The atmosphere was a place where there is no more pain, sorrow or stunned as a consequence of the news that tears. came through. Many people knew the Spence family. I have known Noel and Essie for over Mrs O'Neill: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann 30 years. They attended the same church as Comhairle. I start by expressing my sympathy me, and they used to help out in the youth club. and that of Sinn Féin to the Spence family of They used to take Mr Craig to that youth club Hillsborough. The tragic events of Saturday many years ago. The family is well known evening have shocked not just the farming throughout the community. They built up a very community and the sporting community but the successful farm. Graham came home to work wider community base. People are genuinely on that farm; he has two lovely little children. shocked. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nevin helped out on the farm when he was not the family at this very difficult time. One can playing rugby for Ulster and had come to be only imagine the impact that this tragic loss of very well known for his skill on the rugby field. life is having on the family. The Spences were all very physically strong men. Graham was also a very good rugby Farm safety is an issue that we all take very player. Nevin matched his strength with speed seriously. All opportunities need to be taken to and agility, and he really was a phenomenal raise awareness. Earlier this year, Minister rugby player who would have gone far. Ulster Foster and I launched the farm safety will replace a centre — perhaps