Pat Ramsey MLA
A member of Derry City Council for 18 years, Pat was first elected to the Assembly in 2003. He served as Mayor for the Maiden City in 1999-2000. A member of the Assembly Employment and Learning Committee, he is also the SDLP’s spokesman on the subject.
How did you get started in politics?
In the late 1970s and 80s I was involved with youth and community work in Derry – in the Bogside and Creggan areas in particular. It was a time of very high unemployment, poor housing and violent conflict and these areas were intensely militarised.
Many young people were convinced by the arguments of the republican movement and got involved with the IRA. I speak to many of them now who deeply regret their decision to do so.
At the same time, there were very strong and coherent arguments being put forward by John Hume and the SDLP, who said that our problems were about human relationships, which could only be resolved through dialogue and persuasion – not by force – and that violence deepened our divisions and brought terrible pain to people. I agreed with the progressive political philosophy of John Hume and decided I could make the greatest contribution by joining the SDLP.
What do you aim to achieve for Foyle before the Assembly elections next year?
Derry is a beautiful city, which should be a place of full employment and opportunity but, due to infrastructural deficits, it is not.
I will continue the SDLP’s work in building our economic infrastructure, particularly our university campus.
I will work to ensure that the city wins the City of Culture competition.
I will work to ensure progress in the very strong and successful case for a regional cancer centre, based at Altnagelvin Hospital, working for patients on a cross border basis.
I will continue to work to tackle the alcohol and drugs problems, which have led to a range of social problems, including violent crime.
And I will continue to work for and with people in all sections of our community to build a truly shared society for all of our people.
How will the decision not to pursue the decentralisation of public sector jobs impact on your constituency?
The question of the location of public sector jobs is a key indicator of Executive intentions with regard to investment in fair and balanced development of Northern Ireland.
Decentralisation distributes wealth and opportunity more fairly throughout regions and relieves pressure on capital cities.
In the Bain report on decentralisation, Derry was identified as a major destination for jobs, because we have the available office space, telecoms infrastructure and people to make it work.
The decision not to decentralise is a failure to invest in balanced economic development.
There are two key consequences for Derry:
- Hundreds of people will continue to leave Derry for work at 6am and return at 8pm – with detrimental consequences for their health and family lives – doing jobs that could easily be done in Derry.
- Derry (and other sub-regions) will not enjoy the potential spin off wealth creation effects of a large public sector presence.
What are your priorities for the Employment and Learning Committee?
I want to ensure we are more effective in delivering education and training at all levels, from basic skills to higher education and research.
Our benefits-related education and training systems are not producing the desired outcomes for participants. The programmes need to be managed differently, so that participants emerge better qualified and ready for work or self employment. When we achieve that, we will positively affect their children as well. There is a strong correlation between educational under-achievement in parents and in their children.
At university level education, I want the Executive to commit to stopping the brain drain – that we keep and develop our greatest resource, our people, here in Northern Ireland. We need to invest in an additional 12,000 university places to do that.
What needs to be done to tackle alcohol abuse in Northern Ireland?
Alcohol consumption is deeply embedded in our national culture but it is deeply damaging. Last year the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland produced a report which showed that alcohol misuse is responsible for:
- 88 per cent of public order offences;
- 34 per cent of marital breakdowns;
- 38 per cent of road deaths and;
- One in every eight patients who attend A&E.
The response to that problem needs to be an Executive priority with cross-departmental responsibility carried out in partnership with the people here in Northern Ireland and with the Scottish Executive and the Irish Government who are dealing with similar problems.
I secured an Assembly debate last year and proposed a range of measures, based on international experience, which would lead to a change in culture and attitude and would reduce accessibility to alcohol by young people and minors in particular, which would reduce alcohol consumption in public places and which would enforce responsible selling and marketing of alcohol. I intend to keep working on this through my work on the all-party working group on alcohol misuse and through my work in the Foyle Haven Centre.
Why should a new university be built in Derry?
A city in a modern knowledge-based economy needs to have a university at its core. Derry’s Magee campus is insufficient in size and scope to meet the needs of the region it serves.
Current student numbers at the campus stand at just over 3,000 full-time equivalent places. In 1998, the SDLP laid down the target of 10,000 students for Magee. That figure is in line with universities in cities of similar size to Derry in Ireland and Britain. The SDLP is using its influence in the Executive, Assembly, Westminster and Derry City Council to ensure that target is met.
Campaign group University for Derry (U4D) spearheaded by members of the business community and Ilex, through its regeneration planning process, have each identified growth of the university campus, to a figure of around 10,000, as being critical to the future economic development of the city and region.
Achievement of that goal will require strong support from government and the University of Ulster.
Outside work, how do you relax?
When the weather allows, my wife and I pack the car and head for the hills of Donegal to our caravan where we enjoy the peace and quiet, nice walks and a good book.
During the working week, I enjoy going to my local pool for an hour of swimming.
Most of all I love sitting down with friends enjoying the craic, a bite to eat and a few stories and songs.
