Statement by TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston:
“I am disappointed that in spite of being advised of the content of the Rainbow Project website offering advise on illegal drug use and their frankly outrageous comments in relation to consent to sex, neither the Justice Minister nor the Health Minister appear to be concerned.
“I have challenged Ministers Nesbitt and Lyons on the relationship between their departments and the Rainbow Project on the floor of the Assembly and Minister Long via written questions. While Minister Lyons has yet to return to me on the issue, Ministers Long and Nesbitt clearly have no plans to stop the vast sums of public funding which goes to the organisation.
“The website of the Rainbow Project advises visitors:
“Use of any illegal substance can have significant negative impacts on your health but if you are going to choose to use illegal substances then these steps may reduce potential harm or fatality” and “If you are snorting powdered drugs – Use your own device to snort. A pack of Post-It notes can be used as a large supply of disposable snorting straws”.
“On another section on the website the public is told:
“If your partner is too drunk or too high. Lots of us like to experiment with drugs and alcohol during sex. If you’re a bit tipsy or a bit stoned – that’s fine. But use your common sense, if someone is:
* Slurring their words
* Struggling to stand upright
* Their eyes are rolling to the back of their head
* Struggling to stay conscious
Then that person is too intoxicated and definitely cannot consent to sex, even if they say yes.”
“How is such messaging acceptable either in relation to drug use or sex? It is certainly not consistent with the comments of Ministers on the floor of the Assembly and elsewhere.
“It seems to me that the Rainbow Project is being treated in a fashion which allows it to operate outside the norms expected by other bodies in receipt of public funding. Such a situation is intolerable and it is not one I am prepared to tolerate. From here on in, statements by Ministers and officials on drugs and consent will always be contrasted with what this publicly funded body is saying. You cannot award taxpayer money to the Rainbow Project and wash your hands of what they are saying on these important issues”.
Note to editors
The relevant content of the Rainbow Project website can be viewed here, here and here.
During a debate on housing on 2nd December Mr Gaston said:
“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. Is that the sort of organisation that should be in receipt of public money?”
Minister Lyons did not respond to these points and has yet to answer written questions on the issue.
To ask the Minister of Health, in light of the information published on the
Rainbow Project website in relation to providing advice on chem sex, which
involves the use of illegal substances, whether he will review the funding
provided by his Department and its arm’s-length bodies to the Rainbow Project.
To ask the Minister of Health (i) for his assessment of whether the advice on the
Rainbow Project website in relation to consent, under the section If your partner
is too drunk or too high, is consistent with the position of his Department; and (ii)
whether, in light of this advice, he will review the funding provided to the
Rainbow Project by his Department and its arm’s-length bodies.
A N S W E R
Neither I, nor my Department, carries out an assessment of the content of
community/voluntary sector websites. While I do not encourage engaging in any
sexually risky behaviour or in any way condone the consumption of illegal drugs
for any purpose, I appreciate that there is value in harm reduction advice being
provided to individuals who partake in these activities in order to minimise risks
and adverse health outcomes.
The Rainbow Project has a wide remit, encompassing the wider physical, mental
& emotional health needs of LGBTQIA+ communities in Northern Ireland. The
organisation provides information and guidance to individuals, taking a harm
reduction approach to their work. Through its website, The Rainbow Project
acknowledges that many people engage in ‘chem sex’ and other risky behaviours
and aims to offer practical advice on how to mitigate the associated health and
safety risks for those who do.
With the legacy core grant scheme drawing to a close earlier this year, the
Department of Health does not currently fund The Rainbow Project directly. The
organisation continues to receive funding from the Public Health Agency in
respect of key counselling services provided to the LGBTQIA+ community, and
the development and provision of information materials is beyond the remit of
the service commissioned. All recipients of public funding are subject to
accountability measures to ensure that they are delivering on their agreed
outcomes and providing value for money.
The Public Health Agency has no plans
to review funding for this organisation at this time.
To ask the Minister of Justice, pursuant to AQW 16966/22-27, (i) whether she is aware of the information published on the Rainbow Project website in relation to providing advice on chem sex, which involves the use of illegal substances; and (ii) whether she will review the funding provided by her Department and its arm’s-length bodies to the Rainbow Project.
Answer:
I note the advice provided on the Rainbow Project website which highlights that such substances are illegal. The website further offers harm reduction advice which would fall more appropriately to the Department of Health and Public Health Agency for comment.
As detailed in AQW 16966/22-27, I have no plans to review funding provided by my Department to the Rainbow Project. Any funding provided by the Department’s Non-Departmental Public Bodies is an operational matter for them and you may wish to contact them directly about this.
To ask the Minister of Justice, pursuant to AQW 16966/22-27, (i) for her assessment of whether the advice on the Rainbow Project website in relation to consent, under the section If your partner is too drunk or too high, is consistent with the position of her Department; and (ii) whether, in light of this advice, she will review the funding provided to the Rainbow Project by her Department and its arm’s-length bodies.
Answer:
I note the advice provided on the Rainbow Project website which highlights capacity (or not) to consent. The law on consent in relation to sexual offending is clearly defined in article 3 of the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008. It states that “a person consents if he agrees by choice, and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.”
As outlined in AQW 16966/22-27, I have no plans to review funding provided to the Rainbow Project by my Department. Any funding provided by the Department’s Non-Departmental Public Bodies is an operational matter for them and you may wish to contact them directly about this.