Member's statement: Mental Health in Farming Communities
Member's statement by Mr Paul Frew on .
- MLA
- Mr Paul Frew
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 28 May 2024
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Mental Health in Farming Communities
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4492057
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Mr Speaker, I, too, wish you well on your return after a spate of illness. This Friday and Saturday, those who attend the Ballymoney show will enjoy a really good show, as will those who attend the Ballymena show on Saturday 15 June. In the farming community, however, there are many stresses and strains: the isolation of the work and the associated loneliness; worries about the crop and livestock; the risks and dangers on the farm; and stress about the weather. All have an impact on the mental health not only of the farmer who works the land but of the wider family. Today, in the week before the Ballymoney show, I want to raise awareness about mental health in our farming communities. No matter where you are, there is the same stress and strain. I worry about members of the North Antrim farming community and the impact that all those conditions have on the lives and health of its members. We know that the health service is not in any fit state to help anyone with their mental health. It is so unfortunate that, at this time, we have a Health Minister who, instead of looking towards the farming community in North Antrim, is looking towards South Antrim. Instead of having a Health Minister who is prepared to tackle mental health waiting lists, we have a Health Minister who is looking towards a Westminster election. That is regrettable. I wish it were not so. We need all the help that we can get for the farming community in North Antrim, so that is regrettable.
265 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.11 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.99).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.11 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.03 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.03 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.05 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.10 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.53 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.11 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.99 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.01 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.71 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.24 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.05 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:28 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
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