All of Dr Caoimhe Archibald’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
It is important that we work alongside the local council, the universities and regional colleges as well as Invest NI. We are doing that through the local economic partnerships. If the Member wants to write to me about specific issues related to Invest NI, I will be happy to correspond further with him.
I thank the Member for his question. We share a constituency. As I mentioned in an earlier answer to Mr Robinson, who is another constituency colleague, the local economic partnership is a key plank in developing proposals for each local area. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the Causeway Coast and Glens…
I thank the Member for that question and for highlighting the work of credit unions. My Department is working closely with the Irish League of Credit Unions, the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions and other stakeholders to co-design and deliver credit union policy and legislative change that will modernise and…
The social enterprise co-design group held its most recent meeting on 13 March 2025, when it was updated on progress on the implementation of the social enterprise action plan and began discussions on how to further develop the work in future financial years. Subsequently, just last week, I met the group's chair and…
My Department is committed to bringing a Bill — the one that I referred to in my previous answer — to the Assembly in autumn 2025, and we are keen to make progress. I recently met RenewableNI, and, just yesterday, I met the NI Maritime and Offshore network. The sector is very keen to see progress and to work with us…
The Member is right. We are working on an offshore renewable energy installations Bill, which will establish frameworks for the decommissioning of safety zones and the rights of navigation in our waters. We are working with the Office of the Legislative Counsel (OLC) in respect of that. I envisage that incentivisation…
I can absolutely assure the Member that we are listening to those voices. I very much commend Caleb's mummy, Alma, for her campaign and the work that she has done to shine a spotlight on the issue. Indeed, as part of the stakeholder engagement that I outlined, my officials have had many opportunities to speak directly…
Last year, my departmental officials were tasked by my predecessor, Conor Murphy, with reviewing the existing skills and training provision and the relevant legislative protections for school-leavers with special educational needs. They were asked to bring forward recommendations. They took a twin-track approach to…
As I said, we continue to monitor the impact. We are working with the Tourism Alliance and Tourism Ireland to understand the impact. We will continue to take an economic analysis of that over the coming weeks and months to make the case for an exemption. Many European citizens travel with ID cards and are therefore…
I thank the Member for her question. I am deeply concerned about the impact of the introduction of the ETA scheme and what it will mean for our tourism sector, especially as it goes live for European citizens tomorrow, as the Member mentioned, and the cost will increase from next week. Last week, I met representatives…
In March, I travelled to the US with officials from Invest NI. I met senior executives from key US investor organisations and engaged with business leaders, potential new investors and industry networks. The visit was not a trade mission but rather an opportunity to reinforce the North’s position as an attractive,…
The Department and its predecessor Departments have a long history of seeking to widen access and increase participation for disabled people across the programmes and provisions that they have funded. The supports vary, depending on the type of provision that is being accessed. In addition to the widening…
That is a really important aspect. We talk a lot about having programmes in place to support individuals who face barriers to work and training. It is really important to me that we have those programmes in place, but, equally, we are working with employers to address some of the barriers to employment that people…
Getting young people with a disability into a good job is a critical part of my economic vision. The loss of European social fund (ESF) funding has had a significant impact and has significantly reduced the skills and training support available to disabled people. Despite that, we continue to work closely with the…
The research was commissioned just before Christmas. We are expecting a report soon. We had hoped to receive it by the end of this month. There will be opportunities to analyse the outworkings of the report. The objective, I suppose, of the research was to give us an understanding of the issues and to have an…
The report of the high street task force was an important stage in our approach to improving our high streets. My Department had particular responsibility for the report's recommendation 8, "Fair Work on Our High Streets". That recommendation very much aligns with my economic priority on good jobs. Work is being done…
We are all aware of the changing nature of our high streets and city centres. It is not just us who grapple with that. I am willing to work across Departments to look at how we can support the development of strong and thriving high streets. We had the high street task force, and many of its recommendations are being…
The closure of Connswater Shopping Centre is regrettable for the businesses and, obviously, the employees that are impacted. My Department is committed to doing everything possible to support those affected. My Department's Careers Service is available to support anyone who faces redundancy or has been made unemployed…
The analysis of the British Government, in advance of the explanatory memorandum being published, was that there is limited impact in practice. We will continue to analyse the legislative impact and the practical implications, as you would expect us to. As I outlined in my answer to Ms Armstrong, we will work to…
We continue to develop that. As part of the Programme for Government, the Executive Office is establishing an AI task force and the forthcoming office of AI and digital. We will continue to work collaboratively within and across Departments in the North and across these islands to harness the positive potential of the…
Artificial intelligence is one of the most important technological developments in recent times. It will bring about significant change in the economy and workforce, and it offers potential to contribute to my economic vision, most obviously in relation to productivity and good jobs. Currently, the EU Artificial…
Yes. That is the approach that has been adopted, and it was agreed with the British Government. As you rightly say, we are a small region in population size as well, so we wanted to maximise the opportunities for people and the benefit. That is why we took the approach of directing it towards advanced manufacturing,…
I thank the Member for his question. As I set out in my opening answer, a key objective of developing the programme is that we will be able to leverage in private-sector funding alongside the investment that will come from the public sector. It is about absolutely maximising the money that we obtain through enhanced…
My officials have been concentrating on developing an evidence base that clearly supports the rationale for how the enhanced investment zone funding may be deployed. That includes identifying the key barriers to growth in our target sector of advanced manufacturing, the opportunities for growth in that sector and,…
With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will group questions 3 and 8. My officials are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to co-design the North's £150 million enhanced investment zone programme. The focus of the programme must be consistent with the British Government's…