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Dr Caoimhe Archibald: Assembly records
All of Dr Caoimhe Archibald’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
I thank the Member for her question, but I do not agree with her characterisation. Our economy here, on a macro level, continues to outperform Britain on economic growth, exports and wage increases. Good jobs increased by 1·5 percentage points between 2024 and 2025. On regional balance, we have seen a closing of the…
I thank the Member for his question. The Utility Regulator has undertaken its work. I am happy to write to the Member with the full detail, but we anticipate the new arrangements being in place before the end of June.
I thank the Member for his question. He is familiar with how our energy system operates across the island. We do need to look at the market structure and the costs that are applied. Certainly, I am happy to look at that further through my Department. It impacts on consumers. We want consumers to benefit from the…
I thank the Member for that question. The single electricity market has delivered benefits for consumers and businesses across the island. It enables electricity to be traded efficiently on an all-island basis, strengthens our security of supply and supports renewable energy generation. However, I recognise that…
I thank the Member for his question. Certainly, I want us to be able to address effectively the challenges that people face with their energy bills. I am happy to look at what we can do to progress that. As I indicated, the type of engagement that is required is between the British Government and the EU. That is part…
The current trading arrangements in respect of our energy markets are a direct result of Brexit, which removed Britain from the EU's internal electricity market and introduced less efficient trading processes between Britain and EU-aligned markets, including the single electricity market. I support efforts to improve…
I did not have a deadline to introduce the Bill last year. I think that we said that we hoped to have a Bill by January this year. We were perhaps a bit ambitious in respect of the amount of work that needed to be done and the level of engagement that we wanted to undertake. As I indicated earlier, when I announced…
I thank the Member for the question. Yes, I agree that we want to get the Bill into the Assembly as quickly as possible so that scrutiny can commence. I believe that there is plenty of time left in the mandate to scrutinise and pass the Bill. However, the sooner the Bill is passed to the Committee, the sooner that…
I thank the Member for his question, I think. I am very serious about the legislation. Considerable work has gone into drafting the Bill, and considerable engagement has been undertaken to get us to the point of having the draft. I do not consider the time that it has taken to be a lengthy delay, as the Member…
The 'good jobs' Bill is the biggest upgrade to our employment legislation since the Good Friday Agreement. It contains numerous important advances for workers' rights. It will address the exploitative use of zero-hours contracts, give people leave to care for a loved one, provide paid leave to parents whose newborn…
I thank the Member for his question. I am sure that he will recognise that the financial constraints that the Executive are under do not put us in a position to be able to deliver the public services that we want and need to be able to deliver, while also supporting people with the cost of living. That is why, along…
I thank the Member for his question. I completely agree that the way to reduce your energy bills is to reduce the amount of energy that you use. Over the past couple of years, we have supported the NI sustainable energy programme, which is targeted towards lower-income households. To date, that has helped over 2,500…
I thank the Member for his question. I have emphasised on many occasions that the scheme that we put in place had to be comparable to the scheme in Britain. In the scheme that we have brought forward, we have managed to remove from bills certain charges for the NIRO scheme. Alongside Executive colleagues, we continue…
I thank the Member for that question. I am on record several times as saying — and I think that there is consensus across the Chamber — that this is not the scheme that we would have designed, as we would have wanted to target those in most need. The constraints have been imposed by the British Government because of…
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Treasury both confirmed in writing on four occasions — 13 March, 18 March, 27 March and 30 April — that the Treasury funding is annually managed expenditure (AME). Therefore, it can only be used for a scheme that is comparable to the one operating in…
I thank the Member for his question. I will endeavour to get that question for written answer responded to as expeditiously as possible. I am not sure why the answer has not been with the Member prior to this point; I try to get my responses out as quickly as possible, so I will check on that. The Member will be aware…
I thank the Member for that question. Since taking on the Department for the Economy in February 2024, my predecessor Conor Murphy and I have undertaken overseas missions and trips to progress trade, investment and tourism opportunities. The outcomes of trade and investment missions often take time to fully…
A few weeks ago — earlier in the month — I led a mission of six local businesses to the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Maryland, which is the biggest foreign direct investment event in the United States. It is the first time that Invest NI client companies have participated in SelectUSA and represents an important…
I thank the Member for his question. I recently met the Ulster-Scots commissioner, and work is under way in the Department alongside the commissioner to inform the development of a policy for the Department.
I thank the Member for his question. I welcome the fact that colleagues in the South have tried to address the issue through the Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) (Amendment) Bill, which was introduced in Dáil Éireann in June 2025. The Bill seeks to address geoblocking by requiring public service broadcasters to make…
I thank the Member for his question. As he knows, broadcasting rights are sold on a territorial basis. Broadcasters often hold the rights to show certain TV shows and sporting events only within a defined jurisdiction, so, to comply with their licensing agreements, they then restrict their broadcasts. Technically,…
The geoblocking of RTÉ content in the North is unacceptable and should be brought to an end. The Irish Government have the power to do more to address the issue, and I believe that they should engage more with the British Government, regulators, broadcasters and internet service providers to help identify and deliver…
Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Like others, I welcome the campaigners to the Gallery. I commend Alma and all the other parents who fight every day for their children and young people and who have forced the issue up the agenda. I am happy to be here today to respond to the motion. My party and I are…
I thank all those who have contributed to today's debate. Again, I put on record my appreciation of the Committee and everyone who has worked constructively to get us to this stage. I will briefly respond to some of the points that were made by Members in the debate. I give assurances about the AME that will now not…
I beg to move Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I am pleased that the Bill, which will enable my Department to make regulations to close the non-domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme, has reached Final Stage. Members will be aware of the history of the RHI scheme, and I will not revisit the scheme's…