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Mr Conor Murphy: Assembly records
All of Mr Conor Murphy’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
I know the situation from my time at Finance, and, with that hat on, I would say that we reduced business rates by 18% just as COVID was coming in. We then had a rates holiday for about two and a half years. We have to remember that rates contribute about 10% of the Executive's income, so, if we forgo more rates, it…
We are supporting businesses in a range of ways. We continue to provide support to Tourism NI for promoting more visitors coming to areas and therefore availing themselves of hospitality. We recognise that getting skilled employees is one of the biggest challenges. We had a presentation this morning at the North/South…
The primary objective is to ensure that businesses that need support get it. If some of that is due to a lack of information, we are prepared to work with them to make sure that they can get that information in and access the schemes that we have already decided. If it turns out that some of the £10 million is…
The schemes are administered by the district councils. The enhanced flood support scheme provides support of up to £100,000 to businesses that are directly flooded, and the flooding hardship scheme payment of £5,000 is for occupants who are not eligible for other supports. There is also a flood hardship payment of…
We constantly talk to the universities and colleges about ensuring that there is accessibility for everyone who needs it. We have a high level of economic inactivity. Some of that relates to people who have not been in the education system or who did not go through it fully because they fell out of it for one reason…
It is another matter for which the overarching picture is one of financial challenge. Had we more money available to us, we would have more students and more support for them. We have the ability to increase emergency support for students in-year. We have already done that this year in order to add support. When it…
We recognise clearly its importance. One of the biggest challenges to growing the economy, which is an Executive priority, relates to skills and the availability of people with the necessary skills to enter the workforce. Colleges are critical to all of that. I have had conversations with the college heads…
That is a matter for Belfast Met. We have been kept abreast of developments, but decisions on the operation of the campus are a matter for the college, not the Department. The Department does not take those decisions; they are taken by the college management. A number of representatives have brought the issue to my…
We recognise that ecosystem, as you say, around the company. Of course, we are trying to help all manufacturing and supply chain businesses and keep them growing, not only by supplying local companies and companies working here but by increasing their export potential, which gives them more sustainability and depth in…
The Member is correct. I met the MP for the area, or maybe he is the outgoing MP; I am not sure what his status is at this time. We are concerned, and concerns have been presented to us by people who work in the company. They are concerned about its future, what may happen if the company is bought over, who might buy…
Firstly, we will consider MaSN in relation to Magee. We have been doing that. It will be for the university to decide the range of courses and the number of places that it offers. We will supply support and encouragement. We have been doing that through the task force to make sure not only that there are places and…
As I have said, that is part of an overall ambition to raise the university population of Magee to 10,000 students. That was a New Decade, New Approach commitment. It falls to my Department to deliver that. We are trying to incrementally increase the number there in line with discussions with the university and the…
If I can get the answer quickly. The annual Northern Ireland apprenticeship week showcases how apprenticeships can transform the future for apprentices and businesses by helping them to release their potential. In addition, a twice-yearly apprenticeship advertising campaign reinforces the benefits of apprenticeship…
Public-sector apprenticeships are important, and I will encourage all Departments to step up to the plate in that regard. It is a challenge to manage all of that as well as budgets, but they are important routes for younger people and those who are already in employment to upskill. As I said in my initial answer, HLAs…
Higher-level apprenticeships (HLAs) are demand-led with employers creating opportunities in line with business needs. HLAs are a success story and have grown significantly since they started in 2017, exceeding original forecasts. Year-on-year, we have seen an expansion in the range of HLAs being offered across our…
The issue of carer's leave and the barriers to entering or remaining in the workforce that performing such an important role may present, particularly for women, is a complex issue that stretches far beyond the policy remit of my Department. However, we have played and do play an important role. My Department has…
The officials have been consulting on what will go into the Bill. I agree with you on the contributions that carers make. Saying that carers should be paid for all leave sometimes seems to be a ready response: that would lead to a series of considerably bigger questions. We need to make sure that people are aware,…
I intend to introduce an employment rights Bill in the current mandate in order to ensure that our employment law framework operates effectively for employees and businesses. I am aware that there have been calls for carer's leave to be a paid right, which goes beyond the provisions that are in Britain, the South of…
Yes, it will. If we want to make sure that the tourism strategy, which the Department has produced but not yet concluded, is as effective as it can be, the principle of co-design that I have always argued for needs people from the hospitality sector in there making their arguments. I have taken that approach to…
I noticed your comment on that last week. I was surprised that you did not mention that your party had the Infrastructure portfolio in the previous Executive when you were criticising people over the years for not taking any action. Of course we want to see dereliction — Well, it is one thing to pass the buck to…
I agree with the point that the Member outlined that a safe night-out environment means a safe way of getting home. That is particularly the case for women getting home from night-time entertainment and our night economy. That is critical. As I say, the appointment of a person to try to draw those strands together may…
The appointment of such a person is very useful because those matters are not the single responsibility of any Department. Someone who can draw them together will be very useful. The student accommodation situation in Belfast is developing very rapidly, and you can see that throughout the city centre. It might herald…
The Department recognises the importance of a thriving night-time economy in ensuring that our towns and cities are attractive places in which to live, work and invest and to visit. My Department is exploring how it can best support the night-time economy. Engaging with the relevant stakeholders, such as the newly…
Not only are we developing the action plan, we are putting together a group, in the spirit of co-design, made up of a mixture of people from across the industry to try to advise. With that, we have very limited funds to give out, which is unfortunate, and I hope that the situation improves, but we want to try to…
Tourism NI is responsible for the administration of tourism events funding in the Department. Since 2019, Tourism NI has provided over £1·6 million of financial support to events and festivals that promote the arts, such as theatre, arts and music. Tourism NI has also supported the event and festival organisers with…