All of Mr Gordon Lyons’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
We can certainly give advice. I am aware that trials are being conducted on additional organic materials that may be able to be used. I hope that the Member agrees that, instead of needing guidance in the first place, it would have been better for us to have had those discussions in the House to work out whether we…
Of course it is. All the evidence that we have is that the regulation will drive up costs. In the current system, we can ensure that the pitches have what is needed in them. That is being taken from us, and the alternatives are more expensive. This might have been a route that we wanted to go down. We may have decided…
Of course, we might have wanted to consider that. We could have debated it in this place. We could have decided whether it was the right move to make and whether the perceived benefits would have outweighed the additional cost, but we did not have the opportunity to do that in the House. We did not have the…
My Department has issued guidance notes to all eligible applicants to the performance programme of the Northern Ireland Football Fund. The guidance notes are also available on the Department's website. Applicants will need to satisfy the Department that investment in artificial grass pitches with rubber infill will…
For clarity, it will be 2026, not 2016. I can do many things, but I cannot travel back in time. I want to make sure that the review is comprehensive and that we consult as many people as possible. As I said in my answer to Sinéad McLaughlin, I want to make sure that we do this right. That means that we have to speak…
In the 10-year period from 2014 to 2024, the number of cases of intimidation fell from 380 to 226. The number of domestic abuse cases rose from 721 in 2014 to 1,146 in 2024. It is a damning indictment of our society that, in the social housing sector alone, the total number of reported cases was 1,146. It is clear…
I want it to be done right now, but I also want it to be done right. There is a balance to be struck. I have full confidence in officials in the Department and the Housing Executive to make sure that we have in place a system that is, as the Member describes it, "fit for purpose".
That will be part of the ongoing fundamental review of allocations. My officials will work with the Housing Executive as it carries out modelling, stakeholder engagement and appropriate consultation to inform its considerations. It is anticipated that the fundamental review, including consideration of primary social…
I have met Liz Kendall and others in the DWP ministerial team. My officials have continued engagement at that level to make sure that our particular circumstances are taken into consideration. I have to say that, although there are similarities between what the UK Government are trying to do and what we are trying to…
First, I hope that the whole House will be behind me on this: we want to see the UK Government change course. They have made a mistake: they have decided to take £1·4 billion off those who need help to heat their homes. That, overall, is a small amount that the Government should have kept in place. It is small…
My officials are working at pace to put in place the IT and other logistical arrangements necessary to make the one-off £100 pension-age fuel support payment. That payment remains on schedule to be paid before the end of March 2025.
I am always happy to work with clubs that are in need and looking for some support, either to direct them to funding or to make use of the funding streams that may become available in the Department. I am a big advocate for all sports. I want to make sure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to play…
There are a number of ways in which we can help when it comes to improving sports facilities at schools. Often, it is the case that the Education Authority has a role to play. As I previously outlined, we have the Your School Your Club programme, which helps us make the best use of the facilities that we have. Much of…
I am always happy to visit North Down and join the Member wherever it is that he wants to show me around. In many ways, the additional need that he is experiencing is a good problem. However, we know that it exists right across Northern Ireland, and I am keen to better understand the issues and see what my Department…
I am more than happy to engage with the project. My understanding is that funding has been secured for the project through PEACE PLUS funding. Certainly, I am more than happy to engage and, if there are any specific issues that the project is facing, I am happy to discuss them.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I wish to group questions 1 and 4 and request an additional minute for the answer. Regrettably, neither my Department nor Sport NI has any funding opportunities open to which grassroots sports clubs could apply. However, I can announce that Sport NI will reopen its popular…
I beg to introduce the Sign Language Bill [NIA 10/22-27], which is a Bill to make provision about the status of and for the advancement of British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language.
Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I appreciate the comments that have been made in the debate. One thing that most of us can agree on is that homeownership is a shared aspiration that resonates deeply with many of us. It represents more than just bricks and mortar. It offers security, stability and the…
Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for East Londonderry for bringing the debate to the House. I thank her for her passionate contribution, despite her disgraceful attempt to exploit my family connections to the area to try to get me to take some action. In response to Ms Mulholland, I can…
I thank all the Members who contributed to the debate for the points that they have raised, and I want to address those. First, it is important to put on record again the fact that this is an overall package of measures that the Assembly agreed in 2021 when the debates first took place. Considerable progress has been…