Analysis in progress: 97,637 of 97,960 records assessed (99.7%). Totals and rankings will change until it finishes. Progress details
Mr John O'Dowd: Assembly records
All of Mr John O'Dowd’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. The topic of the motion is wide-ranging. Nonetheless, I welcome the opportunity to engage in the debate. If we are to make real progress, our discussion must be grounded in facts, not headlines, and in practical, working solutions from across the Executive. Those who…
As I said earlier during Question Time, the public consultation has finished, and the open-book review is ongoing. After gathering that information, along with my report on my bilaterals with Ministers, the Executive will have to engage on how we set the final Budget.
Rather than making personal comments, the judiciary should keep their comments to legal rulings. That is my view on that. The A5 case is under judicial review. I await the outcome of that judicial review. May I remind you and your colleagues that you voted for the Climate Change Act?
We await the court judgement. The Budget is in draft form only, but there are opportunities during monitoring rounds to transfer funds if there is further delay to the A5 project. I hope that there is not further delay to the A5 project.
This is a very complicated area of law, which is why it will take time. Legislation is a classic example of, "Act in haste, repent at leisure". We have to get it right and work our way through the different legislation. My advice to constituents is that they should engage with their solicitor and ensure that their…
I have asked officials to prepare the groundwork in order to investigate legislative change on the matter. The Member and others have raised concerns with me several times about how constituents have been treated. I have asked for that process to begin. However, it is unlikely that we will be able to introduce…
Schools are a good example of where public procurement had become very weighty because of paperwork and bureaucracy due to their having to seek various contracts etc. We have changed that. I am not sure that that has filtered down into the school network, because principals still approach me and say, "We had to jump…
During my time and that of my predecessor, we have made a number of significant changes to public procurement. For instance, we have made it easier for schools to access contracts at a more local level and without going through the bureaucracy that they previously faced. We have changed the processes for the community…
As someone who has worked very closely with the Economy Minister for many years, I can assure you that she does not need any coaching. The answer stands. Of course the Department will develop a business case in due course.
We do not know what the Communities Minister is going to cost us, because he is not home yet. We will work out that cost later. The Member knows the answer to that question as well as I do. The £81 million is sitting with the Treasury, because it has not been allocated. There is a responsibility on the British…
As I understand it, the Communities Minister is currently in the United States, celebrating the removal of the British Empire from the States. He might come back, full of revolutionary fervour, and decide that he needs to have his own Boston Tea Party here. At the heart of all our difficulties are a Government that…
As yet, I have had no contact from the Communities Minister. As I said in response to the previous question, following the British Prime Minister's making the announcement, I contacted the Communities Minister to ask him to bring forward a scheme.
I can assure you that, where needed, I will work with the Communities Minister to bring the scheme forward, but the Communities Minister must first bring proposals to the Executive and achieve Executive agreement on them. I think that that can be done quite quickly.