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.
1,596 records match, page 26 of 64.
All Departments have, within their remit, the responsibility to review revenue raising and see how they can raise revenue. That should be done in a fair and equitable way, but each Department has the authority to do it, and I encourage them to do so.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Fiscal Sustainability Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Fiscal Sustainability
The Budget sustainability plan, which was published in October 2024, marked an important first step in the pathway towards more fiscally sustainable Budgets and policy decisions. Since the publication of the plan, officials have been progressing its commitments. One of the strands of that work is the development of…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Fiscal Sustainability Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Fiscal Sustainability
People who face financial difficulties can apply for comprehensive support with their rates through the benefits system. LPS will work with people who are having difficulty in paying and agree an affordable repayment plan. That is in the case of those who wish to pay but cannot afford to pay. You will always run into…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Unpaid Rates: Recovery Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Unpaid Rates: Recovery
It does not impact on front-line delivery until a decision is made to write off an amount of debt. Such a decision is made over a period of years. It will not impact on them then. Departments spend on the amount of money that, we predict, will come in from the rates; that is how the planning is done. In year, there is…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Unpaid Rates: Recovery Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Unpaid Rates: Recovery
Last year saw Land and Property Services (LPS) collect a record £1·63 billion in rates. As I outlined to the House on 21 October during the debate, my Department remains committed to the collection of unpaid rates. Already this year, the amount owing from previous years has reduced by 20%, and, as legal action for…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Unpaid Rates: Recovery Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Unpaid Rates: Recovery
Yes, they can. I continue to hear stories of difficulties that schools and other bodies have in procurement exercises. I am of the view — evidence backs this up from the changes that we have made in the past year through the Procurement Act and supported by the Executive — that significant changes have been made.…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Grant Recipients: Procurement Costs Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Grant Recipients: Procurement Costs
Following the introduction of the Procurement Act in February 2025, my Department carried out a review of existing procurement policy and guidance to ensure that the flexibilities in the new legal framework can be maximised. The revised guidance, known as the "'Dear Accounting Officer' letter 05/22 (Grant or…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Grant Recipients: Procurement Costs Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Grant Recipients: Procurement Costs
My Department, like all Departments, continues to face significant challenges, which, unfortunately, has impacted on the services that we can provide, including the routine maintenance of public grounds. My Department's construction and procurement delivery team has prioritised essential building maintenance services…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: County Hall, Ballymena: DOF Staff Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: County Hall, Ballymena: DOF Staff
There are no staff in my Department or its arm's-length bodies (ALBs) working in County Hall, Ballymena. As of 30 June 2025, 254 staff are based in County Hall, Ballymena from the following public bodies: Department for Infrastructure, 67; Department of Health, 149; Department for Communities, 34; Department of…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: County Hall, Ballymena: DOF Staff Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: County Hall, Ballymena: DOF Staff
I have appointed the Construction and Procurement Delivery (CPD) deputy secretary to the social value champion role. Her role is to monitor the progress of the social value strategy and identify areas for improvement. I intend to publish a progress report shortly, as I said in my original answer. As the first…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Social Value Strategy 2025-27: Update Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Social Value Strategy 2025-27: Update
Yes is the answer. If there are areas in which we can seek improvement, let us look at those to see how we can improve. Given the proportion and importance of the small and medium-sized enterprise sector to our economy, it is only right and proper that my Department and, indeed, others engage in relation to social…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Social Value Strategy 2025-27: Update Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Social Value Strategy 2025-27: Update
I am proud that my Department is the first Executive Department to publish a social value strategy, which was developed in partnership with key stakeholders in the business and voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors. While the strategy was a commitment in the revised procurement policy note, 'Social Value…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Social Value Strategy 2025-27: Update Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Social Value Strategy 2025-27: Update
I am not aware of it. If the Member has any more details on it, please correspond with me on it. As I said, it has to be inclusive, and all further education colleges have to be included in it. If the Member has information in that regard, she should please forward it to me.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Student Placement Scheme 2026-27: Accessibility Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Student Placement Scheme 2026-27: Accessibility
I take on board the Member's comments and the direction of travel that he is coming from or wishes to see. I want to continue to see the Civil Service as an inclusive employer. That means that all of those under-represented sections of our society have to be reached out to, and we need to look at the ways of making…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Student Placement Scheme 2026-27: Accessibility Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Student Placement Scheme 2026-27: Accessibility
The Civil Service is an equal opportunities employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive Civil Service that reflects the society that it serves. The student placement competition has been advertised widely via a range of channels and welcomes applications from disabled students. The Civil Service engages…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Student Placement Scheme 2026-27: Accessibility Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Student Placement Scheme 2026-27: Accessibility
I have had several meetings with the community and voluntary sector on that. The first meeting was with the Chief Officers Third Sector (CO3) group on 17 September, at which I provided an update to 41 representatives of the sector and listened to many of their concerns. I have kept the sector regularly updated. I met…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Local Growth Fund: Update Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Local Growth Fund: Update
As the House will be aware from the recent motion on the matter, I have been engaging with Ministers in the NIO, Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on it since my appointment as Finance Minister. That engagement has intensified as the continued Whitehall delay has increased the…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Local Growth Fund: Update Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Local Growth Fund: Update
I thought for a second that the Member was calling me a big brute. He may do at times. As I said, the listing of the building does not assist us in moving forward, but a public-sector body is interested in it. The Member will be aware that we have an estate strategy on the disposal of public buildings. We have been…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps
The listing will present challenges to future potential buyers and occupants of the property. It was simply impossible for us to bring together a business case that would allow us to invest in that building the money that is required to bring it up to modern heat efficiency standards etc. Others have a different…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps
I am not sure whether I raised that directly with the Minister for Communities in writing — I will clarify that for the Member — but representations were certainly made at official level at my request, because it caused concern. Interest has been shown in the site, which could be of huge benefit to the entire area by…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps
There will be different views and opinions on such matters. It is unfortunate that we have reached this position. My Department made its case to the historical environment division of the Department for Communities. The decision has now been made. I am aware that there is interest in the building from at least one…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps
In line with my Department's estate strategy, we are progressing with plans to divest ourselves of Marlborough House in Craigavon and move forward with replacement accommodation in the area. That will deliver savings at a time of budgetary pressures while providing an efficient, modern working environment for Civil…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Marlborough House: Next Steps
I thank the Member for his question. I listened carefully to the Chancellor's address this morning. Very broad hints were dropped that taxes would be increased. The question that has not been answered thus far is this: on whom will that tax burden fall? It is important that that tax burden falls on those with the…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: UK Treasury: Pre-Budget Engagement Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: UK Treasury: Pre-Budget Engagement
The matter has not been discussed during my tenure. There are well set criteria for the devolution of corporation tax here. Given that the costs to the Executive associated with devolving corporation tax are estimated to be between £300 million and £400 million, I do not think that the Executive or public services can…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: UK Treasury: Pre-Budget Engagement Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: UK Treasury: Pre-Budget Engagement
I have asked my officials to engage with our counterparts in Dublin to see exactly what process is in place for supporting Opposition parties there and to see whether we can replicate those measures here. I note that, in Scotland and Wales, such measures have not been introduced. The Member will also be aware that the…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: UK Treasury: Pre-Budget Engagement Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: UK Treasury: Pre-Budget Engagement
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