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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.
I beg to introduce the Budget Bill [NIA 11/22-27], which is a Bill to authorise the use for the public service of certain resources for the years ending 31 March 2025 and 2026 (including, for the year ending 31 March 2025, income); to authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of certain sums for the service of…
We can do things better for ourselves. Representatives around the Chamber know their communities better than anyone; they know the challenges and the opportunities that they face. Challenging as the stability of this place may be, having more fiscal powers would make us greater stakeholders in our present and in our…
Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle . I will leave you in anticipation about whether I will use the 53 minutes. It has been an interesting debate. I thank Members for their kind wishes for my new role. I have sat through many such debates in various positions, as both a member and a non-member of the…
I am far from an expert on the matter, but it is one of those policies that, when it works, it works. However, if you are an individual who believes that you have not been treated with dignity at work, it has not worked for you. There are always lessons to be learned in any policy, and the real-life experiences of…
Given the significant expenditure of our Departments, we have to ensure that that investment does not create further adverse impacts on the climate and that we take measures that support the objectives of the Climate Change Act 2022 and the strategies that have been brought forward by various Departments, particularly…
The revised public procurement note on scoring social value is effective from 24 February 2025. Related to the previous question, one of the main revisions of the policy note is in connection with climate change. The revised policy expands on delivering climate action and includes more indicators, more focus on…
I am actively working in collaboration with the AERA Minister in particular on such issues as the green growth strategy and climate change activities etc. It will continue to be a challenge over the next number of years. Given the budgetary constraints that the Executive face, it is very difficult to set aside a…
As I outlined earlier to a colleague, we have made significant investments on behalf of the Executive, providing money to the majority of Departments that made bids for funding and support. The Member will also be aware that the significant damage in and around the Stormont estate has had an impact on the Department…
I am more than happy to do so. We have common cause to support those who face challenges in the housing market. Where my Department can assist, it will.
Yes, I am more than happy to do that. Any measures that we can take to support parents with childcare needs and the childcare sector are important not only for the families but for the broader economy.
It has to be said that, since coming back in February last year, the Executive have made significant strides in childcare. Working together, we have seen significant investment in childcare. For instance, the 2025-26 draft Budget increases the allocations for short-term supportive measures to £50 million. That is the…
I am aware of the report and the comments in it. The usual way of responding to such reports is that the PAC forwards the report to the sponsor Department and my Department for a formal response. That is how the report will be dealt with: through the formal processes. I am not in any way underestimating or…
I have heard some of the public discourse on the issue. It is wrong and a huge mistake to blame the Civil Service for it. We are all responsible for the delivery of capital projects. It is worth noting — I say this advisedly — that, although the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) does excellent work, every report that it…
The Member has proven himself wiser than I thought he was about commissions and councils. I thank him very much for that. I am here not to respond about any matters in the Sinn Féin manifesto but as a member of a power-sharing Executive who have to work collaboratively to deliver the public services that people want…
The Member will be aware that all parties stand on their manifesto. If appointed to the Executive, Members have to work in a power-sharing Executive with Executive colleagues and agree a work programme. That is what we have done since we came back. On that specific issue, in reply to an earlier question, I said that…
The work programme has been set out in such a way as to be able to respond to the issues. If, however, a decision is made in Whitehall that does not particularly fit into our programme of work, it is sometimes difficult for us to reprioritise our work streams. The Department is also working with limited resources. We…
I will provide an update on the proposed changes to domestic rating policy. On 29 January, my Department launched a 12-week consultation on two domestic rating measures. The consultation builds on work undertaken by my Department last year, and I encourage people to respond. The first proposal is to elevate the…
I am always willing to meet key stakeholders to discuss these matters and listen to their ideas and proposals. I have already met representatives of a number of sectors and will continue to do so. I am offering a round table to the broader business community, and I have no doubt that this subject will arise there.…
As I said, significant support is given to small and medium-size businesses through the rate relief scheme that we operate, which I think gives welcome support to local businesses. The Member will be aware that neither I, the Executive nor the House has any powers to reduce or, for that matter, increase VAT.…
With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 6 and 15 together. My Department has repeatedly highlighted to the Treasury the challenges facing our hospitality industry, particularly the high VAT rates faced by business here relative to the South. Unfortunately, the British Government, who are responsible…
The figure is around £200 million in increased costs for the public sector, councils and the community and voluntary sector. The missing part of the equation is that I do not know how much the Treasury is going to give the Executive as a result of the Barnett consequentials that it plans to make available in…