Analysis in progress: 94,088 of 97,621 records assessed (96.4%). 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 qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
I assure the Member that I have no intention of treating, nor have I treated, the public with contempt. I think that the public, especially our local public, are aware of how negotiations work and will respect the privacy of those as long as they are seen to be working towards a completion. This could be dealt with…
Yes. As the Member said, I touched on that in my opening remarks. I want to put it on record that it is not a bid by me or any of my Executive colleagues to have funding in Scotland or Wales reduced. I recognise and respect the right of those two devolved institutions to be funded at a fair level. This is about…
A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, with your permission, I will answer questions 2, 3, 8 and 11 together. I request an additional minute in which to respond. My priority remains securing a fair and sustainable multi-year Budget that provides certainty for Departments and enables long-term planning, investment and transformation…
As I said, the objective is not to diminish the importance of marriage or civil partnerships but to ensure that, where relationships have broken down, the legal process is as fair, dignified and family-focused as possible. I want to see reform, just as, almost unanimously, the Assembly wanted to see reform in May…
I believe that, in my proposals on the way forward, I have accommodated the views that have been expressed without undermining anybody's principles or stated views on the matter. I believe that I have accommodated concerns that were raised to me by Ministers and in the consultation process, yet and all the process has…
It was several weeks ago — perhaps a couple of months ago. At that stage, we were up against the deadline to get legislation through the Assembly. I am not sure of the exact date, but it was within that time frame. The reason that I have not tried since is that it simply would not get through the legislative process…
With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I will group questions 1 and 6. In May 2024, the Assembly supported amending the law on divorce and dissolution by adopting a no-fault system. The then Finance Minister, Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA, began the process of amending the existing law. When I took over as Finance…
Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I start by paying tribute to Diane Hamill, her sisters, her mother and father and their family, who have courageously campaigned for truth and justice for nearly 30 years after the murder of Robert. When I was looking at the report and doing some research, I came across an…
We will move on to the real world, where people have to make decisions, do things and be held to account for what they do. Let us see what we have done, despite the financial challenges that the Executive face. More than 27,000 children are in childcare who were not previously, and 20,000 households have benefited…
Where are all these costings? How much would you spend on the health service? How much would you spend on waste water infrastructure? How much would you spend on housing? How much would you spend on economic development? All those things should be laid out rather than your standing up and saying, "I would do this; I…
You say, "I would do this; I would do that; and I would do the other", but you have not done any of it. That is the point that I am making. Where is your alternative Budget?
The Member is confusing himself and probably others. The Member is the Chair of the Finance Committee: you have access to every document and paper that is required to produce a Budget. The costings for Budgets that my colleagues in the South require are to do with taxation matters. We do not collect taxation here,…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to respond to the debate on the motion. Public services continue to face significant pressures; Departments continue to operate without the certainty that an agreed Budget would provide; and the Executive continue to face the challenges of securing a funding…
First, I concur with your remarks about the late Stephen Walker. On the matter before us today, 28 years of peace is not a problem that requires a solution; it is progress that needs to be protected. However, yet in all, we have people in this Building and people outside this Building who are determined to reopen an…
New Portadown District Application to March Along the Garvaghy Road Against the Wishes of Residents of the Area
Uncertain: close callStill uncertain after a second assessment.Parades, bonfires and commemorationsCriteria met: Identity framing, Cultural grievance politics.
There are no circumstances in which a hard border would be good for the people of Ireland; it would not be good for anyone. Those who suggest that are being naive at best and dangerous at worst, in the sense of not understanding this society. Rural communities along the border are one and the same. The people in them…
In compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, I wish to make the following statement on the twenty-fifth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in special EU programmes sectoral format, which was held at Black Mountain Shared Space on 10 June 2026. As Finance Minister, I represented…
Where businesses feel that their circumstances have changed to such a degree that their rates cannot be met, there are opportunities. For example, they can engage directly with their local evaluator. There is a process in place for doing that. I have announced today a number of programmes to continue the small…
Your party colleagues on the Executive have had proposals before them for over a year without being able to substantively respond to them, so I am not sure whether, had I given you this statement a year ago, you would have been in a position to respond. As for how the system will work, I look forward to seeing the…
I wish to make a statement to the Assembly setting out the next steps in my ambition to reform rating policy and bring about a more progressive, transparent and fair taxation system. I have been consistent in my support for local businesses and have publicly recognised their contribution to the local economy. Equally,…
In my opinion, engaging with those parents and advocacy groups on the scheme, the design of the scheme, the certificate and what would be on the certificate has been vital to the success of the scheme. At the end of the day, we were delivering it on their behalf, with full support for the scheme from across the House.
Well, at least one court case is ongoing, and I am conscious of that when I comment. However, I believe that infrastructure work can continue in conjunction with the Climate Change Act 2022. Let us await the outcome of the current judicial review and assess the situation after that.
It is down to each Department to report those costs. I do not have those figures in front of me. I suspect that it would require information to come from each Department. Measured against those, however, I suspect that we would also have to look at the cost of doing nothing. Whatever your views on why climate is…