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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 qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
The A5 scheme has, I think, been on the cards for 17 years. It is far too long from announcement to delivery. That delay can be for various reasons. It can involve procurement, design, challenges to procurement or design, legal challenges, public inquiries, and, quite rightly, having to deal with landowners who seek…
Part of the development of the north-west transport plan will involve discussions with relevant stakeholders. Businesses, schools and the local community are key to that. There will be ongoing discussions with those stakeholders.
The Member will be aware that the A2 Buncrana Road works were suspended as a result of a decision that was made during the time when the Executive and Assembly were down. The Buncrana Road is now part of the discussions around a transport strategy and will move forward as part of that overall policy.
Yes. Where we have an evidence base to show that we need to change and keep up to date with the ever-changing economy out there and how we support each other, I will make, and my Department has previously made, policy changes to do that, but, as the Member will understand, I want to move forward on an evidence-based…
As Minister, I am committed to making a positive contribution, and I recognise that our planning system has an important supporting role to play. I want to ensure that the planning system operates efficiently and effectively within an appropriate legislative policy framework. Last year's changes to planning…
I have carefully considered the 30 recommendations in the Planning Appeals Commission's report. I am also acutely aware of the road safety aspects. I believe that, if my recommendation to approve it is endorsed by the Executive, we will not only be providing a state-of-the-art road and correcting regional imbalance…
I can confirm that, at this morning's Executive meeting, I briefed Executive colleagues that, in the coming days, I will be issuing them with my initial response to the Planning Appeals Commission's report. I will also be making a recommendation that we proceed with the A5 upgrade. I am conscious that it is a…
Yes, I do agree. In coming into office, I attempted to arrange meetings with several Ministers. I accept, however, that everybody's diary during the period in which we came into office was busy as a result of dealing with the significant challenges that we all had. A small matter of an election got in the way, but,…
All Executive colleagues' Departments are obviously under significant pressure, but I note the recent reports of the transport costs that the Department of Health is facing. I have offered help previously, and I am in the process of writing to the Health Minister again. Community transport is uniquely placed to assist…
Yes, I can, and I will. Again, it comes down to decisions that I have to make. At this stage, Translink is dealing with a very difficult budget. This year, I took the opportunity to ring-fence the capital investment that is required, but I will be engaging with Translink on how we move forward with providing the train…
I think that I misspoke at the end. We are procuring the engineering team and the technical team to be in place for 2026. Construction will start in 2027. The Member may have heard me mention this before, but the previously ring-fenced investment funding is now being used to purchase and install the 55,000 sleepers…
My officials and I are working on an active travel policy. Under climate legislation, we have to spend 10% of our capital budget on active travel, so there is a legal and moral obligation on us to do that. It is OK for a Minister to stand up in the Chamber and say, "Well, more people should walk and cycle", but we…
I thank the Member for his question. I am aware of the scheme. It has been raised in the Chamber before, and my officials are looking to see whether we can adopt pilot schemes here to see how successful that could be. We have to take imaginative measures to ensure that children and young people are encouraged to walk…
I come from a generation, maybe like you, that walked to school. I am from a rural background, and I let my children know that it was three miles that I had to walk to school and back. Some days, I say that it was five miles; other days, I say that it was seven. My point is that we need to encourage more parents and…
Traffic congestion occurs at Seaview Primary School due to a concentration of vehicles arriving and departing within a short period. Such congestion, which is normal at most schools during drop-off and pickup times, is usually of relatively short duration. I can advise that officials from Roads eastern division have…
It is shocking to hear those figures. Some of that may be down to more detection by the PSNI, but there is no excuse or reason for anybody to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or any other form of transport if they have taken alcohol or drugs that would affect their ability to manage that vehicle. I am looking at…
Illegal road behaviours and detection of them fall to the PSNI. We work closely with our partners in the PSNI on the promotion of road safety. I am engaging with my colleagues in the Department on bringing forward further legislation on drink-driving, drug-driving, being distracted while driving a vehicle and other…
It is a matter of deep regret that we continue to see so many lives lost on our roads. We must remember that each life lost is not merely a statistic but a family member, a parent, a child or a friend. As of 23 June, 31 people had lost their lives on our roads this year. Those deaths cause so much pain to families and…
I thank the Member for her supplementary question. I am not sure who has taken those seven applications out. Is it the operators or the councils? I do not know, but I know this: there is no point in having a multi-Department task force that has key stakeholders on it and me standing here and telling them what the…
My Department maintains a positive working relationship with mobile operators and remains committed to working constructively with the industry and other key stakeholders to consider relevant matters as appropriate through the auspices of the DFE-led Barrier Busting Taskforce. The Barrier Busting Taskforce planning…
Again, a feasibility study has been carried out of that exciting opportunity. My Department has significant investments to make in the time ahead to correct regional imbalances in roads. The next phase of major investments from my Department will have to be in our rail network. I will make decisions on progressing…
I do not have all the information about the Knockmore line in front of me, but it is an important connection that we have to move ahead with. There are feasibility studies that my Department is required to carry out to open up the rail network as it should be opened up and to correct the mistakes that were made 60…
We have secured funding for that programme through the UK's Union connectivity review. The programme also fits in with the all-island rail review. That is important investment for moving on to the further steps that are needed to ensure that we deliver on commitments not only to address regional imbalance but on the…
Mr Deputy Speaker, the only person who has secured any progress on this upgrade thus far is me. The only person who has secured a budget for this project thus far is me. I will ensure that the project is delivered in its entirety.