All of Mr Matthew O'Toole’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
Minister, I welcome any progress on building the Ulster-Scots brand in America. I have been to Andrew Jackson's house outside Nashville. The Scots-Irish/Ulster-Scots contribution is huge. It is cross-community and cross-border, as is the Irish language, because, of course, it predates the partition of Ireland and lots…
If you believe in the perfect fetish of sovereignty at all costs, and that is the thing that you focus on exclusively, and you think that is how you define identity and citizenship, I accept that. I have also accepted and acknowledged that, for many unionists, the protocol has presented difficulties. It would be nice…
I am pleased to be able to wind up on today's debate, which was fulsome and constructive; many interesting points were raised. Before I come to my substantive remarks, it is important to say that, in taking advantage of dual market access, there is no detriment to anyone's constitutional perspective. That is…
I will be brief. Thanks for giving way. The Member is right to say that we are one of the worst performers in these islands, and we have been for generations now. However, is it not also the case that, since the protocol came into effect, we have outperformed most other UK regions, which indicates that our…
I have a genuine curiosity. I thank the Member for giving way. Sadly, from my point of view — in a previous life, I tried hard to keep the UK in the EU — it appears vanishingly unlikely that the UK will rejoin the EU. Are there any other routes that he can think of and that he would like to endorse here today for how…
I beg to move First, I apologise to the Clerk for making her read out such an expansive motion. The motion is long and detailed for a specific reason: we want to nail down specifics in it. In each Opposition day so far, the SDLP Opposition have sought to use their time to effectively hold Ministers to account and to…
Thirty years ago today, gunmen walked into a small rural pub in County Down and opened fire on a room full of innocent civilians who were watching a football match. Ireland were playing Italy in the World Cup and were, unusually, winning. I was watching the match at home as a child when my father was called away: I…
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether they raised issues in relation to the funding of Casement Park at the first meeting of the East-West Council.
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the actions his Department has taken to facilitate (i) the relocation of residents; and (ii) the closure of Muckamore Abbey Hospital.
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the issues that are delaying (i) the closure of Muckamore Abbey Hospital; and (ii) the relocation of residents.
I acknowledge that there is a confidentiality issue around the private matters of a public servant in this case, and I acknowledge that there is a division of labour between your Department and the Executive Office, but, should the case develop over the summer, will MLAs be urgently communicated with should the status…
The 'Spotlight' programme last week highlighted something that we all knew but that is much worse than we thought. Lough Neagh and, indeed, large parts of our environment have become a Wild West for ecocide and environmental crime. Minister, do you believe that that makes the case for speeding up the creation of an…
Given that, in a fortnight's time, you are standing for election to leave the job, Minister, you may not be the one who makes that decision. I know that your diary is filled with visits to funfairs and other matters, but it is important that we deal with these things seriously. Political stability is another issue.…
Minister, I acknowledge that the Act places legal obligations on your Department and its bodies and it would be wrong to obstruct them, but is it also the case that, given that every party in the Chamber opposes the Act, it would be right for your officials to plan now on the basis of that Act's being repealed, as is…
Mr O'Toole asked the Minister whether, if she is successful in seeking another office to leave the office that she holds now and as this could be the last time that she is in the Chamber to answer questions as Minister, given that she has now had several weeks in which to consider whether to appeal the High Court's…
Redevelopment of Casement Park To ask the Minister for Communities for an update on the redevelopment of Casement Park, in time to host the 2028 UEFA European Football Championship.
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs when he will (i) publish his review of the Cross-Compliance Penalty Regime; and (ii) bring forward proposals for change.
To ask the Minister of Finance why the membership of the interim Public Sector Transformation Board was not communicated to the Assembly via a Written Ministerial Statement, similar to her Written Ministerial Statement on the interim Fiscal Framework on 21 May 2024.
To ask the Minister of Finance to detail the number of people in the Northern Ireland Civil Service that were on secondment from (i) the UK Civil Service; and (ii) the Republic of Ireland Civil Service in each of the last four years.
To ask the Minister of Finance to detail the number of (i) graduates; (ii) school leavers; and (iii) people over 50 years old were recruited into the Northern Ireland Civil Service in each of the last four years, broken down by grade.