All of Mr Robbie Butler’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
I thank the Minister for her answer and her interest in the matter. She is obviously over the details of biomethane, but there is also an opportunity to generate energy with AD. Does the Minister's Department have enough capacity to match the output from DAERA in that, and can there be co-design between them to ensure…
I am not sure whether the intervention is appropriate, because you have just raised the cost issue. Something that happens in towns at times — I am sure that most people have experienced it — is that the ownership of a building lapses because someone dies, and there is no will or probate to pick it up. Has the…
Thank you. I return to the much-anticipated Dilapidation Bill, regardless of whether the Member thinks that it came quickly enough or not. I was reading through the papers in regard to our responses to dilapidation, and it goes back to about 1973, actually. So, it is not even that we have been waiting for 10 years for…
I thank the Member for his intervention. It is an interesting point. I do not necessarily disagree, but I think that the people of Northern Ireland have suffered from too little politics for many years. If it means that we have to stay here for longer in the day, we certainly will have to truck through.
Mr Butler asked the Minister for the Economy how she and her Department think that anaerobic digestion (AD) will help us to meet our climate and environmental credentials and attain energy security.
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure, in regard to the A1 Junctions Phase 2 scheme , whether all environmental and climate obligations have been signed-off and advanced by her Department, to ensure that these vital safety upgrades are delivered.
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any additional money available to DfI Eastern Division to tackle potholes and damaged roads in Lagan Valley, particularly in rural areas.
I thank the Member for giving way. I hope to ask the Minister about the corporal punishment piece. I do not wish to re-engage the discussion between the two Members. The Minister mentioned that corporal punishment was abolished in 1987. I agree with the Member up to that point: I was one of those boys who had the hand…
It is four years and two months since I spoke in a debate on this issue. At that stage, the Department undertook to issue interim guidance. It is regrettable that we have not fixed the problem, but I am not going to point the finger at anyone — neither the Minister nor the Department. When I looked at the motion, I…
The Minister will agree that the burning of fossil fuels is a massive contributor to the pollution of our air. Will the Minister update us on anaerobic digestion and its benefits when it comes to promoting a clean air strategy? Will he outline what the hold-ups are in interdepartmental working?
I highlight yet another absurdity that has been born from Brexit and the Windsor framework, and it is the deeply flawed Northern Ireland plant health label scheme. Introduced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and nodded through by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural…
Investing in and improving Neurology Services That this Assembly welcomes the Regional Review of Neurology Services and acknowledges the significant importance of the review for those living with long-term neurological conditions; notes with grave concern that despite the hard work and dedication of the neurology…
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of (i) whether policy development teams within his Department possess the necessary technical knowledge and analytical capacity to produce evidence-based proposals; and (ii) whether reliance on external consultants has impacted the…
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail the total expenditure by his Department on external consultants to undertake Strategic Environmental Assessments and related technical work as part of policy development processes, including under the Nutrients Action Programme, in each of the…
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (i) whether his Department currently retains sufficient internal expertise to conduct technical assessments such as Strategic Environmental Assessments in-house; and (ii) what steps are being taken to build internal capacity in this area.
Thank you so much, Mr Speaker. I will whizz through my speech and then address some of the points that were made. It was important for us to offer an amendment today, because the sense that I get from the motion and from the Member for West Belfast who has just spoken — he talked about divesting from Israel — is that…
I associate myself with the remarks that you made about the families bereaved on that dangerous road. As someone who has attended multiple incidents on behalf of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), the trauma involved in a fatal road accident is unimaginable, and it goes further than the families.…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank everybody who has spoken in the debate. It has been a genuinely excellent debate. I enjoyed all the contributions, and I will reference some of those when I get through a number of points that I want to make myself. Our justice system must do more than just process cases, as has…
Motion Amendment · Private Members' Motion · to “End Israeli Impunity in Gaza”
End Israeli Impunity in Gaza - Amendment 1 Leave out all after ‘condemns’ and insert: ‘the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023, the killing of civilians, and the continued holding of hostages, and appeals for their immediate and unconditional release; reaffirms that all civilian life, whether…
I rise on behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party. We will support today's motion. We tried to improve on it, but, hopefully, our words will bring some clarity. The motion rightly reflects the deep concern and, in many cases, rising frustration that is felt in our farming and agri-food sectors regarding the direction and…
I was at the same meeting with the OEP. One of the things that the OEP alluded to was the fact that it has a particular responsibility for the environment. However, the Minister's responsibility is for agriculture and rural affairs as well. That makes it complex for the Minister: the OEP has a single-minded objective,…