Debate contribution: The draft Period Products (Department for Infrastructure Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024
Debate contribution by Mr Mark Durkan on .
- MLA
- Mr Mark Durkan
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 28 May 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- The draft Period Products (Department for Infrastructure Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4492098
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I am pleased to welcome free access to period products in all public buildings. Today, we deal with those belonging specifically to DFI and its public bodies. It is a necessary step forward to ensuring equality and dignity, combating period poverty and reducing the existing stigma around menstruation. I am pleased with the role that the SDLP has played, and I commend my party colleague Pat Catney for bringing forward this progressive and transformative legislation. Access to menstrual products is a basic human right and an essential aspect of public health. It empowers individuals to participate fully in society without the burden of financial or social barriers. This is a shining example of what can be achieved when this place works: when politicians, parties and dedicated campaign groups, such as Menstruation Matters, work together for the betterment of lives and society. The Executive must focus on social justice-driven policy and delivery that eliminates barriers from marginalised groups. As the Minister outlined, DFI, through Northern Ireland Water and, in particular, Translink, owns a healthy suite of public buildings and administrative accommodation. There is a lot of footfall, particularly in our train stations and bus depots — or "transport hubs", as they seem to be called now. When the Minister is responding, will he elaborate on whether any consideration has been given to how provision might be made on the train fleet, as, I suppose, it would not apply as much to buses? I welcome today's positive step.
246 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.89).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.06 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.89 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.71 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.29 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:28 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.