Debate contribution: Agriculture Bill: Extension of Committee Stage
Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on .
- MLA
- Mr Andrew Muir
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 20 January 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Committee Business
- Heading
- Agriculture Bill: Extension of Committee Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4744236
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I will speak briefly, and I do not oppose the motion. I fully understand the pressures on the Committee and its many competing priorities, but I would like to impress upon its members the need to have the Committee's consideration completed at the earliest opportunity. It is important that I put that on the record. An extension to 23 May will put at risk the Bill's completing all its stages before summer recess. As I have articulated previously, if the Bill has not received Royal Assent before the summer, it will have an impact on my ability to decide on DAERA's funding priorities for the next three years. Furthermore, the earlier that the Bill is enacted, the more scope that there will be to amend the scheme rules by subordinate legislation, including, possibly, to begin to address some of the issues that have been raised by stakeholders, should the scheme be rolled forward to next year. It is my understanding that discussion surrounding the request for an extension at the Committee meeting of 12 December recognised that pressure and that an ambition was stated to have the Committee Stage completed before Easter recess. I do not wish to undermine or suggest limiting the Committee's important scrutiny of the Bill, which I fully acknowledge and accept. I am aware that other pressing issues are coming before the Committee in its forward work programme. As I said at the Bill's Second Stage, I and my officials look forward to working closely with the Committee as it undertakes its important role, but I ask that the Committee seeks, to the fullest extent possible, to expedite the scrutiny of the Bill, which I know that it will.
283 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: 0.02 (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).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- 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 | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.53 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | 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 |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 1.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:46 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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