Debate contribution: Night Buses
Debate contribution by Ms Liz Kimmins on .
- MLA
- Ms Liz Kimmins
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 7 October 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Night Buses
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5164769
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for her comments. This is an issue that I have been particularly cognisant of, not just as a woman but with regard to our overarching work in ending violence against women and girls. For many, it will come as a surprise just how women think when they are out and about, trying to get from place to place, whether that is walking or using public transport. It is something that I have been working on with my officials, but also reflecting on what we have done around the late-night transport piece, working with other Departments to try to achieve the objectives that we have set out in relation to the issue. The Member will know from some of the work that we have been doing on active travel that street lighting forms a key part of that, and that is exactly the reason why. It is one thing to put in new active travel routes that will encourage people to walk, wheel or cycle, but if they do not feel safe to do so, they will not be able to fully utilise those routes. That is a key component of those schemes, and that is why I am keen to see that they are properly lit so that they are accessible to all, and particularly women, given the challenges and some of the statistics we have sadly seen in recent years.
235 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: 0.05 (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 (0.85).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.96).
- Subject area: Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups.
- 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 | 0.08 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.04 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.85 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.05 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.96 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.03 |
| Adopts it | 0.01 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.56 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.44 |
| 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 13:22 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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