Debate contribution: Northern Ireland Assembly: Public Engagement
Debate contribution by Mr Andy Allen MBE on .
- MLA
- Mr Andy Allen MBE
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 10 March 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Northern Ireland Assembly: Public Engagement
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5436608
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I may require an additional minute for this answer. I thank the Member for her question. In January 2025, the Assembly Commission approved a new public engagement strategy designed to increase public awareness, strengthen understanding and expand opportunities for meaningful participation in the work of the Assembly. Delivery of that strategy is well under way, and I welcome the opportunity to update the House on it. In a very busy year of outreach, education and events activity that touched every constituency, we welcomed approximately 50,000 individuals to Parliament Buildings. The Assembly’s presence at the Balmoral show was a standout engagement activity in 2025, with 12,000 visitors to the Assembly marquee over the course of the four-day event. Outreach Parliaments are another key element of the public engagement strategy. In 2025, the Women’s Parliament and the Disabled People’s Parliament clearly demonstrated the impact of public participation, and the feedback underlined their value. Community outreach work increased last year with 62 Assembly Explained workshops delivered to almost 1,300 participants in Parliament Buildings and across constituencies. Those workshops are designed to give people the confidence and knowledge to engage further with the Assembly’s work. The Education Service provides a respected, curriculum-aligned programme for a range of educational settings. In 2025, the team delivered to almost 9,000 pupils from nearly 300 schools and provided professional development sessions to more than 120 teachers. The Youth Assembly has commenced its third mandate. During mandate two, its Members made a significant contribution to public discourse, and their work has been positively referenced on numerous occasions by Members in this Chamber. It is anticipated that the Youth Assembly’s interaction with Assembly Committees will increase in pursuit of its legislative scrutiny and presentation roles. The visitor experience team plays an important role in providing a warm and professional welcome to all visitors to Parliament Buildings while delivering informative and engaging tours. In 2025, 770 tours were delivered, which is an increase of 35% compared with the previous year, and the number of events hosted in Parliament Buildings almost doubled to 593.
346 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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