Debate contribution: Housing Units: Causeway Coast and Glens
Debate contribution by Ms Liz Kimmins on .
- MLA
- Ms Liz Kimmins
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 11 May 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Housing Units: Causeway Coast and Glens
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5523977
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The shortfalls in waste water infrastructure investment are well documented. We continue to work with NI Water and others to try to secure the investment that is needed and to find other ways in which to address the issue. The Member will be aware that I recently introduced the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill — better known as the "SuDS Bill" — which looks at other ways in which to tackle our waste water challenges. In isolation, that legislation will not resolve all the issues, but it will help. I attended a Rivers Trust workshop last week, at which there was a real appetite for doing more of that work on a larger scale. It could really make a positive impact. We continue to lobby for additional funding. I have been working with Executive partners to look at what else we can do to address some of the water quality and pollution issues at Lough Neagh specifically. I am working with NI Water to see not just what it is able to deliver out of the funding that we have but what it could do if we were able to secure more funding so that, should more money become available, we have a plan in place that is ready to go. I have also been speaking to colleagues in the South. We had North/South Ministerial Council meetings last week at which we discussed how we could work across this island on other ways in which to make a real impact and to secure additional funding. Through our engagement with them, the British Government and Treasury know that funding is a major issue.
They are very aware of the significant investment that is needed, and we continue to raise that case loudly and clearly so that they know. Without the investment needed, and if we cannot get to grips with the challenges around waste water, everything else is impacted on. It is not just an issue for me in the Department for Infrastructure; it is an issue for housing, for development, for health and so on. There is a real onus on all of us to move this forward. I am certainly committed to doing that. I will continue to work with Executive colleagues, but the British Government need to get real. They need to understand —
388 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).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.93).
- 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 | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.93 | Yes |
| 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 | 0.96 |
| Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty | 0.04 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:37 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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