Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
I thank the Member for her question. I reflect, as would, I am sure, our universities, that it is not a problem of just this year but one that has grown over a number of years, because we have not seen the type of investment that we need in our public services in general. Particularly in our further and higher…
Minister, such redundancies do not happen in isolation. In your answers, you said that the absence of a Budget is making the situation even more difficult. While we are supposed to be expanding Magee to 10,000 students, Ulster University is simultaneously being forced to cut jobs. How can those two things possibly be…
I do not have the specific figures in front of me to which the Member refers — I think that they come from a response to a question for written answer — but I am happy to correspond with him further. It goes back to my point about how we need to see investment in our further and higher education institutions in…
Given the announcement of £9·3 million in funding for Ulster University, which is made up of £7 million, £1·5 million and £800,000 for projects associated with the university, can the Minister clarify how much of that funding her Department has earmarked for Magee and how much, if any, it has earmarked for Coleraine?…
I thank the Member for her question. I agree with her. I have had significant engagement with representatives from our universities and our further education colleges, at both principal and board level, and with the trade unions that represent further and higher education staff. In some respects, we have the shared…
Minister, communication between stakeholders and Departments is always key. Will you outline further what communication and engagement have been like with key stakeholders in our further and higher education sector? It is really important that, while we are fighting for a fairer settlement from the UK Government, we…
I thank the Member for his question. The Brain Gain research has provided us with an important evidence base for how we can sustain our universities into the future. It challenges what has been the mainstream narrative for quite some time, which is that there has been a brain drain, by showing that the number of…
Minister, from the recent Brain Gain research, there are a number of suggestions. How do you intend to use that research to support our universities' sustainability?
I thank the Member for her question. I am on record as saying that I could not sign up to the Executive Budget that was on the table because it would have put our further and higher education institutions, in particular, in significant difficulty and limit the opportunity for wider economic development. I, along with…
Both universities have been highly critical of the current funding model, including minimal inflationary rises. Minister, will you take responsibility for the inevitable outcome that the redundancies will seemingly have? How will we support universities so that they do have a sustainable future and will not have to…
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will answer questions 1 and 13 together. I recognise the vital role that further education colleges and higher education institutions play in supporting our economy, developing skills and promoting regional balance. Ulster University has commenced a process inviting applications…
I thank the Member for her important question on that sensitive issue. I met the Member previously about the concerns, in particular, around the Milltown cemetery site. It is critical that we try to preserve what is there at the moment in order to make sure that full investigations can take place. What happened at…
Thank you. It is absolutely important. As I said, the application for the march was put in by the Portadown Orangemen, and they have the right to do so. It was not the DUP that put in that application. The courts supported the Parades Commission and that outcome. It is absolutely right that people should have their…
I thank the deputy First Minister for her comments. Deputy First Minister, you may or may not be aware that, particularly in the Republic of Ireland, there are real concerns about the delivery of services and what is going on. One of the comments that has been made is that the only thing that Sinn Féin is good for is…
I thank the Member for his important question. We face huge issues, and that is partly why I am deeply frustrated and why I feel angry about what we have seen over the past week. Yes, there will always be challenges and issues that we need to navigate. I have been out and about speaking to so many people who are…
Sinn Féin needs to get real if the Member genuinely thinks that you have not done significant damage to the position of First Minister and these ministerial positions that, at their very heart, have to be about upholding the law. As I have said before, key to this is the fact that you cannot demand equality and then…
FlaggedDecided on a second assessment.Parades, bonfires and commemorationsCriteria met: Identity framing.
Yes, an answer would be great. We certainly do not dance to the beat of anybody's drum. We stand shoulder to shoulder. DUP members' approach to the rule of law is not so clear-cut when they are breaking the law themselves. An opportunity to ask the question would be good. Thank you, Mr Speaker. If you are so committed…
— and rightly so, because they are the residents and the people whom we represent. Just for clarity — Thank you. I also want to say that I am very proud of my colleague Deirdre Hargey, and I will not have her shouted down by the Members behind you.
I am a bit young to be "the past", but thanks very much for the lecture. First of all, for clarity: the residents are absolutely in control of everything that happens on the Garvaghy Road. If you or any of your colleagues bothered to go down on to the Garvaghy Road and speak to the people in that community centre, you…
This is all about the type of Northern Ireland that we want to build and that we should have by now. It is not the one that is based on the intolerance, hate and bile that I have heard being directed towards British identity or culture over the course of the past week. The vast majority of people across Northern…
FlaggedSectarianism, hate crime and community relationsCriteria met: Identity framing, Cultural grievance politics, Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
— calm heads, to urge people to get off the streets, to urge dialogue and compromise, but that did not happen. I say to the members of the Opposition to stop shaking weakly in the face of Sinn Féin and start to stand up for what is right.
Again, shame on you — Shame on you. You shake weakly in the face of calling out Sinn Féin, but you are happy to call out the DUP at every turn. May I give you some advice? It will not do the SDLP any electoral good to stand in the shadow of Sinn Féin and the dissidents on the Garvaghy Road and not stand up for the…
FlaggedDecided on a second assessment.Parades, bonfires and commemorationsCriteria met: Identity framing.