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.
Do you not see the hypocrisy of going against the decision of the democratically elected local councillors? I back the councillors and their decision, because it was right and appropriate. You should also respect the council's decision, because it was taken in the best interest of the community.
The First Minister has not answered the question. I asked whether that applies to all councils in Northern Ireland. First Minister, do you not see the hypocrisy of your commentary commemorating the victim makers while being unwilling to allow citizens in my community to engage with the armed forces in their council…
The Member will know that I have made my position on the matter clear. The democratically elected local councillors know best what is good in their own community. Given the history of the British Army in Derry, I stand over saying that I think that that was the right call for them to make about what happens at a jobs…
FlaggedDecided on a second assessment.Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarismCriteria met: Identity framing, Cultural grievance politics.
I have made my position very clear to the Member. You are on the Assembly and Executive Review Committee, and that is the forum in which we can discuss those issues. I am the First Minister, there is a deputy First Minister, and it is a joint office. I have never shied away from that. I also used the joint office…
First Minister, you are First Minister. I asked for your opinion. I did not ask what the AERC is doing. I am on that Committee, so I know. The differential between those titles was born out of unionist insecurity, to be blunt, in 1998. It was a continuation of the top-dog supremacy politics of the Orange state that…
The Member will know that that is under the remit of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee, which is actively working through the matter. We all fought the election on the rules as they stand, and when we get to the point at which potential change is brought forward, under that Committee's remit, we can all make…
Thanks for that question. We completely understand the concerns that have been raised about the time that it is taking to process applications. Each application to the scheme is unique and comes with its own complexities, and the progress of applications can require additional or supporting information from external…
We are all dismayed at the recent reports of applicants having to wait for a long time for their application to be assessed. Will you please outline what additional resources will be allocated to try to speed up the processing of applications?
As of last week, 11,853 applications have been submitted to the victims' payments scheme. Payments totalling almost £108 million have been made to eligible applicants, offering meaningful recognition of the harm that they have suffered. The Victims' Payments Board is progressing applications as efficiently as possible…
It is not really related to the question, but I will say that I have made my position clear on the jobs fair. I think that the locally elected councillors made the right call.
Will the First Minister agree that, given that public money was invested in Ebrington Square, all lawful organisations, including the UK armed forces, should be welcome at events there?
For the first time ever, right at the heart of the Executive's economic strategy, regional balance is writ large. It is an objective for Invest NI, and we can very much see that starting to be borne out. I therefore encourage you to be more positive about what is being achieved in the wider north-west. Regional…
There is no regional balance for the north-west, and I do not know how to make that loud and clear. Last week in Belfast, a thousand jobs were announced, and we are getting the crumbs with the job announcements for Derry. That aside, you talked about the need for regional balance. Can you spell out exactly what that…
Thank you for that question. I did not know that we had visitors from the north-west: you are very welcome. Putting regional balance at the heart of the economic strategy here was a deliberate approach to ensure that we unlock the north-west's full potential and that investment is shared across the board. I sometimes…
First Minister, I thank you and the deputy First Minister for your recent attendance at Seagate and at Foyle port. I also welcome the north-west leadership collective, members of which are in the Public Gallery today, and recognise its fantastic work in the area. What impact has the fact that the Executive have agreed…
The Member is a representative of the north-west, and it is important to make sure that we underline the sheer scale of investment that there has been in the north-west recently. We should all be buoyed by that positivity. You mentioned the site's being transferred to the council. That process has been ongoing for a…
I thank the First Minister for her response, and I welcome the progress being made at Ebrington. First Minister, where are discussions at with the council about the potential transfer of the Ebrington site to the council? What assurances has your office received that the site will remain a shared space? I have some…
The investment in Ebrington aligns with the Executive's vision of building a strong, sustainable and regionally balanced economy. We are committed to investing in the north-west, and we are already seeing the positive outworkings of that commitment, including the expansion of Magee, the city deals and the projects…
That is the reasonable approach to take in the drafting of our new international relations strategy. We look on, aghast, at how people, particularly in London, have decided to wine and dine the president of the United States whilst his actions are clearly facilitating what is happening in Gaza. You cannot sell your…
First Minister, I agree with your decision not to go to the banquet. It was the right thing to do. However, given the fact that there is, as you say, a genocide happening in Gaza and that democracy around the world, including, sadly, in North America and the United States, is under threat, what steps are you taking to…
Yes, I absolutely agree, because anyone with an objective mind, seeing how the situation continues to deteriorate in Gaza, will see it as completely unconscionable, intolerable and absolutely inhumane. How did we arrive at a position where women and children are being murdered daily and the international community…
The First Minister will no doubt have seen the report that was issued through the UN Human Rights Council. It provides definitive confirmation that the Israeli state is engaged in genocide against the Palestinian people. Does the First Minister agree that the international community must take a principled stand…
I value our Irish-American links very much. Indeed, successive American Administrations have been very much part of bringing about our peace process, but you are referring to a banquet in Windsor last week that I chose not to attend, and rightly so: I do not see how a benefit would be achieved from attending a state…