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 want to believe the Minister that road speed and road infrastructure are priorities for the Department. The Minister will know that, within the past hour, a judge has ruled that the decision by the Department to proceed with the A5 cannot stand. Will she now accept that, whether they relate to our infrastructure,…
As I said, I have been considering that and looking at what we can do and at whether we can maximise the budget that I have to ensure that we get as many schools as possible in that tranche. I have been back and forth with officials in recent weeks to ensure that we can get the maximum number of schools in that…
I thank the Minister for her detailed response. I have been lobbying her and the Department on the issue continually over the past number of months. Minister, when will we be likely to see tranche 3 being announced?
Road safety is a high priority for my Department, and I am committed to working proactively to make our roads safer and to address the needs of all road users. Since 2020-21, the Department has delivered two tranches of part-time 20 mph speed limits at 216 schools, which is an investment of £4 million. The Department…
I think that the Member raised that before. I do not think that it is to the detriment of existing roads and footpaths. Those are schemes that we have to do, and we want to encourage people to get out of their cars and use their bikes or walk or whatever it may be. One should not replace the other. We are working to…
Minister, the aim is to have the active travel budget sitting at around 10%; I think that it is currently at 6% or 7% or thereabouts. Will that be to the detriment of existing roads and footpaths, because we are swinging too much one way and cannot drive or walk on what we have at present?
I understand that walking, wheeling or cycling will always be most attractive as modes of transport over shorter distances, as they are probably more achievable for most people in those circumstances. Therefore, it is important to target investment in areas where it has the potential to be at its most beneficial.…
The Member refers to fixing footways and street lights as if those things take up a lot of the budget. Such work is carried out on active travel schemes that are already in place and require maintenance to ensure that the routes are safe for everyone to use, be that by making sure that they are properly lit or that…
I thank the Minister for her answer. Does she agree that improving and enhancing the opportunity for people to cycle is essential for improving public health and reducing congestion? How will she ensure that the active travel budget prioritises schemes over fixing footways and repairing street lights?
My Department does not monitor spend on cycling infrastructure separately from other active travel improvements. The total spend recorded on dedicated active travel projects in the past three financial years is £12 million in 2022-23, £10 million in 2023-24 and, provisionally, £17 million in 2024-25. In addition to…
Yes. Since the Belfast cycling network delivery plan was first published in 2022, approximately 13 kilometres of new cycle path have been built, in partnership with Belfast City Council, on the Lagan gateway and the Forth Meadow greenway schemes. Improvements have also been made to existing facilities, with the…
I am pleased to advise that the first phase of the West Belfast greenway is programmed to commence construction in the coming months. Officials are also preparing a planning application for the next phase of the West Belfast greenway and hope to submit it in the autumn. When that section of the route is complete, it…
Not all sentences have a licensing element, so I am really at a loss to understand. If somebody is on a life licence, that is a permanent situation for the rest of their life, but many people will not have an extended licence. They will simply have their custody period. I therefore do not understand the point about…
I thank the Member for giving way. Before he continues, will he clarify that? At the moment, that is what happens. A person is offered the opportunity at arraignment to plead, and if they plead, they will get a certain reduction in sentence for entering an early guilty plea. If they plead later in the process, it is…
I beg to move Thank you, Mr Speaker. Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done. More than that, people must have confidence that our justice system works. It is clear, however, that confidence in our criminal justice system is being eroded daily. Part of the problem, though certainly not all of it, is our…
I wish to move on to the matter of Committee engagement, which was raised by the Chair of the Committee. I thank the Chair and Committee members for their work on the LCM. The LCM is limited in nature, and I will address that. The nature and overall topic of the Bill made initial engagement quite complex because the…
I agree. A rule of thumb is that the more sensitive the issue, the more moderate the language required. Some Members would do well to take account of that in their contributions.
Does the Minister think that language must also be monitored in relation to people's homes being attacked in the past few weeks? Misinformation of a racist nature was used to whip up the crowd, resulting in front living rooms being set on fire, pregnant women having to flee and families having to hide in their lofts…