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I add my good wishes to those that have been expressed to you on your birthday, Mr Speaker. First Minister, given that each Department is a separate legal entity that is free to set up arm's-length bodies and non-departmental bodies as it sees fit, within reason, what role does the Executive Office have in…
Thank you for that question. To state the obvious, yes, I do. However, more than a decade of Tory austerity, which is being followed through by a Labour Government, has caused huge challenges for our public finances. We see the detriment of that every day across our health system, education system and all public…
Does the First Minister agree that it is essential for public confidence that all Departments' arm's-length bodies and non-departmental public bodies live within their budgets and that, where that is not the case, action is taken?
You referenced a number of bodies that are within TEO's remit. There are 12 bodies under TEO, some of which we have reviewed. That includes the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA). The Strategic Investment Board (SIB) also recently had a review, which we are working our way through. A…
I also wish you, Mr Speaker, a happy birthday. I thank the First Minister for her answer. I look forward to hearing the responses from the different Departments following their reviews. With over 120 arm's-length bodies and quangos across Northern Ireland public services, we see a lot of cost associated with…
Arm's-length bodies, including non-departmental public bodies, are established to deliver public services, provide expert advice or regulate sectors at arm's length from Ministers. Whilst they operate with a degree of independence from Departments, they are accountable to them. Those that fall under the remit of the…
I am happy to get the details of the groups for you. The groups and organisations on the ground that work with women who are fleeing domestic violence, and work to end violence against women and girls, should be commended. They do stellar work. I am happy to come back to you with a list of those groups and the funding…
Minister, as you stated, ending violence against women and girls is a priority in the Programme for Government. Will you detail what dedicated funding, beyond the local change fund's being rolled out through councils, exists for families and women who are in an emergency and seeking to get out of that dangerous…
This issue has to be approached with compassion, understanding and dignity. We await the guidance of the Equality Commission in light of its consideration, which will come out later this month. Regardless of how they define themselves, every person deserves the same love, equality, respect and compassion that we claim…
Following the Supreme Court judgement on the definition of a woman, does the Executive Office now have an agreed position, and what impact will that have on the ending violence against women and girls strategy?
I do not think that any of us is under any illusions: the Executive are working within incredibly tight financial constraints. Our communities and public services feel that pressure every day, but that does not mean that we should sit back and do nothing; if anything, it makes the need for joined-up, collective action…
It has been said that the PFG is a critical delivery tool for people's priorities. Why does the Budget, on which we voted last week, commit only 2% of the Executive's entire Budget to PFG priorities?
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I did not get a chance to do this earlier, but I add the Opposition's good wishes to you on your birthday. The Opposition, unlike one of the members of the Executive, would not dream of naming the number, but happy birthday to you, in any case.
Next February, the Programme for Government will have been in place for a year. As I said, we will publish an annual report on it. The Programme for Government needs to be reviewed yearly. That will give us the opportunity to make updates in line with, for example, budget decisions. It will be monitored more regularly…
I also wish you, Mr Speaker, a very happy birthday. Junior Minister, you mentioned in your original answer the annual report on delivery. Given that we have less than two years left of the mandate, do you not feel that that is too long a period between the reports being published? Will you also speak to how the…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chomhalta as a ceist. I agree with that. The Programme for Government reflects the shared ambitions of the Executive. It has been designed to make things better for people in areas such as health and tackling waiting lists; our environment; growing a globally competitive economy; providing…
Does the junior Minister agree that the PFG represents a vital commitment by the Executive to collaborate on enhancing the lives of all those whom we represent?
Recently, I submitted a question to the Executive Office regarding its assessment of a part of the Programme for Government. The question was rejected, and I was advised to address my query to the particular Minister who had written the part of the programme that I was referencing. Is that the policy of the Minister's…
We have set realistic targets and timelines for delivery against all nine priorities in the Programme for Government. We have already seen real progress. From March 2025, over 15,000 children were registered for the childcare subsidy scheme. When that is combined with tax-free childcare, it is estimated that those…
We have a role through the Executive Office delivery unit. That could be a focus through which we might align a lot of the strategies and ensure that everything is looked at in the round. You only have to look at the ending violence against women and girls strategy or the domestic and sexual abuse strategy to see that…
I join others, Mr Speaker, in wishing you a very happy birthday. Given the fact that the strategies are cross-cutting in nature, what role can the Executive Office play to ensure that the appropriate development and resourcing of strategies, such as the anti-poverty strategy or the LGBTQIA strategy, is being carried…
Thank you for that. We had a wide-ranging discussion with Keir Starmer on Friday. The deputy First Minister and I raised the funding issue, more generally, of the need for properly funded public services. We made a case strongly, as we do on each occasion. I also raised the issue of Casement Park, once again, and the…
Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Guím breithlá sona duit fosta. In Joanne Bunting's question, First Minister, she mentioned the ongoing strategies, and you responded to that. One of the long-term commitments made by the Executive goes back to 2010 and is about the building of Casement Park. Can you advise…