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.
Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Your Department received the largest capital budget of any Department in 2025-26 and in the history of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. In order to spend that money strategically and wisely, do you share my colleagues' and my view that an infrastructure commission would help us…
I thank the Member for his question, and I apologise for the earlier technical difficulty. I am happy to come back to him about his listed question. At this point, I have not considered that matter in any great detail. His colleague raised it when I was in with the Committee a number of weeks ago. I am happy to look…
I am happy to take that request forward. As part of the process that I mentioned that will decide which schools will be included, we can consider that school.
Minister, will you commit to including Harryville Primary School in Ballymena in the next tranche of part-time 20 mph zones that are established outside schools?
At this stage, we do not have the budget allocations, as the draft Budget is still out for consultation, but we are working through those things. I have not made any decisions on specific allocations.
The NIEA is responsible for monitoring water quality. We continue to work closely with it and other partners to ensure that our water is safe. NI Water's role is to treat our water and ensure that it is safe for drinking and to manage the treatment of sewage. In that respect, the NIEA could probably provide the Member…
Multiple reports have highlighted pressures on planning and, indeed, on our climate. I will, however, raise another issue, which is that of the growing number of cold-water dippers, who bathe in cold water in our rivers, lakes, reservoirs and coastal waters. What steps can the Department take in the short and long…
As I said earlier, quite a lot of work is being done to see such projects move at a much faster pace. On Friday, we launched the consultation on developer contributions, which is about trying to get more investment into the system so that we can move ahead with the much-needed upgrades. No one in the Chamber would…
If you can point me to examples, I will be happy to ask officials to consider them. I am sure that many political parties have signs and banners up everywhere. We look at each case on an individual basis.
I thank the Minister for her answer. I am aware of action that the PSNI has taken, with the Department and sometimes in the absence of its support, on removing items that are considered to be inflammatory. Where items that do not meet the threshold are concerned, however, what sort of message does she think is being…
That is the subject of ongoing debate. My Department has a specific remit to remove things that obstruct or otherwise have an impact on motorists' vision on our roads. As the Member knows, however, and the Member for South Belfast outlined, because of their contentious nature and the difficulties that they can cause,…
That is an issue that affects all Departments. For a lot of major projects, we have to ensure that all our i's are dotted and all our t's crossed. I appreciate that there have been delays. Some of the delays that occurred in the past were to do with planning and waste water. Those are the priorities on which I, as the…
Large-scale infrastructure projects appear to go to your Department to drown in delay and multiply in cost, so, as a newly appointed Minister, what confidence do you have that your Department can bring projects from concept to reality and provide good, affordable bureaucracy and costings for the taxpayer?
We have not made any decisions on the budget for the incoming year or on prioritising projects. We are very aware of the scheme, and, as I said, it has to tie in with the transport plan. I hope to have further updates to give very soon.
I thank the Minister for her answer. This issue predates not just the Minister but these institutions. She referred to the Buncrana Road's place in the north-west transport plan, but, given that it appears in the investment strategy for future years, is she able to confirm that her Department has or will bid for the…
Major road schemes are an important part of the work that is delivered by my Department as we seek to reduce journey times, increase reliability and improve road safety. The A2 Buncrana Road scheme will be considered as part of the north-west transport plan 2035, which has been subject to a public consultation…
Aside from everything else that I might represent, as a citizen, I am keen to make sure that all information is made available and all views are considered as part of the decision-making process for a project as critical as the fixed-bridge design for the southern relief road. That is why I want to make sure that the…
Having been born and bred in Newry, I am acutely aware of and a keen supporter of its heritage. Had the Member listened to my answer, he would have heard that I have not decided yes or no, because the consultation period has just ended. As Minister, I have a responsibility to abide by the process. If I had done it the…
I think the Minister for her answer. Minister, Newry has an incredibly rich and proud maritime heritage. Have you not learned anything from the short-sighted destruction of the past, with our railways having been ripped up, our canals left to go to rack and ruin and our town centres bulldozed? Do you intend to close…
As someone who was a strong supporter of the design of a lifting bridge at a time when very few in the Chamber supported or spoke out about it, my position has been very clear from as far back as 2020. Since then, however, a decision was taken when the Assembly was down. My predecessor reviewed that decision to try to…
I have outlined the timeline for moving the programme forward, subject to its ratification by the council. I appreciate that it has taken some time. When I came into post, one of the first meetings that I had with officials was on the roundabout. We have agreed to an expedited programme, and I hope to see it delivered…
I thank the Minister for her response. She will be aware that people living in my constituency are deeply frustrated by the inaction on addressing the issues at Caw roundabout. Will the Minister commit to giving a timeline in which those issues will finally be addressed and a commitment that the roundabout will…
We are flying through these today. The upgrade and signalisation of Caw roundabout is included in the planning conditions for the adjacent H30 housing development, and it is the responsibility of the developer to deliver those works. My Department agreed an expedited programme with the developer that will see the…
I thank the Member for her question. It will be disappointing, but we have to work with the data available to us, and it is about trying to find the balance. Translink is in the process of procuring a new signal system that will automate the raising and lowering of barriers. The system is anticipated to take about…