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You make a good point. It is important that we do that in a coordinated fashion. As ever in life, we can learn lessons about what we can do better. If we did not do that, we would not be doing our job properly. You raise important issues about rural communities, and I want to ensure that they are supported in the time…
Not after what your colleague said about me earlier. It has been referred to the Executive. Can we have a plan of action to identify the weaknesses and the problems and how things can be done better? I do not particularly care who takes the initiative so long as that is done and so long as we hear back. Those living…
Thank you, Patsy, for your question. You highlight an important issue: the people most affected by the storm were vulnerable people in rural communities. Many have been without electricity, water and broadband, which is key to day-to-day life, particularly for those working from home. They have been without those…
What collaboration is or is likely to be ongoing with other Departments to get an audit of how things happened and how best to approach the issues, particularly in rural areas?
That is slightly unrelated to the question, but it is an important issue. I will ask my private office to contact your constituency office today to get a bit more understanding of the issues and see how we can resolve them.
My question is a bit wider and is about the DAERA application for nitrates. Farmers and form-fillers have brought to my attention today the fact that they cannot access the website for their nitrates application. The deadline is 1 March, and, as yet, they have not been able to access the website. It was supposed to…
This is a matter of concern for me, because it was devastating when it arrived. That is why I have spoken to my colleague across the border, Martin Heydon, and previously to Charlie McConalogue. I have also spoken to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Baroness Hayman from DEFRA. There has been significant…
I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, can we some more details of a response plan should foot-and-mouth disease come to Northern Ireland? We can all recall when it came back in 2001 and the devastation that it caused, particularly to the economy. Does he have any plans to deal with that, particularly for…
The emergence of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany is of significant concern not only for our livestock owners but for agriculture sectors across the UK, Ireland and the European Union. I assure Members that my Department has robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of the disease in order to protect our…
That is a very broad question. I am very conscious that legislation is in place, including the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. If the Member has any concerns, I ask him to raise them with the council, as councils are primarily the enforcement authority for that matter.
It is an important issue. Minister, do you intend to review the destruction of healthy dogs if they have been seized and held in a council pound for a time, which I think is something like five or seven days?
I do plenty of thinking, Matthew. I took the issue forward and met my then counterpart, Minister Charlie McConalogue. Martin Heydon has now taken over, and I had a really good conversation with him last week. We discussed whether the South plans to bring forward a register of that nature, and I was informed that it…
Minister, you said last year that the creation of an all-island animal cruelty register was "untenable". I think that that was the word that you used. Is that still your position? Have you done any more thinking on that matter?
When it comes to the current licensing regime for establishments, legislation allows my Department to license four distinct animal businesses. I am, however, acutely aware of the fact that those laws have their origins in 1972. There are potentially much better ways of doing things, and other animal-related businesses…
I thank the Minister for his answer to my colleague's question and to mine. I want to be clear on something, because I was not sure from his answer. Is he saying that he will not introduce a licensing framework for animal welfare establishments in this mandate?
I would be delighted to do so. It is really important that I record my appreciation of and support for the many animal welfare organisations that operate in Northern Ireland, including Assisi and many more, such as Cats Protection, Dogs Trust and the Ulster Society for the Prevention Cruelty to Animals (USPCA). Those…
Thank you, Minister. I welcome your commitment to animal welfare. Will you join me on a visit to Assisi Animal Sanctuary in our constituency of North Down?
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will group questions 5 and 6. I confirm that my Department is advancing preparations to introduce a version of Lucy's law for Northern Ireland. In the coming weeks, I intend to launch a full public consultation on mandatory CCTV in abattoirs. I am also actively considering my animal…
Minister, have you given any consideration to whether it would be suitable to use rural halls to help tackle the housing and homelessness crisis across our communities?
I am engaging with the new Finance Minister on the issues. Yes, we have dual market access, about which the leader of the Opposition is chuntering from a sedentary position. I have promoted that quite often. In general, however, Brexit has not worked out very well for the UK, particularly for rural communities.
One thing that has perhaps been overlooked is the impact of Brexit on the rural development programme. It is something that I see every day in my Ministry. When I visited Loughmacrory, I saw the facilities that had been supported there, but funding was not available thereafter. Brexit was a really bad idea for not…