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It is collective, not specific. As a former Belfast City councillor, does the Member agree that there is also an issue with people not getting their bins collected regularly enough? There is also a lack of small waste bins in and around Belfast in particular and an issue with people having a lot of disposable nappies…
Thank you, Principal Deputy Speaker. I feel as though we were having a nappy-off between Miss Brownlee, Mr O'Toole and Mr Carroll about who has changed more nappies. I can confirm to Mr Butler, however, that there are no safety pins and there is no more yellowing terry towelling; they are all quite funky and velcroed…
Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I am not changing the subject. In relation to waste disposal and his ability to deliver it through the Executive, have the Minister or his colleagues brought forward a specific proposal on reform to the Executive and sought to get it into the Programme for Government?
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank the Members who tabled the motion for bringing it to the House and for their interest in the important issue of recycling. As we navigate the ever-increasing impact of climate change, it is now imperative that we rethink how we deal with our resources. Our current…
As has been said, three billion nappies are thrown away every year just in the UK, accounting for around 3% of household waste. They are sent to landfill sites for 500 years, although I should declare an interest as somebody who has probably contributed a few thousand of those nappies in the past couple of years by…
I will speak not only as a Member but as, I feel, a seasoned, professional nappy-changer. My colleague Michelle McIlveen has passionately raised the issue of nappy and hygiene product recycling and reuse several times in the Chamber. Her efforts have shone a light on an incredible opportunity for us to tackle one of…
I thank the Member for giving way. Will he accept that this debate is every bit as legitimate as the 10-plus non-binding private Members' motions that the Member's party has tabled during his term as leader of the Opposition?
I thank the Member for giving way. It took him about two minutes to caveat his objection to debating the motion. Does he not see that that speaks to the fact that his objection is groundless? His party likes to speak about a circular economy and environmentalism. This is the reality of it. Discussing nappies is not…
I should preface my remarks on the motion by saying that it is a very important subject. It is an important subject because it affects parents and people who care for young children and also people who use the other forms of recyclable sanitary or medical products that were listed by the proposer of the motion. I am…
The motion and the amendment recognise the significant environmental impact of disposable nappies and other absorbent hygiene products, which account for, as has been said, 4% our residual waste. There are key differences in each approach, but both have merit and deserve consideration. The motion highlights the…
As the Sinn Féin spokesperson on environment and climate, I will speak in support of the motion. The watchword of our time is "sustainability". We can no longer afford to maintain the endless conveyor belt of production, consumption and disposal. As we aim for net zero, habits and behaviours must change at individual,…
I thank the Member for his comments. Will he accept that non-statutory guidance is not the same as developing a co-design strategy to address the issue?
The debate is about an undeniably significant issue as we strive for a cleaner and more sustainable environment. I thank the proposer of the motion and her colleagues for bringing it to the House and highlighting a very important issue. I suspect that, as I speak, there will be a lot of similarity between what I will…
I beg to move Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. The motion seeks two outcomes: first, that the Minister engages with local councils to develop a strategy for the collection and recycling of disposable nappies and other absorbent hygiene products, and, secondly, that the Minister and his Department take an…
Does the Member agree that that is exacerbated in rural areas, where the lack of choice and lack of access to supermarkets and lower prices make things even worse?
Thank you, Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank everyone who has spoken on the motion today. Alliance proposed the motion because this is one of the key issues affecting society today. If we can create a solution — if we can lift children out of the social disadvantage of poverty — we can change society in Northern…
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I also rise to highlight the critical issue of child poverty and the growing reliance on emergency food provision in Northern Ireland. It is a matter of moral and social urgency that demands our immediate attention. Recent statistics underscore the stark reality: child…
I thank the Minister for giving way. I appreciate that he is finalising the strategy. Does he have any indication or even an estimate, at this stage, about what sort of money will be attached to the anti-poverty strategy?
I thank the Minister for giving way. The Minister might recall that I was critical at the time that March was given as an end date for the roll-out of those payments, which were due to start in December. It is fair enough to say that nothing has been done to date, even though we have assurances that officials are…