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.
Please excuse my voice, Mr Speaker. It is not the best today. Minister, you contend that you turned down the integration proposals because of legislation. Your officials, in their recommendation to approve, said that they did that in the context of: "the statutory duty, current legislation and based on the evidence…
Last week, Connie Egan MLA wrote in 'The Irish News': "almost 80% of parents from Bangor Academy and over 82% of parents from Rathmore wanted to see the change." Will the Minister confirm that it was not in fact 80% of all parents, as was implied in her article, and that, in the case of Bangor Academy, the true figure…
Does the Minister agree that the Integrated Education Act reduces the ambition to have children from different backgrounds sharing classrooms, which, for the majority of parents, is the most important aspiration of integrated education?
Does the Minister accept that many controlled schools represent a wide range of children from all backgrounds? Will he take the opportunity to pay tribute to the work that they do?
The Minister said that he was legally prohibited from granting integrated status to the two schools in Bangor. During the process of working towards that point, however, his officials believed that he should have granted them integrated status. Will the Minister explain why there has been such a divergence of opinion…
The integrated education section 10 report from the Minister's Department confirms that Ards and north Down is an area in which there is substantial unmet demand for integrated education at post-primary level. Bearing that in mind, how does the decision not to approve this development proposal align with the statutory…
Minister, many schools across our constituencies seek to become integrated. You have rejected parental choice for those two schools. What would you say today to parents who are listening and to other schools, such as schools in my constituency, that seek integration, if they were to say that they are concerned that…
I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber today. Minister, the communities of Bangor Academy and Rathmore are devastated by this decision, and I hope that you will understand that. Would you be willing to meet the principals and the school communities to discuss how you will fulfil the need and the desire for…
When I take decisions on development proposals, I work within a very clear legal framework. Integrated education is defined in the law. I am under a legal duty to encourage, facilitate and support the development of integrated education, and I take that duty extremely seriously. However, I am prohibited legally from…
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Is it in order for a Minister to wilfully misinterpret what a Member has said? The record will show that what I actually said during Justice Question Time was that self-identification presented an opportunity for predators to exploit the system. At no time did I equate or link trans…
FlaggedDecided on a second assessment.Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Controversy escalation.
That is a serious issue for me and for the people of Northern Ireland. Water quality has come so much on to the public agenda, and it is on my agenda, because two consecutive years of blue-green algae in Lough Neagh is of massive concern not just for Northern Ireland but more broadly. There is also sewage pollution…
In my initial response to the Member, I said, "Public Accounts Committee" instead of "Planning Appeals Commission"; there are two PACs in Northern Ireland. I meant to refer to the Planning Appeals Commission and the Water Appeals Commission. It is important to assure the Member and the general public that I have every…
Minister, the inquiry runs until the end of March. I note from the running order that your Department and associated bodies such as NIEA are scheduled to take part on most days. Given the strong local feeling and scale of concern, will the Minister give an assurance that his Department and officials are fully apprised…
A public inquiry started today. Members will understand that I have to be careful in what I say about that. My Department will work with the inquiry and comply with any statutory requirements associated with the needs of the Public Accounts Committee and the Water Appeals Commission.
I am trying to recall, and I cannot, so I will check and come back to the Member. If it is appropriate, we can then have a short meeting to move the matter along, because I am conscious that it has been going on for a while.
I thank the Minister for his answer. On 3 December, in the Adjournment debate that I secured, the Infrastructure Minister advised that he was waiting for further correspondence from Forest Service. Since 3 December, has the Minister had further engagement with the Infrastructure Minister on that specific issue?
I am aware of the issue from correspondence. There has been significant correspondence from not just the Member but others. DFI also has a role to play. I will check on the latest situation and write to the Member. I understand the importance of the matter, particularly given the traffic congestion and environmental…
The issue of funding is key, and I will take any funding going. If it is being offered by other Ministers so that we can do that, I will say, "Thank you". The other key issue is having the resource to recruit so that we get staff into post. I am confident that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency is working hard at…
Whilst I accept that some applications that fall under the Northern Ireland Environment Agency's remit have not supplied the appropriate details, vast swathes of genuine planning applications across a range of sectors are being held up with a point-blank, "No" or a delayed response from the Northern Ireland…
I have a lot of respect for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, and I have been doing a lot of work to improve processing times for applications. There is a further bid for additional staff so that that can be done. One of the issues is to do with applications that are made but do not meet the relevant criteria…
I have been working alongside the Justice Minister, for whom I have utmost respect as a person with the integrity and commitment to address the issues that affect the citizens of Northern Ireland. The potential option of having the ability to look at AccessNI checks is something that I want to explore and consider as…
I am really glad to hear the Minister say that. Does he accept that it is a matter of import for the public and that, whilst elements of it fall between his Department and the Department of Justice, it takes only one of them to move so that we can gather some momentum on this significant issue?
I thank the Member for her question. There are two aspects to that. There was a discussion about an all-Ireland animal cruelty register. I met Minister Charlie McConalogue in Dublin a while ago to discuss that, and, at that meeting, he outlined that there are no current plans to bring in a register in the South.…
We need to step back a wee bit on the wider issue of the Mercosur trade deal. I recognise the concerns that farmers not just in Northern Ireland but in the Republic of Ireland have expressed, and I listen to those concerns. However, let us look at the trade deals that the UK did with the rest of the world. They were…