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.
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether his Department is implementing any measures to prevent food waste in buildings used by his Department or its arm's-length bodies.
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) the number of applications received for the Musical Instruments for Bands Programme for 2024; and (ii) the current budget for the scheme.
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the number of Housing Executive tenants experiencing rent arrears in the last 12 months, broken down by local council area.
To ask the Minister for Communities, pursuant to AQW 13649/22-27, for an update on the introduction of a waiver process for Welfare Support Payment overpayments, in particular for Social Sector Size Criteria and the Benefit Cap.
To ask the Minister for Communities whether his Department is implementing any measures to prevent food waste in buildings used by his Department or its arm's-length bodies.
I am sure that the Minister will agree that the housing crisis and the challenges that face housing are not unique to Northern Ireland. Will he talk about any engagement that he has had with colleagues in the UK Government about support from them? The Minister mentioned tackling the UK-wide housing crisis in his…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member who secured the debate and congratulate him on doing so. I welcome the opportunity to respond. I also congratulate him on his Bruce Springsteen quote — I do not think that anybody had that on their bingo card today — and I look forward to more quotes from The Boss in…
I join colleagues in thanking the Member opposite for securing this important Adjournment debate. Those who may be tuning in would be forgiven for mistaking which constituency we are talking about. Obviously, today, we are talking about South Down, but the statistics show that the impact of homelessness and the lack…
It is clear that much, much more must be done to tackle homelessness across our society and particularly in South Down. As everyone else has done, I thank Andrew McMurray for bringing this vital issue to the Floor and for referencing those many Housing Executive stats from our constituency. There is limited temporary…
I thank our constituency colleague Andy McMurray for bringing the Adjournment debate to the House. Regardless of whether people are in South Down or South Antrim, the issue of homelessness has relevance, and, sadly, it does not appear to be getting any easier. All of us here will have been contacted in our…
I thank my constituency colleague Andrew McMurray for securing the debate this evening. We know that becoming homeless can happen to anyone. Over 48,000 are now on the waiting list for social housing in Northern Ireland, with 8,452 presenting as homeless in the most recent reporting period, October 2023 to March 2024.…
Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I sincerely thank my constituency colleague Andrew McMurray for securing this important Adjournment debate. Homelessness is not just a personal misfortune; it is a societal failure. In Ireland, we face a crisis of social and affordable housing, which is made worse by the…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I want to raise the issue of homelessness in my constituency of South Down and, more broadly, in Northern Ireland. I think that I can be confident in saying that there is no Member for whom homelessness is not a regular issue. This is my first opportunity to secure an Adjournment debate,…
Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Danny and Peter have given thorough accounts of Members' comments, so I do not want everyone to have to sit through that a third time. I thank them for those accounts. All the comments have been helpful. Words that were repeated in Members' remarks include "crisis",…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I rise to wind up on the amendment tabled by me and Alliance Party colleagues. I thank the Sinn Féin Members for proposing the motion and the DUP Members for their amendment. We are content to support all three. Our amendment introduces a single change to the motion. In addition to the…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The greatest struggle that I will have is to read through this handwriting for the next five minutes, but I will certainly do my best. In summarising the debate, for which I, like my colleague has just done, thank Cathy Mason for bringing, I think that it has been an interesting and…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Members who tabled the motion and everyone who took part in the debate. Information has been given that I want to take away and have my officials look into, because we need to tackle vaping collectively. I visit many schools and engage with many school leaders and teachers. It…
I will be honest: I am not on the Education Committee, and I am not on the Health Committee. I speak as someone whose child went through the education system and as a member of a couple of boards of governors. Vaping is a pandemic that is sweeping through every school in Northern Ireland, including, unfortunately,…
Thanks to everybody for taking part in this important debate. I thank the Minister for being here. As has been said by most Members, vapes and e-cigarettes are still being researched to fully understand their implications. As we move through, we can see those implications in our communities and, importantly, in our…
Having been invented a little over 20 years ago, vaping has, incredibly and sadly, become ubiquitous in our society. While vaping was initially launched with the sales pitch that it would help smokers who wished to escape their cigarette addiction by moving to a so-called safer interim alternative, it is now clear…