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 Communities to detail (i) what areas his Department is unable to retain parity with the Department for Work and Pensions due to staff shortages; and (ii) what he plans to do to address these issues.
To ask the Minister for Communities whether the full funding package was already secured when the Casement Park procurement process was brought forward by the then Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure on behalf of Ulster GAA.
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the amount of funding that will be provided to Housing Associations in the 2024-25 financial year for the building of new houses, broken down by Housing Association.
Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I thank the Member for bringing the Adjournment debate and I acknowledge the passionate contributions on the common ground that we all share, which is that this is an opportunity that we must grasp with both hands. Different Members, particularly those who represent the…
We talk a lot about the difficulties of reaching political agreement in this place and about how years of stop-start government and political dysfunction have frustrated progress on a whole range of issues. I do not think that there is any better example than the Maze/Long Kesh site. It is the perfect metaphor for the…
I think that I have said before that the feel of this mandate is different. The mood is better, the positivity is higher and the determination is greater, so I do not want to be critical. We have to be honest, however, and say that, over the years, our record on developing major infrastructure projects is not the…
I thank Mr Givan for his comments. They lead neatly on to mine. We have talked about economic drivers and the potential of the site. It is imperative that we look at bringing trade, skills and jobs to the area in order to unlock its economic potential. The key word in all of this is "potential". It is about…
I thank the Member for giving way. As we are going through the roll of honour, it would be remiss of me not to mention that my grandad Tom also served at RAF Long Kesh, as it was then, with 23 Maintenance Unit (MU) before they moved to Aldergrove. The site used to have a lineage or heritage of local industry, commerce…
I am on the Back Benches, which are much more comfortable than the Front Bench, although Mr Nesbitt is keen to get to the Front Bench. It is more comfortable here, Mike; trust me. However, the challenge is always better on the Front Bench. I thank Sorcha Eastwood for securing the Adjournment debate. It is tricky for…
As I and others have said before, Maze/Long Kesh is a symbolic microcosm of Northern Ireland. It has all the potential, resource, location and opportunity, but it lies underutilised and, in the main, dormant. Maze/Long Kesh symbolises not only our past but the Northern Ireland of today and its potential for the…
It is great to have the opportunity to speak on this important issue for Lagan Valley. To clarify, I am speaking from the Back Benches and not in my capacity as deputy First Minister. The response to the debate will officially be from the First Minister. I do, however, want to contribute to the debate because of the…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I declare an interest as a former councillor on Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. I welcome the opportunity to have this debate. I want it to be solution-focused and forward-looking. However, we need to acknowledge where we are with the Maze/Long Kesh site and how we got here. The…
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank my colleagues who tabled the motion. It is an important motion. As we have heard in the Chamber, the value that foster carers have in society must not be underestimated. When I came to the Assembly, the Health Committee looked at the Adoption and Children Bill, which…
Can the Minister clarify what actions are being taken and say whether they include action on the number of training places for social workers? While I welcome a lot of what has been said, specifics would go a long way towards saying to the workforce that more help is coming.
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate and again put on record my deep appreciation of foster carers for caring for our children and young people. I was pleased to be able to translate my respect and appreciation for foster carers into a practical support when I was…
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, for calling me. As the debate went on, I thought of a few points that I wanted to make, and they are probably too long to make during an intervention. I want to put a slightly different perspective on this. I also pay tribute to all foster carers, and I declare an interest as…
Many of the points that I was going to make have already been made by Members who spoke previously. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion, and I thank the DUP Members for tabling it. It gives us the opportunity to acknowledge and commend the essential contribution of foster carers. The benefits…
Does the Member agree that it is important that the Department also listens to the voices of young people who are care-experienced, in their feedback on the positive effects that stable foster carers have had on their life? That could speak louder than anything else when it comes to attracting more foster carers.