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.
Does the Member agree that this and our amendments are really about honesty and competence in government? If the Executive parties regret the legislation's passing in 2022, they should have the honesty to say that they do not want to implement it. However, if they think that there are no logistical reasons why it…
I welcome the opportunity to speak at Consideration Stage. While I welcome the Minister's response on the Bill last week and the level of clarity provided in his comments, it was as a result of those comments that we felt an amendment would be the best course of action. In the previous mandate, all Executive parties…
I beg to move amendment No 1: Every day, at the side of this Building, I walk past a small fleet of gleaming, top-of-the-range cars with a chauffeur in the driver's seat. Those cars, which park for free and are paid for through the public purse, belong to the very Ministers who are imposing — reimposing, rather —…
I rise to speak on behalf of thousands of adults who are living with or potentially living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across Northern Ireland. All MLAs in the Chamber will be aware of the fight that parents face annually to attain access to statements or support for children in an education…
Joined by other Members, I attended a service on Sunday in Killyman church to remember eight members of the Royal Black Institution in that small area who were murdered by terrorists during the Troubles. Those members — Frederick Greeves, Cormac McCabe, Samuel Clarke, David Graham, Robert Bloomer, George Gibson,…
Last night, the Parliament of the United Kingdom completed the passage of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill. I do not think that it will deliver the stopping of the boats, but the issue of primary concern to me is in respect of Northern Ireland. That question is this: will the Bill even apply in its…
Today, across the UK devolved regions, there is a campaign by the Brain Tumour Charity to ask all locally devolved Health Ministers to introduce a national brain tumour strategy. In late February, the Brain Tumour Charity launched an open letter addressed to the four UK Ministers. Within just three weeks of that…
I pay tribute to the memories of three victims who died on the A5 — three members of the one family. The first-year anniversary of their deaths will be this week, on Saturday 27 April. On that day a year ago, travelling home from the funeral of a family member in England, they were travelling along the Aughnacloy…
The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) has recorded, for week 15 of 2024, that we have breached over 500 excess deaths, with 502. To put that in context, we have been experiencing excess deaths for two years now, but, this time last year, for week 15 of 2023, it was recorded that there were 117…
I rise to draw attention to the deepening concern felt in my area about the lack of capacity in ward 6 of the Thompson House unit in the Mid Ulster Hospital site, or, as it is still commonly known at home in south Derry, "the old maternity end". The rehab unit is a brilliant facility, but there is a massive issue with…
I stand to celebrate the success of Rathcoole Primary School and Nursery Unit at the Families First Awards, which took place on Saturday evening. Rathcoole Primary School was given three separate awards at the event, including a highly commended award in the best principal category for principal Emma Quinn, the school…
Today, I rise again to speak on behalf of classroom assistants. Classroom assistants deserve fair pay and conditions. They have been waiting too long, and they cannot wait any longer. It is time for the Education Minister to deliver fair pay and conditions now. We have had agreement across the Assembly on many issues.…
I welcome warmly the news that we are going to have a Test cricket match at Stormont. That is wonderful news. Cricket is a sport that has a proud and really fascinating history on this island. I am from Downpatrick, where cricket has historically been played; indeed, I used to work in the bar, pulling pints, at…
I want to put on record my frustration at the ongoing delays in the interdepartmental working group between the Executive Office and the Department of Health bringing forward any meaningful work on historical clerical child abuse. Members will be aware that that working group was established in 2017 to pick up on…
On 6 February, the Isle of Man Government launched a consultation on a proposal to close vast areas of their fishing grounds, which the Northern Ireland trawl fleet has fished for generations. The consultation closed on 18 March, and access was shut off on 1 April. The Manx Government's evidence document admitted that…
I am very concerned that Downpatrick has been identified as one of the areas that is under the greatest pressure with regard to special educational needs. That is extremely worrying. Too many young people and their parents are being failed by the current system. Each of us will have had anxious and worried parents…
I rise to speak as the Chair of the all-party group on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to congratulate Dr Rosemary Coogan on being selected for the final stage of her astronaut programme and being awarded her astronaut wings yesterday. It is a remarkable achievement for someone from Northern…
Miss McAllister asked the Minister for Communities, who will be aware that his Department granted a licence for exploratory work at Milltown cemetery, in the area at the bottom of the cemetery that includes the graves of babies and unmarked burial plots, whether, given the information that has come to light, he will…
Mr Kingston asked the Minister for Communities to outline the support provided by his Department to fulfil the long-held desire of the community in the Westland estate in North Belfast to have a replacement community centre.
Mr Brett asked the Minister for Communities, following the closure of the boiler replacement scheme by his Department before Christmas, for an update on his plans to introduce a new boiler replacement scheme to support families across Northern Ireland, given that one of the biggest causes of fuel poverty for our…
Mr Mathison asked the Minister for Communities to confirm a time frame for when local government remote meetings regulations will be brought to the Assembly, further to the papers on the issue that were tabled at the Committee for Communities.
Mr McAleer asked the Minister for Communities whether he will consider reviewing the policy that he referred to in a reply to a recent question, in which he said that the regeneration focus of his Department is on populations of 5,000 or more, given that, in rural constituencies such as West Tyrone, there are only two…