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.
Most broadly, the answer to the Member's questions is that I will not rule anything out in considering what we can do to make sure that we provide the help that is necessary. The different forms of support will include help to make homes more resilient and better insulated and, where we can, to ensure that people can…
Minister, I will touch on two parts of your previous answers. You referenced helping with heating bills and the cost of living through energy efficiency measures. If you could elaborate on that, that would be very good. You also mentioned a surplus of renewable energy. A lot of grassroots community organisations in my…
Absolutely. That is something that we need to tackle and work together on. I am looking for support from Executive colleagues to make sure that we can put the fund in place and start spending the money and making a difference. The £100 home heating oil scheme will open tomorrow, but I want more strategic interventions…
We have heard from Sinn Féin Members in the House about the need to tackle poverty in all its forms. Therefore, does the Minister agree that it is completely hypocritical for the Sinn Féin Minister not even to mention the warm healthy homes fund in his draft Budget?
I thank the Member for that question. I encourage everybody to look into that issue. I met representatives of a particular group that is involved in fantastic work to take renewable energy at a time when it cannot otherwise be used. As a result, a trial is ongoing, and that has been of great benefit to households that…
I thank the Minister for his answer. He will be aware that we have a rather bizarre situation in Northern Ireland, where large amounts of surplus renewable energy get completely wasted. Has the Minister had any opportunity to talk to representatives from business or industry about what we can do about that wasted…
While responsibility for the regulation of gas tariffs rests with the independent Utility Regulator and energy policy is the responsibility of the Department for the Economy, I remain committed to supporting households experiencing fuel poverty and wider financial hardship. Through the warm healthy homes strategy, I…
Yes, I am Minister for Communities, and you should read what the judge actually said. I know that it is a meaty judgement and will take a bit of time, but I encourage him to read it, because, in there, he will find the truth. It will not be nice reading for him, but I encourage him to actually read it: it is there in…
Yes, that is absolutely the case. This is a good opportunity to raise the issue of the recent court judgement on the Irish language strategy. Sinn Féin Members have been blaming me for a long, long time for holding up the strategy, but the judge was clear: DFC has been progressing the language strategies. So where did…
I commend the Minister on the stance that he has taken. Just because Sinn Féin Ministers cannot deliver within the rules does not mean that they can flout them. Sinn Féin Members love to pontificate on the Irish language, but does the Minister agree that the zeal of their words is often not matched by their actions?
FlaggedIrish language, Ulster-Scots and language policyCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
First, I have met the new commissioner on a number of occasions. We have had at least one formal meeting, and I have no doubt that we will continue to meet on those issues. It is important and right that those standards, which will have to be approved by the First Minister and deputy First Minister, are applied in…
The Minister will be aware that the Irish Language Commissioner has been in post since November 2025. What steps are he and his departmental officials taking to engage with the commissioner to ensure that the new standards that will be rolled out for the Department and its arm's-length bodies will be consistent so…
It is the same old Sinn Féin: it thinks that the law does not apply to it. I want to be clear: I will use the law, and I will use the courts to make sure that the law is upheld. The Minister for Infrastructure has the same responsibilities as every other Minister who operates in the Executive. We are all equally…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an fhreagra fhíorghairid sin. Minister, you will be aware that there is considerable anger over the legal action that you have been taking against that signage. Earlier today, I noted that a loss of confidence has been submitted by the arts sector in relation to a lack of investment in…
If the Member is referring to the judicial review of Irish language signage at Grand Central station, that remains ongoing, and therefore I am unable to confirm costs at this stage.
First, I recognise the fact that the arts are not funded to the level that we want to see them funded to. That stands out when you look at where the budget was 15 years ago compared with where it is today. I understand and fully appreciate people's concerns in relation to that. However, I have made it a priority. For…
Minister, the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann was an extraordinary and unprecedented event in this city and in this region. It genuinely brought joy in a way that people in this city had not experienced before. The people who delivered that, however, and were the backbone of that, were the artists — dozens of whom are…
Yes, absolutely. I congratulate the organisers of the fleadh for the way in which they went about their work and how they tried to make it inclusive and representative not just of Belfast but of Northern Ireland as a whole. There were great opportunities for people to feel welcome and involved. The Member is…
FlaggedLegacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarismCriteria met: Identity framing, Cultural grievance politics, Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
Does the Minister agree that the fleadh was a good example of how our shared cultures can be celebrated together, which is in stark contrast with the despicable scenes and glorification of terrorism that we see annually at the west Belfast festival?
FlaggedSectarianism, hate crime and community relationsCriteria met: Identity framing, Cultural grievance politics, Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
Yes, of course, the fleadh would not have been what it was had it not been for the many people who contributed, took part and displayed their talents, all of which were enjoyed by everybody. The Member asked specifically about legacy and what I am doing to ensure that we have a legacy for the arts in Northern Ireland,…
Minister, the fleadh was a fantastic success, with our thriving arts community bringing Belfast to life in a way that I certainly have never seen before in my lifetime. Minister, you have an opportunity to decide what legacy you want to leave for that sector. I know that you met the arts group Equity earlier today,…
Yes, it was a successful event, and I was happy to attend a number of the events in August. It brought people together and was good for the city and beyond. I was not asked to provide any funding for the fleadh. I met the organisers over a year before the event. There are lots of other people who ask me for money and…