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.
A number of significant issues have led to that scenario. I assume that the Member is referring to waste water capacity. I have said that NI Water has suggested that it needs between £3·5 billion to £3·6 billion for the next price control period. That in itself demonstrates the significant investment that is needed to…
I do not underestimate how difficult it is for families, particularly when they have worked extremely hard to buy a house and get a mortgage. They hope that they can raise their family there. I cannot imagine how challenging and awful that must be. If we could do more at this time, we would. I appreciate that the…
Minister, I am sure that you agree that we cannot continue to leave residents in limbo. There has to be some progress on the matter. A number of unfinished developments have been lying stagnant for a long time, but the number is so small that it would not require that great an amount of money to ensure adequate…
As the Member knows, an estimated 860 unadopted developments across the North are defined as sites requiring enforcement action under article 11 of the Private Streets Order. The Member will know that, in an effort to try to address what has been an issue for many, I have, as I have outlined, brought in updated policy…
Minister, under your watch, many miles of posts and wire fencing were put up along the A5 western transport corridor. However, in the past few weeks, a good bit of that has been removed by a mechanical digger and pushed into a pile for dumping. Do you accept that that is an outrageous waste of public money — it…
As the Member will be aware, my officials have been engaging very closely with landowners regarding what the situation will be during the time that the legal process continues. I hope that that will be concluded very soon. The Member will know that we had two hearings last week regarding the A5. Many of those…
Not that I am aware of. However, I do share the Member's frustrations about the length of time that it has taken, particularly the fact that it has been overlooked. I will endeavour to follow that up with officials today because, particularly now that weather conditions have improved, now is the time. If we can get a…
Minister, I sent a question for written answer in May 2025. You told me that your officials had identified a problem on the A48 in November 2024 and that a works order had been issued. In March 2026, I reminded you that that work had not been carried out, and you told me that a work instruction had been overlooked and…
The issue of responding to queries on road markings has come up a number of times, and I know that there are many areas that are currently on a list. With the road markings contractor, we are very limited in the resource that we have available. The Member has written to me recently about some areas that have been…
Absolutely. I absolutely want to see how we can continue to ensure that the Irish language thrives and is visible. However, as the Member will appreciate, it is my priority that we continue with the current legal challenge and that we have a successful outcome. I do not want to jeopardise that in any way by making…
Minister, I thought that our Irish language was a priority for you and your Department. How are you working to give the Irish language its proper place? Surely you can see the merits of aligning road signage throughout this island.
As the Member is fully aware, I am in the middle of a legal case around dual-language signage, so, at this time, it would be inappropriate to comment on that.
Road safety is a high priority for my Department, and we are committed to working proactively to make our roads safer and to address the needs of all road users. The Creenagh bridge replacement and significant realignment represented a £1·9 million investment by my Department to improve safety for pedestrians and road…
We all share that frustration. Many repairs are temporary until such times as a more impactful repair can be done. The Member mentioned resurfacing: there are roads everywhere that would benefit from resurfacing. Obviously, budget has an impact on that. We are trying to get a better Budget so that we can do it…
Quality assurance is really important when looking at roads. A number of us in the Chamber could take you to potholes that we have raised with the Department that have been fixed but have then reopened within a matter of days, meaning that we have had to go back into the portal to raise it with DFI staff again. That…
Recruitment is a key challenge faced by all Departments. In questions to the Minister of Health, my colleague from Newry and Armagh referred to the recruitment issue that recently impacted on Daisy Hill. The challenge is not unique to DFI. I want to put a focus on ensuring that we build our internal capacity and…
I thank the Minister for that response. As you outlined, Minister, a key part of creating a more resilient road network is having the workforce to deliver it. We know that British austerity has severely impacted on our workforce in DFI, creating an over-reliance on contractors and driving up the cost of works as a…
The issues surrounding the condition of the road network are well established. As I stated in my previous answer, I will shortly publish the new road maintenance strategy, which will put my Department in a much stronger position to progress a more modern, data-driven approach to road maintenance across the North. The…
First, to clarify the Member's points, I have never said that developers were going to fund the £2 billion gap. I have said quite the opposite, which is that that is one way in which to make some progress in that regard. It is important that I put that on the record. Secondly, it is a developer-led problem. If I were…
Minister, the Larne West distributor was supposed to have been delivered by developers 25 or 30 years ago. It is a developer-led project. As I understand it — I do not represent Larne — it involves a couple of hundred metres of unbuilt road. Does the farcical situation of that unbuilt road in Larne not give the lie to…
As Members will be aware, my Department is a statutory consultee in the planning process, at which point it provides technical advice to councils on roads, access traffic and road safety matters. Councils, as the ultimate planning authority, are responsible for determining planning applications and attaching or…