Northern Ireland Assembly, 6 May 2025

341 contributions from 70 members. The official report.

Assembly Business

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Before I call Members to make their statements, I want to mention that, today, we will celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. There is an excellent exhibition from the War Memorial Museum in Belfast and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) over in the other facility. We are also holding an event at 1.15 pm to mark the tremendous occasion when fascism was defeated and the war in Europe came to a conclusion. We are very thankful that that was the case.

Members' Statements

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

It might seem strange coming from me, but I congratulate Dungannon Swifts Football Club on its victory in the Irish Cup final. Well done. It was a mighty achievement for the team, the whole club, its loyal supporters who have stuck with it through thick and thin, and, indeed, the whole community, so well done. Bad luck to Cliftonville Football Club. Like many people, I had hoped that we would bring the cup back to North Belfast. Regrettably, it was not our day.

I want to address the post-match incidents. I reiterate what Cliftonville FC said in its statement; it will engage fully with all relevant statutory bodies. It had those engagements prior to the match and it will certainly have them post-match. Like the club, I condemn, on record, the completely unacceptable behaviour of a small minority of fans.

Genuine fans were caught up in those incidents. We have been contacted by many people who were at the game on Saturday afternoon, including some who were part of three generations of the same family and had brought their grandkids with them. They were caught up in the middle of it; it was really terrifying for them. They said that health and safety concerns need to be addressed at a minimum. We will discuss the policing operation on the day, both prior to and post the match.

I also take the opportunity to condemn the people who were behind threats to Catholic residents in the Skegoneill area of North Belfast. There are reports that the PSNI visited several homes in the area to inform residents that they had been targeted by a criminal gang. My understanding is that at least one family has moved out and others are talking about doing the same.

Let me be clear: sectarianism, regardless of where it presents itself, has no place in our society. Anyone who intimidates or threatens people simply because of their faith or identity needs to be challenged and called out by all of us. Political leaders here need to make it clear that they reject that vile behaviour and, indeed, the thugs behind it.

Michelle McIlveen (DUP, Strangford)

Bobby Sands was not a freedom fighter. He was a convicted criminal; someone wedded to violence; a member of a brutal terrorist organisation that was responsible for the murder and maiming of thousands. To honour his legacy is to reopen the wounds of the past. For the innocent victims of the Provisional IRA and their families, that is not distant history. It is lived pain. It is the empty chair at the dinner table.

The First Minister's attendance in Twinbrook on Sunday was a wilful decision to reopen that hurt. As we are all aware, the ministerial Pledge of Office requires an unambiguous rejection of violence and paramilitarism. Glorifying, through speeches or shrines, people who broke the law is a gross abdication of those duties. There are serious question marks over the role of others in that event, in particular Mr Sheehan and Mr Baker. Political leadership demands moral clarity.

Social media remains fertile ground for radicalisation, and the glorification of figures like Bobby Sands, Séamus McElwain or Jim Lynagh emboldens a new generation to romanticise violence. The First Minister is the first one to point out the harm that can be caused on such platforms when abuse is targeted towards women and girls, including those in the public eye, but what about the women and girls who were left bereaved or whose lives were indelibly scarred when their father, grandfather or brother was barbarically attacked by the IRA? Do they not matter?

The hypocrisy on display by Sinn Féin is breathtaking. Sinn Féin attacks the DUP support for our unionist culture and identity because of the distasteful actions of a few, yet it has absolutely no problem giving full-throated support for the veneration of terrorist godfathers within their own communities. For republicans and for the First Minister, it is a case of, "Do as I say, not as I do".

Glorifying terror will only poison the future. There is an onus on all of us to lead with integrity, truth and a shared commitment to peace.

Stewart Dickson (Alliance, East Antrim)

This week, as we mark the anniversary of Victory in Europe, we do more than just remember a military triumph. We commemorate the birth of a new Europe — a Europe built not on vengeance but on reconciliation; not on division but on a shared sovereignty and human rights.

The end of the war in Europe in 1945 was not just about the defeat of fascism; it was about the courage to imagine a different future. Treaties and institutions that followed, from the United Nations to the European Convention on Human Rights, were drawn up even as our cities still smouldered. They represented a profound belief that peace must be built on justice and that no nation can secure its future alone.

As we reflect on that history, we must reflect on this uncomfortable truth: our collective memory has failed to honour properly all those who made victory possible. Recent research has revealed that only 24% of us in the United Kingdom are aware that soldiers from Jamaica and Kenya fought in that war; only 34% of us know about the sacrifices that were made by Muslim troops; and a mere 43% of us recall the contribution of Sikhs. However, when we are told the history and learn that 2·5 million soldiers of the Indian army, about 1 million African personnel and tens of thousands from the Caribbean fought, we all agree that they deserve equal commemoration.

Let us remember individuals like Private Clarence Trimm, a black Canadian soldier who was born to British Guyanese parents and first tried to enlist at 15 by growing a moustache to look older. He was killed in Germany two weeks before VE Day, having fought to liberate the Netherlands. Consider also Noor Inayat Khan, a Muslim woman of Indian descent who served as a British spy in occupied France. Just before she was executed at Dachau concentration camp, her last word was "Liberté". Those stories matter. They remind us that the fight against fascism is truly global and that our remembrances must be equally inclusive.

Fascism has thrived on division. Our answer then and now must be peacebuilding and honest remembrance in a way that makes room for every story, every sacrifice and every community that stood together against tyranny. That is how we will truly honour VE Day, not just as history but as a living commitment to the values for which so many fought and died.

Diana Armstrong (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I rise to note sporting success in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and congratulate Dungannon Swifts Football Cub on winning the Irish Cup final in a thrilling match against Cliftonville on Saturday at Windsor Park. It was a superb achievement, with the match being decided on penalties. Every player played his part in ensuring that the cup was brought back to Stangmore Park in Dungannon. The celebrations continued right up to yesterday, when the team did a tour of the town in an open-top bus.

Congratulations must go to Rodney McAree, the son of the well-known Joe McAree, for steering the group of talented and inspirational players to victory. It has been a huge effort by all the coaching and backroom team. Thanks go to them and to the many volunteers who have contributed to the success of the club, which has had such a positive impact on people, young and old, in Dungannon.

I commend the "Swifts" supporters for the superb atmosphere in Windsor Park on Saturday and for their decorum after the match, unlike some others, which has already been referenced. I was at the match on Saturday and witnessed the huge celebrations that erupted in Windsor Park. The team made dreams come true for people, young and old, and made so many people across south Tyrone very proud. I wish the team well as it progresses to the UEFA Conference League qualifying rounds and hope that the players can get some well-earned rest. I ask for your indulgence, Mr Speaker: perhaps you would be willing to grant a Speaker's reception for the players and the team on this wonderful occasion.

On another note of congratulations, Kate McDade, a year 12 student from Mount Lourdes Grammar School in Enniskillen, won a silver medal in the 200 metre breaststroke at the Irish Open Championships while representing Enniskillen Lakelanders. Despite competing against the best swimmers in Ireland and former Olympians, Kate held on to achieve a personal best and, in a hotly contested final, secured the silver medal. That achievement is testament to her hard work and commitment to her sport. I send my warmest congratulations to her.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Although I would be delighted to host the Dungannon Swifts, I would be standing on the toes of the Communities Minister, who is responsible for organising such events. Perhaps that is the direction in which the Member needs to head.

Cara Hunter (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

I welcome the opportunity to speak more about the crisis in NHS dentistry across Northern Ireland. Thousands of people, many of whom are my constituents, are being silently and systematically cut from one of their most basic healthcare needs: dental care. Over the past two years alone, more than 53,000 NHS dental patients have been removed from practice lists. That is not just a statistic: that is 53,000 individuals, including children, pensioners and low-income workers, who are now unable to access the care that they were promised as part of our National Health Service.

A lack of NHS contracts is causing much frustration. In 2023, 114 dentists handed back their NHS contract. Today, out of 360 dental practices across Northern Ireland, only two are fully NHS. Let that sink in. That means that people across my constituency — from Claudy to Dungiven, Feeny, Coleraine and beyond — are ringing round dentists in desperation. One constituent with whom I recently spoke was shocked to receive a letter saying that his dental practice would no longer offer NHS treatment. The message was blunt: go private or go elsewhere. However, where is "elsewhere"? As one NHS dentist bravely said, their practice is at full capacity. The system is beyond strain. Although we are told that investment is on the way and reform is promised, patients are being left behind right now.

We are not just losing services; we are witnessing the dismantling of the founding promise of the NHS, which is that care should be based on need, not on the ability to pay. The reality now is this: if you cannot afford a private dental plan, you are out of options. At a time when family budgets are so tight, no one can afford that extra £20 to £30 a month for dental care.

This is not simply about inconvenience. It is about preventable pain, early diagnoses being missed and long-term health conditions that start in the mouth but end in emergency rooms. The Department of Health says that £9 million has been invested, but the British Dental Association says that that falls drastically short of what is needed. Dentists are walking away because they cannot survive under the current funding models. It is truly unsustainable, and, for my constituents, I feel that it is unjust.

I ask this: is this the end of NHS dentistry in Northern Ireland? We in the SDLP say that it cannot be and that the current situation cannot continue. We need urgent interim funding to retain what NHS provision we have currently, fair contracts for dentists and a ministerial commitment that no citizen should be denied care based on their postcode or their purse. Oral health is not a luxury but a right, and it is long over time that we treated it as such.

Pat Sheehan (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

Bhí Lá Domhanda na Sábháilteachta agus na Sláinte san Obair ann an tseachtain seo a chuaigh thart. Tá sé tábhachtach aitheantas a thabhairt don obair atá ag dul ar aghaidh le háiteanna oibre a dhéanamh níos sábháilte agus níos sláintiúla.

Thuairiscigh Feidhmeannacht Sláinte agus Sábháilteachta Thuaisceart Éireann gur cailleadh 19 n-oibrí san áit oibre sa Tuaisceart le linn 2022. Sa tréimhse chéanna, tuairiscíodh gur gortaíodh 239 nduine go trom. Bheir na figiúirí don bhliain 2023 le fios dúinn go bhfuair 10 bás agus gur gortaíodh 233 dhuine san áit oibre. Is fíor gur laghdú é sin, agus laghdú a gcuirimid fáilte roimhe, mar sin féin, ní thig linn ár maidí a ligean le sruth. Tá an líon i bhfad ró-ard go fóill. Is tubaiste é nuair a mharaítear duine ar bith i dtaisme san áit oibre, nó fágann siad ina ndiaidh teaghlach a bheas faoi bhrón is faoi chrá croí lena mbeo.

Ní leor dúinn bheith ag caint ar shábháilteacht san áit oibre — caithfimid beart a dhéanamh de réir ár mbriathair. Caithfear infheistíocht chuí a dhéanamh i gcórais sábháilteachta, san oiliúint agus sa mhaoirseacht. Lena chois sin, caithfimid cultúr a chothú ina dtabharfar tús áite do shláinte agus do shábháilteacht na n-oibrithe. Tá freagracht orainn uilig sa Tionól, go háirithe agus beartais phoiblí á leagan amach againn, tá freagracht orainn a chinntiú go ndéantar gach beart is féidir le líon na dtaismí agus na mbásanna san áit oibre a laghdú, agus a laghdú go mór. An té a théann chun a chuid oibre ar maidin ba chóir dó bheith cinnte go bhfillfeadh sé chun an bhaile go slán sábháilte tráthnóna.

Mar sin de, iarraim ar an Tionól seasamh go diongbháilte lena ngealltanas áiteanna oibre sábháilte córa a chruthú do chách, beag beann ar an earnáil a bhfuil siad ag obair inti nó an taobh tíre arb as iad.

Pat Sheehan (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

[Translation: The World Day for Safety and Health at Work was celebrated last week. It is important to recognise the ongoing work to ensure safer, healthier workplaces. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland reported that there were 19 workplace fatalities across the North during 2022. In the same period, 239 serious injuries were recorded. According to the figures for 2023, there were 10 workplace fatalities and 233 serious injuries. Although that represents a slight reduction in the numbers, which is a reduction that is to be welcomed, we cannot be complacent. The numbers remain far too high. Every life that is lost in the workplace is a tragedy; each leaves a family grappling with profound and lasting loss. It is not enough for us simply to speak about workplace safety — we must act decisively. Proper investment must be made in safety systems, training and supervision. Moreover, we must foster a culture that respects and prioritises workers’ health and safety. The responsibility lies with all of us in the Assembly, especially when setting public policy, to ensure that every possible measure is taken to reduce the number of workplace accidents and fatalities significantly. No one should leave for work in the morning without the certainty that they will return home safely that evening. Therefore, I call on the Assembly to stand united in its commitment to building a safer, fairer working environment for all, regardless of the sector they are employed in or where they come from.]

Jonathan Buckley (DUP, Upper Bann)

Sinn Féin's Danny Baker attempted to have an item listed in today's Order Paper to condemn my attendance at an Apprentice Boys parade in Lisburn. It fooled nobody. The business is not in the Order Paper. I note, however, that the Sinn Féin MLA who was so keen to discuss that matter, Mr Baker, has not shown up in the Chamber. Perhaps he is away somewhere polishing his brass neck. My colleague Mr Givan once said that that Member should:

"not judge me by one's own sectarian standards." — [Official Report (Hansard), 3 February 2025, p410, col 1].

It appears that he is doing just that.

Just this weekend, that man — Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker — was among a crowd that wreaked havoc in south Belfast. What did we see there? We saw rioting; a police car's window being smashed; chants of, "Orange bastards"; IRA chants and songs; the targeting of a Polish war memorial; the ripping apart of poppy wreaths that had been laid by the Polish community; and an IRA flag. What else? We saw Danny Baker promoting the illegal use of flares at football games, yet that Member saw fit to deflect from that and try to target a parade in Lisburn that was attended by thousands of people and at which Lisburn Apprentice Boys put on a fantastic display.

The Member is fooling nobody. The slur that he attempted to place on the community in Lisburn is nothing short of disgraceful, but it lays bare the crass sectarian acts that he has engaged in time and again. How quick has the Sinn Féin West Belfast Member been to condemn the actions of Kneecap: the chants of "Kill your MP"? There has been no comment from Mr Baker in that regard. That may not be surprising; maybe it was a tad embarrassing, because it was Sinn Féin's policy for many years to target and kill MPs in this country. We take no lectures from the party opposite when it comes to standing up and speaking out for victims of terrorism across the community.

Mr Baker was not finished. At the weekend he attended an event, smiling next to a memorial to Bobby Sands, a man who planned the bombing of Balmoral Furniture Company. It is ludicrous: the Member wants to gaslight Members across these Benches, yet his sectarian actions are laid bare for all to see. Perhaps it is time that he came to the Chamber and faced up to the reality, rather than hiding away and scurrying about in corridors so that Sinn Féin Members can take their seats as British members of this state and, indeed, the Crown.

Eóin Tennyson (Alliance, Upper Bann)

Reports over the weekend of the far-right Israeli Government's plans to expand and prolong their illegal occupation of Gaza, which are tantamount to ethnic cleansing, are deeply concerning. Far from delivering peace and security, those plans will only add to the mounting civilian death toll and the destruction of the Gaza Strip.

It has been more than eight weeks since humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip, which is the longest blockade on aid since the start of the war. Children are starving, and hospitals are running out of basic medications. The situation unfolding before our eyes is unconscionable, as Palestinians are subject to collective punishment in breach of international law. The question is how much more suffering people in Gaza have to bear before the UK Government and the international community act.

The Government must, as a bare minimum, suspend arms sales to Israel and recognise the state of Palestine. It is only through a sustained ceasefire; the cessation of hostilities; the flow of humanitarian aid; and a two-state solution recognising the rights and dignity of both Israelis and Palestinian people, that lasting peace and security can be delivered.

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

First, I also acknowledge Dungannon Swifts, congratulate them on their fantastic victory at the weekend and welcome the great lift that it has given the whole town. As I said last week, it is part of a remarkable treble of cup final appearances by three Dungannon clubs that are right beside each other. Unfortunately, the rugby club did not get over the bar at the weekend, but it was heartening to see its members welcoming home their colleagues in the soccer club. I also wish our ladies' hockey club all the very best in its final, which takes place next weekend.

Déanfaimid Lá Domhanda na Croise Deirge agus an Chorráin Dheirg a cheiliúradh ar an tseachtain seo chugainn, agus tá sé tábhachtach aird a tharraingt ar obair na n-oibrithe leighis sin. In áit a bheith ag rith ón bhearna bhaoil, is é rud a ritheann siad isteach inti le beatha daoine a shábháil. Ón chrith talún go dtí an fód cogaidh, ní theipeann ar a dtiomantas.

Le bliain anuas, tá beagnach 1,600 ball foirne agus oibrí deonach ó Chumann Idirnáisiúnta Chorrán Dearg na Palaistíne (CICD) ag obair gan sos gan scíth le tarrtháil agus tacaíocht a chur ar fáil in Gaza. Dháil CICD 1.6 milliún de earraí fóirithinte éigeandála, agus chuir siad leigheas éigeandála ar fáil do níos mó ná 100,000 duine.

Maraíodh cúig dhuine dhéag nuair a bualadh cúig otharcharr agus inneall dóiteáin, mar aon le feithicil de chuid na Náisiún Aontaithe, "ceann ar cheann" an 23 Márta in al-Hashashin. Chuir CICD i leith Iosrael gur d’aon turas a dhírigh siad ar a bhfoireann. Tá sin ag sárú an dlí idirnáisiúnta. Caithfear Rialtas Iosrael a thabhairt chun cuntais; tá sé dochosanta scaoileadh leo sin a shábhálann beatha daoine.

Agus Lá Domhanda na Croise Deirge agus an Chorráin Dheirg á cheiliúradh againn, ba mhaith liom obair na heagraíochta sin a mholadh. Bheir siad dóchas agus coimirce do dhaoine atá faoi léan is faoi thubaiste. Ní mór dúinn aitheantas a thabhairt dá gcuid oibre, ní mór dúinn an ceart a sheasamh dóibh, agus ní mór dúinn cur ina gcoinne siúd a dhéanas iad a ionsaí.

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

[Translation: Next week marks Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, and it is important that we highlight the work of those medics. They are the people who run towards danger, not away from it, in order to save lives. From earthquakes to war zones, their commitment never wavers. For the past year, nearly 1,600 staff and volunteers from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) have been working tirelessly to provide life-saving support in Gaza. The PRCS has distributed 1.6 million emergency relief items and has provided emergency medical support to more than 100,000 people. Fifteen people died when five ambulances and a fire truck, as well as a UN vehicle, were struck "one by one" on 23 March in al-Hashashin. The PRCS has accused Israel of targeting its staff. That is a violation of international law. The Israeli Government must be held to account; targeting those who save lives is indefensible. In marking Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, I commend the work of that organisation. It is a beacon of hope and safety to those in the most horrific circumstances. We must acknowledge its work, we must stand up for it, and we must challenge those who target it.]

Deborah Erskine (DUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

A lot of people feel blue today. One town in particular has been painted blue and white in honour of the mighty Dungannon Swifts, who beat Cliftonville in the Irish Cup final on Saturday. What a final it was. When I congratulated Dungannon Swifts in the Chamber on their semi-final win, I said that there would be 90 minutes between us and getting the cup, but it turned out to be a nail-biting finish with extra time and penalties. You could tell how much the win meant to Dungannon Swifts on Saturday. It was the first time that the club had lifted the trophy, and it certainly put to bed the disappointment of 2007, when the club missed out on an Irish Cup win.

Deserving of credit are manager, Rodney McAree, and club chairman, Keith Boyd. However, there was no prouder father in Northern Ireland on Saturday night than Joe McAree. He has been such a big part of Dungannon's journey. Rodney grew up with the club, and the win is down to the dedication of those men through the years. I am absolutely delighted for them. The captain, Dean Curry; the goal-scorer, John McGovern; and all the team deserve credit. Last night, Dungannon had a hero's welcome for them. From Stangmore Park to Market Square in Dungannon, the streets were lined to celebrate, and people did so in style with Philomena Begley, the queen of country herself.

The achievement was hard fought for, but it has inspired a generation. On Saturday, I put a request to the Communities Minister that we recognise the historic win. For south Tyrone, for Dungannon and for Dungannon Swifts, it will live long in the memory. Congratulations to every person who made it possible, and may the celebrations in Dungannon and south Tyrone continue.

Some Members

Hear, hear.

Andrew McMurray (Alliance, South Down)

Yesterday was the 200th anniversary of the Newcastle Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station. The RNLI is the largest of the lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man as well as in some inland waterways.

The station was established in 1825 in Rossglass in Dundrum Bay under the auspices of the then County Down district association of the institution. It was moved to St John's Point coastguard station, where it remained until 1843. There was no lifeboat in Dundrum Bay until the institution placed one in Newcastle in 1854, following numerous wrecks. One tragedy of note was in January 1843, when 73 men from Newcastle and Annalong lost their lives in a storm at sea. Other incidents included the stranding of the Great Britain in 1846 and a call-out that, according to old log books, was made to a Spitfire in the bay during the war effort of the 1940s.

Newcastle station operates two lifeboats: a D-class inshore lifeboat, which it has had since 1994, and a Mersey-class all-weather lifeboat. The Mersey will be retired later this year and replaced by an Atlantic 85, a state-of-the-art, inshore lifeboat with a top speed well over twice that of the Mersey-class lifeboat. As Newcastle is a busy coastal town with many visitors, the D-class is the busier of the two Newcastle lifeboats.

Thirty RNLI medals for gallantry have been awarded to the station: four gold, 19 silver and seven bronze. More recently, two members, Shane Rice and Trez Dennison, were awarded the Royal Humane Society award for the life-saving response that they made to the call of a local resident who had fallen not at sea but in his house. The crew members attended the scene and ensured that treatment was given until medical attention was received. That saved the man's life.

On Thursday past, I visited the station and met the crew as they took the Mersey and D-class out for their weekly practice.

Launching the all-weather lifeboat on a shout requires 12 to 15 people. The boat generally launches within 10 minutes of the pagers going off. If a demonstration of teamwork was ever needed, the launch of those boats would be a good start.

I have been lucky enough to spend a lot of time exploring the inland and coastal waters. I have also been lucky in that I have not had to call on the services of the RLNI. That said, while not by any stretch a safety blanket or, indeed, an excuse for taking out a boat with poor training or a lack of skills, it has always been a reassurance that those committed men and women of the institution are in place, should an unforeseen accident occur. Thank you and happy birthday to the RLNI's Newcastle station.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

I call Connie Egan. Ms Egan, you have between one and a half and two minutes.

Connie Egan (Alliance, North Down)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I call for urgent action on the Queen's Parade regeneration project in my constituency of North Down, following yet another delay in the commencement of construction.

That £50 million project was agreed six years ago, with agreement that the first phase would be the public realm scheme in Marine Gardens. To date, we have had nothing. However, the site has been derelict for much longer than that — for decades, in fact. It has been derelict for longer than I have been alive. The people of Bangor and our local business community have been let down time and time again, and they have lost hope.

I will recap the timeline that we have endured. Planning permission was granted in autumn 2022. In January 2023, the Marine Gardens scheme was awarded a grant of £9·8 million from the Levelling Up Fund, and the developers assured us that we were on track for works to begin in early 2024. In January 2024, we were told that it would be summer 2024. Promises were given in September that works would begin in October. That was pushed to November and then to January at the beginning of this year. When that deadline was missed, we were told that it would be by the end of April 2025.

On the final day of April, I tabled a priority question for written answer, asking the Minister of Communities, whose Department owns the land, when the works will begin. His response was that they were "more complex than anticipated". With all due respect, Minister, that will not give the people of Bangor much hope. The disruption and delay cannot continue. The people of North Down deserve answers and better than that for their city.

Sinéad Ennis (Sinn Féin, South Down)

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Will you make a ruling on whether Jonathan Buckley's comments about Danny Baker were in violation of the Standing Order on Members' Statements, which states that they cannot:

"be used to impugn or to attack another member."?

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

I am happy to look at and take advice on that.

Jonathan Buckley (DUP, Upper Bann)

Bring it on. Bring it on.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Order, Members.

Assembly Business

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Nuala McAllister has sought leave to present a public petition in accordance with Standing Order 22. The Member will have up to three minutes in which to speak.

Nuala McAllister (Alliance, Belfast North)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am delighted to present this petition to you on behalf of the school council at Ashgrove Primary School in my constituency. The petition has been signed by over 600 people, including parents of school pupils and members of the local community. It requests that the Department for Infrastructure installs a safe pedestrian crossing at Ashgrove roundabout. The petition is titled, 'Deliver Safe Crossing at Ashgrove Roundabout to Protect School Kids and Public'.

The request came directly from the pupils who make up the school council in that primary school. They raised their concerns about their safety and that of their fellow pupils to me. They have to cross the road at the roundabout twice daily to attend school and return home. They invited me to walk to school with them early one morning and to see the roundabout. We arrived at 8.20 am, and, upon crossing the road, I found straightaway that it was a very dangerous situation. The school council joined me on 21 November at a meeting with Department for Infrastructure officials at the site to show them just how difficult the situation can be. The pupils were very eloquent in articulating the issues, and, indeed, they had their own options for a safe crossing. Doing that is quite difficult for any person, be they an adult or a child, so for the children to assess the situation and come up with their own design is applaudable.

I am sure that, as elected reps, we all understand that, while we can make arguments for particular requests, one would struggle to find a stronger argument than seeing primary-school children in high-vis vests, explaining the dangers that they face from that busy stretch of road, which mean that they often have to dash between cars.

It is disappointing that the Department for Infrastructure's response so far has been that there is not enough traffic or that there has yet to be an accident at the site. That does not justify not installing a safe crossing. Whilst I understand the budgetary pressures that all Departments are under, primary-school pupils should not be required to put themselves in danger each day simply to receive an education, and they should not have to wait until an incident occurs and someone gets injured or worse for action to be taken.

The campaign has been a fantastic example of how children and young people can come together over a common cause to demand improvements in their local community. I thank the school council and school community of Ashgrove Primary School for their commitment to it. I also thank the wider community, the over 600 people who took the time to sign the petition and everyone who shared it on social media and with friends and family. The number of responses shows the strength of feeling in the community about the need to ensure the safety of pupils at the local primary school.

Miss McAllister moved forward and laid the petition on the Table.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

I will forward the petition to the Minister for Infrastructure and a copy to the Committee.

Ministerial Statements

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the 1998 Act regarding a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in tourism sectoral format. The meeting was held in Armagh on 16 April. I represented the Northern Ireland Executive and was accompanied by Minister Gordon Lyons MLA. The Irish Government were represented by Minister Peter Burke TD, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, who chaired the meeting. The statement has been agreed with Minister Lyons, and I make it on behalf of us both.

The Council welcomed the report of the chair of Tourism Ireland on the work of the board since the last NSMC tourism meeting in June 2024. Ministers noted Tourism Ireland's activity during that period, including the large number of marketing campaigns and events undertaken, ensuring seasonal spread of visits through the marketing of the island as the home of Halloween and the promotion of screen and sports tourism.

The NSMC welcomed Tourism Ireland's continued focus on embedding sustainability in its marketing activities. Ministers welcomed a presentation by Alice Mansergh, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, on its marketing plans for 2025, highlighting the extensive marketing activity for the year, and noted that sustainable development is at the core of Tourism Ireland's plans for 2025.

The Council noted developments in tourism cooperation on sustainable tourism and the newly established joint strategic coordination group.

The NSMC noted the ongoing work to address climate change and the loss of biodiversity in the tourism sector. Ministers noted the ongoing collaboration between the relevant tourism agencies on the Shared Island-funded Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coastal Route tourism brand collaboration project and the future Shared Island projects under the Shared Destinations programme 2025-2030, including three projects across the border region — Carlingford Lough, UNESCO Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark and Sliabh Beagh — and a Tourism Ireland international marketing and development programme to maximise the economic impact for each area.

The NSMC approved Tourism Ireland's revised business plan for 2024 and its business plan for 2025 and recommended the budget/grant provisions, which have been agreed by both sponsor Departments and Finance Ministers. The Council noted Tourism Ireland's annual report and accounts for 2023, which have been approved by the Comptrollers and Auditors General (C&AGs) and laid before the Assembly and both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Ministers granted consent to Tourism Ireland to pass a resolution to amend the memorandum and articles of association following a review to update those documents.

The NSMC noted that terms of reference for an organisational capacity review of Tourism Ireland have been approved, with the review to commence in the second quarter of 2025. Ministers agreed that the implementation of any recommendation from the review will be submitted to the NSMC for approval.

The Council agreed to hold its next NSMC tourism meeting in November 2025.

I commend the statement to the Assembly.

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

Today, Minister, the House will debate a Sinn Féin motion on voting rights in the North for the election of the president of Ireland. I and my party wholeheartedly support that. We are quite disappointed, however, that, although you mentioned in your statement the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway coastal route and how those tourism brands will be coordinated, there was no mention of Ireland's Ancient East. I am trying to understand why discussion about that brand was not tabled at the North/South Ministerial Council meeting. Where is progress on that, given that Ireland's Ancient East was included as a priority in your 'Delivering the Economic Vision: A three year forward look and 2024/25 Action Plan' for completion by January 2025?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. Work continues with all the tourism agencies to progress collaboration on the brands across the island. It is my understanding that Fáilte Ireland is undertaking a review of the Ireland's Ancient East brand in order to understand its impact and how it can be improved.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, your statement outlines that Tourism Ireland's annual accounts have been signed off for 2023 only. In light of the Audit Office's declassification of your Department's annual accounts, do you share my concern that we are now two years past 2023 and have not had approvals for Tourism Ireland's accounts?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. It takes time for the reports to be approved by the C&AG in each jurisdiction and laid in the respective Houses. I believe that all the processes are being followed as we would expect them to be and that the accounts for 2024 will be presented in the near future.

Pádraig Delargy (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

Is the Minister able to provide an update on the extension of the Fáilte Ireland branding?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

There is an action in the tourism vision and action plan, which the Member for Newry and Armagh mentioned, to incorporate regions of the North into the Fáilte Ireland regional branding. Significant progress has been made in bringing the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway coastal route together through an ongoing Shared Island project, which has already included extensive research and for which applications for a small capital grant scheme are now being assessed. Discussions are at an advanced stage between Tourism NI, Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland to incorporate Fermanagh into Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. As I mentioned in my reply to Mr McNulty, Ireland's Ancient East is currently under review by Fáilte Ireland.

David Honeyford (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

The biggest single threat to ongoing tourism numbers coming north is the electronic travel authorisation (ETA), yet it has not been mentioned. The upcoming Open, to be held on the north coast, is an incredible opportunity; we are looking at having 280,000 visitors, a high percentage of whom will come through Dublin Airport. The ETA will impact on those visitors in large numbers. What progress is happening on exceptions for Northern Ireland?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I share the Member's concern. It is something that I been active on since I came into post, as was my predecessor. The issue with the ETA is its potential to disincentivise tourism in the North, particularly among visitors who come to the South and want to travel north. It can also be seen as a potential barrier for overseas visitors when they are planning their trips. Tourism has grown substantially here in recent years, and there is considerable potential for further growth. We all share the ambition to promote that, but the ETA is a rather big fly in the ointment.

I see tourism as a key priority, and, as you mentioned, 67% of our overseas visitors come via the South. Therefore, I have been making representations to the British Government, as you would expect me to, and I have asked for a meeting with the relevant Minister from the Home Office. I hope that that meeting will be forthcoming in the near future.

Diana Armstrong (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Minister, I was going to ask you about Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. I am assured that, yes, that is being kept in development. Did the two areas — North and South — discuss the divergence in VAT at the North/South Ministerial Council meeting?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

That is an issue that I have expressed real concern over, and there is potential for the South to reduce its VAT further. That is concerning to those in the hospitality and tourism sectors, so we have made representations to the British Government, and I have engaged with colleagues on the impact on a North/South basis. I, along with the Finance Minister, will keep that issue on the agenda, and it was reflected very strongly by the business community. I met some tourism providers in Fermanagh, and it was a key concern that they expressed, so I will continue to raise that issue in all my engagements.

Emma Sheerin (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Minister, will you provide some detail on the Tourism Ireland business plan for 2025?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for the question. The business plan has been completed in accordance with agreed guidance issued by both Departments with responsibility for public expenditure. The business plan focuses on increasing the value of overseas tourism to Ireland by 5·6% per year on average over the next six years until 2030. Within that, there is an enhanced target of 6·5% revenue growth on average each year for the North specifically, and that recognises the upward potential ahead. Sustainability remains at the heart of the business plan for 2025, with a focus on sustainably supporting economies, communities and the environment whilst inspiring visitors to come to the island. Tourism Ireland will continue to focus on higher revenue per carbon markets, with a commitment to more sustainable tourism supported by a dedicated slow tourism, environmentally friendly itinerary.

Diane Forsythe (DUP, South Down)

I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, Tourism Ireland's remit is to:

"increase tourism to the island of Ireland and to support Northern Ireland to realise its tourism potential."

What is the Minister's assessment of the way forward for Northern Ireland realising its tourism potential in the Mourne Mountains area, with £30 million of city deal money now at risk?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for her question. Obviously, we only became aware last week that, unfortunately, the National Trust did not feel that it could continue with the project. It will be for councils, in the first instance, to bring forward other proposals and to work as part of the Belfast region city deal group to bring forward proposals as to how to utilise the funding that is available to it. As a Department, we will support the group in those efforts.

Peter McReynolds (Alliance, Belfast East)

I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, I noted in your statement the welcome commitment to address sustainability challenges. What actions are being taken to help our tourism sector become more sustainable?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. That is a focus that is being brought by Tourism Ireland in its work, and there is significant interest from consumers, as you would expect, when they are making their plans to travel, in looking at the potential impact on the environment. More and more people are trying to assess that as they are making their plans. That is also reflected in the tourism vision and action plan that the Department has brought forward and developed in partnership with the industry here in the North. I am happy to write to the Member with some more detail on the specific actions in that plan.

Cathal Boylan (Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh)

I thank the Minister for her statement. How is the local tourism sector performing?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. Tourism here and across the island has grown substantially in recent years, and there is considerable potential for further growth. As I mentioned already, Tourism Ireland is targeting an average of 5·6% revenue growth for overseas tourism year-on-year to 2030 and, specifically for the North, a target of 6·5% year-on-year growth. With ambitions for the longer term, Tourism Ireland envisages that it can double overseas tourism, specifically to the North, to £1·3 billion by 2035.

The year 2025 will be a really important one for golf, with the Open taking place at Portrush this summer, bringing thousands of visitors and showcasing our beautiful landscape to 500 million households across 150 countries. Partnerships to promote the destination at scale overseas are under way with the media. In 2023, spend by overseas visitors to the North had reached £672 million, demonstrating recovery compared with 2019, pre COVID, of 15%.

The majority of tourism spend in the North is sourced from incoming overseas visitors, at about 56%. Of the 70,000 tourism jobs across the North, around six out of 10 depend on overseas tourism. Tourism is one of the largest shared indigenous industries across the island. With 70% of tourism jobs outside Belfast or Dublin, it is a crucial economic driver for our rural communities.

Gary Middleton (DUP, Foyle)

I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, you referred to Ministers granting consent to Tourism NI to amend the memorandum and articles of association. Can you outline why that was necessary and why a capacity review of Tourism Ireland is required?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. The changes to the memorandum and articles of association in the constitution were in line with Irish company law, as they had not been updated since Tourism Ireland's inception. The impact of that is purely administrative, such as updating the names of relevant organisations where they had changed. For example, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board changed to Tourism NI. It was changes like that. The only operational impact relates to how the board meetings can be called or held to allow for electronic notification and for meetings to be held by video or online.

The capacity review aims to evaluate and enhance the current operational structure, resources, capabilities and effectiveness of Tourism Ireland. The review will consider staffing levels, structure, locations and the skills base of the teams. It is important to note that any recommendations in relation to the outcome of that review will come back to the NSMC for approval if they fall under its remit.

Daniel McCrossan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, West Tyrone)

Thank you, Minister. Late last week, I met a group of local vintners, and I must declare an interest as the director of a hospitality company. Those vintners expressed deep concern about the challenges facing the sector in relation to increased costs around energy, increase in rates and wider challenges in trying to compete with tourism hot spots like the city of Derry, if you are from Strabane, or Fermanagh, if you are living in Omagh and operating a business.

You said that there have been discussions in the South in relation to a reduction in VAT. On numerous occasions, you have also said that you have had discussions with the British Government about a potential reduction for hospitality here in Northern Ireland. What has happened to progress those discussions? Has there been any indication at all from the British Government that that would be favourable? If not, what is your Department willing to do to throw a lifeline to the hospitality businesses that are deeply struggling right across Northern Ireland?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. I recognise the challenges that he has outlined. When I speak to businesses, they express similar concerns. As he will know, when I was Finance Minister, I initiated a cost of doing business research project, which I anticipate will be published in the near future. Part of the rationale for initiating that research was to have an evidential base on which to engage with the British Treasury in respect of the issues that are being reflected to us every day as local representatives.

As part of the upcoming spending review, there is an opportunity to make that case again. We are dealing with the British Treasury, and I do not think that any of us in the Chamber agree with some of the decisions that it has made in recent months. We have to bear that in mind. We will make as strong a case as we possibly can. It is our job and my job, as Economy Minister for the North, to champion issues on behalf of our businesses, and I will continue to do that.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

Minister, I am surprised to see nothing in the statement about the semiquincentennial of US independence. What is Tourism Ireland doing to promote the Chester Alan Arthur ancestral home in Cullybackey or that Dervock was home to the paternal ancestors of William McKinley, the 25th president of the USA?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. It was not something that came up as part of the discussions at the meeting. I am sure that the Member could write to me and ask for some of that information, and I would be happy to provide it.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

Minister, you rightly said that you need an evidence base on which to engage with the UK Government on VAT. You will also need an evidence base to stand, hopefully with the Irish Government, against the pernicious ETA, which is an existential risk to cross-border tourism. It was not mentioned in the statement, as has previously been said, which is concerning. Are any specific actions being committed to monitor the impact of the ETA through talking to tour operators? Is Tourism Ireland focused on that? What is the specific output, because we need evidence to understand what impact it is having?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. It is something that we are doing. The Department is engaging, as you would expect, with all relevant partners in the sector and collating information so that we have a case to make when we are in discussions with the Home Office. As I said, I am hopeful that we will meet with the relevant Minister in the near future. I will continue to highlight the challenges that the sector faces here. In the immediate term, although there have been concerns about the potential impact, we are now beginning to see the actual impact and things that are being reported. As the Member rightly said, it is important to collate that information, and we are doing that.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

That concludes questions to the Minister. I have received notification from the Minister for the Economy that she wishes to make a further statement.

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in trade and business development sectoral format, which was held in Armagh on 16 April 2025. Minister Gordon Lyons MLA and I represented the Executive, and I chaired the meeting. The Irish Government were represented by Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. The statement has been agreed with Minister Lyons, and I am making it on behalf of us both.

The NSMC welcomed the overall achievements of InterTradeIreland since the previous sectoral meeting in October 2024, including achieving a business development value of £115 million in 2024, which is well in excess of its target.

Ministers acknowledged the valuable support that InterTradeIreland has provided for small and medium-sized companies through its trade and development programmes, such as the Acumen programme, Go-2-Tender programme and the advice and support provided through its Trade Hub.

The Council recognised the positive impact of the innovation and technology programmes administered by InterTradeIreland, such as the collaborative innovation pathway, which has provided support to over 900 SMEs. Ministers noted InterTradeIreland’s ongoing research work, which includes the recently launched report, 'The changing nature of trade on the island of Ireland', and the completed research into the business development ecosystem.

(Mr Deputy Speaker [Mr Blair] in the Chair)

The NSMC noted that InterTradeIreland is leading on the delivery of the women’s entrepreneurship and clustering strands of the Shared Island enterprise scheme with the launch of eight pilot programmes for women entrepreneurs in 2024.

Planning is also under way for TCI Global — The Competitiveness Institute — cluster conference in Dublin in October 2025. The Council noted that InterTradeIreland hosted a successful venture capital conference in Dublin in March 2025 for almost 900 attendees, which highlighted current sources of equity funding and provided a collaborative environment for innovation.

The Council approved the InterTradeIreland 2025 business plan and recommended the budget/grant provision. The NSMC noted InterTradeIreland’s annual report and accounts for 2022, which have been certified by the Comptrollers and Auditors General (C&AG) and laid before the Assembly and the Houses of the Oireachtas. The annual report and accounts for 2023 will be laid shortly.

Ministers noted the work taken forward by InterTradeIreland as it leads on the women’s entrepreneurship element of the Shared Island enterprise scheme. The Council welcomed the presentations from entrepreneurs who have benefited from the supports provided by the women’s entrepreneurship pilot programmes. The NSMC appointed a board member to the board of the trade and business development body, InterTradeIreland. Ministers welcomed the presentation by Everoze on offshore wind and hydrogen opportunities on the island of Ireland and noted the opportunities available through joint working to deliver mutual benefits in line with the economic and decarbonisation strategies of both jurisdictions.

The Council agreed to hold its next NSMC trade and business development meeting in November 2025.

I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome questions.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

My party is probably the strongest supporter of strand two in the Chamber; we championed the creation of the North/South Ministerial Council. However, I am afraid that you have given us an update on trade and business matters on the island of Ireland without mentioning dual market access and our unique proposition, which is apparently a priority for your Department, or, indeed, the tariff crisis that is creating a global trade war. People will not take the NSMC seriously if you have meetings and such things are not even talked about let alone brought back to the Assembly. Were our dual market access or the escalating global trade war even discussed at the meeting? If not, why not?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. Yes, both issues were discussed. The agenda had been agreed in advance of the tariffs issue, and the issue was strongly reflected in my comments, with our concerns about the potential impact of tariffs on the island as a whole and the North specifically. I have established a tariff working group, of which the Member will be aware and on which InterTradeIreland is represented, and will be engaging with InterTradeIreland and Ministers in the South, as I am with British Ministers on tariffs and on understanding what the potential impacts and implications are as the situation continues to develop over the next number of weeks.

Dual market access is a significant driver for our local economy, and InterTradeIreland and Invest NI obviously have a role to play in helping to support businesses to maximise the potential opportunities. That was discussed and raised.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

The Minister's statement rightly highlights the EY report that was published this year, which highlights the importance of the UK internal market to businesses in Northern Ireland. Does her Department understand the difference between an all-island economy and all-island trade? In that context, do she and her party regret championing the Northern Ireland protocol?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

It is undeniable that we have an all-island economy. We have highly integrated supply chains across the island, which was significantly recognised in the negotiations that led to the protocol and, then, the Windsor framework. There is a huge potential benefit for us through the ability to localise our supply chains. Particularly at a time of global uncertainty, we should look to understand where our supply chains are and how we can support businesses to develop them.

I have no regrets about championing the North's economy, the all-island economy and the need to recognise that we have highly integrated supply chains across this island and North/South trade that must be protected. I equally recognise that our trade with Britain is really important, which is why we need to minimise frictions North/South and east-west. As Minister, I will continue to work on that.

Emma Sheerin (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Minister, will InterTradeIreland's programme remain current in the new economic landscape?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for her question. InterTradeIreland's confirmed programmes and key activities in the 2023-25 corporate plan are not only relevant but key to the assistance that cross-border SMEs need to grow. InterTradeIreland continues to make a valuable contribution through its trade and development programmes for small and medium-sized companies that are trading across the border and in both jurisdictions, as I have reflected in comments to other Members. InterTradeIreland plays a role in helping businesses from here take the first step in exporting and in developing their supply chains across the island to maximise the benefits of dual market access and is particularly well placed to do that. It also has a key role in supporting our understanding of the impact of tariffs and our response to that.

David Honeyford (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Minister for her statement. The Minister said that InterTradeIreland has exceeded its targets. It is positive news that we have an economic body that is working and delivering for us. It is essential that we work together on opportunities across the island for the benefit of everyone. The Minister named a couple of live issues, including the delivery of renewables through offshore and hydrogen. Give that InterTrade has exceeded its targets, should we not show greater ambition for sharing the island, delivering greater economic benefits through setting higher targets and allocating further budget to InterTrade? Are we curtailing ambition and delivery?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. At the NSMC, research that had been undertaken by Everoze on the potential for offshore wind was presented to us. InterTradeIreland will put an increasing focus on that over the current year. It will look at further research programmes in renewables, including offshore wind and hydrogen. There is potential across the island. As the Member will know, InterTradeIreland is also responsible for the delivery of cluster funding that is coming via the Shared Island enterprise scheme. There are opportunities in that work to look at how we, as an island, can maximise the potential in the renewable sector.

Pádraig Delargy (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

Minister, thank you for your statement. You mentioned clustering: will you outline some of the purposes and benefits of clustering?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. The concept of clustering is based on the idea that companies benefit from mutual support, knowledge exchange and innovation, which, ultimately, enhances the competitiveness of the members of the cluster. InterTradeIreland has an important role in exploring future cross-border opportunities, as I just mentioned to Mr Honeyford. A number of areas of the economy have the potential to be further developed on an all-island basis, and InterTradeIreland is well placed to support that work. Clustering can support businesses in becoming more innovative and more productive, which very much aligns with the principles of my economic vision.

Diane Forsythe (DUP, South Down)

I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, how were you assured about the accuracy and validity of the figures on the business value achieved in 2024, given that the most recently audited and published accounts were for 2022, with those for 2023 to be laid? Will you include detail on the report of £115 million of business development value, which exceeded the target? What was the target? How much was it exceeded by? I ask that bearing in mind that the amount achieved in 2022 was £119 million.

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for her question. I am not sure that I have in front of me the detail that she asks for, but I am happy to share that with her. As the Member will be aware, the Assembly was not sitting for a number of years and that held up the process in some of the laying of accounts. That is why we have a bit of a backlog there. That is being addressed, and we are moving through various accounts for different North/South bodies being laid as required.

Peter McReynolds (Alliance, Belfast East)

I thank the Minister for her statement. Minister, you mentioned the vital work around supporting women entrepreneurs, including the eight pilot programmes that InterTradeIreland led in 2024. What is your assessment of that work, and when will it be evaluated?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for the question. That is an area of work that I am particularly excited about. We have a lot of work to do in encouraging female entrepreneurship and closing the gap in their ability to access support and, importantly, finance. InterTradeIreland undertook pilot programmes in 2024, and €8 million in the Shared Island enterprise scheme is targeted at female entrepreneurship. We heard from two female entrepreneurs — academics, actually — who benefited as participants of some of the pilot programmes, and their testimony to the effectiveness of those programmes was quite something. InterTradeIreland is evaluating the pilot programmes with a view to rolling out further programmes in the coming year. There will be more announcements and more to talk about in relation to that in the near future.

Jemma Dolan (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Minister, you kind of touched on this in your previous answer, but what programmes will InterTradeIreland focus on in the coming year?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for her question. As well as some of the work that I have already referred to, InterTradeIreland will seek to take forward its ambitious plans, such as an economic policy forum, and to continue to build on the success of the trade hub. It will also look to develop and undertake further research programmes, some of which I mentioned to Mr Honeyford, including on offshore wind and hydrogen, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, services, trade and sectoral ecosystem research. InterTradeIreland is coming to the end of its current business plan and will be developing its corporate plans for 2026-28, so that work will be going on over the course of this year as well.

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

Does the Minister agree that InterTradeIreland should be proud of its achievements since its formation, often outperforming its own expectations, and that that has been powerfully positive to see? Does the Minister also agree that extolling and building on the successes of bodies such as InterTradeIreland, which provide significant enhancement to people's lives across the board, represent a more inclusive and constructive way of building support for a new, united Ireland than a narrow approach always with a tribal focus?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question, and I agree with the sentiment behind it. When you look at the huge increases that there have been in cross-border trade over the 25 years since its inception, you see that InterTradeIreland has been successful. It is well placed to support businesses and the development of the all-island economy, and that is something that I am certainly happy to work with it on.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

Minister, your statement states:

"Ministers noted InterTradeIreland’s ongoing research work, which includes the recently launched report 'The Changing Nature of Trade on the island of Ireland'".

I understand that the report is to focus on domestic trade developments, namely Brexit, the Northern Ireland protocol and the Windsor framework. Some unionists said that they returned to the Chamber because the Government said that the all-Ireland economy was no more. Minister, will you spell out how trade has changed on the island of Ireland because of the protocol?

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his question. As I said to Mr McNulty, over the past 25 years, we have seen enhanced trade across the island, and that has developed further since the introduction of the protocol.

Brexit created barriers for businesses here and in Britain. They face significant challenges in their trade that are reflected in the export statistics, where we well outperform Britain. We have seen enhanced trade across the island, both North to South and South to North, over the past number of years following the introduction of the protocol. That is just a matter of fact.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

That concludes questions on the statement from the Minister for the Economy.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

Members may be aware that I have already put on record my analysis of my Department's budget, which is that it represents a quadruple challenge. Those are, first, to spend the money wisely on waiting lists; secondly, to mitigate the damage to other services from the Executive's decision to ring-fence £165 million of the existing budget for waiting lists; thirdly, to press on with the reform of healthcare delivery; and fourthly, to balance the books.

Today, I will put a primary focus is on the first challenge. I am sure that every Member agrees that we need to bring a sense of urgency to tackling the unacceptable waiting lists across a number of specialities. Far too many patients are waiting far too long for assessment and treatment right across Northern Ireland. Our waiting lists are truly appalling. A genuine desire to improve that situation was one of the motivating factors for the MLAs whom I represent as a party to take up the challenge of coming back into the Department.

When I took up the office of Minister of Health just over 11 months ago, I stated that tackling the waiting lists would be one of my main areas of focus. I have been clear to Executive colleagues that dealing with the backlog will take unprecedented levels of intervention, action, support, investment and time. The plan to tackle our elective care waiting lists is the elective care framework that was updated and published again in May last year. It outlines how we need to invest in capacity building and take action to clear the backlog of patients.

It is in that context that today I announce a series of initiatives to reduce waiting times. The central focus of the plans is on reducing the long waits for care and treatment that affect all of us in Northern Ireland. We could devote time and energy today to discussing how we got here, with roots stemming from a series of decisions taken over a decade ago, but, as I have said previously, that will not improve the outcome for a single patient, so let us instead focus on the future.

While the budget for this year remains under extreme constraint, today's announcement reflects the Executive's ring-fencing of up to £215 million in this year's Budget for waiting list activities. I welcome the investment, not least because I and my immediate predecessor repeatedly called for it for over a year. To be clear, the vast majority of the £215 million investment is not new or additional investment; instead, there is £50 million of additional allocation to the Health budget, and that £50 million is very welcome. However, the remaining £165 million has had to be found from within the existing allocation, and that will have unavoidable consequences for wider Health and Social Care (HSC) provision and, I must be honest, my ability to fund reform and balance the Department of Health's budget by 31 March next. However, as that was an Executive-wide decision, I hope to get the support of my Executive colleagues in managing the challenge.

In the coming weeks, my Department will publish detailed plans and assessments on the financial pressures this year and the measures that will need to be taken in the short and medium terms. Let me make this clear: I fully support the Executive's decision to prioritise waiting lists. It provides a sharper focus that is targeted in a way to have an effective impact on waiting lists. It would have been preferable, of course, to do that through additional funding and in a much more strategic and planned manner, but we are where we are. The statement is about setting an outline for the actions that we are proposing. I know that Members will rightly want more details on cost projections, outcomes for patients and timetables. More detail will be provided later this month in an implementation plan for my Department's elective care framework. However, I know that there is significant interest already, among not only MLAs but patients, and that is why I make the statement today ahead of the publication of that implementation plan.

In general, we will invest across three areas: red-flag and time-critical services, capacity building and backlog clearance. For red-flag and time-critical treatments, investment will be made to expand core capacity across a number of high-risk specialties. That will help make those services more sustainable and reduce reliance on the independent sector. For capacity building, the initial focus will be on areas where the infrastructure is already in place so that we can utilise all available resources — for example, uncommissioned theatres or unused scanning sessions. Significant reforms and improvements have already been made in recent years on the development of elective care centres right across Northern Ireland, and I expect that this investment will further accelerate that.

With so many patients waiting for so long, I have told my Department that I want every single opportunity and inch of capacity to be utilised. Given the current significant levels of waiting-list initiative spend on endoscopy and diagnostic imaging, Health and Social Care core capacity in those areas will be expanded in the first instance, with further investment in other areas including urology, breast surgery, dermatology and cardiac surgery.

Other areas where capacity will be expanded include trauma services. Expanding trauma capacity will improve performance against the 48-hour hip fracture target and the seven-day access target for all other fractures. Increasing trauma capacity should have a benefit for orthopaedic capacity, as one is often offset against the other in crisis.

On the waiting-list backlog, our first step on the journey will be a focus on our current waits of over four years for assessment and treatment. Building the workforce and infrastructure required to sustainably reduce the time that patients wait will take time, and, clearly, independent sector capacity will be required to help in that regard. The HSC will need to be sufficiently agile to allow the timely issue of contracts to existing and new independent sector providers. Partnership working with the independent sector will include outsourcing to their facilities and expansion of insourcing contracts across a number of general specialties, including ophthalmology, cataracts, orthopaedics, general surgery, gynaecology and ENT. I also intend to expand primary care elective services where there are long waiting times for assessment in areas such as dermatology, minor surgery and gynaecology. It is estimated that £2·9 million would allow the service to see and treat approximately 16,500 patients this financial year.

In addition, I have decided to allocate £10 million towards mega-clinics to help an estimated 20,000 additional patients. As Members are aware, mega-clinics provide groups of patients with a one-stop shop that can involve, for example, surgical review and anaesthetic preoperative assessment in a single appointment. Other initiatives for the year ahead involve targeting long waits of four years or more, including hip, knee and other orthopaedic treatments, tonsillectomies, hernia treatment, gallbladder removal and colonoscopy. Funding will also be targeted at specialist procedures where there are long waits impacting particularly on women and children. This will include women waiting on gynaecology mesh removal procedures and children waiting for procedures such as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube fitting, squints and scoliosis procedures.

The role of the voluntary sector in healthcare cannot be overstated, and I am pleased that there is already a strong partnership between the sector and my Department. It is something that I am keen to expand and build on further to promote and develop initiatives that provide support to those on waiting lists. In that context, work is under way by my Department to deliver a £500,000 waiting well programme to support those on waiting lists and a £1 million cancer charities programme to deliver cancer work in the community to reduce pressures on statutory services.

Addressing the current waiting times and the associated capacity gap will also require an increased focus on demand management and an expansion of core capacity, coupled with an increase in productivity and efficiency. My Department will work across the primary and secondary care interface to ensure that patients are being managed in the most appropriate setting and that capacity is being expanded on a sustainable basis across the HSC.

While improvements in efficiency and productivity have been made by trusts in recent years, there remains scope to secure further gains by optimising the resource available to trusts. It is imperative that trusts ensure that appropriate focus is given to deliver service improvements, with implementation of good practice across the patient pathway to help to drive improved quality, equity and efficiency. An expansion of pre-operative assessment capacity to ensure that patients are fit and ready for treatment will be another important area for investment.

I remind Members that investment at this level will need to be sustained for at least five years to bring hospital waiting times down to acceptable levels. Building our workforce and the infrastructure required to sustainably reduce our lists will take a collective effort.

I also plan to establish a waiting list reduction reimbursement scheme. I know how important it is to have the scheme up and running as quickly as possible. For that reason, the scheme will be initiated on a phased approach. An initial £10 million will be invested. The scheme will commence in June 2025. It will give patients who are ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland and are on an HSC treatment waiting list the option to seek and pay for treatment in the private sector and have the cost reimbursed up to the cost of the treatment by the HSC in Northern Ireland. The first phase will allow reimbursements for treatment in the Republic of Ireland. The second phase will see the geographical scope of the scheme extended to all European Union countries. By opening up the scheme to the EU, patients will have a greater range of providers to choose from. I want to ensure that the scheme targets the patients who have been waiting a long time for their treatment. Therefore, in line with the strategic direction to target long waiters, patients will be able to access the reimbursement scheme if they have waited on an HSC treatment waiting list for two years or more.

I hope that the Assembly will enthusiastically support my focus on the longest waits and on delayed treatment for our youngest in society. The statement is the first in a series of announcements. As I have said, an implementation plan will follow later this month. I assure Members that I have relayed to my Department the urgency at which progress must be made.

We are in only the foothills of what will be a long, uphill trek. It is long past time we began. I am very pleased to be the Minister to make this start, but it will require future Ministers, Executives and Assemblies to maintain the course. I commend the statement to the House.

Colin McGrath (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

Thank you for your statement, Minister. Of course, we welcome anything that can be done to address waiting times. However, I am concerned that the plan continues to rely on outside providers, over whom we have no control, and repurposes existing staff complements, when unions tell us that staff are already worked to the bone and some already work in the private sector, and that all that is underpinned by a mere £50 million extra at a time when trusts are being asked to make even more savings. With Encompass now in place, often, we cannot get access to up-to-date figures on waiting times, waiting lists or even the number of beds. Will you commit to publishing monthly the number of patients who are waiting at the start of each month, the number who have been treated each month, the number of new patients and the number of patients who are waiting at the end of the month, so that we can see whether those initiatives by the Executive are working?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for his question. Encompass is a marvellous system. It needs time to bed in. I know that there is frustration — I feel it too — when some trusts are unable to report the data that we would like to see. On his substantive point, of course, I want to be open and transparent about what we are doing with £215 million. I would have thought that, at least, a monthly update would be appropriate.

Ciara Ferguson (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

I very much welcome your statement, Minister, particularly around the initial £10 million for the waiting list reduction reimbursement scheme that should, hopefully, commence in June for people who have been on a HSC waiting list for treatment for the past two years.

On the expansion of primary-care elective services where there are long waiting lists, particularly for assessment in gynaecology, can you give a breakdown of that £2·9 million, what will be allocated to gynaecology and, in particular, how many people it would impact?

Secondly, if you will indulge me, in relation to building the workforce and infrastructure, will you consider commissioning a specialist endometriosis service?

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Before the Minister answers, I remind Members to not give long preambles or to ask more than one question.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for the two questions. On the question about the £2·9 million, we hope to treat 16,500 patients with that. It will be for the implementation plan to break that down further, so you should be able to study that by the end of this month.

Commissioning new services is not on my agenda, with exception of the waiting list reimbursement scheme of £10 million, which is pretty much the son of the previous Republic of Ireland reimbursement scheme. However, as I said, it will be expanded beyond the Republic to all European Union countries.

I still have the quadruple challenge of mitigating the decision to ring-fence £165 million for waiting lists and funding the reform, because if we spend money on the waiting lists and bring them down but do not do the reform, the waiting list numbers will go back up. I am afraid that introducing new services is not top of the agenda at this time.

Deborah Erskine (DUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I thank the Minister for his statement. Tackling waiting lists is important, but, obviously, I want to see the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) at the top of the list in the commissioning of theatre space. What are the Minister and his Department doing to ensure that the SWAH does get that extra commissioned theatre space? We want to see a bolstering of elective surgery there.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for her question. As I have said before, tackling the waiting lists will require a cocktail of actions. You have the cross-border scheme, which is being turned into a waiting list reimbursement scheme, will be Europe-wide by the time that it is fully functional and will have a requirement to use the independent sector. However, the first port of call is to see what more we can do in our own health and social care system. When we were made aware that up to £215 million was being ring-fenced for tackling waiting lists, one of the first points that I made to officials was that in the South West Acute Hospital, there are two wards and two theatres that have not yet been commissioned. I want us to look at how we maximise their capacity and use them.

Nuala McAllister (Alliance, Belfast North)

I thank the Minister for his statement and welcome the actions that he has outlined. It is really important that we tackle waiting lists, particularly for long waiters and those who are on critical and red-flag lists. However, we often hear at Committee that there are people who are on multiple lists across multiple trusts, so what assessment has taken place on the current state of those waiting lists? Has use of a regional waiting list service, such as that for breast cancer, for other specialties been considered?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for her question. I want to make it clear that I want regional standardised services right across health and social care delivery. As I have said to the chairs and chief executives of the trusts right from the very beginning, they may be five geographically located trusts, but, in my mind, they operate as one trust. That standardisation and regionalisation is very important in ensuring that we do not have a postcode lottery.

Was there another point that I missed?

Nuala McAllister (Alliance, Belfast North)

[Inaudible.]

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

Sorry?

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Through the Chair, please.

Nuala McAllister (Alliance, Belfast North)

[Inaudible]

regional implementation.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

Obviously, we will be open and transparent in measuring the effectiveness of any implementation plan. This is big money. These are people who are either extremely vulnerable and/or who have been waiting for far too long on waiting lists. It is extremely important to me that everybody, not just Members but every citizen of Northern Ireland, understands how well implementation is being carried out across health and social care delivery.

Alan Chambers (UUP, North Down)

Today's statement will be hugely welcome news for many of the people across Northern Ireland who are on waiting lists. The Minister uses the word "urgency" in his statement. Will he give a commitment that his Department is approaching the issue with the urgency that patients and staff want to see and that he wants to see, and will continue to do so?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for the question. I hope that I can give him that assurance. The fact is that this is May 2025 and we are due to have an Assembly election in May 2027, so I have to proceed on the basis that I have a maximum of two years left as Minister of Health. As the Member knows, we have a new permanent secretary in Mike Farrar, who is going to be with us for at least a year. I am hopeful that we can extend that to two years so that we can work together to try to deliver on the quadruple challenge that I have outlined. In order to do that within 24 months, the bottom line is that you have to approach everything that you do with the utmost urgency.

Linda Dillon (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Thank you, Minister, for your answers so far. We know about the very concerning waiting times for cancer referral, diagnosis and treatment. Will you give us detail on how the combined initiatives will begin to have a positive impact on waiting times? How impactful will they be on bringing those waiting times in all cancers back within target?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for her interest in cancer, which is another area of focus that I identified 11 months ago when I took up post. There is £85 million in that £215 million that is going to be for red-flag and time-sensitive matters, including cancer care. As I said, it will take up to five years to get all the lists back to acceptable levels, including those for the various cancers. There will be more detail in the implementation plan, which you should have before the end of the month.

Diane Dodds (DUP, Upper Bann)

Thank you, Minister. This is a welcome statement that says all the right things, but, of course, we need to see the plan and how it will be implemented. That is the most important thing.

I will rehearse a question that I have asked many times before. The waiting list reduction reimbursement scheme will allow a reimbursement for someone who wants to go to Dublin, Galway or wherever to have their hip fixed if they have been on an HSC waiting list for longer than two years. However, that assumes that that person can get the money up front to pay for the treatment. What about a person who has been on an HSC waiting list for eight years? I received a letter from the chief executive of the Western Trust that stated that the average waiting time for a routine hip replacement there is nine years. What about a person who has been on that waiting list for a very long time but cannot get the money and will not be able to access the scheme? How is that bringing equality to health provision in Northern Ireland, and what can we do about that? That is —

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

I think that we have the question.

Diane Dodds (DUP, Upper Bann)

— hugely important.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for her question. The waiting list reimbursement scheme is just one of a number of mechanisms, as I outlined in my remarks. It is part of a cocktail that will involve using HSC capacity and the independent sector to expand. I point out to the Member that the budget for the waiting list reimbursement scheme is £10 million, which means that there is up to £205 million to be used in HSC and the independent sector.

I agree that there is an equity issue: you have to be able to afford the treatment outside our jurisdiction to be able to claim the money back. To be clear to Members: we reimburse only what the cost of the procedure would have been under HSC; it does not cover travel or accommodation, including that of, say, a partner. However, it is a good scheme. If you had seen my mailbag over the past 11 months, you would know that nearly every Member has called for the reinstatement of the cross-border scheme. That is being done according to the will of the House.

Danny Donnelly (Alliance, East Antrim)

I thank the Minister for his statement today. There is certainly a lot in it. While the ambition is welcome, it is concerning that mental health services are noticeably absent. The Minister will be aware that thousands of people across Northern Ireland are suffering on mental health waiting lists for treatment and even assessment. Will the Minister confirm whether mental health provision will be included in forthcoming investment and reform programmes?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for the question. He is aware that I have campaigned on mental health issues since being elected a number of years ago. I am aware that we are yet to address that. I assure the Member that the fact that my remarks did not cover that area does not mean that it will not be covered or that I have in some way lost interest in it. I recognise the fact that it is a very important area, and we will seek to do what we can on it over the next 11 months.

Alan Robinson (DUP, East Londonderry)

I welcome the Minister's statement. Minister, will you indicate, for those whom I represent, what benefits the investment will bring to Causeway Hospital, specifically with regard to using theatres or scanners and its becoming an elective hub?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for his question. I mentioned the SWAH. I also want to see a significant amount of the money being invested in the Causeway Hospital and Daisy Hill. I say to Members that no hospital will close on my watch. We need every square yard — every square metre — of available HSC space not just to deal with the unacceptably long waiting lists but for a great number of procedures. The theory and principle behind separating emergency and elective surgery are sound: it means that there should be a minimum number of cancellations and maximum efficiencies and productivity. I look forward to updating the Member with more detail on what part of the £215 million will go to the Causeway Hospital.

Philip McGuigan (Sinn Féin, North Antrim)

I welcome the statement, Minister, and I welcome your and the Executive's commitment to reducing the number of patients on our unacceptably high waiting lists. You highlighted the waiting list reduction reimbursement scheme, which will allow patients from the North to seek treatment in the South and, eventually, across the EU, with the cost of that treatment being reimbursed by the HSC. Obviously, I welcome that initiative. I am one of the MLAs whose letters asking for it to be started again are in your inbox, so I welcome the fact that it will begin in June.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Question?

Philip McGuigan (Sinn Féin, North Antrim)

I agree about the equity issue and urge the Minister to look at that. He said that he has set aside £10 million for those who have been on the waiting list for two years. Will he ensure that that £10 million is spent fully, even if it means reducing the two-year target that he set?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for his comments. In response to his question, I cannot guarantee the spending of the £10 million, because it will be spent whenever people come forward and ask to be included in the initiative. This will never happen, but, were nobody to come forward, the £10 million would have to be reallocated. I imagine that we will not have any particular difficulty in spending the £10 million during this financial year, but we shall see.

Diana Armstrong (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I thank the Minister for his statement and for the work that he is doing to reduce waiting lists. Minister, I joined you on a visit to the South West Acute Hospital. I recall that, during that engagement, you specifically asked to see the uncommissioned theatre space. Like my fellow MLA from Fermanagh and South Tyrone Ms Erskine, I ask this: can you detail how soon that capacity will be utilised? Not only will that help a great number of patients on waiting lists, but it will serve as a further clear illustration of confidence in the long-term future of the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for her question. As I said, this is an opportunity to reassure communities, not least those in Enniskillen, Coleraine and Newry, that their local hospitals are here to stay and that they have specific roles. In the case of the South West Acute Hospital, it is important to stress that there are not only two uncommissioned theatres but two uncommissioned wards and that, as an elective overnight stay centre, it is therefore in an ideal position to start to do a lot of good work in tackling waiting lists, if we can get the workforce together to utilise those theatres and wards.

Órlaithí Flynn (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

Minister, I greatly welcome today's announcement. It is brilliant to hear the news about the cross-border initiative, the two phases and the cancer plan. It is all good stuff in the statement. Thank you for listening to Members who lobbied on that.

Minister, you mentioned really positive stuff about the gynaecology waiting lists and mesh removal. Will your implementation plan that will be published later this month include a breakdown of targets and timelines specifically for mesh removal or for gynae more generally? Will the detail of the plan be that specific?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

That is certainly my intention.

Diane Forsythe (DUP, South Down)

I thank the Minister for his statement; it is welcome. My question is on the specifics of the waiting list reimbursement scheme. The Minister's announcement just over a month ago on the reinstatement of the cross-border scheme was so welcome, and I was inundated with queries, so, on the back of today's statement, I expect a lot of specific queries. Minister, you talked about it commencing in June. Is there potential for retrospective applications for reimbursement for treatment, and, if so, when could they be made? For people who have treatments booked and planned but are thinking of moving them to save themselves thousands of pounds and for those who are booking operations in the short term, have you any idea of when the scheme will be in place?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member, who raises an important point. Unfortunately — it is unfortunate, I think — there are no arrangements for patients who have already spent money on private treatment to be reimbursed, because the scheme will be open only to pre-authorised treatments, so we cannot work retrospectively. Like the Member, as a constituency MLA, I have been approached by constituents who ask, "I am on a waiting list for the private sector. I am about to spend a significant amount of money on a procedure. Should I hold fire?". I am not, I am afraid, in a position to offer that level of advice.

We are working with the health authorities in the Republic, so, clearly, we cannot simply book blocks of its resource, and, as I said, we are still in the foothills of organising this. We are working urgently, which is why I say that the scheme will open next month, but, on what we will offer from next month and the sequence of procedures within that, we are not there yet in our negotiations with the Republic. I am sorry not to be more definite, and I understand what it is like to sit there, having committed maybe £15,000 to a procedure that is coming up in July, and wonder, "Could I save that 15 grand for my children or my grandchildren?". I get that, and we will get the answers as quickly as we can.

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

Minister, since you took up your post, I have been tormenting you about the reintroduction of the cross-border healthcare scheme. Along with other Members, I was seeking to represent the desires and needs of our constituents who have been languishing on waiting lists, in fear and, often, in pain and with impairments, so this will bring huge hope and relief to those people.

Minister, you mentioned the implementation plan for the introduction of mega clinics, and you also said that no hospital will be closed, which is wonderful to hear. That will be reassuring for the people of Newry, south Armagh and south Down. Will Daisy Hill be a mega-clinic under the implementation plan?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I welcome the Member's comments. Will Daisy Hill be a mega-clinic? If the question is, "Will there be mega-clinics at Daisy Hill?", the answer will probably be yes. The only mega-clinic that I have visited was at Belfast City Hospital. It is about using space and workforce on a Saturday. In the clinic that I saw, for example, a lot of patients who had been on waiting lists for a long time had come for validation, basically, to be asked, "Do you still need the procedure?", and, "Have you got worse over the years?". Patients also had their pre-operative anaesthetic consultation there. The patients whom I observed on that Saturday at Belfast City Hospital were told, "You will be in the Mater Hospital next week"; it is that good.

At the moment, I do not have the detail on where the mega-clinics will be located, but I see no reason why Daisy Hill should not be on the list of prospective venues.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

Minister, like other Members, I welcome the reintroduction of the cross-border healthcare scheme and its extension. Many people have called for that, and, bluntly, many people want to have procedures while they are still around and can live a constructive life. Ultimately, however, it is true to say that that scheme, with people having to pay up front and then reclaim, and, indeed, the widespread use of private healthcare are representations and manifestations of the failure in our public healthcare system.

Will the Minister set out his aspiration for when, in the long term, we can minimise the assumption that has been created in our healthcare system that you have to go private to get elective care? I acknowledge that reintroducing the scheme is an important and welcome step as a stopgap measure for people who are suffering, but does the Minister have an aspiration to move us back to the principle of a publicly funded healthcare system that is free at the point of access?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

Let me stress again that the cross-border scheme represents £10 million out of £215 million. Nearly every MLA in the House has contacted me about reinstating it. I am conscious of the equity issue that, if you cannot afford private healthcare, you are at a disadvantage relative to people who can afford to pay up front. I gently disagree with the idea that everybody now believes that they have to go private to get elective care. It is not particular to this place. For example, in March, when I was in Washington, I visited Georgetown University Hospital. It was built in 1947 but recently had an $800 million extension, including the biggest ED that I have ever seen. Every corridor of that ED had trolleys backed up, with patients lying on them. When I asked what was going on, I was told, "This happens 365 days of the year". That is a brand-new facility in the United States. I have also had correspondence from somebody in the Algarve in Portugal who spent two days on a trolley before having what they considered to be lifesaving surgery. It is not just us, but of course I support the principle of having the resources, the workforce, the equipment and the medicines to deliver world-class healthcare free at the point of delivery.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

Like other MLAs, I welcome the statement. Minister, your statement lays out the fact that you are reintroducing the waiting list reduction reimbursement scheme, which will permit people who are on a waiting list for at least two years to seek certain treatments in the Republic from June, and that the scheme will be rolled out later to permit people to seek treatment across the EU. I welcome the announcement, but can you enlighten us as to why a similar scheme cannot be deployed to utilise space in the NHS in the rest of the UK, which does not have the same waiting list problems that we have? That would save people having to travel as far for their much-needed treatments.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for his question. As I have just said, our issues and challenges are not particular to us in Northern Ireland, so I do not accept that premise. The waiting list reimbursement scheme is based on the cross-border directive, which allowed patients to be reimbursed for treatment outside Northern Ireland. Other work is ongoing with independent sector providers within Northern Ireland. We are also looking at the capacity in Health and Social Care, not least building up our workforce, because it is primarily, although not exclusively, by building up the workforce that we will become less reliant on the independent sector.

Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance, Belfast West)

Minister, you talked about building the workforce and the infrastructure required to tackle waiting lists in the long term. Many will ask how that can happen with more and more investment being funnelled into the private sector, as the statement makes clear, and more and more people being trained within the health service who will be working in private hospitals. Using the facilities of private hospitals and clinics will mean less investment in our own hospital estates and infrastructure. What action are you taking to tackle the growth of the private health sector?

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I thank the Member for his comments. The fact is that we do not have the capacity exclusively within our health and social care system to tackle waiting lists in a timely manner. As I said, there has to be a cocktail within which money will go to the independent sector. Is that really good news? No. I would much rather all the money were devoted to our own workforce, our health and social care system and our six trusts, including the Ambulance Service. In an ideal world, we would not have a reimbursement scheme in which people are reimbursed for going outside Northern Ireland. We would not have an independent sector. However, that is so far from reality that it is hardly even aspirational. We have to do it as we can. Among all the elements of the cocktail, my priority is our own health and social care workforce and the health and social care system.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

That concludes questions on the statement. I ask Members to take their ease before we move to the next item in the Order Paper.

(Madam Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair)

Executive Committee Business

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

I beg to move

That the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Live Links for Courts and Tribunals) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

The Business Committee has agreed that there should be no time limit on the debate. I call on the Minister to open the debate.

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I seek the Assembly's approval for the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Live Links for Courts and Tribunals) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025. That is SR 2025/61.

Article 2 of the order extends the provisions allowing courts and statutory tribunals in Northern Ireland to receive evidence, wholly or in part, using audio or video conferencing systems, which are commonly referred to as live links. It is primarily video systems that are utilised to facilitate the attendance of persons participating in any court or tribunal hearing remotely. The provisions are in addition to legislation that allows the use of a video link for a specific witness or defendant with all other participants attending in the courtroom. The extension will allow us to maintain access to a digital tool that has proved to be an essential element of the toolkit for addressing the backlog of cases accrued during and since the pandemic until 24 September 2025.

Members will recall, from the debates on similar motions for approval in 2024, that we are planning to put in place new primary legislation to provide a long-term legislative solution for live links in our courts and tribunals. The Justice Bill was introduced last year and is currently at Committee Stage. Meanwhile, this further extension will allow us to maintain efficacy in the system. It will continue to offer an avenue for wider access to participation in the courts, where a judge is satisfied that it is in the interests of justice.

I am conscious of the concern expressed in past debates on similar motions about relying on emergency-related legislation. I remain keen to have the new legislation in place as soon as reasonably practical, but that now rests with the Committee, as it takes forward the Committee Stage of the Justice Bill. I wish that there was a practical alternative to continuing to rely on those provisions as temporary measures, but it cannot be denied that, despite all the efforts made within the resources available to my Department, there remains approximately a quarter of cases that have been with the Crown Court and the Magistrates' Court, adult and youth, for more than three years.

I am equally conscious that improvements in case processing times have levelled off after a period of successive improvement, despite the efforts made to increase throughput. The average time from an offence being reported to a case's completion in court is now 191 days. It has remained broadly at that level for a while, in contrast to 149 days pre-COVID.

There remains support from court users, particularly those who advocate for victims of crime, for this avenue of participation to be available, subject to judicial approval, to those who would prefer not to attend court in person. I believe that the use of the provisions aligns with the commitments made or reflected in the Victim Charter. I commend the approval of the order to the Assembly and thank the House for taking the time to debate it.

Joanne Bunting (DUP, Belfast East)

I will speak briefly as Chairman of the Committee for Justice. I declare that I have an immediate family member who works in the legal profession.

The Minister outlined the intention of the statutory rule, and it is not my intention to repeat that. The current Committee for Justice has previously considered a number of statutory rules to extend those provisions, and its position has not changed. As Members will recall from previous debates on motions to extend the provisions, the Committee asked the Department for its views on whether the continued use of the powers in the Coronavirus Act 2020 was appropriate and proportionate in a post-COVID environment. The Committee also requested details of the Department's plans to make permanent provision for the use of audio and video links.

As I said then, and as the Minister has reiterated this afternoon, the Committee was advised that the Minister was satisfied that there remains a clear role for the continued use of the provisions in order to tackle the backlog of cases that have accrued during and since the pandemic and may take until 2028 to clear without extra resources. The Department also advised that it was the Minister's intention to include provisions for the wider use of live links in the first Justice Bill of the mandate. The Committee was assured that reliance on the powers in the Coronavirus Act 2020 is, therefore, an interim arrangement.

As the House will be aware, the Minister now plans to make permanent provision for the wider use of live links by way of an amendment to the Justice Bill at Consideration Stage. The text of the proposed amendment was included in the Committee's call for evidence on the Justice Bill, which closed at the start of last month. The Committee will now consider any evidence that it received on the use of live links as it works through the detail of the Bill and the amendments.

As I stated at the beginning of my contribution, the Committee's position on today's motion remains the same: most, if not all, Committee members are broadly supportive of the use of live links. The Committee considered the statutory rule at its meeting on 10 April 2025 and was content to recommend that it be approved by the Assembly, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules' report. That report was published the following day, and the Examiner raised no issues with the technical aspects of the rule. Therefore, on behalf of the Justice Committee, I support the motion. As the justice spokesperson for the Democratic Unionist Party, I reiterate that our position is reflected in that of the Committee.

Ciara Ferguson (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

We support the extension of the current live links provision as a short-term measure. Longer term, we need to deliver robust permanent provision and enhance participatory rights, particularly for victims of crime. The Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime has, rightly, raised the importance of the issue. Whilst it is critical that that access be maintained, the Justice Bill will provide a comprehensive framework for the provision in primary legislation. We recognise the benefits for children and other vulnerable victims of being able to remain in a safe place and provide evidence in a child-friendly and neutral environment. We want to work collectively to support the delivery of a fit-for-purpose and modern legal system and Courts and Tribunals Service and speed up access to justice.

Important concerns for consideration in the wider debate are the provision of adequate safeguarding for vulnerable individuals; technological reliability; the guarantee of adequate understanding; the provision of consent; access to good legal representation; upholding fair trial standards; and protecting the rights of individuals.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

No other Members have indicated that they wish to speak, so I call the Minister of Justice, Naomi Long, to conclude and wind up the debate.

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank Members for their contributions on the order. The importance of making live links available to those who find themselves, often through no fault on their part, engaged or compelled to engage in the justice system should not be underestimated. They can provide an avenue of communication that may reduce stress or other pressures that participation in a court hearing might bring. That has been reflected in what has been said during this short debate. It is important to recognise that, unlike other Departments, the Department cannot change that provision by regulation; it requires primary legislation. That is why it is written into the Bill that is before the Committee. I look forward to that being brought forward with the rest of the content of the Bill.

I hope that Members are satisfied that this is very much an interim measure and that more detailed proposals lie in the Bill that is with the Committee. Hopefully, we will now be able to move forward with this temporary provision. We will, of course, need to renew the provision later this year, because it will expire towards the end of September. We will continue to do that — hopefully, with the cooperation of the Committee — until such times as the primary legislation is passed in the House.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved:

That the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Live Links for Courts and Tribunals) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

I beg to move

That the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

The Business Committee has agreed that there should be no time limit on this debate. I call the Minister to open the debate on the motion.

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

[Translation: Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker.]

As Members will be aware, the order seeks to expand powers that were introduced in the Coronavirus Act 2020 relating to the registration of deaths and stillbirths for a further six months until 24 September 2025. The specific powers that are included in the order concern the way in which registrations are conducted. First, they enable individuals to choose to register a death or a stillbirth. Although they can opt to come into a registration office in person, the provisions give the next of kin a choice to do that over the telephone in their own environment, recognising that it can be a hugely stressful and distressing time for family members. Secondly, the powers enable participants in the registration process to exchange important documents electronically between a doctor and the registrar and between the registrar and the undertaker. Those exchanges can happen electronically, lessening the burden on family members.

It will be clear to the Assembly why those provisions were important in the context of the pandemic. The temporary changes to the registration process reduced the need for face-to-face contact for grieving and sometimes vulnerable members of the public and for registration staff. They enabled the registration system to continue to operate, even when the services were, sadly, under significant pressure. In the five years that have passed since the start of the pandemic, however, the arrangements have become the normal means by which the vast majority of the registrations take place. They have helped the registration process to be more empathetic, efficient and productive, and they carry the support of stakeholders. Most importantly, the provisions ease the burden on grieving members of the public. When someone is coming to terms with the death of a loved one, we should not burden them unnecessarily. While offering them a choice about how to register a death and conducting some of the paperwork electronically might seem like small things, they can make a big difference.

In short, though the powers were introduced as the pandemic took hold, they have become the established means by which deaths and stillbirths are registered, and they have helped the registration service to become more empathetic, modern and efficient. Given the positive effect of the provisions, it is right that we should look to make the temporary powers permanent rather than continuing to depend on the Coronavirus Act.

We have used the time that was provided by the earlier extension order to progress the permanent powers. The Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill, which passed its Second Stage in the Assembly on 7 April 2025, will provide for the electronic transfer of documents between stakeholders and for the registration of stillbirths by telephone. The Bill will also enable me to progress a baby loss certificate scheme, which recognises the suffering of families who endure the pain of pregnancy loss before 24 weeks. Members will know that losses early in pregnancy are not recognised by existing legislation and that, currently, only losses that take place after 24 weeks are provided for. Those losses cause real pain and heartache for parents across the community, and I am determined that we should recognise them in a similar way to schemes in Scotland and Wales. The Bill will provide a legal basis for a new voluntary scheme, which we will consult on later this year. Regulations will set out how it will operate, and the required delivery mechanisms are being developed by my officials and in the Department of Health. The Bill will also rectify the differences in registration processes for some couples.

Today's extension order will, consequently, provide the time that is required for the Assembly to consider the Bill and make permanent the powers in the Coronavirus Act. It will also afford space and time to make provisions for a baby loss certificate scheme and provide the time that is required to allow the primary legislation to complete its passage. As was set out in earlier debates on these matters, I understand the concerns of some Members about using the continuing extension. As has been seen in today's statement, however, and through their own reflections, Members will be aware that the Bill is making its way through the Assembly. Its progress will depend on the Committee for Finance and the will of the Assembly. I commend the order to the Assembly.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

I will reflect briefly on the Committee for Finance's deliberations on this secondary legislation, which we have discussed in various forms in the Chamber. The Committee has had extensive written and oral briefings on the legislative provisions and the Department's work on the matter. The Committee has also previously agreed a number of statutory rules that were made under the provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 relating to the recording of deaths and stillbirths. I should note that the extensions provided by these statutory rules will be rendered unnecessary when the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill receives Royal Assent. The Bill is currently at Committee Stage, and there has been widespread welcome for it.

In April 2024, departmental officials indicated to the Committee their hope that delegated legislation could be used to ensure that the continued use of the Coronavirus Act 2020 would no longer be necessary, meaning that the secondary legislation that we are extending today would no longer be necessary once the primary legislation that is in front of the Committee and that received its Second Stage a few weeks ago is complete. Unfortunately, it turned out that primary legislation was required, with further extensions to the provisions of the Coronavirus Act being necessary. At its meeting on 26 February 2025, the Committee agreed that it was content with the proposed statutory rule/SL1 and content to extend the temporary provisions under the Act until 24 September 2025. The Committee considered the statutory rule at its meeting on 9 April 2025. The Examiner of Statutory Rules did not draw this rule to the attention of the Assembly, and the Committee therefore recommended that it be approved by the Assembly.

The Department has expressed the hope to the Committee that the Bill will have completed its legislative process by 24 September 2025, meaning that no further extensions to the Coronavirus Act will be required. While that hope is noted and we share the desire to move away from the secondary legislation provisions, the Committee will obviously have to have appropriate time to scrutinise the Bill. That is especially important as the Committee has noted that there has been no consultation on the Bill. Furthermore, the Bill contains provisions that are emotive by their very nature, so we will have to consider them with sensitivity. As per normal procedure, the Committee will undertake a call for evidence on the provisions of the Bill, and we will shortly discuss the Bill timetable.

The Committee supports the motion to extend the regulations as per the Minister's remarks today.

In a party capacity, I will say that we welcome the fact that, although slightly later than we had all wanted, the Bill has been brought before the Assembly and, indeed, the Committee. The Committee looks forward to scrutinising it in detail.

Jemma Dolan (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

As progress is ongoing on the development of permanent legislation in this area, I recognise the need to extend these provisions, which are now considered as the normal process for registering deaths and stillbirths. I know that the changes to the registration process have been viewed as positive by stakeholders, the public and funeral directors, and not providing for an extension would be a retrograde step. I look forward to the completion of the permanent legislation, which also includes the baby loss certificate scheme. That is a welcome advancement.

Paul Frew (DUP, North Antrim)

I am a Member who has been desperately frustrated at the continuing extension of this power, because I believe that the Assembly should reflect on everything that it did around the Coronavirus Act 2020, the harm that it caused our people and the role that the Executive and the Assembly played in that harm.

Notwithstanding all that, I recognise that this provision — Part 3 of schedule 13 to the Coronavirus Act 2020 — was all about ensuring the effective and efficient registration of deaths and stillbirths and to assist in taking away some of the rigmarole that families have to go through when they suffer bereavement on the loss of a family member or a baby. I believe that such legislation should have been brought in before the pandemic. It really is, if you like, the Executive and the law catching up with technology, so I welcome the provisions. It is probably the only aspect of the Coronavirus Act that I wholeheartedly support, so, of course, I want to see it placed on a permanent statutory footing.

The Chairperson of the Committee highlighted the Committee's frustration at how we have been told one thing and then told another about how this can be put on a statutory footing. First, we were told that it could be secondary legislation, and then we were told that, no, it had to be primary legislation.

No matter what format has to be used, we need to ensure that the people who suffer loss and bereavement do not fall back into the way things were done before.

Now that we have the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill before us, having gone through Second Stage, the pressure is off for extensions, because we can now read the text of the provisions in the blue pages of a Bill. Whilst the extension takes us to 24 September, there really is no issue with pressure in having a further extension in September, and that is coming from someone who has been deeply frustrated by the extensions going on and on. The reason I say that to the Minister and the Department is that, if the Bill were purely about the registration of deaths and stillbirths, I do not think that the Committee would have any issues with going through our procedures as fast as possible, coming out the other side and giving the Department the concise nature of the scrutiny of the Bill, getting us moved on. A clause in the Bill repeals a section of the Coronavirus Act once the Bill receives Royal Assent. Whether that happens in September, December or March does not really make a difference, because people will not see a change to the provision. We should be concerned about the time that the Committee takes to scrutinise the Bill, which will make the provision permanent, because the Bill includes other elements that the Committee Chair rightly highlighted, such as the baby loss certificate and the registration of births by same-sex couples.

The Committee has a duty to scrutinise all those measures thoroughly, as it does and has done with other Bills. The pressure is off with regard to extensions and worrying about September deadlines. The sooner the Committee can get on with its work of scrutinising the Bill, come to conclusions on it and make any amendments that we see fit and the sooner parties in the Assembly can make amendments that they see fit and we have good legislation coming out the other side, the better. An extension of six months is neither here nor there.

I welcome the extension and welcome the fact that the Bill is in the hands of Committee members so that they can scrutinise it and so that the Assembly can scrutinise it. We have already had a touch at Second Reading. We are going to Committee Stage now, and Consideration Stage is after that. I commend the extension.

Kellie Armstrong (Alliance, Strangford)

I thank the Minister for bringing the order forward. If the extension were not made, the current regulations would fall tomorrow. That would mean that bereaved families would once again have to attend in person to register deaths and stillbirths. It would mean an end to the electronic transfer of documents between medical practitioners, registrars and funeral directors, and it would create an increased strain on an already overburdened healthcare and death management system, so thank you very much for bringing forward that extension.

I am someone who, at a very young age, had to go in person to register a death, and it was horrendous. We were still in the process of having a wake and had to get the death certificate sorted out. The electronic means is important.

I want to make the Committee and the Minister aware that the funeral directors' body is supportive of the extension; I am sure that they are well aware of that. Indeed, I had contact from S Clarke and Son, a funeral director in my constituency in Newtownards. They are keen to see the extension, because it will be in the period when the Committee will be looking at the provisions for a permanent solution to be brought into Northern Ireland. As those funeral directors said, in order for that to happen, the order must proceed.

The extension will allow the temporary measures to become permanent. It would enshrine in law a system that has been proven to be efficient, modern and compassionate. I have to agree with that, having been through the system more recently, when I knew that the death certificates would come from the funeral directors, meaning that I did not have to sit in a council office and wait for that piece of paper to be produced.

We support completely the Minister in the extension. I am amazed at Mr Frew: it is the first time I have heard him say that he agrees with a piece of coronavirus legislation. That is a first. It is not something, of course, that any of us want to have to go through with death certificates, but, like Mr Frew, we agree with this.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

Everybody who indicated that they wished to speak has done so, so I call the Minister of Finance to conclude and wind on the motion.

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

[Translation: Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker.]

I welcome the work of the Committee and the Committee Chair on the matter and acknowledge the concerns that have been previously raised by the Committee about the delays in bringing forward the legislation. Mr Frew has managed to speak against an extension and in favour of an extension in one speech, which, in itself, is a work of verbal art.

Without straying and seeking the wrath of the Speaker, I will say something about a lengthy Committee extension. While my officials are working on this, they are not working on something else. When the Committee is working on this, it is not working on something else. There is a consequence to Committee extensions. I await the Committee's report on that, and I await the will of the Committee and the Assembly on the matter, but no one should leave the Chamber believing that there are no consequences from an extension to the Committee Stage of a Bill.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved:

That the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

I beg to move

That the draft Period Products (Department for Communities Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

The Business Committee has agreed that there should be no time limit on the debate. I call the Minister to open the debate on the motion.

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

Thank you, Principal Deputy Speaker. Today, I seek the Assembly's approval of the draft Period Products (Department for Communities Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025. The introduction of the draft regulations is required under the Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.

The draft regulations mark another important step in the journey to making universal access to period products a reality and complement similar legislation from other Departments. Under section 2 of the Act, I propose to specify the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, the Local Government Staff Commission, the Northern Ireland Library Authority, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee, National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People and the Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland. That means that those public bodies will make free period products available to staff and visitors on their premises. Some bodies that fall within the remit of my Department are not specified in the draft regulations, as they did not meet the definition of a "public service body" as set out in section 9 of the Act. They are Ulster Supported Employment Limited, the Northern Ireland Museums Council and the North/South language bodies.

Once the regulations are made, there are further steps that my Department and the specified public bodies will need to complete. First, my Department will consult the relevant bodies on the guidance to be issued. The specified bodies will then consult on the ways in which products can be obtained, where they will be located and the types of period products that will be available. Following that, the specified bodies will publish a written statement on the arrangements that are to be put in place. My officials have been liaising with the arm's-length bodies on how the regulations will be implemented, and I am pleased to report that the Department's public bodies have fully embraced the scheme.

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I rise as Chairperson of the Committee to support the motion. The Period Products (Free Provision) Act, passed by the Assembly in March 2022, marked an important step in addressing period poverty and was rightly warmly welcomed. At its meeting on 30 January this year, the Committee considered the 11 public service bodies that the Department had listed as subject to the duty to ensure that period products are obtainable free of charge by persons from bodies across our cultural and sporting landscape as well as, for example, the Library Authority and the Housing Executive, as set out by the Minister. Having sought and received some additional details from the Department, the Committee agreed on 27 March to recommend that the Assembly affirm the statutory rule.

Briefly, as Sinn Féin spokesperson, I also welcome the increased availability and, indeed, visibility of the products. It is about inclusion and dignity, and it is welcome to see more and more of our public spaces providing free period products.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

Thank you, Colm.

No other Member has indicated to speak, so it is over to you, Minister, to conclude the debate.

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

I am grateful to the Committee for its support, and I commend the motion to the House.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved:

That the draft Period Products (Department for Communities Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

The Business Committee has arranged to meet at 1.00 pm. I propose therefore, by leave of the Assembly, to suspend the sitting until 2.00 pm. The next item of business will be Question Time.

The sitting was suspended at 12.56 pm.

On resuming (Mr Speaker in the Chair) —

Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Questions 8 and 15 have been withdrawn. Tom Buchanan is not here. I call Timothy Gaston.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

2. Mr Gaston asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the value for money of the Loughs Agency as a stand-alone body. (AQO 1931/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The Loughs Agency has a clear statutory remit and delivers a necessary public function on a cross-border basis. The performance of the agency is evaluated in line with the agreed framework document, and a review of its performance is published in the Loughs Agency's annual report and accounts.

On the issue of value for money, I take assurance from the governance arrangements that are in place for the agency and my Department's oversight.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

I thank the Minister for his answer. The answers to recent questions from me have exposed the fact that the Loughs Agency maintained three boardrooms yet secured zero prosecutions for illegal netting in 2022 and 2024 and very low numbers in other recent years. The commercial salmon fishery has been suspended for many years, yet the Department that once regulated that has a wage bill for 2024 of almost £1 million and other costs for that year of over £500,000. Is it the case that, even by the low bar of cross-border bodies, it is hard to justify the existence of the Loughs Agency?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I strongly believe in the value of the Loughs Agency and cross-border working. I have responded in detail to the questions for written answer that the Member has tabled to me. The Member raised the issue of prosecutions. The agency has a statutory duty to protect the fisheries in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Dealing with illegal nets is only one part of the remit of the agency's conservation and protection directorate. The conservation and protection directorate operates a hotline that the public can use to report suspected pollution events or illegal fishing activity. Staff members are on call to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

In 2024, the agency inspected over 1,600 fishing licences, detected 133 illegal fishing incidents and dealt with 216 pollution incidents. Since 2015, it has successfully prosecuted 85 offenders for water quality offences and 111 offenders for angling-related offences. The key objective of that directorate is to provide a highly visible, public-facing approach to enforcement to act as a deterrent to the illegal activity that is taking place in the first place.

On the issue of the boardrooms, which Mr Gaston seems to have an interest in, the agency can hold meetings at its headquarters and its two regional offices. Those meeting rooms are used extensively outside of board meetings to support the day-to-day running of the agency.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

Cross-border bodies seem to have a particular issue with producing and laying their annual accounts in the Assembly on time. Will the Minister outline the work that he is doing to ensure that the Loughs Agency complies with its statutory guidance?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

It is important that they are laid on time. Having these institutions back is important, as there was a lot of catching up to do as a result of previous periods when the Assembly was not sitting. I am engaging with the Loughs Agency on the issue as it is important to ensure that we keep to a proper procedure.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

I thank the Minister for the detail that he has provided in his answers. How is the Minister working with not only the Loughs Agency, as a cross-border body, but his counterparts in the Republic of Ireland to improve water quality in Northern Ireland?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

My Department cooperates with counterparts in Ireland to improve water quality through the North/South Ministerial Council's areas of cooperation, such as the environment, and the Loughs Agency, as an implementation body. The Loughs Agency is collaborating with East Border Region and Inland Fisheries Ireland, and, in Northern Ireland, with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Ulster University and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, on the new PEACE PLUS-funded catchment action for local management (CALM) project, which will see a range of actions to improve water quality being implemented in several cross-border catchments including the rivers Strule and Finn. I note the new commitments on water quality in the new Irish Government's Programme for Government: I am engaging with the Irish Government: I had a meeting with Darragh O'Brien recently, and I will be having further meetings with other Ministers about how we can implement that for the benefit of all people across the island of Ireland.

Stephen Dunne (DUP, North Down)

3. Mr Dunne asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the future of the school milk subsidy scheme following the closure of his Department’s survey in January 2025. (AQO 1932/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

A total of 121 schools and 1,701 parents or guardians responded to the survey, which closed on 10 January this year. Responses are being analysed, and a report will be finalised in the coming weeks. The information that was generated from the survey, together with engagement with key stakeholders, will form part of an ongoing review of the scheme. Options to refresh the scheme will be taken forward as part of the Northern Ireland food strategy framework action plan. I intend to publish the action plan at next week's Balmoral show, which I am looking forward to.

Stephen Dunne (DUP, North Down)

I thank the Minister for his answer. When you launched the scheme late last year, you mentioned the decline in participation in it. What action do you propose to address that decline? Is the future of the scheme secure?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I am keen to keep the scheme. When I was at primary school, I was one of the people involved in selling the milk, so I have a background in this. It provides great nutritional value for young people. I want to consider the survey responses so that we can find better ways to promote and increase uptake. Whilst we are still going through the survey responses, the indications are that there is support for the scheme, with the majority of schools indicating that it offers good value for money, and the majority of parents believing that it is an important scheme and that milk provides a range of nutritional benefits for their children's diet and development. As I said, I support the scheme, and I look forward to taking actions to promote it as part of the Northern Ireland food strategy framework action plan.

Sian Mulholland (Alliance, North Antrim)

Minister, will you elaborate on how the school milk subsidy scheme helps to deliver on the strategic priorities that are outlined in the Northern Ireland food strategy framework?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Thank you, Sian. As I said, I will launch the food strategy framework action plan — we are probably going to develop an acronym for that — at the Balmoral show next week. It will be really important that we follow up on that launch. A key priority in the strategy is to enable improved diet-related health outcomes through education. The framework focuses on making healthy, nutritious and sustainable food the food of choice. The framework recognises the importance of a healthy, balanced diet at all stages of life. That is particularly the case for children as it impacts on their growth, development, educational attainment and long-term health and well-being. Intervening early to create healthy eating habits helps to give children and young people the best start in life by embedding in them a positive relationship with food. For that reason, I intend to ensure that the school milk subsidy scheme is refreshed as part of the food strategy framework action plan targets over the next two years.

Robbie Butler (UUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Minister for recognising that uptake of the scheme has reduced. The dairy industry and, indeed, the scheme suffer from insidious advertising by groups such as Viva!, one of the leading vegan charities, which launched a video entitled 'Dairy is Scary'. Will the Minister join me in condemning such applications of advertising, and outline what steps the Department is going to take to promote milk as a healthy food supplement?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

We will do that next week at the Balmoral show. Dairy is not scary for me; it is healthy and nutritious, and I enjoy it as part of my daily diet. The Balmoral show will be a great opportunity to showcase the excellent quality food that we have in Northern Ireland, not just to people from Northern Ireland but on a wider platform. It is important that we do that. We should be proud of those standards.

I will say that I have written to the UK Government about my concerns about any potential trade deal with the United States of America. We should not undercut our farmers in the UK. We have good-quality food: we want to be able to protect the industry and sell that food to a wider market.

Cara Hunter (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

Minister, will you commit to ensuring that any changes to the scheme will not disproportionately affect low-income families or rural schools?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

That is one of my main concerns. You are right to highlight that. We want to make sure that we do not do that. We will engage on it as part of a co-design process, because we want to make sure that it benefits rural areas and people who are less well off. It is important that we do that.

Patsy McGlone (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Mid Ulster)

4. Mr McGlone asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline what measures he is implementing to prevent wildfires in Northern Ireland. (AQO 1933/22-27)

Keith Buchanan (DUP, Mid Ulster)

14. Mr K Buchanan asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline what resources are in place to protect the Sperrins from gorse fires and wildfires. (AQO 1943/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will group questions 4 and 14.

The recent spate of wildfire incidents is very concerning, as wildfires not only have the potential to have devastating impacts on the environment but are a risk to life, homes and farms. We must all unite to strongly condemn the actions of the individuals who started those fires. I urge anyone with any information about people who were involved in those activities to contact the police.

I pay tribute and give special thanks to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) for all its work. The Health Minister and I met the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service last week to thank it for the work that it does, and I put that thanks on the record here today.

To try to prevent wildfires and to reduce their impact when they do occur, my Department works with others, especially the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. Close working across government and beyond is required to tackle those deliberate acts of rural arson and prevent wildfires. Working together, we issue communications that highlight the risk of wildfires and actions that should be taken to prevent them. We have made available the departmental specialist wildfire vehicles for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service to use during wildfire incidents. We also seek to develop wildfire management plans in high-risk areas or designated sites.

In addition, my officials continue to work with key partners in the Fire and Rescue Service and the Department of Health to finalise a robust, cross-cutting and effective strategy to address the scourge of wildfires in the medium and long term.

Patsy McGlone (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Mid Ulster)

I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, you referred specifically to "deliberate acts of rural arson". Have all the fires been attributed to that cause? Are the fires all deliberate arson attacks or have some started in other ways? Has the percentage been determined?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

My engagement with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has shown that the overwhelming majority of the fires have been deliberately set. It is only by the grace of God that nobody has been killed by the fires in Northern Ireland. I again urge anyone with any information to pass it on to the police. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has undertaken significant work in recent weeks in response to the fires. I praise the service for the work that has been done in very difficult circumstances.

Our attitude to the fires must be clear: we should not see them as headlines that come and go. We need to have a different attitude. That should be that, if we know anyone who lights such fires, we must contact the police and be prepared to give evidence to take it to court. That is absolutely key. I am working on the strategy with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the Department of Health, but that is a medium- and long-term issue. We need a different attitude to the wildfires, which are having a devastating impact on our countryside. It is very distressing to see the damage that we have caused to our countryside.

Keith Buchanan (DUP, Mid Ulster)

I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, what more could be done, for instance, through the media, to educate people about wildfires? I am talking not only about young people, because older people are doing it, as well. What more could be done to educate people about what happens when they do those stupid acts?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The media have strongly profiled the issue. Last week, I was with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service in Ballynahinch and Lisburn, and we put out media updates subsequent to that visit to raise the profile of the practical implications. We have a role, as elected representatives, to profile the communications and encourage people with any information to bring it forward to the police, because we need prosecutions. We need to see people in court, but that requires people who are prepared to give evidence. We also need to be conscious that what people may see as a localised fire can very quickly spread and have devastating consequences. People need to be very conscious about their behaviour in the countryside. We have seen that people have lost their life in other parts of the world, and that is my concern about the wildfires.

Áine Murphy (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Minister, what engagement have you had to date with local farmers, given that they can help to prevent and manage the fires?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The Department has previously engaged with specific forums and intends to re-establish that as part of the strategy associated with the wildfires. Engagement with people is important. There will be a consultation and engagement about the prescribed burning period. I have put on record my belief that the period should be reviewed, and I will welcome people's engagement with the consultation on that. It is important that we have a proper and informed discussion about the arrangements that are in place. I am conscious that the Republic of Ireland's prescribed burning period ends six weeks before ours and that the penalties associated with that are different. I want to engage with the farming community in particular on that.

Andrew McMurray (Alliance, South Down)

Will the Minister tell us how re-wetting peatlands can help to control the spread of landscape fires in the Mournes?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Thank you very much, Andy. That is a really important issue. Re-wetting peatlands leads to improvements in the height of the water table, which increases the wetness and the growth of key plants that naturally limit the dominance of the shrubs, heather and grasses that favour drier conditions and burn more readily. A water table that sits at or close to the peat's surface also limits the capacity of uncontrolled fires to burn into the peat layer and smoulder, leading to less severe fires.

The Member raises an important question. I have a peatland strategy that is now with the Executive for approval. We need to restore our peatlands across Northern Ireland. That can contribute towards so much, particularly in relation to the issues that we are discussing. Let us do that and move forward to improve our environment and prevent wildfires occurring in our countryside.

Peter McReynolds (Alliance, Belfast East)

5. Mr McReynolds asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the contribution of waste water discharges in reducing water quality. (AQO 1934/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I am aware of the impact of sewage pollution on water quality. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) undertakes an extensive water quality monitoring programme in Northern Ireland's rivers and lakes. NIEA's river waterbody monitoring indicates that 53% of river waterbodies are impacted by agriculture-related pressures and that 25% by sewage-related pressures. The percentages include a significant number of waterbodies, some 21%, that are impacted by sewage and agricultural pressures.

The research, which was led by AFBI and published in October 2020, examined substance-flow analysis for phosphorus in Northern Ireland's food system. Of the estimated 1,530 tons of phosphorus lost to water, 62% was determined to be from agricultural sources and 36% from sewage, of which 24% was attributed to waste water and a further 12% to septic tanks.

The approved environmental improvement plan for Northern Ireland sets out my commitment to improve water quality, including the requirement to publish the third cycle river basin management plan and the associated programme of measures. Work to improve water quality will require collective action across government, the public and private sectors and wider society.

Peter McReynolds (Alliance, Belfast East)

Thank you, Minister, for that thorough response. Will you provide an update on regulation and enforcement arrangements regarding sewage pollution by Northern Ireland Water?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I can answer that question in a number of ways. The third cycle river basin management plan has been with the Executive for approval for a while, and I continue to engage with my Executive colleagues on it.

If Members will bear with me, I will explain this a bit more. When NI Water was established in 2007, a statement of regulatory principles and intent (SORPI) was put in place, and it has remained in place. A number of years ago, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency exited from the element on drinking water. People should understand about SORPI that, when dealing with regulation or enforcement against NI Water for sewage pollution, the historical underinvestment must be taken into account. Therefore, in many instances, Northern Ireland water is getting a by-ball for pumping sewage into our waterways. That is not tenable, and, as Minister, I will be honest and fair to all polluters in Northern Ireland. That is why I am engaged in a formal process to get the views of NI Water and DFI on our exiting that arrangement and putting Northern Ireland Water on the same platform as all other polluters in Northern Ireland. I will make a final decision on that in the forthcoming weeks. It is just not tenable that Northern Ireland Water should be treated differently from other polluters. It is a corporate polluter and should be treated as such.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

Minister, you set out your views on NI Water and SORPI. However, you have also said that you want to give the Infrastructure Minister and her predecessor time and space to come up with a funding solution. They have had time and space, and there is no funding solution. Heads appear to be stuck in the sand. What pressure are you bringing to bear on the Infrastructure Minister to come up with a plan to invest in NI Water? The situation is getting worse, and our water is in crisis. What pressure are you bringing to bear on your ministerial colleague?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I am on record as saying that I will support the Infrastructure Minister in funding bids for Northern Ireland Water. That is the kind of person that I am. I will support that investment, which needs to take place. The pressure that I am bringing to bear relates to the regulation and enforcement arrangements for Northern Ireland Water, as I outlined, and the set-up that has been in place since 2007. It is not tenable to have that in place. NI Water, in its current state, is not fit for purpose. What is happening in Northern Ireland with regard to sewage pollution in our waterways is nothing short of a thundering disgrace. It is wrong. Belfast lough is likely to become the next Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland due to the level of pollution that is occurring. The lack of investment in waste water infrastructure is not just holding back economic investment and housebuilding but destroying our environment. We cannot continue to kick the can down the road. It is for others to step up and take decisions on it.

Alan Chambers (UUP, North Down)

Minister, do you share my disappointment that there is not one specific mention in the Programme for Government that suggests any solutions to tackle the pollution in Belfast lough? We both realise that it will be the next Lough Neagh.

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The Programme for Government sets out areas of commitment, one of which relates to improving the environment. In the environmental improvement plan, we have actions that I seek to take as Minister. Clearly, what is required with regard to waste water infrastructure is investment. The Northern Ireland Audit Office has set out its views on that: people would do well to pay heed to them.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

6. Mr Brett asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the introduction of the dilapidation Bill. (AQO 1935/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I have now received confirmation that the dilapidation Bill is within the legislative competence of the Assembly. I am seeking approval for the introduction of the Bill at the earliest available opportunity from my Executive colleagues. Once Executive approval is received, I will seek to have the Bill introduced, with the Speaker's agreement, as soon as possible.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

Dilapidation impacts not only on town centres but on communities in my constituency. In lower North Belfast, the communities of Skegoneill, Shore Road and Jellicoe are blighted by Japanese knotweed on unregistered and unowned land. Can the Minister give an assurance that he will try to bring the Bill to the House as soon as possible to ensure that residents, not only in North Belfast but across Northern Ireland, benefit from its new provisions?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Yes. I am keen to see the Bill on the Floor of the Assembly. When we were returned here in 2022 — it is just about the anniversary of that election — we were clear that the public wanted us to deliver for them. The dilapidation Bill is a key tool by which we will do that.

Dilapidation is a real blight on communities. It affects the neighbourhoods and causes lack of investment in the area. That is why I am very keen to have the Bill tabled. It has been fully reviewed with regard to its competence and legal perspectives. Hopefully, it will get Executive approval; I can bring it here; we can debate it; and the Committee can scrutinise it. It will be a positive thing for all communities across Northern Ireland, particularly in some constituencies. To be fair, you have been a strong advocate of the Bill. Let us get it on to the Floor of the Assembly.

Danny Donnelly (Alliance, East Antrim)

I agree with Mr Brett that dilapidated buildings are a blight on our towns and villages, including in East Antrim, so I am keen to see the Bill progress. How will the Bill enable councils to take action to protect our built heritage?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

It will have a particular impact on that, because, during the policy consultation, stakeholders expressed concerns that, under existing legislation, there was no special consideration or protection afforded to listed buildings and no requirement to consult planning colleagues prior to the issuing of notices. Stakeholders suggested that that had resulted in the loss of a number of buildings that had been allowed to fall into disrepair by owners. We have sought to ensure that the Bill will afford protections to listed buildings and that it will be binding on councils to consult relevant planning colleagues before taking any action. That will properly address heritage issues and be more proactive, allowing actions to be taken at a much earlier stage, thereby preventing avoidable decay in those important buildings.

Councils currently have powers under section 161 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 to carry out urgent remedial works for the preservation of a listed building. I also declare for the record that I am a member of Ulster Architectural Heritage.

Daniel McCrossan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, West Tyrone)

Minister, I hope that you will agree that the track record of this place in looking after our built heritage has been abysmal. In fact, answers to recent questions that I have raised with the Minister for Communities have revealed that there is no funding to support owners of listed buildings to help them to restore or make safe those buildings. In fact, if you delve further into that, Minister, you will find that there is a minimal fund of, I think, around £300,000 that is supposed to deal with that entire section.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Can we get a question, Mr McCrossan?

Daniel McCrossan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, West Tyrone)

Minister, what are you doing to work with the Minister for Communities to ensure that we protect our built heritage, which is falling down around us daily?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I am conscious of the issues that the Member raises. I am very supportive of built heritage: that is why I am a member of Ulster Architectural Heritage. By tabling the Bill, hopefully, my Department will be able to progress some things around that. I am conscious of the issues in the Member's constituency, particularly in Sion Mills, for example, where there are important buildings that we want to protect. I will continue to work with my Executive colleagues to get the Bill before the Assembly.

There is also a role for district councils, because they already have powers around this. Sometimes, they are reluctant to use them. From my time in Ards and North Down Borough Council, I remember that there were listed buildings on which we had to lobby for action to be taken. We got it taken, but it required perseverance. Once a building has gone, it is gone, and we have lost that key fabric in that community. That is why I am keen to progress the Bill.

Colin McGrath (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

7. Mr McGrath asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the quality of bathing water sites in Northern Ireland. (AQO 1936/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

My Department carried out the most current official assessment of bathing water sites in Northern Ireland during the 2024 bathing season. The bathing season runs from 1 June to 15 September. During that period, weekly monitoring and assessments were carried out at 26 identified bathing water sites and seven candidate bathing water sites.

I am pleased to report that Northern Ireland’s bathing waters performed well. All 26 identified bathing waters complied with the required bathing water quality standards. Twenty-two were classified as "excellent", a prerequisite for the coveted blue flag award and an indication of the highest water quality standard. Two met the "good" standard, and the remaining two met the "sufficient" standard.

Seven candidate bathing waters were also monitored in 2024. The classification for those sites is preliminary and currently based on two years of data. One site was classified as "excellent", two as "good", three as "sufficient" and one as "poor". It should be noted that the addition of a second year of samples in 2024 led to some improvements in classification at those candidate sites, and a full four-year dataset is required to classify with confidence.

It is my intention to formally identify the seven candidate sites before the commencement of the 2025 bathing season. My Department publishes the results for all identified and candidate bathing waters on the DAERA and nidirect websites.

Colin McGrath (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

Given the popularity of sea swimming and the significant disparities in the levels of potential faecal contamination at bathing water sites across the North, with no more than 17 colony-forming units (CFU) the measurement at Tyrella; up to 690 at Crawfordsburn; up to 1,900 at Warrenpoint; and up to 6,100 in Brompton Bay, in the Minister's constituency, will he commit to commissioning a review of the bathing water regulations, as recommended by the Office for Environmental Protection?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I am conscious of the issue that the Member has outlined. There is a different situation as regards water quality in different bathing areas. I also know that sea swimming is a popular sport that people undertake. I undertook it on Christmas Eve, and I think that I will stick to running. That is my focus.

We need to be conscious of the report of the Office for Environmental Protection on the matter. It is a welcome report. I spoke to officials last week, and they are working through the recommendations from that. We will consult further on a number of matters arising from that. One of the biggest issues arising from the report is an extended season. People may be out swimming today, before the start of the official, designated season. We will take that work forward.

The important announcement today is on those seven sites. That is not to say that all is fine. A lot of work needs to be done. We need to address the pollution of our waterways, whether that is from sewage or from agriculture. That is something else that we are talking about today and something that I am determined to do.

Aoife Finnegan (Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh)

The Minister will know that, for a long time, Lough Neagh has been a vital amenity area for local communities. Of course, bathing activity there has been significantly impacted by poor water quality due to blue-green algae in recent years. Given recent instances of blue-green algae on Lough Neagh, what progress is his Department making to address that for the benefit of local communities?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The Department continues to implement the Lough Neagh action plan. It is really important that we do that. Specifically in relation to the question and bathing water sites and Lough Neagh, as you have raised it, among the seven new sites being formally identified is Northern Ireland's first inland site at Rea's Wood Nature Reserve on Lough Neagh. The primary focus of the bathing water programme is to provide good public health advice to bathers. It is particularly important for Rea's Wood, given the ongoing blue-green algae problem.

As part of the Executive's approved Lough Neagh action plan, my Department leads on an inter-agency group to ensure that timely advice is provided to swimmers at the site. That is an important intervention that we are taking. We need to do a lot of work to improve water quality, but it is also important that we take action on bathing waters.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

We will move on to topical questions

Patsy McGlone (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Mid Ulster)

T1. Mr McGlone asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on progress of the small business research initiatives (SBRI) that relate to Lough Neagh. (AQT 1271/22-27)