Northern Ireland Assembly, 11 November 2025

325 contributions from 59 members. The official report.

Matter of the Day

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Sinéad Ennis has been given leave to make a statement in tribute to the outgoing president of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, which fulfils the criteria set out in Standing Order 24. If other Members wish to speak, they may indicate to do so in the usual manner.

Sinéad Ennis (Sinn Féin, South Down)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle.

[Translation: Thank you, Mr Speaker.]

Today marks a moment of renewal and gratitude for the Irish nation. As Uachtarán

[Translation: President]

Catherine Connolly takes her solemn pledge to serve the people of Ireland, we reflect with deep appreciation on the leadership of Uachtarán

[Translation: President]

Michael D Higgins. President Higgins has led Ireland with integrity, courage and compassion. Throughout his public life, he has championed social justice, community, Ireland's neutrality and the Irish language. He placed deep value on our peace process, reaching out to all who call this island home. He has been a unifying voice for equality, inclusion and respect, which are qualities that defined his presidency and his vision for Ireland.

On the international stage, he showed unwavering moral courage, speaking out against injustice and oppression, including the Israeli genocide in Gaza. While others remained silent, he gave voice to Ireland's proud tradition of standing for peace and human rights. Beyond politics, President Higgins made an immeasurable contribution to the arts as a poet, cultural advocate and lifelong champion of creativity. His work reminded us that the arts are central to who we are as a people and a source of empathy, reflection and national pride. As his presidency concludes, we also honour Sabina Higgins for her intellect, warmth and steadfast support.

For people in the North, the presidency has always represented belonging beyond borders, yet this must be the last election in which Irish citizens in the North cannot vote for our president. Ireland is changing rapidly. This is a moment in which to embrace opportunity and to build a shared, peaceful future that is based on dialogue, generosity and vision. Relationships across this island have never mattered more. Together, we are shaping a new chapter of our national story: one of inclusion, cooperation and hope for all who call this place home.

The presidency of Ireland is a noble office that stands for the values, ideals and hopes of the Irish nation. Today, Catherine Connolly will become uachtarán na hÉireann

[Translation: president of Ireland]

, with a positive vision to champion the Irish language, neutrality and unity and to be a voice for the people. I believe that she will safeguard those values, ideals and hopes with courage as a president who represents all of Ireland with integrity, honour and wisdom.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh

[Translation: Thank you very much]

, President Higgins and Sabina, for your years of service, and comhghairdeas

[Translation: congratulations]

to President Connolly on her inauguration. It is an important moment for our nation.

I close by sharing some remarks from President Higgins that should be heard and reflected on by people inside and outside the Chamber:

"I am convinced ... that ... there remains within the Irish people a profound and unyielding commitment to seeing beyond the self, to seeing the other as a friend, the principles of generosity, decency and care for one another".

Sian Mulholland (Alliance, North Antrim)

It is an honour to have the opportunity to pay tribute to President Michael D Higgins, a man whose contribution to public life, the arts and the Irish language has left an indelible mark on the island of Ireland. His lifelong commitment to the revival and celebration of the Irish language has been a source of inspiration. He has reminded us that the language is not only a means of communication but a vessel of identity, culture, belonging and literature. Through his words and example, he has shown that the Irish language lives not just in classrooms or Gaeltacht areas but in the hearts of all who cherish it.

Equally, his steadfast advocacy for the arts —an area that I am incredibly passionate about — including poets, musicians, storytellers, playwrights and dreamers, has enriched our shared cultural life. During his presidency, he reminded us again and again that the arts help us to see not just ourselves but one another more clearly.

Of course, we cannot speak of his presidency without mentioning his faithful companions: first, Shadow, then Síoda, Bród and, of course, the remaining pup, Misneach

[Translation: Courage]

, all of whom so often stole the show at Áras an Uachtaráin. They reflected the warmth, gentleness and humanity that he brought to the role. Has there ever been a more wholesome image of a world leader than that of President Higgins with his dogs nuzzling at his legs, looking for a wee pet on the head, in the midst of press conference?

After 14 years of service as uachtarán na hÉireann

[Translation: president of Ireland]

, President Higgins leaves a legacy of compassion, intellect and deep cultural pride. On behalf of those who have admired his leadership, I offer heartfelt thanks for his service to people across this island and beyond in his international role.

As his tenure comes to a close, we extend our warmest wishes to Catherine Connolly as she begins her term in Áras an Uachtaráin. I hope that her service will continue the spirit of empathy, equality and imagination that President Higgins so beautifully embodied. Go raibh míle maith agat, a Uachtaráin, as gach a ndearna tú ar son mhuintir na hÉireann.

[Translation: Thank you very much, President, for all you have done for the people of Ireland.]

Robbie Butler (UUP, Lagan Valley)

Evidently, I come from a very different background, culturally and politically, to Michael D Higgins, but I have always admired his boundless energy, his undoubtable wit and the warmth of his unique personality. His deep humanity has left an indelible imprint far beyond the confines of Áras an Uachtaráin and was in evidence, not least, as has been pointed out, when we saw him in the company of his beloved Bernese mountain dogs. As a fellow dog lover, I often think that Minnie, my St Bernard, might well have liked to meet some of his companions.

As we know, public service, and the glare that comes with it, is unrelenting, but there is no doubt that Michael D Higgins, towards the latter part of his career, found some energy when it came to his political views, and he was not afraid to share them. The latter part of his career was indelibly different from the start of it, but that is OK; it is always well and good to share our differences. He always did so with grace, intellect and a poet's heart.

One of the things that I will remember from his tenure happened when Robin Swann was the Health Minister, and it always makes me smile when I think about it. Robin quipped that he was finally glad to meet a man whom he could look in the eye. Perhaps that is proof that, even in politics, humour can bridge any height divide or political divide. I wish him well in his retirement.

Brian Kingston (DUP, Belfast North)

We recognise that this is an important day for the people of the Republic of Ireland, with the inauguration of the new president of Ireland, Catherine Connolly. This is an opportunity to pay tribute to the terms of service of Michael D Higgins in that important head of state role.

From the perspective of the unionist community in Northern Ireland, we have to say that there were occasions of missed opportunity during that service, such as the centenary of Northern Ireland in 2021, but that is a matter for another time, and it will be reflected on. However, we recognise his service. I remember meeting him when Michael Longley received the freedom of the city of Belfast. As a fellow poet, Michael D Higgins attended that event. That was a special occasion in the Ulster Hall. We acknowledge his service to the Republic of Ireland, to the people of Ireland and to all who look to Ireland for their identity. We wish him well in his retirement and many years of happiness to come.

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

I thank Sinéad, who submitted the Matter of the Day, and thank you, Mr Speaker, for accepting it. I am really pleased that, today in the Assembly, we are able to give thanks to the outgoing uachtarán

[Translation: president]

, Michael D Higgins, and to say, "Go raibh míle maith agat"

[Translation: Thank you very much]

for an extraordinary near decade and a half of service to the people of Ireland. I mean "Ireland" in the truest and broadest sense of the word — this whole island and all who feel an affinity with it, both here and abroad.

Michael D Higgins has been an extraordinary representative of the Republic. It has already been said and said persuasively that he was committed to social justice, the arts, an Ghaeilge

[Translation: the Irish language]

and to championing the rights of new and marginalised communities on the island. All those things are true.

Michael D Higgins has also been an extraordinary voice for intellectual challenge and debate, and I want to reflect on that today, in addition to all his other qualities, including his ownership of the wonderful Bernese mountain dogs. Before and even after becoming a politician, he was a public intellectual and someone who was not afraid to engage in public debate and challenge. He often said that one of the gifts of being a democracy and being a republic is the challenge and gift of democratic debate, which is something that is to be constantly renewed and invested in. He used Áras an Uachtaráin to do that, including through the many events that he staged around the decade of centenaries, the Machnamh 100 events and seminars that got academics, thinkers and writers from all over the island to reflect on our history. He was an extraordinary convener of ideas.

Michael D Higgins's love of the arts is particularly to his credit. I am grateful that Brian also mentioned the fact that he came to Belfast for the awarding of the freedom of the city of Belfast to Michael Longley, a close friend of Michael D Higgins who recently passed. Michael D Higgins represented the love of the arts that is such a distinctive part of the soul of our nation on this island — all of this island. Michael D Higgins proudly represented that. He also welcomed not just the artistic contribution but the intellectual contribution of people from the whole island, including those from a Protestant, unionist, British tradition in this part of the island. We owe him a great deal. We also owe his wife, Sabina, an immense debt. She has been an extraordinary servant alongside him. Spouses of people who are elected to office are not always given that credit.

Michael D Higgins continued the work of Presidents McAleese and Robinson in building bridges across the island. I hope and expect that President Connolly will continue that, and we wish her warm congratulations today. Comhghairdeas

[Translation: Congratulations]

on her election, and we hope to hear more about her plans for the whole island. This is an important day for all of us. Thank you, President Higgins, and thank you, Sabina.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Your time is up.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

It is, of course, a matter for the Irish Republic who its president is. In many respects, who holds that office or what they say during their tenure is a matter of indifference to most unionists. However, since the matter has been raised in the House, I will reflect on the legacy of President Michael D Higgins.

President Higgins will be remembered as the president who used a Holocaust memorial event to attack the world's only Jewish state, prompting a walkout by members of that minority community. He will be remembered for refusing to confront the antisemitic undercurrent in his own state and for attacking those who dared to raise it. He will be remembered for boycotting a service in Armagh marking the centenary of Northern Ireland because the invitation correctly described him as:

"President of the Republic of Ireland".

He will be remembered for fostering what Professor Liam Kennedy of Queen's University Belfast famously called the "MOPE mentality" — the belief that the Irish are the most oppressed people ever. In that work, Professor Kennedy demolished the nationalist myth that Irish history has been a history of unique and unrelenting suffering.

President Higgins's legacy is one of grievance, politicisation of what should have been an apolitical office and needless offence. Sadly, nothing that we have seen from his successor suggests that she will be anything other than a continuation of that toxic legacy for unionism.

Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance, Belfast West)

I thank the Member for raising the Matter of the Day. Given how turbulent the world has been over the last 14 or so years, it has been really important to have a figurehead in the Irish state who has stood tall with principles that have helped us carve out a better, fairer and more just world. Given that the familial head of state in Britain has been mired in scandal, controversy and crisis over recent years and weeks, it has been essential to have a figurehead who has stood on the right side of history and stands on the right side in the present.

On homelessness, Michael D Higgins understood that there is a crisis in housing that has been caused by government policy and a lack of action in the South. He used his last Christmas message to refer to that. He talked about Christmas being an important time for people and the fact that a lot of people do not have a home to live in or go to and that many have been forced to travel and leave the South because of the crisis.

Uachtarán

[Translation: President]

Higgins has also been a clear stalwart of Palestine. Despite the misrepresentation of his position, he has lambasted those who have remained silent. He said that, if we ignored and remained silent on Gaza, it would be a moral failure. Some Members in the House would do well to listen to his lesson on that. Crucially, while the war drums are banged in Germany and across Europe, in Britain and by some in the South, including columnists who will not don military fatigues themselves but want working-class kids to kill and to be killed in the scramble for war, Michael D Higgins has been an important, sensible and sane voice for peace.

Míle buíochas le Micheál agus lena bhean chéile, Sabina.

[Translation: A thousand thanks to Michael and his wife, Sabina.]

I thank them for their time and work in the position.

Catherine Connolly is very much her own person. Despite similarities in viewpoints and geographical location — they are both Galwegian Gaeilgeoirí — I doubt that Michael D Higgins can add keepy-up champion to his long list of incredible achievements and accomplishments. Despite all the propaganda against Catherine, she is a person of conviction and principle who cannot be bought and sold, and people do not like that. She will be a crucial voice for peace and justice and in welcoming all who live here, North and South. Whilst disturbing news has emerged in recent days about individuals plotting to bomb a mosque in Galway, Catherine will be a voice for rejecting such hate in Galway, Dublin, Belfast, Derry or elsewhere. Go n-éirí an bóthar leat, a Catherine.

[Translation: May the road rise up to meet you, Catherine.]

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

I thank the Member for bringing to the House the Matter of the Day. As Michael D Higgins concludes his two terms in presidential office, I take the opportunity to warmly recognise a record of service that has been defined by intellect, integrity and imagination. Since his election in 2011, President Higgins has used his office not just to represent Ireland but to reflect on what kind of society it aspires to be. A man of depth and curiosity, he placed the arts, culture and civic participation at the heart of our national life, opening Áras an Uachtaráin to community groups, writers and musicians and making culture central to citizenship.

In his speech, 'Toward an Ethical Economy', he argued that societies must rediscover a moral purpose in their economic life that values care, community and human flourishing as much as growth or productivity. He reminded us that the work of sustaining families, friendships and communities is every bit as vital as what happens in markets or boardrooms. The insistence that ethics and empathy belong at the centre of public policy has been a constant theme of his presidency.

In 2014, President Higgins became the first Irish president to make a state visit to the United Kingdom, at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II. It was a landmark moment in Anglo-Irish relations — a powerful symbol of reconciliation, mutual respect and diplomatic maturity. Through his Machnamh 100 series, President Higgins invited people to reflect with honesty and empathy on Ireland's complex history during the decade of commemorations. Such actions are not unique. Throughout his presidency, he upheld inclusion, equality and dialogue as cornerstones of a healthy democracy.

Through all of that, Michael D Higgins carried the presidency with warmth and humility. He reminded people that public life can be thoughtful as well as practical and that the language of politics can still be rich in empathy, tolerance, culture and imagination. He leaves office having strengthened the sense of dignity and depth of the role of president and having shown that leadership can be wise, humane and profoundly decent. In that, there are lessons for all of us — especially here — to carry forward his example of thoughtfulness, curiosity, tolerance and belief in the power of ideas to serve the common good. Go raibh míle maith agaibh, a Mhicheáil D agus a Sabina.

[Translation: Thank you very much, Michael D and Sabina.]

Is ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine.

[Translation: We live in one another’s shadow.]

As the presidency comes to an end, I wish comhghairdeas agus ádh mór

[Translation: congratulations and good luck]

to our incoming uachtarán,

[Translation: president]

, Catherine Connolly. My hope is that she moves us positively towards a new dispensation on the island.

Members' Statements

Harry Harvey (DUP, Strangford)

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the guns of the Great War fell silent. It was the war to end all wars, but, sadly, the intervening years have seen many bloody conflicts, with millions of lives lost to war. On this Armistice Day, we are reminded of all those who gave their tomorrows for our today: those who fought for freedom in Flanders; those who stormed the beaches of Normandy and the shores of Sicily; and those who fell in the defence of Northern Ireland in recent conflicts. Today is a day for reflection and thankfulness for their sacrifice. In schools, shops and workplaces across the nation, the public will have paused in silent reflection this morning to honour their memory, lest we should ever forget. I pay tribute to the Royal British Legion and all the organisations that play such an instrumental role in leading our cities, towns and villages in the acts of remembrance each year. I always view it as a great honour to attend events in my constituency over Remembrance Weekend and to see each community come together to pay their respects.

Remembrance is not only about the past; it is a call to us in the present to prepare for the future, to reflect, to learn and to build on our common humanity for the good of all. We are reminded in the Book of Ecclesiastes that:

"To every thing there is a season ... a time of war, and a time of peace."

May we be ever thankful for those who gave their all to afford us the peace that we enjoy in this part of the world today, and may we continually pray for an end to conflict throughout the globe.

Maolíosa McHugh (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

Déanfar Catherine Connolly a oirniú ina huachtarán nua ar Éirinn inniu. Ar dtús – gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Uachtarán Micheál D Ó hUigínn agus le Saidhbhín Uí Uigínn as a seirbhís. Is gradamach, cneasta mar a rinne an tUachtarán Ó hUigínn ionadaíocht dár dtír. Bhí sé go mór i bhfách le gnéithe is fearr na hÉireann a chur chun cinn: muintir na hÉireann, cruthaitheacht na nÉireannach, cultúr, agus luachanna daonlathacha na hÉireann. Ní dheachaigh sé ar chúl scéithe leis nuair a chonacthas dó an éagothroime, an leithcheal nó an éagóir bheith ar bun. Creidim go mbeidh Catherine Connolly ar aon dul leis an traidisiún sin agus í ina huachtarán.

Chuaigh Catherine i gceann feachtas toghchánaíochta a raibh meas, dínit agus aontacht ina chroílár, feachtas ina raibh tacaíocht aici ó chomhghuaillíocht leathan páirtithe polaitíochta ar chlé, lena n-áirítear Sinn Féin, an páirtí is mó ar an oileán seo. Is amhlaidh a fuair sí an líon is mó vótaí d’aon uachtarán riamh ar Éirinn. Rinne Catherine príomhthéamaí den Ghaeilge, d’Aontacht na hÉireann agus de chosaint neodracht na hÉireann ina feachtas toghchánaíochta. I ndiaidh di an toghchán a bhaint, thug sí cuairt ar Oireachtas na Samhna a bhí ar cois i mBéal Feirste - ag tarraingt le chéile beirt de na téamaí sin.

Is geal liom go bhfuil rún aici teanga oibre Áras an Uachtaráin a dhéanamh den Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus í ina huachtarán. Is cuid dár n-oidhreacht chomhchoiteann í an Ghaeilge. Chaith Catherine tráth ag cur feabhas ar a cuid Gaeilge agus í ina duine fásta. Tuigeann sí a dheacra atá sí, mar Ghaeilge agus, ar an ábhar sin dhearbhaigh sí nach gcuirfeadh sí trom ar an té nach labharfadh í ach go spreagfadh sí é lena labhairt. Aithníonn sí an luach agus an léargas ar leith a thugann an Ghaeilge dúinn.

Creidim go gcuirfidh Catherine an chomhbhá, an dlúthpháirtíocht, ceartas sóisialta, an tsíocháin agus an comhionannas chun cinn agus í ina huachtarán - ní hé amháin dár muintir féin ar an oileán seo ach ar son ceartas agus síocháin dhomhanda.

Go n-éirí leat, a Catherine.

Michelle McIlveen (DUP, Strangford)

We have just marked the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. We pause to remember those who gave their all for the freedoms that are all too easily taken for granted. Armistice Day is not merely a date in the calendar for the people of Northern Ireland; the importance of remembrance runs deep. Throughout our cities, towns and villages, memorials are etched with the names of those who answered the call when tyranny threatened the world. They were men from every trade and background who stood shoulder to shoulder on the fields of France and Flanders, and who never returned home. Their sacrifice helped to shape the liberty that we enjoy.

Armistice Day reminds us that our freedom comes at a price. It was bought with sacrifice and bravery, and it must be guarded with gratitude and respect. When we pause for remembrance, we honour not only those who fell in the Great War, but all who have served since, through the Second World War, in Korea, in Afghanistan, and those who defended democracy and law and order in our Province during the dark days of terrorism. When we wear our poppy with pride, it is not a political emblem. It is a symbol of remembrance and respect. It is a symbol that unites generations in quiet reflection to cherish peace, while never forgetting the price that was paid to secure it. Remembrance is not about glorifying war; it is about honouring those who serve and remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

As the clock struck 11.00 am today, we stood together in silence, and we recalled the words of John Maxwell Edmonds:

"When you go home, Tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, We gave our today"

We will remember them.

Kate Nicholl (Alliance, Belfast South)

There is an article in the newspapers today about an all-female, far right group giving out pink knuckledusters at an anti-migrant protest. We need to change how we talk about migration, not just on the human level, but to give the economic perspective. If you set aside the cruelty of this, and the fact that you will be arrested if you are caught with a knuckleduster, anti-migrant protests make no economic sense. We need to talk about the economic aspect more in the Chamber. We are approaching a full labour market, and we have many skills gaps. If you speak to any business, they will say that they are desperate to recruit because it is hard to fill the skills gaps in Northern Ireland. So, we need foreigners. If we want people to look after us when we are old, we need foreigners to come into our economy.

When I post about this subject on social media, people say, "Oh, this is what Kate always says. Liberal Kate. It is about illegal migrants." Tell me what the distinction is, because when vigilantes in east Belfast knock on the doors of people with a different skin colour, they are not checking on their migration status, and it is creating a chill factor in our society.

People from different backgrounds already feel fearful. We have seen over the past couple of summers just how much fear there is in society.

As politicians, we have to talk about the economic realities. If we cannot agree, on the human level, that these are human beings and that they need to be treated with dignity, humanity and kindness, let us talk about the economic side of things. The unemployment rate in Northern Ireland is at an all-time low, and we have a weak labour supply. Growth in the working-age population is weak and will be negative from 2029 onwards. That poses serious challenges for our economy when it comes to skills. Whether it is from the chamber, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and other organisations, we keep hearing that skills are an issue.

Between 2001 and 2023, 293,000 long-term international migrants arrived, but 231,000 people left, so net migration flow was 62,000 people. If we do not have the people and skills to fill our vacancies, how will we grow the economy? We have in Northern Ireland some of the most amazing businesses. Our amazing screen industry is growing, and we have tech: we have so much opportunity. Where we fall down and let people down, however, is in our rhetoric. We demonise outsiders when we need to encourage foreigners and migrants to come here. We can deal with asylum by speeding up claims, dealing quickly with false claims and creating safe and legal routes, but we need to be really careful not to conflate the issues. Our economy needs foreigners to come here, and we need to be very careful in how we talk about that.

Diana Armstrong (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I commend the achievement of a young pupil at Irvinestown Primary School, Mabel Hetherington, who last week was crowned winner of the people's choice award in the child category of the Down's Syndrome Association's 2025 My Perspective photo competition.

My Perspective is an international photo competition for people with Down's syndrome that provides a unique opportunity to show the world through their perspective, using a photographic lens. Eight-year-old Mabel was shortlisted in the child category this year for her photo 'My Happy Mummy' that she took of her mum on a sunny day on Rossnowlagh beach in County Donegal, which, she says, is their favourite happy place. Mabel emerged as the people's choice award winner, competing against photographers from Australia, the USA and Canada amongst others. This year, 250 entries were submitted, so for Mabel to have won the award against stiff competition is such a remarkable achievement.

Last Thursday, Mabel had a wonderful night in London with her mother, Elaine, and father, Gary, at the My Perspective final. The night was made all the more memorable when she took the award home. I speak for everyone here when I say that we in Northern Ireland, especially in Mabel's home county of Fermanagh, are all immensely proud of her.

Mabel is a member of the Fermanagh Down Syndrome Support Group. The support group does amazing work in helping families across the county. Mabel's mum, Elaine, is its chairperson, and I thank her sincerely for all her work and vital support for all those who have Down's syndrome and their families.

On behalf of the Assembly, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mabel and her family. Mabel, you are one of our brightest stars, and your skill in photography inspires us all. You are a little superstar with the biggest smile, and I know that you will go on to do even greater things. You have done Northern Ireland and your family proud.

Sinéad McLaughlin (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

What is happening today in Sudan is one of the gravest humanitarian and moral crises of our time, yet it remains largely invisible on the world stage. The people of Sudan are enduring atrocities that would shock the conscience of every Government and international institution.

In el-Fasher and across North Kordofan, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are carrying out systematic killings, torture and sexual violence. They are targeting civilians because of who they are and where they live. Communities are being starved as a weapon of war. Hospitals, markets and even places of worship have been bombed. In one city, as many as 7,000 people were massacred last year, and the violence has only deepened since.

It is not chaos without cause; it is a campaign of terror that is financed, armed and enabled by powerful international actors. Evidence shows that the United Arab Emirates has supplied weapons, drones and funding for the RSF, funnelling support through private military networks, mercenary contractors and others. In return, the RSF provides access to Sudan's gold and other natural resources. It is a trade in blood and suffering.

Meanwhile, the international community has stood by. The United Nations Security Council has failed to act decisively, and the United Kingdom, despite its historical role in Sudan and its position as a UN penholder, has not matched its words with actions. Governments who claim to stand for international law have allowed impunity to prevail, because accountability would mean confronting their own economic interests. We cannot call for peace in one part of the world and turn away from a genocide in another. Sudan's conflict is destabilising an entire region from Sahel to the Red Sea. Its implications for global security, migration and human rights are absolutely immense.

Immediate actions are needed. The United Arab Emirates must be held accountable for arming and financing the atrocities. The Rapid Support Forces should be designated as a terrorist organisation under international law. Arms sales to states that are fuelling the conflict must stop, and humanitarian access to the people of el-Fasher and Darfur must be secured without delay.

Later this month, as chair of the all-party group (APG) on UNSCR 1325, women, peace and security, I will be hosting a number of women from Sudan who will give direct evidence of their first-hand experiences. It is a terrible atrocity happening in plain sight, and it is going unnoticed by the world. I beg Members to come and join me to hear that evidence at the APG.

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Comóradh 75 bliana ó bunaíodh an Coinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine (ECHR) an tseachtain seo caite. Tá ról ríthábhachtach ag an choinbhinsiún maidir le síocháin agus cobhsaíocht a chothú anseo in Éirinn. I ndiaidh blianta fada coimhlinte, bunaíodh creat do shochaí chomhchoitianta shíochánta le Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta 1998 — próiseas atá ar siúl go dtí an lá inniu.

Mhol Páirtí Coimeádach na Breataine agus Reform, gur chóir tarraingt siar as an Choinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine. Dá mbeadh an Bhreatain leis an Choinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine a fhágáil, rachadh sin i bhfeidhm go mór ar an chomhoibriú trasteorann ar fhiosrúcháin choiriúla agus ar chásanna eiseachadta, agus chuirfeadh sé le costais riaracháin trádála agus gnó. Dá mbeadh an Bhreatain leis an Choinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine a fhágáil, rachadh sin go mór faoi chreat Windsor agus faoin Chomhaontú Trádála agus Comhair. Shílfeadh an tAontas Eorpach gur claonbheart a bhí á imirt orthu, agus d’fhéadfadh cliseadh ar na caibidlí dá dheasca. D’fhéadfadh sé gabháil faoin chomhoibriú taidhleoireachta fosta.

Leagadh amach san Acht um Chearta an Duine 1998, a chuimsíonn an Coinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine, leagadh amach ann sin sraith de luachanna coiteanna a sháraíonn deighiltí polaitíochta agus deighiltí seicteacha. Tugadh dearbhú ann do náisiúnaithe nach mbeadh cearta ag brath ar cheannasacht na Breataine amháin ach go mbeadh siad faoi chosaint ag institiúidí Eorpacha. Daingníodh d’aontachtaithe go mbeadh riail an dlí ann taobh istigh de chreat daonlathach atá ag cur le traidisiúin dhlíthiúla na Breataine. Cuireadh síos dúshraith atá bunaithe ar chearta leis an chairt, dúshraith a thacaigh leis an chómhuinín agus a laghdaigh an eagla roimh leithcheal ná ceannas. Sa deireadh, bhí an Coinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine riachtanach ní hé amháin le daoine aonair a chosaint ach leis an phróiseas síochána a chothabháil. Trí chearta uilíocha agus an comhionannas a fhí sa dlí, leanann sé de bheith mar bhonn taca don athmhuintearas agus don chobhsaíocht dhaonlathach.

Michelle Guy (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

This week is Anti-Bullying Week, and its theme is "Power for Good". That is a challenge to us to act, so do not be a bystander in the face of bullying. Be the hero. Be the person who acts. I cannot stress enough the impact that the small act of kindness of reaching out to someone who feels isolated, hurt or damaged by bullying behaviours can have. Parents and teachers need to nurture that in our children, but they should also be an example to them. Those who are in leadership roles in particular have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Our schools should be inclusive and welcoming to all children, whose uniqueness should be celebrated.

It may be hard to end bullying completely, because it is a complex area. Equally, however, we should not simply accept that it happens. I know from talking to experts that if we focus on embedding best practice in preventative work and on taking swift, decisive action when bullying incidents occur, we can really make a difference to young people's lives. Children and young people will look to see what action is taken if they are facing bullying. They will look to see whether there are signals that people are there to help them or whether they are on their own. Many schools are leading the way on that, but the Minister of Education and the Department can and should do more. They should use the theme "Power for Good" and act.

We need an evaluation of the implementation of the Addressing Bullying in Schools Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 since its commencement in 2021. The Department needs to centralise and report, at a system level, the data that is being captured through bullying concern assessment forms in order to analyse trends and then respond with interventions. What good is capturing data if we are not going to do anything with it? We need investment in high-quality research in order to provide an accurate baseline assessment of the nature and extent of bullying in our schools. We need to ensure that schools have a dedicated and trained anti-bullying lead and that they have adequate protected time to dedicate to that important role. We need to ensure that all initial teacher-training education programmes include evidence-based content on addressing bullying in schools and that such content becomes a mandatory part of any future core content framework that is proposed through the TransformED Northern Ireland programme.

I ask children and young people who are facing bullying please to speak up. I ask their friends who witness bullying please to speak up. I ask teachers, youth workers, parents and families, when children are reporting bullying, please to take them seriously. My message to the Education Minister is that more can and needs to be done to support our schools to deal with bullying. I am up for working together to do that.

Diane Forsythe (DUP, South Down)

It was great to see a strong move for common sense in the world of women's sport this week. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has moved a step closer to introducing a blanket ban on transgender women from female categories across all sports. The IOC president, Kirsty Coventry, vowed to bring in the policy as part of her election campaign and subsequently set up a working group on the protection of women's sport. After a presentation by the IOC's medical chief, sources have said that a ban is likely to be introduced in 2026.

The initial findings of the IOC's science-based review suggested that athletes who were born male retain physiological advantages even after reducing their testosterone levels. I would say that that is and always has been common sense. It is simple biology, and the fact that there has been such a debate about it shows how far our society has gone to appease the woke agenda. I am pleased to see that positive progress for women in sport.

Women's rights have been hard fought for across many domains, including sport. We are still not on an equal footing, but we have made significant progress. The recent compromising of women's rights through some attempt to be politically correct is unfair and wrong. I unashamedly stand up for the rights of women: the rights of biological women and of all women and girls from the moment that they are formed in the womb. I feel so strongly about the inequalities that women and girls face in sport that I have brought forward proposals for a private Member's Bill in order to address the issues in Northern Ireland. I thank all those who have engaged with and completed the consultation on the proposed Bill.

Some of the key points that I want to address about women and girls' sport are to do with equality, safety and fairness. On equality, I want to remove barriers for women and girls who wish to access sport. I want to improve safety in sport through having safeguarding processes in place and securing single-space changing facilities for women and girls.

I want us to ensure fair competition in sports between biological women and girls. Together, we can make a difference for all women and girls in sports in Northern Ireland.

As I said at the start of my remarks, this is a good day for women's rights, a good day for women's sports and a good day for common sense.

Nick Mathison (Alliance, Strangford)

I rise to highlight the need for the provision of new guidelines arising from the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill. We heard repeatedly how important it was to deliver the Bill quickly to enable schools to reflect the new guidelines in their prospectuses for the 2026-27 academic year. I declare an interest as a governor of a local primary school.

In an answer to a recent question that I asked on the issue, the Minister stated that primary schools needed to have their prospectuses published by 26 November, and post-primaries by 16 December. There was some suggestion that there could be flexibility, but the clock is most definitely ticking. Any school that needs to change its policy will need to have that written in now. If anything is changing in a school's policy, it will need to have consulted its pupils and parents and it will certainly need to have let suppliers know.

Surely we want schools to be reflecting the new guidelines in their policies, but it now seems that no matter how quickly they appear, they will simply not have the time to reflect them in their new policies. For a start, I do not think that suppliers will be able to deliver that, and the cut-off dates for prospectuses are fast approaching. Writing a new uniform policy is not something that can be done on the back of an envelope. Aside from consultation and supplier engagement, boards of governors need to meet to scrutinise and approve new policies.

I think that we in the Chamber are all in agreement that we want the cost of uniforms to come down, but it looks as if we are heading into a scenario in which policies will be retained or revised before the guidelines can be reflected. Time is simply running out.

I am speaking in my capacity as a private Member, but I was clear when I argued for a longer Committee Stage that it was always better to take the time to get the Bill right rather than to rush it and end up in the strange grey area that we now exist in. Schools are being asked to reflect guidelines that they have not seen or, at best, will see very late, and then reflect them in policies before the Bill even has Royal Assent. That feels like uncertainty rather than clarity. Parents, schools and suppliers need clarity, but, with the prospectus deadlines nearly upon us, I am struggling to see how that can be provided.

If we were going to see schools act on the cost of uniforms, draft guidelines should have been provided months ago. Right now, we know as little about the impact of the Bill as we did when it was introduced. Let us not miss the boat on delivering and get the guidelines out so that schools can update their policies and make the changes that parents need.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

The date of 11 November reminds us why we can sit here as the elected representatives of the people of this part of the United Kingdom and openly debate and decide on the laws that govern us. We are here because of the courage of former generations. This year, we remember in particular the end of the Second World War 80 years ago, when democracy, after six long and bloody years of struggle, triumphed over the forces of Nazi tyranny.

I proudly reflect on the contribution of Northern Ireland to that struggle. As King George VI stated during a visit to Belfast in 1942:

"I know full well the contribution which Northern Ireland is making to the common cause. Your industries, your farmers and, above all, your men and women in the forces, have played a noble part. You have stood fast and loyal".

As Churchill noted:

"Only the loyalty of Northern Ireland kept our communications open between the United States and ourselves in those dark days when Éire stood neutral".

Shamefully, throughout the war years, Nazi Germany was able to operate an embassy in Dublin. Whilst the rest of the world celebrated the death of a tyrant, Éamon de Valera, the Irish Prime Minister, conveyed his condolences to Nazi Germany on the death of Hitler. The statue of Seán Russell, the infamous IRA chief of staff who died en route back to Ireland on a U-boat in 1940, makes Dublin the only city in Europe to have a statue to a Nazi collaborator. When that statue was vandalised in 2009, Sinn Féin called for it to be restored, describing Seán Russell as a patriot who died on active service.

Of course, in 1987, republicans desecrated Remembrance Sunday by bombing Enniskillen. For as long as republicans defend Nazi collaborators and bomb remembrance services, their attendance at 11 November events will be treated with contempt by many unionists. However, I say to those who sincerely mean it: when it comes to 11 November, we will remember them.

Alan Robinson (DUP, East Londonderry)

I want to say a few words about the Bann bridge in Kilrea, County Londonderry, which, due to safety reasons, was closed to all traffic on 20 September this year. The issue was extensive cracking on the retaining wall that is located at the south-west end of the single-lane bridge that connects Kilrea to County Antrim.

The closure of the bridge is having a huge impact on the business community in that town. Indeed, reports in the media suggest that a drop in footfall has led to a 50% decrease in sales since the bridge's closure almost eight weeks ago. Staff are also being affected, with some having to travel an extra hour to get to their place of work. The closure has seen the town, which sits close to the edge of County Londonderry, cut off from County Antrim. One of the biggest criticisms from traders is what they have described as a lack of definitive information from the Department for Infrastructure. Businesses have said that they have been "hung out to dry", and they say that, had this happened in Belfast, things would have moved much faster. Initially, traders were told that a specialist contractor had been appointed, and work to repair the bridge was to start yesterday. That work would involve a 14-week scheme, meaning that restoring vehicle access over the bridge would be as far away as mid-February. Following further pressure from traders and elected representatives, there will now be an interim solution to install temporary tie bars to provide temporary restraints to the walls while the main repairs are carried out. Only then is the Department optimistic that that work will allow the road to reopen to cars and light vehicles in early December. Even then, that work is subject to suitable weather conditions.

With Christmas fast approaching and traders pleading for support from the Assembly, and given the passing weeks, every piece of armoury must be thrown at the project to ensure that a speedy but safe repair is carried out. No one should underestimate the importance of getting it right and getting the job done. Whilst a longer-term project is being considered to address the single-lane arrangements of a listed bridge that was built 241 years ago, a fully accessible bridge is simply a lifeline to the survival of the town of Kilrea.

Assembly Business

Michelle McIlveen (DUP, Strangford)

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. During yesterday's debate on an independent environment agency, when I was explaining the risks of independent bodies having complete control over enforcement policy, I used the example of the Equality Commission pursuing Ashers bakery in a case that ultimately cost the public purse over £250,000, which could have been more if Ashers had pursued the Equality Commission for costs. That example was completely relevant to the risks of establishing an unelected quango with independent enforcement powers. However, Mr Tennyson interrupted to make a spurious point of order and accused me of engaging in a "homophobic dog whistle".

That is a grossly defamatory comment. It was clear from my contribution that that was not the case, and to interrupt in that way and make such an offensive and scurrilous accusation was wholly inappropriate. I ask that Mr Tennyson withdraw his disgraceful and inappropriate comments and offer a full apology for the accusation. I am happy to leave that with you, Mr Speaker, for a ruling. Thank you.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Thank you for drawing the matter to my attention. We will look at it and come back to the Assembly on the matter.

Members, take your ease before we move to the next item of business.

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

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

I beg to move

That this Assembly notes that the Assembly Commission presented its budget for 2026-2030 to the Audit Committee on 17 September 2025; further notes the report of the Audit Committee on the scrutiny of the Assembly Commission's budget for 2026-2030, laid in the Assembly on 23 October 2025 [NIA 115/22-27]; and agrees the Assembly Commission's budget for 2026-2030, as set out in the Audit Committee report.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

The Business Committee has agreed to allow up to one hour for the debate. The proposer will have up to 10 minutes to propose the motion and up to 10 minutes to make a winding-up speech. All other Members who are called to speak will have five minutes.

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

The Assembly Commission has a duty under section 40 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to:

"provide the Assembly, or ensure that the Assembly is provided, with the property, staff and services required for the Assembly’s purposes."

It is on the basis of the Assembly's requirements that the Assembly Commission develops its draft budget. The draft budget is scrutinised by the Audit Committee, with input from the Department of Finance to help inform the Committee's scrutiny.

The Commission presented its 2026-2030 draft budget to the Audit Committee on 17 September 2025 and provided further clarification to the Committee on 24 September 2025, responding to the issues raised by the Department. Following that scrutiny of the Commission budget, the Audit Committee produced its report and laid it in the Assembly on 23 October 2025. The Commission thanks the Audit Committee and its officials for its work and scrutiny.

Agreement of the motion will enable the Assembly to determine the resources that the Commission will be given to support the Assembly in carrying out its legislative functions. Once agreed, the budget will be notified to the Department of Finance for inclusion in the three-year Budget to be presented to the Minister of Finance. The budget will ensure that the Assembly can carry on its core functions and continue the programme of investment in key areas such as IT, building maintenance and staffing. When the Assembly was not sitting, the Commission had limited investment in those areas, and that underinvestment now needs to be addressed.

In line with what was being requested of the Departments, the Commission has prepared a multi-year budget to cover the financial periods of 2026-29 for resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL) and 2026-2030 for capital DEL. The total resource DEL budget for 2026-29 for each of the three years is £67·36 million, £71·07 million and £69·06 million. The capital DEL budget for 2026-2030 for each of the four years is £1·32 million, £2·45 million, £1·79 million and £1·52 million.

There are also costs associated with the operation of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee, but those costs are funded directly by Her Majesty's Treasury, and, while those figures were reported to the Audit Committee for completeness, the Assembly is not being asked to consider or approve those figures today.

The first category in the Commission's budget is income, and the Commission expects to receive just over £0·6 million each year. Substantially all that relates to the recovery of ministerial salaries from Departments. The second category relates to the salaries and allowances paid to Members and those incurred by Members in establishing and running constituency offices. The total budget for Member-related costs for the three years from 2026-29 is £21·43 million, £23·75 million and £22 39 million.

Within that, the budget for Members and officeholders' salaries over the same period is £7·2 million, £7·1 million and £7·3 million.

Members' salaries continue to be provided under Part 1 of the Assembly Members (Salaries and Expenses) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2016. However, the responsibility for determining Members' salaries and pensions will fall to the new Independent Remuneration Board that is currently being established. It is not possible to anticipate whether the board will introduce any changes to Members and officeholders' salaries or pensions or the scale of the changes, if it makes changes. Therefore, the budget is based on the rates that are set out in the current determination, allowing for a small prescribed annual below-inflation increase of £500.

The reduction in the Members' salary for 2027-28 reflects the financial impact of the dissolution of the Assembly and the subsequent election of the new Assembly. Members may recover the costs of establishing and running a constituency office, including the purchasing of equipment, utility costs, rent, rates and support staff salaries. The amount required for the three years is £13·6 million, £15·3 million and £14·5 million. The budget is based on the current rates of allowances, and the key driver for the increase in 2027-28 is the financial impact of the Assembly election in May 2027. Members' annual travel allowances, which assist with the cost of business travel, are forecast to be just under £0·4 million each year. Members' other costs include security measures, disability allowances, ill-health retirement and resettlement allowances.

The third major category in the budget covers salary payments for Commission staff and the administrative costs incurred in delivering the full range of services that are needed by the Assembly. The Commission's staff salary costs for the three years are budgeted at £28·9 million, £29·7 million and £30·5 million. Those costs provide for a net increase of eight staff in the first two years, falling to seven in the final year of the budget period. Those staff will support the delivery of the Commission's public engagement strategy, project delivery and business improvements.

The 'Assembly Commission Corporate Strategy 2023-2028' contains several objectives that relate to the modernisation of IT hardware and software systems, the website and corporate systems. Those activities help to ensure that the Assembly operates in a modern and secure environment that is effective, fit for purpose and secure from the increasing risk of cyberattacks.

Administrative costs for the three years are budgeted at £11·3 million, £11·7 million and £10·7 million. Administration costs cover a wide range of expenditure incurred in supporting Assembly and Committee business and operating Parliament Buildings.

As Members will be aware, there are a number of issues with water ingress in Parliament Buildings related to the roof replacement project, which was completed in 2015. Construction and Procurement Delivery (CPD) is overseeing that work on behalf of the Assembly Commission, and the work is taking place in two phases. The first phase is to fix the rear parapet and the three internal courtyards. It has been subject to considerable delay for a range of reasons. However, it is anticipated that the work will commence in this financial year, with the second phase concluding in 2027-28. The timing and costs, however, will be subject to final scoping and tender.

The next category is payments to parties under the financial assistance for political parties scheme (FAPP) 2024. The budget for the FAPP scheme costs £1·1 million each year.

The penultimate category relates to depreciation charges, which have been budgeted for the three years at £5·3 million, £5·6 million and £4·9 million. That is mostly due to the estimated depreciation of the annual valuation of Parliament Buildings. However, it also reflects the level of expenditure on other assets in the preceding years.

The Commission has budgeted capital DEL of £1·32 million, £2·45 million and £1·7 million over the three-year period. For capital only, the Department of Finance has requested an estimate for 2029-2030, which is budgeted at £1·52 million. The capital budget includes expenditure on the IT modernisation project, which, once complete, will have migrated all existing on-premises infrastructure and IT applications to a secure cloud-based platform. That will also provide for a new website, content management system and electronic records and document management system.

The Commission continues with its programme of improvement to the space of Parliament Buildings, which will include the upgrading of the Long Gallery, education rooms and shared spaces, as well as three major projects to refresh security measures, including the replacement of the east and west security huts.

The Commission's budget includes a diverse range of activities that reflect all the work on the Building to support Members, and I know that Members will join me in paying tribute to the Commission staff who deliver that work. I commend the 2026-2030 budget proposals to the House.

Alan Chambers (UUP, North Down)

To reflect the Assembly's constitutional independence from the Executive, the Audit Committee has a role in the scrutiny of the Commission's draft budget, an informal methodology that was introduced in 2016 similar to that adopted by the Audit Committee in agreeing the Estimates for the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) and Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO). It will be important for the Committee to review how the informal arrangements relating to the Commission's budget are working so that they may be updated and formalised before the end of the mandate.

As Members will be aware, the Commission has a legal requirement to meet Members' costs, including salaries, allowances, expenses, Members' staffing costs and pension contributions. Those budget elements are determination-driven and are not under the Commission's control. The Committee therefore agreed that it was content with the proposed costs for Members but noted that they may be subject to change when the new Independent Remuneration Board reports. The Committee also noted that there is a degree of uncertainty around the Commission's forecasts for Members' pensions due to factors outside its control.

During the recent evidence sessions with Commission officials, the Committee covered all aspects of the proposed budget for the period. However, certain issues were explored in more detail. They included the Department of Finance's comments on how critical it was to create eight additional secretariat posts. The Committee considered the proposed new posts carefully, noted the analysis provided by the Commission that compared Assembly staff numbers with those of other legislatures and was content with the proposals. Overall, the Committee was content that the proposed total staff and administration costs were appropriate and critical to the delivery of the Commission's corporate strategy.

I will move on to ring-fenced funding for costs associated with the operation of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee. The Audit Committee adjusted the proposed figures down slightly, on the advice of the Department of Finance, to reflect what has been confirmed by His Majesty's Treasury in relation to those costs. The Committee emphasises, however, that, in the unlikely event that a bid to Treasury to cover the shortfall is not met, a solution will need to be found. It will be essential to ensure that that Committee has the resources that it needs to perform its functions effectively.

The Committee was content with the proposed capital expenditure plans. It noted the Department of Finance's comments around the expected costs and timing and will monitor those closely as part of its normal financial scrutiny process. The figures agreed by the Audit Committee and set out at page 12 of its report have been submitted to the Department of Finance for inclusion in the Executive's draft Budget for 2026 to 2029-2030.

Before closing, I record the Committee's appreciation of the Assembly staff throughout the Building. They all make a significant contribution to the democratic process, and I am sure that all Members will agree with me when I say that we value their commitment and support.

In coming to its conclusions, the Committee was mindful not only of the difficult wider public expenditure position but of the need for a sufficiently resourced Assembly. The Committee was therefore content to agree the Commission's proposed budget with only minor changes, as I have outlined. The Committee looks forward to working with the Commission on its expenditure against plans for the remainder of the mandate.

Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance, Belfast West)

I will make a few brief comments. The irony should be lost on nobody that health and social care (HSC) workers had to fight tooth and nail for pay parity just to secure a below-inflation pay increase of 3·6%. By contrast, the Independent Remuneration Board will likely recommend a pay increase of much more than that for MLAs. Criminal barristers are considering taking industrial action, as are Translink workers and teachers, potentially, while waiting for their pay award. That is not to mention the hundreds of thousands of people working in low- and minimum-wage jobs in the private sector, retail and elsewhere. Will politicians be left waiting for the Department of Finance to find the cash for what is set to be an astronomical pay rise? Will MLAs be forced to use food banks, get into debt or take on second jobs to pay their rent, mortgage or bills? I would hazard a guess and say that the answer is no. I put on record again my opposition to a lucrative hike in MLAs' pay.

The annual Assembly Commission budget offers a chance to look at whom the Commission does business with. I have raised the issue of Hewlett-Packard (HP) devices in these Buildings multiple times. HP is a company that is complicit in genocide and supporting Israel, and it actively administers the digital infrastructure for Israeli apartheid. It is involved in supplying the computer hardware for the Israeli occupation forces, the Israel Police and many others. It is a moderate demand to say that we should not do business with it and should stop spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money on its equipment. It has been described as the "Polaroid of our times". Polaroid was a company that was marred in controversy because it continued to trade with the apartheid system in South Africa in the 70s and afterwards.

We should also turn our attention to companies, such as Pi Comms and Aramark, that operate in this Building and have a public record of mistreating their workers. In the case of Aramark, it was completely discredited as it was directly involved in the administration of direct provision in the South. Workers in this Building from both organisations have raised serious concerns about those companies. The Commission has been silent. It has closed its ears to those matters. I welcome any information on any work that has been commissioned by the Commission to re-examine those contracts and look again at the huge spend of public money and the practices of those organisations. Commercial sensitivity simply will not cut it.

The final point that I want to raise is about a question for written answer that I submitted to the Commission earlier this year. The answer stated:

"As at 1 September 2025, there were 2 staff members on a fixed term contract under the IS Scholarship scheme, and 41 Agency Workers placed on assignment with the Assembly Commission."

It is my understanding — I am happy to be corrected — that, in this Building, there are at least 41 staff who are on agency contracts. That is shocking and completely unacceptable. The Assembly needs to lead by example. In respect of what the Chair of the Audit Committee said, I say that workers do not want thanks or to be patronised; they want decent terms and conditions, and that has to mean proper permanent contracts. I urge the Assembly Commission to get on with that really important work.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

I call Colin McGrath to conclude the debate and make a winding-up speech on the motion on behalf of the Assembly Commission.

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

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Members who have contributed to the debate.

The Assembly Commission recognises the wider financial pressures in the public sector and has carefully considered that context when drafting the budget requirement for the next three to four years, while seeking to balance the need to ensure that sufficient resources are available to meet its statutory obligations of providing the necessary services to the Assembly and its Members. The Assembly Commission has considered its requirements for 2026 to 2030, recognising that a significant element of the budget is not discretionary and relates to payments to Members, Members' consistency offices and staffing costs, as set out in the relevant determinations.

The Assembly Commission considers the resource DEL budgets for the next three years and the capital DEL budgets for the next four years to be reasonable estimates of the financial requirements to effectively and efficiently support the Assembly and to deliver the required services to Members. The budget proposals presented today embody the Assembly Commission's continuing commitment to ensuring that the Assembly is fully supported with robust, innovative and secure systems in a modern working environment. The budget not only meets the costs that will arise in the provision of services to the Assembly in terms of staff and running and maintaining the Building but ensures that Members have the resources that they require to deliver effective constituency services for our community.

I thank Alan Chambers, who spoke on behalf of the Audit Committee, for the work that that Committee does in scrutinising the Assembly Commission's budget.

I end the debate by joining Trevor Clarke and the other Members who took the opportunity to formally record their thanks to the Assembly Commission staff, who continue to support the work of the Assembly with commitment and dedication.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved:

That this Assembly notes that the Assembly Commission presented its budget for 2026-2030 to the Audit Committee on 17 September 2025; further notes the report of the Audit Committee on the scrutiny of the Assembly Commission's budget for 2026-2030, laid in the Assembly on 23 October 2025 [NIA 115/22-27]; and agrees the Assembly Commission's budget for 2026-2030, as set out in the Audit Committee report.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Members should take their ease for a moment, before the ministerial statement.

Ministerial Statement

Kellie Armstrong (Alliance, Strangford)

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. In today's agenda, the Minister is due to speak after Question Time. As it happens, the House has moved through its business a lot quicker than scheduled. Members only received the statement at 12.30 pm, giving them very little time to review it. Could we have time to review the Minister's statement by pushing that item of business back until after Question Time?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I tried to get my statement out to Members as quickly as possible, but the timings moved forward. I believe that it was sent out at only around 12.30 pm. I would be more than happy to postpone the statement until after Question Time, if that is what the House wishes.

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

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I suggest that, to help the timings of the day, we could take the statement now, and then break. Members would then have their lunchtime to assess the statement. That would be helpful, because there is a lot of business scheduled, which will take us into quite late this evening. If the statement were to be made now, we would have lunchtime in which to consider it and could ask questions on it later.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

I will respond to all those points of order. I had been going to make the point about the timing of the statement, but Members and the Minister have addressed that. Before calling the Minister to make the statement, I will say that, bearing in mind the timing issues that have been raised, there is merit in taking the statement now and taking questions after lunch and Question Time. I remind the Minister, however, that Standing Order 18A(2) requires him to make written copies of his statements available to Members at least half an hour before delivering them in the Chamber.

The Speaker has received notice from the Minister for Communities that he wishes to make a statement. I remind Members that, when we come to questions on the statement, they should be concise in asking their questions. We will deal with those after lunch.

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

My statement is about the outcome of the recent Equality Commission review of the Ulster Boxing Council (UBC). Members will be aware that Daryl Clarke took a case against the Ulster Boxing Council, alleging discrimination on religious grounds, when he was not selected to represent Northern Ireland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. While the case was settled without admission of liability, part of the settlement was that the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) and the Ulster Boxing Council would commit to a comprehensive review, by the Equality Commission, of the governance, practices and procedures that are applicable to them in order to ensure that they comply with the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 and any relevant codes of practice.

A number of details are now clear to me. First, it is my view that Daryl Clarke was discriminated against because he is a Protestant. Secondly, many of the recommendations of Professor Duncan Morrow's 2013 independent working group on boxing have not been completed or fully implemented. Thirdly, the recommendations made by the Equality Commission must be implemented in order to restore confidence and ensure that Ulster Boxing's practices, as well as those of IABA, not only are fair but are seen to be fair. The status quo cannot continue. No one should have to think that they will not be able to progress in boxing or any other sport based on their religion or community background. Sport is too important for that; we know how it can change lives. Through some of Northern Ireland's darkest days, boxing was a sport that broke through divides and brought people together. It has played an important role and done much for community relations in many working-class communities. We have proudly produced several world champions, who have used their platform to demonstrate that neither religion nor background has to play a role in determining success.

I recently had the privilege of visiting Monkstown Boxing Club as it marked the return of 10 young people who had taken part in a leadership exchange programme in South Africa. I was fascinated to learn about the impact of their visit on the communities that hosted them and the impact on the young people themselves. Monkstown is also Daryl Clarke's home club, where he is now project coordinator. I thank him for standing up for himself and for many others like him. It was not the easiest thing to do, which would have been to do nothing. He persevered, however, not just for his own sake but for the sake of those who come after him.

We now have a review report from the Equality Commission that contains clear recommendations. The commission's findings echo Professor Duncan Morrow's 2013 report, which gathered dust while the old guard clung to control. The implementation of his recommendations was never completed. Many were simply ignored. Today, that ignorance ends.

I will take the opportunity to outline some of the recommendations and the next steps that I will take. First, the report recommends that there be transparent pathways, published standards and selection processes. That guidance must be clearly communicated and will be based on objective measures and the principle of merit.

Secondly, the report rightly calls for a code of conduct that includes the displaying of emblems and flags and other displays of identity. Safe venues for boxers should be non-negotiable for all inter-club and championship events. The report also highlights the long-overdue social media policy, which was drafted in response to the independent working group but, again, not implemented.

Finally, the report makes clear that Protestants are under-represented on county boards, UBC committees and IABA structures. In order for decision-making to reflect properly the respect and balance that is required for all communities in Northern Ireland, it is recommended that there be co-option of new members and capacity-building in order to ensure that that important balance is struck.

Today, I am announcing a new oversight panel for that process. The panel will be established under my direct control and will be complete within 18 months. I will ensure that it properly holds the IABA and the UBC to account through public progress reports. Let me remind the House that those organisations receive public funding through arm's-length bodies of my Department. Any further slippage will not be tolerated.

The commission has also undertaken to engage further with the IABA and the UBC to ensure that next steps are implemented with rigour and in a timely fashion. I put on record my thanks to its chief commissioner, Geraldine McGahey, and its chief executive, Louise Conlon, for their work on the report and for the briefing that they provided to me when we met last month.

My hope is that, if they are fully implemented as the commission intends, those measures will have the effect of increasing confidence in boxing as an inclusive sport for all communities across Northern Ireland. Let me send a message to all our young sporting hopefuls: I want you to fulfil your aspirations. I want you to be able to compete and not have to worry about the impact that your faith or community background will have on your ability to progress. Merit, not identity, must be the determining factor.

I will do all in my power to ensure that the recommendations are implemented. If they are not, those responsible will be held to account. There must be no going back. There must be no acceptance of the status quo. Change is needed, and it must be delivered. I will ensure that that happens. There is too much at stake to do nothing.

To Daryl and others like him, I say this: I am sorry for the barriers that you have faced and for the opportunities that have been lost. That is not your fault. We must ensure that it does not happen again. I commend the statement to the House.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Thank you for your statement, Minister. Members, I have taken note of the points of order that were made earlier. 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. Questions on the statement will begin following Question Time, when the first Member to be called will be Mark Durkan. The sitting is, by leave, suspended.

The business stood suspended.

The sitting was suspended at 12.54 pm.

On resuming (Mr Speaker in the Chair) —

Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Questions 2 and 13 have been withdrawn.

Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance, Belfast West)

1. Mr Carroll asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs whether he will legislate for an independent environmental protection agency (EPA) before the end of the 2022-27 Assembly mandate. (AQO 2670/22-27)

Danny Donnelly (Alliance, East Antrim)

7. Mr Donnelly asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the independent review of environmental governance in Northern Ireland. (AQO 2676/22-27)

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

12. Mr McNulty asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of recommendation 2 of the independent review of environmental governance in Northern Ireland, stating that his Department's website should offer a clear list of environmental legislation in force in Northern Ireland, including whether it has been commenced or not. (AQO 2681/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 1, 7 and 12 together.

First, I put on record my thanks to the independent panel for carrying out its extensive review of environmental governance, and I welcome the findings. The panel has made 32 recommendations that, taken together, aim to deliver a governance system that it considers to be robust, trustworthy and capable of meeting Northern Ireland's environmental obligations whilst restoring public confidence.

Recommendation 2 states that the DAERA website should offer a clear list of environmental legislation in Northern Ireland, including information on whether it has commenced. Sources of environmental law are complex, and I agree that we should provide greater clarity and transparency in that area to improve confidence and trust in the system. I also fully support the independent panel's recommendation to establish an independent environmental protection agency in Northern Ireland as a non-departmental public body (NDPB). It would have functions that would include the oversight of air and water quality, waste management, nature and biodiversity and the marine environment.

I am seeking the support of my Executive colleagues to agree, in principle, to the establishment of an independent environmental protection agency in Northern Ireland as a non-departmental public body of DAERA. That agreement would allow us to move swiftly to look in greater detail at the powers, functions and funding of the new body. Following public consultation, firm policy proposals would be brought back to the Executive to enable my Department to draft and implement the legislation that is needed to set up the body.

The costs of inaction are simply too great. I am fully committed to strengthening environmental governance, improving public confidence in our arrangements and, ultimately, reducing environmental degradation, and I will seek the support of the Executive and the Assembly in doing so.

Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance, Belfast West)

Thank you, Minister. Support for something is one thing; concrete action is another. Minister, you will know that there is growing frustration at the snail's pace at which movement on an EPA's being established is happening. Will you give a guarantee to the House, environmentalists and people who are interested in Lough Neagh and all the other environmental disasters that are out there that an independent EPA will be legislated for before the end of the mandate?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Thank you, Gerry. My passion for and commitment to environmental protection and setting up an independent environmental protection agency are on the record, and I restate them here today. I would like to see an agency legislated for in this mandate.

I am extremely disappointed in the outcome of the vote last night, when some of my DUP Executive colleagues voted against the motion to set up an independent environmental protection agency. That is extremely disappointing and is yet another example of our need to reform these institutions so that they can deliver for all the people in Northern Ireland.

Danny Donnelly (Alliance, East Antrim)

I thank the Minister. Minister, could I ask you for a bit more of your reaction to how the DUP, including the deputy First Minister, voted against yesterday's motion on an independent environmental protection agency?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

We all know about the environmental challenges that we have in Northern Ireland. There are the situations with waste crime, Mobuoy and Lough Neagh, and the list continues. The case for an independent environmental protection agency is clear. It really frustrates and disappoints me that the DUP is taking the approach that it is. Its lack of care for the environment and consideration of the need for us to take further action to better protect it for future generations is deeply disappointing, but I will continue the work that I do because it is important that we look after our environment for everyone in Northern Ireland.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Justin McNulty.

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

Question 3.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

You should ask a supplementary question, Mr McNulty. Your question is grouped on the independent EPA. We will move on.

Aoife Finnegan (Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh)

How will the independent EPA work collaboratively through cross-border mechanisms to address pollution and environmental challenges, given that pollution recognises no borders?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Thank you, Aoife. The review that was undertaken by the independent panel — I again put on record my thanks to it — recommended a range of actions, one of which is about how we can work better together. Another recommendation was about the need for memorandums of understanding between bodies, and I will seek to take that forward, because it will be really beneficial for us. I recognise, as you said, that environmental challenges do not respect borders, and we need to work together on that. We are ready to do that at official and ministerial level, and I am committed to addressing those issues head-on.

Michelle McIlveen (DUP, Strangford)

It is true that the old adage, "Where there's a will, there's a way" applies. Will the Minister apply the same determination and enthusiasm to bringing forward legislation on a wildlife intervention, as requested by the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU), to deal with bovine TB in this mandate?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Given the challenges that we face from TB, I am very grateful that all the stakeholders around the table agreed a blueprint for the way forward, and I am committed to delivering the actions arising from that. The blueprint is based on three pillars: people, cattle and wildlife. I have been very clear that there has to be a wildlife intervention in order to allow us to deal with the challenges of TB and how they affect family farms in Northern Ireland.

We will consult on the wildlife intervention in spring next year. It is important that everyone comes back and gives their responses to that. Once we have considered the responses, we will set out the way forward, and that will include legislation.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Question 2 has been withdrawn.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

3. Mr Brett asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs whether he is considering reviewing the legal targets set in the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. (AQO 2672/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The 2030 and 2050 emissions reductions targets in the Act were agreed by the Northern Ireland Assembly unanimously at the Bill's Third, and final, Reading in 2022. Subsequently, the 2040 target and the first three carbon budgets were approved by the Assembly in December 2024. My Department's focus is on delivering on those targets and the other requirements in the Act that, whilst challenging, are achievable. Therefore, I have no plans to review the legal targets that the Assembly has previously agreed.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

Minister, since the passing of that legislation, at three meetings in the past two months, the Executive have had to approve additional run hours at Kilroot power station. The Utility Regulator and the chief executive of Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) Networks have said that the 2030 targets will not be met. Why do you know better than those experts?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

As the Member will be aware, legal proceedings are under way, and if there is litigation in relation to a case, I am limited in what I can say. However, the Economy Minister has provided written ministerial statements on the issue, and I refer the Member to those.

Áine Murphy (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Minister, can you detail what specific actions DAERA is taking to embed just transition principles in its agricultural policy?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

A just transition is absolutely key. It is embedded in the legislation and in my Department. We have a just transition fund for agriculture. We secured that as part of the budget for this year. We are bidding for additional funding for next year and the years beyond, because it is important that we give that support to agriculture.

In addition, I am looking to set up a just transition commission for Northern Ireland. I am seeking Executive approval so that we can make those regulations and appoint people to a commission. It is important that we have a commission and the funding in place. It is a commitment not only for me but for my Department and, hopefully, the Executive.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

John Blair.

Robbie Butler (UUP, Lagan Valley)

On the Climate Change Act and its ambitions, the Minister will be aware that the EU has moved in that space to recognise that flexibility and pragmatism may be required for a much more regional approach. Is the Minister not going to respond to that?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I am very conscious of the developments across the world. The EU has very strong ambitions on climate action. Discussions are ongoing within the European Union. I welcome the fact that the European Union is committed to climate action, and it is important that we do that here as well. It is a reality that is affecting us in Northern Ireland. There are opportunities for economic development, and we should grasp those.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Stand up, the real John Blair.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your patience. I am, of course, well known for mine.

Does the Minister agree that parties that are now reneging, and that are seeking others to renege, on those climate commitments undermine confidence in Northern Ireland and risk people here missing out on the benefits of climate action?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

It is very disappointing that, just three years after passing the legislation, some parties are calling for the Act to be scrapped. Businesses need certainty. There are economic opportunities from decarbonisation in Northern Ireland, and it is really important that we grasp those. We in Northern Ireland need to be ambitious for our citizens in delivering economic growth and the benefits of decarbonisation, be it in relation to warm homes, cheaper energy bills, green jobs, innovation, improved health and well-being or a cleaner environment.

It is something that I am determined to do. I will be powering on in relation to climate action, because it is the challenge of our generation, and it is important that we deliver for everyone.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

The 2030 climate change targets commit to a reduction in livestock of 22% in dairy cattle, 17% in beef cattle and 18% in sheep, pigs and poultry. When will the Minister start standing up for the agriculture industry, of which he is meant to be Minister?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I am proud to serve as Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Just recently, we consulted on the climate action plan for 2023-27. In that, there are no proposals for herd reduction. We seek to work with the farming community to deliver productivity and efficiency on the ground. We are doing that through the sustainable agriculture programme. We are considering the responses to the climate action plan, and I will seek Executive approval so that we can deliver the just transition and support to everyone in Northern Ireland.

Brian Kingston (DUP, Belfast North)

4. Mr Kingston asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the supply of veterinary medicines from Great Britain after the end of the grace period on 31 December 2025. (AQO 2673/22-27)

Tom Buchanan (DUP, West Tyrone)

9. Mr T Buchanan asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of any issues arising from the implementation of the Windsor framework in relation to the supply of veterinary products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. (AQO 2678/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will group questions 4 and 9.

Under the Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024, the supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland is a matter under the direction and control of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Nevertheless, I remain committed to doing all that I can to ensure the continued supply of veterinary medicines into Northern Ireland, including those from Great Britain.

I welcome the publication of the UK Government's new protecting animal health policy in June 2025 and the practical solutions that it provides to ensure the continued supply of veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland. The policy supports the roll-out of two new schemes that are designed to provide a responsive, adaptable and flexible means of addressing supply issues that arise with veterinary medicines, including unforeseen issues. I believe that the new schemes offer sustainable solutions and represent a significant step forward in securing the future of our local veterinary medicines supply. Over the time ahead, I will continue to engage with the UK Government and the veterinary medicines working group on the important detail, governance and oversight arrangements to ensure that the schemes deliver the outcomes that they are designed to achieve.

Brian Kingston (DUP, Belfast North)

I thank the Minister for that answer. Can I push the Minister to ask him what discussions he had to ensure that clear, Northern Ireland-specific advice and guidance on the two new schemes — the veterinary medicine health situation scheme and the internal market scheme — will be published before January 2026 for practising vets and farmers? Will it cover at-risk categories, how the two schemes will operate in practice and contingency arrangements?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The Member makes legitimate points with regard to communication and clarity for the industry. Those are the points that I have been making to the UK Government and will make again today to the Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is important that there is clarity around the issue and that people understand how to navigate the schemes, because that is probably the key message that has come back to me, alongside other issues, such as suitably qualified persons (SQPs), for example.

Tom Buchanan (DUP, West Tyrone)

I thank the Minister for his response. Has an assessment been done of the potential cost implications for Northern Ireland practices and farm businesses? Has consideration been given to potential mitigating measures?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

As the matter does not sit under my direction and control — it sits under the direction and control of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) — I will refer your question to DEFRA and make sure that it is able to respond to the questions that you have raised.

I understand the concerns, and I have been continuing to engage with the UK Government to find a way forward. That is why those schemes have been announced. We have to be clear that the schemes that have been announced will not resolve everything, but I have been very clear in my engagement with the UK Government of the need to ensure that there is a focus on the issue, particularly in relation to communication, SQPs and online sales.

Cheryl Brownlee (DUP, East Antrim)

5. Ms Brownlee asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline the progress made in developing a stocking protocol for public angling sites such as Woodburn Dams, Carrickfergus. (AQO 2674/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

DAERA and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) are developing a stocking protocol to ensure compliance with the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and prevent the spread of zebra mussels. Results from water sampling at the Department's fish farm at Movanagher have been assessed for the presence or absence of live zebra mussels. That has provided understanding of the level of zebra mussel reproduction across the entire year and identified periods that would permit stocking. Therefore, as a precautionary measure at this time, stocking has taken place only when there has been no live reproduction present and the water temperature has been below 10°C.

That stocking approach has allowed a limited stocking of the public angling estate (PAE) waters, which is part of the usual annual stocking programme. That has allowed around 29,500 brown trout to be stocked out over a number of weeks up to 26 March 2025. The Carrickfergus dams were stocked at that time. The window for stocking the PAE from Movanagher closed when water temperatures rose to 10°C.

The stocking of fish to the PAE waters is planned for the autumn and winter period of 2025-26, when conditions allow compliance with the Wildlife Order. Only 27 of the 89 PAE waters are normally stocked. Despite the reduced stocking, the waters still contain wild fish suitable for anglers. Therefore, a wide variety of wild fisheries and angling opportunities are available to PAE permit holders.

Cheryl Brownlee (DUP, East Antrim)

I thank the Minister for his answer. There is extreme concern about this in East Antrim, and I understand the issues involved. However, as only 27 of the 89 estates have been stocked, has any consideration been given to reassessing the cost of the rod licensing fee to reflect the affected areas or, potentially, to reduced or limited stocking in the future?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

We keep the fees under review. I am keen to ensure that there is restocking, but we do not want to enable the spread of zebra mussels. It is about striking a balance, and it is something that is on my radar. I have visited Movanagher and seen the work that is done there, and we are trying to strike a balance between restocking and preventing the spread of zebra mussels, because we can see the impact they have had, for example, in Lough Neagh.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

Can the Minister provide an update on his Department's review of the public angling estate?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Following the strategic insight light lab held on 17 June, my Department received a final report from Innovation and Consultancy Services (ICS) in August. The report identified 16 key outputs that have since been refined into six strategic recommendations. On 24 October, I approved the recommendations and a plan with 10 objectives to guide the development of the future delivery of the public angling estate. Officials will now engage with stakeholders to explore the implementation options. All relevant documents have been shared with the participants in the June events, and further updates will be provided at key milestones.

Linda Dillon (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

6. Mrs Dillon asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline how the Forest Service is working and engaging with local communities to support community-led initiatives and development within forested areas. (AQO 2675/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

My Department’s Forest Service works in partnership with local councils, commercial entities and interest groups to facilitate forest-based recreational and environmental projects for local communities across Northern Ireland. The partnerships have proven successful in facilitating numerous development projects across the forest estate and a wide range of community-led events.

My Department is committed to increasing woodlands in Northern Ireland, and I have recently announced the development of a tree-planting action plan to be co-designed with key stakeholders. New diverse woodlands support many community interests, including health and well-being, and a wide range of flora and fauna, birds, insects, mammals and their habitats. My Department's Forest Service manages the forest estate to provide a wide range of benefits for our citizens and to ensure its long-term sustainability for future generations. That includes ongoing engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and local community groups in reviewing and developing forest management plans that include the full consideration of societal interests.

Linda Dillon (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, I have worked closely with the Cappagh Village Regeneration Group. It has really good plans to regenerate the village, and the forest is a major part of that. Will your officials meet me and my colleague from West Tyrone, Declan McAleer, to discuss how we can further the conversations between councils and Forest Service officials to make the most of the potential of Altmore Forest?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I am delighted to agree to that. It is a good example of bringing communities together to enjoy the benefits of forestation and tree planting for the local area. I am keen for officials to engage with you on the matter and give any assistance that we can.

Keith Buchanan (DUP, Mid Ulster)

In the COVID times, we saw the benefits of forests, and many people went to them. Obviously, that is still developing, because more and more people are going to them. Can you provide an update on what your Department is doing to put right the devastating damage caused by the storms at the start of the year? I appreciate that trees do not grow overnight, but what work is going on to put that back the way it was?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The storm at the beginning of the year had a devastating impact, and I have seen that on the ground in many places. There have been a lot of clearances and then tree planting in response to that. I can understand the concerns from some communities who have seen forests being cleared as a result of the damage that has been inflicted on them, but it is important for the Department to give grant support for the planting of trees more broadly in Northern Ireland, and we should take a more strategic approach to redoubling our efforts. That is why we have announced the tree-planting action plan and, in conjunction with stakeholders, we are getting everyone around the table to focus on the actions to ensure that, despite the storm, we can increase tree cover in Northern Ireland.

Andrew McMurray (Alliance, South Down)

Will the Minister give an update on the Forest Service's work in Donard Forest, given the flooding in Newcastle that was caused by storm Amy?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Forest Service staff were in Donard Forest recently to monitor the functioning of the forest drainage system during storm Amy. High rainfall resulted in extremely large volumes of water running off the hillside that exceeded the capacity of the drainage infrastructure, including the outflow from the forest. In the immediate aftermath of the flooding, the extent of the damage caused to the drainage channels and culverts was inspected. Works are ongoing to repair the damage, and the necessary installation work will be done to increase the flow capacity of culverts to accommodate greater flows with lower risk of impediment.

The Forest Service has agreed to meet relevant agencies and residents to consider what more can be done to help lower the risk of flooding in the area. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet local residents that you facilitated, Andrew. The impact of that event was significant, and I am keen that the Forest Service works in conjunction with local people to address any issues in the forest.

Alan Chambers (UUP, North Down)

8. Mr Chambers asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs whether the area of Belfast lough that is recognised as having unacceptable levels of pollution has moved closer to the open sea during the past two years. (AQO 2677/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

For the purpose of monitoring and reporting, Belfast lough is divided into three discrete water bodies: Belfast harbour, Belfast lough inner and Belfast lough outer. The water bodies in Belfast lough are failing to meet environmental standards for nutrients and/or the presence of chemical substances. Nutrient monitoring data shows a gradient of very high levels in the inner part of Belfast lough, which is Belfast harbour, that decrease towards the outer lough. Nutrient levels in Belfast lough outer currently meet the standard for high status. However, evidence suggests that nutrient levels in the whole lough are increasing, and that is a cause for concern.

Nutrient inputs to Belfast lough come from urban sources, namely waste water discharges and combined sewer overflows, and from agricultural sources, such as fertiliser and agricultural run-off. Water quality monitoring has also shown an increase in the number of chemical substances, such as pesticides and herbicides, as well as legacy chemicals, in the water. That apparent increase is due in part to improved monitoring and laboratory analytical techniques resulting in the detection of more chemical substances. Furthermore, new substances are being added to the list of chemical pollutants for monitoring and reporting. The environmental quality standards for many of those chemicals are extremely stringent, and failures across Northern Ireland, the UK and Europe are, sadly, common.

Alan Chambers (UUP, North Down)

I know that the Minister shares my concern that Belfast lough has the potential to become the new Lough Neagh in the next 10 years. What is the Minister doing to ensure that the Executive take measures to avoid an environmental disaster similar to that in Lough Neagh?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The actions that fall to me are in regulation and enforcement. I have been on the record as saying and will repeat today that I want to strengthen regulation and enforcement on sewage pollution in Northern Ireland. There is a separate regime for Northern Ireland Water; I do not think that that is sustainable, and I will bring a paper on that issue to the Executive soon. I will continue to engage with my Executive colleagues, and I will soon have a meeting with the Infrastructure Minister on the actions that we need to take on waste water infrastructure. It is important that we do that. We also need to support our farmers in a just transition as part of the way forward on improving water quality. I am committed to doing that. We will also do further reviews of bathing water. Surveying and reporting on that is important, because people entering bathing waters need have confidence in and know the quality of the water.

Stewart Dickson (Alliance, East Antrim)

Minister, have you been able to identify the sources of pollution in Belfast lough? What action have you taken in respect of those who caused the pollution?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Modelling studies have indicated that urban and diffuse agricultural discharges account for, respectively, 53% and 47% of the pollution in Belfast lough. Improvements in water quality are being sought through Northern Ireland Water's investment in waste water treatment upgrades, sewer misconnections work and improvements in storm water overflows. Agricultural inputs of nutrients will be managed through our approach in the nutrients action programme. It will require full implementation of all those measures to deliver water quality improvements in Belfast lough.

Jonathan Buckley (DUP, Upper Bann)

Given the ongoing delays in the upgrade of the Kinnegar waste water treatment plant, will the Minister's discussions with the Infrastructure Minister include aspects of the living with water programme and, indeed, how that programme will improve water quality? Is there a risk that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency will find that Kinnegar is non-compliant from 2027?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The discussion with the Infrastructure Minister will be at a strategic level and will be around the need to have stronger regulation and enforcement. The responsibilities around that sit with me. The investment responsibilities sit with the Minister for Infrastructure. I am concerned to see the lack of investment in the living with water programme in the Belfast area. That is contributing to the situation that is unfolding on Belfast lough, which is of great concern to me. It is affecting the day-to-day lives of people who want to engage in sports activities on the lough. The scale and development of the pollution is also of great concern, and it is important that we take action on it. I will do what I can, and I will seek to work with the Infrastructure Minister on it.

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

10. Mr McGrath asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline the verification steps that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) carries out before issuing or varying a pollution prevention and control permit. (AQO 2679/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

On receipt of an application for a new or varied pollution prevention and control (PPC) permit, NIEA officials will initially confirm that the application can be considered "duly made" under the regulations, including that all the information set out in Part 1 of schedule 4 or schedule 7 to the PPC regulations has been provided and the application is accompanied by the appropriate fee. For applications for specified waste management activities, that stage will include checking whether planning permission is in place. An assessment will also be carried out to determine whether the operator can be considered a "fit and proper" person". Those checks are not required for non-waste PPC permits.

Once an application is considered "duly made", it is made available for public consultation via newspaper advertisements and placed on NIEA’s online public registers. All statutory consultees are notified, including the relevant district council where the installation will be operated, the Public Health Agency and other relevant consultees as appropriate to the application. Responses from the consultees or other third parties are considered in the determination of the application.

There is a requirement for all applicants to evaluate the environmental impact of their proposed processes. That will include an assessment of the impacts in respect of air emissions; odour; noise; emissions to water or groundwater; energy use; raw materials to be used; waste generated; and sensitive habitats. The NIEA’s determination will include an assessment of whether the installation will be able to comply with the best available techniques for the sector. All decisions are recorded in a decision document. Once the determination is complete, a draft permit will be prepared, and, on completion, a further consultation with the public will be carried out prior to issue.

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

Thank you very much, Minister. That is at the application stage. Will you confirm whether, if what happens on the ground varies from the planning application, and the planning permission therefore comes under question, NIEA can go back and retrospectively remove the permit that was given?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

If there is a variance from the planning permission, that is primarily a matter for the district council that issued the planning permission. If there are concerns about a variance from a planning application, the Member should raise those with the district council. If there are specific allegations in relation to a specific site, the Member should raise those through the appropriate channels.

Michelle Guy (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

11. Mrs Guy asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the implementation of the wildfires in Northern Ireland strategic framework 2025-2030. (AQO 2680/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The Northern Ireland wildfires strategic framework was agreed by the Executive on 4 September and published on 8 October. Publication of the strategic framework will enable the development of an associated wildfire action plan by March 2026.

Since publication, my officials have sought feedback from members of the strategic wildfire group and the wildfire stakeholder forum regarding actions that they are currently undertaking or planning that would assist with the implementation of the strategic framework. That will enable collation of actions already being undertaken and the development of new actions where gaps are identified. A series of strategic and stakeholder group meetings will take place over the coming months to help draft the wildfire action plan, which will form the basis for the implementation of the framework. I thank all the stakeholders who are working with us on that. The only way to deal with it is by working together.

Michelle Guy (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

Thank you for that answer, Minister. What role will communications and education play?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Communications and education are key elements of the wildfire strategic framework. Communications and education will make the public and landowners more aware of the conditions that cause wildfires and the adverse impacts that they can have on human health, the environment, society and the economy. Education and awareness will help to ensure that those engaging with the countryside are better informed and will promote responsible use. A better informed public are more likely to be vigilant of wildfire risks and to assist in the prevention and reporting of fires. They will be more informed about the unacceptability of lighting such fires and may be more willing to provide information to the authorities about who is starting the fires. That will be highly beneficial to ensuring successful prosecution of rural arsonists. A series of communications will be issued to alert the public to the risk of wildfires prior to the next wildfire season.

Declan McAleer (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

With their huge amount of local knowledge, community groups, farmers and landowners are able to assist the emergency services in dealing with wildfires. Will the Minister give an assurance that such groups will be involved in the new framework?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Yes. The wildfire stakeholder forum forms one part of the strategic framework. The forum includes representation from the farming sector, other key land managers, environmental NGOs, government and council agencies and the Met Office. An official from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine sits on the forum as an observer in order to ensure cross-border knowledge exchange and awareness. It is important that we bring people together to work collectively on the matter, as that is the way forward.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

We now move on to topical questions.

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

T1. Mr McCrossan asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to explain why, after more than a decade of warnings, collapsing water quality and repeated commitments from his Department, Northern Ireland still has no independent environmental regulator and why, given the scale of failures at Lough Neagh, the spiralling ammonia crisis and the repeated breaches of basic environmental standards, the public should believe that his Department is capable of fixing the mess, particularly in light of the fractious relationships in this disastrous Executive. (AQT 1761/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I come here to account for my job as Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and I am happy to do that. Last night's debate on an independent environmental protection agency was constructive, and many Members were on the same page about the importance of setting up such an agency. I said earlier in Question Time and will say again that I am deeply disappointed by the position that the DUP, including some of my Executive colleagues, took last night when they voted against setting up an independent environmental protection agency. I believe in power-sharing and in working with people; it is what these institutions are based on. I will continue to do that and continue to push for an independent environmental protection agency, despite the illogical objections of others.

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

I thank the Minister for his answer. What is the real barrier to establishing an independent EPA? Is it an overly bureaucratic Department, obstructive and divided DUP Ministers or a Minister who simply cannot get the job done? Crucially, what steps are you taking to confront the obstacles and finally deliver the independent regulator that Northern Ireland needs?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

My record of standing up for the environment is there to be seen. I believe in it and am prepared to take the difficult decisions. The opposition comes from the DUP, and that is why I believe in reform of the institutions. The majority in the Assembly have voted for an independent environmental protection agency. The institutions therefore need to be reformed so that we can take decisions and end the cycle of stop-go government that has really damaged the environment. We need to fix the situation in order to ensure that, if one party leaves, the show continues. There is no rhyme or reason to the objections to an environmental protection agency other than not caring about the environment.

Nick Mathison (Alliance, Strangford)

T2. Mr Mathison asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline his plans for the Farming with Nature package. (AQT 1762/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Thank you, Nick. The commencement of the Farming with Nature package was a key priority for me this year. I am encouraged by the good uptake of the first strand of the package, which is the Farming with Nature transition scheme. It has demonstrated that demand exists in the farming community to do more for nature. It is planned to build on the first strand of Farming with Nature through an expanded transition scheme with more actions available. It will open for applications in 2026. My officials are working at pace to develop future strands of the Farming with Nature package to open in 2026, such as focused support for designated areas and priority habitats and a strand that will allow collaboration among farmers on a landscape scale to deliver environmental outcomes.

Nick Mathison (Alliance, Strangford)

I thank the Minister for his work in that area. Following on from that answer, what support can he offer to farmers who are on the higher level of the environmental farming scheme (EFS), which is due to close in December 2025?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The issues with Farming with Nature and the EFS are to do with the outworkings of Brexit. I am, however, determined to make progress on supporting the agrienvironment. It is planned that the existing EFS agreement holders will be eligible for future strands of the Farming with Nature package. The prioritisation of EFS agreements that are due to expire at the end of this year is being considered.

Declan Kearney (Sinn Féin, South Antrim)

T3. Mr Kearney asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what he and his officials doing to address the bovine TB emergency, specifically the financial hardship and mental stress being experienced by farming families and the overall cost to the public purse, in light of the fact that bovine TB infection levels are out of control in the North. (AQT 1763/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Thank you, Declan. The rates of TB in Northern Ireland are far too high, and we need to act to reduce them. I have kept in place the 100% compensation rate, which the Secretary of State wanted to remove when the institutions were down. I recognise, however, that the full cost to farm families is way beyond what we provide in compensation, and it is important that we take action on that.

I thank the stakeholders who came together and agreed a blueprint for eradication based on the pillars of people, cattle and wildlife. I have put additional funding in place for testing to help farmers to identify TB. Also, I have worked with my partners in the South and agreed with them a new cross-border initiative, funded through the Shared Island Fund, that takes a regionalised approach to tackling bovine TB. I will continue to work on that, and we will consult on a wildlife intervention next spring. It is important that we act on the issue, and I am committed to doing so.

Declan Kearney (Sinn Féin, South Antrim)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an fhreagra sin.

[Translation: I thank the Minister for that answer.]

I am pleased to hear about the Minister's engagement with his counterpart in the Twenty-six Counties. However, infection levels here are twice the level in the South, so what action is being taken to adopt an all-island approach to the emergency?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

I recognise that the island of Ireland is a single epidemiological area, and that is why it is important that we work together on issues of animal health. My officials are working with officials in the South on that regionalised approach, and, following engagement with stakeholders, I will make further announcements because it is important that we do that. It is important that we are able to do something collaboratively with our partners, as we do already on many other issues, such as avian influenza. I thank officials in my Department and in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for the work that they are doing together to address that issue. We face animal health challenges on the island of Ireland, and I commend the partnership work that has taken place. I wish to redouble that, and it is important that we do so.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

T4. Mr Gaston asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, after noting that avian influenza is, worryingly, on the rise in Northern Ireland, with control zones in place and non-essential vehicles not allowed to enter biosecure areas of poultry sites, to comment on the RSPCA's insistence that it will still go to poultry sites to carry out audits and welfare checks on birds that are housed, which are, surely, non-essential visits and put biosecurity at risk. (AQT 1764/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Avian influenza is a challenge and is developing across the island of Ireland. It has also occurred in England and Wales. The Department has taken action in response to that: we have made biosecurity measures mandatory and introduced a housing order. We are working North and South on the issue. Of late, we have had three cases in Northern Ireland and four in the Republic of Ireland. In response, officials from my Department have been assisting my colleagues in the South, because it is important that we work together.

I would need to get more detail from you, Mr Gaston, about your concerns. I am happy to discuss those with you afterwards or you can engage with officials on them. It is important that we heed the need for biosecurity and the housing order measures. We are working closely with stakeholders on those matters. I commend the poultry industry for its partnership working with my Department. It is important that we work together so that we can address the challenge, which is of real concern to me.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

The 2016 avian disease control strategy on the DAERA website states that gassing birds is the preferred option. Will you give the industry an assurance that enough gas is available in Northern Ireland to ensure that there will be no delays in culling future infected birds? Is the Department considering other methods of culling large flocks?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

The culling of flocks is difficult for the farmer and for the officials who have to undertake the task, and I commend everyone for the work that they do on that. The preferred method is gassing, and we will continue to seek to secure supplies of gas to effect that. The situation is extremely challenging for officials North and South, and I commend them for their work from a senior level to those who are on the ground assisting farmers, in response to it. We will continue with that work.

Andrew McMurray (Alliance, South Down)

T5. Mr McMurray asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, after noting that it was good to see that all bathing waters in South Down achieved excellent water quality status, to outline what more could be done to improve water quality for the benefit of sea swimmers and water sports participants. (AQT 1765/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Water quality is a priority for me and my Department. I expanded the bathing water programme this year, including seven new sites, which brought the number of identified bathing waters to 33. I also launched the bathing water platform, which has been well received. The Department works in partnership with stakeholders to manage bathing waters and improve water quality at identified bathing water sites through the bathing water action plan. Beyond bathing waters, improvement to water quality is required through stronger regulation, the enforcement of sewage pollution measures, investment in waste water infrastructure and the implementation of the nutrients action programme.

Andrew McMurray (Alliance, South Down)

Thank you, Minister. Will your Department engage with councils ahead of the upcoming review of bathing waters to encourage the designation of more sites in Northern Ireland?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Officials from my Department hosted a bathing water review meeting for councils on Monday 3 November. That meeting was designed to prepare non-bathing water operator councils for the upcoming review by sharing information on bathing waters and bathing water operator responsibilities. All councils are invited to the bathing water review stakeholder workshop this month being hosted by Innovation and Consultancy Services. That workshop will bring together a range of stakeholder voices to discuss key bathing water topics in order to inform a public consultation.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

T6. Mr Blair asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs whether, given that world leaders have gathered in Brazil for COP30 and the stark warnings from the UN that world pledges are failing to keep global warming below 1·5°C, he agrees with the Prime Minister and Taoiseach that we must have leadership on the climate crisis. (AQT 1766/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

Thank you, John. I commend the Prime Minister, the Taoiseach, the Prince of Wales and many others for their leadership on the issue. My Department will continue to engage with and support the UK Government on their engagement in COP30. The big focus of COP30 is climate action and rightly so, and it is about achieving the goal that was set out in the Paris agreement. Before the Paris agreement, the world was on track for warming of 4°C. Continued action on that has brought us down, but we are not on course to meet the target. Global clean energy investment is, however, set to reach $2·2 trillion in 2025, which is double that of fossil fuels. Whilst Northern Ireland is only a small contributor to wider global emissions, it is vital that we all play our part and do not miss out on the economic, environmental and biodiversity opportunities provided by addressing climate change.

For some countries and nations, particularly those in the Global South, tackling climate change is about their very existence. I will continue to take action on the matter and engage with my partners in the UK and Irish Governments. Climate change is the defining issue of our generation, and it is important that we take action on it.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

I thank the Minister for that reply. Further to the previous question, will the Minister outline why climate action is vital for our economy?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

When I consider climate change, I look to experts, particularly Lord Stern, who produced seminal work back in 2006 and recently published a publication on the issue. In that, he recognises that climate action boosts living standards and prosperity, improves air quality and reduces poverty. He challenges the misconception that China and India are doing nothing and that the UK should not bother. We know that the reality is very different. In a recent article, Lord Stern stressed the need for political leadership and stated:

"When some step back, others can step forward. The arc of history will be with them."

I believe in taking action on the matter. I understand and respect the importance of science and evidence, and it is important that Northern Ireland is not left behind when the opportunities for decarbonisation arise.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

T8. Ms Bradshaw asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline what work he is doing to build climate resilience to avoid future impacts of flooding, given that he will have seen the heavy flooding at the end of October in constituencies such as hers. (AQT 1768/22-27)

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

As Minister, I am committed to improving our resilience to climate change. I will shortly bring Northern Ireland's third climate adaptation programme to the Executive for their agreement to publish. The programme sets out the details of over 250 actions that Departments and key stakeholders are to deliver over the coming five years. Whilst the lead departmental responsibility for flooding sits with my colleague in the Department for Infrastructure, my Department is leading on a number of significant areas to help alleviate flooding. They include the restoration of peatlands, planting new forests and the sustainable management of our soils. It is important that we adapt and improve resilience to the impacts of climate change in Northern Ireland.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

I thank the Minister for his answer. Will he please outline what he feels will be the impact if we continue to dither and delay on climate action?

Andrew Muir (Alliance, North Down)

We need to take action to address the impacts of climate change. Doing nothing is not an option. The cost of inaction, economically, socially and environmentally, is significant, Northern Ireland is already experiencing the effects of climate change: the rise in temperatures, increased rainfall, more frequent flooding and biodiversity loss. These trends are projected to intensify, threatening food security, public health and the resilience of our rural and urban communities. It is important that we take action, and that is what I seek to do.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

That concludes questions to the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Members should take their ease for a moment whilst we change the Table for the next item of business.

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

Ministerial Statement

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

We return to the statement from the Minister for Communities. We will take questions in response to that statement, and the first is from Mark Durkan.

Mark Durkan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

Discrimination has no place in sport or in society. It is worth noting that the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) rejects any form of discrimination or sectarianism. We welcome the Minister's recognition of the recommendations from the Equality Commission and look forward to him being as welcoming of its recommendations elsewhere. Minister, you say that you are announcing a new oversight panel. How will that look and be made up, and how will you ensure that the panel, to ensure balance, is, itself, balanced?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

That is still to be determined, but I will be very clear with the Member and the House: I want to see action being taken, and that is what is going to drive me on this. For over 12 years, we have been waiting for action to be taken, and too many of the recommendations made in the report in 2013 have not been implemented. Therefore, I do not believe that this should take a long time, but I will consider how and when to set up that panel. Let me be very clear: speed is of the essence because this should not be allowed to continue for a moment longer.

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Following from that, Minister, given that you have stated that you are taking ministerial control of this process and that you are the Minister responsible for allocating funding to lots of sports, how can people be assured of its independence?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

There is a requirement on me to make sure that public funding goes to organisations that uphold the law and demonstrate high levels of governance and a commitment to good relations. The recommendations are very clear on what needs to happen. They were clear in 2013, of course, but they were not implemented. Therefore, my involvement will be to make sure that there is faithful implementation of those recommendations, and no one should be fearful of that.

Diane Forsythe (DUP, South Down)

I thank the Minister for his statement. It is quite shocking that, in 2025, we are presented with those facts and that case of discrimination against a Protestant boxer. Daryl Clarke is to be commended for taking forward his case. In the face of difficult circumstances and that type of discrimination, what sort of support is available for those brave individuals who come forward to take discrimination cases in sports, which are under the remit of your Department?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

The Member is right to highlight the bravery of those who have been prepared to stand up, speak out and take action. It is not the easiest thing to do. As I said in my statement, the easiest thing is to stay quiet and say nothing at all. However, I commend Daryl and others who came forward and made their case, because they did so not only for themselves but for those who come after. It is a difficult thing to do, and they should be praised for that. I will send this clear message: I will not tolerate discrimination in any shape or form. This should not come into sport at all. I hope that that is an encouragement to everyone that they can step forward and that they will have support from me and my Department in making sure that we have policies and procedures in place that are fair to everybody.

Sian Mulholland (Alliance, North Antrim)

Thank you so much for bringing the statement to the House, Minister. I absolutely agree with some of your points about how there should be no discrimination in any sport, regardless of a person's background or perceived background. I welcome the fact that the review took place, and I welcome its recommendations. Minister, will you give us a wee bit more detail about why you believe that the Department did not follow through on the recommendations in the 2013 Morrow report and about how the recommendations on the code of conduct and social media policy will flow through via an arm's-length body?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

The Member highlights one of the issues that existed in the first place, which was that it was not for the Department to take those recommendations forward. That is why I want to make sure that there is a role for me in this matter so that there can be oversight and that progress reports can be provided. Perhaps one of the other reasons why some of the recommendations were not taken forward was that there was a reluctance on the part of those who were involved to do so because it would have upset the status quo. There can be no room for the status quo when that does not lead to fair and equitable outcomes for everybody. That is why I am determined that there will be progress. People are long past fed up with how long it has taken for some of those issues to be resolved. The same applies to the recommendations on social media policies and other policies that will need to be put in place.

Andy Allen (UUP, Belfast East)

I thank the Minister for his statement and the actions contained therein. Will the Minister advise on whether his Department has carried out any analysis to make sure that similar issues are not present in other sports bodies across Northern Ireland?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

The Member will be aware that reviews of governance procedures always take place in different organisations. I can certainly provide him with information on those. I am more than happy to use whatever powers I have to step in where we need to take action to ensure that everybody is treated equally, because what happened was outrageous. No one should feel that they cannot progress in any sport because of their background, the community that they come from or their faith. I hope that we can stand united on that around the Chamber.

Maolíosa McHugh (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

Minister, as a member of the Communities Committee, I am well aware of the fact that many other strategies have not come to fruition during your time in office. I think particularly of the Irish language strategy. How confident can we be about that, when you are now, seemingly, having the time to take on an interest in issues in boxing?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

The Member conflates different issues. The Irish language strategy, along with the Ulster-Scots strategy, is being developed in coordination with other Departments. A lot of that is outside my control.

What we are dealing with here are allegations of discrimination and practices that have been going on for far too long that should not have gone on. We are trying to right a wrong. We are trying to make sure that what happened in the past cannot happen again in the future. We are talking about the real impact that such practices have had on people. Those people have not progressed. Imagine being at the top of your sport but not being chosen to take part in the Commonwealth Games, not because of your talent, ability or skill but because of other reasons. That is scandalous and wrong. It is right that we put the pressure on to make sure that those recommendations are implemented. I will do that as soon as I can.

Brian Kingston (DUP, Belfast North)

Minister, you will also be aware of the previous case of Lewis Crocker, who, in similar circumstances, experienced religious bias in selection. In that case, he was excluded from the Northern Ireland squad for the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2015, despite the head coach's recommending him for selection. He subsequently won a settlement of £8,500 from the Ulster Boxing Council under fair employment law. Despite that setback, and to his huge credit, he went on to become the International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight world champion just two months ago and is the pride of Sandy Row. Are you now satisfied that the culture of discrimination against Protestants in boxing has ended with the case of Daryl Clarke from Monkstown Amateur Boxing Club?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

No, I am not satisfied that it has ended, but I am satisfied that I will do everything that I can to make sure that it does end and that we are not in this situation again. The Member is absolutely right to mention Lewis. I am sure that the whole House will join me in congratulating him on his outstanding achievements, which are of particular note considering what he has had to go through and the barriers that were put in his way. That should not happen to anybody again. It is only because of his perseverance that he got to that stage, but no one else should have to go through that to achieve in that way. There is still much work for the organisations to do in order to rebuild trust with all sections of the community, and I hope that my oversight of the panel will ensure that the matter is dealt with as soon as possible.

Kellie Armstrong (Alliance, Strangford)

Minister, I join you in condemning any sectarianism towards any person involved in sport who is prevented from taking part or progressing purely because of their religion or cultural background. I thank you for your statement today. You say that you are taking "direct control" of an oversight panel. That is an unusual step for a Minister to take. Why do you, rather than one of your arm's-length bodies, need to do that, given the fact that you are so busy with matters of poverty, homelessness and lack of social strategies? Will you clarify why the Department needs to do this?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

I thank the Member for her question. I am glad that she said that it is an unusual step to take. I am happy to step out of the status quo and what is normal in order to get things done. Sometimes things move slowly, and you need to get in there, be prepared to put your shoulder to the wheel and do the work yourself. I am happy to do that. I want to have control over this to make sure that I push it forward and it is not left. In the past, in 2013, it was left, and recommendations were not implemented, so I hope that I can bring the weight of ministerial office to the process and make sure that we get on with it and get it done. I have emphasised again and again today that this is unacceptable. If it is unacceptable, we must do everything that we can to make sure that it does not happen again. I assure the Member that I will continue to deliver on all other areas in my Department, but I can still give this the time that it needs in order to get it sorted once and for all. In doing so, I hope that it will never be on any other Minister's plate in the future.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Members, I clarify that, normally, Members not present during a Minister's statement would not be called to ask a question. However, given the circumstances and the limited time to consider the statement prior to suspension, I will call Members on this occasion, but I ask Members, when they are called, to refer to the earlier announcement from the Chair stating that questions should be brief and that long introductions should be non-existent.

Pam Cameron (DUP, South Antrim)

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker; I will be brief. I very much welcome the Minister's statement and the clarity around the shocking case of discrimination against Daryl Clarke. Does the Minister agree that the onus is now fully on the Ulster Boxing Council and the IABA to regain their reputation and the trust of the boxing community, and is he assured that they will now do that in light of the Equality Commission report?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

Sport should be inclusive of all communities. This case is an example of how we could be dragged into the past, but I will not allow that to happen. That is why I have decided to intervene. The review panel will report regularly to me, and I hope that I and others in the House will be satisfied by the progress that it makes.

The Member referred specifically to the IABA and the Ulster Boxing Council. I hope that they realise that there is a responsibility on their part to ensure that change takes place so that we can move forward, and I look forward to them playing their part and making the change that is long overdue.

Andrew McMurray (Alliance, South Down)

Does the willingness to step outside and take control demonstrate a lack of confidence in Sport NI, Minister?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

No, absolutely not. Perhaps it shows some confidence in me instead. It is not a reflection on Sport NI at all. It is about bringing the weight of my ministerial office to making sure that it is done. It needs to be a priority, because I believe that what happened was egregious. It should never have happened and should never happen again. We are doing everything in our power to make sure that it does not.

Cheryl Brownlee (DUP, East Antrim)

Minister, I absolutely love this statement, and it comes not a moment too soon. Public money demands public accountability, and, without real consequences, nothing will change. Will the Minister detail what the consequences will be for the IABA and the Ulster Boxing Council if they do not engage and show sufficient progress?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

It is the same for any organisation that receives money from Sport NI or indeed from any arm's-length body of my Department. It is a requirement for them to demonstrate high levels of governance and a commitment to good relations. If that is missing in any way, of course there will be consequences. It would be unfathomable for me or my officials to endorse a funding relationship in its current form if that issue has not been dealt with.

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

Minister, discrimination of any form has no place in sport. Boxing on this island, however, has a proud tradition and has produced multiple world-class fighters and champions. Further to previous questions with regard to fairness, you

[Inaudible]

objective measuring and the principle of merit. Is it not below the belt for you to take direct control of the establishment of an oversight panel?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

No.

Some Members

Hear, hear.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

The boxer's name is Daryl Clarke. I know that Members on the other side of the House have not bothered to mention his name. The Equality Commission did a report on his case, which the IABA settled on anti-Protestant discrimination. The Equality Commission reported —.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Is this a question, Mr Brett —

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

It is, Mr Deputy Speaker.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

— or a statement? Could you get to your question?

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

It is a serious issue in which I have been heavily involved. I was shouted down when I raised it before. I have been threatened with legal action outside the Chamber, but I have been justified in the actions that I have taken. Minister, do you agree that, despite what others may say, the days of discriminating against Protestants are now over?

Some Members

Hear, hear.

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

First, I pay tribute to Phillip Brett and Cheryl Brownlee for the work that they have done in bringing this issue to the fore and drawing attention to the matter, because there are many who would have liked to see it brushed under the carpet. Many people would have liked to pretend that it was not happening and that it was not a serious issue. I am absolutely delighted that they have taken the stand that they have taken. They have been determined in bringing it forward. I know that Mr Brett, in particular, has brought it to the Floor many times, and it is right that that is acknowledged and that his work on the issue is recognised, because it should not be acceptable any more. It should not be something that we can just turn a blind eye to. I certainly hope that this is starting a journey down a road, because it has gone on for far too long. It is not acceptable.

The Member is absolutely right to mention Daryl by name. It is absolutely unacceptable that someone was not able to progress, when they had the skill, talent and ability to do so, because of their community background or perceived religion. That is wrong. That needs to stop, and I can assure the Member that I will do everything in my power to make sure that this is the end of it.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

Thank you, Minister, for your statement. I remember having conversations many years ago with Ian McSorley from Sandy Row Boxing Club about this very issue, so I am delighted to hear that the Minister is taking firm action today. I share his encouragement and congratulations to Lewis Crocker from my constituency.

The code of conduct is not just needed for boxing and could possibly be replicated in other sports. Is that something that the Minister is minded to do if it proves to be successful?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

It should ultimately be for sports to bring forward their own policies. It is not necessarily the right way forward to lift something from one sport and put it in place for everybody. The issue has been highlighted because of how the problems that already existed have come to the fore. We are always willing to look at issues to make sure that everything that can be done is being done so that people can operate in a fair and equitable way.

I thank the Member for welcoming the statement; everyone in the House should welcome it. Everybody, together, should want to make sure that the work is completed as quickly as possible so that this is not an issue for anybody in the future.

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

I am sure that the Minister agrees that it is disappointing that many Members from those Benches would have more to say if Daryl Clarke came from a different community background. Whilst they often cling on to the Equality Commission as being their saviour, it is not lost on anyone on the Benches on this side of the Chamber that, in your statement, you said that the 2013 report:

"gathered dust while the old guard clung to control."

You went on to say that the "ignorance" will end.

Clearly, Minister, there is an issue in the organisation. Do the recommendations go far enough? Is there any form of sanction that you could apply in the short term until we make sure that those recommendations are followed?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

I want to see the recommendations implemented. It is right that we pick up on what some of those recommendations are. One is:

"decision-making needs to better reflect the communities in Northern Ireland".

That shows that it does not currently reflect the communities in Northern Ireland. Another recommendation is that we need to see:

"fair participation of club officers from each community".

Again, I believe that that is indicative of that not being in place at the minute. I will read some of the other things that the report says, because it is important to highlight them. It says:

"All parties need to fully commit to the principle of equal opportunity ... Steps are necessary to actively ensure fair participation from both main communities ... The 2013 recommendations required a cultural shift and an ongoing commitment to equality. That demonstrates that equality was not there. Issues highlighted in that report are still live".

That all indicates that there is a real problem, especially with governance. I will repeat what I have said to the House previously: it is a requirement for any sports governing body that is recognised by Sport NI to demonstrate high levels of governance and a commitment to good relations. That is lacking right now, and the situation needs to change. There will be consequences if there is not that change.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

Minister, your statement on the treatment of Daryl Clarke is welcome. However, in 2013, the Assembly made an amendment, tabled by my predecessor, Jim Allister, which called for the formation of a Northern Ireland boxing association. There was no path for people from Northern Ireland to box for the UK in the Olympics at that time, and that remains the case. In your statement, you said nothing about that issue. What are you doing to address that?

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

I have raised that issue. We need to do a number of things to make sure that that happens. One of those is to get the sports councils of the UK to look at the issue. I am pleased to announce to the House, if it is not already aware of it, that they are undertaking a review of the recognition policy. I look forward to learning of any proposed changes arising from that review and to understanding those changes' implications for sports that are seeking to establish a governing body in Northern Ireland.

I have also written to international governing bodies in support of organisations that wish to become the national governing body for their sport in Northern Ireland. I have to recognise that all sports are self-governing, and that World Boxing, as the recognised international governing body, has the ultimate authority to decide how boxing is organised in Northern Ireland. I do not believe, however, that what we currently have in place fulfils the promise in the Good Friday Agreement about people being able to compete under their own identity. Change is needed. Our particular circumstances need to be accounted for. I took this issue on when I came into office, and I assure the House that I will continue to press on it until we get the changes that are so desperately required.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

That concludes questions on the statement.

Executive Committee Business

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I beg to move

That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill, as introduced in the House of Commons on 14 May 2025, dealing with the establishment of a revenue certainty mechanism that supports the production of sustainable aviation fuel as contained in clauses 1 to 5 and 10 to 15 of the Bill.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

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.

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

[Translation: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.]

Decarbonisation is one of my four key objectives. Reaching net zero requires action across every sector of our economy, including the aviation sector. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is designed to reduce the environmental impact of air travel. It is produced from renewable or waste-based sources and can be used in existing aircraft engines and infrastructure with little or no modification. Compared with conventional jet fuel, it can reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70%. Sustainable aviation fuel production has the potential to generate hundreds of skilled jobs in engineering, logistics and research as the industry grows. There are also potential benefits for our agri-food and waste sectors from providing feedstock sources for sustainable aviation fuel production.

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 14 May 2025. The Bill establishes a revenue certainty mechanism, which provides producers with a guaranteed price for their fuel, thereby reducing investment risk and encouraging market growth. The Bill also establishes a framework for further regulations and mechanisms to follow in support of the sustainable aviation fuel industry. The Bill contains 19 clauses, 11 of which would apply here. The proposal is that they be extended to this jurisdiction via a legislative consent motion (LCM).

I will turn briefly to the specific clauses in the Bill that require legislative consent. Clauses 1 to 5 establish the legal framework for revenue certainty contracts. They also allow the British Secretary of State for Transport to direct a designated government-owned counterparty to offer guaranteed price contracts to sustainable aviation fuel producers. The clauses also provide for the publication and registration of contracts, the designation of the government-owned counterparty and the ability to transfer responsibilities between entities. The clauses ensure transparency, flexibility and investment confidence in the sector.

Clause 10 ensures that any surplus funds that are collected through the levy that are not needed to support revenue certainty contracts are returned to levy payers. The levy itself will be imposed on aviation fuel suppliers and will remain a reserved matter. Clause 11 allows for financial penalties to be imposed for failing to comply with regulations on the levy, which is considered to be reserved, and for failing to comply with regulations on surplus, which is considered to be devolved. Penalties are intended to ensure compliance and to maintain the integrity of the revenue certainty mechanism. Initially, the Bill omitted the North from the recovery provisions. That was addressed at Committee Stage in the House of Commons through an amendment to ensure that unpaid penalties are recoverable here, thus aligning with procedures in England and Wales.

Clause 12 enables the British Secretary of State for Transport to direct the government-owned counterparty on the exercise of any of its functions. That intersects with the devolved responsibilities if the direction concerns the revenue certainty contracts. The same applies to clause 13 on information and advice. Clause 14 relates to funding the counterparty only to enable it to fulfil its liabilities under the contracts, which is considered to be a devolved issue. Clause 15 sets out how regulations under the Bill will be made. It intersects with devolved responsibilities if they relate to non-levy regulations.

The Bill can help support the establishment of a world-leading sustainable aviation fuel industry, reducing reliance on imported fuels and boosting energy security. The Bill cuts across economic development, environmental matters and the application of financial penalties here.

My Department has consulted the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Department of Justice. I acknowledge the positive responses received from the respective Ministers, who indicated their support for the LCM. They also acknowledged the potential environmental and economic benefits of applying the Bill's provisions here and that the financial penalty provisions in clause 11 are necessary, proportionate and unlikely to have a detrimental impact on the justice system here.

I thank my Executive colleagues, who have given their support to consent to the Bill. I also thank the Committee for its engagement on the matter and for the report that it produced. I commend the motion to the Assembly and thank Members for their support.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

I rise on behalf of the Committee to support the LCM tabled by the Minister. I thank her and her officials for the usual courtesy that they have shown the Committee in ensuring that we could deliberate on the matter.

Sustainable aviation fuel is described as a cleaner alternative to traditional jet fuel and is part of the process of reducing carbon emissions from air travel. The Bill is described as aiming to boost SAF production through the establishment of revenue certainty mechanisms to encourage investment and support the production of SAF across this United Kingdom. The Bill will allow the Government to impose a levy on suppliers of aviation fuel in the UK who are subject to renewable fuel obligations. That levy will then be used to support the revenue certainty mechanism and thus help producers.

The Department advised the Committee at its meeting on 24 September 2025 of a number of producers in Northern Ireland and the potential for economic spin-offs from related technology. Officials advised that, if the provisions of the Bill were not extended to Northern Ireland from the start, that would lead to uncertainty for our producers. The Committee noted the potential benefits of the new fuel and the important role that it would likely play in reaching climate change targets. Thus, it afforded me this opportunity to say that we support the LCM.

Pádraig Delargy (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the sustainable aviation legislation that has been brought forward at Westminster and to acknowledge the constructive engagement that our Sinn Féin Minister for the Economy has had in that important area. The Bill is a step towards addressing one of the major challenges facing our economy: how we continue to connect people and places while reducing our impact on the environment.

Aviation remains vital to our all-Ireland economy. It supports tourism, trade, inward investment and access to global markets. However, it is also a significant contributor to carbon emissions, and tackling that requires long-term strategic planning. Sinn Féin's policy of decarbonisation is a key pillar of our tenure in the Department for the Economy, and the Minister's focus on exploring sustainable aviation fuels and green innovation shows forward thinking.

By supporting R&D across our universities and industry, we can ensure that we are at the cutting edge of skills and opportunities that are part of a lower-carbon future. That approach recognises that sustainability and economic growth go hand in hand. The development of cleaner aviation technologies has the potential not only to reduce emissions but to create new high-quality jobs and position our economy as part of a growing global sector.

While the legislative process sits at Westminster, it is essential that the voices and the priorities of people in the North are represented and that any policy that is developed works for our needs to support connectivity, protect jobs, align with our commitments under the Climate Change Act 2022 and protect our broader economic vision. It is about planning responsibly for the future and ensuring that aviation remains viable and sustainable for future generations. I commend the Minister for continuing to champion long-term practical solutions and for ensuring that our region plays its part in a cleaner and fairer economy.

David Honeyford (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Minister for moving the LCM. On behalf of the Alliance Party, I am pleased to support it. It is about three things: decarbonising aviation; backing innovation and creating jobs and skills; and making sure that this region is not left on the sidelines while the rest of these islands move ahead. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill sets up a UK-wide system for sustainable aviation fuel. After the Bill is passed, our focus must be on how we make the most of it and grow our economy. We need to provide investors with confidence to base themselves in Northern Ireland, grow our economy and create jobs here for local people.

It may be a small area — a niche area, if you like — but Alliance still sees the opportunity for growth, innovation and clean industry. That is exactly the kind of industry and space that we want this place to lead in. We are well placed to take advantage of it, and we already have work on it going on, with a world-class agri-food sector, a heritage of innovation that is core to the people here and innovation and technology companies. Excellent research is already being done throughout our universities; our airports and ports are well located; and, uniquely, for us, there is dual market access to the UK internal market and the EU single market. With the right framework, this can bring us another opportunity to turn waste and landfill gas into high-value jet fuel instead of into more methane emissions and could create skilled jobs in engineering, logistics and operations that are based here in the emerging industry.

The independent analysis of the UK Government shows that a mature SAF and low-carbon fuel sector could supply thousands of jobs and billions of pounds to UK GVA by 2050. We have to make sure that we have more than our fair share of that and do not watch it happen elsewhere while we miss out. It fits directly with our Climate Change Act, green growth strategy and Alliance's long-standing belief that climate, energy security and economic growth go hand in hand.

Finally, we have to be honest and highlight this point: we in Northern Ireland were forgotten about from the start. That is not acceptable — absolutely not acceptable — and needs to be put on the record. The UK Government's failure to properly follow protocol and notify the Executive on a devolved issue cannot be allowed to become a habit. From now on and as we move forward, cross-departmental working should be done, alongside work in the Economy Committee. I appreciate the Minister's work with the AERA Minister and the Justice Minister to bring the matter to the House today. We are where we are, but it has to be noted that that failure cannot become a habit.

Alliance supports the LCM in order to provide green investment, jobs, skills and connectivity. We will always choose opportunity alongside climate responsibility.

Diana Armstrong (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I, too, support the legislative consent motion. It offers an important opportunity to help Northern Ireland become a hub for sustainable aviation fuel innovation and development, building on work that is already under way here. I join David Honeyford, our colleague on the Economy Committee, in mentioning the fact that Northern Ireland, as a devolved part of the UK, was left out of the consideration. That is not acceptable, given that it posed a risk that we would be left out of line with GB, robbing us of the potential benefits of developing further investment in sustainable aviation fuel. Thankfully, that has been rectified, and the Ulster Unionist Party is content to support the Minister's request for legislative consent.

The Bill offers economic opportunity and strategic foresight to help harness the vast developing changes in an industry that is so vital for our connectivity and commerce. The industry is also one of the fastest-growing sources of carbon emissions. With the Bill, more investment can be attracted, more green jobs created and waste from agri-foods and forestry can be turned into wealth, transforming landfill gas and agricultural residues into clean jet fuel.

As I read, in July this year it was announced that 17 companies in the UK that are developing the fuels will receive shares of a new £63 million funding boost, which will support around 1,400 jobs. It has been warned that, if the Bill is not extended to Northern Ireland, it may lead to revenue uncertainty for producers of SAF. When we see the benefits of the investment in SAF in Great Britain, we find that it makes little sense for Northern Ireland to neglect such opportunities. Environmentally sustainable aviation fuel aligns with Invest NI's green economy strategy and has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in aviation by up to 80% when compared with standard jet fuel. It can also support our Climate Change Act targets as a cornerstone of the local net zero transition.

The legislation, once enacted, will guarantee sustainable aviation fuel producers a revenue certainty mechanism to support the production of sustainable aviation fuel. It will remove the financial uncertainty that hinders investment, provide a guaranteed price for fuel and help future-proof the developing sector, all while making progress towards our green energy goals. I am happy to endorse the extension of the Bill to ensure that Northern Ireland is not left behind on clean aviation fuel.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

There being no further speakers listed, I call on the Minister for the Economy to conclude the debate and make a winding-up speech on the motion.

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

I thank Members for their contributions to today's debate and the interest that they have shown in this important issue. I thank again the Economy Committee and its Chair for their support and engagement. I will pick up briefly on a couple of the points that Members made.

I agree that we have a real opportunity here for job creation and innovation and supporting businesses. There are already a couple of businesses here that are engaged in sustainable aviation fuel production. There is clearly an opportunity to be grasped. It very much links with some of the strategies that have been mentioned and the forthcoming circular economy strategy that we intend to bring forward in the near future.

I will pick up again on the point about the lack of engagement on LCMs on some occasions. It is not always the case. There are Ministers and Departments that engage early and well on potential legislative consent motions, but, on a number of occasions, that has not happened, and it is across all Departments here. The First Minister and deputy First Minister have raised that on a number of occasions and have again committed to raising it as a machinery-of-government issue.

I thank Members for their engagement in today's debate. I look forward to working with them to ensure that we play a leading role in the transition to cleaner aviation. I therefore recommend that the Assembly agree the motion.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Minister, thank you for concluding the debate.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved:

That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill, as introduced in the House of Commons on 14 May 2025, dealing with the establishment of a revenue certainty mechanism that supports the production of sustainable aviation fuel as contained in clauses 1 to 5 and 10 to 15 of the Bill.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

Members, I ask that you take your ease before we move to the next item in the Order Paper.

Private Members' Business

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Molaim an rún. I beg to move

That this Assembly is united in its opposition to the proposal from the British Government to introduce mandatory digital ID for people here; expresses concern that that flawed proposal could result in the squandering of millions of pounds of public money at a time when public services are increasingly stretched; and calls for an exemption to be put in place so that citizens here are not included, if the British Government proceed with their ill-considered digital ID scheme.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

The Business Committee has agreed to allow up to one hour and 30 minutes for the debate. The proposer of the motion will have 10 minutes in which to propose and 10 minutes in which make a winding-up speech. As an amendment has been selected and is published on the Marshalled List, the Business Committee has agreed that 15 minutes will be added to the total time for the debate. Mr Gildernew, please open the debate on the motion.

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

A number of weeks ago, the British Government announced that they will bring forward a new form of mandatory digital ID that we all know as the "BritCard" The reaction to the BritCard has been, it is fair to say, universally negative, both here and, ironically enough, even in Britain, with all parties in the North in agreement that the BritCard should not apply here.

Sinn Féin is resolutely opposed to the BritCard or any such mandatory ID scheme. The motion today will send a clear message to the British Government that the scheme is not wanted by the majority of people here and that they need to reflect on that hare-brained scheme.

First and foremost, it is an attack on the Good Friday Agreement. The Good Friday Agreement makes it explicitly clear that citizens in the North have the right — the right — to identify as Irish or British or, indeed, both, as they so choose. The idea that Irish nationalists living in the North, who carry Irish passports as a proud birthright, would accept a mandatory form of ID that forces them to identify as British is absolutely ludicrous. We all know that people here feel strongly in their sense of identity, as is their right, and any attempts to coerce people to accept an identity that is not theirs is doomed to fail from the outset. The Good Friday Agreement was designed in such a way to allow people to express their identity in whatever way they wanted, with a recognition that identity does not remain static and can change over time. Crucially, it also afforded equality to those of us who choose to identify as Irish. The so-called BritCard would drive a horse and cart through that inclusive and equal recognition of our many complex identities.

Phillip Brett (DUP, Belfast North)

I appreciate the Member's giving way. As the Member talks about the Belfast Agreement, will he say why he called for a carveout of the scheme here in Northern Ireland but not to scrap it across the United Kingdom? For those of us who proudly identify as British and whose allegiance is to the United Kingdom, surely, calling for it to be removed across the UK would have gone better with what the Member has just articulated.

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Very simply, we believe that if they decide to go ahead with it across the water, it should not take place here. We will not be supporting the amendment as we feel that it weakens our motion in that sense. Thank you for that.

Workers here are already required to show various forms of ID when searching for employment, and we already have government ID, such as passports and driving licences, which most people are able to produce when asked. In the North, we also have electoral ID cards, which are available to any citizen who is registered to vote, completely free of charge. The BritCard is simply another layer of bureaucracy that duplicates what already exists, and it will only serve to confuse and disorient those who are seeking employment.

I also have concerns about the digital aspect of the ID. As we all know, many people in the North are not IT literate and have no means of accessing internet platforms. Are we seriously suggesting that people who may not know how to use a mobile phone, or, worse again, people who cannot even afford a mobile phone should be excluded from gaining employment? There is also a lack of clarity on what it would mean for the thousands of cross-border workers who live and work here, particularly along border regions. The constituency that I represent includes one of those regions. Many people cross the border for work daily. The question is this: will Irish citizens who live in the South but work in the North — many of them valued workers in our health service and many other places — be required to carry a BritCard? That is another gaping hole in what is a daft idea.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

I thank the Member for giving way. I brought this issue as a Matter of the Day about a month ago, and I referred to it as the "BritCard". I did not really think that that would cause offence, but, that day, it was clear that it does cause offence to some Members. Did you not reflect on that after that Matter of the Day and consider that you could have tempered the way that you term the digital ID scheme to reflect greater cooperation in the Chamber?

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I have not heard it referred to as anything other than "BritCard". I did not hear the Matter of the Day, due to other business, but that is the only term that I have heard used, and I think that it is widely used. It is widely in circulation, even yet; it is not simply me who is using it.

The scheme has the real potential to block thousands of workers from contributing to our economy by placing unnecessary barriers in front of people who are trying to make a living. The more that we look at the scheme, the more that it becomes obvious that we in the North were not factored into the decision whatsoever. Frankly, that is nothing new, and that is a problem in itself.

The British economy is in free fall, largely as a result of Brexit, it must be said, and there are unprecedented labour shortages across all sections of the economy. It smacks of political desperation to make such a proposal. At a time of continuing British austerity, when we have seen pensioners lose their winter fuel payment, sick and disabled people lose their benefits and now more unfair taxes being proposed against the least well-off, the British Government are proposing to spend £400 million on this folly. It beggars belief.

The proposal shows how out of touch with reality the British Government are. Trust in the British Government is at an all-time low. Keir Starmer is the most unpopular British Prime Minister in living memory, and now he wants to force citizens to hand over their personal data to his Government: a recipe for disaster. Anyone and everyone that I have spoken to about this scheme has said that they do not trust the British Government to responsibly handle their personal data, and, to be clear, neither do I. We live in an age when hackers can access vast quantities of personal data and use it for criminal purposes, and Governments around the world seem to be completely inept at protecting their citizens' data. That is why I believe that the digital ID scheme will never be accepted by people here.

Keir Starmer can dance to the Reform tune as much as he wants, but people here refuse to get caught up in these Westminster games and distractions. We have had enough of the bad decisions that come from Westminster, which have had a disproportionate impact on the people who live here. It is time that the British Government took their heads out of the clouds and started listening to the people on the ground.

Paul Frew (DUP, North Antrim)

I beg to move the following amendment:

Leave out all after "stretched;" and insert: "stresses that these plans would also jeopardise personal privacy and create the potential for misuse of citizens’ personal data; and calls on the Prime Minister to immediately withdraw plans for an ill-considered digital ID scheme in all parts of the United Kingdom."

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

You have 10 minutes to propose the amendment and five minutes to make a winding-up speech. All other Members will have five minutes.

Paul Frew (DUP, North Antrim)

Sinn Féin is so wrong-headed on this subject, it is crazy. The reason why it is so wrong-headed on this is that it is hung up on the nickname "BritCard". If this was brought in in the Republic of Ireland, or if it was brought in in the EU, which there are plans to do, Sinn Féin members would lap it up. They would all sign up for their digital ID cards.