Results 1-20 of 174 for speaker:Thomas Buchanan

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Northern Ireland Block Grant (17 Nov 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: That is why the House needs to support the motion and oppose the amendment.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Northern Ireland Block Grant (17 Nov 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: I commend my two party colleagues for proposing this important motion. Members will come to their own conclusions about the purpose behind the Ulster Unionist Party’s amendment. I am sure that being tied to a party at Westminster that will introduce drastic spending cuts leaves the Ulster Unionists feeling a bit uncomfortable in the House. On the one hand, they accept that the Assembly...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Transport Sectoral Format (17 Nov 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: The Minister will be aware of the financial impact that the A5 western transport corridor will have on many farming families in west Tyrone, where the road is running through farms and, in a number of instances, dividing farms down the middle. Will the Minister confirm that there will be a proper financial package in place to fully compensate those farming families? Will he outline Roads...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Health, Social Services and Public Safety: South-West Acute Hospital (16 Nov 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: I thank the Minister for his update on the new south-west hospital. I am sure that he is aware of the ongoing concerns about securing the foundations at that site. Will the Minister confirm when he last met the developer to discuss those concerns? Furthermore, will he confirm whether the works completed to date are within budget and, if not, will he tell the House where the extra money will...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Education Maintenance Allowance (20 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: I thank the Members who participated in the debate, as well as those who took an interest in it. I also thank the Minister for coming to the House to respond to the debate. I agree that the EMA falls within the remit of the Department of Education more than that of the Department for Employment and Learning. However, the motion related to a specific need that came before our Committee, and...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Programme-led Apprenticeships (20 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: I welcome the Minister’s statement and his reassurance that programme-led apprenticeships offer the same quality of training and the same qualifications as employer-led apprenticeships. There was some concern that that was not the case, so I welcome his reassurance. Will the Minister outline any other options that he considered in response to the rise in apprentice redundancies before...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Personal Protection Weapons (19 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: First, I declare an interest as a member of the Policing Board. I support the motion. Although a review is under way, it is important to bring the matter to the attention and focus of the Chief Constable, Mr Matt Baggott, given the widespread concern across Northern Ireland. This is especially the case in isolated rural areas, where serving and ex-members of the security forces are finding it...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Personal Protection Weapons (19 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: With all due respect, the Member has had his say. The policy that the renewal of licences for PPWs will not be granted unless there is a specific threat on one’s life — irrespective of the increased dissident republican threat — flies in the face of all logic. At almost every meeting of the Policing Board, we are briefed on the increased dissident republican threat and are...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Regional Development: A5 Dual Carriageway (19 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: 5. asked the Minister for Regional Development for his assessment of the level of concern in the farming community about the proposed A5 route.       (AQO 249/10)

Northern Ireland Assembly: Regional Development: A5 Dual Carriageway (19 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: I thank the Minister for his response. However, I ask the Minister whether those concerns are being fully addressed and whether the voice of the farming community is being heard. Is there the potential to move the roadway beyond the 20-metre buffer zone in order to prevent the separation of dwelling houses from farmyards?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Childcare for Students in Further  and Higher Education (19 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: I also thank the Members who participated in the debate, and I hope that there will be full support for the motion. Question put and agreed to. Resolved: That this Assembly agrees that widening access to further and higher education is a key priority as outlined in the Programme for Government, and that a significant factor in widening access is the provision of campus-based childcare for...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Childcare for Students in Further  and Higher Education (19 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: I thank all Members who have taken an interest in today’s debate by participating in and giving their time to it. I also thank the Minister for his response. As we seek to support lifelong learning, it is important that on-campus childcare is available at an affordable rate for everyone. Recent proposals to run down and close some of those sites at our universities caused much concern...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Construction Industry Training Board (13 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: I thank the Minister for his statement. Of the four options, the second, which includes a number of recommendations, is preferred. One of those is that the legislation be changed to remove air conditioning, refrigeration, plumbing, utilities and gas installation from the scope of the realigned Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). Can the Minister tell us how those training needs will...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Migrant Workers (5 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: The motion calls on the Assembly to note the economic, social and cultural contributions made by migrant workers in Northern Ireland. That is something that we can all associate ourselves with. We all witness the valuable contributions that have been and continue to be made by migrant workers in various employment sectors. It must be recognised that some of those jobs would have fallen off...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Migrant Workers (5 Oct 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: We must encourage more of our economically inactive people into the workplace and equip industry with the necessary skills and incentives.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Social Development: Housing Executive Grants (15 Sep 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: First, I must tell the Minister that, unfortunately, I will not be present for the debate on home improvement grants, because I have another meeting to attend. I welcome the fact that disabled facilities grants have been ring-fenced. I have heard the Minister say much about social housing. The Housing Executive has identified houses that are eligible for grants for replacement dwellings, but...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Social Development: Housing Executive Grants (15 Sep 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: 3. asked the Minister for Social Development when she proposes to allocate funding to the Housing Executive’s grants department to allow applications awaiting approval to be released.        
60;  (AQO 33/10)

Northern Ireland Assembly: Office Of The First Minister And Deputy First Minister: Lisanelly, Omagh: Gifting of Lands (29 Jun 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: 1. asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the possible gifting of the Lisanelly lands, Omagh, to the Executive.       (AQO 3053/09)

Northern Ireland Assembly: Office Of The First Minister And Deputy First Minister: Lisanelly, Omagh: Gifting of Lands (29 Jun 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: As the Minister outlined, Lisanelly is key development land, and it will open up the potential for other such lands in and around Omagh to develop the area further. Each time questions are asked about Lisanelly, we are told that more work needs to be done in seeking to have the gifting of lands brought forward. Will the Minister tell us when the lands will be gifted to the Executive so that...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: PSNI Full-Time Reserve (23 Jun 2009)

Thomas Buchanan: Name her.