Results 1-20 of 159 for speaker:Paul Butler

Northern Ireland Assembly: Office Of The First Minister And Deputy First Minister: Executive Confidentiality (9 Nov 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. The deputy First Minister answered the question by clarifying the need for the confidentiality protocol. He also pointed out that the two Ulster Unionist Ministers agreed to that protocol during the meeting at which it was discussed.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Enterprise, Trade And Investment: Invest NI (3 Nov 2009)

Paul Butler: The Minister talked about new grants for research and development. However, given that the Barnett review recommended a new emphasis on innovation and research and development, does the Minister agree that there must be fundamental changes in Invest NI to bring that about?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Invest NI (20 Oct 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. We have had a long debate about Invest NI, and I welcome the Minister and her comments. There were two parts to the motion: first, it welcomed Professor Barnett’s report on Invest NI. We also welcome the fact that the Minister asked for that report to be produced. My colleague Jennifer McCann, who moved the motion, said that it was not about...

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

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I welcome that this motion has been brought to the Chamber. The motion is addressing the fact that a category of young people is missing out on full-time education and training and attending further education colleges. Some groups have told the Committee for Employment and Learning how difficult it was for them to get into training or further...

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

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I thank the Minister for his statement. He raised the issue of apprentices getting simulated work experience rather than real work experience. The Minister mentioned the public sector. I am looking at the reply that I received from the First Minister and the deputy First Minister about capital projects over the next two years. In that period, 232...

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

Paul Butler: Does the Minister accept that we need to look at the public sector, given that the Executive are rolling out such programmes?

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

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I congratulate my former colleague on the Assembly Commission Robert Coulter on his 80th birthday. As the Chairperson of the Committee, Sue Ramsey, said, the motion came about because of a situation, since rectified, at the university campus in Coleraine. Although some Members talked about the wider problems of childcare provision in society, it is an...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Social Tariff System (29 Sep 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. We have had a fairly thorough debate, in which we debated the pros and cons of the motion. I thank everybody who spoke. Whether or not we achieve agreement on the motion is another matter. When my colleague Jennifer McCann brought the motion to the House, she was aware of the concerns about who pays for social tariffs. Other Members asked whether...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Social Tariff System (29 Sep 2009)

Paul Butler: I thank the Member for that information. It is startling that so many people in this society are still dying as a result of fuel poverty. Jennifer McCann mentioned a very good scheme in the South of Ireland that has a social tariff dimension, particularly for pensioners. They get a certain amount of free units of electricity, oil or gas to heat their homes. It is worth noting that there are...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statements: Trade and Business Development Sectoral Format (29 Sep 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I welcome the Minister home, and I hope that the trade mission to India was a success. The Minister mentioned InterTradeIreland’s report on innovation, science and technology. The report on the independent review of economic policy (IREP)shows that there needs to be a greater emphasis on innovation and research and development. Does the...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: National Asset Management Agency (28 Sep 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Tá mé sásta labhairt ar son na tairisceana seo, ach ní dóigh liom go mbeidh mé ábalta tacú leis an leasú.. I am grateful to be allowed to speak in the debate. I should point out that some of the debate, particularly the contributions from the DUP and the SDLP, focused on attacking Sinn Féin and negative...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Culture, Arts and Leisure: Maze Prison Site (22 Sep 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. The Minister referred to the development corporation and the future of the Maze/Long Kesh site. Has he given any consideration to other sporting or arts facilities being placed there as part of the development corporation’s plan? When I and other party members sat on the Maze/Long Kesh monitoring group, the stadium was the main feature of the...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Second Stage (30 Jun 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Tá mé sásta labhairt ar an Bhille seo inniu. I echo Trevor Lunn’s comments about the threats to Anna Lo. I am sure that Members are united in their condemnation of the threats to Anna Lo, who is a member of the Committee for Employment and Learning. Her election to the Chamber was a welcome step, because she broke traditional...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Impact of Economic Downturn on Businesses in Northern Ireland (23 Jun 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Tá mé sásta go bhfuil cead agam labhairt ar an díospóireacht seo inniu. I wish the Chairperson of the Committee all the best, whatever his future intentions may be. He did not tell us where he is going. I thank him for all his work over the past year and in particular for this motion. I have not been a member of the Committee...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Impact of Economic Downturn on Businesses in Northern Ireland (23 Jun 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Inquiry into the Way Forward for Apprenticeships (22 Jun 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Tá an-áthas orm cead a bheith agam labhairt sa díospóireacht seo inniu. I glad to have an opportunity to speak on the motion on the Committee for Employment and Learning’s report. Talking about apprenticeships and training is always difficult. Most importantly, an ethos must be developed whereby, rather than just getting...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Culture, Arts and Leisure: Maze Stadium Funding (16 Jun 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I wish to ask the Minister about the money that was originally allocated to the development of a stadium at the Maze/Long Kesh site. Recently, proposals were launched for £20 million to be granted to upgrade Windsor Park. Raymond Kennedy, the president of the IFA, said that he would seek a meeting with the Minister to ascertain whether that...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: College Courses for Older People (9 Jun 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis seo le labhairt ar an tairiscint. I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion. I apologise for arriving late; I did not realise that the business was going through so quickly. Further education colleges present an opportunity for many, particularly older, people to attain qualifications, better themselves, join...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Training (26 May 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. The Minister has, in the past, referred to other sectors, particularly the construction industry and the motor vehicle industry, and he referred in his statement to other interventions. Is he considering strengthening the ties between further education colleges and employer engagement, given the important role that further education colleges play...

Northern Ireland Assembly: adjournment: Management of Assets and  Pensions at Visteon Corporation (5 May 2009)

Paul Butler: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Tá mé iontach sásta cead cainte a bheith agam sa díospóireacht seo faoi Visteon. I thank my colleague Gerry Adams for securing the debate and the contributors from other parties for the support that they have given to the workers at the Visteon plant. The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster, and the...