Monday, 24 March 2025
The Assembly met at 12 noon (Speaker [Mr Poots] in the Chair). Members observed two minutes' silence.
Tá coicís ó shin, thug mé ráiteas os comhair an Tionóil inar mhol mé Coiste Uladh as a chinneadh an cluiche craoibhe idir Aontroim agus Ard Mhacha a imirt in...
[Translation: A fortnight ago, I gave a statement in the Assembly commending the Ulster Council for its decision to allow the Antrim/Armagh championship game to be held in Antrim. That decision...
Today, I pay tribute to Alderman Beth Adger MBE, Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, who sadly passed away on Wednesday of last week. We all knew her as Beth, and she was an absolute champion for her...
I have a question for folks here: does anyone here remember Harry? Harry is an autistic boy who is non-verbal. He was found to have been unnecessarily restrained at school when he was just five...
First, I associate myself with the Member for North Antrim's comments. I had the privilege of serving on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council with Beth Adger. It was a privilege to work with her,...
I express my concern following the disgraceful threats to schools across Northern Ireland today: in Strabane, in Ballycastle and many in Enniskillen. Those threats have resulted in the closure of...
It is a great honour for me to stand here today and congratulate an exceptional young athlete, Niamh Mason from Loughinisland, on her incredible achievements in table tennis. Yesterday, at just...
Last Wednesday, while working in my constituency office, I was heavily distracted, because I was closely following the Limavady High School under-16 boys who were competing against Bangor...
I rise both as an MLA and a member of the Policing Board to put on record my sincere thanks to the officers of the PSNI for their professionalism and presence at yesterday's assemblies in Belfast...
I take the opportunity to raise awareness of the fact that this is the month that we dedicate to ovarian cancer awareness. It is vital that we recognise the significant contributions of...
There is a wee bit of a feeling of déjà vu this week, because, last Tuesday, I stood up and congratulated a couple of Lagan Valley sporting greats — Lucy Best and Wallace High...
I applaud the achievements of a young woman who was born at the turn of the century in Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry. On Friday, Kate O'Connor, a Dundalk athlete, won silver in the heptathlon at...
We were informed at the weekend that the Ministry of Defence plans to apply for a judicial review of the coroner's finding into the deaths of four Provisional IRA terrorists in their attack at...
I used a previous Member's statement to draw attention to the fact that the First Minister and deputy First Minister have been sitting on an answer to a question originally tabled by my...
Today, a concerning email was sent to schools across Northern Ireland, including in my constituency. It was sinister and prompted security fears. This morning, police confirmed that an email sent...
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I draw to your attention again the issue that I raised during Members' statements last week regarding the Executive Office. In response to a point of order from...
I advise Members that I have been notified that the Opposition no longer intend to move the motion on funding for childcare. The item of business remains in the Order Paper, and the Chair will...
I beg to move That this Assembly recognises that emergency services play a critical role in providing care to those in urgent need; expresses deep concern at the findings of the Northern Ireland...
1. Ms Mulholland asked the Minister for Infrastructure for an assessment of waste water capacity in North Antrim. (AQO 1735/22-27)
2. Mr Gaston asked the Minister for Infrastructure to commit to undertaking a consultation and an equality screening exercise before taking any decision on the installation of Irish language...
3. Ms K Armstrong asked the Minister for Infrastructure to outline any progress that has been made to replace section 10B permits for community transport operators with permits similar to section...
4. Mr Donnelly asked the Minister for Infrastructure for her assessment of the potential impact that an expert-led, independent infrastructure commission will have on capital infrastructure...
5. Ms Bradshaw asked the Minister for Infrastructure for an update on plans to improve bus connectivity to Belvoir estate. (AQO 1739/22-27)
6. Ms Hunter asked the Minister for Infrastructure to provide an update on plans for the A2 Ballykelly bypass. (AQO 1740/22-27)
7. Mr Robinson asked the Minister for Infrastructure for an update on the safer routes to school initiative. (AQO 1741/22-27)
8. Ms Murphy asked the Minister for Infrastructure whether St Mary’s Primary School, Killesher will be included in the next tranche of establishing zones with a part-time speed limit of 20...
10. Mrs Dodds asked the Minister for Infrastructure to outline any measures that her Department is taking to reduce traffic congestion in Lurgan due to the increased frequency of the Enterprise...
11. Mr Middleton asked the Minister for Infrastructure to outline what steps her Department is taking to address traffic issues at Caw roundabout, Londonderry. (AQO 1745/22-27)
12. Mr McNulty asked the Minister for Infrastructure whether she will recommend the construction of an opening bridge across Newry canal as part of the southern relief road project. (AQO 1746/22-27)
13. Mr Durkan asked the Minister for Infrastructure for an update on the A2 Buncrana Road improvement scheme. (AQO 1747/22-27)
T1. Mr Durkan asked the Minister for Infrastructure to outline what role her Department has in the removal of unauthorised flags, posters and signage from our street furniture and roadsides and...
T2. Mr Butler asked the Minister for Infrastructure to provide an assessment of the environmental impact that there is likely to be in the next number of years as a result of the Department for...
T3. Mr Crawford asked the Minister for Infrastructure to outline the budget that has been allocated in the new financial year for road safety improvements outside school buildings. (AQT 1153/22-27)
T4. Mr Donnelly asked the Minister for Infrastructure for her assessment of the potential impact that an expert-led independent infrastructure commission will have on capital infrastructure...
T5. Miss McIlveen asked the Minister for Infrastructure to outline the discussions that she has had with her counterpart in the Department of Justice to improve the consistency of decision-making...
T6. Ms Flynn asked the Minister for Infrastructure to provide an update on the business case and accommodation works to build a new footway in the Hannahstown village in west Belfast. (AQT 1156/22-27)
T8. Mrs Dodds asked the Minister for Infrastructure, after stating that a previous Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon, despite being a rigorous implementer of the protocol when she was...
T9. Mr Blair asked the Minister for Infrastructure how much revenue would be generated for investment in waste water infrastructure by both of the options for developer contributions that are...
T10. Mr Kingston asked the Minister for Infrastructure, after noting her previous statement that, following October monitoring, £7 million was allocated to address waste water constraints in...
1. Mr Durkan asked the Minister of Justice for her assessment of the reported comments of the chair of the Catholic Police Guild of Northern Ireland that legacy is a major issue for Catholics...
2. Ms Bradshaw asked the Minister of Justice to outline the expected impact arising from the allocation of funding to her Department for transformation projects. (AQO 1751/22-27)
3. Mr McGrath asked the Minister of Justice to outline the latest information that she has received in relation to whether Treasury reserve funding will be provided to the PSNI to mitigate its...
4. Mr Harvey asked the Minister of Justice what proportion of community orders, issued by the youth justice system over the past three years, were community service orders. (AQO 1753/22-27)
5. Miss McIlveen asked the Minister of Justice what steps are being taken to implement the recommendations of the Gillen review ‘Report into the law and procedures in serious sexual...
7. Mr Kingston asked the Minister of Justice, further to the enabling access to justice reform programme, to provide an update on negotiations with the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) and the...
8. Mr Tennyson asked the Minister of Justice for her assessment of the impact of the sexual offences legal adviser (SOLA) scheme since it was set up in April 2021. (AQO 1757/22-27)
T1. Mr McNulty asked the Minister of Justice to confirm whether research carried out in fulfilment of section 29 of the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act 2021 formed part of her...
T2. Mr Butler asked the Minister of Justice what guarantee she can provide that there have been no GDPR breaches following the break-in at Dundonald House, of which she will be aware, with video...
T3. Mr McReynolds asked the Minister of Justice to provide an update on sustainability initiatives across the prison estate. (AQT 1163/22-27)
T4. Mr Brooks asked the Minister of Justice, given that, at times of community tension in east Belfast, particularly at interfaces, youth workers find themselves stepping in to fill the gaps...
T5. Mr Carroll asked the Minister of Justice, given that people from a Catholic background represent just over 51% of the prison population whilst those from a Protestant or other Christian...
T6. Mr Honeyford asked the Minister of Justice what changes, if any, could be made in the justice system to support women and girls and build their confidence in it. (AQT 1166/22-27)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. We are all human, but today the Infrastructure Minister failed to answer a question in the Chamber. I understand that Ministers are briefed before they come into...
Debate resumed on amendments to motion: That this Assembly recognises that emergency services play a critical role in providing care to those in urgent need; expresses deep concern at the...
The following motion stood in the Order Paper: That this Assembly recognises the significant financial strain that high childcare costs continue to place on families across Northern Ireland;...
I beg to move That this Assembly notes several commitments in the Programme for Government to upscale renewable energy production; expresses concern that renewable energy generation has fallen...
