4. Miss Brogan asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the investment strategy for Northern Ireland. (AQO 1172/22-27)

The investment strategy proposes a positive vision for the next 30 years, including detailed plans for investment and enabling actions over the next decade. It encompasses all areas of public infrastructure and includes a framework for planning and prioritising infrastructure investment. It also sets out the outcomes that are required of that investment and the mechanisms that are needed to ensure its efficient and effective delivery. We are considering the draft investment strategy, after which we hope to be in a position to bring the strategy to the Executive. We expect that to happen in parallel with the final Programme for Government. Approval of the final investment strategy will, then, be a matter for the Executive.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an leas-Chéad Aire as a freagraí go dtí seo.

[Translation: I thank the deputy First Minister for her answer.]

She will, no doubt, agree that investing in infrastructure is key to growing our economy. Can the deputy First Minister, therefore, outline how she will ensure the successful delivery of the investment strategy?

I thank the Member for her important question. Investment in good infrastructure of the right type is an absolutely critical foundation of growing our economy and the delivery of public services in Northern Ireland.

Day in, day out, we see the challenges that public infrastructure can bring to service delivery and the impact that it can have on people's everyday lives.

We are determined that, through the investment strategy, we will tackle some of the big issues that have been barriers to delivery. That includes a very particular set of pieces of work, carried out by the Strategic Investment Board, to look at improvements to the business case process, the procurement process and, importantly, the planning process. We know that those three key issues can significantly slow down capital projects and investment.

I have said previously in the House that it is clear that if a project takes longer, it will cost more. When capital projects cost more than originally projected, we cannot do as much with the capital money that is left, which means that we will never reach our potential or achieve our aspirations. Improving the process is a huge part of our ability to deliver, and we are really focused on that.

On 'The View', the Infrastructure Minister did not recognise the Northern Ireland Water figure that 19,000 developments cannot be connected due to capacity issues. We know that the connection problem is an issue for housing associations that are trying to get houses onto the system. The draft housing strategy will be coming forward. How can we ensure that money is ring-fenced for Northern Ireland Water capital infrastructure projects, which will be vital to delivering our Programme for Government commitments.

I thank the Member for her question. That will be key to delivering against the nine priorities, which have been set out in the Programme for Government. In the public consultation, there was a very positive response to all nine priorities, but the Member is absolutely right that, if we are to achieve those priorities, we need to invest in infrastructure. The lack of such investment is a barrier.

Frankly, we know what the challenges are. It is important that we work together and get into problem-solving mode on all those issues, drive forward transformation of the process, ensure better implementation and delivery and — the Member was absolutely right to say this — get the right investment in the right place to ensure that we unlock the potential. A key priority is to build more social and affordable housing. We will only be able to do that if we fix the challenges that we have with water and sewerage. We want to work with Northern Ireland Water. We want solutions, not a computer-says-no approach. That will require investment, it will require us working with NI Water, and it will require NI Water to step up to look at those solutions and implement that change.

I was at the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry president's banquet dinner last week, as was the deputy First Minister, Sinéad and others. That was a wonderful occasion, and you spoke, deputy First Minister, about the investment strategy. There was such a can-do attitude in the room. To what degree will the private sector be able to drive prioritisation of the investment strategy?

I thank the Member for her question and commend the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry for a very successful event. When I said, "Computer says no", it was the event on Thursday night that jumped into my mind.

The Member is absolutely right about there being a can-do attitude. There is optimism throughout the business community in Northern Ireland. The Budget was very challenging for the business community, and I am sure that, like me, the Member picked that up from many of the businesses at the banquet. They have concerns about issues such as the increased National Insurance contributions for employers. My key message on Thursday night, which we need to work on, was about our determination and my determination to work hand in hand with the business community, because economic growth unlocks the potential of this place and helps with our public service delivery and our core public services. Of course, with economic growth comes better jobs, good jobs and the investment that we want to see in every part of Northern Ireland. We should be working very closely with the private sector and the business community to find solutions to the challenges that we face, push through that vision of optimism and see the tangible application and implementation of the changes that the business community wants to see.

Minister, when you were at the dinner on Thursday night — I do not begrudge you a night out — the Infrastructure Minister was on TV explaining that he does not think that there are fundamental challenges with how NI Water is funded. Clearly, there are, in that houses are not being built and major infrastructure developments in this region are being completely slowed down. You just said to your colleague that there needs to be practical action, and you just said to Paula Bradshaw —

Have you a question, Mr O'Toole?

— that we need to move from optimism to delivery. What does that look like? When will we actually see plans from the Executive —

Deputy First Minister.

— on how they will meaningfully increase the funding for Northern Ireland Water? At the minute, it is just words.

I thank the Member for his question. When I spoke at the NI Chamber dinner, I was representing the Northern Ireland Executive and showing our support for the vital work that our business community does. Over 1,000 people gathered at that dinner on Thursday night. It was a good opportunity for us, and for me on behalf of the Executive, to emphasise how important it is for us to work in partnership and in collaboration. In fact, our doing so is absolutely essential if we are to have that economic growth.

As was indicated earlier in response to another question, we are specifically looking at taking a number of key actions, which include making improvements to planning, procurement and business case processes. Those are all process aspects, but they really slow down the delivery and implementation of our capital programme.

In addition, we have extended the period of the investment strategy. Rather than have just a 10-year period, we are looking to extend the strategy to 2050. For the first time, we will therefore have an investment strategy that looks to the longer term — 30 years — and allows for such planning.

We have seen the Budget reset by the UK Government. The Budget largely focused on revenue. We anticipate that there will be an announcement about the Government's capital plans, and not just their plans for the next year but plans that set out their vision for the future. We are therefore hopeful that additional capital will be available, but we need to utilise it in a way that makes a meaningful difference. That means tackling the issues with water and sewage. It means having the right plan and making sure that the capacity is there to deliver it and that the implementation process is fit for purpose.

Question 5 has been withdrawn.