Arlene Foster
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Yet, like too many projects, it has been tied up in legal wrangles. Too many infrastructure projects are being swallowed up in the courts. We need to improve the expertise in infrastructure delivery. We need better infrastructure for the next generation, but key projects being delayed by 10-plus years is unsustainable.”
“Any agreement involves compromises but NDNA had two central pillars that, I believe, remain important: ambition for devolution and a new cultural deal. The breadth and depth of issues that NDNA set us all to deliver on would have been enough to fill an entire term or perhaps more, let alone two years of government.”
“That confidence-and-supply agreement will leave a legacy but also highlights our challenges. Some £150 million has been rolled out via Project Stratum to bring broadband to rural areas and leave Northern Ireland as the best-connected region in Europe. When it is completed, the project will be transformational to our economy.”
“However, such short-term advantage comes at the cost of long-term harm to relationships. It is not a real partnership. Imbalance and instability are built in that will fester and deteriorate. If Brussels continues to think that the protocol is enough, it is in denial.”
“Colleagues inside and outside the House know very well that all periods of leadership must come to an end. That is why, when we are privileged and, indeed, honoured to hold such a position, we must not waste a moment in frivolous brinkmanship but forge ahead on behalf of those whom we represent.”
“The recommendations of the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (FICT) are to be taken forward as well. I encourage all of you to do all of it, to take it forward in its totality and to speak of and implement it as one complete, independent package: a new cultural deal for Northern Ireland's new century.”
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Every one of 3,345 lines we hold for Arlene Foster, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 55 of 67.
“If there is one thing that comes out of this debate, it is that the Westminster election is definitely over, because Phil Flanagan is being very pleasant towards the Minister this morning. We all welcome that development. Obviously I congratulate the new Member of Parliament for South Antrim, who spoke on the order as well. <BR /> <BR />This is an important order. As Mr Flanagan pointed out, the main change under electricity market reform will be competition. There will be no guaranteed support in terms of renewable energy or electricity. Competition will be the fundamental change under electricity market reform and the move away from the NIRO to contracts for difference. I hope that cost, renewable deployment and all of those issues will be talked about in greater detail.”
“Provisions for eligible generators to avail themselves of a closure grace period will also be included. <BR /> <BR />The wider question of transition to contracts for difference raises significant implications for Northern Ireland, including cost to consumers, renewable energy deployment potential and the ability to meet 2020 renewable energy targets. I recently sought views from stakeholders on those strategic issues to inform future policy decisions on the way forward for renewable energy in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, the amendments in this order will provide enabling powers for my Department to introduce a closure order, which will also be subject to affirmative resolution and which will therefore come before the House.”
“Article 56(1) of the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 allows it to be amended to reflect changes to the primary legislation governing the renewables obligations in Great Britain, where a closure order has already been made. <BR /> <BR />This is purely an enabling measure. The substance of how we close the NIRO will be set out in the actual closure order, which I hope to bring before the Assembly prior to the summer recess. I issued a consultation on transition arrangements to contracts for difference and NIRO closure grace periods in March. That consultation ended on 15 April, and I hope to publish a response shortly. That will inform debate on the renewables obligation closure order, which is planned to close the NIRO to new generation and additional capacity from 1 April 2017.”
“However, as part of the UK-wide electricity market reform, the NIRO, along with the other two renewables obligations in Great Britain, is scheduled to close to new generation in March 2017. <BR /> <BR />A consultation on the NIRO closure in 2017 was undertaken in 2012, and the majority of respondents at that time agreed that it would not be viable to keep the NIRO open after 2017 if the other two renewables obligations in Great Britain were to close. The proposed Energy (Amendment) Order contains powers to allow my Department to make a renewables obligation closure order. It will amend the primary provisions in the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 relating to the NIRO.”
“This statutory rule is being made under powers in the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, which prescribes that this order must be laid in draft form for approval by affirmative resolution of the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />The changes that I am bringing forward in the draft order will amend the part of the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 that deals with renewables. Renewable electricity generation in Northern Ireland is incentivised through the Northern Ireland renewables obligation, or the NIRO, as it has become known. Since its introduction in 2005, the NIRO has been instrumental in increasing renewable deployment in Northern Ireland from 3% renewable electricity consumption in 2005 to approximately 20% now.”
“Such an expression is, of course, lazy politics and lazy journalism. Indeed, it is dangerous politics and dangerous journalism. Unlike the party opposite, I have a consistent record on opposing violence against anyone, regardless of their sexuality, their race, or their religious or political opinion. If respect and tolerance are to be the order of the day, it is a two-way street. To be clear, I and my party are willing to play our part, and I hope that there are those in the LGBT community who are willing to display respect and tolerance for those of us who believe in marriage.”
“However, you will not hear Sinn Féin campaigning for me and others like me, because it sponsored such actions. <BR /> <BR />This is the fourth time that this motion has come to the Assembly, and it causes distress every time. It causes distress to those who support the institution of marriage. Many have phoned, emailed or called with me, absolutely distressed at the prospect of redefinition. Frankly, it also causes distress to the LGBT community, as it raises unrealistic expectations every time the motion comes back to the House. Of course, Sinn Féin does not care that it causes widespread distress; in fact, that adds to its day. <BR /> <BR />Finally, those who support marriage and oppose its redefinition have been labelled "homophobic" by those in the House and outside it.”
“In many individual cases, you are my friends and I enjoy social fellowship, but don't allow Sinn Féin to suck you into their agenda. Remember it is themselves alone. As apologists for some of the most heinous crimes in Northern Ireland, they have zero credibility to campaign on any issue of equality." <BR /> <BR />I know that many gay people have been subject to homophobic attacks because they are in a minority. I know what it is like to live as part of a minority community. I know what it is like to be forced from my home because we did not agree with the mainstream view in our neighbourhood. I empathise with those victims of homophobic attacks. Those are wrong on every level, just as my forced exodus from my home at the age of eight was wrong.”
“<BR /> <BR />We should remember that Sinn Féin's equality agenda is not all that it would seem. It is a twisted logic brought forward to demonise those who disagree with it. Any motion from Sinn Féin on equality has to be put in the context of their party president, Gerry Adams, in Enniskillen a couple of months ago. I apologise to the House for the use of foul language, but, referring to this party, Mr Adams said that equality is being used as a "Trojan Horse" to "break these bastards". When it tried to murder and bomb us into submission, the IRA did not break this community, and it will not succeed in its false equality agenda either. For that is what it is: false. <BR /> <BR />To the gay community, I say: "I respect you.”
“I oppose the motion brought by Sinn Féin not out of love and respect for the homosexual community in Northern Ireland but for its own cynical party political posturing. Comments from Chris Lytle are, of course, also disgraceful, but some would say that that is more about his party's desperation in East Belfast than the debate in the House today. <BR /> <BR />The motion is couched in the usual Sinn Féin-speak of equality. The call for equality suggests that there are not equal rights for gay people in relationships, and that is, of course, factually wrong. We have civil partnerships in Northern Ireland, which allow persons of the same sex to acknowledge their commitment to each other in relationships. Civil partners in Northern Ireland enjoy the same rights as couples in a same-sex marriage in England.”
“He has actually picked up on a subject that I discussed with the Chamber of Commerce in Londonderry recently. I said to it that it was not just about looking at the number of jobs that come to the city; it was about the ecosystem in the city and going out of the city. Therefore, roads are critical and telecoms infrastructure is critical. He will know that the telecoms infrastructure within the city is very, very good and is a legacy of the City of Culture that took place there. There is much to talk about the future of the city and its economic prospects, but he is right to talk about the infrastructure as well as just looking at the Invest NI job numbers.”
“I think that there are legacy issues, which the Member is well aware of, in relation to economic inactivity in that constituency. There are issues in relation to youth unemployment in that city. When I met his colleague Mr Ramsey in relation to the economic inactivity draft strategy, he expressed hopes that he would be able to use that strategy and the pilots that would come out of it to help to deal with those legacy issues — I call them legacy issues because they have been there for a period of time — and, therefore, that is why there is a real need to deal with those issues.”
“I certainly know that Allstate and Concentrix have ambitious plans. They want to be on the former Maysfield Leisure Centre site in a few months' time. Both of those companies want to be on the site because they have plans for expansion in the future, and I think that we should very much welcome that. We should also hope that Belfast council will work with both of those companies to make sure that the plans go ahead.”
“Allstate and Concentrix are two very important foreign direct investors in Northern Ireland. I met senior teams from both of those organisations recently, and I am aware that both organisations have plans for expansion in Belfast and both have recently submitted planning applications for new development that will be in front of the new Belfast council. I hope that they will be able to develop in the way in which they have said that they want to.”
“I am hugely surprised that a current Member of Parliament should say such a thing about our biggest investor in Northern Ireland. I hope that the Member who made the comments reflects on the comments and, indeed, apologies to Bombardier for the embarrassment that she has caused.”
“I could do well, as could our most major investor in Northern Ireland, without the comments of her colleague Naomi Long about Bombardier yesterday. I have been in contact with Bombardier, and it is very concerned about the comments that have been made. Bombardier is completely committed to Northern Ireland because of the workforce that there is here, and to suggest that it would act otherwise following a referendum on the European Union when the company has made it clear that it does not have a particular stance on the UK referendum, if, indeed, it happens after the general election, is irresponsible.”
“No, I do not share her concerns at all. What concerns me is the number of small businesses that have approached me and many of my colleagues in relation to the concerns that they have about the provision of services in the future. It is a concern that she and her party would do well to acknowledge as well because we are not just interested in foreign direct investment; we are also very interested in our indigenous companies.”
“To be fair, if you have not capitalised on those worldwide pictures, one has to ask, "Why not?". Those were really iconic pictures. I recall a debate on the mid-glens recently when we were treated to the Deputy Speaker telling us all about the different glens in and around the glens of Antrim. It was very enjoyable, but people have to come forward with applications to Tourism NI. I very much hope that they do, and I understand that they have in relation to the tourism events fund. I am sure that the Member, like me, is very much looking forward to the opening of the Gobbins path, which will be an outstanding tourist attraction in his area, and I hope that his new council will take full benefit of it.”
“I could give a very short answer to that, but, absolutely, it will be. It is one of the nine tourism destinations and one that Members from his area should be very proud of. I had the opportunity to visit Whiterocks recently to see the new facilities there, and I encourage all Members who have not been to visit that new facility to do so.”
“If the Member wants to indicate why he believes that capital allowances would be particularly helpful in relation to the enterprise zone in Ballymena, I am more than happy to listen to that.”
“As the Member knows, the pilot enterprise zone has still to be designated in Coleraine. Whilst there has been progress on the matter recently between the council and, indeed, the private sector in Coleraine, it remains outstanding. Therefore, we need to deal with the matter in front of us, which is the Coleraine enterprise zone. <BR /> <BR />This enterprise zone is a different creature to the enterprise zone creature that was available back in the 1980s. We have planning policy devolved to Northern Ireland; indeed, it is now devolved to local councils, and the telecoms policy is there. The other issue is in relation to capital allowances, which is the only issue that we have control over, and that is one of the reasons why a data centre is well suited to an enterprise zone.”
“First of all, we were not appointed as a task force; we were appointed as the two responsible Ministers to liaise with the management and workers at Gallaher. We have continued to do that. As he will be aware, a proposal was put forward between the workers and the local management to the management in Switzerland. That was rejected, and, therefore, Gallaher's management has decided to proceed with the plant's closure on a phased basis. I understand that it has made packages available to staff, and that process is ongoing.”
“Of course, the public procurement rules are sometimes a mystery to all of us. Through InterTradeIreland, we have established a go-to-tender programme that allows companies in Northern Ireland to bid in to procurement projects in the Republic of Ireland and vice versa so that they can access those projects on the island. We have supported companies that continue to work here. They may perhaps be engaged in projects in Great Britain at the moment, but they keep their design facilities and intellectual property here in Northern Ireland. We will continue to work with the construction industry.”
“I recognise that it has been a concern of Members that skills may be lost in the construction arena, with young people in particular emigrating to other parts of the world because of the lack of construction jobs in Northern Ireland. It is a challenge for the Minister for Employment and Learning and me to ensure that those skills are retained and that we continue to provide them into the future. We may find ourselves in a situation where we have skill gaps in the future because young people have left. We need to be very aware of that and to make sure that we continue to train young people in those jobs. Although construction was down again in the last quarter, I believe that there are signs that things are beginning to pick up. Certainly, for the first time, I am seeing construction projects start all over Northern Ireland.”
“Indeed. I commend Brian McConville and his team in Mivan Marine Ltd. I was due to visit Brian and his team, but, unfortunately, due to a death in the family I was not able to attend. The junior Minister attended in my place, and I understand that things are going well. In its first year of trading, Mivan Marine Ltd achieved profit with a turnover of £9·7 million to the year end — December 2014 — and currently employs 99 full-time staff. That is good news for Antrim and for Mivan in particular, because, as the Member rightly says, it was a very different story some 12 months ago.”
“Invest Northern Ireland releases information at subregional level following each financial year end. Therefore, the most up-to-date figures available show that, between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2014, Invest NI offered support to 428 start-up projects in the South Antrim constituency area. Of those projects, 400 were supported indirectly by Invest NI through the regional start initiative, formerly known as the enterprise development programme.”
“It is too soon to answer that question, because the new powers have just been devolved. It will be interesting to see the way in which they develop over the next couple of years. Invest will be very much part of the community planning process at each of the council area levels, so there is that connectivity between regional level and the local council area. I referred to the app that has been set up in Strabane: it is a piece of collaborative working between Invest NI and the new council, which was in shadow form at that time. I will be happy to look, in the future, at what else can be devolved, but, at the moment, we have devolved some powers, and we wait to see how they will be exercised.”
“The original allocation to the 11 councils was £3·55 million, but, as a result of budget restructuring, that has been subject to a reduction. The reduced amount transferring is £3·01 million. As I have indicated, economic powers transferring from Invest NI include functions in relation to enterprise awareness, the start-a-business activity and social enterprise. It is for individual councils to decide how they wish to exercise those powers. Some may wish to continue with the start-a-business programme. They will have to procure a new contract in relation to that, as it ends, I think, in October this year. They may want to do things in a different way that will suit their agenda and their rural area, but we stand ready to help in any way we can from a strategic point of view.”
“The new powers that are being devolved from Invest Northern Ireland relate to enterprise awareness, the start-a-business activity and social enterprise. I acknowledge that they are not as comprehensive as the new planning powers that are being devolved from the Department of the Environment. Because of our network of offices across Northern Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland officials stand ready to work with council officials or, indeed, council members across Northern Ireland. If a request in relation to training comes in, which has not happened to date, I am sure Invest officials will try to facilitate that.”
“As a statutory partner in community planning, Invest Northern Ireland has been actively working with council officials and elected representatives on the transfer of functions and its community planning activities. While no formal training has been provided to local councillors in advance of the transfer of new economic powers, both my Department and Invest NI are committed to continuing to provide as much ongoing support and guidance as may be required.”
“It will be a long time before we have 100% fibre to every home in Northern Ireland. What we are trying to do at the moment is ensure that there is fibre to cabinet in some of the schemes that we have been involved in. Fibre to the home is more expensive again. We want to ensure, through the broadband improvement project, which is still ongoing and which does not finish until the end of this year — and I accept that there are still some areas have to be dealt with — that people have a basic broadband in certain areas where there is no service and improve broadband services where choice is poor or speeds are low. That is what we are engaged in at present. I must say, however, that it will be a very long time before we have fibre to every home in Northern Ireland.”
“The Superfast Rollout programme is a £17 million programme that has just begun, and its coverage will be extended to over 38,000 premises by 2017. As it has just begun, we do not have the figures for Newry and Armagh at present. <BR /> <BR />The SuperConnected Cities programme started life as a voucher scheme in Belfast; businesses could apply for a £3,000 voucher. It was then rolled out to our second city, Londonderry, and now it will be available for councils across Northern Ireland to bid into. I encourage councils in the Member's area, or in the area of any other Member, to apply to the SuperConnected Cities programme. That name is a misnomer: it started life as a cities' programme, but it will now be available right across Northern Ireland.”
“I do not have the figures for the Republic of Ireland because we work in the United Kingdom system. Ofcom looks at how the regions of the UK are doing. Wales and Scotland, particularly, sometimes look at Northern Ireland with envy in relation to some of the schemes that we have been able to roll out, whether it is the Northern Ireland broadband improvement project; the Superfast Rollout programme, which we began in February of this year; or the SuperConnected Cities programme, which we hope to expand beyond Londonderry and Belfast and into the rest of Northern Ireland. So there is quite a lot going on in relation to broadband. We make no apology for that because we want to retain our position as number one in the UK.”
“According to Ofcom's latest infrastructure report, at June 2014 the number of premises that had taken up superfast broadband services in Northern Ireland stood at 22%, having risen by some three percentage points on the previous year. That is on a par with the take-up in England and considerably above that of similar services in Scotland and Wales.”
“I suppose that it is a bit of swings and roundabouts, but we totally understand that, for those people who are doing business across the border, it is very difficult at the moment.”
“Given the answers that I have just made about the number of firms and the percentage of firms that take their first step into exporting by working across the border, it is a very difficult picture at the moment because a stronger pound makes our goods and services more expensive in the eurozone market, not just in the Republic of Ireland. As well as for goods, it is the same for tourism. When considering destinations, of course tourists are usually price-sensitive. It could be a barrier to those people who are perhaps looking at coming to Northern Ireland from the eurozone. <BR /> <BR />However, on a positive note, goods and services, such as energy and food, which we import from the eurozone will of course be cheaper for businesses and households in Northern Ireland.”
“Well, they are not proposed cuts: those cuts are already in place. They were agreed at the last inter-trade sectoral meeting. I think that my counterpart, Richard Bruton, understands the issue with regard to Northern Ireland, because they went through a similar issue in the Republic of Ireland a number of years ago.”
“Around two thirds of small and medium-sized companies already take their first step into exporting by working with their nearest neighbours in the Republic of Ireland. That is their first step into the export market. Indeed, 90% of Northern Ireland exporters took their first step into exporting by trading across the border first and then looking to new and different markets. There is a very healthy cross-border market ongoing. Of course, InterTradeIreland and Invest Northern Ireland will continue to help those companies who want to take that first step.”
“InterTradeIreland also supports businesses, through its innovation and trade programmes, to take advantage of North/South cooperation opportunities to improve capability and drive competitiveness, jobs and growth.”
“The all-Ireland market is an important market for many of our businesses, large and small. Specific industry sectors, such as construction and food, continue to deliver significant sales across the island. Invest Northern Ireland works directly with many of these businesses to support and assist their export plans. <BR /> <BR />The trade and business development body InterTradeIreland offers practical cross-border funding information, advice and support to small and medium-sized industries in both jurisdictions and continues to develop an environment in which the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland cooperate to ensure that SMEs are making full use of cross-border opportunities to drive competitiveness, growth and jobs.”
“I do think that we have to look at new and innovative ways to try to incentivise people into work. There are those who are not in work at present because of deep-seated problems — some of them mental health problems. Issues need to be addressed. That is why the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety was involved in the formulation of the strategy. There is no doubt that there are also those on welfare who do not believe that it would benefit them to go into work because it would disadvantage them. We need to incentivise those people into work, because work is not just good for bringing home a wage at the end of the week or month but is good for one's mental health. To be able to engage in gainful employment is good generally for the society and community within which people dwell.”
“We have recognised that and, with the strategy in place after the Executive meeting this week, we hope we will be able to move forward.”
“Yes, I do, particularly if we are able to continue on the route of the devolution of corporation tax, because, as I am sure the Member is aware, the studies from the Northern Ireland Centre for Economic Policy — now the Ulster University Business School — indicate that that is going to grow the economy by 10% or 11%, so that will allow us to employ more people right across Northern Ireland and will deal with some the legacy issues that we have had to deal with over the past period. It is true that we have the highest level of economic inactivity in the United Kingdom. Next to us are Wales, with 25·6%, and the north-west of England, on 24%. We currently stand at 27·8%, and that is something that we need to tackle.”
“There is no doubt that the inertia that seems to have arrived within Sinn Féin at the moment in dealing with the Stormont House Agreement is something to be deeply regretted, because I believe that we need to get on and deal with the issues that were agreed back in December. That will free us up to deal with all of the issues on the agenda, including corporation tax, because, of course, we have not had the opportunity to set the date and the rate as yet because we are in a state of limbo in relation to corporation tax until the welfare reforms, which were agreed in December, are implemented.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst the Member makes the point about west Belfast — I acknowledge the point that he makes in relation to economic inactivity there — the latest figures show that there has been a sustained fall in the number of people claiming unemployment benefits in west Belfast since 2013, something that I hope he will welcome, as I do, but there is much more work to be done. With the strategy in place, hopefully, after the Executive meeting this week, it is something that we will be able to take forward.”
“I am pleased that Sinn Féin has now agreed to allow the matter to go on to the Executive agenda and that we will be able to have the matter before the Executive, hopefully on Thursday, because the strategy has particular actions in it that I think will be of use to the Member in his own constituency and, indeed, to many members across Northern Ireland. It will have competitive pilot testing of innovative ways to try to deal with the economic inactivity that persists as a legacy issue for Northern Ireland. It is also going to establish and facilitate a strategic forum to oversee strategic delivery issues.”
“My Department and the Department for Employment and Learning, in conjunction with the Department for Social Development, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and Invest NI, have developed a draft strategy to reduce the high levels of economic inactivity in Northern Ireland. The draft strategy seeks to help key economically inactive groups make the transition towards, and into, the labour market. The draft strategy is currently with the Executive for consideration. Once agreed, we will commence implementation at the earliest opportunity.”
“Absolutely, and that is the point that I have been making for quite some time. The new super-councils have a very much enhanced role with the new powers that they have been given, particularly in relation to the Start a Business programme and social entrepreneurship and, indeed, others who want to start up, particularly young people. The new councils have been given powers in that regard as well and overall in the sense of promoting their areas as a good place in which to do business. I am sure that he was delighted to see the announcement that we made just recently in Craigavon, where 320 jobs were announced for his area. That was a tremendous announcement, which I was very pleased to make.”
“It is something that we should all welcome.”
“Of course, I am particularly delighted to see the progress that is being made in relation to the gas to the west project. Ms Boyle's first question was about Strabane, and it is to Strabane that the gas network will be extended first. Work will commence on that part of the pipeline later this year, with the first customer, we hope, connected in 2016. The main pipeline works to provide for the connections in the west for the other part of the gas to the west project — to Dungannon, Coalisland, Cookstown, Magherafelt, Omagh, Enniskillen and Derrylin — are planned to commence in 2016 and should be completed in 2017. We should be cognisant of the importance of this piece of infrastructure because it will give individuals a chance to connect to natural gas and will be part of the investment story for the west of the Province.”