Nelson McCausland
North Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Such an attack on a garage forecourt, where people are milling around — young people, elderly folk, people out and about their business, as well as the intended target — means that anyone could have been cut down and killed on the spot last night. It is reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s in Belfast.”
“The event that took place on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast last night was an appalling attempt to murder a police officer or police officers. It is a chilling and terrible reminder of those dark days — some of the darkest days — when such attacks were a regular occurrence in Belfast.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer and also for his answer to the earlier question regarding uncertainties with youth funding issues. I thank him for his clarification. What is his assessment of the value and benefits that flow from the work of those whom we are speaking about?”
“Fortunately, on the previous occasion of an attack on the Crumlin Road not so long ago, the intended victims were not killed. It is a stark reminder of the responsibility of all of us to make sure that those who are responsible for such attacks are brought before the courts.”
“On a point of order, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. May I ask that the Speaker review Question Time today in Hansard? Some Members were permitted to preface and contextualise their question with a couple of sentences without interruption, some Members managed it with interruption and some of us were interrupted in the first sentence.”
“Some might argue that the Gaels were Planters as well. Would the Minister undertake to work with the relevant folk in the Department for Communities and the Minister there, who have responsibility for the Ulster-Scots Agency, to see if additional resources could be afforded to enable it to work up additional work in that context because o…”
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“As a member of the Education Committee and a former science teacher, I support the motion. It is a very relevant motion. The subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM as we describe them, are extremely important, and the motion refers to a number of recent reports and evaluations that emphasise the importance of children having access to and a good knowledge of those subjects.”
“Does the Member share my appreciation of the fact that, when he mentions William Thomson — Lord Kelvin — Hans Sloane and Francis Hutcheson, he mentions three of the individuals who are pre-eminent in the contribution of the Ulster Scots to the history of Northern Ireland?”
“<BR /> <BR />We face difficult financial times, and it will be difficult for a number of these arm's-length bodies over the coming year. Nevertheless, we wish them well. The Committee supports the Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />Inevitably, important programmes and projects are lost when budgets are reduced. However, we must all become more creative and collaborative in our use of funding and look to other sources of revenue. In that context, the Committee was briefed last week by the EU unit of Belfast City Council. There was a general belief that more could be done in accessing money and resources from that source. We were impressed by the unit's success in placing, effectively, this work — EU networks and policy development — at the heart of what it does. It really does provide a model that Departments and the new super-councils could learn from. There is no alternative to new ways of thinking about funding, and the Committee is keen to play its part.”
“<BR /> <BR />Armagh Observatory and Armagh Planetarium will go into 2015-16 with a budget of £1·4 million, a reduction of over £170,000 on this year. With such a small budget to start with, it is imperative that the impact of the reduction on the bodies' budget be carefully monitored so that it does not have a disproportionate impact. The Committee places considerable value on the work of those bodies and appreciates the global reputation that they enjoy. <BR /> <BR />As I have already indicated, NI Screen has benefited from additional funding from the Executive to ensure that inescapable pressures can be met. The Committee welcomes this. The Northern Ireland Museums Council must find savings of £30,000. However, the Committee is discussing options with the body, and the Department and members are hopeful that solutions can be found.”
“<BR /> <BR />Sport NI's budget reduction for 2015-16 of just over £1 million will see decreases in grants and performance and coaching activities of £800,000; it will also see the body reducing its administrative overheads by £250,000. However, Members are aware that the body has exciting plans in the year ahead that will see greater cooperation with the new super-councils. It is to be hoped that economies of scale, together with the pooling of resources, will ensure that ambition in sport here will not be diminished. <BR /> <BR />The North/South language bodies and Waterways Ireland, while outside the scope of this budget reduction exercise, will see their budgets fall by over £1 million collectively, as agreed at the relevant North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) meetings.”
“Over £1·1 million will be reduced from intended grants, as well as pay bill and administrative cost reductions of almost £250,000. <BR /> <BR />The Committee knows that the Arts Council intends to approach grants reductions in a strategic way that will seek to minimise the impact on the body's overall strategic functions, and members commend that. However, its budget of £11·1 million going into 2015-16 will create tremendous challenges, and the Committee is hopeful that an upcoming Executive arts and culture strategy may see greater cross-departmental funding of arts and culture, which could see overall funding for the sectors increase.”
“However, temporary and relief staff will go, opening hours will reduce and the budget for new stock will see a considerable fall. The Committee has been a strong supporter of our libraries and believes that they are not only at the heart of our communities but that they can further be developed as venues and hubs for arts and culture. That could provide new revenue streams and, potentially, allow for longer opening. The reduction of almost £2·4 million will leave Libraries NI with a budget of £29·4 million for 2015-16. <BR /> <BR />The Arts Council sought to minimize the impact of in-year budget reductions over the last year on its clients by absorbing those internally. The Committee applauds that principled approach. However, it will not be possible for the body to absorb the £1·4 million budget reduction it faces in 2015-16.”
“The Department intends to manage its budget reduction through decreasing its pay bill by £1·4 million, reducing grants and programmes by £867,000, and reducing overheads by £100,000. <BR /> <BR />The Committee accepts the need for the Department to reduce administration costs to more manageable levels. Members hope that that can be achieved equitably and sensibly through a voluntary exit scheme for staff and other measures. The Committee will scrutinise reductions to the core programme budget in the months ahead. <BR /> <BR />We also commend the efforts that have been made by the Executive and the Minister to minimise the reduction to the Libraries NI budget. That will now amount to 7·5%, and it is anticipated that no libraries will have to close.”
“It is important to the Committee that work continues, and members were pleased to note an allocation of £630,000 for the development of the subregional stadium plan in the January monitoring round. The Committee is probing how that money will be spent and what work that will entail. <BR /> <BR />The upshot of the Executive's reconsideration of the DCAL budget means that the reduction amounts to 8·2%, rather than 10%. There will be a reduction to the Libraries NI budget of 7·5% and reductions of 11·2% in all other areas. The core departmental budget of £19·6 million includes the additional allocation for the development of the subregional stadium plan and £500,000 for essential building overheads at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).”
“That will go towards addressing inescapable pressures in the Department and to NI Screen for its skills development work, including Cinemagic. Therefore, rather than the budget of £89·9 million as first anticipated, DCAL will have a current expenditure budget of £91·7 million for 2015-16. <BR /> <BR />As a result of delays to the Casement Park development, the DCAL capital investment allocation for 2015-16 will be £8·1 million, not the £54·1 million first envisaged. The Committee has put on record its concerns around the delays on Casement Park having a knock-on impact on the other aspects of the Executive's regional and subregional stadium programme.”
“However, Northern Ireland is subject to the same financial realities as the rest of the developed world and is subject to the same pain in the wake of financial crises that are beyond our control. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also considered reductions to the DCAL budget from the perspective of ensuring that no aspects of the Department's remit are so hollowed out that they are damaged beyond repair. That is not an easy task. DCAL has a relatively small budget, and the reduction may also seem small in terms of the overall Budget at the Executive's disposal. However, the Department is facing a 10% budget reduction compared with the 2014-15 budget, and that will inevitably cause pain. <BR /> <BR />The Committee welcomes the fact that the initial budget reduction was lessened by the Executive finding a further almost £2 million for DCAL.”
“It sets out the Department's savings delivery plans, impact assessments of the budget reductions and risk management plans, as well as those of its arm's-length bodies. The Committee has also written to the DCAL's arm's-length bodies for more detailed savings delivery plans and will seek to be briefed on those in the weeks ahead. <BR /> <BR />Like all Members, I and the Committee would prefer that budget reductions did not have to be made.”
“<BR /> <BR />Throughout the budget reduction process, the Committee has stressed that reductions must be applied as part of a strategy that seeks to protect front-line services to our communities and to support the Department's stated objective of promoting equality and tackling poverty and social exclusion. The Committee began its scrutiny of the draft DCAL budget for 2015-16 on 25 November and heard from officials about the Department's plans for the allocated budget reduction. We were then briefed on the content of the consultation. The Committee subsequently received a summary of the responses to the original draft Budget consultation. In addition, at the Committee's meeting on Thursday, it received and considered a further budget paper from the Department.”
“The Committee was briefed by the Minister in early October 2014, and, at that stage, members began to probe what the likely size and impact of the reduction to the departmental budget would be. At that stage, the Minister did not know the exact size of the reduction. However, she indicated that the departmental arm's-length bodies had been instructed to make plans for savings at a variety of different levels. The Committee ascertained at that stage that a strategic approach to budget reductions, rather than a simple salami-slicing exercise, would be taken by the Minister and her arm's-length bodies. The Committee also heard from some of the Department's arm's-length bodies on how they will seek to manage reductions to their budgets in the year ahead.”
“Could I suggest to the Member that if, come the elections next year, her political career comes to an end, she should certainly have a career in writing fiction? All the hard work with DWP was done by the Department, by me and by this party, and the input from her party was zero.”
“In view of the number of places to which trained teachers can apply, and if the Minister has the number who are being trained, will he tell us whether he would support the removal of the requirement that to teach in Roman Catholic maintained schools requires a special certificate, which is viewed by many people as a discriminatory practice?”
“However, a significant proportion of the figure — over £1·5 million — is in the form of accruals from the previous financial year. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, the Committee has been largely supportive of DCAL bids during the past year. In considering the way forward, members stress the importance of making sure that the necessary funds continue to be made available to DCAL so that it can continue to deliver its programmes and to conduct its functions effectively. On behalf of the Committee, I support the motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee is also supportive of the additional funding flowing from the recent January monitoring round for NI Screen and Cinemagic. Members are aware of the important work on skills development that that funding will support, and it is clear that the creative industries, including film and television production and digital technologies, will be vital to the transformation of our economy. <BR /> <BR />Sport NI has also received additional funding of over £4 million from the original planned Budget position. That change reflects successful bids in monitoring rounds over the year for resource and capital, including sports-related bids under PETPSE and T:BUC, as well as for the UK City of Culture legacy for the greater north-west. The legacy bids include resource and capital, one example being the north-west sports village.”
“The Committee is particularly pleased that the orchestra has received half a million pounds through the recent January monitoring round. That alleviates its immediate financial difficulties. However, the Committee appreciates that that is a short-term measure and that work must be done to secure a long-term and sustainable future for the orchestra. The Committee is keen that this issue should continue to receive the Department and the Executive's attention. Members of the Committee right across the board place a considerable value on the Ulster Orchestra as one of the core elements in our cultural infrastructure as a region within the United Kingdom, and it is important that the support is there for the Ulster Orchestra.”
“Recently, the Committee visited the Ulster Museum, and members were pleased to see how the facility is being developed as a cultural and educational resource. <BR /> <BR />The Committee remains very supportive of the departmental bids for resources through the monitoring rounds for libraries, and it supports the efforts that are being made to ensure that the library estate is well maintained and that libraries remain open against the current difficult financial backdrop. However, the Committee is keen to ensure that the value of libraries to our communities is not forgotten, and members support the Department and the Executive's work to make libraries a key element of any community renewal. <BR /> <BR />Members will also be aware that the Committee has been vocal in its support for the Ulster Orchestra.”
“The Committee is supportive of both bidding vehicles. However, again, the Committee has not always been clear that those bids are part of a clear, planned strategy. Members see the value of the individual bids, but they often seem to be spontaneous, rather than part of an overall strategic approach. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has considered the increased provision for National Museums Northern Ireland over the year and is supportive of bids that have been made through monitoring rounds for necessary work to maintain the NMNI estate. The Committee believes that it is important to ensure that the fabric of our museums is fit for purpose and provides an inviting environment for visitors.”
“The year was, indeed, a great success for the city, and the Committee was extremely supportive of the Department's work on the matter. The Department is keen to ensure that there is a lasting legacy from the events of 2013, as, indeed, is the Committee. However, the Committee has not always been clear about how those bids are part of a fully considered and planned legacy strategy. The bids have brought additional resources to the core departmental arts and cultural policy business areas. While that is to be welcomed, the Committee continues to scrutinise the use of those resources. <BR /> <BR />The Department has also made a number of successful monitoring round bids for resource and capital under the promotion of equality and tackling poverty and social exclusion (PETPSE) and Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC).”
“The Committee also voiced its concern that the money for the project should not be wasted and that delay on Casement should not impact on the progress of the Executive-approved regional stadium development programme, which includes, as I said already, the football subregional stadium element. <BR /> <BR />During the year, the Department made a number of successful resource and capital bids through monitoring rounds for the UK City of Culture legacy. That refers to Londonderry's year as UK City of Culture in 2013.”
“The Committee has been briefed on the issues involved, and the Department and the GAA are talking about a new planning application, although, as that involves an application, and the consultation around that, it will probably take most of this year. <BR /> <BR />Members expressed some concern regarding the absence of any anticipatory work that might have been carried forward to address the underspend, and there was also concern about the implications for the work on the subregional football stadia in due course, which may be put back a little because of that.”
“<BR /> <BR />The most significant change in the core departmental provision is the £62 million that was returned during the year because of issues around the stadium redevelopment programme. As Members are aware, there was an issue around perceived state aid, and then there was the situation around the recent judicial review of the Casement Park planning application, which saw the Environment Minister's planning approval overturned. It is good to see the work that has been done at Ravenhill and Windsor Park, but there has been a substantial delay to the commencement of the redevelopment project at Casement, and funding that should have been used has had to be returned.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. While the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has one of the smallest departmental budgets in the Assembly, it has an important remit nevertheless, which covers a range of activities that impact on the daily lives and social and economic well-being of everyone living in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has actively scrutinised the changes in the DCAL budget position throughout the year, subsequent to the monitoring rounds. I have to say that the Committee has experienced some difficulty in so doing, and in having access to monitoring round papers in a timely fashion. This is an issue that has been raised with the Minister and the Department. However, members have done their best in the circumstances.”
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. In relation to the question asked by my colleague Mr Weir to the Culture Minister, is it in order for the Minister to mislead the House in relation to the strategies for the Irish language and Ulster-Scots language and culture? She did not table her strategies for the Executive meetings, and she neither sought nor secured the approval of the Executive for them. Therefore, they have no status whatsoever.”
“When can I raise my point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker?”
“The film and creative industries are hugely important for job creation and our economy. Does the Minister recognise the opportunities that arise in her constituency with the arrival of the University of Ulster, with all of the creative energy around that and the potential even to develop some activity in the film and creative industries in that area as the university comes on site?”
“The Minister referred to the Colmcille project, which dates back quite a number of years to the days of direct rule and the Northern Ireland Office. I understand the arrangements — I think — that are being put in place, but no budget is set side against Colmcille. Does that mean that it is a separate budget or is that money being subsumed into the figures that are quoted here for the North/South body? The problem always was that, on top of what was given to the North/South body and Foras na Gaeilge, there was top-up money for Gaelic culture and language, with no equivalent for the Ulster-Scots and Scots traditions.”
“The figures quoted in the statement are £24 million for 2014 and almost £22 million for 2015. Given what is being delivered, is it not the case that Northern Ireland is being short-changed? How much are we putting in, so as we can assess whether we are being short-changed?”
“The submission from the sectoral body for Irish-medium education to the Northern Ireland language strategy said that Irish-medium education was about more than just language; it was also about, "our own sense of identity", protecting us from "trends towards assimilation" and allowing us to "maintain our distinctiveness". Since it says that Irish-medium education is about affirming and validating an Irish identity as much as it is about learning the Irish language, does the Member agree that it is equally important that the cultural rights of children in the controlled sector have the same level of respect, implementation and funding?”
“Does the Member accept that there would be huge anger in the Shankill area of Belfast, where Malvern Primary School has been recommended for closure by the Belfast Education and Library Board, despite having around 100 pupils? If they find that the Minister opens an Irish-medium secondary school in Dungiven with 14 pupils and closes a controlled school with around 100 pupils in a unionist area in Belfast, there will be huge anger at the inconsistency and hypocrisy.”
“Yes. I have another 10 seconds, thank you. <BR /> <BR />We should be getting as much money as possible right there into the classrooms to benefit children.”
“That is what this is about to a large degree: keeping and grabbing as much as he can into the centre so that he can go around as Mr Bountiful, handing out money to projects that he personally likes. The victims in this and the people who suffer are the children, teachers and schools across Northern Ireland. They lose out on money so that he can fund his favourite schemes and lavish money on them as he does. <BR /> <BR />We should be in the business of empowering schools. As the Chair of the Committee said, we should be in the business of resourcing schools. We should not be in the business of having lots of special interventions. Quite frankly, the running of many of them is cumbersome, burdensome and is not necessarily being done most effectively. We should be moving towards the position in England of getting as much money as possible —”
“That seems to be the way in which money is dealt with in DE. <BR /> <BR />I also noticed that, a few weeks ago, the Minister announced that he was giving an extra £140,000 to Irish-medium youth work. In the scheme of things, £140,000 is not the biggest sum in the world. It is a big sum for most of us, but, in the scheme of the budget of the Department of Education, it is not that big an amount. We are talking about many millions of pounds. Bearing it in mind that, I think, around 1% of children go to Irish-medium schools — it is a smallish figure anyway — if you scale the £140,000 up, you are talking about putting the equivalent of £14 million into one of the Minister's personal party pet projects.”
“Back in the October monitoring round, the paper stated that the Department of Education was transferring up to £1 million to DCAL in respect of the City of Culture and that the actual amount was being finalised. It did not tell us what it was for nor what the final amount was, but the Minister said that he was prepared to transfer £1 million from the education budget to the DCAL budget. If it is the case that this Department is strapped for cash and is facing a very strict, difficult and challenging time, why is the Minister suddenly handing away £1 million to another Department? I think that this is about the Minister having money in the centre — a slush fund or whatever you call it, money lying around — that can be put into pet projects or shifted off or decanted to another Sinn Féin Department.”
“It may be simply that the Minister wants to keep more money in the centre so that he has more money to run his pet projects and can lavish resources on them. I do not believe that that is the right way to run an education Department. Money should be directed to schools and to schools directly as far as possible. We should protect the classroom, and, certainly, there should be no reduction in the money going to classrooms. The cuts should be made elsewhere. <BR /> <BR />I have talked about the Minister's pet projects. I just looked at two examples that came to mind. This was not a case of going through the Department's entire budget very carefully: two things just stood out in the past while.”
“I am in a similar position to many other Members, in that I have received a vast amount of correspondence on this important issue. I find it hard to decide whether this is a tactical approach by the Minister or a ploy — I have to say that it would be a very callous ploy, if it is one — to present as difficult a picture as possible to extract more money out of the system. This question has already been asked: if there is more money, where does it come from? The Finance Minister is a politician; he is not a magician. He cannot conjure money out of thin air. If money is to be moved into education, it has to be taken away from some other Department. There is the challenge and the difficulty. <BR /> <BR />It may not be tactical: it could be simply political.”
“Cyberbullying has been highlighted quite a lot in the press in recent days. Will the Minister tell us what ideas are being considered in order to give schools some guidance in dealing with that?”
“Will the Minister ensure, then, that the issue of financial sustainability is incorporated into the new arts and culture strategy that her Department is about to develop? Since the issue affects those across the arts and cultural sector, will she ensure that the process of developing that strategy is inclusive of all cultural traditions in Northern Ireland?”
“DCAL's activities contribute significantly to our economy, health and well-being and they enrich us all.”
“Nevertheless, the Committee is very supportive of maximising the drawdown of EU funding to supplement budgets. We believe that more could be done in that area. Cooperation with the new super-councils would allow economies of scale etc to be utilised. Savings through intra- and interdepartmental cooperation need to be examined. This is a Department with quite a range of arm's-length bodies.”
“Most savings will come from the grant programmes. However, it is likely that some of Sport NI's excellent work in the development of sporting bodies' governance and accountability structures will have to be curtailed. The Committee is concerned that the reduction of core funding provided by Sport NI to Disability Sport NI (DSNI), to £146,000 in 2015-16, jeopardises the "whole-of-Northern-Ireland" aspect of DSNI's work. The Committee believes that the work that DSNI undertakes epitomises the DCAL core objective of promoting equality and tackling poverty and social exclusion. We believe that its funding should be protected. <BR /> <BR />Without detailed savings delivery plans, it is very difficult for the Committee to make definitive comments.”
“However, it could represent the end of a range of activities and organisations across the arts sector. Again, we need to think very carefully when assuming that cuts of relatively small amounts will not have disproportionate impacts and consequences. <BR /> <BR />The proposed reduction in National Museums NI's budget from £12·76 million to £11·33 million in 2015-16 will mean periodic closures across the museums estate and a reduction in events and special exhibitions. In many cases, National Museums Northern Ireland's activities have a cross-departmental emphasis, and therefore should be considered for co-funding with other Departments and included in the development of an arts and culture strategy. <BR /> <BR />Sport NI's budget is proposed to fall from £9·27 million to £8·23 million in 2015-16.”
“There is, however, a downside to that level of protection for the Libraries NI budget, as it means that budget reduction across the rest of the DCAL family rises to 11·2%. The impact of cuts this size will be considerable and, in some areas, potentially irreversible. <BR /> <BR />As part of its draft Budget consultation, DCAL has proposed an arts and culture strategy. The Committee believes that that represents the best way forward to secure the long-term future of the arts and culture sectors. It should provide an opportunity to take a clearer cross-departmental approach to the arts and culture, including for funding. <BR /> <BR />It is proposed that the Arts Council's budget will fall from £12·3 million to £10·9 million. That cut of £1·4 million may seem small in relative terms.”
“The Department has indicated that it will seek to realise savings through the reconfiguration of back-room services. Committee members suggest that that is undertaken in full cooperation with the arm's-length bodies and other Departments. At the Committee's urging, DCAL officials undertook to examine options around utilising the change fund and financial transactions capital. However, the Committee again urges the Finance Minister to apply pressure to Departments to ensure that opportunities are identified and acted upon quickly. <BR /> <BR />The Committee is very supportive of DCAL's proposal that the reduction in Libraries NI's budget be limited to 7·5%. That should mean that no libraries will close, and the Committee welcomes this.”
“Members also have concerns that non-completion of the agreed stadia redevelopment will have an impact on the subregional football stadium redevelopment plan scheduled for the next CSR, which was, however, linked to the redevelopment of the three main stadia as part of one complete package. <BR /> <BR />The DCAL draft budget highlights the fact that vacancies will remain unfilled, recruitment and pay will more than likely be frozen and the Department will make use of a voluntary exit scheme administered and funded at the centre. DCAL acknowledges that there will inevitably be an impact on front-line services as a result. The Committee appeals to the Finance Minister to ensure that the voluntary exit scheme is brought forward in a timely fashion and designed in such a way as to allow the protection of posts in front-line services.”
“For a Department with such a small budget to begin with, this is a very significant cut and its impact will be felt across all DCAL’s divisions and arm's-length bodies. <BR /> <BR />A key DCAL responsibility is the redevelopment of the stadia at Ravenhill Kingspan, Windsor Park and Casement Park. Issues, which we are all very much aware of, around this programme and the difficulties that there have been with regard to Casement Park have meant that the Department has often found itself in the position of surrendering this budget as it is specifically allocated. The Committee is concerned that the current CSR period will end before the money allocated for the stadia can be spent and that it will have to be returned to the Treasury.”