Carál Ní Chuilín
North Belfast · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“To continue the theme of undermining public confidence and public effectiveness, I ask you this, Minister: why do you and your DUP colleagues continue to block the 'good jobs' Bill, particularly the measures for parents whose babies require neonatal care and, indeed, other measures that will support workers who are struggling with the cos…”
“At the end of the day, guns were used to kill Catholics — Davy Payne; surface-to-air missiles in South Africa and Paris and then some. I will give the deputy First Minister another opportunity not to deflect but to condemn her party's involvement in Ulster Resistance and with the red berets that they wore.”
“I thank the Minister for that response. I have a close family relative who is in need of a SPiMS unit in an Irish-medium school but cannot access one in North Belfast at all. Apart from access in P4 and P5, they will have to go to an English-speaking school, even though Irish is their first language.”
“You mentioned some of the issues that are important: trade union representation, the banning of zero-hours contracts and employees being able to have their tips and service charges. Anyone who cannot get behind these proposals needs to be clear — concerns for some, and hiding behind the industry for others.”
“First Minister, I know that, recently, you were in Ardoyne for the sod cutting of the new £3·4 million purpose-built youth facility for Ardoyne Youth Enterprise. Further to your response to Brian Kingston, can you give us an update on that project and, indeed, any others?”
“I agree 100%, Linda. That is something that we all agree on. We met many people. The Bill was published and was based on the report of the truth recovery process.”
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“I think the Member would recognise and accept that, since coming into this Department, I have had to be very consistent in my support for every athlete, regardless of who they decide to represent. That should be the case for every MLA in the Chamber. It is hard enough to have the commitment and discipline and to make sacrifices to compete without people here making silly political points that do not reflect where people are at. <BR /> <BR />I believe that the work that Bann Rowing Club has done in not only Coleraine but right across this island has been respected and accepted by all rowing clubs. I congratulate the club on its achievements. I know there will be more successes, given the work it has done and the investment it has made. My Department and Sport NI, I have absolutely no doubt, will continue that relationship.”
“I would like to see gold medals for every nation that competes, and I know that Bann Rowing Club has a very strong cross-community ethos that is reflected not only in its athletes but in the whole community. I would actually say that most people, regardless of which country or nation an athlete chooses to represent, think those athletes deserve all our support. Bann Rowing Club has done a great job. It does exemplary work in that sport and, outside that, builds and develops good relations in the constituency.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Responsibility for developing the sport of rowing and building on the successes of the 2012 Olympic rowers from Coleraine rests, in the first instance, with the governing body. My Department and Sport NI have worked very closely with the Ulster branch of Rowing Ireland and local rowing clubs, including Bann Rowing Club, to provide financial and practical support to further develop rowing. In the last five financial years up to March last year, Sport NI invested almost £1 million in rowing, which is an average of £200,000 per year. That is a significant increase from the investment in the three years prior to that, 2007-2010, when the total investment was £256,000.”
“The Member will be aware that the City of Culture for 2013 received £12·8 million, and, between January 2014 and March 2015, I secured more than £6 million. That includes more than £2·5 million for resource and £3·5 million for capital. Since the announcement of the legacy programme, an additional £2·2 million has gone in, bringing that up to a total of £7·92 million. That is over £20 million in the Member's constituency.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Between 2007 and 2009, DCAL provided a total of £483,000 towards the construction of Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin through the north-west challenge fund. In 2014-15, through the north-west social and economic development programme, I allocated £150,000 towards the refurbishment of the Manse building at 35 Great James Street to establish an Acadamh Ceoil — a music academy — which officially opened at the beginning of this month. The project was part of my continuing commitment to establishing a legacy from the City of Culture across the north-west. In addition, an Gaeláras, which manages Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin and, indeed, the music academy, has received support through the Arts Council's annual funding programme of £139,000 in each of the years towards the last financial year.”
“I appreciate that the Member is relatively new here, but the subregional soccer money was already built in to an Executive decision that was made in March 2011. Anticipation of additional needs for the three sporting bodies will mean a fresh bid, but the £36 million for the subregional programme, which is a remainder of the £62 million, is coming from this mandate. The programme has attracted a lot of attention. There is a lot of demand out there, and even in the Member's constituency, you can see a coming together of clubs in relation not only to promoting sport but promoting health and well-being and physical activity with local groups and communities. I believe that that is the way forward.”
“There is no funding from my Department going to the upgrade of the Brandywell. Any funds that I put in were around Daisyfield and the Showgrounds. I believe that Derry City Football Club has applied to other Departments, and I wish it well in that. I accept the Member's sentiments in congratulating Carl Frampton, but I also congratulate Conrad Cummings, Ryan Burnett, Marco McCullough and Luke Wilton. I believe that the work that those boxers have done has been exemplary. They are role models for a lot of young men and women going forward in the world of boxing.”
“To take the Member's last point first, the Executive have endorsed the Rugby 2023 World Cup bid, and I believe that that commitment still stands. In relation to the consultation that went out into the subregional programme, we already knew before the consultation started that there would never be enough money to cover all the needs, particularly going across the whole of the North. To that end, we already commenced a full business case to look at a phase 2 subregional programme for soccer and a phase 1 subregional programme for GAA and rugby. I do not anticipate that business case being ready until late spring or early summer.”
“I want to acknowledge and thank all those who have taken the time to respond to the consultation.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The subregional stadia programme for soccer 12-week consultation, as the Member will be aware, commenced on 30 November 2015 and ran until 22 February 2016. During that period, consultation events were held in Craigavon, Ballymena, Belfast, Omagh and Derry to seek views and feedback from stakeholders. I am content that there have been over 1,100 responses to the consultation. That demonstrates the level of interest in the subregional programme. A report detailing the responses is currently being prepared, and I intend to publish it as soon as possible, subject to requests for confidentiality. Careful and detailed consideration and analysis of the responses, as I mentioned, is now being undertaken and will help to inform the final programme going forward.”
“Certainly, there are have been many reports, which I outlined to Cathal Ó hOisín. Reports on the legal situation and indeed others, particularly with regard to the last point that was raised by Mr Gordon Dunne, are still being pursued. When those reports are in front of me, they will certainly go very quickly to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure, and I will ensure that they are copied to the Member for information as well. It is unfortunate that, given the amount of money that was spent on the MAC, we are now having to invest additional scarce moneys from the public purse to repair a building that really should not need so many repairs, given that it is quite a young building. Those reports will go to the Committee and certainly to the Member thereafter.”
“I certainly agree with the Member: it is regrettable that almost £1 million of public money is being spent certainly not only to carry out repairs but to cover some of the outstanding healthy and safety related work. I assure the Member, and indeed every Member, that my Department, through the Arts Council, will pursue, as much as possible, full recovery of the money. It is an award-winning building, and many people have gone through its doors. This has certainly raised a lot of concern, particularly given the amount of money that was spent from the public purse in the first instance.”
“Again, in January 2016, during exceptionally high winds, as the Member will be aware, a panel was dislodged from the MAC's roof. It took an immediate inspection to secure it. In February 2016, BuroHappold provided a report on defective pipework that has also been discovered.”
“There have been various reports certainly going into some of the problems that I outlined in my answer to the Member's primary question. Certainly, Ground Check Limited was commissioned to undertake an inspection of the stone cladding to the facade of the MAC. That inspection was carried out in April 2015. Ground Check was also commissioned to undertake a descaling operation to remove damaged or defective pieces of stone from the facade of the MAC. <BR /> <BR />In July 2015, Access Rescue Consulting at Height (ARCH) was commissioned to carry out a survey of the facade to check the safety of the netting and identify potentially loose material. ARCH is engaged on an ongoing basis to carry out regular checks to the facade. In September 2015, Consarc Design Group was commissioned to review the condition of the external stone work.”
“The cost to date of repairing the lintels, lantern, pipework, installation of the fall-arrest-system netting and the erection of scaffolding is currently at £55,000. <BR /> <BR />To date, approximately £28,000 has been spent on the various reports commissioned to address the defects identified in the building.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The total cost of the repairs required for the MAC facade and pipework is estimated at £938,000. Indeed, it is almost £1 million. That figure includes the replacement of the stone facade and pipework as well as the cost for management and supervision of the works, which include professional and legal fees. <BR /> <BR />The cost of addressing the outstanding building snag list is being assessed, but it is estimated to be in the region of £160,000 to £180,000. Remedial work was carried out to the roof following recent dislodgement of the aluminium panel. The cost to date of that work is approximately £5,000, but the full cost is still being assessed.”
“Yes, I am assured of that. Sport NI's Active Communities programme has made a significant contribution, but I believe that the credit must go to Ulster Rugby and everyone involved in it through community groups, and in schools and clubs. There are Active Communities rugby coaches in the council areas of Antrim and Newtownabbey; Belfast; Mid Ulster; Lisburn and Castlereagh; Newry, Mourne and Down; Ards and North Down; Derry City and Strabane; and Fermanagh and Omagh. I believe that that is as broad and wide-reaching as you will get. Once again, I put on record the work that Ulster Rugby, Ulster GAA and the IFA have done with this fund. It has been nothing short of remarkable, given some of the work that they are picking up from other bodies and agencies. They are now bringing a more comprehensive approach to rugby across the North.”
“The Member is right: it was a comprehensive answer. He will have heard from the answer that a substantial amount of money is provided to Ulster Rugby, particularly given the work that it does at grass-roots level, including its work with young women and girls. It is important that that continues, not only because of the events that the Member mentioned, such as under-19 soccer for women, which we are giving support to and which, I believe, the Executive will be giving support to, as it does excellent work, but because of Ulster Rugby. It has gone to the communities surrounding Ravenhill, now Kingspan, and worked with hard-to-reach communities. That legacy in those communities and, indeed, in schools across the board is exemplary. I believe that the funding that we have invested in Ulster Rugby is well spent.”
“Since April 2009, the funding provided to rugby through that programme has resulted in over 42,000 participants, including girls, young and older people and those with disabilities, taking part in the sport. <BR /> <BR />Funding was also provided to rugby from the Active Awards for Sport programme towards costs such as equipment, coach education, coaching fees and venue hire. In addition, within the current financial year, my Department has allocated an additional £114,000 of funding through promoting equality, tackling poverty and social exclusion through Ulster Rugby, with the key objectives of increasing rugby participation in school-age children, encouraging more young girls to get involved in the sport, creating fitness development programmes and developing club opportunities that cater for individuals with disabilities.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Responsibility for the development of grass-roots rugby here rests in the first instance with the governing body for the sport, the Irish Rugby Football Union, through its Ulster branch, Ulster Rugby. Since April 2010, my Department has provided over £1·6 million to rugby through a number of funding programmes to assist in the development of the sport, at grass-roots level in particular. The performance focus programme provides funding to Ulster Rugby to improve the quality of coaches and provide participation programmes in the game of rugby in clubs and schools. Active Communities is a Sport NI National Lottery-funded initiative that aims to increase participation in sport and physical recreation in communities across the North.”
“That is a positive step forward. In particular, I commend the Member's party colleague Robin Swann for his work. I hope that, when the recognition proceeds, that will also enjoy full party support.”
“I can feel an election coming on. I am not for one minute comfortable with getting into an argument between the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party: I prefer to watch from a distance. <BR /> <BR />Certainly, it is good that everyone is, at last, trying to recognise the work of the pigeon association. The people involved in that have been lobbying for some time to get that recognition, regardless of the position on rates relief for sports clubs.”
“The association has been advised by my officials — I think that it has been happy with the advice given thus far — on the procedures for recognition and the processes to go through with Sport NI. In the interim, we are looking at getting the Charity Commission to give them support. They are happy with the support they have been given. It has been a long time in the making, and, at least, I am trying to do something about it.”
“In addition to meeting representatives of the NI pigeon association, my officials met the Charity Commission to explore the implications for pigeon clubs seeking charitable status and subsequently provided advice and guidance to the association.”
“I thank the Member for his question. My Department and Sport NI have had a number of meetings with representatives of the NI pigeon association and Robin Swann MLA to explore options regarding funding, the recognition of pigeon racing as a sport, charitable status, rates relief and other avenues of support that may be available. The process to formally recognise an activity as a sport is the responsibility of the four sports councils. At present, Sport NI and the sports councils in England, Scotland and Wales do not recognise pigeon racing as a sport. Any application to recognise the activity as a sport would have to be agreed.”
“I assume that it is as dull as a typo rather than opening up a new departure for some of our Committee members. <BR /> <BR />I support the motion and the amendment in the Committee report, and I believe that it is an excellent job. Maith sibhse.”
“I firmly believe that an agreed Executive strategy for culture and arts is an essential step in ensuring that government policy and funding is brought forward, and it will be brought forward on the basis that it will improve our society, as set out in the report. Indeed, there will be consultation for everyone. As I said at the outset, I will give careful consideration to all the report's recommendations in taking forward the strategy. <BR /> <BR />This is my last remark. I assume that there is a typo on page 11, where it states:”
“For those reasons, I believe that integration and investment in our arts and culture throughout the education curriculum is essential. <BR /> <BR />The Committee report also touches on the availability of information and data and the accessibility of information, and I agree that those are important areas that will require further examination in developing a culture and arts strategy. Volunteering has been mentioned by all Members and is recognised in the Committee's inquiry. I absolutely agree that a culture and arts strategy needs to recognise fully the importance of the third sector. <BR /> <BR />I will return to the focus of the Committee's inquiry. Like the Committee, I accept that there are no simple answers to ensuring greater social inclusion in the arts.”
“<BR /> <BR />One of the critical findings in the Committee's report — again, a theme that I believe is central to a culture and arts strategy — is the theme that revolves around exposure to arts and culture from an early age. Certainly, that notion echoes strongly with discussions that have been held as part of the consultation. The role of education as one example in introducing children to culture and arts from an early age, delivering value and benefits to society and facilitating the opportunity to engage through lifelong learning cannot, in my opinion, be underestimated. Establishing and respecting the core foundation of the value of arts and culture will help in the transition to career pathways for our young people.”
“That innovative programme widens access to some fascinating collections and brings them directly into communities. That is a great step forward. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also talks a lot about partnership in the report: partnerships between Departments, government, arts and cultural sectors, venues and communities, local government and arts and businesses. I concur entirely with that view. It is critical that those who are charged with government funding can ensure that it is dispersed strategically through the appropriate funding structures. The underpinning objective and duty is to obtain value for money. In my opinion, that can be best achieved by effective partnerships.”
“I do not particularly want to give the impression of valuing one particular genre of arts and culture over another, but I have noted with interest the Committee's views on the accessibility of publicly owned art. I also believe that Museums has a particular obligation to make as much of its holdings accessible to the public as possible, provided that the environmental, safety and security conditions are met. I think that we would all agree that that is a responsible step. It is my view that libraries, schools and other public venues at the heart of local communities can and should be used for exhibiting Museums' items. That is why I welcomed the Out and About programme, which opens up access to Museums' collections. It launched in September last year, in collaboration with Libraries.”
“<BR /> <BR />As the Committee also points out, partnerships with councils are essential to ensure effective delivery of the strategy. Again, I support the principle of partnership and agree that it must be inherent in the future delivery of the strategy. I also take the opportunity to clarify ownership of the strategy. I think that we all should own it. Essentially, it will be an overarching departmental Executive-owned strategy. The effective delivery of the strategy will require collaborative partnerships throughout government and, indeed, the arm's-length bodies and beyond. <BR /> <BR />I will turn briefly now to the concept of publicly owned art.”
“I look forward to doing all that I can to make that happen before I leave the Department. <BR /> <BR />The Committee puts forward the case for the need for rural proofing in any culture and arts strategy. I will take this opportunity to confirm to Members that I have already received a commitment from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to facilitate any assessment of the impact on rural areas. I recognise that rural proofing is a key component to ensuring equality for everyone. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also highlighted the challenges that are faced by those with special needs and disabilities. Fundamental to the culture and arts strategy is the principle of equality. I will ensure that all that I can do will be done to help to fulfil that principle and many others.”
“It is too early to report on any considered analysis of the consultation responses to the strategy, as it closed only on Friday past. However, I can say that those particular barriers certainly resonate with many people with whom I have had discussions and a lot of the feedback that I have received when meeting groups in the community, and indeed arts and cultural organisations. I am delighted that all that evidence, in my view, lends great support and impetus to ensuring that a strategy for culture and arts is taken forward and embedded in future Programmes for Government. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the Committee's endorsement of a need for an overarching culture and arts strategy, supported and resourced by the Executive, Departments and arm's-length bodies.”
“It has explained its reasons for doing so and acknowledges the limitations of that scope. I note the Committee's comments that it is for those who are developing the strategy to decide on specific indices to gauge deprivation and disadvantage. <BR /> <BR />The inquiry's focus on understanding the barriers to and exclusion from the arts and indeed, more importantly, inclusion into the arts has been very helpful. It has been a vexed question for a long time and was one of the focuses of the consultation on the strategy for culture and arts. I also found it interesting to note that some of the barriers identified in the Committee's report were around economic and financial areas; geographical location; education; availability and structure of funding; awareness and information.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have often acknowledged, as does the inquiry report, that there is a great deal of arts and cultural activity going on in working-class communities and, indeed, across the North and this island. I also suggest that that is true of many communities, should it be communities in rural areas, ethnic minorities, the LGBT community or Irish or Ulster Scots. I appreciate however that the Committee inquiry focused on working-class communities.”
“<BR /> <BR />It also goes without saying, but I will put it on the record, that arts are, and should be, part of everyday life, and I think that we all mean everyone's life. It is not to say that anyone is forced to engage in the arts, as has been mentioned; it is quite the opposite. The opportunity for engagement should be available to everyone so that they can exercise their choice. <BR /> <BR />The idea of quality arts or excellence is often viewed as a contentious subject, and I believe that the quality of arts engagement is a subjective and, indeed, personal experience for each individual. The role of the Government, in my opinion, is to ensure that we have a properly funded and resourced arts and cultural sector that is capable of delivering quality arts and culture.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis freagra a thabhairt ar an díospóireacht seo. I welcome the opportunity to respond to the debate, maybe less energetically than Basil, though it was certainly refreshing. I think that it was heartfelt. Let me also place on the record my thanks to the Chair, the members and, indeed, the staff of the Committee for the lengthy work that they have done to bring the report forward. I very much welcome the report. The fact that the report's publication coincides with the ongoing work in my Department on a strategy offers a great opportunity. I certainly will carefully consider the report's recommendations. I have read some, but I will make a commitment to feed them into the development of the strategy.”
“I can give the Member that assurance, and I will make him aware when I am in his constituency again to look at the post-flooding impact and the clean-up so that he can see for himself, and hear from the agencies, just what has been done and what is intended to be done, where possible.”
“Time is pressing, but the Member was present when I, at the request of Minister Michelle O'Neill, visited Enniskillen and the surrounding areas, particularly in relation to the Waterways Ireland headquarters. I am absolutely convinced that everything that could be done was done. Other Ministers listened to Minister O'Neill yesterday at the Executive, and we are now looking at preventative measures. The Member should take some assurance from that. I have been in regular contact with Waterways Ireland and I am content that it was doing its utmost, working with other statutory bodies and partners, to ensure that, for the people affected in the Member's constituency, the worst impacts were, as far as possible, minimised.”
“It is inconceivable that the GAA and Gaelic games will not have a facility that is fit for purpose on my watch or, indeed, on anybody's watch.”
“They have, and I have been a part of the chorus of people who have reminded them that we have hosted international and global events. We have had the Giro d'Italia, the World Police and Fire Games, the City of Culture, the Turner Prize, Lumiere, One Big Weekend, and it goes on. That is something that we all collectively can take civic, community and political pride in. Notwithstanding that, I would continue to do that, because it is true. I also give assurance that the Executive will do everything to ensure that Casement Park is redeveloped. It is a Programme for Government commitment. <BR /> <BR />More importantly, the people in west Belfast who are waiting for the redevelopment of Casement Park will get that. I know that the Member, for all the reasons that he and I have outlined, agrees with me that it just needs to happen.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I am fully aware that Casement Park is an integral part of the plans for the Rugby World Cup 2023 bid. I have met rugby authorities right across the island, Irish Rugby and Ulster Rugby, as I know the GAA has, not only to give updates on the ongoing situation at Casement Park but to give people assurances that everything that can be done has been done and will be done. Some of the accusations that were made in Committee rooms and in this Chamber have not been appreciated by people across this island. Notwithstanding the fact that there are difficulties and challenges, if we continue on a basis of being open-minded and taking a can-do attitude towards a resolution, we will see that we all collectively need to build and redevelop Casement Park.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am not just looking at the actual event of putting a mural down, which in itself is very important; what I think has been missing in the narrative around this is a process of getting residents and communities involved, getting discussion and consultation about what is going on the walls and what inclusion there is for citizens and residents. There should be provision not just for the mural but for the upkeep of it. It should reflect and symbolise the sentiments of as many people as possible. That is something that I would like to see in the finalised strategy.”
“I am sure that the Member will appreciate that I do not want to come to definitive positions or conclusions before the consultation has ended. Already, however, we have enough evidence, demand and will to have this scheme reinstated. Without being definitive, it is something that keeps coming up in the consultation, even with the number of people who have expressed opposition, in having that scheme reinstated. If it were seen as part of a new development, and certainly as part of the new development in the consultation and, indeed, the plans for the new Department, it needs to be costed and funded.”
“It is not a case of just replacing old political murals with new messages; it is creating murals that have not been done before and giving messages that are positive, and that is something we need to look at.”
“I completely agree with the Member. As part of the consultation, I have met quite a lot of groups, including mural artists. Many have a specialist skill and expertise. They are not just changing or re-imaging the gable wall of whatever part of the community it is. They are having children and young people involved in that process, many of whom have maybe been engaged in anti-community activity and graffiti and are now re-imaging their communities. For that reason alone, I am supportive of it. <BR /> <BR />That is a recurring theme in the culture and arts strategy consultation, and I am delighted to see it. I assure the Member that that is coming from right across the community.”
“I agree with what the Member said. Within even DCAL, for example, we have libraries, museums and public records. Even at Christmas, we saw examples of the human impact of young people leaving here and in many cases not coming back. <BR /> <BR />Children and young people have a thirst for knowledge and want to have greater understanding. Each and every one of us in the Assembly would be really foolish to miss the opportunities that the decade of centenaries will present to us. It will present challenges for us all, but if — and it is an "if" — we are mature and open enough to have those discussions, that legacy will do more than the actual events. Some in the House are missing opportunities in their approach.”
“The Executive agreed to a package and to recognise the decade of centenaries from 2012. I have been involved in funding some of those events. The Executive needs to look again at getting additional money in, because it will help to promote tourism. Above all else, it will foster greater awareness and a better understanding, and that is something I am committed to doing.”
“The restructuring of Departments is well under way, and the arts are up there in lights. I reassure the Member on that. Not even that — it is not good enough, from my point of view, just to leave the Department and close the door behind you. I want to leave this Department with a strong, robust strategy for culture and arts for the next 10 years, and with a budget. <BR /> <BR />There are challenges, and the Member will be aware of them, but the arts are there and will be there, and the strategy for culture and arts that will be interdepartmental will leave it in a much better position than I found it.”