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.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,734 lines we hold for Carál Ní Chuilín, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 37 of 55.
“Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Le do chead, ba mhaith liom ráiteas a dhéanamh os comhair an Tionóil faoi lainseáil comhairliúcháin ar dhul chun cinn na straitéise ealaíon agus cultúir. <BR /> <BR />With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement to the Assembly announcing the launch of a consultation to develop a culture and arts strategy. I have chosen to make the statement to launch the consultation because I believe passionately in our arts and culture. I believe that arts and culture deserve to be enjoyed, supported and funded and to be accessible, equally, by all. That is an important and fundamental right, and I believe that its importance warrants a public statement. I hope that the consultation will lead to a new and forward-looking strategy for arts and culture in the North of Ireland from 2016 to 2026.”
“The Member may have heard some of the priorities, particularly my statutory obligations around health and safety for some of the ALBs. I have to meet those health and safety requirements to make sure that I fulfil my statutory duty. There are gaps there for the Arts Council, the Sports Council and Libraries. There are also gaps for Museums, as well as in commitments that I have made to the three sports governing bodies on the work that they have been doing with grass-roots groups. The governing bodies have taken groups, particularly from communities that face difficult challenges, and supported them. It is important that they have some sort of financial security in order to continue that work.”
“I love the Member's optimism and hope that we can all share it. The monitoring round that I had in June still stands; if anything, aspects have been added to it. I will be proactive in convincing all colleagues that we need to try to plug the gaps that others have created in our Budget. If we had a monitoring round, I would hope not only to pursue the bids that I was bringing forward in June but to address the new and emerging pressures that have come to me since then.”
“I am happy to support everything that the Minister — not yet, Paula — the Member has said . I have met the bands' forum and I have met bands' forums from across all political backgrounds and none. I have met people who are involved in bands and I have met groups who use musical instruments as a method for therapeutic development to help people to cope with trauma and mental health problems. I have even met people who are returning from illnesses — for example, viruses, strokes and the rest — who are recovering through the arts and through musical instruments. I appreciate the value that music brings. That is one programme, and the Arts Council has had to make difficult decisions on a few of them, given the budget that it has been handed and given the cuts that we face from the British Government.”
“The rationale is purely financial. I anticipate that, if the financial situation changed, we could reinstate that programme. That is not the fault of the Executive at all, as these cuts came from the Tory Government. There are programmes that the Arts Council simply did not have the money to continue, and that is one of them.”
“There is a cross-community element to it. I do not underestimate how difficult it has been for people to sustain that over the years, particularly for groups working in communities that need support, including political support, to do so. Groups in the Shankill and in east and south Belfast have worked well with Féile an Phobail and with other members of the cultural partnership, and I imagine that that will and should endure well beyond the lifetime of this mandate.”
“Féile an Phobail lobbied me, as it did the Tourist Board, DETI and Belfast City Council. It also made a presentation to the World Police and Fire Games board on the need for a cultural programme, given that we had a very successful programme in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Olympics were primarily an arts spectacle with sports added in. Féile an Phobail was the lead partner, as designated by the groups, and remains the lead partner in that cultural programme. That is set to continue. Those are the origins of the lobby.”
“I am happy to meet the Member and get some views on how he thinks that could happen. The groups that I have dealt with right across different sectors in Belfast tell me that they are targeting support to people who are most deprived, marginalised and excluded, and most of them are. For some, there was a gap. We need to hear what those gaps are and see how we can try to fill them. I am open to hearing what the Member has to suggest.”
“I have been in the Member's constituency. We were able to make a capital investment there in partnership with Coleraine. There is also the Stendhal Festival in Limavady. I have met many groups from right across the city of Derry and the neighbouring counties, towns and villages, even from some areas that are now classified as part of Mid-Ulster, although they are still part of the natural east and south Derry hinterland. It is important that support for the grass-roots continues. I make no apologies for supporting not only the City of Culture but the legacy programme.”
“Going by some of the supportive comments today from Members in most parties, I hope that all-party support will flourish and is sustained for this very important strategy. It is vital that we have a robust, resourced strategy for arts and culture for at least 10 years because we need to ensure that there is full-party support, right across the Executive, for the future of culture and arts. It is really important that, going into the next mandate, we have a robust and well-resourced strategy not only to help whoever the new Minister is but to give some security to the sector.”
“I anticipate launching the formal consultation on a strategy for culture and arts within three weeks. There has never been such a strategy in the Department before. We have the Sport Matters strategy, which is interdepartmental, has been funded and is for 10 years. It amazed me that there has not been an arts and culture strategy in the Department before. I will launch it no later than three weeks from now.”
“I am certainly not aware of any events or detail in the Member's question. Just to be sure — to be sure, to be sure — I will take the Member's question back to my officials and I will furnish him with those details in writing. I will assure the Member as much as I possibly can. The nonsense that occurred at the Events Company was in blazing lights, but I believe that all senior officials in most Departments will have read the report and gone back to do a quick checklist in their Department.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He was a longstanding member of the CAL Committee so he is probably far more familiar with this than I am. I came into this mandate when the Events Company was transferred from DCAL to DETI. There are certainly many lessons to be learned, but I want to assure the Member as fully as possible that our Department has learned lessons from what happened at the Events Company. Indeed, I would expect all Departments to read the report and learn the lessons from it.”
“We have provided good investment thus far, but I hope to increase that or at least leave a good footprint for the CSR in the next mandate.”
“I do not have those figures to hand, but I am happy to write to the Member. The group that we convened recently has representatives of many of the Departments, and all the Ministers came. Minister Farry was there, and there were representatives from DETI and the Department of Education. Ministers and senior officials have been working on this, and it is important that there is a cross-departmental approach. The Member can see the value of creative industries investment in his city and what that has done. We need to have that right across and, indeed, try to link up opportunities right across the island. I am not being political, but, when looking at investment, particularly in this economy, we should try to do so to the advantage of everybody.”
“I thank the Member for his question. DCAL has the lead in government for the development of the creative industries and has achieved a great deal to aid this fast-growing sector across the North. The creative industries innovation fund operated from 2009 to 2015, supporting 359 projects with a total investment exceeding £5·6 million. As part of a three-year contract to June 2016, DCAL has agreed to provide £330,000 of funding to Generator NI, which is responsible for delivering the music strategy’s target of increasing employment in the industry by 72 new jobs and increasing the gross value added (GVA) by a £1·2 million annual contribution to the economy by June 2016. DCAL is also providing an additional £100,000 resource in 2015-16 for creative industries development.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I am determined to ensure the implementation of the recommendations, and some have already been implemented. The PAR implementation plan allocates each of the recommendations to a specific owner. In my case, I have a new SRO in the Department working on that full-time. As the Member may have heard in my response to the main question, I have announced that we have a new independent chair of the safety technical group. The Ulster Council has fully accepted the implementation and recommendations of the PAR report. We can all use that report to help us to work towards the future, particularly in delivering Casement Park.”
“Absolutely. That is what residents do. It is an open and democratic process, and I believe that the next consultation will also be an open and democratic process. You have heard hours and hours of evidence. Previously, at Championships, there have been more than 38,000. There have been up to 33,000 and, prior to that, there have been far more people than that at games. It is up to the Ulster Council to provide its strategic vision for Casement Park. If residents truly believe that there needs to be a reduction, that has to be done in consultation with the Ulster Council. I believe that those discussions have already started and that there will be a good resolution. Any notion that the project will be scaled back so that it is not viable is a bit ridiculous. I hope that the Member is not suggesting that.”
“First, I am aware that you are working with some of the residents, particularly the Mooreland and Owenvarragh Residents Association (MORA) in west Belfast.”
“Certainly, as to any notion, hint or suggestion that money for Casement Park or Gaelic games will be given elsewhere, it is not going to happen.”
“I thank the Member for his question. One is a capital programme; the other is resource. I really hope that the Member is not suggesting that Ravenhill and Windsor Park can be redeveloped but the money for Gaelic games can be given away. That will not happen, certainly not on my watch. I fully support the need for additional money for the arts sector and will argue for it, but I do not think that anybody from the arts sector or anywhere else would even hint or suggest that money should be taken from Gaelic games and given somewhere else. <BR /> <BR />The judicial review did not rule on the 38,000 capacity. Some residents have said that they believe that the capacity needs to be sorted out; I believe that that will be dealt with. It should be discussed between the Ulster Council of the GAA and those residents.”
“The input of the STG will be pivotal in the progression of the project, and I look forward to the group providing the specialist advice required to bring the project to a successful conclusion and make Casement Park a reality.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The GAA is continuing to develop the design, ensuring that the recommendations of the judicial review are wholly incorporated into the planning application. A key aspect of the process is ensuring that the GAA involves the community throughout the process to ensure a high level of engagement with all stakeholders. It will be for the GAA to decide on when it is in a position to submit its planning application. I am optimistic that that will be done very early next year. The Department will continue to offer support to the GAA with the process, ensuring that the recommendations of the recent project assessment review (PAR) report are fully implemented. I am delighted to announce the appointment of Danny McSorley as the newly appointed chair of the safety technical group (STG).”
“I thank the Member for her question. I am taking lead responsibility for the development and delivery of the subregional programme, and that includes the allocation of funding. I am working closely and in conjunction with the IFA, but I am taking lead responsibility.”
“Certainly, clubs should be able to access and draw down money in spring; I am talking about March or April. The consultation will last for 12 weeks, and there will be feedback on how to prepare and respond to the applications. I appreciate that some clubs have been preparing for this opportunity for years. I also appreciate that some of the smaller clubs have not had the same advantage as some of the bigger ones, and it is important that we try to make sure that everybody has a fair opportunity of getting access to the funds. I anticipate that even the remainder of the money for the subregional soccer programme will not cover all the needs. I am looking at how, in the next mandate and the next CSR, those other needs can be met, not just for soccer but for Gaelic, rugby and other governing bodies.”
“I thank the Member for his question. My Department is currently in the process of developing the subregional programme for soccer. Plans for a formal public consultation with key stakeholders are well under way, with a 12-week consultation to commence at the end of November. The forthcoming consultation will give all the stakeholders the opportunity to shape the final programme. Once the stakeholder consultation exercise is completed and the final programme has been agreed, my officials will be in a position to offer advice to all potential applicants. It is envisaged that, following the 12-week consultation, the subregional programme will be formally launched and open for applications in early 2016, but the long-awaited consultation will happen at the end of this month.”
“The processes of the scoring matrix and the allocations for the Arts Council are done by the Arts Council. When I make priorities and interventions in my Department, the criteria that I use are around promoting equality, tackling poverty and promoting social inclusion, and particularly looking at people who live and work in deprived in areas and are the furthest removed from services. That has been open and transparent. It is in my business plan and the revised business plan. I have made that a priority for every aspect of all my ALBs and my work in the Department.”
“We have entered into a discussion with all the ALBs. The revisions to not so much their corporate plans but their financial plans and projections are being revised as we speak. I am still hopeful that we may have a monitoring round, so I imagine what the fluctuation will be between the projections if it happens or of it does not. Those discussions are certainly being had, and preparations are being made for the same.”
“I have also looked at strengthening the stadia team's programme to ensure that the Programme for Government commitments to regional stadiums are met.”
“There are many inescapable pressures; I am sure that the Member will appreciate that I cannot go through them all. However, as with other Members who have asked for details, I am happy to complete what I do not cover here in writing. There is over £430,000 to meet health and safety requirements to comply with statutory obligations. There is £300,000 towards our Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) programme, which is required to ensure that the positive outcomes from the pilot scheme are maximised. Also, looking at our City of Culture legacy, there is £100,000 towards commitments made for the creative industries. In addition, there is £150,000 for time-bound Executive funding, which has now expired, to the IFA, the GAA and rugby.”
“First of all, on transparency, I did not meet anybody in rooms and conjure up dirty deals. The whole process was done in an open and transparent way, with a business case. It was not siphoning off. All other ALBs received a reduction as a result of Tory cuts, but you have a complete brass neck. I am glad to see that you are taking a reddener.”
“You have a brass neck, given your history around Red Sky and others. You have an absolute brass neck. First of all —”
“Thank you, Basil, for your question and your appeal. I am happy to meet them. I will never avoid any groups or any protest. I fully support people's right to protest. In fact, many of us came here through protest movements of one sort or other. I am happy to meet a small group of representatives. Straight after Question Time, I am meeting a group of BBC people who are lobbying me about the renewal of the BBC charter, but I will take five minutes to take the letter and hear what people have to say. I have already accepted invitations from arts and creative companies to go to Derry, particularly around receiving a delegation. I am happy to do that. I thank the Member for the tone with which he raised the issue.”
“I will argue for additional money for the arts, and I look forward to full party support for that argument on the Executive.”
“First, it is good to see the arts and the artists in the Public Gallery. It is also good to see from the badges being worn that there is now cross-party support for the arts, because, prior to that, there was not. It is also good to see that pressure is now being brought to bear about how valuable the arts are. In the absence of any financial security coming from our Executive, and in the absence of the security that we, as an Executive, need around the moneys that we have had taken from our block grant in July 2011, with more of the same having been earmarked in July of this year, I cannot and will not give a guarantee — I believe that to do so would be reckless — that I will be able to restore the budget that I desperately want to restore. I will certainly be a champion of the arts.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are halfway through the year, and many of our arm's-length bodies' (ALBs) costs, such as salaries and buildings costs, are fully committed for the year. In the case of the Arts Council, it is helpful to point out that it received the same percentage of pressure in its reductions as other bodies in DCAL did. Legacy work now planned for the north-west will continue and have a strong artistic and cultural component. I hope that I will have the opportunity to try to offset some of the worst costs through future monitoring rounds.”
“With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I will take questions 4 and 6 together. I thank the Members for their questions. <BR /> <BR />This has been a difficult Budget, with pressures directly resulting from cuts to our block grant by the British Government. I have had to redeploy a budget in DCAL to deal with the inescapable pressures that have emerged through the year and to focus on departmental priorities. That has meant reductions in some areas but increased budgets in others. The British Government have cut our block grant and have signalled that they are going to do so again in the future. As such, the budget allocations are going to become more regressive over the years.”
“I am still working very closely with the IFA and, indeed, the other two biggest governing bodies, the Ulster Council and Ulster Rugby. My Department has provided £4·5 million of funding for the three governing bodies and is particularly looking at accessibility for grass-roots groups and grass-roots sports and at enabling the three bodies to look not only at the whole area of sport but at healthy lifestyles, mental health, breaking down barriers, increasing access and increasing employment. When the work is completed by the three governing bodies next year, it will set them in good stead to compete for additional funding for the years ahead. The work that they have done at grass-roots level has been exemplary.”
“The atmosphere has changed considerably since then, but, despite all the work that they have done, and they have done great work, we have still some way to go.”
“It will come as no surprise to the Member that while I wish the Northern Ireland team, and, indeed, the IFA, all success — and I do genuinely — I do not identify myself as Northern Irish in the same way as the Member does. However, the IFA has done brilliant and exemplary work in trying to make sure that football is accessible to all. It will continue to do that. <BR /> <BR />I do not believe that we should shoehorn people into supporting teams because some people support certain teams and others support other teams. We need to create the conditions whereby people can, of their own will, give support to whomever they want. For those who decide not to, that is their choice as well. <BR /> <BR />Even from when you were a mere boy in 1986, things have changed considerably.”
“That involves investment of approximately £28 million for the redevelopment of Windsor and a further investment of approximately £2·7 million towards the redevelopment of the Olympia Leisure Centre. The stadium will provide a world-class facility for the team as part of its preparations for the tournament.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I congratulate the Northern Ireland team, staff and IFA on securing its place at the 2016 European Championship finals in France. For the team to qualify automatically is a fantastic achievement but also to top the group is testament to the incredible commitment of the manager Michael O'Neill and the whole squad. <BR /> <BR />Preparation for the finals is, as the Member will know, primarily the responsibility of the IFA, which has the knowledge and expertise required to ensure that the team has the right support. The Sports Institute, funded by DCAL and Sport NI, has and will continue to provide support to the team, manager and staff as they prepare for competitions. <BR /> <BR />My Department will continue to support the IFA through funding the project and the redevelopment of Windsor Park.”
“I have not received any indication that Waterways Ireland — or, for that matter, Foras na Gaeilge — is considering redundancies, although, hopefully, we will have a sectoral meeting on Friday. <BR /> <BR />There have been concerns about what impact fluctuations in the euro will have on pensions and pressures. All pension liabilities are covered 100% by the sponsoring bodies. Waterways Ireland has prioritised work so that urgent repairs and maintenance always take priority, particularly to ensure accessibility of navigations. <BR /> <BR />If there are any other details, I will happily furnish the Member with them in writing.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Waterways Ireland employs 69 staff at its headquarters in Enniskillen: 60 permanent employees, two fixed-term contracts, two agency staff, four student placements, and one graduate internship. Waterways Ireland has not made any redundancies at its headquarters.”
“Belfast City Council and the IFA are working through those issues. As I said to Alex Easton, I am confident that they are all taking a very pragmatic can-do approach to getting the issue resolved. I have no further details other than that. From what I am led to believe, the insurers are accepting full responsibility. The full redevelopment of Windsor Park should be completed by January 2016, and I anticipate that work should properly commence on the west stand very soon. Following the Member's query, I will ask for an update, and I am happy to furnish him with those details in writing.”
“The short answer is yes. The Member brought forward a private Member's Bill on rates relief for amateur sports clubs, and it is regrettable that that did not realise full support. However, I remain supportive of the extension of rates relief to sports clubs, particularly where the application of financial savings by clubs can benefit from release and particularly when it is targeted at the development of the sport and, indeed, the people who participate in the sport, particularly when we are all trying to achieve full inclusion. The continued absence of the rates relief is regrettable, but I will certainly do my best to work with the clubs to make sure that they have full advantage.”
“As I outlined in the primary answer — I am sure that the Member already knows this — the demolition process is well under way. The IFA, to its credit, has done everything that it possibly could, given the circumstances that it was in, which were beyond its and everybody else's control. It is working very closely with Belfast City Council, its insurers and, indeed, with the Department. The main project should be completed by January 2016, and I do not anticipate too many delays thereafter.”
“<BR /> <BR />A number of qualifiers have been hosted successfully at Windsor Park during the project time, and I am delighted that the team has been able to qualify for next summer's European Championship in France. I hope that the redevelopment of the stadium can continue to facilitate the team's training and preparation for competitions, and I wish them every success.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Windsor Park is currently under construction and is progressing well. After receiving approval from the IFA's insurer, the old west stand was demolished and the details of the next steps are being developed between the IFA, its insurer and the project team. To date, it is unknown how much the redevelopment of the entire west stand will impact on the project timeline. However, it is envisaged that, from the point of approval, construction of the new west stand will be completed within 12 months. Excluding the west stand, the remainder of the project is scheduled to be completed by January 2016, and I can confirm to the Member that the cost associated with rectifying the issues with the west stand will be a matter for the insurers and that no additional funds will be required by the Department.”
“I know that the IFA works very closely with the PSNI, and not just on traffic management; it also works very closely with the Ambulance Service and with the Fire and Rescue Service, as well, in conjunction with Belfast City Council, which, at the end of the day, is the statutory authority for safety certificates. All of that is based on traffic management plans. The safety certificate is not just about the capacity at games; it is all about how people get to and go from games. I am content with the arrangements that they have made thus far, and, in fairness, they are always looking for ways to improve them. If there are hiccups going to or from a game, they very quickly learn the lessons for the next opportunity. I think that residents have appreciated that quick response.”