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 am certainly happy to do that. The Member is on the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee, and he will also get that feedback. It is important that that happens. People feed into consultations and do not know where it goes after that. That is a big criticism across the board, so I understand that. Aontaím leat go hiomlán. I totally agree that we need to ensure not only that there is feedback but that any themes and trends as part of the consultation are shared with the entire community. If people take the trouble to respond to a consultation, particularly if they are positive, they are entitled to hear the responses not only to their points but to others.”
“All groups that respond will be given feedback. The consultation closes next Tuesday, 5 May, and I encourage everybody to feed into it. The work of the groups that the Member mentioned — I am sure that there are many others — particularly with children, young people and families, is exemplary. They are exemplars. I have no doubt that they will feed into the consultation. There is still a week left, so it is not too late to respond.”
“I am aware of the group and the work on disabilities, particularly in the Member's constituency. She mentioned rugby as an example, but the issue is really about disability and access. <BR /> <BR />The three governing bodies and Disability Sport NI have done great work in promoting sport and physical activity for people with disabilities. I will continue to ensure that access to sport, arts, culture and creativity, particularly for people with disabilities, is protected as best as possible. The governing bodies, which probably account for 84% of participation in sport across the island, will also continue their good work with groups, particularly for rugby, Gaelic and soccer, working with schools and Disability Sport NI.”
“In addition to what Disability Sport NI has done, the three governing bodies — the Ulster Council of the GAA, Ulster Rugby and the Irish Football Association — have done excellent work in including children and young people, and even adults with disabilities, in those sports. We are doing well, but there is always much more that we can do.”
“I have had and will continue to have a very good relationship with Disability Sport NI. I know that there were concerns previously about the budget reductions, and I believe that Disability Sport NI and Sport NI are working through those. Indeed, my officials are also working through those, which is vital.”
“I believe that it is politically driven adults like him who make it really difficult for children who, perhaps, come from a Protestant/unionist/loyalist area and want to box for Ireland. He should support them and not get political about who they box for or who they represent or compete for. We all need to get behind our athletes, regardless of how they identify themselves. I think that the children and young people have been much more mature in the way in which they approach this than people like you, Mr Allister.”
“Unlike the Member, I do not use the Floor of the Assembly to criticise or make assertions or, indeed, allegations and not substantiate them. I have gone above and beyond — I have used the legislation from the 1998 Good Friday Agreement — to ensure that children, regardless of who they are, how they describe themselves or how they identify themselves, can compete and represent a country or nation of their choice. I do not need to be advised by the Member about what I need to do; I know what my responsibilities are. However, the Member should be aware that the majority — the overwhelming majority — of children and young people who wish to progress their amateur boxing career wish to do so with the Irish Amateur Boxing Association.”
“I have encouraged the governing bodies of boxing to talk to each other, and Sport NI has done the same. The Member will be aware of the report of a group that carried out an investigation of allegations of sectarianism in boxing. As the Member is aware, that report made recommendations on how to improve relations, but it certainly did not substantiate some of the allegations. One of the recommendations to come out of the report and, indeed, from other conversations was that children who identify themselves as either Irish or British should have the opportunity to box for the governing body of their choice, so that is where it rests. Other than ensuring that those conversations happen and trying to facilitate them as much as possible, that is as much as I can do.”
“Certainly, I am happy to meet the Member, representatives and groups to discuss the issue. I am not familiar with Gortin glen, although I am aware of the proposal. We have done work on our waterways. In particular, there is the experience of Tollymore, as the Member mentioned, and the angling at Lough Neagh that we discussed earlier. I am happy to use our natural resources to build and develop opportunities around physical and leisure activities, as well as cultural, community and festival opportunities. I would be delighted to meet those people, who, no doubt, will tell me how beautiful Gortin glen is.”
“The Member will be aware that I have met groups from his constituency before, so I am happy to meet groups from across the board. I have done that and will continue to do that. I am aware that, in recent days, my officials have been liaising with Cairde Teo and Ard Mhacha, and they will continue to do that. They are working closely together to help the groups meet the deadlines for funding and help them shape up the development and proposal. They are working with other partners, including An Ciste Infheistíochta and, as I mentioned before, Armagh City council. I am happy to meet the Member, the group and others about the development. It is very positive for that area and very positive for culture.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Along with others, including An Ciste Infheistíochta, some local councils, the Lottery Fund and other sources of funding, I have had meetings with our officials in DCAL and officials from Armagh council and An Ciste Infheistíochta about looking at Cairde Teo and other cultural hubs. They have a great opportunity to provide a cultural space for people in the community and to act as small and medium-sized enterprises. Everyone is working collectively to have Cairde Teo achieved not just for the here and now but to make it economically sustainable in the future.”
“When the overarching strategy is brought to the Executive, I hope that all parties will give it support.”
“EastSide Arts is one of the groups that was awarded a level of funding that it had never received before. Unfortunately, the situation with other groups that received funding prior to groups like EastSide Arts was that they were unhappy that the new groups received money when their budgets were being reduced, and a small number of groups did not receive any support from the Arts Council. I know that they are extremely disappointed. <BR /> <BR />It is important that there is overall recognition of the role that arts, culture and the creative industries have to play not only in the sense that they make people feel better about themselves and their communities but in their regeneration contribution to the economy, to education and to further skills.”
“I totally agree with everything the Member has said. Indeed, DCAL, through the Arts Council, has contributed to EastSide Arts; it is one of the cultural partners. They have been working together since well before the World Police and Fire Games. Along with other cultural partners, EastSide Arts put on a brilliant exhibition and continues to do excellent work in the east of Belfast.”
“I totally agree. To that end, we are bringing in an overarching strategy in which all the Departments can help to contribute to the arts and the economy.”
“I continue to promote that value, and I am bringing forward an arts and culture strategy that will emphasise the importance of arts and culture in creating a cohesive society, contributing to positive health and well-being, promoting tourism, helping the economy and acting as a driver for the creative industries and, indeed, for artistic excellence.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I met the chair of the Arts Council in advance of budget reductions being implemented and asked that, in considering funding applications for 2015-16, it seek to ensure that front-line services are protected. My officials continued to liaise with the Arts Council and affected organisations following the communication of the arts funding decisions for 2015-16 to discuss other potential funding sources or opportunities for collaboration and partnership that would allow programmes to continue to be delivered, albeit in an alternative way. I fully recognise the value that the arts can bring to individuals, communities, the economy and, indeed, wider society.”
“Sport NI appointed FGS McClure Watters in October 2009 to prepare an outline business case on behalf of the three governing bodies. DCAL submitted the OBC to DFP in October 2010, and DFP approved it on 7 March 2011. That includes the current safety technical arrangements. The groups that are involved in the process now were involved then. Hopefully, that will help.”
“We all know that we need to fix it, and above all else we need to make sure that people, particularly the IFA and the soccer community, are not penalised as a result of something that happened and that the overall redevelopment of Windsor Park happens without too much delay.”
“Well, 2016 starts on 1 January 2016, so I assume that the Member is asking whether the west stand will be completed in line with the overall project. It is my anticipation that that will be the case and that, if there is any delay in the overall timeline, it will be very small. I think that everybody in the House accepts that the IFA and soccer fans in particular were put in a terrible position when they heard what had happened. We are all very thankful that no one was injured or hurt, because, given what happened a few days earlier, we could have been dealing with a worse situation. <BR /> <BR />I am encouraged by the attitude that everybody has taken. Everybody has taken a can-do attitude. We have a big problem.”
“I do not anticipate that any of us will have the difficulty of waiting to go through the bureaucracy of an insurance claim. There is an acceptance of the issues and, certainly, that structural damage was done to the west stand. The contractor is, coincidentally, the construction firm that is looking at the Olympia and Windsor Park redevelopments. That makes it easier, as there is no contest between one set of contractors and another or one owner and another. Notwithstanding that, I expect to hear this time next week, if not sooner, that not only is it resolved but there is a date, because I understand that demolition work needs to start as soon as possible. That will start, and, thereafter, we will get a timetable for the demolition work, planning permission and the work that is to be completed on the kop stand.”
“The Member will be aware, because he was at the CAL Committee last week when he or one of his colleagues asked one of my officials who would fund the provision of the west stand, that I understand that that will come from insurance and will not impact on the budget that we have set aside for Windsor Park and the development of the subregional stadia thereafter.”
“I am glad that every effort is being made to ensure that the international game scheduled for 13 June will take place in Windsor Park as planned.”
“On 20 April 2015, the board of the Irish Football Association met to ratify a recommendation from the national football stadium project team that the west stand should be demolished, following recent structural damage. This recommendation came after a series of meetings with all interested parties and following the review of a structural engineer's report. Demolition work will begin immediately. <BR /> <BR />In addition, the upcoming UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Romania, on Saturday 13 June 2015, will be played at Windsor. The project team has produced a plan that should enable the necessary capacity to be met for this game by accelerating works on the project in the east stand, south-east quadrant and south stand.”
“A Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, with your permission, I will group questions 6, 7 and 11 and thank the Member for his question. <BR /> <BR />The Windsor Park project is currently under construction and work is progressing well. Reconstruction of the pitch, which commenced in May 2014, was completed in August last year. Demolition of the south stand is complete, and construction of the east and south stands has commenced and is, again, progressing well. <BR /> <BR />On Tuesday 31 March, the Department was informed by the IFA that there was a structural problem with the existing west stand. Since then, DCAL has been in close liaison with the IFA on the matter.”
“The short answer is no. We conducted the initial scoping studies from DCAL's budget for the Ulster-Scots Academy and an acadaimh for the Irish language. We now need to go out to full public consultation separately on both, because I believe that many in the sectors have opinions on what the academies should have. I would like to hear from stakeholders, including parents, practitioners in education and, in the case of the Irish language, those responsible for language acquisition. I even want to hear examples of what has happened in the rest of the island and in Europe. Once that happens, I envisage that business cases for both will be brought forward and substantial moneys will be asked for. You are, I imagine, talking about well over £20 million for both.”
“I have not had any formal meetings with the Ulster-Scots Agency about the MAGUS. At this stage, the ministerial advisory group on Ulster Scots just reports to the Department directly, but I will be involving the Ulster-Scots Agency in the future work of the MAGUS, because I intend to review the MAGUS. Although I extended the ministerial advisory group on Ulster Scots until next year, I intend to shorten that extension to December of this year and, between now and then, conduct a review of the group's functions. I certainly envisage that the Ulster-Scots Agency would have a role in the future of the Ulster-Scots ministerial advisory group.”
“I certainly acknowledge the work that has been done so far and that there is still much to be done.”
“The Member probably heard me mention to Mrs Hale the amount of money that has been spent on the ministerial advisory group on Ulster Scots so far. I will correct what I said earlier: it is actually £3·4 million rather than £3·5 million. The Department has provided £3·4 million to the ministerial advisory group over the past four years. That has enabled a wide range of achievements, including the development and research strategy for the Ulster-Scots sector; a comprehensive business case for the options around the physical academy; the new Ulster-Scots hub and Discover Ulster-Scots Centre at the Corn Exchange in the Cathedral Quarter, which I opened in November of last year; and 76 projects which have been funded by the MAG across the three work streams of language and literature; education and research; and history, heritage and culture.”
“<BR /> <BR />In order to progress the development of the academies, I plan to conduct separate public consultations to ensure that the public and, indeed, stakeholders have their say in what both academies will seek to achieve.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Both academies will have an important role to play in the enhancement and development of their respective languages, culture and, indeed, the development of the academies. In relation to Irish, there is a need for an academy that will address a range of issues and gaps in the teaching, learning, acquisition and use of the Irish language, particularly for adults. The ministerial advisory group on the Ulster-Scots Academy has developed, as part of its remit, options and a preferred proposal for the creation of a physical Ulster-Scots Academy to maximise the social, economic, community and cultural benefits of Ulster Scots.”
“I certainly can give that commitment to the Member, because it is important. Last night, we met a group of kids from north Belfast and the Shankill who went to South Africa. They told us that children cannot access education unless they have a pair of shoes, and the parents cannot afford to buy shoes. We need to make sure that parents who cannot afford to buy books, their family and, indeed, their community, are not disadvantaged. That is why libraries are there. That is at the core of the business of libraries. I want to ensure that if people need books for pleasure or to help them with study, further education or exams, libraries will provide them. Libraries have done a very good job thus far in doing that, and I have no reason to believe that they will not continue to do that.”
“I congratulate the Member on his ingenuity in weaving Fermanagh and north Down into one breath. The Member will be aware that, within the budget settlement that we received, which fell far short of where it needed to be, I prioritised libraries within the DCAL family at 7·5%, when arts, sports and museums, for example, received a much higher cut to their budget. Within that was the protection of not only stock but the accessibility of computers and broadband through the uplift in the e2 system. I am confident that Libraries NI will ensure that the stock in Fermanagh and your constituency does not drop. Certainly, I will ask Libraries NI specifically about the stock in the two constituencies that you mentioned and write to you with the answer for same.”
“I thank the Member for his kind remarks. Enniskillen library is Fermanagh's main and largest library. I recognise that there is a need to provide the service, particularly given the size of the county. Libraries NI estimated that that library serves a catchment population of around 60,000 people, which is quite a big amount. I am aware that the condition of the building is deteriorating and that useable space in the library is limited. I am concerned about the heritage collections and their need for better storage, and I know that Libraries NI shares those concerns. It is for these reasons that we have encouraged Libraries NI to develop a business case to look at these deficiencies and, as I said in the main answer, to look at the options for relocation or a new library in the future.”
“One of the many options is that the library should remain at its current site, which is readily accessible to the centre of Enniskillen and its entire population and where the library has already built up a strong and valued presence in the community.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As the Member might be aware, Libraries NI needs to complete a business case aimed at securing the necessary resources for the development of a new and improved library in Enniskillen before it will be in a position to present any plans to me on a suitable location for the facility. Work on this business case is under way, and I expect the exercise to be completed by November. The possibility of relocating the existing library to the old Erne Hospital site and sharing with other public sector organisations, like South West Regional College, is being actively considered as part of the business case process. <BR /> <BR />This process also requires that the benefits of any relocation be fully tested and evaluated alongside a range of other potential options.”
“That report gives us the opportunity to try to bridge some of those gaps and make things better for the angling community across the island.”
“Through Sport NI, well before my time and in my time, we have been working very closely with the governing body of angling and some of the angling clubs across the North and across the island. Loughmacrory in my colleague Declan McAleer's West Tyrone constituency is an example; it held an international junior trout angling competition. There are many other examples across the board of young people getting involved. <BR /> <BR />The recent review of angling made something like 30 recommendations, and one of them was to help support the sport of angling through not only working with the clubs but encouraging others who have not really found angling yet to try it. Hats off to the angling community; they are doing very well. What has been missing in the past is greater collaboration and cooperation and, indeed, partnership with Government.”
“I am liaising with my colleague Michelle O'Neill on that. I am working with the Lough Neagh Partnership and other concerns, including some of the councils. As the Member will be aware, her constituency borders Lough Neagh, but many others do as well. In the discussions, there is a cigarette paper between everyone. We want to ensure that Lough Neagh is preserved, and we are looking at fishing rights, recreational and leisure opportunities, future leisure opportunities, and leisure and economic regeneration for the area. I will write to the Member with details after I consult my colleague Michelle O'Neill on the question raised.”
“The Member is aware that I am responsible only for the public angling estate. The waters that I mentioned, particularly one, are private concerns. I lease the fishing rights for reservoirs from the owners. The Member will be much more across the issue than I am, but my understanding is that, when it comes to public safety, particularly around health and safety, there are no regulations in place. That is part of the rationale behind bringing forward the Reservoirs Bill. If the Member has any concern about a particular fishery, whether public or private, I am happy to meet him to hear his concerns. The last thing that I want is for people involved in indigenous work such as fisheries and angling, which goes back generations, to be put out. As I said, I am happy to meet the Member to have those discussions.”
“There are also a number of private fisheries in South Antrim, including the Sixmilewater and the lower Bann.”
“I thank the Member for his question. My Department is working closely with Loughs Agency and Inland Fisheries Ireland on jointly developing and promoting the recreational angling product here, including in South Antrim, through participation in key angling shows throughout Ireland, Britain and Europe. DCAL also attends the Irish Game Fair, which is held at Shane's Castle in Antrim, which is in the Member's constituency. The event attracts a considerable number of visitors, and DCAL promoted a number of new initiatives to encourage greater interest in angling, particularly among children and young people. <BR /> <BR />In South Antrim, my Department manages Stoneyford reservoir and the Toome canal, which are very popular waters for anglers in DCAL's public angling estate.”
“I prefer the term "to staff our museums", Anna, but I will let you off with that one. <BR /> <BR />The short and honest answer is that I am not sure. The curators and specialists we have at our disposal through the three museum sites are second to none. They have a very good reputation locally, nationally and internationally. I am happy to raise the Member's query with the museums, and I will certainly write to her to give her the details of her query.”
“In short, no; it does not. That is why the Museums Council is there: to inform Ulster museums about trends, the authenticity of exhibitions and the articles that need to be done. In the past, however, the museums have responded to demands. If anyone has any concerns about what should be there rather than what is not there, I believe that the museums will respond positively. However, it would be wholly inappropriate for me, or any politician for that matter, to interfere by saying what exhibitions should or should not be there. You can certainly have an opinion, but direct interference is nothing short of censorship.”
“I can give you a few examples. I have been informed by the museums, the Ulster Museum in particular, that there is literature on archaeology, art, dinosaurs, prehistoric life, farm life, geology, nature and wildlife. However, I am happy to try to furnish the Member and, indeed, Mrs Hale with a full list of all the exhibits available to be sold in the shop.”
“I am disappointed that the Member was not happy with her visit or, indeed, with the exhibitions or the literature sold. I am happy to write to the museum to that effect. I am concerned that, given the amount of money that we have put into the ministerial advisory group on the Ulster-Scots Academy (MAGUS) — over £3·5 million — specifically to enhance and enrich the literature, cultural services and facilities to places like the museums, we have all fallen short. I am happy to write to the museums to query this and also the Member's concerns. I will also query what the Ulster-Scots Community Network and the Ulster Historical Foundation have been doing with the money that they received to do exactly that.”
“Museums policy specifically requires museums here to embrace the principles of equality of opportunity and to develop good relations beyond any legislative requirement to do so. That policy was subject to equality proofing by my Department.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Museums has advised me that the range of literature sold through its outlets is reflective of the collections and exhibitions held each year at the organisation's three sites. The sale of books and other literature is part of Museums' retail operations and is intended to enhance the understanding of its collections and exhibitions, and that also helps to generate income for the organisation. It has also informed me that its retail operations are not of themselves subject to equality proofing and cultural monitoring, because they are aligned to the Museums and Galleries (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 and the museums policy for the North. The Museums and Galleries Order requires the board of trustees and the museums to assist the public to interpret the significance of its collections and exhibitions.”
“I am happy to do that. I thought the Member was testing my skills in Irish, and I hope that my teachers were watching to see that I fully understood the question and was able to respond to it appropriately. Yes, I will continue to raise that issue.”
“OK. The Member may be aware that Foras na Gaeilge conducted a consultation into this, and there was a lot of feedback. I know that members of his and neighbouring constituencies fed into that. I will happily meet with some of those groups and will certainly be working with Foras na Gaeilge to ensure that there is additional support for this programme.”