Fearghal McKinney
South Belfast · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“We need to do everything we can to bring investment and job opportunities. A prosperity strategy should also include a massive programme of workforce training and skills enhancement.”
“In particular, we want the Programme for Government to adopt a much more joined-up style of government that delivers much greater accountability and transparency and will itself say that it wants Northern Ireland to work.”
“<BR /> <BR />We can point to collective achievements — local government reform among them — but just months ago the echoes of our past threatened our political future, reinforcing the challenges to our delicate political system that the Good Friday Agreement could never have foreseen.”
“Creating much better social cohesion and integration must be another Programme for Government requirement. <BR /> <BR />Health reform, job creation, better infrastructure, creating world-class education and tackling social deprivation are issues on which the SDLP is not prepared to compromise.”
“There are many big challenges facing Northern Ireland, perhaps the biggest of which is to get people into work. It is our job to create the infrastructural and educational opportunities and to maximise those opportunities.”
“It is our job to ensure that our people can and should dare to dream that life can be better; that our children will not be forced to leave these shores for the promise of work in Australia or America because of a failing economy — I referenced the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's latest research; that our health service provides a service th…”
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“I thank the Minister. Given all the welfare debate that we have had over the last months, would there not be merit in a re-prioritisation in the Programme for Government, particularly around deprived areas, and a focusing on deprivation to help to alleviate some of the deprivation in those areas and maybe take some of the weight off the welfare reform discussion?”
“I thank the Minister. How does the Department monitor the level of service provided in area learning communities? How are examples of good practice disseminated in other learning communities?”
“I thank the Minister for his positive approach. In that context, will he agree that the Health Minister's approach to rejecting 40 cancer drugs that are available in England and not making them available here could undermine that ambition? In that context, will he consider reflecting to the Executive the possibility of at least further and strengthened cross-departmental work, if not a separate subcommittee of the Executive, to look at this, given the health outcomes and economic outcomes that could flow from such an important decision as making this a centre of excellence for the whole region?”
“Will the Minister outline what discussions the Enterprise Minister has planned with Mr Donohoe's Department and others on supporting future bids for sporting events on an all-island basis?”
“I thank the Minister. Minister, given the recent publicity and media attention on this, are you reviewing to any extent the level of funds available?”
“Thank you, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />My question is on a side issue that has been drawn to my attention. Is the Minister aware of what may amount to a warm homes scheme scam, whereby individuals purporting to represent the scheme present themselves at households, do undefined works and demand money? If he is aware, what advice would he give to householders who find themselves confronted in such a way?”
“I agree with my colleague Mr Alban Maginness in praising the Minister for making this long-overdue decision, and I thank the Minister for his statement. Specifically, how will BMAP help to deal with dereliction in Belfast city centre?”
“I thank the Minister. He is relaying valuable discussions to the Floor. Can I concentrate on prescription drugs? Given the wider financial and health pressures, there is a financial as well as a health imperative in terms of prescription drugs. So, in terms of best practice, can the Minister point to robust action that is being taken so that those who are meant to get the drugs get the value of them, the taxpayer gets the best value for money and the potential is at least limited for those who are getting them to abuse them?”