Gordon Lyons
East Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Implementing other recommendations will require further legislation that, I trust, will come in the next mandate, but I can confirm that 60 of the recommendations have already been separately addressed by either the Department or the commission. I hope that that answers his questions.”
“Yes, I do and am happy to share those. The issue has been raised in the Chamber and through Assembly questions. My position is that we want to make it simple and straightforward for people.”
“They also introduce greater flexibility in financial reporting, allowing requirements to be tailored more appropriately, reducing burdens on smaller organisations and ensuring that the system can adapt over time through secondary legislation.”
“If they want to constitute as a Northern Ireland-only charity, they are able to do that, if they believe that that will bring certain benefits.”
“That is similar to what we are trying to do with trustees. Even though you leave your position as a trustee or your position as someone who holds an office in a charity or who has employment in the office, the commissioner will still be able to make a determination that says, "Even though you have left, we are still making this order to t…”
“I do not believe that it was. That was maybe picked up wrong. We are happy to look at and explore that, but that is the information that I have on it. Again, we will have the Committee Stage of the legislation, so we can look into that then.”
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“I am very aware of the significant rise in private rents over recent years in Belfast and across Northern Ireland. While Northern Ireland continues to be regarded as one of the more affordable regions of the UK, the rate at which rents have risen has outpaced wage growth by around 16%, meaning that many renters are now spending a greater share of their income on housing costs. To help address affordability challenges, in April last year, I introduced legislation to limit rent increases to once every 12 months, with a three-month notice period. Ultimately, the root cause of rising rents remains the imbalance between housing supply and demand. Increasing supply across all tenures is essential to improving long-term affordability. That is why we now have a 15-year Executive supply strategy for housing.”
“Once that is finalised, officials will work with councils to develop projects, subject to necessary approvals and budget availability. <BR /> <BR />Mr Robinson is very passionate about Limavady and the area as a whole, and he wants to see something done about those high rates of vacancy. Unfortunately, it is not just something that he is experiencing in his constituency, which is why we want to take that approach to help urban centres right across Northern Ireland.”
“To explore ways in which my Department can support addressing vacancy, particularly in urban centres, I have asked my officials to conduct a review of successful vacancy initiatives that councils have taken forward to date. To inform that work, my officials have been engaging with all councils, over the past number of months, to agree the parameters of upscaling that type of intervention to enable more schemes to be taken forward. I have tasked my officials to explore how we can roll out the Vacant to Vibrant scheme across all councils following the very successful pilot by Belfast City Council. I am pleased to say that officials are drafting guidelines on the Department's approach to funding future Vacant to Vibrant projects.”
“First, I thank Mr Robinson for his invitation to visit Limavady in March, when I was able to see first-hand the benefits of my Department’s recent £150,000 investment in the revitalisation scheme, which benefited 35 properties in Main Street and Irish Green Street. My officials are engaging with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council on its next regeneration priorities for Limavady following the 2024 review of the Limavady master plan. <BR /> <BR />Limavady includes several key opportunity sites, which my Department will progress in partnership with the council and other strategic stakeholders, subject to priorities agreed by elected Members and the availability of funding.”
“I will certainly note the Member's first comment. If anybody else has any other connections to St Patrick, I am happy to note them and put that information into the Assembly Library. <BR /> <BR />On his question, we recognise that need varies across locations and client groups, and the investment required, not only in the physical accommodation but in the housing support services, means that the Housing Executive's commissioning decisions must be based on evidence, and that must be informed by how needs have changed over time. The purpose of the strategic needs assessment is to provide robust data to help inform future commissioning decisions that are informed by levels of need.”
“We need to be sensitive to that and we need to help those who need it, but we also need to make sure that we are helping others in that situation as well, whether that is members of the public who have no connection, apart from proximity, to the service or those who may share that accommodation with the individuals whom he is describing.”
“We have the Supporting People programme in place because we recognise that the individuals concerned have additional needs. Of course, there needs to be support and help for those who are availing themselves of that sort of accommodation, and that should be right for their needs. I do not know whether the Member has a particular case in mind. He says that he does, in which case I am more than happy for him to come to my office so that we can raise that directly with the providers to try to make sure that we sort out those issues. This is a complex area and often involves difficult needs.”
“That included £1 million for additional or expanded services, resulting in 124 units of new and expanded services for seven Supporting People providers. The programme now provides approximately 800 services, which help to support almost 20,000 individuals. <BR /> <BR />The Housing Executive is finalising its strategic intent for the programme, which will guide its future direction. That includes a strategic needs assessment, which will provide evidence of current and future need for housing support services and highlight any gaps in supported living provision. The Housing Executive will draw on that assessment to inform future commissioning decisions, including re-profiling and expansion of services, where need is identified.”
“I am keen to ensure that supported living accommodation is available where it is needed. This is not just about increasing provision but ensuring that the right services are being provided in the right places. Given the budget constraints that we face and the significant spend by my Department annually on the Supporting People programme, decisions must be based on where there is evidence of need. Any increase in supported living provision requires not only capital investment through the social housing development programme but adequate Supporting People funding to resource the additional or expanded support services needed. <BR /> <BR />In 2025-26, I allocated a total of £83·7 million to the Supporting People programme.”
“Of course, Slemish will be coming into my constituency soon. It is important that we do not forget Slemish and its connections to St Patrick. This is something that we should do throughout the year, not just on St Patrick's Day: tell our story about who we are, what we have done, where we have come from and why this is such a good place to visit. We have also been pushing the historical and family connections and the research that can be done at the Public Record Office. The Open was an incredible opportunity for us. The Public Record Office was full of people who came for the Open and explored more about their history and heritage, and we have had people come back. This is a good investment. We need to continue to do it. I will happily promote the story of St Patrick, his Christian values and his connection to Downpatrick.”
“I hope that we get visitors who were watching the St Patrick's Day parade on NBC in New York and will say, "I want to visit Northern Ireland", or "I want to visit south Down" or "I want to hear more and see more about this place". It is worthwhile. It is something that we should do. I encourage the Member to look into some of the projects that have been funded. Many people applied. We were not able to fund everything that we wanted to. Local communities see the value in it; our museums see the value in it; and Tourism Ireland sees the value in it. I hope that she will find out more and understand the value that can come as well.”
“First, the Member will be aware that businesses cases have been carried out for the work: for the visit and the funding pots that I have put in place. It is important that that is considered. Secondly, yes, I completely understand that we are living in a difficult period and that people need support. I have brought forward that support, but we should not do that at the expense of arts and culture in Northern Ireland. We got those budgets in order to help elsewhere. We can do both, and we will continue to do both. <BR /> <BR />The promotion of Northern Ireland — getting more people to visit and be aware of Northern Ireland — is a good thing. It is something that we should all want and celebrate.”
“If the Member wants to know more, I encourage her to speak to the business leaders and groups from Northern Ireland who were there and who greatly valued the opportunity to engage with so many people in the United States.”
“The total cost of the visit, including flights, accommodation, advertising and catering at the event, along with entertainment, commemorative coins, books, pop-ups and displays, was £39,727. <BR /> <BR />With regard to value, we were able to promote the Ulster-American connection in a way that we have not done before. During the St Patrick's Day parade, we got exposure to the New York media market — a media market of 8 million people. We told them about the historical links between Northern Ireland and the United States and invited people to visit Northern Ireland. As I have outlined, we have also received material for loan from the Library of Congress. It will be of value, especially to the Public Record Office and its responsibilities and objectives.”
“In an increasingly global world, Northern Ireland must seize those chances to tell our story, which is one of resilience, creativity, innovation and deep historical links.”
“Those relationships have borne tangible results, and I am pleased to confirm that I have secured the loan of key historical records that will come for the first time to Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />One of the highlights of the visit was undoubtedly the special reception that was jointly hosted with the America250 commission on Capitol Hill. Over 250 distinguished guests attended, including senior politicians from both parties in the House and Senate, business leaders, cultural figures and representatives of the diaspora. I strongly believe that personal connections and relationships matter. Our shared stories and experiences build trust and mutual respect that help open doors and create lasting opportunities.”
“I undertook a total of 15 engagements during my visit to the United States. They were wide-ranging, and I engaged with key partners in Savannah, Georgia, and in Washington DC across the political, cultural, business and tourism sectors. I spoke at an event in Savannah hosted by Georgia Southern University alongside my Irish Government counterpart, Patrick O'Donovan TD, to highlight the influence that the Ulster-Scots community and its values had in the development of the region. My officials are exploring several promising opportunities for collaboration. <BR /> <BR />I welcomed the opportunity to build on existing relationships and to explore further collaboration with the National Archives and the Library of Congress within the framework of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that my Department signed with the America250 commission.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his comments and for bringing the matter to my attention in the first place. It is good news. That essential work needs to be done, and I am pleased that we now have the approval from the Department of Finance. I will make sure, through the Housing Executive, that the work proceeds as soon as possible.”
“My officials will now write to the Housing Executive to advise it of that approval, which will enable the Housing Executive to proceed with the replacement of the Finlock gutters. That is some good news for the Member's constituents.”
“Further to my answer to the Member's previous question on the issue, I can advise that the Housing Executive wrote to my Department on 24 February seeking approval for an extra-statutory payment of approximately £2,500 per property for up to 88 properties, up to a total cost of £220,000. That payment would enable the private homeowners to proceed with the works and ensure that remediation could be progressed for the scheme as a whole. <BR /> <BR />My Department has referred the request to the Department of Finance for approval. I am happy to announce — this is fresh off the press; I have just been handed the information — that the Department of Finance has now provided its approval to allow the Housing Executive to make the extra-statutory payment.”
“We are doing what we can, but the Government must step up and deliver real relief to help people in the Member's constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone and beyond.”
“The Member is absolutely right to highlight the challenges that many people face across Northern Ireland. That is why we are doing what we can with what we have by putting the scheme in place. I and others have been saying, however — in fact, it was raised by our party leader in Westminster six weeks ago — that there is a need for help to come to everybody who is in need at this time. The most simple and straightforward way in which the Government can do that is by reducing the tax and duty on fuel. That would not just provide immediate relief to those who are filling up the tank of their car, their tractor, their lorry or whatever or those filling their tank with home heating oil but help them with everything that comes from that. It would help with inflation and help pare down the increases that will come as a result.”
“The Member said that, for a long time, we were not doing anything. That is wrong, and we will have to file it under, "Things that Matthew O'Toole gets wrong". That is a pretty big file. We have been working hard, and we will now deliver.”
“We have not yet had those conversations, but we will engage with a number of stakeholders. That is a valid concern that many people will have. If we are to provide direct support to people, however, it needs to be done in the right way. We will look to have a list of suppliers, therefore, so that people can get support out to those who need it most for that particular reason. <BR /> <BR />This scheme should be welcomed. The Member talked about how long it has taken for one to be put in place. I make no apology for that. The reason why it has taken time is that it has not simply gone to those who are on benefits. We wanted to extend it to others who are on low incomes. That is where the added time and complexity came from, but, as a result, 70% of households in Northern Ireland that use home heating oil will get that benefit.”
“I will seek financial support from the Executive for proposals for a warm healthy homes fund, as part the implementation of our warm healthy homes strategy, to make cold, damp homes a thing of the past.”
“It targets public support to the households that need it most, including people who are in low-paid work. <BR /> <BR />This is about helping the right people in the right way on the basis of real household pressures. While I recognise the scheme’s role in providing short-term assistance to households that use home heating oil, my ambition is to move beyond that and deliver meaningful and lasting support. <BR /> <BR />Alongside the new measure, I will reform my Department’s discretionary support scheme to ensure that grant assistance is available to those in need, regardless of the type of home heating that they rely on. In parallel, I am actively focused on long-term solutions for families.”
“I remain firmly committed to providing practical assistance to those most at risk of fuel poverty. I am pleased that the Executive have agreed to my proposal to provide targeted support for families and others across Northern Ireland who are feeling the pressures of increased home heating oil costs. To support the delivery of the scheme, £36·4million will be allocated to my Department. That means that assistance of £100 for oil will be offered to over 340,000 households in Northern Ireland, covering a range of vulnerable groups including those with disabilities, older people and those who are on a low income. The scheme goes beyond people who are on benefits and recognises the fact that many working families struggle with heating costs.”
“I appreciate the Minister giving way. He has talked about the cost-benefit analysis. Will he give us his view on the independent Climate Change Committee's letter to his most recent predecessor as Agriculture Minister, which stated that a 50% fall in meat and dairy production in Northern Ireland is not enough to get to net zero emissions in Northern Ireland by 2050?”
“You cannot answer the question, because you are a spoofer.”
“Maybe your time would be better spent answering the question.”
“I am not speaking as Minister, but I am grateful to the Member for giving way. He talks about a cost-benefit analysis. In the House, we were presented with information from the independent Climate Change Commission that stated that the difference in cost for us between a 82% reduction target and a 100% reduction target would be up to £900 million per year. Where is he getting the money from for that? Do you know where it will come from? It will hit working people the hardest. The Member claims to speak for working people, but his policies do more damage to working people than those of anyone else.”
“Will the Member also note that there is already a UK-wide commissioner? We would therefore be duplicating that work, which is something that the House was aware of when it foolishly voted for a commissioner for here.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I welcome the support from the Chairman and the Committee. I commend the motion to the House.”
“The existing code of audit practice came into force on 1 April 2021. <BR /> <BR />The Local Government Auditor consulted interested parties about the proposed draft code of audit practice 2026. The eight-week consultation period ended on 1 December 2025, and 12 responses were received as part of the consultation. <BR />I therefore ask the Assembly to approve the Local Government Auditor's code of audit practice 2026 to come into force on 15 April 2026.”
“Article 5(3) provides that a code will not:”
“Article 5(1) of the Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 requires the Local Government Auditor to prepare and keep under review a code of audit practice that prescribes the way in which local government auditors carry out their functions in relation to district councils and other local government bodies. Article 5(2) of the 2005 Order provides that such a code shall embody what appears to the Local Government Auditor to be:”
“I thank the Committee members and, in particular, Committee staff, who, I am sure, had much work to do in the organisation and set up to make sure that it could happen. <BR /> <BR />I will continue to work with the deaf community and those who have a role in promoting sign language, which has already increased visibility, access and opportunities for people to learn and use it in everyday life. <BR /> <BR />I believe that good work has been done, but it is not the end. I will have more to say at the later stages of the Bill, but, for now, I thank everybody who has helped us to get to this stage and look forward to it passing Consideration Stage.”
“Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I thank everybody who contributed to today's debate. The Bill has been developed in consultation and partnership with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) community and strengthened, I believe, through constructive engagement with the Committee. <BR /> <BR />It is fair to say that I have had some issues with how the Committee does its job, and I am sure that the Committee has some issues with how I do my job. However, that being said, I think that the Bill is a good example of the Committee working well, listening to concerns, taking on board changes and genuinely working together. I have been impressed by how the Committee has ensured that it has been accessible to those who will be affected most by it.”
“Amendment No 21 is straightforward. It provides that rather than state "are subject to negative resolution", regulations:”
“Amendment No 20 to clause 9 reflects the request from the Committee that a report evaluating the impact of the legislation be laid not more than five years after the legislation's coming into operation and, thereafter, every three years. <BR /> <BR />Clause 10 requires the Department to make regulations to establish a scheme for accrediting teachers and interpreters of BSL and ISL. That will provide assurances about professional competence and safeguarding. There is no intention by the Department to collect fees for such schemes at this time. However, I have agreed to the Committee's request to amend clause 10(5) as there is provision for the schemes to be with or without fees payable. The reference to the potential collection of fees is sufficient to merit the tabling of the amendment.”
“<BR /> <BR />Amendment No 19 is an amendment to clause 9 that reflects the request from the Committee that a report evaluating the impact of the legislation be:”
“Therefore, when we need to consult on deafblind issues, we will not necessarily need to consult the whole deaf community, as it may not be relevant to everyone; it is a deafblind issue. When consulting, the Department must actively seek input specific to BSL, input specific to ISL and general input relevant to both languages. That prevents any consultation from becoming one-sided or unintentionally favouring one language group. Clause 8A strengthens the fairness, breadth and quality of consultation and ensures that voices from across the deaf community are heard and reflected in departmental decision-making. It provides clarity and flexibility for officials, reducing the risk of challenge over who was or was not consulted.”
“<BR /> <BR />Amendment No 18, which inserts new clause 8A, is also a technical amendment. It brings further clarity to how the Department must consult the deaf community, including references to "part of the deaf community". In advance of today, I shared a draft of the new clause with the Committee, as it emanates from the Committee's request for clarity on how engagement and consultation must involve representatives from BSL and ISL. The amendment therefore ensures balanced input on BSL, ISL and deafblind methods of signing. <BR /> <BR />Officials are exploring options to increase the number of interpreters for deafblind people, which is an entirely different issue to the capacity-building of BSL and ISL interpreters.”
“of the deaf community. <BR /> <BR />The amendments to clause 7 are technical in nature. Amendment No 10 is a technical clarification, as are amendment Nos 11, 12 and 13. The amendment to clause 7(5)(b) is similar to that to clause 5(3)(b). For the avoidance of doubt, it removes the perceived reliance on a single source for consultation, strengthens the scope of consultations and is consistent with the Committee's request to amend. Amendment No 15 is a technical clarification. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 16 to clause 8 is technical in nature and clarifies how the Department must engage with the deaf community when fulfilling consultation duties, ensuring that the engagement will be inclusive, representative and balanced across BSL, ISL and deafblind people. Amendment No 17 is a technical clarification.”
“Clause 5 places a duty on my Department to issue guidance about the statutory duties in the Bill. Before issuing that guidance, my Department must consult each of the public bodies that are listed as prescribed organisations and are subject to the duties in the Bill. Prior to the amendment, the Bill placed a duty on my Department to consult at least one person or group acting on behalf of the deaf community. That was a drafting device intended to emphasise the need for consultation. At the Committee's request, I now propose to increase the number of people or groups whom the Department must consult from at least one to at least two. Amendment No 8 clarifies that each of the persons or groups consulted is:”
“The Committee suggested the compromise of adding a public body as a newly prescribed organisation by negative resolution, whereas the removal of a public body as a prescribed organisation would be by affirmative resolution. The Office of the Legislative Counsel (OLC) advised that it is technically difficult to separate the two things in one clause, using negative resolution procedure for one and affirmative resolution procedure for the other. I am therefore content with the amendment to clarify that regulations on the listing of public bodies may not be made unless a draft of them has been laid before and approved by a resolution of the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />The amendments to clause 5 are technical and clarify how my Department engages and consults.”
“for the purposes of the Bill. The Committee requested that, rather than the listing of public bodies as prescribed organisations being subject to negative resolution, the Department should use the affirmative procedure. My officials were of the view that it is an administrative duty and that negative resolution would provide a proportionate level of scrutiny for such an administrative exercise and would expedite the listing of public bodies to ensure that they would be subject to the duties in the Bill sooner.”
“With the exception of amendment No 18, the amendments that I propose in this group have been developed with the agreement of the Committee. They are largely technical and clarificatory in nature and will improve the delivery of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 6 relates to clause 4, which provides the Department with the statutory powers to list in regulation the public bodies that would be required to take the reasonable steps outlined in clause 3. It is a technical amendment and clarifies the way in which the Department:”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker, has amendment No 22 been taken?”
“However, for me, the Bill's focus, first and foremost, is on the group of people who have struggled so much and have not had the rights. <BR /> <BR />That is why I will oppose the Member's amendment. I am determined that the Bill will ensure that the deaf community of BSL, ISL and deafblind signers will benefit from increased accessibility to public services; that, through increased visibility, awareness and understanding of languages and deaf culture, wider society will embrace the deaf community; and that the communication barriers experienced by the deaf community daily will be removed.”