Caoimhe Archibald
East Londonderry · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“Taken together, that points to a scheme that is operating effectively in its early stages, while, of course, remaining under review as further evidence becomes available. <BR /> <BR />I therefore commend to the Assembly the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Employment and Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026.”
“I seek the Assembly's approval for the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Employment and Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026. The statutory rule was made on 1 April and came into operation on 6 April. It is before the Assembly today under the confirmatory procedure.”
“The 2026 regulatory impact assessment estimates one-off employer familiarisation costs of up to £1·36 million, with wider HMRC implementation costs forecast at £1·5 million and annual systems maintenance costs of around £10,000. It may assist Members to note that early implementation has gone smoothly.”
“The amendment ensures the continued operation of those regulations and forms part of a wider package of legislative measures establishing statutory parental bereavement pay as an entitlement for bereaved parents.”
“The regulations before the Assembly today are a key part of that implementation and ensure the continued operation of the statutory parental bereavement pay framework. The policy objective is clear: to support bereaved working parents at a time of profound loss and provide a minimum standard of protection in law.”
“<BR /> <BR />The confirmatory procedure means that the regulations before the House today have come into operation before the Assembly debate has taken place and must then be approved by the Assembly within the relevant statutory period. In this case, the deadline for approval is 20 September 2026.”
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“I thank the Member for her questions. The Member will be aware of the recent announcement on Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, which joins County Fermanagh into the Ireland's Hidden Heartlands brand. It was agreed between Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI just before Christmas. That is an important first step in brand collaboration. <BR /> <BR />The Member will also be aware of the Shared Island project on the Causeway coastal route and the Wild Atlantic Way as regards the joining together of those routes and the shared marketing and shared signage. Certainly, I see the opportunity in further collaboration of both the Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway coastal route brands across the island, as well as Ireland's Ancient East, which is currently being reviewed as a brand by Fáilte Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ministers noted a presentation on the collaboration to maximise benefits from golf tourism by Fáilte Ireland, Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland and how the agencies are working collaboratively to promote economic growth across the island. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC approved an appointment to the board of Tourism Ireland CLG from 28 January 2026 to 18 December 2026. <BR /> <BR />The Council agreed to hold its next NSMC tourism meeting in spring 2026. <BR /> <BR />I commend the statement to the House.”
“The Council noted the ongoing collaboration between the relevant tourism agencies on the Shared Island-funded brand collaboration project and the projects under the Shared Destinations programme 2025-2030. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC approved the 'Tourism Ireland Corporate Plan, 2026-28'. The Council also approved the 'Tourism Ireland Business Plan, 2026' and recommended the budget and grant provision. The Council noted Tourism Ireland's annual report and accounts for 2024, which have been certified by the Comptrollers and Auditors General (C&AGs) and laid before the Assembly and both Houses of the Oireachtas.”
“Ministers noted the work of Tourism Ireland to promote economic growth through its support of sustainable benefit for SMEs and communities, business events, strategy and competitiveness, productivity and market diversification. The NSMC agreed that officials in Tourism Ireland will continue to collaborate on those matters, and an update will be provided to the next meeting in the sector. <BR /> <BR />Ministers noted updates on the work of the all-island strategic tourism group, including efforts to promote sustainability for the tourism sector. The NSMC noted ongoing work to address climate change and loss of biodiversity within the tourism sector.”
“Ministers noted Tourism Ireland activity during that period, including the large number of marketing campaigns and events undertaken, continuing to strive for greater seasonal and regional spread of visits, including for example the marketing of the island as the Home of Halloween and the promotion of major sporting events. The Council noted Tourism Ireland's forward focus on increasing the value of overseas tourism; sustainably supporting economies, communities and the environment; and market diversification by expanding strategic source markets, stimulating demand for new and existing routes and strengthening strategic partnerships.”
“With your permission, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, regarding a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in tourism sectoral format. <BR /> <BR />The meeting was held in Armagh on 28 January 2026. I chaired the meeting, representing the Northern Ireland Executive, and was accompanied by Minister Gordon Lyons. The Irish Government were represented by Minister Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. The statement has been agreed with Minister Lyons, and I make it on behalf of us both. <BR /> <BR />The Council welcomed the report of the chair of Tourism Ireland on the work of the board since the last NSMC tourism meeting in April 2025.”
“I thank the Member for his question. It is not entirely related to the statement, but I am happy to respond to it because it is an area about which I am particularly passionate. <BR /> <BR />We have recently set up an entrepreneurship co-design group in the Department, bringing together the various partners across the sector to look at how we better support people who want to be business people, those who have a business idea and those who are already in business and are taking the next steps. We will see the bringing together of that group and the development of an action plan over the next short period. That will give us the opportunity to look at how we can expand the support that is there and ensure that we encourage people to take those opportunities.”
“The funding received through that by three successful companies in the North is of huge significance to support innovation and sustainability in the region, and it is a strong example of how that collaboration can really drive economic impact.”
“I warmly welcomed the announcement in November that the Irish Government had made allocations of over €50 million to the Shared Island Fund to be delivered as part of that initiative from 2026 to 2030. My Department has been working more closely than ever with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to ensure that there is strategic alignment and synergy across key policy areas. We have bids currently under consideration by the Shared Island unit at the Department of the Taoiseach. I welcome the most recent milestone that we have reached in the delivery of successful Shared Island sustainability capital grants.”
“That highlights why we want to make sure that that remains. <BR /> <BR />InterTradeIreland is very accessible, and I encourage businesses to look at the whole range of support. We are putting a particular focus, including through Invest NI, on access to finance, because we know that that is a particular challenge for many small businesses.”
“I thank the Member for her question. It is an important point. Often, SMEs are so focused on doing their day-to-day business that lifting their head to look for support is at the end of a long list. It is important that that support be accessible. Of course, there is an online presence from InterTradeIreland. I very much encourage any business seeking support to reach out to InterTradeIreland to access that whole range of support. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, there are also supports available from other sources. We recently had a conversation in the Chamber about the need for Go Succeed to continue to be funded. Often, the first point of contact that many business people have is with their local council. Go Succeed is delivered through the councils. It signposts people to the variety of support that best meets the needs of their business.”
“I thank the Member for her question. As I mentioned in the statement, we agreed the new business plan and corporate plan for 2026-28, which reflect the economic priorities North and South. Our priority sectors are reflected in those plans. It is about providing the types of support that businesses, regardless of sector, will need for innovation and skills and to take the next steps when it comes to exports. InterTradeIreland provides support for supply chains, so, if businesses in your constituency want support in that regard, I very much encourage them to get in touch and access the available support.”
“It now plans to take on additional employees for the first time. Couverture Desserts, which is located in Naas in County Kildare, has benefited from InterTradeIreland's Acumen programme, which has helped it to fund a sales resource to develop and grow sales across the island. Both those businesses talk, as do other businesses that I hear from regularly, about that support being crucial to enabling them to take the next steps. The additional confidence that they have as a result of the support and mentoring that they get is striking. We hear that all the time from SMEs that access support, whether via InterTradeIreland or Invest NI. It means that they are in a position where they feel that they can take further steps.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Cross-border trade will continue to be a key pathway for SMEs to build export capability and resilience, as I said to Mr Honeyford. InterTradeIreland supports first-time traders and experienced traders through a range of pathways, including the structured trade pathway. It provides practical guidance via the Trade Hub and helps SMEs with accessing cross-border sales, public procurement and supply chains. <BR /> <BR />At the NSMC meeting a couple of weeks ago, I heard from some businesses that have experienced that support and have significantly expanded their trade because of it. One such business is Long Meadow Cider, which is located in Portadown. It has availed itself of various trade supports to help it to plan and scale its cross-border exports.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I said, if Members are seeking additional information, particularly those who are on the Economy Committee and have been asking the questions, I am happy to have InterTradeIreland furnish the Committee with some of that information to help it to understand the impact of the work that is being done.”
“I thank the Member for that question. Targets are set in the corporate plan and business plan for the number of businesses to be supported. InterTradeIreland has exceeded those targets across the board in respect of its most recent business plan, and, as the Member said, we have agreed the new business plan. <BR /> <BR />A range of support is provided for different businesses that seek different types of support and have different needs. Benefits are accordingly accrued across those. Examples include the Acumen project, which reported a combined business development value of £23·9 million and the creation of 114 jobs. Similar statistics can be attributed to various other programmes.”
“A key thing that InterTradeIreland highlights is that, for SMEs, exporting and trading across the border, as well as engaging in east-west trading, are often the first steps to wider exporting. We clearly want to support that. <BR /> <BR />I am happy to ask InterTradeIreland whether additional data or information on dual market access can be shared with the Economy Committee in particular.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As he will be aware, cross-border trade figures have significantly increased over the past number of years. The latest figure that we have, which was for 2023, sat at €15 billion or £12 billion. There has been a considerable increase. We need to look at how we can support businesses further to take up those opportunities.”
“I thank the Member for his question on the structures on which Intertrade UK and Invest NI are represented. I have not yet had the opportunity to engage with Intertrade UK, but I am open to trying to support businesses to navigate frictions that have resulted from Brexit. I am willing to engage in any format to enable that.”
“WeScale is delivered by AwakenHub, which, as Members may be aware, recently undertook a trade mission in the US.”
“<BR /> <BR />The three new women's entrepreneurship programmes supported by the Shared Island enterprise scheme are WeBuild, which is a tech programme that is designed to empower women entrepreneurs to accelerate tech-driven business ideas and develop tech-enabled ventures focused on innovation, AI learning and building strong future-ready businesses, and is delivered by TechFoundHer; WeGrow, which is a growth programme for established women-led SMEs that aim for growth and expansion across the island and seek to reflect on their business potential and is delivered by Women in Business NI and Network Ireland; and WeScale, which is a scaling programme dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs to scale strategically and sustainably, blending world-class learning, bespoke mentoring and investor access.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Women's entrepreneurship is one of the important new programmes that InterTradeIreland supports through the Shared Island enterprise scheme. It equips women with new opportunities through business support. There was a recent boost to women's entrepreneurship work in the North with last month's launch of a trio of programmes from InterTradeIreland, in partnership with Invest NI and Enterprise Ireland, which will enable participants to gain access to expert mentorship, tailored support workshops and networking opportunities that will accelerate their business growth.”
“It is clear that it is beneficial in opening up opportunities and new markets for them. I am clear about the benefits of the support that businesses get from InterTradeIreland, and I am happy to furnish the Member with additional information.”
“I will endeavour to ensure that the Member is furnished with some of the information to which she referred. We received a presentation from InterTradeIreland at the NSMC, and I will see whether that is available for sharing. <BR /> <BR />I should also say that we had the opportunity to hear from businesses that had received support from InterTradeIreland about the direct impact that that has had on them. It is clear that the support is effective in helping businesses to grow and take on new workers. Both businesses that presented to the NSMC spoke very highly of how the programmes had helped them to focus on growth. In the past year, I have also had the opportunity to attend one of the Trade Missions @ Home programmes to see the type of support that is provided to businesses.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Council agreed to hold its next NSMC trade and business development meeting in spring 2026. <BR /> <BR />I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome questions.”
“Ministers noted that InterTradeIreland's annual report and accounts for 2024 are being finalised and will be brought to the next meeting for noting. <BR /> <BR />The Ministers welcomed presentations from two businesses on the benefits of InterTradeIreland's programme of supports. They also welcomed a presentation on how InterTradeIreland's Synergy programme is supporting University College Dublin and Queen's University Belfast to create a formal cluster framework for the oncology and allied digital heath sectors. The NSMC noted the work being done by InterTradeIreland in running successful programmes of support for small businesses. <BR /> <BR />The Council approved a number of appointments to the boards of InterTradeIreland and the Loughs Agency.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ministers noted at the plenary meetings in June and October 2025 that the Council had agreed that relevant NSMC sectors should continue to consider how agreed collaborative approaches can contribute to economic growth. The NSMC noted the work of InterTradeIreland to support economic growth in both jurisdictions, including through driving cross-border collaboration, supporting SMEs and innovation, and facilitating trade and market access. The Council agreed that officials in InterTradeIreland will continue to collaborate on those matters, and an update will be provided to the next meeting in that sector. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC approved the InterTradeIreland 2026 business plan and recommended the budget/grant provision. The Council also approved the InterTradeIreland 2026-28 corporate plan.”
“The NSMC noted the ongoing achievement of InterTradeIreland's innovation and entrepreneurship schemes, such as a 20% increase in applications for Innovation Boost in 2025, and support for University College Dublin and Queen's University Belfast, through its Synergy programme to create a formal cluster framework that is focused on the oncology and allied digital health sectors. The North/South Ministerial Council commended the work of InterTradeIreland, alongside that of Enterprise Ireland and Invest NI, in hosting the twenty-eighth TCI global conference in Dublin in October 2025, bringing together over 230 delegates from more than 25 countries, including world-leading cluster experts, policymakers and business leaders.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ministers welcomed the overall achievements of InterTradeIreland since the previous sectoral meeting in April 2025, including its exceeding its target of over 55,000 businesses benefiting from trade supports by the end of October 2025. The NSMC acknowledged the contribution that InterTradeIreland has made for small and medium-sized companies through its trade and development programmes such as the launch of the Trade Missions @ Home programme, which supported 40 businesses.”
“I apologise for the fact that Members did not receive the statement on time. It was an administrative error; apologies for that. <BR /> <BR />With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 regarding a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in trade and business development sectoral format. The meeting was held in Armagh on 28 January 2026. Minister Gordon Lyons MLA and I represented the Executive. The Irish Government were represented by Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, who chaired the meeting. The statement has been agreed with Minister Lyons, and I am making it on behalf of us both.”
“Next year, I intend to bring forward two further Bills: the offshore renewable energy installations Bill and the credit union Bill.”
“I thank the Member for that question. I intend to bring forward eight Bills over the course of the mandate, and that is compared with, I think, one piece of primary legislation that my Department has brought forward since it was established in 2016. It is an ambitious programme of work, especially given that we have a shortened mandate. <BR /> <BR />It is important that we continue to press ahead to deliver on the commitments that we have made. There are five Bills scheduled for introduction this year: the 'good jobs' Bill; the RHI (Closure of Non-Domestic Scheme) Bill; the Utility Regulator (support for decarbonisation) Bill; the onshore petroleum Bill; and the renewable electricity price guarantee Bill. The RHI closure Bill is already progressing, and I will soon seek Executive approval to introduce the three remaining Bills.”
“As I reflected in my previous answer, I recognise the challenges for and pressures on the sector. A number of different pressures have piled up for it. I commit to continuing to engage so that I understand those challenges and to looking at how we can support the sector. One such way is to try to make progress on the VAT issue. The Finance Minister, alongside his work on Reval2026, is consulting on small business rate relief options. That is an opportunity to look at how we support sectors and small businesses more generally.”
“That particular engagement was about general pressures. Representatives specifically raised the challenge of the differential in VAT rates across the island. The fact that VAT will be reduced in the South in the summer means that businesses across the North, particularly those in border areas, will face a challenge in remaining competitive. As I said in answer to a previous question, the Finance Minister and I committed at that meeting to seek a meeting with Treasury to try to convince it of the benefits of a pilot on reduced VAT for the hospitality sector.”
“I thank the Member for that question. Since the launch of the economic vision, back when Minister Murphy was in place, there has been extensive and regular engagement between the Department and trade unions, including direct engagement through the Labour Relations Agency engagement forum. A number of trade unions and business organisations are represented on that forum. I have engaged with trade unions and business organisations, and I look forward to continuing to do so as we get the Executive's agreement on introducing the Bill to the Assembly. My next engagement with trade unions will be with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions next month.”
“Paternity leave from the first day of employment will enable fathers and partners to be more involved in the early weeks and months after a child's birth or adoption. Collectively, those reforms will help families to meet the demands of modern life, support well-being and allow parents and carers to remain in the workforce, which, I think, we all support.”
“I thank the Member for that question. The Bill will introduce several key measures to support working families in balancing employment and caring responsibilities. Flexible working rights from day 1 will offer families greater choice in how to manage work and home life. The Bill will provide for up to five days of unpaid carer's leave annually to support employees who care for dependents with long-term needs. It includes rights to leave and pay when a baby requires neonatal care, which will ensure that parents can focus on their family during those challenging periods. Enhanced redundancy protection for pregnant employees and those returning from family leave will strengthen job security and prevent disadvantage for new and expectant parents.”
“I thank the Member for his question. We published the green skills action plan a few months ago. Its purpose is to ensure that we have a skilled pipeline of people coming through who are able to take forward the important policy initiatives that we are trying to achieve. It is also an indication of our ambition to grow our green economy. There are significant opportunities there for us, and we want to make sure that we are maximising our natural resources. Yes, an emphasis is therefore being placed on greens skills to make sure that we can support the work that is being undertaken.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I am flicking through my papers to try to find my notes. Following yesterday's publication of the Department's consultation response, we indicated that, over the coming months, further work will be done on developing proposals for a support scheme, with the intent being to consult on such a scheme in the near future. The intention is to have a support scheme in place in 2027.”
“We are also working closely with the Department of Education on the 14-19 group, and we will continue to engage on the elements to which the Member referred — the independent review of education and the curriculum review — to make sure that interests from a further education perspective are properly reflected.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Ensuring parity between vocational and academic pathways is something that I am supportive of across primary and secondary education but particularly into third-level education, for which I have a responsibility. I have previously outlined some of the types of initiatives that are already in place to support our young people through vocational pathways, such as traineeships. Such initiatives ensure that there are different pathways and approaches for young people, regardless of what it is that they want to pursue. That is work that my Department continues to develop.”
“I thank the Member for his question. There has been considerable engagement at official level. Since Christmas, I have met the Minister of Education to discuss a number of areas in which we have a joint interest, of which the curriculum review is one. It is something in which I take a significant interest, because there is crossover with the 14-19 sector. The changes being proposed by the Department of Education include proposals to raise the mandatory age of education to 18. Again, that is something in which my Department has a particular interest, and we want to make sure that there are opportunities for young people, regardless of what pathway they want to pursue. We need to have close, joined-up working in order to make sure that that happens.”
“I thank the Member for her question. It is important to remember that the rates pressure comes on the back of many other pressures. We need to continue to engage with the sector on it. The Member and anybody who listened to the Finance Minister yesterday will be familiar with the reasoning behind the revaluations. It is to ensure that there is fairness in our rates system and that it keeps up to speed. One of the asks of the business community was that revaluations take place more regularly. As I said, I encourage all businesses that may have concerns to continue to engage with LPS and the Department of Finance over the coming weeks, because, as the Finance Minister made clear yesterday, there are a number of opportunities to do so.”
“As I said, along with the Finance Minister, I recently met Hospitality Ulster and the Food to Go Association to discuss their proposal for a VAT pilot scheme, given the North/South differential and the negative impact of a potential increase in that over coming months. Out of that meeting, we agreed to seek a meeting with Treasury to discuss the proposal for a reduced VAT pilot scheme. It is important that we continue the engagement with the hospitality sector over coming weeks. The Finance Minister was clear yesterday that there is an opportunity to continue to engage with Land and Property Services (LPS) for those who are concerned about their revaluation. I encourage any business that is in that position to do so.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I agree with her broad emphasis on the importance of our hospitality sector in supporting our tourism offering in particular. I have had significant engagement with the sector, including as recently as a fortnight ago, on the increasing pressures that it faces. Most of those are not within our control. Some are the result of decisions that have been taken by the British Government. Of course, the increasing pressure from rates comes on the back of all that and the challenging years throughout the pandemic. <BR /> <BR />I continue to engage with the sector.”
“I thank the Member for his question. It is important that we take learning and good practice from elsewhere and utilise that. Yes, we have looked at Skillnet Ireland. I have made a commitment to the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry that I will look at a workforce development agency to make sure that we have a join-up between businesses and the development of the types of skills and courses that are needed to support them. <BR /> <BR />Across our sectoral action plans, there are sectoral engagements to make sure that the types of programmes and initiatives that are being put in place to support the seven priority sectors meet the needs of the businesses and industry within them. That work continues, but we can certainly do more to make sure that we are as joined up as possible.”
“<BR /> <BR />The action plan includes actions on young people, such as a commitment to work with the Department of Education to support young people to gain the skills that they need to be successful, introducing the new Skills for Life and Work provision for young people who leave school with low or no qualifications and embedding a new youth training programme — traineeships — that delivers for industry and young people.”
“As I have said many times, skills underpin everything that we are trying to achieve and all of the priorities of the economic vision. We have created a skills fund, investing in a range of training interventions that are focused on our growth sectors and on transferable transversal skills. <BR /> <BR />I launched the skills action plan on 16 October at the Chamber of Commerce's Future Workforce Summit. In line with the economic vision, I have worked closely with officials to develop a forward-looking framework that will equip our people with the skills that are required to meet our current demands and the future ambitions of our economy.”
“That is an important point. A lot of work goes on in that area. Given the constrained budget, we have to make sure that we reduce duplication and that there is as much synergy as possible if we are to maximise delivery and impact. There is a lot of synergy, I guess, across the policy intent of some of the initiatives that the Member mentioned. <BR /> <BR />One thing that my Department is doing on the local economic partnership work is making sure that it lines up with the LMPs, which are supported by the Department for Communities, to make sure that there is no duplication and that both of those schemes involve, for example, our local colleges. That is to make sure that the work is aligned as much as possible. I think that all my Executive colleagues, including the Communities Minister, would support that.”
“Alongside that, work continues to enhance my Department’s support and provision for school leavers and others with special educational needs and disabilities. <BR /> <BR />Funding remains a significant challenge. The sustained reduction in support following the loss of the European social fund (ESF) and now the transition from the Shared Prosperity Fund to the local growth fund has had a considerable impact. It is especially acute for our partners in the community and voluntary sector, who deliver so much vital support in this area.”