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 want us to have an agreed Budget. Every member of the Executive wants us to have an agreed Budget. That is why we continue to make the case, why we have been working on that for a number of months and why, I believe, we are making good progress and, hopefully, will see a fruitful solution in the very near future.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I am sure that he will recognise that the financial constraints that the Executive are under do not put us in a position to be able to deliver the public services that we want and need to be able to deliver, while also supporting people with the cost of living. That is why, along with my Executive colleagues, we continue to make the case for a fairer funding settlement for people here. That work is ongoing and hopefully, in the next short period, will be fruitful. <BR /> <BR />As the Member will be aware as Chair of the Finance Committee, there are contingency arrangements in place, which, in the unfortunate situation that we are in, allow the use of up to 95% of the cash budget for last year by permanent secretaries. Advice has been given in that regard. I do not want to be in that situation.”
“Work will then be progressed with a consultation to seek input and feedback on the options around future financial support. Since the British Government published their warm homes plan a number of weeks ago, it has become evident that the use of financial transactions capital funding for low-interest loans will form part of that future policy, and we will be keen to explore how we can support that work. Obviously, we have to do that on a cross-departmental basis. My officials will continue working with DESNZ colleagues to make sure that we avail ourselves of any imminent support — the Member will be aware of GB Energy and the support that is expected to flow there — as much as possible.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I completely agree that the way to reduce your energy bills is to reduce the amount of energy that you use. Over the past couple of years, we have supported the NI sustainable energy programme, which is targeted towards lower-income households. To date, that has helped over 2,500 people to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their energy bills. <BR /> <BR />The Member will also know that tackling fuel poverty and domestic energy efficiency is a cross-cutting issue between my Department and the Department for Communities. We lead specifically on heat policy and are in the process of developing a domestic energy efficiency and low-carbon heat programme to replace the sustainable energy programme. The scheme design is at its final stage and will be published in the coming weeks.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I have emphasised on many occasions that the scheme that we put in place had to be comparable to the scheme in Britain. In the scheme that we have brought forward, we have managed to remove from bills certain charges for the NIRO scheme. Alongside Executive colleagues, we continue to make the case that we need more support for people who have been impacted by rising energy costs as a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Communities Minister is working to push out a scheme as soon as possible with the £17 million that came from the British Government. The Member will be aware that the Executive agreed to top up that funding. We will continue to make the case for more funding, but, unfortunately, this scheme has to be delivered in the way that it is being delivered.”
“We intend, as I said, to work with the Consumer Council and other consumer advocates to develop a communications plan on that. Applying the discount in September, when the summer is over, will, hopefully, be more impactful for people because electricity use starts to increase going into the autumn. That will be a better time for people to receive the support. It also gives us a bit more time to develop an awareness-raising campaign to let people know how they can donate the £30 to those who need it more.”
“I thank the Member for that question. I am on record several times as saying — and I think that there is consensus across the Chamber — that this is not the scheme that we would have designed, as we would have wanted to target those in most need. The constraints have been imposed by the British Government because of their scheme design. <BR /> <BR />I am keen to explore any way that we can to support people who are in fuel poverty. I met with Community Foundation NI, and we are working to develop an effective communications campaign to encourage people who feel that they do not need the £30 credit to voluntarily donate it to a fuel poverty charity. That matter was raised by the Chair of the Economy Committee at the last Question Time.”
“Subject to the necessary approvals and legislation being in place, which we expect to happen before the summer recess, and to allow time for the suppliers to make the required operational changes, I intend to apply the discount from September. With household electricity use tending to increase after the summer period, we want the scheme to be as impactful as possible for households. <BR /> <BR />I am working with Community Foundation NI on a campaign to encourage people who do not need the discount to donate the £30 to a fuel poverty charity. I intend to involve the Consumer Council and consumer advocates, including Community Foundation NI, when developing communication on that for consumers.”
“The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Treasury both confirmed in writing on four occasions — 13 March, 18 March, 27 March and 30 April — that the Treasury funding is annually managed expenditure (AME). Therefore, it can only be used for a scheme that is comparable to the one operating in Britain; it cannot be repurposed for any other objective. <BR /> <BR />The scheme will provide a reduction in electricity bills of around £30 per household per year over a three-year period. My Department has approved a business case for approximately £85 million. Department of Finance officials undertook an accelerated review of the business case. That has now been submitted to the Treasury for approval so that the required AME funding can be secured.”
“A considerable number of people got through to the interview stage. From memory, 19 people were recommended for appointment, which is considerably more than the available places on the board. I am happy to furnish the Member with the information to confirm that.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I will endeavour to get that question for written answer responded to as expeditiously as possible. I am not sure why the answer has not been with the Member prior to this point; I try to get my responses out as quickly as possible, so I will check on that. <BR /> <BR />The Member will be aware that there were a considerable number of applications to the Invest NI board competition.”
“Invest NI has been a key partner in helping to facilitate Artemis to grow its exports. I was delighted to welcome its multimillion-dollar deal in the US market. The Department remains committed to ensuring that all international engagements deliver long-term economic benefits and sustainable growth.”
“For example, as a direct result of the trade mission that Conor Murphy led in September 2024 to Chicago and Toronto, I have announced that Belfast-based firms The Foundation and Creative Media have secured contracts worth over £200,000, while Seedling and Jo Hopkins Consulting signed a new distribution agreement expanding their reach into North America. <BR /> <BR />The first all-island trade mission to Singapore FinTech Festival took place in November 2024. That mission, which was supported by Invest NI, Enterprise Ireland and the Industrial Development Agency (IDA), showcased 14 companies from across the island. Following that mission, Belfast-based Fern Software secured two multimillion-pound contracts. <BR /> <BR />During my visit to the States in March 2025, I announced the international success of Belfast-based Artemis Technologies.”
“I thank the Member for that question. Since taking on the Department for the Economy in February 2024, my predecessor Conor Murphy and I have undertaken overseas missions and trips to progress trade, investment and tourism opportunities. The outcomes of trade and investment missions often take time to fully materialise, and Invest NI continues to work closely with the participating companies, actively monitoring their progress and providing support in the months following each of those missions. That ongoing engagement helps businesses to strengthen their presence in those key markets and to inform their decisions.”
“I held a meeting with the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General for International Trade at the Department of Commerce, where I had the opportunity to outline the impact of US tariffs on businesses here and to promote the dual market access position.”
“The mission supported companies considering establishing or expanding a physical presence in the US through sales, manufacturing partnerships or investment-led growth. The summit proved to be a highly productive week for the companies, creating high-value opportunities to build partnerships and accelerate growth. <BR /> <BR />During the visit, alongside Invest NI, I met companies and engaged with governors from several states to discuss the contribution of businesses from the North and the strength of our economic relationship. In Virginia and Washington, I met business, civic and political leaders to identify opportunities for investment and partnership and to support companies exploring entry into the US market.”
“A few weeks ago — earlier in the month — I led a mission of six local businesses to the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Maryland, which is the biggest foreign direct investment event in the United States. It is the first time that Invest NI client companies have participated in SelectUSA and represents an important milestone. <BR /> <BR />Participating companies were drawn from the construction sector, the advanced engineering and manufacturing sector, the financial sector and the professional and business services sector, and they included O&S Doors, Smiley Monroe, Factory Automation Systems Technologies (FAST), Environmental Products and Services Ltd (EPAS), NHL Cylinders and Adepta Partners Ltd.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I recently met the Ulster-Scots commissioner, and work is under way in the Department alongside the commissioner to inform the development of a policy for the Department.”
“The principles are being carefully considered as part of a wider Irish Government review of broadcasting that is now under way. I am hopeful that we will see some progress on the issue.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I welcome the fact that colleagues in the South have tried to address the issue through the Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) (Amendment) Bill, which was introduced in Dáil Éireann in June 2025. The Bill seeks to address geoblocking by requiring public service broadcasters to make every reasonable effort to extend availability across the island. It also highlights the role of the Irish Government and Coimisiún na Meán in working to overcome the licensing barriers that underpin many of the restrictions that we are talking about. <BR /> <BR />The Bill recognises and reflects a growing demand that audiences in the North should not be excluded from national broadcasting. In that context, I appreciate the efforts of colleagues in the South and their contribution to the policy debate.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As he knows, broadcasting rights are sold on a territorial basis. Broadcasters often hold the rights to show certain TV shows and sporting events only within a defined jurisdiction, so, to comply with their licensing agreements, they then restrict their broadcasts. Technically, programmes can reach the North, but broadcasters are legally required to block the content in order to avoid breaching their rights agreements. <BR /> <BR />One potential solution is to have a unique Internet Protocol address for the North. That could help resolve the issues, but I do not have the vires to do that myself. I therefore continue to engage with the British Government and the Irish Government on trying to find a way forward so that people here can enjoy programmes that are broadcast in the South.”
“The geoblocking of RTÉ content in the North is unacceptable and should be brought to an end. The Irish Government have the power to do more to address the issue, and I believe that they should engage more with the British Government, regulators, broadcasters and internet service providers to help identify and deliver a solution to that unfair practice. <BR /> <BR />I understand that there has been some correspondence on the matter between the British and Irish Governments. My predecessor and I have raised the issue with both Governments, and I am hopeful that a solution will be agreed as soon as possible so that all RTÉ content is available to all citizens in Ireland.”
“While those are challenging and difficult words for us to hear, they should inspire us to work together to ensure that no young person is left behind.”
“<BR /> <BR />In closing, I share some words that Alma asked me to read on her behalf. She has reflected that my Department's work:”
“I want to see the Executive work together to give school-leavers with special educational needs a legal right to an appropriate pathway, whether in an education-based or health-based setting. I remain willing to be part of Executive discussions on legislation in that area, but legislation must be matched by funded implementation plans, delivery capacity and clear accountability. Greater coordination is necessary across all services and settings that are involved in a young person's journey into adulthood. That is essential to delivering the service that our young people and their families deserve. It is not about a single programme or Department. It requires a genuinely coordinated, cross-government response that puts the needs of our young people and their families at its centre.”
“<BR /> <BR />Meeting the support needs and expectations of those young people and their families requires progress to be made by many Departments, but it is fair to say that those young people with complex needs, many of whom have been supported throughout their childhood by children's disability teams in health and social care settings, are looking to the Department of Health for support. They do not understand why the transition into adulthood changes their support and care when the nature of their disability has not changed. The families involved want a plan for their young people. <BR /> <BR />Last September, at the Executive, all Ministers committed to providing regular updates to the Executive on progress being made to support school-leavers with SEN.”
“While many young people with SEN aim to progress to skills- and training-based pathways after school, a very substantial number of school-leavers will never access provision funded by my Department. That is why the amendment to the motion is so important. Many young people with disabilities want and need to progress to Health-funded pathways, which are often day opportunities or day care. They feel that those options are the most suitable destinations to support them and meet their needs.”
“That research, which was supported by Epic Futures, included an interactive mapping tool detailing existing post-school opportunities for special-school-leavers across training, further education and day care or day opportunity provision. It is the first time that such a mapping exercise has been undertaken, and my officials are working with Stranmillis and Epic Futures to identify ways to further develop and sustain that tool as a valuable information resource for policymakers, families and providers. <BR /> <BR />However, as I indicated in my June statement, my Department's actions alone will not meet the needs and aspirations of all school-leavers with SEN.”
“As part of the careers action plan, we are taking forward two significant enhancements to careers provision for young people with special educational needs. We have launched an innovative new software tool to better support autistic learners in exploring pathways, planning transitions and accessing careers guidance. It is being tested in 10 post-primary schools and will later be rolled out across all post-primary schools and wider learning and skills settings. Ultimately, it will support around 17,000 learners each year. <BR /> <BR />Another aspect of improving available and accessible information is the recent research by Professor Noel Purdy of Stranmillis University College.”
“We also have an important scoping study under way to examine the economic and labour market implications of the rising number of young people with SEN. The gaps in the system not only impact on a young person in a vacuum but have a ripple effect on families, the wider economy and the health and justice systems.”
“A huge amount of information on a young person's support needs is gathered and retained at earlier stages of their life. We need to create smoother and more consistent ways to enable that to be shared in order to maximise the effectiveness of support for our learners. My Department has established a cross-departmental group to scope the information, expectations and requirements in relation to data sharing between key stakeholders. <BR /> <BR />Other areas for progress include having better information on the educational pathways and destinations of our learners with special educational needs. We have a researcher from Loughborough University working with us on SEN-focused research using the longitudinal education outcomes (LEO) database.”
“That collaborative bid is specifically focused on improving pathways and transitions for young people as they move on from school and into adulthood. It will enhance transition support across my Department and the Department of Health. It will allow us to develop and test post-school pathways, such as SEN and supported apprenticeships. That will build on the learning from excellent pilots that are already being supported through my Department's apprenticeship inclusion challenge fund and projects such as An Droichead, which is led by St Paul's High School in Bessbrook along with Bolster Community. <BR /> <BR />The issue of better data sharing is raised frequently in the context of transitions between school and post-school destinations.”
“<BR /> <BR />A key part of ensuring that the further education experience meets the needs of our students is ensuring that our staff have the skills and confidence to support the young people studying with them. My skills fund has been used to support Ulster University to develop and commence the delivery of new training for our FE staff. There have been physical enhancements on some college sites too, including the installation of sensory pods on two sites, the replacement of a disabled access lift on one site and the development of two specialised learning support hubs. <BR /> <BR />Of course, further education is just one of the key pathways; there are others. My officials have led the development of a cross-departmental bid for funding from the Executive's public-sector transformation fund.”
“It has been a major piece of work but a valuable one. Phase 1 focused on the arrangements, provision and support known as "discrete provision", which is primarily accessed by young people from special schools and specialist provision in mainstream schools. Phase 2 examined the arrangements for students with learning difficulties and disabilities throughout the mainstream college provision. The ETI work has finished. The report is being finalised, and a further education sector workshop is planned before the summer. That work will identify the good practice that we want to build on and the areas that we need to reform. It will be underpinned by the statutory assessment and support arrangements that I committed to bringing forward.”
“A wide range of opportunity and support is already in place, with tailored courses, enhanced learning support, additional technology and other adjustments that can help young people to continue their learning and development. Sometimes, there is a misconception that young people leaving school need qualifications to join further education, but that is not the case. Pre-entry qualifications do not apply to those who are accessing discrete provision at colleges. However, as I indicated last June, there is not sufficient capacity to meet the growing demand and not all the pathways and choices are available across the entire region. <BR /> <BR />Since September, my officials have been working with the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) on a whole-sector evaluation of the SEN-related arrangements across the further education colleges.”
“My party and I are committed to working to ensure that young people with special educational needs can access the pathway and support that they need. It is clear that the lead responsibility for supporting our young people with complex needs sits with the Department of Health, but I am happy to update Members on the work that I have undertaken in my Department since we published the findings of the review last June. We set out then proposals to enhance provision and support for our young people leaving school. <BR /> <BR />As Diane Dodds said, most school-leavers with special educational needs move successfully from school into further education colleges and our skills for life and work training provision.”
“Like others, I welcome the campaigners to the Gallery. I commend Alma and all the other parents who fight every day for their children and young people and who have forced the issue up the agenda. <BR /> <BR />I am happy to be here today to respond to the motion.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“My objective throughout has been to get the balance right between fairness to scheme participants and fairness to taxpayers, and I think that that has been achieved in the regulations, which the Committee has helpfully shaped with us by bringing to them a level of scrutiny that allowed us to get to the right place. As I said, that scrutiny involved speaking to participants, who have knowledge of how the scheme operates. We have therefore got to a good place today, and I am glad that there is now consensus across the Chamber on the issue. I again thank Members for that. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.”
“We need to see investment in our grid infrastructure and incentives for renewable investment here, and the work that is being done now on energy across different policy areas in the Department will bring us to that position.”
“We will keep the Committee updated as that develops and we move beyond the closure stage today to bringing forward the regulations. <BR /> <BR />I agree with Members: although we need to learn the lessons of the past, that cannot get in the way of our having ambitious energy policy for the future. We need to ensure that we have secure, affordable and sustainable energy, which is what the Department, including officials in energy branch, is now focused on. It is important that we balance risk, and recognising risk, with appropriate levels of governance and transparency as we move forward.”
“I thank all those who have contributed to today's debate. Again, I put on record my appreciation of the Committee and everyone who has worked constructively to get us to this stage. <BR /> <BR />I will briefly respond to some of the points that were made by Members in the debate. I give assurances about the AME that will now not be used for RHI payments. The closure is now in place and we have certainty about the payments, which means that we are able to utilise that money for other purposes. However, the words that have been used on numerous occasions in recent weeks about the NIRO electricity discount also apply to the comparable scheme. We have been working with Treasury officials over the past number of months on what that might look like, and on how we might utilise the funding that remains and put it to good use for those purposes.”
“I commend the RHI (Closure of Non-Domestic Scheme) Bill to the House.”
“I reiterate the assurances provided to the Committee, specifically that all necessary approvals are in place; that the proposals deliver value for money and are affordable within the annually managed expenditure (AME) budget; that an appropriate level of assurance will be provided on the operation of the closure arrangements through the publication of information in aggregate form in respect of closure-accredited installations; and that the draft affirmative process provides for an appropriate level of Assembly oversight of the closure regulations and any future regulations made under the powers in the Bill. <BR /> <BR />The Bill is vital, as it lays the foundation for the closure of the RHI scheme. I reiterate the Department's commitment to ensuring that that is achieved in a way that is fair to participants and the taxpayer.”
“I assure Members that that approach is evidence-based and is designed to deliver reasonable returns to participants while protecting the public finances. The use of historical data provides a clear and consistent basis for payments, while the banding approach offers a proportionate and practical way for participants to make ongoing declarations about use. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also considered compliance arrangements. I can confirm that the regulations will include a clear and proportionate framework for assurance, including appropriate inspection and enforcement powers, where necessary.”
“I am confident that the proposals for closure and the arrangements for existing participants will enable the scheme to be closed in a way that is fair to participants and the taxpayer. <BR /> <BR />I will now address a number of specific issues that the Committee raised during its scrutiny. Members will be aware that the Bill sets out the legal framework for closing the scheme, with detailed arrangements to follow in regulations. Given the technical and operational nature of the scheme, I am satisfied that that is the most appropriate approach to take, particularly as the regulations will be subject to draft affirmative approval by the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />On payments, the Committee considered the proposed approach to tariffs, the use of historical data and the banding model.”
“That will support the Committee's continuing scrutiny of the regulations in advance of Royal Assent and allow the formal processes to be concluded as quickly as possible thereafter. <BR /> <BR />My Department engaged extensively with stakeholders throughout the development of the proposals for closure, including through public consultation and engagement with representative bodies such as the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) and the Renewable Heat Association Northern Ireland (RHANI). I thank them for their constructive engagement. I also thank Professor David Rooney and Ian Marshall from Queen's University for their support, which helped inform and strengthen the proposals.”
“I am grateful to the Committee for the Economy for the work that it carried out in scrutinising the Bill. The Committee has also put a substantial amount of work into scrutinising the proposals for regulations to be made under the new powers in the Bill, and I thank it for the time that it took during Committee Stage to consider the detailed policy proposals for closure. I also thank the Office of the Legislative Counsel (OLC) for its work on the Bill. <BR /> <BR />My officials gave assurances to the Committee that the regulations would be brought forward swiftly. To that end, following completion of the Bill's Final Stage, my Department will send further information to the Committee, including an SL1 letter and an updated draft of the regulations.”
“That is a significant achievement in itself.”
“I am pleased that the Bill, which will enable my Department to make regulations to close the non-domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme, has reached Final Stage. <BR /> <BR />Members will be aware of the history of the RHI scheme, and I will not revisit the scheme's flaws today. It is sufficient to say that, for the first time, there is consensus between political parties, participants and the British Treasury over how to manage the scheme.”