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.”
The complete record
Every one of 3,774 lines we hold for Caoimhe Archibald, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 44 of 76.
“SEUPB provides pre-development support to applicants, which is new for the PEACE PLUS programme. It means that SEUPB engages with applicants to help them facilitate the development of their application before the call for applications opens. That assists applicants in producing high-quality applications and projects. PEACE PLUS provides a small grants programme to help smaller community groups that previously felt that they did not have the capacity to apply for the funding and the opportunity, therefore, to get involved. Grants of up to €100,000 are available under investment areas 1.2 and 6.2, and applications to those areas will be delivered in a more streamlined and simplified manner. There has been engagement with the European Commission in developing that process.”
“A priority during PEACE PLUS development was to streamline the application and assessment process, focusing on a reduction in the time taken to assess applications and a reduction in the administrative burden on applicants and on the beneficiaries of funding. Department of Finance economists carried out a review of the application template and the assessment process for Peace IV and INTERREG Va and made recommendations on how those could be improved for PEACE PLUS. SEUPB has considered and implemented the recommendations, where possible.”
“I am happy to write to the Member on the review. The significant recommendations were on the headcount, which I mentioned in respect of SEUPB being able to properly deliver the programme, given its scale, while tidying up the closure of Peace IV and INTERREG Va. It is important at this juncture to ensure that SEUPB is appropriately resourced to deliver what it needs to deliver. I am happy to write to the Member with further details.”
“That is the budget allocated as per EU regulations for programme management, monitoring and evaluation, and it includes staff costs. PEACE PLUS is 80%-funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which is fully reimbursed by the European Commission, and the remaining 20% is provided by the accountable Departments' match funding, which comes from the core budget. DOF in the North and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in the South are the accountable Departments. The cost to DOF will be almost 15% of the total additional cost of the posts, which is £300,000. Therefore, the cost that falls to the Department of Finance is £44,640, which, in the grand scheme of the Department's budget, is not a huge amount, but it is something that we will continue to monitor in the time ahead.”
“I thank the Member for the question. Obviously, it is important that SEUPB has the appropriate resource and structures to effectively implement the PEACE PLUS project, which is worth over €1 billion, as well as to close Peace IV and INTERREG Va. Given the magnitude, in particular, of the administrative requirements to develop and deliver PEACE PLUS and the expanse of policy areas covered, it was an appropriate time to reconsider the organisational requirements of SEUPB, and a recommendation was made for additional posts. <BR /> <BR />I have some costings in front of me on what will fall to the Department of Finance. The additional resource will be funded from the technical assistance budget of the PEACE PLUS programme.”
“Funds have been committed to youth projects, mental health projects, shared education, local community peace action plans, victims and survivors, the Belfast to Dublin Enterprise and geothermal energy.”
“SEUPB officially opened PEACE PLUS for funding calls in June last year. Programme implementation is progressing well, with the majority of the 22 investment areas having opened their calls for applications. The remaining investment areas are scheduled to open for applications later this year. <BR /> <BR />A number of programme steering committee meetings have taken place, and they make the final decisions on applications, resulting in funding being awarded. So far, over a quarter — £274 million — of the programme budget has been committed to 23 successful projects. That includes approximately £30·5 million that has been committed since the meeting took place on 15 May.”
“As the Member will be aware, the current 2021-27 PEACE PLUS programme came into existence as part of the withdrawal agreement in 2019. The proposal for PEACE PLUS was made in the context of our unique and specific circumstances on this island and with a view to supporting North/South cooperation under the Good Friday Agreement. Obviously, any successor programme to PEACE PLUS would require a decision at a political level. An assessment of the benefits of the current and previous programmes and the need for further programme work will be undertaken. Discussions will be required with the British and Irish Governments and the EU, and a direction at political level will allow those discussions to commence.”
“The 2022 and 2023 draft accounts are currently awaiting certification by the Comptrollers and Auditors General in both jurisdictions. Following their certification, they will be laid before the Assembly and both Houses of the Oireachtas. <BR /> <BR />Ministers noted that the SEUPB’s governance structures continue to operate effectively. The Council noted that an independent organisational review of the SEUPB has been completed and has made recommendations on SEUPB staffing levels and grading. Ministers agreed that the approved headcount for SEUPB will be revised to 86, with the potential to increase to 88, and agreed that five posts identified in the review will be regraded. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC agreed to hold its next special EU programmes meeting in autumn 2024.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ministers noted and approved the SEUPB corporate plan for 2023-25 and the business plans and budget provision for 2022, 2023 and 2024, which were drafted in line with guidance issued by the Finance Departments. Ministers noted the SEUPB annual reports and accounts for 2019, 2020 and 2021 and its draft accounts for 2022 and 2023. The SEUPB annual reports and accounts for 2019 and 2020 have been certified by the Comptrollers and Auditors General in both jurisdictions and have been laid before the Assembly and the Houses of the Oireachtas. The 2021 annual report and accounts have been certified by the Comptrollers and Auditors General in both jurisdictions, have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and will be laid before the NI Assembly in due course.”
“Calls for funding applications opened in June 2023. Calls in 16 investment areas have opened to date, and 19 projects, to the value of €278 million, have so far been approved for funding, representing almost a quarter — 24·3% — of the total programme value. Ministers received a presentation on the PEACE PLUS young social innovators project. The NSMC noted that the programme has a strong focus on actions to address climate change and loss of biodiversity, including an investment of €303 million in the "Supporting a sustainable and better-connected future" theme. Ministers welcomed the contribution of the Peace IV, INTERREG Va and PEACE PLUS programmes in protecting and preserving peace and providing opportunities for building prosperity.”
“For Peace IV, 95 projects were approved in the priority areas of shared education, children and young people, shared spaces and services, and building positive relations. Eighty-eight projects have concluded, one has been withdrawn and six are due to complete in 2024. Under INTERREG Va, 32 programmes were approved in the priority areas of research and innovation, environment, sustainable transport and health. Twenty-eight projects have concluded activity, one has been withdrawn and three are due to complete in 2024. Ministers welcomed the actions delivered specifically under the environment and sustainable transport themes of INTERREG Va to address the challenges of climate change and loss of biodiversity. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC noted the SEUPB chief executive's progress report for the 2021-27 PEACE PLUS programme.”
“<BR /> <BR />The NSMC received a report on the implementation of the 2014-2020 Peace IV and INTERREG Va programmes. Ministers noted that EU expenditure targets to date for both programmes have been met and that both are currently forecast to achieve full expenditure, in line with total programme allocations. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC noted that the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is working on the task of facilitating closure of the programmes.”
“In compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, I will make the following statement on the twenty-second meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in special EU programmes sectoral format, which was held in the offices of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (DPENDPDR) in Dublin on Wednesday 15 May 2024. <BR /> <BR />As Minister of Finance, I represented the Executive and was accompanied by junior Minister Cameron from the Executive Office. The Irish Government were represented by Minister Paschal Donohoe TD from the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. The statement has been agreed with junior Minister Cameron, and I make the statement on behalf of us both.”
“The monitoring round process is not set in stone and is kept under review. Sometimes there is not a great deal of money to allocate in October monitoring rounds, and the bulk of the money comes in January and June. However, we intend to do an October monitoring round process this year, and one of the reasons for that is that, as Members will be aware, there was not the ability to consult on a draft Budget before we agreed a final Budget. Departments will go out to consult and do their equality impact assessments on their individual budgets. We would like to be in a position to consider any equality impacts that may arise in that process and potentially mitigate them, if there is a need to, at October monitoring.”
“We know for definite that there will be a minimum of £65 million for allocation. That is comprised of the £24 million from the application of the 24% needs-based adjustment factor to the spring Budget consequentials and £41 million of agreed carry-over of Barnett consequentials that was received late in 2023-24. It is also anticipated that there will be significant additional funding arising from the Westminster Main Estimates, but, as those were not introduced before Parliament was prorogued, the timing and the amount are now uncertain. However, I am still hopeful that there will be in the region of £200 million available for allocation in June monitoring.”
“I have asked the interim board to progress its work at pace.”
“I had initially hoped — I think that I have been on record a number of times saying this — to be in a position to allocate some of that funding in June monitoring. It was an ambitious timeline and was dependent on agreeing a way forward with the British Government. Progress has not been rapid enough to achieve that timeline, with discussions between my officials and their British Government counterparts taking longer than expected. I have written to the Secretary of State to highlight the need for increased pace and momentum to avoid further delay. Nevertheless, it remains my aim that funding will be announced in the summer for a number of the smaller projects. For larger projects, the process for application and assessment was always going to be longer, given the higher levels of transformation investment sought.”
“The interim board will be chaired by the head of the Civil Service, Jayne Brady, and will include Professor Frances Ruane, an independent non-executive member of the NICS board who was previously the director of the Economic and Social Research Institute in Dublin. Julie Harrison, the NIO permanent secretary, will also join the interim board, having been nominated by the Secretary of State. The interim board is working at pace and has issued a call to Departments to submit transformation proposals. Once those are assessed, the interim board will make recommendations on the projects that could be supported by the funding. I look forward to considering those and making progress on the transformation that is so urgently needed for our public services.”
“I think that we would all agree that it has been clear that the funding that we have for public services is not sufficient and that we need to transform how we provide public services. Across many sectors, public services are in critical need of investment and reform to ensure that we deliver quality and efficiency of service for citizens. Transformation is also essential if the Executive are to put their finances on a sustainable footing. As I have said, we have £234 million ring-fenced for public sector transformation. This year, we have £47 million to allocate, and, on 9 May, the Executive agreed to my proposed approach for making quick progress on the use of that important funding. <BR /> <BR />I have now established and appointed members to an interim public sector transformation board.”
“As the Member will be aware, the transformation board will allocate the specific money that has been ring-fenced for public sector transformation. It is £47 million this year and in each of the next five years. The process to ask for bids started only last week, so Departments will only be submitting those bids at this point in time. They will be considered over the next short period, and hopefully we will be in a position to make allocations in relation to that in the near future.”
“We all recognise that there are inflationary impacts that hit all Departments and their delivery of public services over a year. Over the past few years, there have been particular inflationary impacts that have resulted in costs going up. The Department of Health states that it requires that particular figure. Over the past three years of the current spending review period, the Department of Health's baseline has increased by £1·6 billion. It has had a significant uplift in this spending review period.”
“I am happy to engage with the Member and the Federation of Small Businesses. I have had the opportunity to engage with the FSB on a number of occasions since taking up office, and I am happy to do so again.”
“There is a prompt payment policy, and all Departments, government bodies and public bodies should adhere to it. I encourage the making of all payments promptly, particularly to small businesses and microbusinesses, because what are small amounts of money to some public-sector organisations could be the difference between a small business putting the lights out and not. It is really important that payments be made promptly. I am happy to engage with the Member on the issue to see whether further work needs to be done.”
“The projects that have been earmarked for capital bids are previous Executive flagship priorities. They are based on bids made by Departments for funding that, they believe, will be required in this financial year. It will be for Departments to keep that under review and ensure that, if they are not going to spend any money, similar to what they should do with their resource budget for this financial year, they report that to the Department of Finance so that any money can be reallocated at the earliest opportunity.”
“As the Member has stated, our capital budget to allocate this year was almost as pressed as our resource budget. We had one and a half times as many bids as money available. It is very challenging for Departments to determine what they will be able to deliver. All Departments now have their allocation and are planning how they will live within their budget and prioritise projects.”
“Working together and having a unified voice will better place us to meet the challenges that we have head-on. I want to work with all my ministerial colleagues in making the case for more investment in public services. One of our first actions in February was to write to the Prime Minister about long-term funding for public services, a position that was endorsed by the House. As a result of that united position, I have been able to achieve some concessions on the interim fiscal framework from Treasury. None of us, either us in here or the public, is under any illusions about the state of our finances. People want to see leadership and collective working. They want to feel that there is some hope that things will improve, and, working with my Executive colleagues, I intend to show that leadership.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am on record as saying and I reiterate that I wish that I was in a position to provide every Department with more funding to deliver public services. However, the stark reality is that the demands on our finances far outstrip the funding that we have. That said, I will continue to work with all my Executive colleagues. I met the new Health Minister yesterday and committed to working constructively and positively with him. I will continue to press the British Government, whoever they are, after 5 July for more funding for public services.”
“We are all aware that over a decade of austerity and cuts has been hugely damaging for our public services and for workers, families and communities here. It is clear that all Departments are under significant financial pressure. That was evidenced by the fact that, in terms of departmental resource bids, there were three times as many asks as there was funding available. Of course, while the financial package, which is welcome, brings the Executive above the level of relative need in 2024-25, that does not mean that we are adequately funded; it only provides funding relative to spend in England. The ongoing underfunding of public services in England means that the Executive, along with Scotland and Wales, are not funded to deliver good public services.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He is right: that work has been going on for some time. It is work that I am committed to. He will be aware that, in taking forward any negotiations on the devolution of fiscal powers, we will have to have an Executive position, so I will bring recommendations to the Executive. I would like to do that as quickly as possible, because we are trying to progress negotiations on a final fiscal framework.”
“As the Member will be aware, the Independent Fiscal Commission published its report in 2022. There was a subsequent consultation on that report. I will consider the responses to the consultation, all the tax powers that were reported on and the findings and bring recommendations to the Executive in due course. <BR /> <BR />As the Member will also be aware, the interim fiscal framework set out the parameters for discussion on a final fiscal framework, which includes the principle of fiscal devolution. That was discussed at the first meeting of the Joint Exchequer Committee.”
“The Civil Service has also implemented a hybrid working policy that helps support regional balance by affording its workforce more choice on their working location, allowing a mix of workplace, home and remote working. As a major employer, the Civil Service recognises the potential benefits of hybrid working through its contribution to regional balance. Therefore, hybrid working is available, where possible, for all employment opportunities offered by the Civil Service. Decisions about where Civil Service staff need to be located to perform their work duties are for Departments to consider. Individual Departments determine the number, types and grades of posts at each location.”
“Civil Service staff are posted in accommodation across the region in the Department of Finance's office estate and in buildings that are owned or leased by other Departments. Six Connect2 hubs were opened in August 2022, allowing staff to work remotely at six regional locations as an alternative to working from their home or in a designated workplace.”
“I thank the Member for that question. I said in my response to the Education Minister in relation to the proposals that he brought forward that my officials were happy to continue to engage with his officials about any of the proposals, including rates relief.”
“As I have just outlined in relation to the rates relief support, there are currently 141 registered childcare providers that are entitled to small business rates relief and receive about £150,000 of support. The small business rates relief scheme has been extended by my Department for 2024-25. I am committed to continuing to develop our rating system to ensure that it is fair, equitable and progressive and that it aligns with the Executive's economic vision. <BR /> <BR />Although we initially allocated £25 million to the childcare strategy in the Budget, it is possible that we might be able to provide more funding for 2024-25 for childcare, if it becomes available and if the Education Minister brings forward more concrete proposals through bids in the in-year monitoring process.”
“It is anticipated that those measures will be more effective in supporting the sector and families, but I am happy to keep that under review. If the Education Minister wants to engage further on specific proposals, I am happy to do so.”
“As the Member will be aware — I have received correspondence on this issue — there have been calls to provide rates relief to improve affordability. Around 75% of identifiable childcare providers in the rating system currently qualify for small business rates relief, which means that the rates bills for those providers are £7,000 a year or less. My Department has also considered whether further rates relief would meaningfully improve the affordability of childcare. Assuming that 100% of rates relief was passed on, a saving of that amount divided by the number of children using the service might result in only a marginal reduction in the weekly fee for each child. As such, it is not part of the £25 million package of measures that was agreed by the Executive for development and implementation.”
“<BR /> <BR />NISRA will play a key role in providing data to inform decisions on measures beyond 2024-25. It has offered to develop a new survey of childcare arrangements to provide a robust evidence base for policy and to demonstrate its effectiveness in the longer term. Also in my Department, the innovation and consultancy services division stands ready to assist the Department of Education in the design and roll-out of pilot schemes and the longer-term development of childcare support. The Education Minister has been notified of that offer of assistance.”
“<BR /> <BR />HMRC has advised that a change to the tax-free childcare scheme is not under consideration by the British Government, and that it is not currently possible to make local changes here in isolation on their IT system, even if the additional costs were to be covered by the Executive. That is why the Executive have agreed that an alternative local scheme should be established to address affordability concerns. Three officials represent my Department on the task and finish group that has been established to support the Executive's childcare priorities. As we take forward those priorities, we need to ensure that we use the available funds in the best way possible to support parents and caregivers effectively, efficiently and fairly.”
“With the Speaker's permission, I will answer questions 9 and 10 together. <BR /> <BR />Alongside my Executive colleagues, I am committed to addressing issues of affordability and sustainability and supporting our children to have the best start in life. I raised the importance of making improvements to the tax-free childcare scheme in my engagement with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury during the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee in March. At that meeting, I asked the Chief Secretary to consider helping families here who are struggling with the costs of childcare by raising the tax relief from 20% to 30%. Department of Education officials have engaged with officials from HMRC and Treasury on this matter also.”
“As I have previously stated on the record, I am happy to work with the Health Minister in respect of any proposals that he brings forward. Departments have now received their opening budgets for 2024-25 and should be considering their priorities within those. If these services are not considered affordable within the Department's baseline, I encourage the Minister to submit a bid as part of the June monitoring process. It would then be a matter for the Executive to consider any bids and allocate the available funding.”
“I appreciate the important role of hospices in delivering specialist care to people with palliative and end-of-life care needs. Funding support for the Children’s Hospice is a matter for the Health Minister. I am committed to working with the Health Minister to consider any proposals from the Department of Health to support the Children’s Hospice.”
“I am not familiar with the detail of the Bill, but I would be happy to write to the Member in respect of it.”
“The policy has been enhanced to expand the remit for social value in other aspects of end-to-end procurement processes, and not confine it to scoring aspects, to encourage Departments to embed social value into their organisational objectives by developing a targeted social value strategy; to include additional requirements to strengthen the consideration for grant funding for social and community services; to encourage Departments to consider alternative delivery models and promote a circular economy; to consider how to design a procurement process to make it accessible for social enterprises and microenterprises and include green public procurement criteria; and to increase the threshold from 139,000 to 500,000 for scoring social value in services contracts to reduce the impact on SMEs, social enterprises and microbusinesses.”
“The revised policy will make it easier for small businesses and microbusinesses to deliver social value. There will be a new requirement for Departments to have targeted social value strategies and to consider grant funding for social and community services. Social value themes will better align to a new Programme for Government, climate change commitments and/or the investment strategy. In major capital projects that impact on communities, there will be a requirement for effective community consultation on social value.”
“In the previous mandate, my predecessor, Conor Murphy, brought forward a number of procurement policy notes that the Executive agreed, including one on social value. That existing policy on social value is already delivering. For example, 3,500 long-term unemployed people have gained employment; 90-plus social enterprises are now part of government supply chains; 3,600 hours of volunteering have been delivered with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector; 8,000 hours of skills development activities have been completed; 2,800 weeks of work experience have been delivered; and 3,800-plus hours of environmental awareness initiatives have been completed. <BR /> <BR />A review of the scoring social value policy is in progress, and I plan to bring a refreshed policy to the Executive before summer recess.”
“I do not have the figures from the business case in front of me. I will be happy to write to the Member on that point. Obviously, it is for any Department to bid for any project that it sees fit as part of the monitoring round process.”
“That question might be more appropriately directed to the Executive Office. It will be able to explain that.”
“I understand that TEO has developed a business case and sought approval for the expenditure that is required to establish and sponsor the bodies. It was approved by my Department on 10 May. I also understand that TEO is recruiting and appointing core staff along with members of an office of identity and cultural expression and the two commissioners. I will be happy to share any updates that I have.”
“As part of Budget 2024-25, TEO submitted a capital bid of £54,000 for leasehold property for the language bodies that are being established under the Identity and Language Act. The Department did not submit any resource bids related to the bodies, although it indicated, as part of its return, that it would bid during the in-year monitoring process when necessary. The current in-year monitoring process has not yet been completed.”