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 5 of 76.
“In the past number of weeks, my officials agreed in principle with electricity suppliers, NIE, the Consumer Council and the Utility Regulator how the discount will be delivered. We will now seek approval for the business case for that funding from Treasury, and it is expected that electricity consumers will see savings from 1 July this year and then from 1 April in 2027 and 2028.”
“Separate to that and before the current energy crisis, my officials, along with officials from the Department of Finance, secured a commitment from Treasury to cover 75% of the NIRO cost to consumers. That is consistent with the support announced for British electricity consumers in the autumn Budget. It amounts to a discount of around £30 on domestic electricity bills per household each year for three years, which totals around £81 million. <BR /> <BR />The British Government will extend the Energy Prices Act 2022 through a statutory instrument (SI) in the Westminster Parliament, which is the fastest route available to us to pass on the savings to households here. The SI was laid on Monday 16 March and is expected to complete its passage before the summer recess.”
“The British Chancellor has made it clear that any further support will be targeted at households that need it most. At present, as the Member knows, only £17 million has been earmarked for support here following the significant rise in heating oil costs. That is insufficient. However, work has been undertaken by the Minister for Communities, and the Executive agreed last week to provide additional support. That will be rolled out over the next short number of months. More work needs to be done to ensure that that support gets out. <BR /> <BR />I speak regularly with my counterparts in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Minister Shanks and Minister Martin McCluskey and have emphasised that further support is needed.”
“We continue to work with the unions, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and others on the particular asks, so I am open to looking at what is suggested, but I would not want to rush those measures, because it is about getting the balance right and ensuring that workers are protected.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I cannot give assurances on his first point, because, once the Bill is introduced, it is up to the Assembly, and Members will table amendments. I am completely behind the measures that I will bring forward, as is my party, but others will take their own view. It is really important that those of us who advocate better workers' rights continue to make the case for why what is being introduced is important and will make a difference to the lives of workers. <BR /> <BR />I have engaged with the unions on the issue in the second point. I am sensitive to the issues around it. It boils down to workers' safety, essentially, which is really important. It is not included in the Bill, because it was not consulted on as part of the Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />I agree with the Member that it is really important that we pass the Bill. There are lots of important things in it, some of which are simply about catching up where we have fallen behind, so that needs to happen.”
“I thank the Member for her question. The consultation was run as required, and I set out my way forward nearly a year ago. Since then, there has been considerable engagement with everybody involved to understand the detail, to take on board the points that were raised in the consultation and to try to reflect them in the drafting of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />As I indicated to Mr O'Toole, I do not believe that there is a timing problem with having the legislation considered by the Committee; there is plenty of time. As I have repeatedly said, I want to introduce the legislation and get it to the Committee in advance of the summer recess so that there is time to ensure that the scrutiny takes place and for everybody to look at the detail and have their say on it. The Committee will come to its position.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have ongoing engagement with the business sector through different forums, including my engagement forum. I will continue to meet the organisations specifically in relation to the Bill as it progresses through its stages.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I am not sure about that being unprecedented; I previously had a letter from business organisations on the 'good jobs' Bill, and I have consistently and constructively engaged with them specifically on the legislation in the past year and before that. <BR /> <BR />Important points have been taken on board from some of the concerns that they raised, which will become apparent as the Bill is published. We will continue to engage on some of the concerns that they set out, such the timing of the introduction of certain measures, on which I have committed to a phased implementation of the measures in the Bill. We will set out the timetable for that in order to ensure that people are aware of it and that we support the measures as they are introduced.”
“<BR /> <BR />Other elements of the Bill will apply to other workers; for example, the right to move from a zero-hours contract to a banded-hours contract. We know that there are more women than men in low-paid, insecure work. Those improvements will, therefore, be particularly impactful for women. There are also enhanced trade union rights. Altogether, the provisions are designed to present a more inclusive, supportive and adaptable workplace culture where workers of all stripes are better able to balance their professional and personal responsibilities.”
“I thank the Member for her question. A number of important elements in the Bill support women specifically, as well as all workers, in particular in supporting a better work/life balance. There will be the right to request flexible working from day 1 of employment rather than at 26 weeks, which is the case currently. There are other important measures regarding carer's leave and neonatal care leave and pay to help parents whose newborns require extended medical attention so that they are able to focus on their child's needs. There will be revisions to paternity leave to afford families greater flexibility and extended redundancy protections for pregnant employees and those returning from family leave.”
“<BR /> <BR />As for the time for scrutiny, while it is not directly comparable, the Member could look to Westminster where the Employment Rights Bill was scrutinised by the Committee in seven weeks, so there is no reason why this legislation cannot be progressed in this mandate and the necessary and important scrutiny of it undertaken in plenty of time.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I do not regret that we have engaged extensively with businesses, workers and representatives of sectors to try to get the detail of the legislation correct. That is what I set out when I made the announcements on the way forward last year, which is that we would continue to engage constructively, and I believe that we have done that. There are complex and multiple elements to the Bill, and it is important to get the detail right. Challenging legal questions have come up in the drafting. Again, it is important to get those right to ensure that the Bill is legally robust. We are now in a place where it is very near completion.”
“The drafting of the 'good jobs' Bill will be completed next week and the Bill will be sent to the Executive for approval. That leaves plenty of time for the Bill to be scrutinised and passed within the mandate.”
“If they are going to bring forward schemes, they need to engage with officials in my Department and in other Departments to ensure that what is being announced can be rolled out, while listening to the needs of business, communities and households here and ensuring that we have the ability to deliver the schemes through the various mechanisms in our Departments. <BR /> <BR />That is something that I will continue to hammer home, and we will keep the Committee updated on that as it progresses. We were already engaged with energy intensive industry and businesses prior to that announcement, and we will continue to work with them to understand what could be effective in providing support.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As he will recognise, it was only announced last week that that would be extended in some form to here. We did not have prior notice that that was going to be the case, which, in some respects, is not surprising. It is not helpful, either, when trying to ensure that support schemes that are potentially being put in place can actually be rolled out and delivered here as quickly as possible. I have raised that in every engagement that I have had with the British Government since the start of this.”
“It does seem to represent a positive opportunity for businesses here in the North, and I raised with my counterparts the fact that businesses here were effectively being excluded because some of the levies that are being removed in Britain for businesses do not apply here. It is useful that we are now in a position to try to develop a scheme that will provide some sort of equivalent support, because businesses here have to be competitive. There was certainly a concern from energy-intensive businesses here that they were being disadvantaged by not being able to access the same level of support.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As he will be aware, the British Government published a consultation just last week on regulatory changes and delivery requirements to implement the British industrial competitiveness scheme. That scheme is designed to support industries in Britain only, reflecting the devolved nature of energy policy. On 16 April, the Secretary of State indicated that the British Government will provide equivalent funding for a scheme comparable to the British industrial competitiveness scheme, subject to business case approval and getting agreement around a comparable scheme. It is similar, I suppose, in some respects, to the discount in respect of the NI renewables obligation levy. We are continuing to work to understand exactly what can be done in that space.”
“The Executive have tried to mitigate that to some degree with the limited ability that we have. I have also made the direct plea that we need to see the duties and taxes on fuel cut, and that obviously would have an impact on the sectors that the Member referred to.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Since the outset of the crisis, I have been engaged with my counterparts in the British Government and in the Irish Government. I have had a number of meetings with my counterparts in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in London in relation to support for consumers and understanding the general issues around security of supply and to make the case for support for households and businesses. In particular, there are sectors that are more impacted on than others. The Executive as a whole have also been making representations, including the First Minister and deputy First Minister directly to the Prime Minister. Obviously, the support that was made available for those who rely on home heating oil was welcome, but it was nowhere near enough.”
“Impacts were considered in relation to energy supply and prices and the wider economic effects on trade flows, supply chains, potential shortages and higher costs of certain commodities and general inflationary pressures. Information was drawn from analysis provided by the British and Irish Governments and key business representative organisations such as the CBI, the NI Chamber of Commerce and Logistics UK. I shared a summary of the results of that exercise with my Executive colleagues last week.”
“Rapid price increases in fuel costs are putting many households and businesses under unmanageable pressure. The situation requires urgent and meaningful intervention from the British Government, which, I am afraid, has been lacking to date. <BR /> <BR />My assessment of the situation is being informed daily through direct engagement with Executive colleagues, industry stakeholders and other sources of real-time intelligence. In addition, I asked my officials to undertake scenario planning in response to the evolving situation. They considered the potential impacts on our economy across three scenarios: the war ending relatively quickly, within a month or two; its continuing for six months through to the autumn; or its continuing for a year or longer.”
“Our aim is to create a model that delivers real and credible benefits to local communities. That means that we need to get the detail right with suppliers, the Utility Regulator, developers and communities. Once the primary Bill is in place to give the appropriate powers, we will consult on the terms and conditions and set out exactly how discounts, rebates or payments will work and who will qualify. Those terms and conditions will then be given legal effect through the subordinate regulations that I mentioned in my first answer. The important point is that the direction of travel is clear: benefits for communities living near supported projects will be a central and visible feature of the scheme.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I have not yet seen the correspondence from the Community Foundation, but I certainly will consider what it has set out. The Member and others will be aware that we would not have designed a scheme with such a policy intent or method for being taken forward. There has been ongoing engagement with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Treasury to agree what has been put in place. We are on track to have that ready to deliver in July. <BR /> <BR />I am open to looking at what potential exists. I am not clear that there will be any, given the constraints around how Treasury manages annually managed expenditure and the rules around that. Certainly, I am willing to look at what the Community Foundation has set out to see what can be done in respect of the constraints that we have.”
“It therefore requires joined-up working across government and with our delivery partners to unlock the progress needed.”
“The renewable electricity price guarantee (REPG) scheme policy intent was agreed by the Executive on 26 March 2026. My Department aims to introduce the required primary legislation for the REPG to the Assembly before the 2026 summer recess. The drafting process for the primary Bill is ongoing with the Office of the Legislative Counsel (OLC), and once the primary Bill is in place, subordinate legislation will be introduced to set out the detailed arrangements. <BR /> <BR />The REPG is a critical enabler for our net zero ambitions, and positions our region as a competitive, attractive destination for renewables investment. Delivering additional renewable electricity generation to meet the 80% target is, however, complex, demanding a careful balance between security of supply, affordability and legislative compliance.”
“I thank the Chair for his support for the motion, and I thank the Committee for its consideration of the SR. I have nothing further to add to the debate, so I commend the motion to the House.”
“The order was made on 11 February 2026 with the concurrence of the Department of Finance. However, it must have the approval of the Assembly before it can come into operation. The order has been agreed with the Economy Committee, and I informed my Executive colleagues about it on 5 December last year. <BR /> <BR />The adoption of the order will allow the full implementation of measures aimed at compensating creditors who have been the victim of unscrupulous company directors. Accordingly, I recommend that it be approved by the Assembly.”
“In such cases, my Department will have to distribute the money that it receives to the creditors, which will be carried out by staff in my Department's insolvency service. As a result, there will be an administrative cost to the Department, because time will have to be set aside for existing staff to do the work. There will also be expenses, such as the cost of postage. <BR /> <BR />The order that I now ask the Assembly to approve is to make provision for a charging fee to recover those costs. The fee is to be satisfied out of the sums received from the directors prior to any payment being made to creditors. Its amount is to be calculated on the basis of time spent by staff, with the hourly rates by grade of staff set out in a schedule to the order, plus any necessary disbursements or expenses properly incurred.”
“Alternatively, to avoid the cost and expense of court proceedings, my Department can accept undertakings from disqualified directors that they will pay the necessary compensation. <BR /> <BR />Whilst the primary legislation is in place, it can be used only once two linked pieces of subordinate legislation have been made and are in operation. The first, which has been made and is in operation, sets out the procedures to apply within the High Court for a compensation order to be made. The second is the order before you today, which will introduce a new fee to be charged by my Department to cover the cost of distributing moneys received from disqualified directors. A compensation order or undertaking can take the form of a requirement to make a payment to my Department for the benefit of creditors.”
“The vast majority of company failures are due purely to commercial misfortune, but there is a small minority of cases in which the directors have contributed to the failure by misconduct or incompetence or by abusing the protections that trading with limited liability offers. In such cases, my Department's insolvency service will apply to the High Court for the disqualification of directors who are guilty of abusing their position. Whilst that protects the public from directors being able to set themselves up in business again, it does nothing to recompense those who have lost out. As a result, legislation has been made that enables my Department to apply to the High Court for orders requiring disqualified directors to pay compensation to creditors who have suffered loss as a consequence of their misconduct.”
“Before I speak to the motion, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, and with your indulgence, I take the opportunity to extend my best wishes to Gary Middleton as he steps down from his role as an MLA. Until recently, he was the Deputy Chair of the Economy Committee, and, in the almost 10 years in which I have been in the Assembly, I have always had a good working relationship with Gary. I wish him well as he continues his recovery. I also wish Julie Middleton the very best in her new role. <BR /> <BR />I seek the Assembly's approval for the Disqualified Directors Compensation Orders (Fees) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026. Company failure has consequences: suppliers can be left out of pocket; employees might not get paid; and customers may lose deposits.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“I beg to introduce the Petroleum Exploration and Licensing (Repeal) Bill [NIA 31/22-27], which is a Bill to repeal provisions in the Petroleum (Production) Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 relating to petroleum exploration and licensing; and for connected purposes.”
“Officials continue to work closely with the Utility Regulator as it considers the next stage of the licensing process. <BR /> <BR />To conclude, renewable energy is the most effective lever to enhance energy security, deliver stable consumer costs and build long-term economic resilience. There are challenges to overcome, including grid constraints, planning bottlenecks and the need to ensure that we have a workforce with the necessary skills, but overcoming those challenges and delivering self-sufficiency in affordable renewable energy, ending the import of fossil fuels, breaking the link with global commodity prices and paying a fair price for the energy that we produce locally are the prize that we are trying to achieve. That will deliver more good jobs and a more productive and regionally balanced economy. Thank you very much.”
“I think that the Member, and everybody in the House, has heard me speak about that issue on many occasions. I recognise the importance of the North/South interconnector to our security of supply. The Member is well aware of my party's position on the issue, but we have planning approval, which we, as Ministers and Departments here, are obligated to implement. Of course, the delays are being experienced not in the North but in the South. <BR /> <BR />The Member has taken us on nicely to something else that the motion references: North/South energy cooperation. That is essential. Ireland is a small island, and we have a fully integrated all-island single electricity market. Energy security also depends on strong east-west connectivity. I welcome the interest from Transmission Investment in a potential new interconnector from Scotland.”
“<BR /> <BR />At the same time, we are progressing major grid investment and essential North/South and east-west interconnection, which, together, will ease network constraints and allow more renewable electricity to be used, rather than curtailing its use. Those are practical, system-wide measures that directly address dispatch down while maintaining security of supply.”
“My officials are working closely with SONI, NIE Networks and the Utility Regulator to ensure that renewable electricity can be used more effectively as we move towards meeting our energy targets. In practical terms, that means a very focused programme of action. SONI is delivering its dispatch down action plan, supported by my Department, NIE Networks and the Utility Regulator, to reduce the amount of fossil fuel generation required to keep the system stable. That includes, as I mentioned, the commissioning of new synchronous compensators from next year, which will be followed by further units, alongside operational changes such as dynamic line rating, increased grid-scale battery storage and smart-system operation.”
“Another important workstream is the operational improvements that SONI and NIE are making to bring more affordable renewable electricity on to the system. Two synchronous compensators have been procured and are due to be commissioned early next year. Those will be followed by two more, which will reduce the amount of fossil fuel generation needed to keep the lights on. Other operational improvements, such as dynamic line rating, smart meters and increased grid-scale battery storage, will deliver more savings for consumers. <BR /> <BR />Like others, I remain deeply concerned about dispatch down, which arises from system-stability requirements and long-standing network constraints that prevent the full use of our available renewable energy generation.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I mentioned, we are progressing several strategic interventions to help us to achieve that target, one being the renewable electricity price guarantee scheme. Over the next 25 years, that scheme will help us to become a price-maker rather than a price-taker. I hope that that paper will be on the Executive's agenda and approved by them this week. <BR /> <BR />A key action is the major investment that is being made in the grid. Between April 2025 and 2032, NIE Networks will invest £2·23 billion. That will increase the capacity of the network, producing a resilient supply for our homes and businesses, while enabling them to save money through accessing more renewable electricity.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. I acknowledge, as I have done many times, that it will be challenging for us to achieve our target. I think that the industry experts indicated that it will be difficult to achieve that target; I do not think that any of us is under any allusions in that regard. However, we also recognise that there are a number of strands that will collectively and cumulatively contribute to our meeting that target, whether it is the different types of technologies; the renewable electricity price guarantee scheme; or the work on interconnection, storage and market structure. All of those things will help us to reach our target. I remain committed to doing as much as I possibly can to get us to that point.”
“I remain firmly committed to our statutory target, under the Climate Change Act, of at least 80% renewable electricity consumption by 2030. To deliver that, several strategic interventions are being progressed.”
“<BR /> <BR />The review reaffirmed the continuing importance of the three 2030 targets, the need for accelerated progress on renewables deployment and on delivering energy savings and the essential role of strengthened governance and delivery structures. Renewable electricity already supplies almost half the electricity that we consume. The latest official figures for the year up to December 2025 show that 47% of overall electricity consumption comes from renewables. That represents an increase of three percentage points over the year. We are also delivering growth in the green economy. The latest official figures from the NISRA show that, as of 2024, the green economy was worth more than £1·5 billion annually, up 40% from £1 billion in 2020.”
“Increasing consumption of locally generated renewable energy is the single most effective way in which to reduce and stabilise household energy bills and strengthen security of supply. In December 2025, I published the midterm review of the energy strategy, which provided a comprehensive and transparent assessment of our progress to date. I recognise both as being significant achievements and structural constraints that need to be addressed urgently. Since 2021, over £72 million has been invested in decarbonising the government estate. That investment already delivers more than £12 million in annual energy savings, easing pressures on public budgets in areas such as health and education, as well as reducing emissions and demonstrating the public sector's leadership in energy transition.”
“As a result, the Treasury has confirmed that domestic electricity consumers here will have 75% of their NIRO-related costs removed for three years. That intervention is worth approximately £81 million over three years, or approximately £30 a household each year. The enabling statutory instrument was laid in Westminster last week and is expected to become law by the end of June. Homes will have £30 credited to their electricity bill or pay-as-you-go meter from 1 July 2026, and again on 1 April 2027 and 1 April 2028. We continue to make the case for more funding, however. <BR /> <BR />While we work daily to mitigate impacts, the Executive-approved energy strategy is the strategic blueprint for breaking the link to global commodity prices and our becoming self-sufficient in renewable energy.”
“<BR /> <BR />I acknowledge the £17 million of support that has been allocated to the Executive for people who depend on oil, but that is far from enough. To be clear, Mr Durkan, there has been no passing of the buck. The Department for Communities operates the equivalent scheme to that which is used to target that funding in Britain. DFC officials are exploring how best to do that here, and I assure you, and everyone else, that I will work with my Executive colleagues to support the Minister for Communities to deliver that support here. <BR /> <BR />Members are aware that, in last November's autumn Budget, the removal of certain renewable policy costs from bills in Britain was announced. That support did not originally apply here, but my officials successfully made the case for the North to benefit from it.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the discussion on ensuring the security, affordability and long-term sustainability of our future energy system. It is a timely opportunity for me to do so. <BR /> <BR />As with the Russian attack on Ukraine, the Israeli-Trump attack on Iran has triggered a global energy crisis, increasing the prices of the fossil fuels that we import and over which we have no control. Those rising costs are compounded by the fact that over 60% of our homes — around 500,000 households — rely on home heating oil. That means that global price shocks hit our homes and businesses faster. All of that shines a spotlight on the cost of our reliance on fossil fuels, where we remain a price-taker.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“The guidance provided by my Department will help to reinforce good practice. The regulations mark an important and overdue recognition that pregnancy loss through miscarriage is a bereavement, and one that requires understanding and support in the workplace. It is my hope that, through these provisions, thousands of eligible employed parents who suffer the loss of a child through miscarriage will be able to access meaningful support at a time when they need it most. The unanimous support that has been expressed in the Chamber today is a really positive message. It shows the good that we can collectively achieve in the Assembly.”
“I reassure Mr Durkan that, if employees experience any non-compliance from employers, they will have the opportunity to progress through the normal recourse. I agree with Ms Nicholl: many employers already do really good work in this space and are very supportive through the provision of the necessary leave and pay. We want to put in place a floor — a minimum standard that is expected. Finally, I acknowledge the work of officials who have been working on this for as long as I have, and who have very diligently supported me and the Committee in bringing forward the regulations. <BR /> <BR />Importantly, the measures are intended to complement and encourage supportive workplace practices. Some employers already offer paid time off for miscarriage. They will now be able to benefit from financial reimbursement from HMRC.”