Colm Gildernew
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I have been working with Dungannon Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It will welcome this work, particularly in light of its concerns about vacancy and protecting the retail heart of towns such as Dungannon.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, you said that there has been an improvement. However, recently, there were reports of over 1,400 patients waiting more than 28 days. How will you ensure that trusts consistently meet the targets for suspected cancer appointments in particular?”
“However, the Committee will want to examine carefully how any new or amended powers would operate in practice. Powers relating to information sharing, official warnings, directions, removal from office and disqualification can have significant, long-standing consequences for charities, trustees, staff, volunteers and, indeed, public confi…”
“<BR /> <BR />The regulations are consequential to the uprating order and provide the supporting technical changes needed to ensure that the revised benefit rates operate correctly. The regulations increase the earning limit for carer's allowance from £196 a week to £204 a week.”
“In response to those findings, Minister Hargey introduced the Charities Bill, which was enacted in 2022. The legislation put in place many of the review's priority recommendations in the limited time remaining in that mandate. The Charities (Amendment) Bill represents the next stage of that reform programme.”
“The Committee will wish to explore the implications of those changes, including for organisations operating across jurisdictions or delivering charitable activity in or from the North. Our charity sector includes a diverse range of bodies.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,397 lines we hold for Colm Gildernew, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 48.
“I think that we actually need to over-recruit staff to some degree, to ensure that the cover is there. I know that, with all the budgetary problems, that is easier said than done, and I am not gainsaying that. However, a number of families here are being desperately badly let down, and I am concerned about them becoming burnt out. I think that, in certain situations, some of them have suffered burnout, and I am very concerned about that. <BR /> <BR />I am asking the Minister to take a personal interest, to work with the Southern Trust, work with families and meet with families if he can. I know that the Minister's senior staff will be meeting some of them in the near future. Families in some situations are afraid even to engage, in case they get reassessed out of what they already have.”
“One of the regrettable things is that, if any one of those situations were to break down irreparably, the cost would be so much greater than the cost of supporting the carers in the way that we do now. <BR /> <BR />I get a clear sense, Minister, that you are aware of the issues and that you are concerned about them, especially given your focus on shift left, which I very much welcome. I have learnt, in the past few hours, that the Department is holding a consultation in Newry next week and that some of the families will be at it. I appeal to your staff to listen and talk to those families. I am also asking, which is my key purpose today, for you, Minister, to take a personal interest in this to see whether we can find a resolution.”
“If you don't take it, it's gone". Therefore, they cannot plan, arrange holidays, have proper breaks and all the rest. <BR /> <BR />I have raised it many times with the senior team in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. I have met senior team members individually. Every time that I have met them, they have said, "Listen, we think that we have this problem reasonably well cracked. We're recruiting extra staff. We think that we have the management stabilised". We always accept that and say, "Hopefully, that is the case", because, like the families, we are really desperate for a solution. However, the problem continues to rear its head, and families continue to be let down. I am really concerned.”
“I do not even know what to say to them in those circumstances. I emphasise that neither I nor any of the families believe that that is to do with the staff. The staff do their absolute best. However, a series of complications and complexities have created a difficult situation. There has been a turnover of staff and management, and the pressures keep falling back on to the families. <BR /> <BR />I am told that many families currently have reduced hours. One family, to whom I spoke today, was supposed to get four weeks this year but has only had two. Another family to whom I spoke recently was due to get in the region of 60 days in an allocated period but got only one third of that. It is really difficult. Families might get a phone call today or tomorrow and be told, "You can take some respite in two or three days' time.”
“<BR /> <BR />A number of years ago, one of the issues that arose was a complete closure of Woodlawn, as a result of a person from children's disability needing to use the facility. All the families fully understand the need to meet other people's needs. However, that created a significant level of disruption, off the back of the underspend that I spoke about. It also led to the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority putting in a change-of-purpose request for the facility, which has never been fully addressed. Families feel that that is now detrimental to their care needs. <BR /> <BR />On my way home from this Building on a Wednesday or Thursday, I have had families ring me to say that respite, which they had scheduled and agreed would happen on the Friday night, was being cancelled. That is just devastating for them.”
“I thank the Minister for attending the Adjournment debate. It is a really important debate, Minister, and I will give a bit of the background to put it in some context. <BR /> <BR />Woodlawn House is the respite centre for adult learning disability in the Southern Trust. When I first became an MLA, significant issues were ongoing in that sector, with underspends and money going back. I worked with your colleague Robin Swann in our respective roles in Health and got at least a partial resolution to that issue. However, ever since, there has been a long-running saga of incidents with the centre. I underpin my remarks by saying that many of the families who badly need the respite are dealing with very complex loved ones, and that they themselves are now much older and really struggling in that context.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Minister, do you accept that the draft strategy that you presented to the Executive was greatly reduced from the draft that Deirdre Hargey had left on the desk in your Department when you took office?”
“Minister. The Minister is well aware of the pressures on the waste water system, particularly in urban settings. There is, however, capacity in some rural settings. Will he ensure that, where social housing can be built in rural areas, that is the focus to ensure that that need is met?”
“The recommendations made by the Committee for Communities are proportionate, audit-ready and reflective of what the Committee has consistently heard from stakeholders and experts. We urge the Minister to listen and to incorporate our recommendations in full. By doing so, a well-intentioned framework can be turned into a powerful and practical —”
“The Committee supports having a board that is chaired by the head of the Civil Service, but that must be coupled with quarterly public dashboards that show progress against targets, as well as an annual report to the Assembly. Accountability must be built into the very fabric of the strategy. The fourth key element is a commitment to independent evaluation. To ensure that the strategy remains on track and delivers value for money, it must be subject to independent scrutiny at key points in its life cycle, including a mid-term review. <BR /> <BR />The Committee believes that child poverty is not inevitable but is the result of policy choices. We have an opportunity to improve the draft anti-poverty strategy with the tools that it needs to succeed.”
“<BR /> <BR />The message from the Committee for Communities is clear. If it is to be fit for purpose, the final anti-poverty strategy must include four key elements. The first is legally binding, time-bound and numeric targets. The draft strategy proposes monitoring high-level indicators, such as the percentage of children who are in relative poverty, but sets no firm targets for reduction. Without targets, there is no clear measure of success or driver for ambitious action. The second key element is a costed, multi-year delivery plan. A strategy without a budget is merely a statement of aspiration. The Committee has called for a plan that maps actions to Departments and clearly distinguishes between existing funding and new money. The third key element is robust governance and transparent monitoring.”
“After hearing extensive evidence, however, the Committee concluded that the draft strategy lacks the necessary precision and enforcement mechanisms to deliver real change. A framework alone will not transform lives. What matters is what sits beneath it: the statutory muscle, the financial commitment and the accountability that ensure that promises are kept. Those are essential if the strategy is to have a meaningful impact on the lives of the thousands of children who currently live in poverty. The Committee's formal response to the consultation on the draft strategy set out the architecture that is needed to address its critical gaps. Our conclusions are grounded in robust evidence and aligned with good practice recommendations from many bodies, including our own Public Accounts Committee, of which I am a member.”
“It finds that childhood adversity is an almost universal experience for single adults living in homeless hostels, with 96% of hostel residents having experienced at least one adverse childhood experience, and two thirds having experienced four or more. That is a stark warning, telling us that childhood trauma and poverty are not isolated problems but are intergenerational. Unless we intervene early and effectively, disadvantage simply reproduces itself. The Simon Community research must serve as a wake-up call. It reinforces why a truly effective anti-poverty strategy is not just desirable, but essential. <BR /> <BR />The Committee welcomed the long-overdue publication of the draft anti-poverty strategy as a necessary step towards fulfilling a long-delayed legal obligation.”
“We have consistently pressed the Department and the Executive for a robust, cross-departmental, outcomes-driven anti-poverty strategy that meets not just the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law. Our message has been consistent: good intentions are not enough, and delivery mechanisms, measurable outcomes and accountability must be built in from the start. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has sought detailed information on what actions are being taken at local government level. The urgency of the debate is underscored by research that has just been published by the Simon Community. Its report, 'Childhood Adversity and Homelessness in NI: Breaking the Cycle', provides a stark, evidence-based picture of the long-term consequences of failing to support vulnerable children.”
“On behalf of the Committee for Communities, I will contribute to the debate on tackling child poverty. The motion is correct to express alarm at the scale of the challenge that we face in the North, where one in five of our children lives in absolute poverty. Behind every one of those numbers is a child whose potential is constrained by hunger, poor housing or the stress of insecurity. In 2025, no child in our society should endure those circumstances. <BR /> <BR />The issue has been a sustained priority for the Committee since the restoration of the Assembly. We have gathered evidence from those on the front line: Action for Children; the Trussell Trust; the NI Anti-Poverty Network; the Commissioner for Children and Young People; and many others.”
“<BR /> <BR />Finally, I say this directly to people: please reach out and speak to someone if you feel that you are at risk of harming yourself. Please speak to someone in your circle, someone in the groups that I have mentioned or someone in a sports club. The impact on people is just too great, and I urge all of us to do all that we can in the time ahead to address the issue of suicide.”
“I also acknowledge the groups in the south Tyrone area that are working so hard to try to reach out to people and to provide a service, sometimes in the absence of statutory services and sometimes alongside them. Groups such as the Niamh Louise Foundation and MensReach are doing everything that they can in the community and voluntary sector. Many clubs, societies and organisations are also doing what they can to try to raise awareness of the issue and to try to help people at a time of need. I commend and acknowledge the work of each and every one of those groups. I have made a commitment that I will work with everyone in the south Tyrone area to try to improve the capacity, delivery of services and outreach to people who are struggling.”
“We have to acknowledge the pain and suffering that the loss of each individual in these circumstances has on family, sets of friends, sporting clubs or whatever.”
“I rise to raise the issue of mental health, particularly suicide. I am conscious of the fact that we are just coming out of September, a month in which there is a particular focus on suicide. However, throughout the month of September, there has been what I call a tragic wave of suicides across the south Tyrone area. It has impacted on a range of people — young and old; men and women; urban and rural — and has been devastating for each and every one of the families involved. I have been asked by some of the families to raise the issue, and we are being asked by families to do more on the issue in general. <BR /> <BR />It is disappointing to hear of a review being carried out to the mental health strategy, and an indication that that strategy is going to be pared back. We need to be spending more, not less, on mental health.”
“Finally, the Committee will also play a vital role in scrutinising a number of very important Members' Bills, including, as I mentioned, my Bill and Ciara Ferguson's Bill, which will tackle unfair letting fees.”
“While I appreciate that several important Bills are coming forward from the Department for Communities as well as the Sign Language Bill, which is already with the Committee, it is disappointing that there is no planned legislation in a number of key areas — for example, in the area of gambling reform, where there is an urgent need for legislation. When I pressed officials on that, they said that they were postponing it until the next mandate. That further delay will only serve to ensure that the North falls further behind in mitigating the harm caused by gambling. We also need to see further work done to build on the work that Deirdre Hargey did on private tenancies; a second tenancies Act is needed to complete that work.”
“The Executive have acknowledged the load on Committees, and we now need that recognition to translate into realistic timetables, early engagement and openness with information from the Department. If Departments share material in a timely way, Committees can work constructively and improve legislation. If they hold back until the last minute, scrutiny can become a box-ticking exercise and the public will lose out. The Communities Committee will be constructive, fair and rigorous. We will listen, test and amend where necessary. Our aim is good law that works for people and communities across the North. <BR /> <BR />I will make a few remarks, briefly, as Sinn Féin spokesperson.”
“Specifically, as a Committee, we ask for early sight of draft clauses, explanatory and financial memoranda and any intended amendments; a delegated powers memo or map for each Bill to show what will be done by statutory rule and when; a forward plan of SRs, affirmative and negative; realistic expectation for Committee Stages, allowing adequate time for public consultation, equality screening and clause-by-clause scrutiny and forward or advance consideration to be given to resourcing, both within the Department and across the arm's-length bodies, advice sector and community and voluntary sector organisations, some of which are on a funding precipice and may be needed to deliver future legislative change on the ground. <BR /> <BR />That is a clear ask from the Committee.”
“Adding to that, there is a number of legislative consent motions (LCMs), including the current live one on pensions, and it is clear that the scrutiny system for the Committee for Communities is already running at full stretch. Therefore, it is important that we manage this load responsibly. The Committee's capacity is finite and we will prioritise legislation, but this cannot be done at the expense of rigour. The public interest is not served by cramming complex Bills into shortened or truncated windows. We therefore ask the Minister for Communities and the Executive to match this legislative ambition with practical support and transparency.”
“For Communities, that includes five more departmental Bills, including a debt respite scheme Bill, a miscellaneous housing Bill, a pensions parity Bill and a charities amendment Bill. That is before we count Members' Bills, all of which deserve the same open, evidence-based scrutiny. Meanwhile, the delegated legislation pipeline remains heavy. In the previous session, the Communities Committee handled 38 SL1s and 35 statutory rules (SRs), covering everything from welfare mitigations to regular pension upratings. <BR /> <BR />Members may recall the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024. Then, I made the point that the absence of an equality impact assessment left the Committee having to approve a rule without the full information that it wanted. That is not a position that we should ever be in again.”
“Departments must share legislative proposals, intent, consultation responses, draft clauses, delegated powers maps and policy intent before formal introduction. Secondly, they must start pre-legislative scrutiny now. Whether agreement has been reached with the Executive should not be used as a reason to delay engagement with the Committee. Thirdly, they should not rush the legislation. Time needs to be built in for proper calls for evidence, equality screening and testing of delegated powers. <BR /> <BR />The legislative workload for the Communities Committee is as follows. The Executive statement of 3 October sets out an ambitious 21-Bill programme and acknowledges the significant commitment that this will require from Committees.”
“I will contribute to this debate on the Executive Committee's legislation programme. This is not about debating the merits of any individual Bill: it is about how we legislate, balance ambition with realism and uphold the standards of scrutiny that the public rightly expects. <BR /> <BR />The Communities Committee faces an intense legislative workload. We have five more Executive Bills, added to a number of legislative consent motions, a constant stream of statutory rules and an unknown number of Members' Bills. I declare an interest in that I am working on a Member's Bill on homelessness. The message from the Committee for Communities to the Departments is simple, and I can distill it into three key asks. First, provide clear information early.”
“I would just like to check whether there is any impact in the North.”
“It would be helpful if the Minister could share some of the details of the new scheme. <BR /> <BR />We also need to see greater protections for consumers from energy companies. One of the lessons from the cost-of-living crisis is that price rises will always fall on the consumer, and energy companies often seem to take advantage of that by announcing unfair price hikes. Sinn Féin would like to see the introduction of an energy price cap in the North, as already exists in Britain, as well as price protections for home heating oil customers and social tariffs for the most vulnerable. <BR /> <BR />Before I conclude, I want to flag with the Minister a significant issue with the recall of home heating pumps in the South. I am not sure whether the Minister is aware of that. If he is not, I will pass on information.”
“Some older properties are so energy-inefficient that it will take considerable investment and innovative solutions to bring them up to modern standards. That will, however, benefit us all in the long run. Sinn Féin has called for an uplift to the minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector. <BR /> <BR />At last week's Communities Committee, members received a briefing from departmental officials that included an update on the new warm healthy homes scheme, which is due to replace the affordable warmth scheme in 2026. The affordable warmth scheme has been a lifeline for many families in combating the worst impacts of fuel poverty over the past decade, with over 25,000 homes receiving upgrades at a cost of over £100 million. The new scheme needs to be even more ambitious and be open to more people.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Department consulted on a draft fuel poverty strategy earlier in the year. Sinn Féin responded to that consultation, and I was glad to see some positive proposals. It is vital that we make our current housing stock more energy-efficient. Poor insulation in homes is one of the key drivers of fuel poverty, and that is particularly true of older properties. In recent years, there have been uplifts to building standards, and they have reduced energy costs dramatically for newer homes while ensuring that homes are warmer. We must move forward with the next phase of the planned uplifts. It would be good if the Minister could give an update on when that is likely to go ahead. <BR /> <BR />We also need to see a retrofit strategy for older homes.”
“A 2024 survey by National Energy Action (NEA) found that roughly 40% of people in the North experience some level of fuel poverty. In practice, that means families having to choose between heating and eating; children sleeping in cold, damp bedrooms; and more stress and anxiety and a lower quality of life for all those who are impacted. Those statistics bring into sharp focus the urgent need for a modern, fit-for-purpose fuel poverty strategy that will make a meaningful impact on reducing fuel poverty. <BR /> <BR />We also need to see the urgent delivery of an ambitious anti-poverty strategy, as fuel poverty is intrinsically linked to wider poverty and one cannot be tackled without the other being tackled. It would be helpful if the Minister could set out timelines for both.”
“I thank the Members for tabling the motion, which is on a topic of huge importance. As we all know, over the past number of years, the cost-of-living crisis has had a particularly severe impact on family household bills, particularly food prices and housing costs. Perhaps one of the most punishing impacts of the cost-of-living crisis, however, has been the runaway increases in household energy costs. Although energy prices have mostly stabilised, the past few years highlighted just how volatile the energy market is and how global events taking place thousands of miles away can have a material impact on the standard of living that people experience here in the North. <BR /> <BR />One of the biggest knock-on effects of the energy crisis has been the significant rise in fuel poverty, particularly for those on low incomes.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, I am sure that you aware that a 'Spotlight' programme will tell the story of a number of families who have been subjected to sectarian and racist hate crimes and forced from their homes over the summer. It has become clear that they sought emergency assistance and were given that. However, many of them have ended up in unsuitable accommodation, causing a great deal of stress and anxiety and, indeed, causing families to be under severe pressure. As the Minister responsible for housing, what have you done personally to support this family and other families who have been affected by the recent racist and sectarian intimidation?”
“I also welcome the Minister's statement. The scheme is important. The Committee expressed regret when the previous scheme ended, so I welcome the fact that the Minister has brought this forward. <BR /> <BR />Are there any measures over and above those in the previous scheme that might ensure the continued success of placements and greater numbers of people remaining in their employment after the scheme ends? Who will have strategic oversight of the scheme as it rolls out?”
“Does the Member agree that the A5 is an absolutely essential element in creating regional balance in our constituency?”
“I thank the Minister for the statement on this very important work. I really welcome some of the elements of it, particularly the strong co-production and co-design that is woven through it and the Minister's commitment to extensive engagement through the consultation. I also thank the Minister's officials for briefing the Committee on this important work. <BR /> <BR />One of the things that I am most pleased about is the inclusion of targets. That would have improved the anti-poverty strategy. The target that I will ask about is that of 50,000 additional disabled people in work by 2036. How was that figure arrived at? What modelling or evidence underpins its feasibility?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I welcome the fact that the scheme will assist communities and I welcome the spread of areas that are being engaged with through information sessions. That is really useful. However, Minister, this has not come the length of the Communities Committee. Therefore, given that there have been recent concerns around the soccer funding that was announced, what can you tell us about the qualifying process? Who will have the final say on who does or does not get funding? Will it be Co-operation Ireland or you? What due diligence was done in relation to the process that Co-operation Ireland will use in distributing the money?”
“What plans are there to involve stakeholders, including homeowners, as that work gets under way?”
“Ó chuir an Roinn Sláinte stad sealadach le feachtais feasachta poiblí faoi láthair, tá sé ríthábhachtach go n-úsáidimidne, mar ionadaithe poiblí, ár nglór agus ár ngléas cainte le cúiseanna a shábhálann beatha daoine a chur chun cinn. <BR /> <BR />Bhí dhá ghníomhphointe ann i Seachtain Deonaithe Orgán 2025: ní mór do dhaoine smaoineamh ar chlárú mar dheontóirí orgán; agus ní mór do dhaoine a mianta maidir lena n-orgáin a chur in iúl dá ngaolta.”
“Bhí Seachtain Deonaithe Orgán 2025 ar siúl an tseachtain seo caite; seachtain a dtugtar deis dúinn lena linn ár ndúthracht a athneartú do chinneadh a shábhálann beatha daoine. <BR /> <BR />Is mór agam cúis an deonaithe orgán, nó ó bhuail mé le Dáithí Mag Gabhann agus lena mhuintir sa bhliain 2020, is mór agus is rómhór a chuaigh sé i bhfeidhm orm. Gheall muid dóibh go ndéanfaimis gach a raibh ar ár gcumas leis an dlí nua a chur i bhfeidhm, agus tá mé bródúil go ndearna muid, chomh maith le daoine eile, an gealltanas sin a chomhlíonadh. <BR /> <BR />Cuireadh dlí Dháithí i bhfeidhm, agus is céim ollmhór chun tosaigh é. Ná bíodh aon amhras ann: tá dlí Dháithí ag sábháil beatha daoine. <BR /> <BR />Ní hé sin deireadh an scéil, áfach: tá 163 dhuine ar ár liosta feithimh ó bhí anuraidh ann.”
“<BR /> <BR />Colleagues, we should also ensure that custodians of the land, environment and community, such as our farmers and rural dwellers, are meaningfully engaged and made fully active partners in the protection and potential of our beautiful landscape for many generations to come.”
“However, it is important that we also use emerging technologies in a way that benefits our community and our environment. I have been struck by the potential of the plan to date. It could represent an innovative and modern solution to a persistent and difficult problem. <BR /> <BR />I acknowledge the Minister's recently published peatlands policy. If he could outline how it might assist with the protection of Sliabh Beagh, I would be keen to hear it. In the time ahead, it will be important that the River Blackwater Catchment Trust and all relevant cross-border agencies and bodies, including the Sliabh Beagh Trust, local councils and other relevant groups, across the island and across counties, work together on the nature of the proposal so that it will be of huge benefit to all of us in the long run.”
“Last month, I attended a presentation in the Sliabh Beagh Hotel in County Monaghan, along with my colleague Cathy Bennett TD. Diana Armstrong was also there. We heard details of a proposed new fire prevention plan that is being developed by the River Blackwater Catchment Trust. The proposal includes the use of drones both to detect fires in the first instance and as a mechanism for spraying water on top of flames in remote and inaccessible areas. It is hoped that drones will also act as a deterrent to anyone who would seek to deliberately start a fire, which is a persistent problem in the Sliabh Beagh area. It must be said that it is also critical that privacy and data protection issues be fully addressed. Any proposal of this nature, involving greater surveillance, must be proportionate and not impact on people's privacy.”
“Sliabh Beagh has huge eco-tourism potential. I am delighted that £6 million has been awarded from the Shared Island Fund to develop the tourism potential of the area by attracting new visitors and increasing total spend there. However, if we are to have any hope of transforming the area into a dynamic driver of local economic prosperity, we need to find an innovative and permanent solution to the wildfires. <BR /> <BR />The prevalence of wildfires is increasing throughout the North, and, indeed, the rest of the island and the world as a result of the warmer climate. Wildfires can be particularly hard to extinguish because of how fast they spread, and because the remote terrain is inaccessible for fire and rescue services.”
“<BR /> <BR />Earlier this year, Sliabh Beagh was engulfed in some of the worst wildfires that the area has ever seen, with the NIEA estimating that up to one third of the region was damaged. The wildfires absolutely decimated much of the unique biodiversity of the region, including the habitats of many of our rare protected species, such as the hen harrier, Irish hare, red squirrel, skylark, curlew, golden plover and pine marten. Sliabh Beagh is the source and rising point of three of Ireland's 20 rivers that are designated as pristine, which indicates its importance as a source of water. Sliabh Beagh is a complex, unique and precious resource that contains many other endangered species of flora and fauna. <BR /> <BR />The fires impacted on the local economy, as they greatly restricted tourism for a prolonged period.”
“I thank Members for joining me in the Chamber to discuss a really important topic. I also thank the Minister for attending. <BR /> <BR />Ireland is known for its many beautiful landscapes. Our constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone is one of the best examples of what the island has to offer. One of the more scenic areas in our constituency is, of course, Sliabh Beagh, which spans the counties of Fermanagh, Tyrone and Monaghan. Sliabh Beagh is a Ramsar convention site, an area of special scientific interest (ASSI) and a conservation area. It is a unique area that offers many other protections for birds and wildlife. Sliabh Beagh spans 10,000 hectares in total, when the upland, forestry and almost 2,000 acres of protected wetland are included.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Given the many voices from the sector expressing serious concerns that the draft strategy is not fit for purpose in tackling poverty, will the Minister commit to working with his partners in the anti-poverty co-design group to significantly strengthen the strategy into something that will make a lasting impact?”