Liz Kimmins
Newry and Armagh · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I do not know how it will have affected North Antrim specifically unless the Member is referring to something in particular. We all have a responsibility in climate change and what we do to try to mitigate its impacts.”
“As the Member rightly said, removal of the zero-detriment policy is for the AERA Minister, and I have engaged with the Minister on that, as well as on the removal of the statement of regulatory principles and intent. I recognise that removing that would have detrimental impact on future development.”
“In response, we recently developed and introduced new appraisal guidance, which represents a significant and deliberate shift in approach. Under the previous arrangements, schemes were largely determined by a monetised cost-benefit ratio threshold where, typically, projects that fell below a ratio of one did not progress.”
“A number of significant issues have led to that scenario. I assume that the Member is referring to waste water capacity. I have said that NI Water has suggested that it needs between £3·5 billion to £3·6 billion for the next price control period.”
“Recruitment is a key challenge faced by all Departments. In questions to the Minister of Health, my colleague from Newry and Armagh referred to the recruitment issue that recently impacted on Daisy Hill. The challenge is not unique to DFI. I want to put a focus on ensuring that we build our internal capacity and improve staffing levels.”
“The Executive and the Assembly agree that the Executive's Budget is not adequate, which is why we are in that negotiation. When it comes to the capital budget, we have to factor in a timeline for the legal challenge that we are going through. It is unlikely that we will get a decision from the court on this side of the summer recess.”
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Every one of 2,530 lines we hold for Liz Kimmins, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 51.
“As the Member knows, at this point in time Lough Neagh is not within the remit of Waterways Ireland. However, I am exploring that. As the Member has said, we have seen the benefits of Waterways Ireland ownership in Clones following the work done there on the Ulster canal. That has helped to bring recreational amenity and tourism benefits to that community. I want to explore how that could be replicated around Lough Neagh, including the expansion of the Ulster canal restoration to include Lough Neagh. As we progress through that exploratory work, I will be happy to keep Members updated.”
“As the Member knows, greenways are very much typically led by councils, so there is more work to do at council level, but we will support it in any way that we can through our active travel delivery plan.”
“That was a very poor attempt to link your question to the statement. Look: work is ongoing with the council on that greenway. I was delighted to visit Carryduff last week. I know that the area is really growing, with families and others moving in. I met my party colleagues Deirdre Hargey and local councillors Ryan Carlin and Daniel Bassett there. There is a real appetite for that change in Carryduff, particularly as it is very congested with traffic. The greenway is one of those projects that, I think, we will see being realised.”
“Yes. As the Member will know, construction started in May 2024. Its planned substantial completion date is still late 2027, with the final handover due in early 2028. Works are proceeding to schedule. I am really pleased with that. Anyone who lives in or visits the area can see that the project is moving very quickly. It creates a sense of excitement about what that will mean for the area. I am not aware of any challenges with the budget. It is important to note that it is proceeding as scheduled. Hopefully, we will see it sooner rather than later.”
“As I said, Waterways Ireland has worked out its strategy for how to deal with that. As the Member will know, that is an important aspect of the work. Given the significant Waterways Ireland area that is in the North, we can come back with more detail on what exactly is covered as part of that strategy and how it impacts on areas north of the border.”
“That is part of the works that are being carried out along the route. If there are specifics, I can get more information on those. I do not have that level of detail, but I am happy to come back to the Member on what has been done and whether there are plans where there are areas that potentially need upgrades or repairs.”
“I look forward to seeing what comes next for the one that the Member mentioned.”
“I have given my statement on the most recent North/South Ministerial Council meeting, where we discussed cross-border greenways. The plans for Warrenpoint are excellent. It is really good to see that project moving on. I know that the consultation opened recently. It will potentially come up at the next meeting. It may not be specifically cross-border but it links with the Narrow Water bridge, as you said, so there is cross-border potential. We have seen the success of the Carlingford lough greenway. I love to remind Ministers at NSMC meetings of just how successful it has been and how it has revitalised everywhere along its route. Recently, I completed my first parkrun on the Carlingford lough greenway. A greenway has so many different uses and is a fantastic asset to any community.”
“At the meeting, the Council approved four disposals: a 99-year lease to Kildare County Council to facilitate the construction of a pedestrian/cycle bridge to Rathangan in County Kildare; an extension of the benefit of the existing way leave to Oakway Millview 2 Ltd; a 20-year extension to existing leases for an area of the Shannon navigation at Lavagh, Carnadoe and Roosky in County Roscommon; and a 99-year lease to Kildare County Council to facilitate the construction of the pedestrian/cycle bridge near the eighteenth lock at Landenstown in County Kildare. At this time, there is no requirement under the North/South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) Order 1999 for us to approve any disposal of properties in the North.”
“I welcome that recent announcement of a further allocation of €30 million from the Shared Island Fund for the project. Junior Minister Bunting and I had an opportunity to see the work that has been done and what is planned for the future. What can be achieved through collaboration across this island is not just ambitious but very exciting. I will continue to support the project in any way in which I can to ensure that we see its full realisation.”
“The Ulster canal project is being progressed in three phases. Phase 1, which is from Lough Erne to Castle Saunderson, and phase 2, which is from Clones to Clonfad, are both now complete and open for navigation. Work on the third and final phase, which is from Castle Saunderson to Clonfad, is in progress. Pre-construction work, including the acquisition of land, is under way. Phase 3 is subdivided into four sub-phases, and the current estimated completion date for all sub-phases is 2028-29. I am fully committed to supporting the completion of that ambitious project, which is transformational for communities and businesses in the region. <BR /> <BR />All funding for the project to date has been provided by the Irish Government, including funding through the Shared Island Fund.”
“Where do I start? The Member will know that, when I was on the council, we championed the need to further enhance and, indeed, maximise the potential of the Newry canal. With the Newry city park moving closer to construction and other work happening in the area, there is a real opportunity for us to do that. One of the things that we did when I was on the council was to create that linkage between ABC Borough Council and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, because we recognised that regeneration of the canal concerns both council areas. <BR /> <BR />The letter has not come to me directly yet. It may be with officials at this time. I will certainly look out for it, because I am happy to get behind anything that we can do to support the project.”
“We acknowledged the amenity that has been created in Clones around the marina, which provides a public space for the use of the local community and visitors, and the potential economic benefits as a result of the facilities provided, including moorings for 36 boats at Clones and along the route of the Ulster canal once the restoration project is complete. <BR /> <BR />We noted the continued progress on the construction of the Narrow Water bridge between Cornamucklagh in County Louth and Warrenpoint in County Down. <BR /> <BR />We agreed to hold the next meeting in the inland waterways sectoral format in winter 2026.”
“<BR /> <BR />We noted that the end-of-year water framework directive reports for the canal network in 2025 show that the water quality of the canals assessed has remained good since the previous assessment and that Waterways Ireland has developed a tree management strategy that addresses the immediate safety risks posed by diseased trees and the longer-term requirement to restore hedgerow continuity and habitat connectivity along the waterways, including through managing ash dieback along its waterway network. <BR /> <BR />We consented to the granting of a number of property disposals. <BR /> <BR />We noted the updated position with the Ulster canal restoration project and the extension of the navigable waterways network as a result of the restoration of the Ulster canal from Lough Erne to Clones.”
“<BR /> <BR />We acknowledged Waterways Ireland's development of a sustainability road map to create clear action plans across the organisation, the ongoing transition of its fleet vehicles from fossil fuels to hydrotreated vegetable oil and the development of a water management strategy. <BR /> <BR />We recognised that, in 2026, for the seventh consecutive year, Waterways Ireland reached the finals of the Green Awards in the category of public-sector organisation of the year.”
“<BR /> <BR />We welcomed the progress achieved by Waterways Ireland since the previous meeting of the council in the inland waterways sectoral format, including the ongoing work on phase 3 of the Ulster canal restoration project. We noted progress on other projects, including the construction of a new depot in Tullamore and the repurposing of the former site; the five-year maintenance plan for the Barrow navigation; and the replacement of the Camden sea lock gates. <BR /> <BR />We noted developments on the Royal canal greenway and the Grand canal greenway in Dublin. Updates were provided on the planning submission for the Shannon greenway, research on visitor monitoring using the Royal canal greenway and the continuing work of reviewing the Shannon navigation and canals by-laws.”
“In compliance with section 52 of the NI Act 1998, I will make a statement on the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) inland waterways meeting that was held at Waterways Ireland headquarters in Enniskillen on 29 May 2026. The Executive were represented by me, as Minister for Infrastructure, and junior Minister in the Executive Office Joanne Bunting. The Irish Government were represented by James Browne, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The statement has been agreed with junior Minister Bunting, and I make it on behalf of both of us. Minister Browne chaired the meeting, and the following is a note of what was discussed.”
“The Executive and the Assembly agree that the Executive's Budget is not adequate, which is why we are in that negotiation. When it comes to the capital budget, we have to factor in a timeline for the legal challenge that we are going through. It is unlikely that we will get a decision from the court on this side of the summer recess. In my financial planning, I have stepped through what that means for what we could achieve and what we may not achieve. We would always have built that into our budget for this financial year. <BR /> <BR />Given that the Member alluded to the A5 project holding up other developments, it is important to point out that the process has been delayed not by net zero policy but as the result of a legal challenge. My priority is to get a successful outcome, to move on and to do so swiftly.”
“I do not know how it will have affected North Antrim specifically unless the Member is referring to something in particular. We all have a responsibility in climate change and what we do to try to mitigate its impacts. We have seen extreme heat across the world in the past few weeks, and nobody can deny that change is happening that we have to get to grips with regardless of what position we take on climate change. We all have work to do on our environmental responsibilities. It is collective work and not something that can be done in isolation, and it can be achieved collectively. <BR /> <BR />The Member is asking about North Antrim, which is a broad question. Certainly, I recognise that we have to adhere to our responsibilities, and if we do that work together, there is no reason why we cannot achieve the targets that have been set.”
“I recognise the environment responsibilities of the Minister's role, and we all have a part to play in that. However, we do not want to take a decision that could have a more detrimental impact across the board than is already the case.”
“As the Member rightly said, removal of the zero-detriment policy is for the AERA Minister, and I have engaged with the Minister on that, as well as on the removal of the statement of regulatory principles and intent. I recognise that removing that would have detrimental impact on future development. That needs to be considered carefully before any decision is taken by the Minister, and the real impacts of that need to be thought through. <BR /> <BR />We talked about the need for investment. It is important to say that the removal of zero-detriment in a way that would mean that NI Water would be fined would, in many ways, be counter-intuitive because it would impact on the budget further. That engagement with the Minister will continue, and I have stressed how that would have a significant impact and that we need to find a way forward.”
“As I have told the House before, I have taken forward other ways to reduce pressure on the system. Ultimately, however, what is required is significant investment that will allow proper upgrades to ensure that we not only unlock capacity but future-proof waste water infrastructure.”
“A number of significant issues have led to that scenario. I assume that the Member is referring to waste water capacity. I have said that NI Water has suggested that it needs between £3·5 billion to £3·6 billion for the next price control period. That in itself demonstrates the significant investment that is needed to enable us to deliver properly on the capacity constraints across the North. <BR /> <BR />I developed a paper, which I brought to the Executive recently, and got Executive agreement that that issue should be prioritised, and I will come later with costings for that. That is an issue for the Executive, not just for DFI, because it affects housebuilding and the social housing targets of the Member's colleague in the Department for Communities. It affects Health and Education, and we need to get to grips with it.”
“That is the situation for all such developments across the North.”
“I do not underestimate how difficult it is for families, particularly when they have worked extremely hard to buy a house and get a mortgage. They hope that they can raise their family there. I cannot imagine how challenging and awful that must be. If we could do more at this time, we would. I appreciate that the Member says that it is a smaller development and that it may not cost that much, but lots of developments are in the same situation. We cannot cherry-pick one and leave another in the same scenario. The Member knows how much funding would be required to do that fairly. If the Member wants to write in, we can speak to officials to see what else we can offer by way of advice. The point here is that it is the developer who is responsible for addressing the situation. That is the bottom line.”
“Ultimately, this is the responsibility of the developer, and it needs to be addressed. We can offer support in the form of advice or guidance, but, ultimately, that is where the solution will be found.”
“As the Member knows, an estimated 860 unadopted developments across the North are defined as sites requiring enforcement action under article 11 of the Private Streets Order. The Member will know that, in an effort to try to address what has been an issue for many, I have, as I have outlined, brought in updated policy guidelines. I understand that that will not give great comfort to those who have been in such a situation, but it is recognition that this is a significant issue and that we need to find ways to ensure that it does not happen to more people in the future. The issue that the Member has spoken about is one on which, where possible, there should be continued engagement with NI Water. The Member says that the developer has gone bust, but I am not sure of the specifics around that.”
“It is my view that everything has stopped while the case is under way. If the Member writes with more detail, we can get more information.”
“I would need more information on the exact location where that happened. At this point, I am not aware of it. We can look into it and see —.”
“As the Member will be aware, my officials have been engaging very closely with landowners regarding what the situation will be during the time that the legal process continues. I hope that that will be concluded very soon. The Member will know that we had two hearings last week regarding the A5. Many of those landowners will have been offered options of what we can do in the interim in the hope that we can get agreement to allow the legal case to proceed and conclude before taking further steps.”
“Not that I am aware of. However, I do share the Member's frustrations about the length of time that it has taken, particularly the fact that it has been overlooked. I will endeavour to follow that up with officials today because, particularly now that weather conditions have improved, now is the time. If we can get a date for that, I will be happy to provide that to the Member.”
“The issue of responding to queries on road markings has come up a number of times, and I know that there are many areas that are currently on a list. With the road markings contractor, we are very limited in the resource that we have available. The Member has written to me recently about some areas that have been waiting for too long, and I am happy to follow that up again.”
“Absolutely. I absolutely want to see how we can continue to ensure that the Irish language thrives and is visible. However, as the Member will appreciate, it is my priority that we continue with the current legal challenge and that we have a successful outcome. I do not want to jeopardise that in any way by making comments on what is clearly political point-scoring.”
“As the Member is fully aware, I am in the middle of a legal case around dual-language signage, so, at this time, it would be inappropriate to comment on that.”
“These schemes demonstrate my commitment to improving our road and active travel networks, which are vital for connecting our businesses and communities. As with all changes to the road network, my officials will continue to keep the operation of the new road layout under review. <BR /> <BR />The Department has recently been made aware of concerns regarding inconsiderate driver behaviour, including speeding, and have referred those to the PSNI. Our partners in the police have indicated that the site is being considered for the safety camera van. My Department will in the meantime organise a traffic survey of the site, and that will help to inform whether further interventions are required.”
“Road safety is a high priority for my Department, and we are committed to working proactively to make our roads safer and to address the needs of all road users. The Creenagh bridge replacement and significant realignment represented a £1·9 million investment by my Department to improve safety for pedestrians and road users on the A45 Ballynakilly Road between Coalisland and the M1 motorway. It will also assist with heavy goods vehicle movement and improve commercial connectivity in that area. This substantial investment also includes the construction of an active travel footway for 270 metres over the scheme linking to the Ballynakilly Road, which will deliver significant benefits for residents and road users who travel through the area.”
“I am of the opinion that that, coupled with the digital survey, will have a better impact on how we respond to the issues in a more timely fashion and that it will make us more responsive. We will know the exact number of people who will be employed through that recruitment process once it concludes.”
“The digital survey will take away some of the manual work involved in those inspections so that we can identify issues at a much earlier stage than the point that you referred to in your question, when the issue is beyond repair and fuller works are needed. Those things will help to build in resilience so that we do not see this situation year-on-year and do not have workers going to the same location time and time again, which is a waste of money and resource. We are looking at how we can better use digital technology to make the work that we do more effective and efficient as well as at how we can target our funding and resources more effectively. <BR /> <BR />On the matter of roads inspectors specifically, the recruitment campaign was for industrial road workers. That covers a range of tasks.”
“We all share that frustration. Many repairs are temporary until such times as a more impactful repair can be done. The Member mentioned resurfacing: there are roads everywhere that would benefit from resurfacing. Obviously, budget has an impact on that. We are trying to get a better Budget so that we can do it properly and do not have to go back time and time again. <BR /> <BR />To speak to what I have said already during the session, there is no one quick fix; it is about what we can do to address the issue as a whole. I talked about how the new strategy would look at bigger patching, which would address many of those issues earlier.”
“I hope that, in conjunction with all the other work that we are doing on road maintenance, that recruitment will make a real and tangible difference for people.”
“We were pleased that there was a positive response to the recruitment campaign, with over 500 applications submitted when the campaign was advertised and around 300 people invited to interview over those two days. That new approach is a good way of fast-tracking people in to do the work. I hope that, as we head into the autumn, we will see a real improvement that will help to build resilience and that we can get out and tackle some of the key issues with road maintenance, gully-emptying and all the things that will present further challenges if they are not addressed in a timely manner. <BR /> <BR />I am positive about this. The response to the recruitment campaign in itself shows that there is a real appetite among people to join the Department and get involved in the work.”
“Recruitment is a key challenge faced by all Departments. In questions to the Minister of Health, my colleague from Newry and Armagh referred to the recruitment issue that recently impacted on Daisy Hill. The challenge is not unique to DFI. I want to put a focus on ensuring that we build our internal capacity and improve staffing levels. <BR /> <BR />Our industrial road workers undertake vital operational services. The recruitment campaign that we recently completed further demonstrates the commitment, which I share, to improving our network for the benefit of all road users. As I have told the House before, we had a number of interview open days in Ballymena at the end of April. Appointments are likely to be made by the end of the month — that is tomorrow — following successful completion of the pre-employment process.”
“Taken together with my new road maintenance strategy, climate adaptation and new staff recruitment will support continuity of delivery, better value and a more resilient approach to maintaining the road network.”
“<BR /> <BR />Building long-term resilience into the road network also depends on having the right people with the right skills in place. That is why workforce recruitment and development is a key part of my approach. My Department's industrial recruitment campaign, alongside initiatives such as the skills academy and Talent Dog, will help us attract, train and retain staff for key engineering roles. That strengthens our capacity to plan and deliver inspections, design, programming and supervision, supporting a shift from what have been very reactive repairs towards timely preventative maintenance. Growing that pipeline also improves our ability to respond to disruption, including severe weather, by reducing gaps in cover and enabling faster mobilisation for safety-critical and emergency works.”
“The issues surrounding the condition of the road network are well established. As I stated in my previous answer, I will shortly publish the new road maintenance strategy, which will put my Department in a much stronger position to progress a more modern, data-driven approach to road maintenance across the North. The resilience of the road network also requires adaptation to extreme weather events and reducing multiple risks, including flooding, erosion and slope failure, that we have seen in recent times. My Department is taking forward those risks through actions in the climate change action plan and the development of our first resilient road network plan, and it is working with the Climate Change Committee (CCC) and academic partners to keep planning and investment evidence-based.”
“I have said that we will continue to engage with whomever we need to work with, but, ultimately, the solution to such things will be found between the council and the developer responsible.”
“First, to clarify the Member's points, I have never said that developers were going to fund the £2 billion gap. I have said quite the opposite, which is that that is one way in which to make some progress in that regard. It is important that I put that on the record. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, it is a developer-led problem. If I were to take ownership of every issue that developers have caused, including unadopted developments, which is the same principle, I would have no money to do what I am meant to be doing, which I already struggle to do. While I take the Member's point, we are in a very difficult situation, in that we cannot pick up the pieces when a developer has failed to meet its responsibilities or a planning authority has failed to put in place proper mitigations.”
“As Members will be aware, my Department is a statutory consultee in the planning process, at which point it provides technical advice to councils on roads, access traffic and road safety matters. Councils, as the ultimate planning authority, are responsible for determining planning applications and attaching or enforcing planning conditions, where appropriate. The Department will continue to provide advice to councils to ensure that transport impacts are properly considered before development proceeds. The issue with the Larne road is a retrospective one, but, at this time, the planning authority is the council, and it has the power to deal with it.”
“<BR /> <BR />The official advice, which is consistent with the ombudsman's findings, remains that it is a private development issue and that responsibility for resolution rests with the relevant developers and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council as the planning authority. My Department will continue to ensure that, through the planning process, traffic generated by further development in that area is appropriately considered and mitigated through off-site works, where required. We will continue to engage in the process to make sure that we do not contribute to any further problems.”
“As I stated in my previous answer, the Department acknowledged the ombudsman's findings about the road. As the Member said, the ombudsman concluded that the failure to complete the road arose from the way in which development was allowed to proceed without the necessary planning controls or conditions having been put in place at that time. I cannot speak about something that happened 30-odd years ago, but I recognise that locals will not be happy with that response. I recognise that there are issues that need to be addressed. The report also noted, however, that that remaining link is undeveloped and in private ownership, which is why I explicitly set out who can work to resolve the issue.”