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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“However, for me, adding a financial burden to households that are already struggling is not the answer, because it would just compound the challenges faced by the people who we all represent.”
“I have talked about the three-pronged approach. That is about looking at what else we can do in different ways. It is not all about raising money, although we have considered that through developer contributions. It is about looking at natural drainage solutions, as the Member will know, and a Bill on that is coming through the Assembly. It is also about working with Executive colleagues to secure additional investment. I outlined earlier what we have been able to do with additional investment on a very short-term basis. It is very important to say what we can do when we get such investment. I continue to work through that. I will never shirk my responsibility for what we have to consider and the difficult decisions that have to be taken.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, I say that I will not add to the financial burden faced by people here by imposing any form of water charges. <BR /> <BR />I recognise, as we all do, the constrained financial situation. We face that collectively, with difficult decisions being required, and will continue to look at innovative, new ways of maximising the delivery of vital infrastructure. As I mentioned, we will do that through the three-pronged approach, which I do not need to go into the details of again. We will also seek additional funding where possible, whether through the Budget or the monitoring rounds. Whilst that levy has been put forward as a solution, it is one that, I think, would lead to water charges. However, such a levy concerns rates, so I could not make a decision on that. As I said, it is an Executive matter.”
“To date, I have not had any discussion with the Minister of Finance regarding an infrastructure levy. Any decision to apply an additional levy to rates bills would be a cross-cutting matter to be considered at Executive level, and substantive changes would need to be made to rating legislation and the rating administration system in respect of such a change. <BR /> <BR />I have met the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Construction Employers Federation and the NI Federation of Housing Associations to consider their report that proposed increasing rates by means of a hypothecated infrastructure levy to fund waste water infrastructure. For me, that represents a form of water charging, which, I have said clearly, I will not introduce.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am alive to the fact that we have to make sure that, whatever the work that we do, we consider all road users, whether motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, parents with buggies — there are so many different ways of looking at it — and that we have to ensure that we do our best to cater for all.”
“Absolutely. The Member may be aware that one of the seven foundations that I have outlined as part of my Department's plans is about inclusion. We work closely with organisations such as the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee (IMTAC) to ensure that everything that we do is inclusive and safe for all users, particularly people with disabilities. That has been extremely important, because it has not only helped to inform and educate my officials but informed what we do going forward. When we look at things such as inconsiderate pavement parking and other safety measures, we ensure that we take that on board. We regularly engage with the likes of IMTAC to hear its perspective and suggestions of how we can make that better.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is not feasible to compare like for like, because the two things are not alike: the money comes from separate allocations, as the Member will know, which is set by legislation.”
“The Member is fully aware of my responsibilities in relation to active travel spend. It is set in legislation that 10% of the budget is required to go towards active travel. I am working towards that and am committed to it. However, we are still in a very difficult budget situation, so that is a challenge. <BR /> <BR />We should not have to choose one thing over the other: I would like to be able to do both. There are pots of money within the allocation for things that I have to do, and there are other allocations for road maintenance, as the Member will be aware. The area is another one that is extremely important to me, which is why, in the most recent monitoring round, I used the money that I got to target road maintenance, particularly on rural roads, because I know how important that is.”
“The implementation of 20 mph zones outside schools has been another good example of how we can improve those routes and make them safer. I recently visited St Ita's Primary School in south Belfast and saw its use of pencil bollards. That is a good example of something creative that really highlights the fact that children and young people are coming to and from the area. <BR /> <BR />There are lots of things that we can do to make big changes and to ensure that our children and young people can get to school safely in a way that benefits their health and well-being.”
“Other gateway features to make motorists aware of the presence of schoolchildren walking, wheeling and cycling in the area will also be part of that.”
“Some of the measures that designers might consider include the provision of greater pedestrian priority at crossing points in the vicinity of schools, as well as measures to discourage inconsiderate parking that can cause difficulties for people cycling or walking.”
“That is a really important aspect of our active travel work, particularly to ensure that children and young people can get to and from school safely. Prioritisation of active travel improvements on routes to schools was a key consideration in the consultation on the active travel delivery plan. The plan is being finalised, and I hope to approve its publication in the coming months. My Department is also updating design guidance for active travel, including the development of a toolkit for measures that can be implemented around schools to encourage walking, wheeling or cycling for the school run.”
“I can write to the Member to provide a more detailed update on that, just to be specific in case there are any changes, but I am not aware of that at this stage. You are right in relation to Stranmillis. It helped to highlight the benefit of something like this and encourage more people to come out. It was in dire need of an upgrade, and it is a good example of what we can do and what we can do more of.”
“If we want to encourage them to get out of the private car, we have to make sure that they have the ability to do so, and I am keen to do that.”
“I absolutely agree with the Member. Many seem to have the view that it is a nice-to-have, but you are right: it is absolutely essential. It provides people with options not just to make those shorter journeys without having to get into a private car but to do so safely. That is key in all of this. As I mentioned, this will align with the eastern transport plan that covers a wide area outside Belfast city centre, and the Belfast cycling network will complement its overarching principles for all of the reasons that you have outlined. The consideration that I mentioned about the increasing number of students in the city centre and surrounding areas is a key part of that. All of that should be looked at as we go forward with this. We want to give people better options.”
“That will take account of the emerging eastern transport plan and other significant changes that have occurred in Belfast in recent years, not least the relocation of Ulster University and the increased number of students whom we now see living in the city centre.”
“I had the opportunity to cycle it and was pleased to see the difference that the new red surfacing has made and the linkage improvements between the embankment, Queen's University Physical Education Centre (PEC) and Botanic Gardens through the provision of a new pedestrian crossing. My Department has also provided funding to Belfast City Council to progress the next phase of Lagan Gateway. Within the South Belfast area, design work is substantially complete on the Ravenhill Road scheme as part of the Belfast cycling network, and officials are preparing documentation to commence the traffic regulation order process in the coming months. <BR /> <BR />Prioritisation of future active travel schemes within the Belfast cycling network is currently being considered.”
“I am committed to increasing investment in active travel across the North and recognise its benefits to the lives of people who want greater choice in how they travel, particularly for shorter, everyday journeys. Since the publication of the Belfast cycling network delivery plan in 2022, significant progress has been made. A number of projects that have already been delivered, with schemes in Lagmore Avenue, west Belfast greenway phase 1 and Island Street currently under construction across Belfast. In South Belfast, the Stranmillis embankment scheme was completed last summer.”
“The responses have not been published yet, so I will not go into them in too much detail. As you know, the consultation closed last summer. A total of 293 responses were received, which is significant and important for us to be able to get a broad range of views. As I said, the responses are being considered. We have a view to publishing the report on those responses in the coming weeks. I hope to be able to update the House further on that. It is important that we do the consultation and hear from people so that we can potentially factor that into any next steps.”
“I had the pleasure recently of visiting one of the waste water treatment plants that has received investment in Dungannon. It will unlock further capacity. However, I am aware that there are other constraints that still exist. We continue to look at those with NI Water to see what options are available and what funding is required to address them. It is fair to say that we have made good progress, but I recognise that there is more to be done because we know what the impact of that is. It is important that we address that.”
“Through two monitoring rounds, we have been able to reduce that by just under a third. That might not seem like much, but that is within a number of months, so, where we can work collaboratively, particularly with our Executive colleagues, we can make a difference. That is what I am determined to do.”
“NI Water has indicated that billions of pounds are required. However, as Members will have seen, particularly over the past number of months, we have been working on ways to use innovation and different technologies, albeit that those will not be long-term or permanent solutions. We recognise that there is still work to be done, but that can help us to progressively unlock capacity and upgrade the system in a more managed way within the budgetary envelope. <BR /> <BR />What we have been able to do through ring-fenced allocations or even through monitoring rounds is not ideal, but, if we can target that investment, we can make a real difference. I mentioned in my answer to Miss McIlveen that over 17,000 properties will require connection at some stage if they get planning approval.”
“In June monitoring last year, I provided NI Water with an additional £11 million of capital funding that will be used to release waste water capacity and enable over 2,000 homes as part of the H2 project in Derry to be connected in the next two or three years and another 1,000 homes in the Waterside area to be connected. In addition, my officials are working collaboratively with our colleagues in DAERA and DFC to identify and enable the unlocking of waste water capacity in areas of housing need, thereby contributing to the aims and objectives of the Executive's housing supply strategy. <BR /> <BR />We continue to look at everything available to us to try to drive progress and ensure that we deliver capacity through our waste water network. We recognise the constraints, but we have made good progress and will continue to drive it forward.”
“As I outlined in my previous answer, we have made significant progress in ensuring that, where we can secure additional funding, it is targeted to unlock capacity. I referenced the ring-fenced capital money that will unlock over 5,000 properties across the North, which is a higher number than NI Water originally planned to connect if fully funded by the end of the price control period, which is in 2028. We are only at the beginning of 2026. <BR /> <BR />My predecessor, John O'Dowd, allocated £19·5 million to NI Water in October 2024 monitoring, which delivered capacity for 2,300 new properties in five council areas across Antrim, Derry and Tyrone.”
“We have introduced a validation checklist, which is about streamlining the processes and ensuring that applications can then be front-loaded with the information required to ensure that we can have a more straightforward and efficient service. <BR /> <BR />We have seen improvements. This year or possibly at the end of last year, we saw for the first time our major applications targets being met. That indicates some of the progress that is being made. There is more to be done — I have no doubt about that — but we will continue to do that work, and we will do it in partnership with all stakeholders that have an interest in or are involved in the process.”
“I am pleased to say that significant work has been taking place on planning improvement. The Department has been working through a planning improvement programme in conjunction with the 11 councils across the North for all the reasons that the Member has outlined. We recognise that good progress has been made since planning was devolved to councils just over 10 years ago. We also recognise, however, that there are challenges and that more work needs to be done. <BR /> <BR />We recently introduced apprenticeship schemes. As I said, we have been working with councils to identify key issues in their areas and key issues that are common to all council areas, and we have been looking at what else we can do.”
“<BR /> <BR />To help address capacity issues further and encourage economic growth across the North, I will continue to develop the three-pronged approach that is already in place by working with Executive colleagues to ensure appropriate investment for NI Water, as well as bringing forward my Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill, which was recently introduced in the Assembly. We have also recently consulted on options to introduce developer contributions, which will help fund waste water infrastructure improvements. The consultation responses are currently with the Department.”
“Much of the process is dependent on actions from developers, and I encourage developers to continue working with NI Water through the pre-development process, as there may be developer-led solutions available for some of the properties. <BR /> <BR />It remains a fact that there are many areas across the North where NI Water will need to upgrade the relevant waste water infrastructure. Unfortunately, as Members know, the Budget that the Executive receive from London continues to be substantially short of what is needed. As a result, my Department does not have funding for everything that we want or need to do. Prioritisation is therefore required.”
“The 5,300 properties to which we have provided funding to unlock is above NI Water's original plans for 4,500 properties in the period of 2021-27 under price control 21 (PC21) and represents a significant achievement by my Department and NI Water in delivering much-needed waste water infrastructure. <BR /> <BR />I note, however, that the properties that require a connection to the sewerage infrastructure are at various stages of the planning system. For example, some have conditional planning in place and can connect only when the waste water infrastructure has been upgraded. Others are not yet planning-approved but have been submitted for planning.”
“NI Water has advised my Department that, on the basis of analysis of pre-development enquiry responses, waste water impact assessment applications, planning applications and the NI Housing Executive's three-year social housing development programme, approximately 17,200 residential properties and 200 commercial properties are unable to connect to the waste water network. However, following my predecessor's and my ring-fencing of funding to NI Water, which will unlock capacity for over 5,300 of those properties, that number comes down to around 12,000.”
“<BR /> <BR />Our loss is huge. We cannot imagine life without Mickey Brady. He has been our constant. Right up until a few weeks ago, he was still doing appointments and filling in forms with people during what was meant to be his retirement. Mickey was the people's champion; there is no more fitting term for somebody like Mickey Brady. We will miss him dearly.”
“When we opened our constituency office in Monaghan Street, I was proud to have my name alongside Mickey Brady's name and share that office with him, because, for the people of Newry, Mickey Brady defined what we call "a legend". That is not an exaggeration. He was always a joy to canvass with and, especially, for, but it took a long time to get round the doors, because he knew absolutely everybody and everyone wanted to talk to him. He was a fierce advocate for Daisy Hill Hospital, Palestine and, indeed, welfare rights and equality. First and foremost, however, he was a family man who absolutely adored his family. He spoke daily about his late wife, Rose, whom he lost at a very young age; his wife, Caroline; his children; and, more recently, his grandchildren, whom he adored. I know that their loss is immeasurable.”
“My children were practically reared in my constituency office. Mickey was always there if you needed someone to hold the baby, quite literally. My children have great memories of him.”
“That is the type of person who Mickey was. He was so kind and so caring, as has been reflected over the past few days.”
“The legacy of the decades of work that Mickey gave to our community but also more broadly than Newry has been carried through. The outpouring of tributes over the past few days is a testament to the high esteem that he was held in by people from all backgrounds and communities. <BR /> <BR />The Mickey whom I knew was a warm, witty, fun person to be around. He had a brilliant memory and could take you back to the early 60s and what happened in his student days in Liverpool and his days in Frederick Street and Bridge Street in Newry through to the antics that he, Fra McCann and others got up to in Stormont. Many across the Chamber and the Building are aware of those. Mickey had a great ability for slagging. If you came in with something on you that was a wee bit different, Mickey would not be long in pointing that out.”
“What can you say about Mickey Brady? He was someone whom I am proud to have known and grown to love. He was a kind, gentle and warm person. The news of his passing on Friday evening has sent shock waves across our community and, I would go so far as to say, these islands. <BR /> <BR />Mickey had time for everyone. He was first appointed as a welfare adviser, the first of its kind in the North, in 1981. A senior member of the Belfast Law Society stated that, in 1984-85, Mickey represented more social security tribunal cases than all the solicitors in the North of Ireland. That, in itself, encapsulates the dedication and the commitment of Mickey, as a person, to bettering people's lives. Mickey literally put food on the table for many families over the years. Through hard times, he ensured that they got what they were rightly entitled to.”
“I am happy to engage at any point, if I did not cover some points, as a lot has been discussed this afternoon. It is certainly my intention to keep Members and the community updated because I understand how important the issue is. I will continue to work with my officials, other MLAs and my Executive colleagues to secure the investment needed and deliver the solutions that are needed to give people the reassurance and confidence that they will be protected. <BR /> <BR />I thank everyone, particularly Diane Forsythe who secured the debate, for the discussion and the tone of the debate this evening.”
“However, again, given the complexity of the location, the steepness of the adjacent land necessitated detailed design and ground investigation works, which, I am pleased to say, are now complete. I can also confirm that landowner agreement is in place, a works instruction has been issued, and we await the programme from the contractor and hope that works will commence on site early next month, with an expected time frame of six weeks for completion. <BR /> <BR />I want to give Members confidence that the issues are not unheard, but solutions take time. When you look at the long list of areas where problems seem to have accumulated in quite a short time, you will see that there is a lot of work to do. <BR /> <BR />I thank all Members who spoke.”
“As Members have said, there has been a lot of development in that area in recent years, and that has caused more rapid surface water run-off in heavy rain than previously, which will overwhelm the drainage system. DFI Roads recently completed an investigation of the existing road drainage infrastructure, including jetting of pipes and cleaning of gullies, and we have identified several locations that require further consideration. A programme of works is being developed to complete the necessary repairs to address those issues. <BR /> <BR />Likewise, at Kilkeel Road in Hilltown, a section of the road collapsed following the flooding of 2023, and there have been traffic controls in place since.”
“The fact that the flooding was the result of a huge amount of water running off the side of the mountain indicates that there is a complex issue there. DFI has looked into it, and no amount of gully clearing there would have been able to alleviate the volumes of water that came down the side of that mountain. Therefore, the onus is on all the Departments responsible to come together to look at what caused that flooding and what we can do to mitigate it. That is being looked at. <BR /> <BR />In relation to some of the other points that have been raised about the A2, I am pleased to say that there has been some progress, notwithstanding the huge challenges and the length of time that it is taking.”
“<BR /> <BR />On the back of that meeting, I engaged with NI Water and asked what it can do to deliver a long-term solution, and it has provided some updates on that. Those have been shared with the RCRG, and modelling has been taking place to see what will work. I do not think that it is as straightforward as we had hoped, and I am conscious that it has taken time. However, that work is ongoing, and I hope to have further updates on that in the near future. <BR /> <BR />Members also mentioned the more recent events at Tullybrannigan. While it may seem as though Departments are arguing with one another over who has responsibility for that, it is much more complex than saying that it is one Department's fault.”
“<BR /> <BR />In relation to South Down specifically, a feasibility study for Downpatrick has identified viable solutions to protect over 100 properties. As Members have said, further work is being undertaken to develop the business case for the scheme, including a detailed assessment to determine whether the preferred option will be economically feasible. The business case is expected to be completed by spring of this year. <BR /> <BR />I am also very well aware of the recent flooding incidents in Newcastle and the ongoing issues at Marguerite Avenue. I have met the RCRG there, as I mentioned, and the temporary solution there has alleviated the problem to an extent, but I recognise that it is not an adequate long-term solution.”
“<BR /> <BR />On timescales for the flood alleviation projects, I would be strongly criticised if I were to rush any of them through without going through the proper procedures. Like Members and officials, I can become frustrated at the length of time that such projects take, but we have to ensure that we are following the proper procedures and also demonstrating due diligence. The delay is therefore not intentional or deliberate, but, rather, because the projects have the potential to be transformative for the communities that they are intended to protect, we have to ensure that the proper procedures are followed. It is important that we get it right. We do not have too many chances to do that, particularly as the issues are becoming worse.”
“Thank you. DFI Rivers has a 10-year capital works programme to help plan the investment in new flood defences and existing drainage infrastructure. Projects can be identified through the flood risk management planning process, in which we have used predictive flood modelling to identify locations that are most at risk of flooding. In addition, projects can be identified through our local knowledge of places with a history of flooding, and the RCRGs have a key role to play in that process. Projects are then prioritised based on a range of criteria, including the current level of flood risk, the estimated cost of flood alleviation works and the benefit:cost ratio of potential works. We currently have more than 50 separate projects on the programme, with over half of them at different stages of progress.”
“, I will try to get through as much as possible.”
“If the opportunity were to arise again — I am not trying to be smart — it would offer MLAs a good opportunity to do something and to hear in greater detail from the people who are working on such initiatives. <BR /> <BR />I am conscious of the time, so, with your indulgence, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle”
“They have created something really important and effective in order to protect businesses, and other communities that were devastated by the 2023 floods, such as Downpatrick, could look to that model as they move forward. <BR /> <BR />As Members will be aware, in December 2025, my officials, working alongside multi-agency partners, delivered a presentation on storm preparedness in the Assembly as part of the parliamentary excellence programme. The presentation was well received, but it was extremely poorly attended. That was an opportunity for MLAs to hear from and speak directly to officials who work on those issues and develop solutions to manage flood risk in the impacted communities that we represent. Unfortunately, not too many showed up for that event.”
“In fact, its work with communities helps develop local response plans, because no two areas are the same. Local expertise and knowledge are critical to our response, and they complement the engineering and practical solutions that can be put in place, such as putting sandbags in the right locations and articulating weather information and alerts, where appropriate. The work of RCRGs across the North is acknowledged as one of the best approaches to that type of initiative, not only here but in neighbouring jurisdictions. I will mention the work that has been done with DFI Rivers and the business resilience group that has been developed in Newry under the leadership of Eamonn Connolly and the Newry business improvement district.”
“I appreciate the huge anxiety, stress and devastation that even one flooding incident can cause and the long-term impact that it can have on individuals, communities and business owners. We referenced the regional community resilience groups that are in place, and the Newcastle RCRG is a shining example, and I say that not to be patronising. The group is an exemplar of what an RCRG should look like. The Department jointly chairs the multi-agency RCRG, which has continued to engage with the communities that are at risk from severe weather across the North over the past 10 years. To give a sense of how vast the issue is, we are now supporting over 50 communities across the North, and I have no doubt that that number will continue to rise. <BR /> <BR />The Department is not stepping away from its flood-risk responsibilities.”
“We carry out intensive work to train staff and ensure that we have the proper protocols in place to respond.”