Conor Murphy
Newry and Armagh · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“More detailed consultations with individual childcare providers and parents are taking place this month and into February. The group agreed that the research would conclude in March 2025. The work is on schedule; there has been no delay. Childcare is an excellent example of various Departments coming together to deliver for our people.”
“The Bill looks at the issue of flexible working, but at every meeting that we have had with employers, we have made a point of talking to them about the need for them to be flexible, particularly in relation to women who are returning to the workforce, and to offer people arrangements that entice them back to the workforce and give them t…”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion. <BR /> <BR />Although the Department of Education leads on childcare, it is a priority for the Executive as a whole. When setting the Budget for this financial year, the Executive earmarked an additional £25 million for childcare.”
“As a matter of fact, I publicly launched the scheme and the courses in the Met last summer. My officials are also working with our six further education colleges to develop childcare microcourses for future delivery. <BR /> <BR />I also offered to assist Minister Givan's Department as required.”
“The group identified the need to better understand the business models for childcare, what type of support is needed to ensure the sector's financial viability and how support should be targeted. Given my Department's business expertise, we volunteered to take that work forward.”
“No tensions or obstacles have been placed in the way of any of that work, and I hope that that continues to be the case, because the issues are much more important than party political exchanges across the Chamber. We will continue to work in that manner.”
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“We will continue to engage with the Department in London. I raised the issue with Minister Michael Gove at the East-West Council, and they appear to be moving more to the line that the Executive will have some input into the process, which I hope is the case because we know the groups and the necessity of the work that they do, and we will give them whatever support we can. It will be a matter of looking at what we have in our limited resources and encouraging continued funding from Whitehall to the areas where it is needed most.”
“A lot of the funding that we provided to the sector came directly from European funding. That European funding was lost. We managed to plug the gap over COVID, but that funding came to an end in the last round. The funding was not replaced, despite the Government's promises. We have moved from a process where the Executive had funding that could be used through the Department for the Economy, which knew the groups that did that work and could support them, to one where those groups are in a competition-based approach that is run directly by Whitehall. The outcome of that has been haphazard. <BR /> <BR />There were groups that received funding to continue their work, which I very much welcome, but they are now coming to a cliff edge, with no certainty on what will happen. Of course, we will try to work with the groups.”
“As I said, that is a matter for the Executive as a whole. We have a responsibility there and we have a responsibility to work with others on it, and we certainly will not slack. That is why I made net zero one of the four priorities for the Department. When a strategic focus was being provided to the Department, I identified that a net zero approach as one of the four targets. We will do everything in our regard, and we recognise that it has to move at pace and accelerate if targets are to be met. It is a matter for the Executive and for collaboration between all the Departments. I hope that it will be a matter that the House will support.”
“I did not set the targets, so it is nothing to do with my ambition. The Executive in the previous mandate agreed the targets, and we all have to bend our will to make sure that we meet them. It is not just a legal obligation to meet them; it is a moral obligation. I understand that other jurisdictions are struggling, and I have no doubt that the targets are incredibly challenging. I also have no doubt that there needs to be a significant acceleration in what is happening in that space. Renewables also present us with significant opportunities because of the nature of the country that we live in and the expertise in our manufacturing sector to get us into that space. They are not my targets; they are agreed targets across the Executive that are supported by the Assembly. We should all do our very best to make sure that they are met.”
“Invest NI is already working in that space, with both the MoD and the ADS trade association, to lobby for additional spend and facilitate companies that want to get into that area of work. That work will continue.”
“The aerospace sector has over 100 companies, employs 8,000 workers and contributes an estimated £1·9 billion to the local economy. Invest NI, supported by the Department, engages with the MoD across several forums. In 2022-23, MoD spend per head was £100 here, compared with £380 in Scotland and England and £250 in Wales. Invest NI works closely with the ADS trade association to lobby for additional spend here.”
“As, I am sure, the Member will understand, it will lie primarily in the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to assist people to get land and farms into that area. We will be able to contribute to that, even through some of the areas that were referred to in the previous questions on connectivity and making grid connections more accessible for people. The move towards a just transition and towards the targets that we have set ourselves is not for a single Department; we all have a responsibility. We have a legal obligation but also a moral one. Given the rural society that we live in, there are opportunities for farmers and landowners to become involved in that work. We will be happy to do anything that we can across all Departments, including mine, to support that.”
“A project for that is under discussion. It has been through various processes, including in my Department, and is now going through a business case process in the Department of Finance. I expect that we will be in a position this year to announce support for the sector.”
“I recognise the importance of the agri-food processing sector to our economy and the contribution that it will make to delivering my economic strategy. My Department, through Invest NI, provides a wide range of support to the sector in areas including innovation, skills, sustainability and export development. However, the sector faces challenges including a productivity gap compared with firms in the South and in Britain. I am supportive of activities that will help to address that challenge and will consider any proposals that are presented to me in relation to support for the agri-food and drink-processing sector.”
“Yes, it will. The Member will know, as I do, from representing rural areas that connection charges can be prohibitive because of the isolated topography. The opportunity to socialise charges will assist people to get support for building their own homes or establishing small businesses or businesses in rural areas. It is an important factor in ensuring that we have more regional balance and move towards meeting our net zero targets.”
“Last summer, when the parties who were going to make up the Executive met, we talked about planning reform, not in the sense of planning policy but in the sense of improving planning systems and getting decisions to be taken quickly. There was broad agreement across all the parties. I have not had an opportunity for direct engagement on that, but I have no doubt that, when we produce the paper, it will take me into a conversation. The Member is correct to say that a number of factors are cited that will move us further down the renewable energy path, which we need to do. According to the targets that have been set for us for 2030 and 2050, we need to move quickly into that area. Anything that provides a barrier to that needs to be addressed, certainly when it comes to the systems of government.”
“I plan to introduce socialisation of grid connection charges. Socialisation of connection charges is an important step in removing the current high cost barrier to the mass adoption of heat pumps and electric vehicles. It will create opportunities for businesses to decarbonise and is a key enabler in meeting our net zero targets. <BR /> <BR />Precise details of how that will work will need to be worked through. My Department conducted a joint call for evidence on Northern Ireland's connection charging policy with the Utility Regulator late last year. A paper summarising the responses to the joint call for evidence will be published shortly. Officials from my Department, along with the Utility Regulator, are assessing the evidence with a view to publishing an options paper for consultation in June.”
“If those documents were to be released, we would get a clearer sense of what the cost might be.”
“The matter does not rest with the Executive Office; it rests with the Department for Communities. I would like to see the tendering documents being released. That would give us more certainty about what the cost of the project will be. I recently met the IFA and the GAA. There is a concern that any delays with this will potentially dent UEFA's confidence in the project, and it is UEFA's decision whether or not it will host the games here. I would like to see that moving at pace, as soon as it can happen. I understand that the Communities Minister is engaged with the British Government about their contribution, but that should not necessarily delay the release of tender documents. As I said, the work has begun on site, at the GAA's own risk and using its contribution.”
“I acknowledge what the Member says. At its initiation, Casement Park was a project to provide for Gaelic games in Ulster and further afield and to provide economic regeneration in that part of west Belfast and, I have no doubt, the whole of Belfast through the provision of a fantastic venue. <BR /> <BR />The work is progressing well. The Ulster GAA council has commenced site clearance work, which is a welcome proactive move on its part. It has committed £4 million of its own money to keep the project alive, which is a clear demonstration of its commitment to being a positive and active contributor in bringing the Euro 2028 international soccer tournament to Belfast.”
“With games due to be hosted in Belfast and Dublin, it creates a fantastic opportunity to promote the island of Ireland to a worldwide audience of over six billion people.”
“Following a historic and successful joint bid, the five football associations across these islands are set to host the UEFA European Championships in 2028. In February, officials from my Department and the Department for Communities, alongside the Irish FA and the GAA, met a UEFA delegation in Belfast. Since then, there has been further engagement. Significant progress has been made, including on detailed plans that demonstrate how a redeveloped Casement Park can host games during Euro 2028. We await a final report from UEFA in response to the proposals, which is expected by early June. It is estimated that the tournament will generate £2·6 billion of benefits across these islands.”
“We understand clearly that rural areas suffer from a lack of access to services and from what is, in many ways, hidden deprivation that is not readily identified. It is important that the projects reach into those areas and work with communities. We will encourage that through the strategy.”
“There are many good social economy projects in rural areas. As I said, we have resourced a three-year strategy for the social economy that, I expect, will not be confined to urban areas. The community wealth building pilot project to which I referred will bring us much good information on how that can be done. At the moment, the one linkage is between Larne and Derry, which is a good project, with people very knowledgeable of the areas involved. It also involves — the name of the organisation escapes me — the community development trust. <BR /> <BR />Those schemes are not just for urban areas. The pilot happens to involve urban areas, but we want to see opportunities for social enterprise across rural areas as well.”
“There are good action plans from the social economy side to provide support for people who wish to enter the workplace and for projects that will bring about not just economic benefit but social benefit for communities that need it most.”
“A pilot scheme is already up and running on community wealth building between Larne and Derry. It is for the north-west generally but is focused on Derry. We recognise that, when we talk about regional balance and addressing inequality, imbalance does not exist just outside Belfast and that there are areas in Belfast that suffer from inequalities that need to be addressed. <BR /> <BR />Of course, when we talk about issues such as community wealth building and social enterprise and the contribution that both could make at grassroots level, we acknowledge that they are not a replacement for economic activity in those areas through conventional means. We want to support community wealth building and social enterprise, however, and some good projects are being developed.”
“Community wealth building is an important piece in the delivery of my overall economic strategy and one that I am committed to strengthening. Community wealth building cuts across several areas of government and, in particular, connects with the work of the Department for Communities. I intend to work closely with DFC to address agreed recommendations outlined in its recent report by an independent ministerial advisory panel. <BR /> <BR />The report's first recommendation is to adopt, deliver and resource a social economy strategy. In response, I have initiated the development of a comprehensive three-year social enterprise action plan. I will be working closely with sector representatives to ensure that the action plan is co-designed and aligns with my economic strategy.”
“OK. <BR /> <BR />Anyway, as I said in answer to Mr Beattie, it is an idea that was developed as a consequence of the Command Paper. It is not fully developed. In that paper, it was agreed by the British Government that it would be housed in Whitehall and would be the responsibility of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. We do not have a function in its actual operation. It is to provide a service. I had discussions on it with Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, at the meeting of the East-West Council. It is about having a service to inform businesses that wish to do business over here how they can go about doing that. That is its function. I would be happy to engage with anything that improves east-west or North/South trade, even for Ballymena.”
“The economy, North to South, grew from just over £2 billion in 2015 to just over £10 billion by 2022. Organically, it has clearly been growing, even through the debates and the uncertainty around Brexit. We now have an opportunity to make a step change. As yet, we have not set a specific target, but I will certainly develop those discussions. Now that we have put InterTradeIreland on the footing that will allow it to do much more in that area, we will examine what can be done. We have already had useful and fruitful discussions with all the Departments in Dublin that we deal with on growing the economy.”
“The Member has made his own commentary on 10X. We have a three-year mandate. If we were to go back to starting all these strategies from scratch and going out to consult on them, the mandate would be over by the time that that was complete. Therefore, we decided, with the agreement of the Department and of Invest NI, to put in place a strategic focus. One of the criticisms of Invest NI in the report was that there had not been sufficient strategic focus. <BR /> <BR />On the all-Ireland economy, as the Member will know, at the North/South sectoral meeting last Friday, we agreed the increased headcount for InterTradeIreland to do more work in the area of North/South collaboration, the growing of clusters, exports and developing the North/South economy.”
“I have provided strategic focus to the Department across four areas, so we will ensure that whatever limited resources we have are being used with an eye to that strategic focus and, in that way, try to achieve good outcomes for regional balance, good jobs, productivity and our challenges in meeting net zero.”
“As I have been saying in response to previous questions, there is a real challenge for all Departments with the budgets that are available to us. There was an acknowledgement by the Government, prior to the Executive's coming back, that we had been underfunded. We continue to suffer from the legacy of that underfunding, which has not been properly addressed by the Treasury as yet. On the fiscal framework that we need to be in, discussions have begun and are ongoing between the Treasury and the Department of Finance, and I know that the First Minister and deputy First Minister will become involved in that as well. We all face the challenge of very restricted budgets.”
“We do not have a direct funding input, and as the Member has acknowledged, its development is at its early stages. Obviously, we will keep an eye to that, and anything that can enhance our trade across the islands is something that we will engage with.”
“As I said, Intertrade UK is a creation of Whitehall. Its ownership stays in Whitehall with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, so we do not have any funding input to it. InterTradeIreland, as you know, is a creation of the Good Friday Agreement and the North/South bodies that flow from that, and the arrangements for funding — our contribution and Dublin's contribution — were established 25 years ago. Intertrade UK is a different animal, if you like. It will not have the same functions as InterTradeIreland. It is about making sure that information is shared, that there is promotion of trade east to west and west to east, ensuring that people are aware and, where problems may arise, that people are informed about solutions to them.”
“The responsibility for establishing Intertrade UK sits with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and is in the planning stage. As part of my plans to grow the economy, we will be engaging with all relevant partners and bodies to ensure that trade moves smoothly and businesses are kept informed of new trading arrangements. We look forward to working with all stakeholders, including Intertrade UK. I had initial discussions at the East-West Council meeting recently on what positive steps can be taken to grow trade across these islands. Smooth trade across the islands and further afield is critical to successful business export growth.”
“Yes, I do understand that fully, and that is an ongoing challenge. The rates that we collect fund about 10% of the Executive's available resources, and that goes into health, education and all the other priorities that Members in this Chamber stand up and say we need to spend more money on. That is the balance between trying to raise money and doing so in a way that tries to ensure that businesses stay open. Clearly, if the consequences of rates being collected put businesses out, no rate is collected. There are other challenges with energy costs and other matters that equally provide significant challenges to businesses, and we have to try to find ways to support people across a range of matters so that the issue of rates does not become the key factor in their survival or not as a business.”
“Some of it is about clearing away barriers to tourism growth and ensuring that the agencies and facilities that we have at our disposal are working in the most effective way.”
“I am not. We do not have access to the agenda for the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. I am not sure whether that issue is on it, but I know that, if part of that is to support the arrangements from the Good Friday Agreement, both Governments need to ensure that what they are doing collectively supports the general direction that we are trying to develop to grow the economy. <BR /> <BR />As I said, the sector is important. Recently, there has been consultation on a document. That has come back in. From that, we want to set up an implementation group that will try to develop a strategy, and do so at pace — this is not about kicking the can down the road — that will inform the targeting of our limited resources in the most effective way. Some of that is about targeting resource.”
“I am a firm believer that policies and strategies must be co-designed with the people who are at the working end of them in those sectors. Clearly, when we are designing a strategy for the tourism and hospitality sector, we want people who are in that sector to be engaged in it. I think that that will lead to the best outcome. As I said, in a space where we have limited resources, we need to ensure that what we are doing with those resources is targeted in the most effective way. People who work in the industry, working with officials, will give us the best possible outcome. We will ensure that people from that sector are included.”
“Of course, whatever measures can be taken within the limited resources that I have, or, indeed, the Finance Department has, to support people, we will certainly take them. I am putting together a tourism implementation group to work on issues that will bring support to tourism and hospitality. The hospitality sector will be represented on that.”
“In the context of the Budget that we have available to us, that will always be very challenging, but there are things that we can do. As I said, one of the key elements of the increasing cost of doing business is energy costs. Through the path to net zero energy strategy, there are supports for energy, being more efficient and having access to renewable energy for businesses through Invest NI. We will continue to provide that. <BR /> <BR />I have no doubt that the Finance Minister will continue, as I did when I was in that position, to fight the fight on VAT with Treasury. However, I have to say that it has never appeared to be very much minded to move on those things when we have engaged with it. We will continue that work.”
“I understand the importance of the hospitality sector for both the tourism industry and the high street economy, with approximately 57,000 jobs in the accommodation and food service sector. Addressing the challenges of rising costs cuts across several areas of government, including the Department for Communities and local councils. My Department is taking steps to support businesses through delivery of the Executive's path to net zero energy strategy, a key objective being to ensure that all consumers have access to essential and affordable energy. <BR /> <BR />The level of VAT is also a specific issue. The Department of Finance has repeatedly raised with the Treasury the negative impacts on hospitality of high levels of VAT.”
“As I said, the meeting that I had with Minister Givan was to discuss, in the first instance, careers advice. We both agreed that the two Departments, because we share responsibility for education, need to work together closely and seamlessly to make sure that all young people experience maximum advantage as they go through school. That will include work experience, because that is very much part of preparing people for choosing the path that suits them best. <BR /> <BR />In the first instance, as I say, we are concentrating on careers advice and making sure that that is available and delivered to all. We have agreed that we will continue that work and develop more areas of work as that progresses.”
“We want to ensure that the full range of advice is available to all kids, regardless of their background or school setting, and that there is an opportunity for all young people and their parents to get proper, professional advice on the range of options that are available. Of course, the more options we have, the more young people can access skills and training and get opportunities for employment. That is not confined to one particular set of students; it is for every student who is going through our system.”
“We discussed it on a couple of occasions, and then we brought officials with us when we met. We want to ensure that the Careers Service, and all the information that goes into it, is accessible to all young people. That is perhaps not currently the case in every set of circumstances. In the first instance, we want to make sure that the full range of advice is available to people. The Careers Service keeps itself very much up to date on developing work opportunities and careers and those that may become available in the future, as well as the skills and the education that are needed to engage with them. We agreed that that is the first phase of what both Departments want to develop in order to ensure that we have a seamless way of working people through the education system, from primary school right up to university and beyond.”
“Ensuring that we have a high-quality careers system is key to connecting our people with the full range of opportunities that exist across our economy. While the Department's Careers Service works with clients of all ages and in a range of settings, it is critical that our young people in schools have timely access to high-quality, professional careers advice and guidance. I recently met the Education Minister to discuss opportunities to enhance our careers provision and increase engagement across both Departments. We agreed to work collaboratively in order to ensure that all young people have access to the full range of career options that exist and that they receive the best careers advice possible as they progress through school.”
“I thank Members for their contributions and the Business Committee for scheduling the debate. I share in the acknowledgement of the initiation of the legislation by Pat Catney and the good work that was done at local government level by Sandra Duffy and others to advance the issue. As others have said, it is important legislation where society is progressive and is an example of the positive change that the Assembly can bring to citizens when we work together. I commend the regulations to the Assembly.”
“Our specified public service bodies will be carrying out their own consultation exercises with product users on the specific arrangements for the free provision of period products on their individual premises in due course, after the regulations come into operation. I thank them for their cooperation thus far. I also thank the Economy Committee for its prompt scrutiny of the draft regulations. I commend the regulations to the Assembly.”
“Secondly, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has not been included, as its interaction with the general public tends to be at workplaces on other sites rather than on its own premises. Thirdly, NI Screen has not been included, as it does not fall within the Act's definition of a public service body. InterTradeIreland is not specified, as it is a cross-border body and therefore not solely within the function of my Department. Finally, the Certification Officer is not included, as he is a statutory appointee rather than a body. <BR /> <BR />All the bodies mentioned here today, both those that are specified in the draft regulations and those that are not, were consulted in accordance with my Department's statutory duty under the Act. The draft regulations before Members today reflect the outcome of that consultation.”
“The regulations specify the Construction Industry Training Board Northern Ireland (CITBNI), the Labour Relations Agency (LRA), the Consumer Council, the Industrial Tribunals and Fair Employment Tribunal (ITFET), Invest NI and Tourism NI. The specification of those bodies is in keeping with the overall aim of the Act. <BR /> <BR />There are some bodies that fall within the remit of my Department that are not specified in the draft regulations. Members may wish to note those bodies and the reasons for their non-inclusion. First, the Industrial Court is not specifically included, as it uses premises that will already be covered by the specification of the Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Act is permissive and does not place any limitations on free provision. Although I am keen to keep any limitations in the regulations to a minimum, it is important that the safeguarding of young persons and vulnerable adults in those settings be maintained through limiting access to those who have a legitimate reason to be on the premises. That is staff, students and visitors. In line with the outcome of the consultation conducted by the further education colleges and the higher education institutions, the draft regulations therefore define "premises", "persons" and "in use" for the purposes of the Act in order to help define more clearly how the products should be made available. <BR /> <BR />I turn now to the non-education bodies that fall within my Department's remit.”
“The draft regulations aim to address that by placing a statutory duty to provide access to free period products on the six further education colleges and the five higher education institutions. I am proud of the work that my Department has already undertaken in that area, through its designing and delivering successful pilot schemes in each sector. In particular, I note the excellent work of the stakeholders involved in delivering the higher education pilot, which, in its three years of operation, is projected to deliver over 180,000 products to those in need. That pilot was significant in the development of the overarching Act. It is because of the successful implementation of the pilot schemes that both sectors stand prepared to deliver the statutory obligation that the regulations will place on them.”
“The Assembly has already approved similar regulations that were brought forward by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Department of Education. The Executive Office is progressing section 1 of the Act to require period products to be obtainable free of charge to everyone who needs to use them. <BR /> <BR />As bodies in the educational sphere are specifically referenced in the Act, I will turn to those bodies first. In further and higher education settings, students who experience period poverty can find that they are unable to attend classes, or even exams, if they do not have access to period products. It was acknowledged during the Assembly's consideration of the Bill that nobody should miss out on their education because of that.”
“The Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 aims to remove financial barriers to accessing period products. It places a statutory duty on Departments to specify public service bodies that will be legally required to provide access to free period products in accordance with agreed arrangements. The Act also places importance on respect for the dignity of those who will avail themselves of those products. This is progressive, positive legislation and a major step towards eradicating period poverty. <BR /> <BR />The draft regulations relate to my Department's section 2 duties under the Act and specify the public service bodies within my Department's remit to which that legal requirement will apply.”
“I seek the Assembly's approval for the draft Period Products (the Department for the Economy Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024. These regulations were laid before the Assembly on 29 March 2024 and will come into operation once they are approved by the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />Period poverty is the inability of some women or girls to access sanitary products and/or the education that is needed to use products effectively, often due to their economic status. Research by Plan International UK found that one in 10 females cannot afford to buy sanitary products, while one in seven have struggled to afford them. In the South of Ireland, 50% reported occasional experience of period poverty, and 10% reported use of less suitable sanitary products.”