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.”
The complete record
Every one of 4,975 lines we hold for Conor Murphy, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 100.
“That will ensure that there is a presence on the ground and close to people, so that they can get the best local economic advice. The local economic partnerships will turn their attention to that and ensure that, as they promote economic development in each area, the facilities are there to encourage greater growth in that area.”
“The energy — sorry, I am back at the previous question. The land strategy that has been developed by Invest NI will be significant in supporting regional balance, because, if we are to encourage development and growth across all areas in the North, we need to ensure that land is available on which to do that. Last week or the week before — certainly, within the past fortnight — I met Invest NI to talk about the strategy and how it will be rolled out across the North. <BR /> <BR />Invest NI is recruiting people with land agency experience and will put them into regional offices to work with local people, such as those in the Causeway coast and glens area and the East Derry constituency, to identify other land that may be available, useful or needed.”
“Invest NI holds 126 acres of land across four business parks in the East Derry constituency, with two sites located in Coleraine and two in Limavady. A total of 57 acres of that land remains available to support new investment, with the remainder having been sold and developed in support of business investment.”
“We will keep a close eye on that and the implications that it might have for a much broader home energy strategy rather than one simply for the public housing sector.”
“As I said, the Department's energy team sits jointly on a number of bodies with DFC. We give advice on the energy strategy, which will also inform the housing supply strategy from DFC. The energy strategy will very much focus on renewables and on ensuring that we have security and stability in our energy prices, as we focus on creating our own energy supply through our renewables. We continue to work together, of course, and it is hugely important that we do that. <BR /> <BR />We are restricted in what we can do financially for private homes, even though we would like to do much more. We have kept track of a significant intervention on warm homes that has been developed and brought forward in London. As I said in response to a previous question, I have been in correspondence backwards and forwards with the Minister responsible for that.”
“My Department continues to work closely alongside the Utility Regulator and the Consumer Council to ensure that energy is affordable for all customers. We meet the price-controlled energy suppliers for natural gas and electricity to review tariffs quarterly. That is part of the Utility Regulator's regulatory processes to ensure that what consumers pay reflects the cost of providing natural gas and electricity.”
“Our senior officials sit on the fuel poverty strategy board as well as the housing supply strategy board. We are encouraging the move away from fossil fuels. Not only does it make good economic sense, but it will be a key part of our targets for reducing carbon emissions. We will continue to engage. I met Minister Lyons about the housing supply strategy, and all those issues were raised. We will continue to provide support, as we have been doing, through officials to make sure that the housing supply strategy reflects the need to move to renewable energies.”
“I will answer the second question first. Of course, we will look at that. A significant project relating to warm homes is being brought forward by the incoming British Government. I had correspondence on that recently and wrote back to the Minister responsible for it to see whether any synergies could be made there. <BR /> <BR />I am not aware that that commitment was given on the Utility Regulator, but I am happy to check with the Department. We will respond in writing to the Member.”
“DFC takes the lead on the fuel poverty strategy. However, the actions that will deliver change sit across government. Therefore, we have collective responsibility to support the people who are worst impacted on by fuel poverty. <BR /> <BR />My Department has several areas of policy responsibility that can positively influence fuel poverty outcomes; most notably, strategic energy policy. My officials engage regularly and are represented at senior level at the DFC fuel poverty strategy board and housing supply strategy board. My officials also co-chair a residential housing coordination group on decarbonisation. At my most recent engagement with Minister Lyons on the housing supply strategy, those areas were referenced due to the many interdependencies that exist.”
“The MOD consultation response came in very late in the process. There was a period of, perhaps, nine months in which no issue was raised by the MOD. When the project was about to move on, it suddenly came in with objections. I have raised that with British Ministers in Whitehall and asked them to expedite the matter with the MOD to ensure that it does not become a barrier to that very necessary offshore renewables project. As I said, the objection came in late in the day. We have raised the matter in London. We have asked for an explanation and for the matter to be expedited and resolved quickly.”
“Interconnection, wherever it comes from — of course, there is a North/South interconnector and another one in the planning system — gives more security of supply and also gives more opportunity for competitive prices. That can come from any direction. Ultimately, if we want to get to security of supply and security and certainty of prices for businesses and industries as well as for households, that will be achieved through renewables that are provided on the island. That is the fastest way in which we can get to that level of security and certainty of supply. Anything that contributes to that is a good thing.”
“I had conversations on all renewable sources, including tidal energy, with Eamon Ryan when he was the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. He will no longer be the Minister. I am happy to pick that up with the incoming Minister. <BR /> <BR />I have to say that, in the areas that we have been prioritising, tidal energy has not featured strongly. We want to ensure that we push as fast as we can across areas like wind, biomethane, geothermal and hydrogen. Renewables will not come from a single source, so we have to examine all opportunities for them. I am content to go back to officials to see where the assessment is with regard to the tidal programme, but, as I say, we have been putting significant effort into those other sources.”
“<BR /> <BR />I assure the Member that our intent on all those issues is to move with all the haste that we can, because we know that if we are to meet the targets that we have set ourselves and provide security of supply and security of cost, we need to move at pace right across all those areas.”
“I assure him that we are moving as fast as we can. We recognise that security of energy supply and our focus on having an energy supply that is not reliant on fossil fuels is critical not just for CO2 targets and carbon reduction targets but for the security of supply for our businesses and homes right across the island. We are working at pace to make sure that all that we need to do in the Department and what needs to be done by other Departments — there is a lot of cross-departmental collaboration on this — is in place as soon as it can be in order to assist that process. If I am made aware of any hold-ups to that in the Department, I will be happy to look into those and address them.”
“Electricity interconnectors are an important tool in delivering the energy strategy and Climate Change Act targets. They act to improve the security of electricity supplies and allow us to export and import electricity when our system requires it. The Kilroot-Scotland project will also require a licence approval from the Utility Regulator for the proportion of the interconnector here. However, my Department has no role in the Utility Regulator or Ofgem's approval process and must remain impartial. The Utility Regulator's decision is expected this year. My Department is carrying out further research on interconnection and energy storage, which will improve our understanding of the overall benefits.”
“I am very happy to continue to meet people and provide encouragement and support to make sure that we have the best possible competition and that we get the maximum tourism return from it.”
“Significant planning is already ongoing. I met the chamber of commerce in Portrush golf club, and we received a presentation from the organisers about some of the things that are going on. We also had an opportunity at the Irish Open in County Down over the course of the summer to discuss improvements to the advertising of tourism opportunities and the tourism benefits of visiting here through slots on TV during the play. I have no doubt that work is continuing in order to learn the lessons from the Irish Open and build on it, as well as building on the experience of the previous Open in Portrush, to make sure that the next one is a much better experience and that we get much more benefit from it.”
“As the Member will know, Shared Island funding is assisting in the development of the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway coast. Fáilte Ireland is in the process of finalising a review of the Ireland's Ancient East brand. When the outcome of that review is known, which, hopefully, will be very soon, we will engage with it further about how the east coast and counties Armagh and Down will be involved in the tourism branding as part of Fáilte Ireland's package.”
“I am sure that if the Member keeps telling himself that he has led that charge, he at least will believe it, but I am not sure that many others will. The conversation about the benefits of the use of tourism brands on this side of the border predates his involvement in politics by some time. Of course, that conversation has been going on very strongly with the Department in the South since I came into office. For the first time ever, we have a joint working group involving the three tourism agencies and both Departments. I look forward to picking up that work with whomever occupies that office on the other side of the election. <BR /> <BR />The proposal that is most advanced in possibility is the one that involves Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. There are discussions with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in that regard.”
“I reiterated those concerns to Minister Malhotra and outlined the fact that this is an issue for which, I believe, solutions are needed to protect our tourism, travel and hospitality sector in the North, especially as those businesses face a range of challenges, such as rising energy and staff costs, as well as additional challenges from the recent Budget in London. I will provide Minister Malhotra with more information on our concerns and the expected economic impacts, including the issues for tour operators and our visitor attractions.”
“I met Seema Malhotra MP, who is the Home Office Minister for Migration and Citizenship, on 13 November regarding the ETA scheme and to press for solutions to protect our tourism industry. Of course, our tourism industry has been voicing very serious concerns about the scheme. It is vital that we have seamless all-island travel, which is a key to building growth, as we have seen in the tourism sector. The sector has expressed strong concerns about the impact that the ETA scheme might have.”
“I am sure that the Member is as familiar as I am, certainly anecdotally, with the fact that the volume of traffic that came from South to North on the island in the COVID period was probably unprecedented. Recent statistics that NISRA published indicate that that volume increased significantly and has continued to grow, which is good news for our providers here. Even though there was a gap, with an alternative source being used during the time when it was impossible to do face-to-face consultations, tourism information was provided. However, if there is any sense in the tourism working group that the statistics are not up to scratch, I am sure that we can look at that. However, as I say, NISRA published fairly compelling statistics just a number of weeks ago that outlined that significant growth has continued.”
“During that period, an alternative tourism dataset was published on the NISRA website.”
“Numerous tourism statistics are published on the NISRA, Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland websites. They range from trends in performance figures, tourism satellite accounts showing the sector's economic impact and consumer industry sentiment analysis to attraction and accommodation statistics, overseas visitors to Ireland and outlook for the sector. Tourism statistics are compiled from four data sources, two of which are from NISRA and two are from Central Statistics Office (CSO) Ireland. Following previous user consultation, it was agreed that the statistics for the North should be published only when data from all four sources was available. Due to the impact of COVID on face-to-face interviews, the full suite of data was not available between March 2020 and January 2023.”
“Social value in procurement was introduced when I was Finance Minister, and, obviously, the responsibility for and interest in increasing the percentage of social value in procurement will now fall to the current Finance Minister. There is no doubt, from the reports that we receive, that that has significantly increased the business profile and growth of social enterprise. I look forward to seeing that follow through to the 20% that we originally envisaged. I know that the Finance Minister is keen to support that.”
“I am pleased to say that the design group is up and running. The social enterprise awards were held last Friday night, but I missed them due to my travels. However, it was a very successful event. When I came into office, we tried to focus on increasing the support that the Department gives to Social Enterprise NI and on supporting social enterprise, which I did when I was at the Finance Department. We put together a task force to work on a number of priority areas for social enterprise, and I understand that a report from that task force will come to me shortly. I look forward to receiving it and to delivering on the requests that it will contain.”
“Yes. We need to ensure that no barriers are placed in the way of tourism. It is a very important industry for our island, perhaps much more than it is for Britain. The Government need to recognise the particular circumstances that we have: we are the entry point for most of our international visitors; the importance of small businesses outside our main urban areas, which very much rely on tourism and tourism trade; and a hospitality sector that has been under the cosh for quite some time, particularly as a consequence of the pandemic and inflation. I do not think that any barriers should be placed in the way of those. As I say, we will have discussions tomorrow with a range of departmental areas in London to ensure that we promote all our business interests.”
“They are trying to recover from the pandemic experience, and the ongoing challenges include inflationary costs as well. Those are encouraging figures, and, obviously, we want to do all that is in our power to encourage sustainable tourism growth across the North.”
“The stats, which NISRA released just this morning, run from March 2023 to March 2024. They reference that 5·4 million overnight trips were taken, with a £1·2 billion spend. Some 52% of those were for holidays, 37% were to visit friends and 7% were for business purposes, although people would have perhaps imagined that that was a larger market. About 37% of them were from outside the island. Again, that lends itself to the promotion activities of Tourism Ireland. There were 16·3 million day trips taken, and that is about a £1·1 billion spend. That is largely made up of residents on the island itself. <BR /> <BR />Those figures are encouraging. Our tourism figures are getting to beyond where they were pre-pandemic, and, obviously, our tourism and hospitality industries continue to struggle with a range of costs, especially for energy.”
“Yes, and one of the engagements that we will have is on that. As I said in response to an earlier question, Go Succeed has been a very effective programme. The concern over recent months is that there has been a kind of cliff-edge movement in funding. As part of the Budget, it was announced that there would be a further year of the Shared Prosperity Fund but with a 40% reduction. I do not know whether that applies right across the board or to specific projects. We want to tease that out. <BR /> <BR />Go Succeed has been a very successful project for us in our ambition for start-up and business growth across the region. We want to ensure that the programme succeeds. Those are the conversations that we will have tomorrow.”
“There will be a range of meetings across five departmental areas that coincide with my ministerial responsibilities in order to ensure that we advance on all that.”
“All of the interests of my Department will be discussed. As I said in response to the question about the ETA scheme, we will meet Ministers about that issue and about energy and trade. I think that I have five meetings set up over the course of the day with Ministers in Whitehall. We have had many engagements, mostly online, and we want to take the opportunity to go over and meet face to face to pursue some of the issues that we want to pursue. Those issues include the enhanced investment zone. Now that we have finally received word, as part of the Budget, that that investment is available to us, we want to make sure that we develop that at pace.”
“In the first instance, the Member might find that, if it is a planning issue, it is between Infrastructure and the airport. However, I am content to work with other Ministers. I repeatedly and continuously work and have conversations with other Ministers about what we are doing collectively in that area. When it comes to energy, DAERA, Infrastructure and my Department have a significant collective interest in making sure that our targets in that regard and our development of wind energy and other energies move ahead at pace. I am not precious about whether we take the lead on that, but I am happy to be part of the discussion.”
“Departments need to work together to make sure that the accelerated growth that we need to meet our net zero targets is part of an all-Executive approach. All Departments need to work together to make sure that that is achieved.”
“I am not suggesting that I am aware of that specific issue, but, as I said in response to an earlier question, I am aware that, if we want to meet our targets on net zero — there is a range of areas where we are moving simultaneously, such as wind, biomethane, hydrogen and geothermal — we need all Departments to act together. Planning is very much part of that, because there is no point in some Departments pursuing and supporting growth in certain industries only to find that there are planning restrictions or interpretations of planning policy that hold things up. <BR /> <BR />I spoke about the mid-Ulster biorefinery cluster earlier, and we are setting up a meeting between Infrastructure, DAERA and us to work through those issues.”
“The whole purpose of the review of Invest NI — Invest NI being the delivery mechanism for the Department's policies — was to measure the outcomes. There was a significant critique of Invest NI's focus, its relationship with the Department and the misalignment of policy objectives between the Department and Invest NI, so we have changed the focus of Invest NI, set targets for outside Belfast and ensured that we align departmental policy and Invest NI policy. All the other agencies in the Department — tourism and all the other agencies that work with the Department — are subject to the prioritisation that I laid out at the start of my tenure as Minister for the Economy. That is a new direction, and we have measurable targets for it, so we will continue to assess its effectiveness as we move ahead.”
“As I said, our drive towards green technology and net zero perhaps lends itself more to rural economies than to urban ones, and we will continue to promote those industries and try to secure support for them. There is a lot happening in rural areas. There needs to be more, which is why we have set more ambitious targets for growth outside Belfast.”
“There is a range of measures. The recently launched regional balance strategy means that the emphasis in support has to shift from being largely Belfast-based and go out to rural economies and regions, including to the north-west and border areas, to make sure that there is support there. Earlier, I answered questions earlier about energy and talked about biomethane, wind and renewable energy generally. There are great opportunities for those in rural areas, because that is where a lot of those industries are located. <BR /> <BR />As I said, we are trying to encourage a refocus in Invest NI not just on FDI but on start-ups, the growth of our indigenous businesses and opportunities that will promote dual market access for our companies across the region to grow and export to Europe.”
“If the Member has information to supply, I will be happy to follow it up with the airport authorities. I am not sure. In relation to similar questions that I have heard, it is generally about flights coming from the United States that go through those airports, so I am not aware. We have no direct connection from the North to the United States. If there are specific questions that, the Member thinks, need to be asked, he should send them to me, and I will be happy to see whether the airport can answer them.”
“We do not have that information, to be honest. We are charged with supporting the development of economic routes along with the airports. We do not gather information on that.”
“I have met all the organisations that you have mentioned several times in the past six or nine months. If they want to meet as a collective, as you suggest, I invite them to write to me, and I will arrange to meet them as a collective as soon as we can. I have to correct the sense that it is difficult to secure a meeting with me: I have met all those organisations — many of them many times — in the nine months that I have been in office. I will continue to meet them in the time ahead.”
“That would not have been the process to apply if the Department had other programmes like that in mind.”
“Invest NI runs a number of programmes to support businesses. Support for small businesses in particular comes through a number of measures that relate to other Departments, including rates relief. There was no specific bid from the Department, because this was returned money that would have been spent in this financial year. That would not allow the development of new processes to start to deliver money. In our bids for funding, we want to support businesses through other measures such as skills, with a talented pool of employees being available to them and by supporting our colleges and universities to provide skills and training opportunities for young people. There are many ways to support businesses rather than through direct cash grants.”
“We had the opportunity to visit one of its client companies, Meta, in the Singapore office. We were hugely impressed not just by the work that EOS IT Solutions has been carrying out and the opportunities that it creates overseas for its business, which is based here, and for its employees who are based here but by its professionalism and the high regard in which it is held by very significant global companies. That company is on a significant upward trajectory, and I look forward to continuing to work with it.”
“Representatives from EOS IT Solutions were on that visit. It is a very successful and growing company in the Banbridge area.”
“Last month, eight companies participated in a successful multi-sector mission to Mexico with Invest NI, marking the first mission since the new office opened.”
“I recognise the importance of trade missions and their contribution to the delivery of my economic plans. In September, I travelled to the US and Canada with 12 innovative technology companies, receiving universally positive feedback. I met business leaders and politicians to strengthen transatlantic relationships and launched the Canadian Advisory Council to support the North's trade and FDI strategy. Recently, I returned from a technology mission to Singapore, in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, with seven fintech companies, which led to positive business opportunities. The mission reflects my commitment to fostering collaboration across the island for greater economic impact.”
“Additionally, a representative from the Department of Health is a member of the task force, and DFI officials presented at the task force meeting on 9 October.”
“As I said in response to an earlier question, the Magee expansion is not just a commitment in the New Decade, New Approach agreement by all the parties and both Governments; it is now a priority in the Programme for Government. Given the clear message in the interim report that the Magee expansion requires the collective support of the entire Executive, I shared the interim report with my Executive colleagues to seek feedback on it and their commitment to the expansion. I have received several responses. The task force will consider those responses and determine what further information is required. <BR /> <BR />Officials from my Department have had discussions with their counterparts in the Department of Health and the Department for Infrastructure regarding the Magee expansion.”
“The Magee expansion task force's interim report outlined a series of asks for the key stakeholders, including Departments, Ulster University, Derry City and Strabane District Council and others. The task force is progressing to address those asks and engaging with stakeholders to secure their commitment and action in advancing the expansion. I am pleased to report that progress remains on track. The task force will present its action plan in December. It will outline a clear road map to achieve the target of 10,000 students in Derry at the earliest possible date. <BR /> <BR />This year, I have allocated funding for an additional 500 undergraduate places at Magee, and I recently announced plans to offer tuition fee loans for graduate entry medical school students.”