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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“As I said, we have been making significant progress on Magee. There is a tendency among some sectors in Derry to downplay that progress. I do not understand that. Nonetheless, we have been making significant progress. <BR /> <BR />The 150 students who came in last year were funded at risk by Ulster University, and, to me, that demonstrates the university's commitment to growth and expansion at Magee.”
“The outworking of that is that the number of eligible households has declined year-on-year. Given the cost-of-living crisis facing students, I am determined to improve the situation. The earliest that changes can be made is from August 2025. At that point, I intend to raise the threshold for families that receive the maximum grant. The precise extent to which I can raise the threshold will be subject to the resources available in 2025-26. <BR /> <BR />The need for more skilled workers is the top priority for businesses. I will continue to work with Executive colleagues, Members and industry representatives to bring more people into the labour market and to equip them with the skills needed by industry.”
“Further education colleges, given their geographical spread, actively build and maintain collaborative cross-border relationships at both sector and college level with their counterparts in the South. That has been key to accessing additional funding through initiatives such as PEACE PLUS, to the benefit of all learners, and I will continue to build on the positive engagements that have taken place with ministerial colleagues in the South to develop a dual agenda for all-island provision. <BR /> <BR />At present, students whose household income is below £19,203 a year are entitled to receive the maximum maintenance grant of £3,475 a year. As a result of the financial pressures on the Executive, that threshold for maintenance support has been frozen at the same level for many years.”
“We are also ensuring that knowledge about the application process for universities in the South is strengthened in schools and through careers advice. The Irish Government have been proactive in providing funding for the expansion of Magee and have also improved cross-border mobility by reviewing A-level grade equivalencies. There is certainly more work to be done, but I am encouraged by the promising engagement to date, which I intend to build on in order to make further progress. I have recently reached out to my counterpart, Minister Patrick O'Donovan TD, with a view to continuing that dialogue to remove barriers to cross-border study. <BR /> <BR />I also want to see apprenticeship programmes across the island support the movement of apprentices across both jurisdictions.”
“I have therefore asked officials to review the current provision and provide me with recommendations for improving support for young people with special educational needs. I have also asked my officials to examine legislative protections and bring back advice as soon as possible. It is my hope that practical supports and legislative protections can be strengthened in this mandate. That will require collaboration across Departments. <BR /> <BR />Although I am keen to ensure that as many of our young people as possible who want to study in the North can do so, I also want to ensure that there are fewer barriers to the movement of students on the island. From next year, postgraduates from the North who are studying in the South will be able to access a tuition fee loan. I intend to ensure that part-time students can be supported as well.”
“All those initiatives will increase the productivity of our economy. <BR /> <BR />There are now over 13,000 apprentices, and I want to encourage more uptake of apprenticeship programmes from known inclusion gaps, including women and disabled people. In the autumn, my Department will therefore launch an apprenticeship inclusion challenge fund. The fund will support innovative solutions to our known inclusion challenges through collaboration with the education, business and community sectors. <BR /> <BR />Although my Department has a range of provision and supports for young people with special educational needs that are delivered through further education colleges and universities and across our vocational training provision, there are significant gaps.”
“It will build on the additional £3·3 million for research that I have already allocated to our universities this year; the doubling of the higher education innovation fund (HEIF), which supports the universities in translating research into real-world impact; and a 50% increase in the Connected programme, which sees FE colleges and universities working with small businesses to support innovation.”
“My officials are also in discussion with the Department of Education on ways in which we can provide more flexibility in how we manage student numbers at those institutions, which will help to strengthen their financial sustainability. <BR /> <BR />Research in our higher education institutions contributes to the growth of our knowledge economy and helps us to attract talent. I therefore intend to provide, from September, additional funding for research, to include PhDs in economically relevant subjects. Queen's University Belfast will receive funding for 35 additional places, and Ulster University will receive funding for 16 additional PhDs at its Magee campus. That will cost approximately £1·3 million this year.”
“I want to support growth in that area across all our higher education institutions, and my Department is working with Queen’s University, the Open University, St Mary’s University College and Stranmillis University College to ensure there are more places for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. I am pleased to confirm that, as a first step, funding will be made available for an additional 50 places at Queen's for students from under-represented backgrounds from this September. After consultation with the Minister of Education, I am also reinstating the funding for Stranmillis and St Mary’s University Colleges that was cut last year. That will allow them to continue to recruit students into their teacher education programmes and will ensure that we have teachers in the North who are trained in our curriculum and in our schools.”
“That funding will support students who have already been recruited over and above the MaSN cap by Ulster University, as well as students who will be starting in September. Following discussions with the Department of Health, 30 of those additional places will be for allied health professionals, which will help to address the crisis facing our health service. That announcement is only the start. The independent Magee task force will produce an action plan to deliver 10,000 student places. Working together, we will deliver this commitment as quickly as possible in a way that maximises economic and social benefits for the north-west. <BR /> <BR />Another priority is ensuring that university education is more accessible for those from under-represented backgrounds.”
“<BR /> <BR />Although our greatest shortage is in further education colleges, I am also concerned about the restrictions on the number of higher education students. I have therefore been working with my officials to identify additional resources to increase student numbers and MaSN. While studying elsewhere is a positive choice for some, I want to ensure that everyone who wants to study here is able do so. <BR /> <BR />Regional balance is one of my four objectives, which is why I have put such a strong focus on delivering the Executive’s commitment to expanding the number of places at Ulster University’s (UU) Magee campus to 10,000 students. That is my top priority. Today, I am announcing that I am making funding available for an initial increase of around 500 undergraduate students at Magee.”
“The Executive have only a one-year budget from London, but I intend to maintain a significant level of investment in skills funding over the next three years. <BR /> <BR />The skills barometer identifies technical and vocational qualifications as our primary area of shortage. That shortage contributes significantly to our stubbornly low productivity. It is vital that we grow college enrolments. As a first step, I have provided additional funding to colleges so that they can improve lecturers’ pay. My Department will work with colleges and trade unions to provide parity with teachers. I will soon commission a review of colleges, which will help us to realise their huge economic potential.”
“Skills Focus provides tailored training for businesses with fewer than 250 employees. InnovateUs helps businesses with fewer than 50 employees to acquire the necessary skills to engage in innovation. <BR /> <BR />I have allocated £800,000 to fund green skills development, which will include new training courses and apprenticeship content. An allocation of £740,000 will support pathways into the childcare sector, supporting the supply of workers into that critical sector. This year, I will use £500,000 of the fund to launch a new public-sector apprenticeship scheme. There is £479,000 to support industry upskilling in partnership with our trade unions. Funding is also available to support women into STEM roles, to support graduates with additional needs and to fund a productivity booster scheme.”
“<BR /> <BR />When the Department received its budget in April, I created a ring-fenced fund of up to £12 million for skills interventions. I wish to use that fund to support various initiatives. Members will be aware that, in March, the British Government ended their funding for SKILL UP, which was an excellent programme that offered a range of accredited qualifications from level 1 to level 7. Those courses were free and delivered primarily online. Over 300 subject areas were available, including green technologies, digital advanced manufacturing and engineering, and health and life sciences. To continue that good work, £6 million will be used to fund a new SKILL UP programme, and a further £1 million will fund Skills Focus and InnovateUs, both of which are delivered by further education colleges.”
“That is more than double the 2019 figure. Between 2013-14 and 2022-23, enrolments in colleges fell from 180,000 to 117,000. The financial constraints imposed upon the Executive led to the creation of the maximum student number (MaSN) cap, which restricts the number of full-time undergraduates attending Queen's University and Ulster University, although it does not apply to students from abroad. Brexit has reduced our access to EU workers and deprived us of European social fund funding, which supported thousands of economically inactive people into work. The proportion of people aged 25 to 64 participating in education and training has fallen from 18% in 2016 to 16% in 2022, the lowest rate in these islands.”
“In February, I set out my strategic objectives for the economy: good jobs, productivity, regional balance and net zero. All four of those objectives are underpinned by skills. The Department has therefore been recalibrating its skills agenda in line with those objectives. Before the Assembly goes into recess, I will update Members on some of this work. <BR /> <BR />Our skills ecosystem has many strengths: excellent universities and university colleges, as well as a modern college infrastructure; strong collaboration between industry and our further and higher education institutions; successful higher-level apprenticeships; and a pioneering Assured Skills model. However, in 2022, employers found 13,700 vacancies difficult to fill due to a lack of applicants with the required skills, qualifications and/or experience.”
“I expect that that task force will start to make demands of other Departments and ask officials from other Departments to try to identify things that are seen as potential barriers to the growth of our tourism industry, particularly as we want to see it grow right across the region, including in rural areas.”
“I agree with the Member, being a rural dweller myself, although I do not frequent the rural pub as often as I would like. <BR /> <BR />The tourism task force, which we are putting together with representatives from across the industry along with officials, will take forward what was in the tourism strategy and turn it into an implementation plan. As with all these things, it will not be confined to one Department. In areas that overlap into other Departments and other areas, we will engage to try to ensure that the entire system of government is as supportive of economic development as it can be. Economic growth is an Executive strategy and an Executive priority, and tourism and hospitality fit very much into that. It is a significant employer with a significant regional balance, which is another of my priorities.”
“As regards our economic ambition of trying to get people who are economically inactive back into the workforce, tourism and hospitality always represents a sector that is easily accessible to people. They can go in on their own terms, pick up skills and progress. There is an emphasis on trying to give people an understanding that the tourism and hospitality sector is a good area for a career, not just for part-time work. Of course, we are trying to invest, and, later today, I will announce further investment in and support for skills to get people into work. The tourism and hospitality sector is an important element of that. We want to work closely with our colleges, universities and skills providers to make sure that people have the necessary support in trying to access work, particularly in tourism.”
“The Member hits on a point that is widely recognised and was part of the conversation. We received a presentation at the tourism sectoral meeting about efforts to try to promote tourism and hospitality as a career choice, rather than just something that people get into through part-time work before moving on to other areas or continuing their studies. I met Hospitality Ulster, and we launched promotional material that tries to attract people on the other side of 50 to work in the tourism sector. That is, potentially, good news for him and me if this thing goes pear-shaped. There is an opportunity for people of all ages to come into the tourism sector.”
“There is a general sense across all the tourism organisations that it is not good news. That is why we have made representations already to the Government in London, although we did not receive much by way of response. There have been discussions in the Executive, and there is a recognition across the Executive that the scheme is not good for tourism. It is certainly not good for our economic growth, given the potential that we have for economic growth through tourism. There will be a renewed focus on that in the coming weeks from the Executive. I hope to propose a position that will get support so that, collectively, we can bring that to the incoming British Government, rather than a position that comes from just the Department for the Economy. We intend to pursue that.”
“We had hoped that that announcement would be made around this time, but there are still some minor issues to be resolved with one of the agencies. There is a Shared Island contribution for promoting the Wild Atlantic Way right across the north coast, including Derry and Antrim. That will provide some support and build up the capacity of tourism in those areas to take advantage of that brand, which has been extraordinarily successful in the promotion of tourism in Ireland. The funding has been agreed; we just want to get it announced and out there very quickly, and ensure that people can access it.”
“If that is the case, I am certainly happy to make sure that Tourism Ireland steps up in that regard.”
“The terms of reference have to be fully agreed by both Ministers. Where that perception exists, we need to make sure that it does not take hold and is addressed. We have set up the joint coordination group, which will involve the three agencies and both Departments working collectively. Tourism Ireland, in my experience, is very keen to promote all 32 counties of Ireland. I know that it makes great efforts to try to do that. However, if there is some sense on this side of the border that people are not getting the full promotion that they want, we can certainly make sure that that perception is corrected. <BR /> <BR />When the review's terms of reference are agreed, we will set up our own tourism reference group, which will investigate whether there is anything to back up that perception.”
“Everyone in the Chamber and in the tourism sector agrees that that would have a detrimental impact on our ability to grow tourism and ensure that it is spread across the island. It is something that we are determined to challenge.”
“Yes, that was part of the discussion at the sectoral meeting. Minister Martin and the Southern Administration understand clearly the concerns that we have, the challenges that the ETA would present to travel across the island and the impact that it would have on Tourism Ireland, for which we share responsibility. That is my position. I wrote to the outgoing Administration in London on the matter, and it is my intention that the Executive as a whole will take a position and present it to the incoming Government in London at the earliest opportunity to ensure that we offset the plans that have been put in place for the scheme.”
“<BR /> <BR />The NSMC received a presentation on the employer excellence programme by Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland on how the agencies are working together to make tourism an attractive career of choice while building a future pipeline of skilled employees. <BR /> <BR />The Council agreed to hold its next NSMC tourism meeting in late 2024. I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome any questions.”
“<BR /> <BR />The NSMC noted Tourism Ireland’s annual reports and accounts for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, which have been certified by the Comptrollers and Auditors General and laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly and both Houses of the Oireachtas. Ministers agreed that the terms of reference for an organisational capacity review of Tourism Ireland will be considered. The Council approved an additional eight posts to Tourism Ireland’s staffing complement. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC acknowledged the challenges faced in the tourism sector in addressing climate change and loss of biodiversity and noted the policy development and implementation in addressing those issues in each jurisdiction. The Council welcomed collaborative actions by the tourism agencies and future ambition for the tourism sector on the island.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Council welcomed the joint ministerial statement supporting sustainable tourism and agreed the establishment of a joint strategic coordination group to identify and examine opportunities that will support the sustainable growth of the tourism sector across the island. <BR /> <BR />The Council approved Tourism Ireland’s business plans, budgets and grants for 2022, 2023 and 2024 and Tourism Ireland’s 2023-25 corporate plan, which were completed in accordance with agreed guidance issued by the Department of Finance, the Department of Public Expenditure and NDP Delivery and Reform and were agreed by sponsor Departments and Finance Ministers.”
“The Council acknowledged Tourism Ireland's achievements and the valuable contribution that it has made to the sector, including its role to support the recovery of tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic. Ministers also noted Tourism Ireland’s continued focus on embedding sustainability in its marketing activities. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC noted that officials from both Administrations have conducted a review of the work programme for the NSMC tourism sector. Ministers noted the outcome of the review and agreed the addendum to the work programme for the tourism sector.”
“, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in tourism sectoral format. The meeting was held in Armagh on 24 June 2024. Junior Minister Pam Cameron MLA accompanied me, representing the Northern Ireland Executive. The Irish Government were represented by Catherine Martin TD, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The statement has been agreed with junior Minister Cameron, and I make it on behalf of us both. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC welcomed a progress report from the chair of Tourism Ireland on the board's work since the previous NSMC tourism meeting in November 2020.”
“With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle”
“Yes, that is the ambition: not just to secure the workforce here but to grow it. The indications are that growth in the industry is possible, and we want to be in the space where that can happen. We need, if you like, a strategic owner of the business — somebody who is engaged across Europe, the States or the rest of the world — who has the same ambition as we have, which is to employ an already skilled workforce and to add to it.”
“It will push all the buttons that we can push. Our main attraction is that we have a highly skilled workforce with a significant number of years' experience in this area. That workforce has won multiple awards for its innovation and the work that it does in the general aerospace sector. It is also well versed on the significant supply chain in the sector. That is probably the primary attraction at the moment. Certainly, if there are other advantages with dual access or anything else and they are attractive to making sure that we get the right ownership for the remainder of the business, whether it is Airbus or others, we will deploy all the arguments that are available to us.”
“A lot of that remains under Spirit, which will stay there until such times as the process is concluded. Of course, we want to ensure that, where support was given to secure employment, that support is held to, and we will get the opportunity to talk to Airbus. <BR /> <BR />What Spirit wants to see and what we want to see is, if it is not Airbus or Boeing, a responsible owner taking over the remainder of the operation here so that it can continue to be developed in the way that it has been developed and those skills and all of that know-how and talent can be put to full use in the context, as Boeing has informed us, of a growing industry that is getting back to where it was pre-COVID and continues to grow.”
“The British Government were substantial funders of the project here, but the Executive were the significant funder, and we want to ensure that all of that investment in skills, R&D and innovation — the intellectual property that has been built up in the skills base — is kept here and utilised fully in the growth of that industry.”
“Invest NI is already doing a lot of the legwork with the companies involved and has been for some time. It is in contact today with the Department in London. As I said, I hope to get an opportunity to speak to that Department this week. <BR /> <BR />We have a strong commitment to go when a Government are in place beyond next week to make sure that they understand fully what we wish to do. Invest NI will lead on the ground on the issue and is very much engaged with it, and we will ensure that we have that conversation.”
“If that is their wish, I am happy to do so. I have already met with them. They were aware that the process was beginning and, like us, wanted to protect the jobs and the skills on that site. We will continue to work with them in the time ahead to get the best possible outcome.”
“I have met the unions already, and I will be happy to meet them again whenever they wish. They will know, as we do, that this is the announcement of the beginning of a process that will roll on for months. We need to make sure that all the key players in that process understand the importance of the workforce to here, to our economy and to the community that lives here. That has already landed, certainly with Boeing and Spirit. We are in that space anyway. <BR /> <BR />Boeing has pledged to be partners with us, and we want to make sure that a new Government, when they are in place, are fully committed. A level of support was given to Airbus and others to ensure that the workforce was kept here. We want to follow up on those commitments and make sure that they are held to. <BR /> <BR />Of course, I will meet the unions again.”
“We will also ensure that the Government and Airbus hear about our commitment to protect those jobs and to make sure that there continues to be growth in the sector here. <BR /> <BR />There is a period of time now when everything is on the table for discussion. There is significant certainty for those who work in the wing production side of things and less so for others, but we want to get to a space where we can protect that employment and continue to grow the industry here. As I said, there is international recognition of the quality of the workforce here and the quality of output that there has been for many years.”
“I hope to reach out this week to the Department in London, and, with an incoming Government on the other side of this week, we clearly intend to reach out there as well, and we will continue to engage. <BR /> <BR />There is a recognition by Boeing, Spirit and Airbus that there is a highly skilled workforce here, that they have been performing remarkably well, that there is room for growth in the aerospace industry and that Boeing previously did an awful lot here. As a matter of fact, most of its work outside the United States was done here. We are ambitious not only to secure that but to continue to grow the aerospace industry here. <BR /> <BR />We in the Executive are united in our viewpoint on this, and we ensured that Boeing and Spirit heard it.”
“I recognise the nervousness that will be felt about that. The best outcome would be for Airbus to take the entirety of the operation here. It has focused on the wing production unit, which, of course, is good news for the significant number of workers involved in that part of the operation, but a larger number of workers are outside that. They will continue to be Spirit employees. We have something like six to 12 months from the announcement of the merger and the acquisition by Airbus to work that through. <BR /> <BR />Last night, the deputy First Minister, the First Minister and I had a late-night engagement with Boeing, and we had a very early morning engagement with Spirit.”
“Following this morning's announcements, I am committed to supporting Spirit AeroSystems in seeking the best outcome for our economy and the workforce based here. I have spoken with senior management at the company and with Boeing to ensure that we will explore all avenues for sustaining the operations and employment here. I will continue to engage with the company and the unions on the acquisition by working with key stakeholders to ensure that the future status of the highly skilled workforce is protected.”
“The Assembly passed the Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Act in 2022. Under that legislation, my Department can bring forward regulations to introduce a new right for workers who are victims of domestic abuse to access 10 days' paid leave. I fully support that progressive legislation, which will provide valuable support to victims of domestic abuse. I want to progress that alongside the wider work on the employment rights Bill. That is why I intend to launch a consultation on how the Department can shape the regulations that are needed to introduce that important new employment right later this week.”
“Yes. There is a recognition that the system of work has changed for everyone since the pandemic. A variety of people work from home. Some of the proposals cover your entitlement to be off when you are at home in order to recognise that you have your own space for rest and relaxation, but also to try to recognise that the system of work is not the one that we had five or six years ago, and that many people work from home directly. The consultation has begun and is fairly wide-ranging. It will throw up particular questions that may not have been anticipated, although quite a bit of pre-consultation has been done to bring it this far. If other issues are thrown up that relate to specific areas like working from home, we are happy to consider those as part of the consultation and include them in the response on the other side of it.”
“The Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act requires the existing entitlements for parents who sadly experience the loss of a child to be extended to parents who suffer a miscarriage. It also requires the overall right to pay for that leave to be made a day-1 right. My Department consulted on those issues in late 2022. I wish to take into account the outcome of that consultation before determining the next steps. In the meantime, my officials are continuing to engage with HMRC on the IT system changes that are necessary to bring the new right into operation by April 2026.”
“Some matters can be addressed through guidance or other measures. We will certainly look at that if the consultation throws that up, but we have responsibility for our own employment law and for modernising that, and we have responsibility to set those terms in ways that benefit our own economy and set of particular circumstances.”
“The Member will know that we need to move towards legislation very quickly on the other side of that consultation. We have to get that consultation going with the Committee.”
“It is the case that the bulk of what we are dealing with here is devolved to us. We have to set the standards for our own economy and our own particular circumstances. We are, largely, a small- and medium-sized enterprise economy, and we have to recognise that. This is a fairly comprehensive consultation package.”
“That is an ambition that we have, and we will have to work with Executive colleagues on the back of the consultation to see how we can develop that.”