Northern Ireland Assembly, 29 February 2016

322 contributions from 63 members. The official report.

Executive Committee Business

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

Before we proceed with today's business, I have some announcements to make. I wish to inform the House that the Departments Bill received Royal Assent today, Monday 29 February 2016. It will be known as the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.

Assembly Business

Robin Swann (UUP, North Antrim)

I beg to move

That Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4) be suspended for 29 February 2016.

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

Before we proceed to the Question, I remind Members that the motion requires cross-community support.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved (with cross-community support):

That Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4) be suspended for 29 February 2016.

Executive Committee Business

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

I call the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Michelle O'Neill, to move the Further Consideration Stage of the Rural Needs Bill.

Moved. — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

Members will have a copy of the Marshalled List of amendments detailing the order for consideration. The amendments have been grouped for debate in the provisional grouping of amendments selected list. There is a single group of amendments. The debate will be on amendment Nos 1 to 7, which deal with commencement and technical changes. I remind Members who intend to speak that, during the debate, they should address all the amendments on which they wish to comment. Once the debate is completed, any further amendments in the group will be moved formally as we go through the Bill, and the Question on each will be put without further debate.

If that is clear, we will move on.

Clause 1 (Duty of public authorities to have due regard to rural needs)

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

We now come to the amendments for debate. With amendment No 1, it will be convenient to take amendment Nos 2 to 7. The amendments deal with the commencement of the Act and technical changes. I call the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to move amendment No 1 and to address the other amendments in the group.

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. I beg to move amendment No 1:

In page 1, line 10, after "appropriate," insert "by order".

The following amendments stood on the Marshalled List:

No 2: In page 1, line 14, after first "a" insert "body or". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

No 3: In page 1, line 17, after first "a" insert "body or". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

No 4: In page 1, line 18, after first "the" insert "body or". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

No 5: In page 1, line 18, after first "a" insert "body or". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

No 6: In clause 3, page 2, line 16, after "(1)" insert "(c)". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

No 7: In clause 5, page 2, line 29, leave out "2017" and insert "2018". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The amendments that I have tabled for consideration today are a small number of technical amendments that will provide clarification of the clauses of the Bill as amended at Consideration Stage and an amendment relating to the commencement provision in the Bill.

Amendment No 1 deals with DARD's power under clause 1(3) to add, remove or amend any entry in the schedule that lists the public authorities to which the Act will apply. The amendment adds the words "by order" to clause 1(3) to clarify that any amendment to the schedule would be taken forward through subordinate legislation.

Amendment Nos 2 to 5 relate to clauses 1(4) and 1(5) and change each reference to "person" to "body or person". That is to reflect that the schedule includes both bodies and persons and to provide consistency with clauses 1(2) and 1(3).

Amendment No 6 relates to clause 3 of the Bill, which deals with the monitoring and reporting arrangements. Amendment No 6 clarifies, by including a more specific reference, the information that is to be published by DARD in its annual monitoring report.

Amendment No 7 relates to the commencement of the Act. At Consideration Stage, clause 5 was amended to include a time limit for commencement on 1 June 2017. As I indicated during that debate, I supported a specified time limit for the Bill's commencement. However, it will be important to ensure that the necessary supporting framework, such as guidance and training, as well as the new monitoring and reporting arrangements are in place prior to the new duties coming into force and that the public authorities concerned have sufficient time to prepare for the application of the Bill. To ensure an effective phased approach to implementation, I envisage that the provisions of the Bill could be commenced for Departments and councils approximately a year after Royal Assent, in 2017, and for the remaining public authorities listed in the schedule for a further year after that and not later than 1 June 2018. Therefore, I propose an amendment to clause 5 to change the time limit for commencement to 1 June 2018.

That concludes my comments on the seven amendments that I have tabled. I look forward to hearing Members' contributions to the debate.

William Irwin (DUP, Newry and Armagh)

I, of course, represent the views of the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development. The Committee has not considered the amendments and has taken no position on them, but, as Chair of the Committee, I am content that the amendments do not affect the policy changes that we wanted and gained at Consideration Stage.

Of course, my fellow Committee members can represent the views of their parties. As far as my party is concerned, amendment Nos 1 to 6 are technical, and we have no issue with them. Again, on amendment No 7, on the time frame for commencement, we have no real issue either. We support the amendments.

Oliver McMullan (Sinn Féin, East Antrim)

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. I support all the amendments that have been tabled by the Minister. As she said, they are mostly technical in nature. Therefore, I do not need to go into the detail of any of them, as they have already been adequately explained by the Minister.

I will make one brief comment on amendment No 7. We all want to see the Bill and its duties put in place as soon as possible. It is vital that we get it right from the start, given that the bodies have been added at a late stage. It is important to ensure that the proper training and guidance is in place. It will allow the bodies listed to have the proper arrangements when they go ahead. With that in mind, the Minister has referred to a date no later than June 2018. This will allow training to start as soon as they are ready, as long as it is before June 2018.

Jo-Anne Dobson (UUP, Upper Bann)

I welcome the opportunity to speak at this stage of the Rural Needs Bill. We support amendment Nos 1 to 6; however, we will oppose amendment No 7.

We must remember the Bill's origins. The rural White Paper action plan was approved by the Executive in May 2012 and formally launched by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in June 2012. That is over four years ago. It is five years from the date of commencement currently in the Bill and six years if today's amendment is made. Six years? That should be enough for people to judge the sheer inefficiency of the entire process.

That plan, which was long awaited, was notable not just for what it included but for how much it lacked any strategic vision and measurable outcomes. Some people will look at today's Bill and think that it was a missed opportunity for the Department to really enshrine protections for our rural communities. It remains unhelpful that, for whatever reason, the DUP and Sinn Féin thought it necessary to block many of our previous amendments, which would have strengthened the Bill, including requiring mandatory training for key DARD staff and placing a legal duty on the Department to make sure that public bodies cooperated. That has dumbfounded most impartial observers and, I know from reading emails that I have received, many people working in rural support bodies. Nevertheless, I still have not heard any good reason today why the Department thinks that it is unable to implement the Bill within 15 months.

I quote directly from the Minister at the previous stage:

"I am not opposed in principle to a time limit for the Bill’s commencement; however, the precise date of this time limit will have implications for my Department and other public bodies." — [Official Report, Vol 112, No 6, p44, col 2].

If those implications are that they need to ensure that they have met their statutory requirements under the Bill in a timely manner, I do not see why that is a negative thing. We need to remember that the public authorities in the Bill are not insignificant in size or scale. Bodies such as the Education Authority and the PSNI have bigger budgets and far greater staffing levels than DARD, so they should be in a position to adapt to it in a timely manner. It is up to the Minister, in her winding-up remarks, to make the case for an extension; if she does not, it is up to the parties to decide whether they are content for DARD to avoidably drag its feet for yet a further year.

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I thank the Members for their contributions to the debate. I will pick up on the last point on the commencement date. I said at the previous stage of the Bill that I would accept the amendment tabled by the party in relation to the commencement date but might need to come back to it. That is exactly what I am doing today. I am keen that we ensure that the Bill is all about enshrining rural people's rights in legislation. It is about making sure that we put protections in place so that, when policies and strategies are being developed, Departments and those bodies recognise and take into account the needs of rural dwellers.

The commencement date, with the amendment that I have tabled — amendment No 7 — will very clearly say "not ... later than ... 2018", so that does not prevent anybody who is in a position to move forward before that date from doing so. The fact that I have extended the list of bodies to be included under the legislation is something that I came to later in the consultation and as part of the Committee's scrutiny of the Bill. The fact that we have now added those bodies means that it is not inappropriate to allow some additional time for them to be ready. I am more interested in getting this right and that people embed their practices, with the proper guidance, training and advice available to them, to make sure that they carry out rural proofing in the manner in which we intended it to be done.

I thank all the Members for their contributions. I have clearly made the case for moving amendment No 7, and I thank the parties that have set out their support for the Bill going forward.

Amendment No 1 agreed to.

Amendment No 2 made:

In page 1, line 14, after first "a" insert "body or". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

Amendment No 3 made:

In page 1, line 17, after first "a" insert "body or". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

Amendment No 4 made:

In page 1, line 18, after first "the" insert "body or". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

Amendment No 5 made:

In page 1, line 18, after first "a" insert "body or". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

Clause 3 (Monitoring and reporting)

Amendment No 6 made:

In page 2, line 16, after "(1)" insert "(c)". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

Clause 5 (Commencement)

Amendment No 7 made:

In page 2, line 29, leave out "2017" and insert "2018". — [Mrs O'Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development).]

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

That concludes the Further Consideration Stage of the Rural Needs Bill. The Bill stands referred to the Speaker.

David Ford (Alliance, South Antrim)

I beg to move

That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (Information) Bill.

This is a private Member’s Bill sponsored by William Wragg MP, and it had the support of the Government when it received its Second Reading on 4 December 2015. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is the public body charged with investigating alleged miscarriages of justice, which involves it seeking a range of evidence and information, often going back years. Its skilled investigators, caseworkers and commissioners do that important work for potential miscarriages of justice in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland. Scotland has its own arrangements.

In the course of its work, the CCRC will look at information and evidence coming from a wide range of sources, including the police, the prison and probation services, the NHS, local authorities and other public-sector sources. The power to require that information, subject to judicial safeguarding, is set out in section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. However, the CCRC will often need to look at evidence and information held by private sources, such as individual witnesses, solicitors, private security firms or private medical practitioners. Under the current legislation, the CCRC must rely on cooperation and voluntary disclosure, because it has no formal power to require evidence to be disclosed from non-statutory organisations.

In essence, the Bill seeks to redress a legislative oversight from 1995 and give the commission much-needed powers to request evidence from private sources. That is its sole function.

The Bill contains only two clauses. Clause 1 provides a power to obtain documents and other material from non-public bodies. Critically, as set out in clause 1(1), that power will be subject to the safeguards of judicial oversight and a Crown Court order, so the CCRC could compel a private individual or organisation to provide material only by order of the court.

The new disclosure requirements would apply notwithstanding any obligations of secrecy or other limitations on disclosure. Clause 1(3) provides that the commission shall not disclose any information without the consent of the person concerned.

The CCRC has sought that additional power for some time, and I am content that the contents of the Bill are necessary and proportionate. The commission believes that having the power on the statute book will be enough to persuade many private bodies to cooperate with the CCRC voluntarily, thereby avoiding the need to invoke the power to compel.

Clause 2 sets out the proposed territorial extent of the Bill, which is the same as that of the CCRC, being England, Wales and Northern Ireland. As the power already exists in Scotland, we had the opportunity to look at how it has worked there, where I believe that the process has worked well with no evidence of abuse.

I am, therefore, asking the Assembly for legislative consent to extend this Bill to Northern Ireland to ensure parity and consistency in investigations conducted by the CCRC. Given the demands on the legislative programme, there will be no opportunity to legislate for this change via the Assembly, and it will be to our advantage and to the advantage of those who suffered a miscarriage of justice to implement this change in tandem with England and Wales.

I appreciate that the Assembly's preference, like mine, is that we ourselves should legislate on Northern Ireland matters wherever possible. However, in this instance, we are talking about minor changes to a body that has a wider remit than Northern Ireland. For those reasons, it is appropriate that we should seek a legislative consent motion (LCM), and I ask the Assembly to support it.

Alastair Ross (DUP, East Antrim)

I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Committee this afternoon.

As the Minister outlined, this legislation, introduced as a private Member's Bill at Westminster, will allow the Criminal Cases Review Commission to seek an order from the Crown Court requiring a person in the private sector to give the commission access to documents or other material in that person's possession or control.

I will briefly outline the Committee's consideration of the matter. The need for an extension to the commission's powers to obtain documents from private organisations and individuals, where it is reasonable to do so and under judicial oversight, was raised with the previous Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson by the commissioners in September 2014. At that meeting, the commission provided examples that highlighted the difficulties it encountered due to its lack of powers in relation to the private sector.

The Department of Justice undertook a three-month public consultation on proposals to extend the powers of the CCRC with regard to the private sector in Northern Ireland, including proposed judicial safeguards. The Department reported to the Committee on 17 September 2015 on the results of its consultation, advising that the 10 responses received were largely supportive of the change and the proposed safeguards. The Committee noted that the Attorney General and the Information Commissioner raised issues regarding human rights and data protection respectively but that sufficient provisions to mitigate those concerns could be put in place. In view of the general support for the proposal, the Department indicated its intent to legislate for this change.

The Department later advised that the Ministry of Justice intended to bring forward the same legislative change in England and Wales through the Criminal Cases Review Commission (Information) Bill, introduced in the House of Commons by Mr William Wragg MP in June 2015.

The Department further indicated that, as it would be unable to make the change by way of an Assembly Bill before the end of this mandate, the Minister was seeking the Committee's formal agreement for the legislative consent motion mechanism to be used. That would enable the introduction of the relevant provisions in the same timescale as in England and Wales.

Following consideration of information provided by the Department on the results of the consultation on proposals to extend the powers of the CCRC, the Committee for Justice agreed that it was content with the Minister's proposal to extend its powers to enable it to obtain documents from private organisations and individuals, and for the legislative change to be made by way of an LCM.

The legislative consent memorandum in respect of the Bill was laid in the Assembly on 27 January 2016 and referred to the Committee for consideration on 28 January. At its meeting on 4 February, the Committee for Justice agreed that it was content to support the legislative consent motion in relation to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (Information) Bill. The Committee subsequently provided all MLAs with a copy of its report on the LCM, which was agreed at its meeting on 18 February. Therefore, I commend the motion to the Assembly.

Raymond McCartney (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Like the Chair, we welcome the use of the LCM in this instance because of the work of the commission. I want to place on record our support for the work that the commission does. It has been useful in allowing people an avenue to explore whether there were miscarriages of justice. I think that there was a legislative oversight that has revealed that there is a gap in its ability to get relevant documentation to support a case. Therefore, we will support the motion.

David Ford (Alliance, South Antrim)

I do not believe that it is necessary to make any specific responses to the points raised by the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Committee except to make the point again that this was another example of good work being done between the Department and the Committee. I thank my officials and the Committee staff for the work that they did in putting it together. I certainly acknowledge the concerns that were raised and which the Chair highlighted, but I do believe that the issue of judicial oversight will ensure that these powers are not used disproportionately, will fall into line with what is already good practice in Scotland and will ensure that Northern Ireland remains on a par with England and Wales. With thanks to both the Members who have spoken in the usual lengthy debate that we have on these important matters, I again commend the motion to the House.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved:

That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (Information) Bill.

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

I beg to move

That the draft Teachers’ Pension Scheme (Consequential Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Iarraim cead an rún seo a mholadh. The regulations that we are debating today make an amendment to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (NI) 2015 to ensure that the teachers’ pension scheme, which was created under the Public Service Pensions Act (NI) 2014, operates as intended. The proposed regulations make a small and technical modification to the law governing the teachers' pension scheme.

I remind Members that the Public Service Pensions Act 2014 provides the framework enabling legislation for the reform of public service pensions here. The design of the new teachers' scheme has been established, within the confines of the Act, and the scheme came into operation on 1 April 2015. The regulations before us today are simply the means to include a modification to the Pension Schemes (NI) Act 1993 to ensure that the scheme design for the teachers’ pension scheme, which was widely consulted upon with members and unions, works properly within the wider framework of pensions law.

This modification is in addition to the set of modifications made to the Pension Schemes (NI) Act 1993 in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2015. The consequential provisions were made in March 2015 and came into operation on 1 April 2015. At the time that the consequential provisions were made, necessary legislation to provide for the abolition of contracting out for defined benefit salary-related pension schemes had not yet been made here. It was therefore necessary to defer making consequential provisions that would ensure the protection of increases in guaranteed minimum pensions following the abolition of contracting out. With the introduction in June 2015 of the Pensions Act (NI) 2015, which provides for the abolition of contracting out, it is now necessary to make these proposed regulations.

In conclusion, this is a small, technical modification under the Public Service Pensions Act (NI) 2014 to provide for the protection of increases in guaranteed pensions after the abolition of contracting out. I therefore commend this modification to the House.

Peter Weir (DUP, North Down)

The Department briefed the Committee on these regulations on 13 January 2016. As the Minister explained, the statutory rule is required to protect increases in guaranteed minimum pensions, following the abolition of contracting out. The rule appears to be beneficial and has been consulted on, with no objections being raised by stakeholders. Consequently, the Committee agreed on 27 January 2016 that it was content for the rule to be affirmed by the Assembly. The House may also wish to note that the Examiner of Statutory Rules had no comment to make on the draft rule.

Speaking as a DUP MLA, I say again that this is a fairly uncontroversial change that will be seen as being largely beneficial. Consequently, my party has no issue with the statutory rule and is happy to support it.

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

I welcome the Chair's comments and the Committee's examination of the statutory rule. I have nothing further to add to the debate.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved:

That the draft Teachers’ Pension Scheme (Consequential Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

I beg to move:

That the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill [NIA 56/11-16] do now pass.

I apologise for being out of breath, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. I have just dashed back from Antrim, where, the House will be delighted to know, the Mayor of London has given us another Transport for London order for 200 buses. That brings the total number of buses ordered to 1,000 and secures hundreds of jobs in Northern Ireland.

The Bill is the latest in a number of actions undertaken by my Department that are aimed at improving the legislative and regulatory framework that applies to credit unions and registered societies. Those sectors are of key importance to Northern Ireland, and the Bill's provisions will give them new operational freedoms and allow them to better serve their members and wider society.

Credit unions will be able to carry out new activities, permitting them to explore new commercial opportunities and to strike out in new directions. They will also enjoy a measure of deregulation for a number of the existing activities that they undertake, including the very welcome support that they offer to their local communities. Industrial and provident societies will also see deregulation. The Bill will remove unnecessary legislative requirements and give societies greater scope to engage with younger members and allow them to secure increased levels of investment. These sectors operate in a rapidly changing commercial environment. While the Bill represents a very positive development, my Department will continue to work with credit unions and societies to ensure that the sectors can continue to grow.

This is a somewhat complex and technical area, and I thank the Chairman and members of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment for their considered scrutiny of the Bill. I am grateful to them for the productive and positive way in which they worked with my officials and, in particular, for the suggestions that they put forward at various points, all of which helped to improve the Bill. I also thank Members for the keen interest that they have shown in the Bill during its passage through the Assembly.

Patsy McGlone (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Mid Ulster)

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire chomh maith. I thank the Minister. On behalf of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Final Stage of the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill.

The passage of the Bill through the House represents the culmination of almost eight years of work by the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in this and in previous mandates to enable credit unions to expand their range of services and to offer the same facilities that their counterparts in GB, and in the South of Ireland, have been able to offer since 2002 and 2003 respectively. I want to pay tribute to previous Committees and their membership and to former party colleagues, Mr Alban Maginness and Mr Mark Durkan, for their sterling work.

On 13 March 2008, the previous Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment commenced an inquiry into how to support credit unions here to expand their range of services. The Committee reported on 5 February 2009, and its report contained only eight recommendations, which were broadly accepted by the Department. However, there were a number of major difficulties in implementing the recommendations, as changes were required to primary legislation here and at Westminster. The appropriate legislation could not be put in place in this House until the appropriate changes had been made in Westminster.

On behalf of the Committee, and, no doubt, previous Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committees, I offer my sincere thanks to the Minister, to his predecessors, and especially to their officials in the Department, past and present, for their hard work, their expertise and the dedication and professionalism that they have demonstrated to help to get this legislation to where it is today. Their cooperation, their knowledge, and, indeed, their good working relationship with the Committee, and with Committee officials — whom I have to especially thank for the great work that they have done — have brought us to where we are today.

I would like to put on record the Committee’s gratitude to the Irish League of Credit Unions and the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions and to the individual credit unions that participated in the Committee’s call for evidence. Their experience as grass-roots practitioners is invaluable.

The passing of the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill will provide a tremendous opportunity for credit unions across the North to fulfil their potential as trusted, professional, community-based financial advisers and financial service providers.

A number of amendments to the Bill were brought by the Department on the Committee’s recommendation, and I do not propose to rehearse them here today as they were appropriately covered at Consideration Stage. However, a number of other issues arose during the Committee Stage of the Bill, and I would like to ensure that the Committee’s consideration of those issues is put on the record.

Clause 3 permits a credit union to offer interest-bearing shares in addition to shares entitling the holder to a dividend. The Committee had some concerns that the introduction of provisions for interest-bearing shares may have the potential to create a two-tier system, by which some members held only non-interest bearing shares, whilst others were able to avail of interest-bearing shares. The Ulster Federation of Credit Unions had concerns that the introduction of interest-bearing shares may tend to muddy the waters in relation to the traditional view of credit unions on the one hand as being solely owned by their members and banks, and, on the other hand, being commercial operations in business for the benefit of shareholders.

The Ulster federation did not think that interest-bearing shares was something that their members would be interested in. On the other hand, the Irish League of Credit Unions sees interest-bearing shares as an extra tool in a credit union’s armoury for its asset-liability management. It believes that, based on the principle that a credit union is a smaller form of financial institution, it should be enabled to undertake and partake in any financial activities and offer services to its members. It believes that the credit union movement will have to be competitive, as the level of uptake will be determined by the market in much the same way as a bank sets the interest rate at which a deposit account will be guaranteed over a one-year period.

The Irish league also helped to allay the Committee’s concerns in relation to any perception of a two-tier system. Whether or not a credit union member avails of interest-bearing shares will have no impact on voting rights, and no concerns have been raised in jurisdictions where that facility has been available for some time.

Clause 6 removes the 3% minimum amount of dividend that must be paid before surplus funds can be applied to social, cultural or charitable purposes but retains the requirement for some level of dividend to be paid to members before surplus funds can be applied to those purposes. That was a key recommendation in the previous Committee's inquiry. Clause 6 provides the opportunity for credit unions to contribute back into the communities in which they operate. For that reason, the Committee very much welcomes that provision in the Bill.

As the legislation stands, a credit union could not make any contribution for social or charitable purposes unless it had declared a 3% dividend. In the current financial environment, that is a highly unrealistic expectation for any credit union. There is a provision for a maximum of 10% of surplus funds to be applied to such purposes, and the Committee agrees that that provides the appropriate balance.

There were some initial concerns during the Committee's pre-legislative scrutiny that expertise in social finance may be required to ensure that credit unions would not put their members' money at risk. However, having seen the legislation, both the Irish League of Credit Unions and the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions are content that there is sufficient protection in the provisions.

In relation to clause 8, Co-operatives UK highlighted to the Committee that current Northern Ireland legislation does not require the registrar to make a rigid distinction, at registration, between cooperative societies and community benefit societies but that the new legislation will create three separate legal forms where now only one exists. According to Co-operatives UK, that has caused significant uncertainty and concern for societies in GB. However, they remain hopeful that the Financial Conduct Authority policy will achieve the necessary refinement and flexibility. The Committee was content with the Department's assurances that it would review the legislative framework underpinning credit unions and cooperative and community benefit societies after completion of work on the Bill, including consideration of whether future legislative change was considered appropriate.

The passing of the Bill will unlock the potential of all credit unions to become full and trusted players in the financial services sector. As community-based organisations, credit unions know the communities in which they operate and their individual members. This legislation will enable them to compete on an equal footing with the for-profit sector and to act as trusted, objective and professional financial advisers and lenders to individuals and groups in those communities. As Chairperson of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, I commend the Final Stage of the Bill to the House.

Gordon Dunne (DUP, North Down)

I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on the Final Stage of the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill as a member of the ETI Commitee. I fully recognise the valuable role that credit unions play in providing financial assistance to people in need across Northern Ireland. Throughout the process of the Bill, we have seen the importance of this sector in everyday life in Northern Ireland. The Bill was designed to promote the continued growth and sustainability of the sector, and I believe that it will deliver the required change to create an improved service.

The success and significance of the service that credit unions provide here is backed up by statistics. Thirty-four per cent of our population hold a credit union account, compared with around 5% in the rest of the UK, and membership has doubled in the past decade. Regrettably, today, there are loan sharks around who often exploit the most financially vulnerable, and many of them often have greater resources and use attractive advertising as a means to lure people into unrealistic agreements. Credit unions are different, and that is why local credit unions that put the community at their heart are worthy of our support.

The three amendments will allow the sector to flourish. Clause 13A is an important one for the sector, given that credit unions will, for the first time, be able to admit companies and unincorporated associations into membership. The commitment to a review within two years is also an important step in providing the necessary protection to credit unions.

I welcome the progress that has been made, including the work of the Committee, and I am content to support the Bill.

Trevor Lunn (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

Not being a member of the Committee, I have not been as close to the Bill as I would have liked, but I welcome and support its passage at Final Stage.

As the Minister said, the Bill will extend the remit of credit unions and give them operational freedoms and commercial opportunities. That is grand, because nothing stands still these days. The Chair of the Committee said that the Bill would enable credit unions to become full players in the financial services sector. As I have said before in these debates, that comes with a bit of a health warning. Frankly, the more you imitate banks, the more you become like banks and the more you become susceptible to the same pressures and regulation as banks; and we all know what has happened to them.

I hope that the sector continues its progress. It has always been a marvellously well run system in the North of Ireland, and I am sure that it will continue to be so. I have no doubt in credit unions' ability to continue to invest and lend wisely under the benign hand of the Financial Conduct Authority — we will see how they manage with that organisation. All in all, it is a good day for the movement and the sector. I wish them well for the future and welcome the passage of the Bill.

Fearghal McKinney (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

I support the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill. As a member of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee, I welcome its Final Stage. The wide scope of the Bill is to be welcomed. By way of background, as has already been highlighted, the Bill is an attempt to update and modernise the law relating to credit unions and industrial provident societies. As has been stated, both are an integral part of our economy and make a massive contribution by offering financial services and credit to many individuals, including local businesses owners and those in the agriculture sector, who are the backbone of our economy.

The Bill has been long in gestation, but it is important legislation for the Committee. As has been stated, it is the outworking of a Committee inquiry in the previous mandate that made a number of recommendations to broaden the range of credit services that credit unions can offer.

It is important to remind the House, as I did at the previous stage of the Bill, of something that the SDLP holds dear: credit unions were established, with Ireland's greatest — John Hume — playing a pivotal role, to address the massive inequality in our society, when many vulnerable people were being exploited for profit, as mentioned by Mr Dunne. Some of that is still seen today in the payday loans and other short-term financial deals that exploit many people. I am glad that the Bill further protects the role that credit unions and other providers play in society, and I hope that it goes some way to alleviate the financial pressures that are put on people who are victims of extortionate payday loans.

It is important to take the opportunity to commend all those involved in bringing forward the Bill. I echo the comments of my colleague Mr Patsy McGlone. It has been an arduous task. I thank the Minister and his departmental officials for their continuous engagement with the Committee during its scrutiny of the legislation. I also thank the Irish League of Credit Unions and the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions, which attended numerous oral evidence sessions with the Committee to tease out the issues as they progressed. The Bill has been argely uncontroversial, and its clauses have the broad support of the sector, as was reflected in the Committee investigation.

I want to touch on one element that relates to further review. Both the Irish League of Credit Unions and the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions raised concerns about unincorporated bodies, in conjunction with their membership, being in the name of an individual rather than the organisation. They stated that that created something of an unequal playing field and some difficulties. Through further scrutiny by the Committee, in liaison with the Department, it became clear that there were complicated legal considerations. Due to that, with the pressing need for the legislation to proceed, the Committee was content to explore the possibility of a review clause in the Bill that would prescribe in law the actions to be taken by the Department to review how exactly an amendment to the legislation could allow for unincorporated members to be included.

In those circumstances we believe this to be the right course of action, and we look forward to the outcome of the review during the next mandate. I hope for a positive resolution that could provide a welcome boost in the opening of finance for businesses across Northern Ireland through the credit union movement.

To conclude, I reiterate that the SDLP supports the Bill. It is a step in the right direction and will go a considerable way towards bolstering credit unions and IPS regulations to ensure that they are best able and best placed to serve our community.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

I express my gratitude to the Chairman and members of the Committee and to Mr Dunne and Mr McKinney for their work and those very positive remarks. Iit is an example of the success of devolution that all of us from right across the House have worked together on this. I also thank my officials for the work that they put in. I think sometimes that the brevity of this debate does not reflect the intensity of the work that goes on behind the scenes, in Committee rooms and in private briefings with officials. It is that work that leads to success.

Credit unions are of enormous importance. I could speak for hours on their value to many people, both individually like myself and collectively for families. I am glad that they have the support that they have in Northern Ireland, because that reflects the value that people in Northern Ireland place on them. I can remember back to when I had a Sunbeam that cost £50. I was joining the health service, and they told me that I was to be an essential car user and would be expected to have a reliable car at work every day. It was to the credit union that you turned for the loan for the second-hand car that allowed you to get a career.

There is a far greater story that has not been told about credit unions. One of the most inspirational firms that I have come across is First Derivatives. In many cases, it was not looked on favourably in terms of borrowing money, but a credit union leant them £5,000. If I understand it correctly it was Brian Conlon, working from his spare room, who used that £5,000 loan to develop an international business that now stretches from Newry to North America to the Far East. I was very excited to talk about some of the personnel in New York recently about their vision for the future and to see what can be done with a £5,000 loan. That talent has been multiplied by Brian Conlon and the first-class team at First Derivatives, who, as I say, have stretched from their Newry offices right through to New York and across to the Far East. That is testament enough to what can be done.

That just leaves me to commend the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill to the House.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved:

That the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill [NIA 56/11-16] do now pass.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

Thank you, Principal Deputy Speaker. We are here today to consider the issue of extending the role of the Small Business Commissioner, contained in the Enterprise Bill, to Northern Ireland. The Bill will allow the Small Business Commissioner to provide general advice and information relating to dispute resolution and options for resolving disputes; a signpost service to mediation and arbitration services that are currently in operation; and to provide an in-house complaint-handling function in respect of payment or contract issues.

Extending the remit of the Small Business Commissioner to Northern Ireland is the most cost-effective way for small businesses across the region to benefit from the service, which is intended to support them in resolving disputes with larger businesses. Small businesses are not always sure where to turn for help in sorting out disputes with other businesses, and I am concerned that not enough small businesses are able to settle their problems with larger corporations sufficiently quickly. We know that some small firms suffer because of an imbalance in bargaining power when dealing with larger businesses. Some small businesses feel unable to challenge the contract terms proposed by larger businesses for fear of damaging their commercial relationship, and many do not have the time, money or expertise to make a legal challenge where they believe that practices are against the law. Those issues put small businesses under additional pressure and limit their opportunity for growth. They also, in some instances, put businesses at risk.

The Executive are determined to see small businesses thrive and grow in line with the Northern Ireland economic strategy. The establishment of the Small Business Commissioner will complement existing dispute resolution services and encourage a culture change in the way that businesses deal with each other. It will also deliver a consistency of service to small businesses across the United Kingdom when considering their commercial dealings with larger firms.

SMEs are very much at the heart of the Northern Ireland economy, and many of them trade with companies elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Clearly, we would not want to put them at an unfair disadvantage by not supporting the legislative consent motion (LCM). The consent of the Assembly is, therefore, being sought.

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

I ask the Minister to confirm that he has moved the legislative consent motion.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

Yes, it is moved.

Patsy McGlone (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Mid Ulster)

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment wrote to the Committee on 20 October 2015 to advise that the Westminster Government had introduced the Enterprise Bill to the House of Lords. The Minister informed the Committee that the Bill included a range of measures that are intended to support the growth of enterprise in the UK.

The LCM is to enable the extension to Northern Ireland of provisions in the Bill relating to the establishment of a UK Small Business Commissioner. The Westminster Government undertook a public consultation. Time pressures precluded consultation in Northern Ireland, would you believe it? However, in oral evidence to the Committee on 8 December 2015, departmental officials stated that the Department had engaged with a number of representative bodies in the North. The Department learned that late payments were an issue and small businesses would welcome the extension of the commissioner’s remit to Northern Ireland.

The commissioner will be based in England and will provide an advisory service and will direct issues or complaints specific to Northern Ireland to the appropriate mediation or arbitration services based here or in the South of Ireland. The commissioner will not have the legal basis to make a legal ruling on any issues and will be obliged to report annually on any specific Northern Ireland items or issues.

The Committee is of the view that the legislative consent motion is the most appropriate means of enabling small businesses in Northern Ireland to access the services of a UK-wide Small Business Commissioner. The Committee supports DETI in seeking the Assembly’s endorsement of the legislative consent motion. With that, I conclude, and I support the LCM.

Gordon Dunne (DUP, North Down)

I, too, support the legislative consent motion.

It is important that the motion has been brought to the House. It aims to bring a greater level of support for economic growth to the small business sector in Northern Ireland through the establishment of the role of Small Business Commissioner here. The Small Business Commissioner will provide a level of support to our small business sector through assisting it to resolve disputes and empowering it for the future, while promoting a culture change in how business is done with one another.

(Mr Deputy Speaker [Mr Beggs] in the Chair)

The main purpose of the LCM is to boost productivity and business growth in this vital sector. We want to see our economy in Northern Ireland grow. It is such a crucial sector and worthy of our full support as we continue to see growth in our economy and a rebalancing of it. We must take every opportunity to support and encourage enterprise. The LCM, which will allow for the extension of the remit of the Small Business Commissioner across the UK, will ensure that our local small businesses are not unfairly disadvantaged and will provide them with the level of necessary support and protection. I welcome the motion and am happy to commend it to the House.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

I thank all who contributed to the debate. I put on record my thanks to my ministerial colleagues and the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee for the way in which they considered this important matter in a timely way, allowing the motion to be debated today. I very much appreciate the positive manner in which the issue has been dealt with and the agreement that there is from all sides of the House.

I commend the motion to the Assembly, with thanks to Members for their support.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved:

That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions in the Enterprise Bill dealing with the Small Business Commissioner.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

I beg to move

That the draft Debt Relief Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 (Consequential Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

I seek the Assembly's approval of the statutory rule. It is being made under powers contained in the Debt Relief Act (Northern Ireland) 2010, which prescribes that the order must be laid in draft form for approval by affirmative resolution of the Assembly.

There are long-standing provisions in various pieces of Northern Ireland legislation that bar anyone who is bankrupt from engaging in certain occupations or businesses or from being a member of various boards, trusts and other public bodies. Following the enactment of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 2005, it became possible to place culpable bankrupts under continuing restrictions after their discharge from bankruptcy. The restrictions relate to taking credit and the name under which the individual can trade.

A review was then carried out of the various provisions in Northern Ireland legislation barring individuals who are bankrupt from engaging in certain occupations or holding certain offices. It resulted in the making of orders in 2008 and 2015 to amend the disqualification provisions. Consequently, some provisions were amended to substitute being subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order as grounds for disqualification. In other cases, being subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order was added as grounds for disqualification.

Under the Debt Relief Act (Northern Ireland) 2010, it became possible for individuals burdened by debt to apply to the official receiver for a debt relief order, provided that their total debt was less than £15,000 and they met certain other eligibility criteria. The Act also provided for the making of debt relief restrictions orders. As debt relief orders and debt relief restrictions orders are directly comparable with bankruptcy orders and bankruptcy restrictions orders, there was a need to further amend the disqualification provisions so that they apply to persons subject to debt relief orders and debt relief restrictions orders. The draft order that you are being asked to approve makes those necessary amendments.

The order has been agreed with the Committee and the Executive. I believe that it should now be approved by the Assembly.

Patsy McGlone (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Mid Ulster)

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I thank the Minister.

The Committee considered the SL1 at its meeting on 30 June 2015 and was content with the policy proposals. There were no changes to those proposals when the statutory rule was submitted to the Committee on 2 February 2016. In the Committee's consideration of the policy proposals, it noted that the order will amend disqualification provisions in various primary and subordinate legislation that already provide for the disqualification of persons from office in the event of insolvency so as to extend those disqualifications to persons subject to debt relief orders and debt relief restrictions orders.

The Committee was informed that all Departments with legislation that would be amended by the proposed order were informally consulted, as were the Northern Ireland Assembly and the NIO. All Departments have agreed to the proposed amendments to the legislation for which they are responsible. On that basis, the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment recommends that the draft Debt Relief Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 (Consequential Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 be affirmed by the Assembly.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

I thank the Committee Chair for his very positive remarks and contribution to today's debate.

The law as it stands bars individuals from holding certain offices if subject to a bankruptcy order or a bankruptcy restrictions order. As debt relief orders and debt relief restrictions orders are analogous to those orders, it is reasonable to expect that they should also be considered as grounds for disqualification from holding certain offices. Consequently, I commend the motion to the House.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved:

That the draft Debt Relief Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 (Consequential Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

I beg to move

That the draft Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

This statutory rule is being made under powers in the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, which prescribes that this order must be laid in draft for approval by affirmative resolution of the Assembly. The changes that I bring forward in the draft order relate to the Renewables Obligation Order (Northern Ireland) 2009. The Northern Ireland renewables obligation or NIRO, as it is better known, has been the main support mechanism for incentivising renewable electricity generation in Northern Ireland since 2005.

The NIRO has been subject to a number of changes in recent years. The draft Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016, which I am putting forward before the Assembly today, implements policy decisions to ensure that biomass material used for the generation of electricity is sourced responsibly and in a way that minimises any adverse environmental impacts. Similar provisions have already been introduced in Great Britain, and it is important that Northern Ireland adopts a similar and consistent approach on biomass sustainability.

In line with the rest of the United Kingdom, my Department undertook consultations in 2012 and 2014. The consultation in 2012 proposed enhancing the sustainability criteria for the use of biomass feedstock, and the 2014 consultation proposed technical adjustments to sustainability and to the reporting provisions for solid and gaseous biomass.

In total, six responses were received to both consultations, with support given to some proposals and concerns raised about or clarification sought on others. However, there was insufficient evidence provided to suggest that Northern Ireland should adopt a different position from the rest of the United Kingdom.

I now turn to the detail of the new provisions in the draft order. The first set of new measures is aimed at strengthening biomass sustainability criteria. Since June 2014, generating stations with an installed capacity of one megawatt and above, using solid or gaseous biomass, have been required to report only on whether they meet sustainability criteria. The draft order makes compliance with sustainability criteria mandatory for generating stations using solid or gaseous biomass, in order to receive support under the NIRO, as is already the position for bio-liquids. Those measures will ensure that renewable generation from local or imported biomass receives financial support only where that biomass delivers genuine greenhouse gas savings compared with fossil fuel and where it is sourced from land that is sustainably managed.

The draft order also introduces a new methodology for calculating an annual average greenhouse gas emissions figure for all biomass used by a generating station, excluding certain types of waste. This is to ensure that generators are not penalised if an individual biomass consignment exceeds the greenhouse gas target due to circumstances beyond their control, such as bad weather increasing transport distances. This is subject to the provision that each individual consignment of biomass must not exceed an overall ceiling to ensure that each consignment delivers a good level of savings.

The draft order also makes minor technical adjustments to the sustainability criteria for non-wood fuel biomass that correspond to the land criteria for bio-liquids. It amends the reporting requirements for wood fuel to enable more effective monitoring of the use of different types of wood by the bio-energy sector, as well as making reporting provisions more workable for industry. Ofgem, which is responsible for administrating the NIRO on behalf of the Northern Ireland authority for utility regulation, will regulate compliance with the greenhouse gas and land criteria.

In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, I believe that the proposed amendments are necessary to ensure a consistent UK-wide approach to applying the principles of biomass sustainability and reporting provisions in the renewables obligation mechanism.

Patsy McGlone (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Mid Ulster)

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The Committee considered the SL1 at its meeting on 12 January 2016 and was content with the policy proposals. There were no changes to policy when the statutory rule was submitted to the Committee on 26 January 2016.

The amendment order is being introduced in parallel with similar legislation for the two renewables obligations in the UK. The proposed rule will introduce amendments to the Northern Ireland renewables obligation in relation to the reporting requirements and sustainability criteria for stations using solid biomass and biogas feedstocks to generate electricity. These amendments make compliance with the sustainability criteria mandatory for generating stations of one megawatt or above using solid biomass and biogas; they tighten the greenhouse gas emissions targets for 2020 and 2025 and average greenhouse gas emissions across the year; and they make technical adjustments to the reporting requirements and sustainability criteria for solid biomass.

There are no additional costs to the consumer arising from these amendments. The requirement to provide information on the biomass used and a sustainability audit report will impose some administrative costs on generators using biomass. Biomass generators below 1 MW are not obliged to provide a sustainability report. The Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment supports the Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 and recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.

Jonathan Bell (DUP, Strangford)

My remarks may be repetitive, but I again want to thank the Chairman of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee and its members for their support today. The proposed amendments will improve the efficiency and sustainability of the NIRO and ensure that the legislation remains fit for purpose. I commend the motion to the House.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved:

That the draft Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Business has moved rapidly today, and we are well ahead of schedule. We hope to be in a position to proceed with Consideration Stage of the Licensing Bill in a few minutes. I propose, therefore, by leave of the Assembly to suspend the sitting until 1.30 pm.

The sitting was suspended at 1.17 pm and resumed at 1.30 pm.

(Mr Principal Deputy Speaker [Mr Newton] in the Chair)

Private Members' Business

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

I call Mrs Judith Cochrane to move the Consideration Stage of the Licensing Bill.

Moved. — [Mrs Cochrane.]

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

Members will have a copy of the Marshalled List of amendments detailing the order for consideration. The amendments have been grouped for debate in the provisional grouping of amendments selected list. There is a single group of amendments which deal with licensing of outdoor stadia and related technical amendments. The debate will be on amendment Nos 1 to 13, inclusive. I remind Members intending to speak that, during the debate on the group of amendments, they should address all of the amendments in the group on which they wish to comment. Once the debate on the group is completed, any further amendments will be moved formally as we go through the Bill and the question on each will be put without further debate. The questions on stand part will be taken at the appropriate points in the Bill. If that is clear, we shall proceed.

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 2 (Meaning of “outdoor stadium”)

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

We now come to the single group of amendments for debate. With amendment No 1, it will be convenient to debate amendment Nos 2 to 13 inclusive. These amendments deal with the licensing of outdoor stadia and related technical amendments.

I call Mrs Judith Cochrane to move amendment No 1 and to address the other amendments in the group.

Judith Cochrane (Alliance, Belfast East)

I beg to move amendment No 1:

In page 1, line 12, leave out subsection (3).

The following amendments stood on the Marshalled List:

No 2: In page 1, line 12, leave out subsection (4) and insert

"(4) After Article 2A of the principal Order insert?—

'Meaning of “outdoor stadium”

2AA. In this Order “outdoor stadium” means any premises?—

(a) which are structurally adapted and used, or intended to be used, for the purpose of providing a venue primarily for a variety of outdoor sporting events and other activities,

(b) which include one or more areas for indoor events and activities, and

(c) which are designated in regulations as a stadium which the Department considers to be of importance to the whole of Northern Ireland.'.". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 3: In clause 3, page 2, line 10, leave out "paragraphs" and insert "subsections". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 4: In clause 3, page 2, line 1, leave out subsection (4) and insert

"(4) In each of the following provisions of the principal Order, for “(k)” there shall be substituted “(l)”?—

(a) Article 2(4) (meaning of references to premises);

(b) Article 15(2)(e)(ii) (renewal of licences);

(c) Article 22(6)(c)(ii) (transfer of licences).". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 5: In clause 4, page 2, line 21, leave out paragraph (a). — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 6: In clause 4, page 2, line 26, leave out subsection (3) and insert

"(3) In Article 77A of the principal Order (the cross-heading before which becomes 'Indoor arenas and outdoor stadia' and the title to which becomes 'Attachment of conditions to licences for indoor arenas or outdoor stadia'), in paragraph (1), after 'indoor arena' insert 'or outdoor stadium'.". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 7: In clause 5, page 3, line 4, leave out "an". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 8: In clause 7, page 3, line 10, leave out subsections (1) and (2) and insert

"(1) In Article 52A of the principal Order (the title to which becomes 'Indoor arenas and outdoor stadia'), in paragraph (1), after 'indoor arena' insert 'or outdoor stadium'.". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 9: In clause 7, page 3, line 15, leave out "inserted—" and insert “inserted; 'or' ". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 10: In clause 7, page 3, line 18, at end insert

"(4) In Part 1 of Schedule 10A to the principal Order (penalty points for offences punishable with level 3 fine on the standard scale), in the entry for Article 52A(2), after 'indoor arenas' insert 'or outdoor stadia'.". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 11: In clause 8, page 3, line 20, leave out subsections (1) and (2) and insert

"(1) This Act comes into operation on 1 September 2016.". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 12: In clause 8, page 3, line 24, leave out

"is made by negative resolution and". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

No 13: In clause 8, page 3, line 27, after "order" insert

"; and an order under this section containing such provision or such modifications is subject to negative resolution.". — [Mrs Cochrane.]

Judith Cochrane (Alliance, Belfast East)

I welcome the opportunity to move the Consideration Stage of the Bill. As Members know, the proposal with the Bill is to do with the investment by the Executive in our national and regional stadia, namely the Kingspan Stadium at Ravenhill, Casement Park and the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, as well as the dissatisfaction with current arrangements.

The Bill has changed very little between Second Stage and now, and there were very few amendments to be brought forward. The main amendment, amendment No 2, is about the definition of an outdoor stadium. I have tabled that amendment so that the new type of licence that will be created will be tied to there being business going on in the stadium, making the licence ancillary to whatever is going on in the stadium at the time. During Committee Stage, there was a bit of discussion around whether that had to mean that a sporting event or something else was happening on the playing field or, perhaps, that something was going on in one of the function areas in the stadium. That amendment is really to clarify that issue by making it clear that it means any event that is going on within the stadium.

The other aspect of that amendment is that it removes from the definition the number of seats in the stadia. Through discussions at Committee and with the Department, we decided that it would be more appropriate to leave the designation of a stadium as being of regional or national importance up to the Department, to be made by regulations. So that is a change.

The other amendments really are technical in nature. Most of them refer to very minor changes or are proposed to bring some sections together. It is an alternative approach of putting all those changes to provisions in clauses 2(3) and 4(2)(a), where references are made to all categories of licence, in the same place rather than throughout my Bill.

That is really all that I have to say on the matter. The amendments are very technical in nature. I look forward to hearing what other Members have to say.

Alex Maskey (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

Go raibh maith agat, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. On behalf of the Committee, I thank the Member for bringing the Bill to Consideration Stage.

As has been outlined, the Licensing Order 1996 requires a person wishing to sell alcohol in the course of business to hold a licence. That is of relevance, as plans were announced in September 2010 for state-of-the-art, outdoor sports stadia to be developed at the GAA’s Casement Park, Ulster Rugby’s Ravenhill Park and the IFA’s Windsor Park. Such outdoor stadia are not covered by the principal order, and parallels in respect of licensing arrangements have been drawn between the situation faced by the then Odyssey Arena and the planned outdoor stadia.

The development of the SSE Arena in Belfast, formerly the Odyssey Arena, led to consideration of the need to amend the principal order, as that type of facility was not envisaged when the order was formulated. Subsequently, the issue was addressed by the Licensing (Indoor Arenas) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004.

The Bill aims to apply the licensing provisions that apply to the SSE Arena to outdoor stadia. The Committee supports the Bill’s aim to introduce a new type of licence applicable to outdoor stadia.

A Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle, before I make comments about the amendments before us, I will, with your indulgence, speak briefly about some of the key issues identified in the Committee’s report that are pertinent to today’s discussions. Those generally related to child protection issues, the operation of the licence in respect of functions and, though not directly related to the Bill, antisocial behaviour in residential areas linked to alcohol consumption in stadia during and after games. In my doing so, Members may note specific reference to the Kingspan Stadium. I should explain that there was a greater focus on the Kingspan Stadium in the Committee’s report than the other two stadia currently under development — that is, Casement Park and Windsor Park — simply because it is already in operation and, therefore, provides an insight into how an outdoor stadia licence could be applied in practice.

The Committee took evidence from Mrs Cochrane and a number of other key stakeholders. All stakeholders who gave evidence supported the key provision of the Bill — that is, that there should be a new type of Bill applicable to outdoor stadia — but it is fair to say that there were some differences of opinion on the checks and balances that should be applied to the operation of the licence. For example, in relation to child protection, the PSNI raised concerns about mixed retailing; that is, the selling of alcohol and non-alcoholic products from the same sales point. The Committee noted that mixed retailing takes place in the SSE Arena and queried with the PSNI if there had been an issue with it at that venue. However, they were not aware of any such problems. The Committee also noted that Mrs Cochrane stated in a paper to the Committee there had been no conditions placed on the licence in relation to the matter.

The Committee also noted in correspondence from the Kingspan Stadium that there are 14 food concessions that are not mixed retail. Those serve food and non-alcoholic beverage only and are the main conduit for all food and non-alcoholic beverage in the stadium. That, to the Committee, appeared to be a balanced approach to child protection in respect of mixed retailing and one that the other two stadia under development may wish to consider.

There was some wide discussion about under-18s being on licensed parts of the stadia after 9.00 pm and at sporting events that are primarily focussed on under-18s. However, one of the key aspects of the Bill is to exempt under-18s from that provision of the principal order. Why is that? The Committee heard evidence that the sports in question are increasingly family focused. Taking the example of Ulster Rugby, the Committee heard that 40% to 50% of the crowd attend as families. Should a match extend beyond 9.00 pm, that creates a significant difficulty as it still means that families in the licensed areas with children under-18 must either separate or leave the stadium.

However, clause 4 amends the 1996 Order to include outdoor stadia in the provision that allows a court to attach conditions to the licence at the time that it is granted or renewed. The clause also provides for a district PSNI commander of the district in which the stadium is situated to apply to the court to attach conditions to the licence at any time during the life of the licence. Therefore, the Committee felt that there were sufficient protections provided by the clause in respect of child protection.

The Committee heard evidence that the business cases of each of the governing bodies include provision for ancillary use of the stadia — that is, functions. The extent of that was not defined for each of the stadia, although it was suggested that, for Windsor stadium, it could be between 20 and 30 functions a year. The Committee also recognised that it was difficult to estimate the number or type of function that each of the stadia would hold. For example, functions could be held during the day, and organisers may wish to avail themselves of the licensed facilities while others may not. The number of people attending a function could range from tens of people attending a seminar to hundreds attending charity fundraising events.

Some members, as well as the sporting organisations, noted that that was common practice for modern-day sporting stadia and, indeed, was an essential part of stadia business models.

The Committee also acknowledged that the issues faced by residents on the day of a game, when thousands of fans may be present, are likely to be significantly different to those resulting from a function held in a stadium. However, the Committee also recognised and shared the concerns of residents on that and, importantly, on antisocial behaviour. The Ravenhill residents' group favoured the establishment of a stadium community committee along the lines of that convened by the management of the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The Committee subsequently sought and obtained a commitment from Ulster Rugby that it would set up a similar committee to discuss and address residents' concerns. The Committee very much welcomes that development. In fact, the Committee wrote to the IFA and Ulster GAA with a similar request, and I am delighted, on behalf of the Committee, to report that, in the last number of days, the GAA has said that it is its intention to establish an event management committee that will have community representation. The IFA will continue with its community forum, which includes community groups and addresses issues relating to the development of the site and will also deal with event management in the stadium. I hope that those committees and fora provide residents with a platform to establish good working relationships with the stadia. We all look forward to seeing how that unfolds in the time ahead.

I believe that the Committee conducted a thorough examination of the Bill and was content with it as amended by the Member during Committee Stage. However, since the Committee concluded its consideration of the Bill, further amendments have been tabled by the Member that have not been formally considered by the Committee. I cannot, therefore, give a formal Committee position on them. However, I note that the majority are technical and do not change the policy intent of the Bill.

Amendment No 2, although not considered by the Committee, does not change the definition of "outdoor stadium" substantively. The inclusion of the word "sporting", for example, helps to clarify in the minds of many of us the type of event that can take place in an outdoor stadium. Amendment No 11 was considered by the Committee and simply states the date on which the Act comes into operation. Amendment Nos 12 and 13 address an issue relating to negative resolution, which the Member proposes after having taken further advice and which she has explained. The remainder of the amendments are minor or technical, and I have nothing further to say other than that I accept the Member's argument that they will simply enhance the coherence of the Bill in a drafting context.

In conclusion, I will add that, as Chair of the Committee, I believe that the reform of our licensing laws is well overdue. The Committee for Social Development has discussed that on a number of occasions throughout this mandate, and it is fair to say that it expected that it would have been able to consider a Bill on licensing reform long before now. Indeed, we thought that it might have been on its way about two years ago, but, for whatever reason, that never happened. Therefore, on behalf of the Committee — this point has been made very clear — I encourage whoever the Minister is in the incoming Department for Communities in the next mandate to bring forward comprehensive licensing legislation so that we can deal with the licensing law in a comprehensive and mature fashion. On that basis, the Social Development Committee supports the Bill.

Let me say, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle, with your indulgence, that it would be remiss of me, when we are talking about sporting stadiums, not to congratulate Carl Frampton, who today is now the WBA and IBF super-bantamweight world champion. That is a great credit to him, his family and the people here whom he comes from. On behalf of everybody here, I offer our congratulations to Carl and give our best wishes to him and his wife, Christine, and their family so that they may live long to enjoy continued and further success.

Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Londonderry)

I will start where the Chair left off and append my congratulations to Carl Frampton. It was certainly clear on Saturday night that the Ulster boys were making all the noise everywhere they went. We wish him every success for the future.

In acknowledging the progress made thus far with Ms Cochrane's Bill, I will say that the vast majority of the amendments that we are discussing are mainly technical. I do not wish, therefore, to waste time analysing them, as they do not fundamentally or structurally change the Bill.

The 9.00 pm threshold, which has been alluded to several times, was the subject of some scrutiny by the Committee, particularly in respect of the games — quite a few games — at the Kingspan Stadium that commence around 7.00 pm or 7.30 pm and therefore run close to the 9.00 pm threshold. Certainly, if people want to stay on after the game, the 9.00 pm threshold affects them, particularly if they are families, and quite a few of those attending the games are. Therefore, an issue arises of access to alcohol by those under 18 years of age.

The other issue that came up in Committee was residents' concerns, and a number of residents made representations to the Committee. If a large sporting arena is close to a residential development, it is paramount that the organisers of the events liaise closely with residents, if there is a formal residents' structure in the area, to make sure that access to and departure from an event are done promptly and in a manner that does not give rise to concerns among residents. A number of issues, although not directly related to the Bill, are, hopefully, being resolved. The Ulster Rugby people, I understand, are busily engaged in a much more comprehensive discussion with residents, and hopefully that will allay any fears.

The Member tabled a number of technical amendments. There may be one or two other minor amendments that Members may wish to consider in the next day or two, which I am sure we will reach at Further Consideration Stage next week.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

I, too, pass on my congratulations to Carl Frampton. There is a relevance with this legislation in that, at some point, an outdoor stadium may be required for a world title fight. It is important that we update our legislation.

I would like to indicate my continuing general support for the Bill. I am pleased with amendment No 2, which would change the definition of "outdoor stadium", as it removes a degree of ambiguity and enables the Department to produce regulations on the issue. It is an important way to deal with the issue because who knows what may come in the future? By doing it in this fashion, we will future-proof the regulations and allow them to be adjusted if there is a need.

In amendment No 11 the Member has sought to bring forward the commencement date. I understand, as a result of conversations, that that is feasible and that the Act could come into being as of 1 September 2016. Having a firm date is much better than not defining a date. I indicate my support for that.

Like others, I view many of the amendments as minor or technical, and I support them. During the Committee Stage, Ulster Rugby agreed to set up a committee to improve communication with residents. I hope that other outdoor stadiums will follow that initiative to enable them to be aware of and address any issues that might arise with the communities in which they are located.

Stewart Dickson (Alliance, East Antrim)

I am sure that Mrs Cochrane, when embarking on her quest to bring the Bill, did not think that, on the day that we would be having the conversation at Consideration Stage, she would be being congratulated for the work she has done to prepare the Bill, alongside congratulations for Carl Frampton, who has brought incredible glory to Northern Ireland and who is someone we should all be very proud of today.

I am proud of the work that my colleague Mrs Cochrane has done in bringing forward a private Member's Bill. I have seen at close hand the work required to develop that Bill, the amount of time that has been spent on consultation and the very determined way in which she has worked with the Committee. As a member of the Committee, I have to say that the Committee staff and the members of the Committee have reciprocated all of that work in a very professional way.

There are key elements in the Bill, and she has worked very hard to overcome concerns, for example with regard to residents. I also believe that she has comprehensively answered the question in relation to how children and young people below the age of the right to consume alcohol are dealt with in a practical manner inside the stadia. I think that there are great lessons that can be learnt from all of that. I also believe that the way in which the naming of the stadium has been dealt with at clause 2 is helpful to allow the Department to provide for regulation because, as other Members have said, we do not know but we hope that perhaps there will be further improvements to stadia facilities in Northern Ireland. There may be another sport coming along that will want to have an outdoor stadium home, and it would be foolish for us not to include that in the legislation.

It would be remiss of me not to make reference to the comments made by the Chair of the Committee about the need for a comprehensive review of licensing laws in Northern Ireland. While that issue is not necessarily linked to the Bill, I think that the Bill demonstrates the complexity of the existing licensing laws that we have. It demonstrates some of the confusion that there is out there, and, sadly, we have not been able to deal with other organisations that have been knocking on the door of the Committee to have issues for them resolved, for example Drumbo stadium. I believe that there are other ways in which we need to amend our licensing laws, both to protect people in respect of the consumption of alcohol and to allow opportunities for it to be made available where that is appropriate. I am content with the work that my colleague has done on the Bill, and I note that the vast majority of the amendments are of a technical nature.

Sammy Douglas (DUP, Belfast East)

I rise as a member of the Committee for Social Development. I also pay tribute to Carl Frampton. I was watching him fight on Saturday night, and I posted a photograph on Facebook with one word, "Yes". What a great ambassador for Northern Ireland.

Obviously, we are at Consideration Stage, and I pay tribute to Mrs Cochrane for bringing the Bill forward. She has certainly worked very hard on it, and she has been through all the rigours of having been questioned by the Committee at different stages. In fact, on the day of our meeting on 28 January, she had been up the whole night, only getting to bed at 6.30 am. As the Member who spoke previously said, there has been general support for these amendments. When I first saw them, I was quite shocked; but then I realised that they are just technical, so I am very happy to support them.

During the Bill's passage, I raised an issue around the Kingspan operators having some sort of advisory community forum. A number of Members raised that issue. We met the Ravenhill residents group, which raised a number of issues. Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, you will be familiar with one of the issues that I raised. In the past, there have been problems in the Cregagh estate with parking when the stadium was being developed. From speaking to residents, including some of my family who live on the Cregagh estate, I know that the Kingspan officials met a whole range of people and have worked very hard to iron out those problems. I was delighted to hear that they would also set up some sort of community forum advisory group that would include residents from Ravenhill Park and the adjoining Cregagh estate. I was pleased to hear the Committee Chairman say that the GAA is in the process of setting up some sort of community forum, similar to the IFA.

I am happy enough with the amendments, which, as I said, are technical. As my colleague Gregory Campbell said, a few minor amendments may be tabled over the next day or two. I am content with the work that has been done to date and I support the amendments.

Robin Newton (DUP, Belfast East)

As Question Time begins at 2.00 pm, I suggest that the House takes its ease until then. This debate will continue after Question Time, when the next Member to speak will be Mr Jim Allister.

(Mr Deputy Speaker [Mr Beggs] in the Chair)

Oral Answers to Questions — Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Questions 5 and 7 have been withdrawn.

Samuel Gardiner (UUP, Upper Bann)

1. Mr Gardiner asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on proposals relating to age discrimination legislation. (AQO 9721/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Mr Deputy Speaker, with your permission, I will ask junior Minister Jennifer McCann to answer this question.

Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

In remaining committed to eradicating harmful and unjustifiable age discrimination, we developed a consultation document to seek public views on proposals to extend age discrimination legislation. The consultation closed in October last year, and there was a significant response to it. Officials are finalising a comprehensive analysis of the responses to each of the consultation questions to provide us with an overall picture of the views emerging from the consultation process. While many people welcomed our proposals, the responses also present a number of fundamental challenges. We want to consider those responses carefully and make sure that we have agreed a clear and robust policy position before considering all the options available to us for bringing this legislation before the Assembly.

Samuel Gardiner (UUP, Upper Bann)

I thank the Minister for her reply thus far. Can the Minister provide us with an update on the legal complaint from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), complaining about the way OFMDFM has conducted the consultation process?

Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

I can confirm to the Member that on 21 October last year, the Children's Commissioner's office lodged a section 75 pre-complaint letter with OFMDFM. The Department then issued a response to that letter, and NICCY then lodged a formal section 75 complaint in respect of an alleged failure to comply with the Department's equality scheme in this consultation on age-related goods, facilities and services. It is now up to the Equality Commission to decide whether it investigates that complaint.

Chris Lyttle (Alliance, Belfast East)

The Alliance Party supports the extension of anti-age-discrimination legislation to all ages, so I ask the junior Minister what, in her assessment, are the key reasons why OFMDFM will fail to deliver legislation to protect older people from discrimination in the delivery of goods, facilities and services, as was committed to in the Programme for Government.

Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

The Member will be aware, as we have had a number of meetings with the Member and the OFMDFM Committee on this issue. We went out to consultation to find out what people thought of our position. As I said in my previous answer, fundamental issues emerged from the responses to that consultation, with the Children's Commissioner and the Children's Law Centre being involved in taking a formal section 75 complaint about alleged failure to comply with the Department's equality scheme. We are now left in a position where we will look at the consultation responses before we come forward with any robust policy decision on that.

Alex Maskey (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

I thank the junior Minister for her responses so far. Can she elaborate any further on any specific issues that have been raised in the consultation?

Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

While the legislation that we are bringing forward in this area was broadly welcomed by those who responded to the consultation, there were, as I said, a number of fundamental challenges as well. One, from the Commissioner for Children and Young People, expressed disappointment at the exclusion of people under 16 from the scope of any proposed legislation, and that was echoed by other organisations and individuals. A number of respondents also expressed disappointment at the proposed exception to allow financial service providers to continue to use age as part of a risk assessment. So there are fundamental challenges for us in bringing that forward, and we need to listen to what those organisations and individuals have said.

Claire Sugden (Independent, East Londonderry)

I do not believe for one minute that the Department had any intention of introducing the legislation before the end of the mandate. I think that that is a disgrace because, by not doing that, we are failing a significant part of our society. On behalf of the Department, will the junior Minister put on record its commitment to move that legislation as soon as possible in the new mandate?

Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

I certainly will put that on record.

John Dallat (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

2. Mr Dallat asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister how much money they have allocated to the Strategic Investment Board for the delivery of the Together: Building a United Community Urban Villages programme. (AQO 9722/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I will ask junior Minister McCann to answer this question.

Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

We have allocated £2·1 million to the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) for the delivery of the Urban Villages programme in 2015-16. That funding covers staffing costs for the SIB team and revenue funding for scoping and early engagement work in each urban village. These activities include capacity building; working with children and young people; and a series of creative and educational projects being taken forward by organisations such as National Museums, Libraries NI, NI Screen, and the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium.

The urban village team is currently undertaking a programme of engagement within each of the five urban villages, and stakeholder engagement workshops are taking pace until next month. The outcome of that engagement will be the creation of an integrated development framework for each urban village, which will detail the capital and revenue projects identified from the extensive stakeholder engagement.

John Dallat (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

The Minister will no doubt be aware that, in a couple of weeks' time, Members of the Assembly will go on the hustings to give an account of themselves. Does she seriously believe that enough has been done to build our communities? Given that only one peace wall has fallen, this really has been cooked in a darkened room.

Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

I am not really sure what the Member's supplementary question is, but I have indicated to him the amount of money that has been spent on Urban Villages thus far. Quite a lot of work has been done already on the one in the Bogside and Fountain area of Derry, which, although not in the Member's constituency is in his immediate area. We have also brought money into communities through the social investment fund. So, I think that there has been a lot of investment in the community infrastructure. Indeed, I have seen at first hand some of the work done as a result of money provided by the strategic investment fund and Together: Building a United Community. Two weeks ago on Saturday, I was at a seminar where hundreds of young people who took part in the United Youth programme and summer camps came together to meet people from different communities, sometimes for the first time in their life. They came together to build friendships and relationships that will, hopefully, last a lifetime and lead to reconciliation. So, a lot of work has been done through that particular strategy.

Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Londonderry)

The junior Minister referred to work being done in various areas, including Londonderry. Is she able to give the House and the wider community any idea of where she sees the community across Northern Ireland being in, say, five years' time, at the end of the next Assembly mandate, after the Together: Building a United Community programme has had a chance to roll out?

Jennifer McCann (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

As I said in my previous answer, I and the other junior Minister have been going out and speaking directly to, in particular, young people from the United Youth programme and the summer camps, as well as people in the Urban Villages who are going to be in shared housing and shared education. I would like to think that that work will be taken forward in the next mandate. I think that it is very important work, particularly for young people in our community. We need to show leadership and the way forward for people to be able to come together. We have built peace, but now we need to build reconciliation. I am hopeful that that will continue with the Together: Building a United Community strategy. That is not the only strategy; other things need to be done as well. It is about basing it on equality and equality of opportunity, particularly for all our children and young people.

Bronwyn McGahan (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

3. Ms McGahan asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their assessment of the proposed date for a referendum on membership of the European Union. (AQO 9723/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The proposed referendum date is Thursday 23 June. That will leave just six weeks between the Assembly election and the EU referendum. A considerable part of the referendum campaign will run in parallel with our local elections. A lot is at stake, and clarity is needed to fully explore the implications of staying in or leaving the European Union. We would have preferred that the debate leading up to the referendum be kept free of other campaigning distractions. In a joint letter with the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, we made our concerns known to the Prime Minister. The First Minister and I will meet the Foreign Secretary in London tomorrow, and we will press him for an informed public debate on the referendum, conducted in commonplace language that is clearly understood by all.

Bronwyn McGahan (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Go raibh maith agat. I thank the Minister for his response. What damage does he feel would result from an exit from the EU?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

This will obviously be a huge debate over the next weeks and, indeed, months. People have said that, if there was a decision to exit Europe, we would effectively be walking into the unknown. The reality for us is that we have received significant support from the European Union, and we would, for example, lose access to the structural funds, which were something in the region of £982 million over the period 2014 to 2020. That is made up of things like the European regional development fund, INTERREG, Peace IV and the European social fund. Common agricultural policy funding is worth approximately £2·5 billion in 2014-2020, and we would lose access to competitive EU funding, which, in the four years from 2011-12 to 2014-15, amounted to £95 million. So there are implications.

When we have to answer questions of this nature in the Assembly, particularly from the perspective of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, I am always very conscious that there will be differences of opinion at times about how we should answer them. I say that respectful of the positions of other parties, like, for example, the DUP. Everybody is obviously entitled to their position in the debate. My sense of it is that we would lose out considerably for our farming community, our business community and the work that is going on in our universities. A lot of parties in the Assembly have expressed their opinions, and we await with interest what the Ulster Unionists have to say. It will be a big debate in the time ahead.

Alex Attwood (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast West)

Does the deputy First Minister agree that the fact that the Prime Minister was in Northern Ireland at the weekend demonstrates that the votes of people in Northern Ireland will be critical come the June referendum? In that regard, as things stand, it seems that many farmers, many in small and medium-sized enterprises, many in the CBI and many in the community and voluntary sector — indeed, a critical mass of people in Northern Ireland — are very clearly in favour of staying in Europe.

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I think that the Member is correct. It is certainly my view that there is no doubt that the strength of opinion in the North among the business community, farming organisations, the community and voluntary sector, the universities, educational establishments and, of course, the majority of parties in the Assembly is for staying in Europe. David Cameron was here at the weekend. Boris Johnson was here this morning, and the First Minister and I met him in what was a good news story with the £62 million investment in 200 more buses from Wrightbus that will secure jobs for 300 people for the next short while. During our visit to Antrim this morning, the media were very focused on the fact that he was here and on his views and opinions. He was asked about it, the First Minister was asked about it and I was asked about it, and we all stated our positions. I am in the "stay in" camp, and I think that the damage that would be done to us in the North and to the island of Ireland by an exit from Europe makes a compelling case for staying in. Look at the number of organisations and political parties in the North who are in favour of staying in. I believe that, when it comes to a vote, an overwhelming majority will vote to stay.

Kieran McCarthy (Alliance, Strangford)

Does the deputy First Minister not think that, given the obvious rejection by the British Prime Minister of your and the First Minister's request, as well as the request from Scotland and Wales, for a meeting to postpone the date of the referendum, he will be snubbed once again as regards a request for another meeting?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The meeting that the First Minister and I are attending tomorrow is with the Foreign Secretary in London. Obviously, the joint letter that we sent with Wales and Scotland was not favourably received by the Prime Minister, who appears hell-bent on going ahead with the referendum in June. However, the die is cast, and we now have to deal with the ongoing debate that will run over that period. There is a very real danger that the debate will become a Punch and Judy show between the British Prime Minister and Boris Johnson. That debate will continue over the next number of months. The debate is very important because the implications of an exit from Europe, for us in the North and for the island of Ireland are very profound.

Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

Leaving aside the novelty of the deputy First Minister and Sinn Féin campaigning on a "Brits in" platform, does he at least acknowledge the fact that every penny that we receive from Europe is just some of our own money coming back to us, because we in this nation — the United Kingdom — are a huge net contributor?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I acknowledge that all sorts of figures have been bandied about in recent times to reinforce the arguments of certain individuals. What I am arguing is very clear and simple: any exit from Europe would be hugely detrimental to our farmers, our business community, our educational establishments and the community and voluntary sector, as well as to the island of Ireland as a whole. My interest in the debate relates to what is good for every one of Ireland's 32 counties, including the six that reside here in the North.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Lagan Valley)

4. Mr Poots asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, given the planned reduction in corporation tax, to outline how they will promote the local economy internationally. (AQO 9724/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The sustainability of the local economy is the core of our Programme for Government. It is important to recognise that, since 2011, in the face of a global economic collapse, the Executive have succeeded in growing our economy. Over 40,000 new jobs have been created over the past five years, with almost 10,000 in the last year alone. Retaining those jobs and continuing to attract new opportunities continues to be a priority, especially in light of the recent devastating news at Bombardier. Next month, the First Minister and I will visit the United States and will use that opportunity to promote local businesses and the advent of a reduced corporation tax at a series of meetings with prospective investors on the east and west coasts. Our itinerary will include one-to-one meetings with senior executives from companies across a full range of sectors, including two major speaking opportunities with CEO-level contacts in New York and Silicon Valley, California.

We have taken a long-term view on promoting our position with targeted regions around the world, and the establishment of bureaux in Washington DC, Brussels and Beijing is a clear signal of the Executive's commitment to this strategy. Through their work in collaboration with Invest NI, I am confident that we will continue to attract further foreign direct investment and new jobs.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Lagan Valley)

Does the deputy First Minister recognise that quality people are a key aspect of selling ourselves internationally and that, therefore, training and universities are of huge importance? What commitment can he give that the universities and training sector, which has come under huge pressures in the last two years in particular, will be given the support that it needs to give international investors a quality workforce so that ordinary local working-class people who do not have jobs will be trained and well placed to receive those jobs?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I absolutely agree with the Member. In a very successful five- to six-year period, when the previous First Minister and I, along with the then Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister — now the First Minister — travelled extensively to the United States, we successfully brought more foreign direct investment to the North than at any other time in the history of the state. That was a remarkable achievement, given that we did it in a world economic downturn. The Member is correct: if we are to continue to be successful, particularly in the context of a lower rate of corporation tax, it is vital that we support our educational establishments so that we produce sufficient numbers of people with the skills to take advantage of the opportunities that will clearly be presented.

The First Minister and I are very focused on the issue. Obviously, in the aftermath of the Assembly election, with the reduction in the number of Departments from 12 to nine, we are amalgamating the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment with the Department for Employment and Learning. That sends a clear signal of the need to ensure a joined-up approach to attracting foreign direct investment and providing potential investors with the skills that they require.

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Féin, Belfast South)

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Mo bhuíochas fosta leis an LeasChéad-Aire.

My thanks to the deputy First Minister for his answers. You mentioned the importance of the US, and you head to the US shortly. I was in New York at the weekend, and you will be happy to know that our friends in business and Irish-American politics are looking forward to your upcoming visit. I am too diplomatic to say that they are more interested in the fact that the First Minister will make her first visit as First Minister.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Will the Member come to his question please?

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Féin, Belfast South)

Perhaps you could tell us about the importance of that visit and your trip to the west coast.

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

As I said in the previous answer, the First Minister and I absolutely appreciate the contribution that North America has made and the support that we have received. I am particularly delighted that Drew O'Brien of the State Department will arrive later this week with a high-powered delegation of people who are looking at potential opportunities. When you consider that the vast bulk of our foreign direct investment has come from the US, meeting potential investors in the United States is very important.

The conversation on corporation tax is a vital one, given that there will be intense interest. The previous First Minister and I, on the occasions that we were in the United States over many years, had conversations with some of the highest-profile business people in the world, and the question of our continuing involvement in Europe always came up. No doubt that will be a feature of the conversation when we go there. I still think that the First Minister and I have a compelling case to make about the potential opportunities that are there not just for potential investors but for us in getting our young people into employment, which is a vital consideration for all of us as we move forward.

Dolores Kelly (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Upper Bann)

The deputy First Minister will, I am sure, agree with me that, when international investors look to locate here, they want to look at quality-of-life issues as well and the availability of public services. Does he join me in calling for greater investment in our public services, across health and education, as those are key factors that investors consider when looking to establish a business in the North?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I agree with the Member: it is vital. Quality of life has an impact on those who come to explore potential investment in this part of the world. Education is critical to that. That is why we hope that the returns from our visit to the United States will be considerable, given that we have predicted that, if, on the basis of affordability, we can reduce the rate of corporation tax to 12·5%, we can create something between 30,000 and 37,000 new jobs, That is absolutely vital for employment for our young people and those currently out of work.

As we go forward, we will have to deal with the challenges that an increased interest in potential investment in the North poses for us. The Member is right to identify the issue of skills: skills are of critical importance. That means that we have to ensure that the education establishments are well equipped and well enough funded to ensure that we have the output to meet companies' needs. The point that I made earlier is also hugely significant: a very clear declaration of our intent to do something about that is the amalgamation of DEL and DETI into the Department for the Economy.

Danny Kennedy (UUP, Newry and Armagh)

Given the uncertainty of the outcome of the general election in the Republic of Ireland and the fact that we are now in the dying days of the Obama Administration in Washington, what is the likelihood of meaningful engagement with the American Administration around St Patrick's Day?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The Member mentions the election south of the border. I am, of course, delighted that our party performed very well, with an increase in our vote of something like 50% and a new batch of young TDs. I am particularly delighted that there are quite a number of women among them.

It is my sense that forming a Government in the South will probably be a lengthy process, with no Government being formed until some time after Easter. My sense is that it will be some sort of arrangement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil — either a grand coalition or a willingness by Fianna Fáil to support a minority Fine Gael Government. It is still very unknown to all of us how it will work out in the period ahead. It is a scenario that impacts on all of us, but, no doubt, the Taoiseach will travel to the United States. The First Minister and I are meeting President Obama, and we will obviously have a conversation with the Taoiseach while we are there.

The US is of huge importance to all of us, and I do not think that, given the support that we have received from it over many years, there is a party in the House that does not accept that. The US has been absolutely invaluable to the peace process and to how we develop our economy in a way that delivers benefits to our people. It is therefore hugely significant, but I do not think that President Obama leaving the White House, as he will do at the end of the year, will change the American attitude to the North. They will retain that interest, whether it be former Secretary of State Clinton in the White House as president or, God forbid, Donald Trump.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Question 5 has been withdrawn.

Karen McKevitt (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

6. Mrs McKevitt asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline the rationale for retaining the role of junior Minister in the Executive Office, given the proposed reallocation of functions in the Departments Bill. (AQO 9726/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The junior Ministers in OFMDFM will cease to hold office on 5 May, the date of the Assembly election. No decisions have yet been taken on the appointment of junior Ministers to the future Executive Office or to any other Department following the planned restructuring. Such decisions will be informed by an assessment of the responsibilities and business needs of each Minister.

Karen McKevitt (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

Does the Minister anticipate the role of the junior Minister changing or evolving in the Department?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Given the decisions that we took in the Fresh Start Agreement on the reduction in the number of Departments and given the number of areas of responsibility that we have given over to other new Departments, we will have to give serious consideration, first and foremost, to whether we need junior Ministers in the Executive Office or whether they might be better employed supporting bigger Departments, such as the Department of Health or the Department for the Economy.

That will have to be considered over the next while. Of course, the duty and responsibility to finalise an approach on how we utilise the presence or otherwise of junior Ministers will fall to whoever has responsibility to take the Executive forward in the aftermath of the Assembly elections.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

That is the end of our period for listed questions. We now move on to 15 minutes of topical questions.

Seán Rogers (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

T1. Mr Rogers asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether the Executive have discussed or have plans for trade missions in Great Britain and Europe. (AQT 3561/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

We are always very focused, particularly through Invest and the work of the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, to engage everywhere with all those who potentially are interested in trading with us. Obviously, it is back to the whole debate around Brexit; the amount of trade that takes place between this part of the world and Europe is absolutely phenomenal. The work that we are involved in obviously centres around our office in Brussels. We opened a new bureau about a year ago in Beijing in China. Of course, the bureau in Washington works consistently on our behalf and is very connected to Invest NI in terms of its trade missions. That work is ongoing all the time. Invest is very much involved in ensuring that, wherever there are opportunities, whether in Britain, Europe, the United States, the Far East or China, we have the ability to move at very short notice to ensure that we take advantage of them.

Seán Rogers (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

Thank you for that answer. Given the visit of the Prime Minister last weekend and his failure to acknowledge that 23 June is not a great time for a referendum, does OFMDFM have any plans to meet him to discuss the deal that he got out of Europe?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Obviously, "the deal" — I put that in inverted commas — has been put out there by the British Prime Minister. The die is cast. Quite clearly, there is going to be a public debate about that over the next while. I do not know what the opinion polls are saying about how narrow the vote is between in and out, but, going back to the question from your colleague MLA Attwood, I think he made a fair point when he said that, in the context of this being a very close-run thing, the votes of people in Scotland and here in the North of Ireland are going to be very important. That is why it is unavoidable for us to not have a debate around the issue of in or out. From our perspective, those who will argue to stay in will be making the case that as many people as possible who subscribe to that agenda should go out and vote for it. Likewise, respecting the position of other parties, an opposite argument will be made. At the end of the day, it will be a democratic decision of the people, but I hope that it is a democratic decision in big numbers to stay in.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Question 2 has been withdrawn.

Ian McCrea (DUP, Mid Ulster)

T3. Mr I McCrea asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to state how far the deputy First Minister's condemnation goes of the disgraceful attack on the Teebane memorial during the weekend. (AQT 3563/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I was unaware that there was an attack, but, if that is the case, I unreservedly condemn it. Anybody in our society who believes that that makes any useful contribution to moving away from conflict and towards a normal society is mistaken. Those engaged in such activities are enemies of us all, in my view.

Ian McCrea (DUP, Mid Ulster)

We have heard the deputy First Minister's words of condemnation — rightly, I believe — but will the deputy First Minister condemn outright those who took part in this disgraceful, murderous attack on people in my constituency? What steps will he take to ensure that, long after this event — 24 years ago on 17 January — those responsible are brought to justice?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

That brings us into the whole area of how we deal with the past and its legacy. During the Fresh Start negotiations, we made huge strides forward by agreeing the mechanism and structures that were required to deal with that. Obviously, we have a problem with the whole issue of disclosure and the British Government's approach to it. The Secretary of State has, on a number of occasions over the last number of weeks, expressed her belief that this can be resolved. I hope that it is, because victims on all sides of the community deserve to see those institutions up and running and the menu of options that many of them seek made available to them.

Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

T4. Mr Allister asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether the deputy First Minister intends, by way of example to other IRA men, to provide information to the information retrieval commission when it is established. (AQT 3564/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

That brings us back, once again, to the negotiations we participated in prior to Christmas and the huge progress made. There is not much point in establishing an organisation like the independent commission for information retrieval, or the other organisations that we agreed to, if we do not encourage people to participate, thereby ensuring that families who have been victims of the conflict get some information and the resolution that they seek.

Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

If that is so, perhaps the deputy First Minister will answer the question. Will he, as an officer commanding in the IRA, lead by example and give information to the information retrieval commission, if it is to afford any hope to the many innocent victims of his IRA?

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

On a number of occasions, I have made it clear that Sinn Féin policy was to argue for the establishment of an independent, international truth commission. We did not achieve that, but what we have done is compromise on the structures and mechanisms that we agreed on prior to Christmas. I further make the point that there is not much point in establishing them if people are not prepared to go forward. If I am required to go forward on any point of relevance to me, I am absolutely willing to do so.

Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

Will you also tell the police what you did?

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Order. Conor Murphy is not in his place. I call Barry McElduff.

Barry McElduff (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

T6. Mr McElduff asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether the deputy First Minister and OFMDFM share the serious concerns of many people in the Greencastle/Rousky/Gortin area of County Tyrone about a proposal to locate a cyanide processing plant at the heart of the community in that area. (AQT 3566/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

As the Member knows, I am very aware of the deep and genuinely held concerns, shared by many people, regarding the potential environmental impacts on the locality, particularly from the use of cyanide to extract gold from ore mined in the Sperrin Mountains in a proposed processing plant. Although the issue has not come before the Executive, it is clear that these concerns need to be addressed fully, openly and inclusively, involving all the communities affected by any potential environmental or health implications for the area.

Barry McElduff (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

I thank the deputy First Minister for his answer. What engagement has he had, or will he have, with the community? Indeed, what contact will his office have with the community in the Greencastle/Rousky/Gortin area regarding the issue? I note that there is very serious concern about the impact on public health and the environment generally.

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I was pleased to meet representatives of the local communities, including a meeting on 15 February. Having spoken with them, I have no doubt whatever that their concerns are genuine and are motivated by the best interests of their communities. This has developed into a neuralgic issue for the local community. We have to ensure that the interests of local communities are protected, particularly when concerns are raised about the use of materials that could be detrimental not just to the environment but to people's health.

Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Londonderry)

T7. Mr Campbell asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline the likely progress over the next few months with regard to the panel on paramilitarism. (AQT 3567/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The First Minister and I met the panel just a few weeks ago. The panel is effectively beginning its work. They have already touched base with a number of key sectors and stakeholders. We will look forward to receiving their report when their work is completed. They are now effectively up and running, and we wholeheartedly support the work that they are involved in. We hope that it will bring to the fore what is an important debate, which is for whatever armed organisations are out there to recognise that they make no contribution whatever to our society other than a detrimental one. We need to see coming out of the panel's report something that will be a further discouragement to groups that, in a foolish and misguided way, think that they can destroy these institutions and effectively plunge us back to the past. That is not an agenda that the First Minister and I have any intention whatever of kowtowing to.

Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Londonderry)

The deputy First Minister refers to detrimental contributions by paramilitarism. Would he not agree with me that that has always been the case? It does not hold much water when, every time that I and others have indicated to him his past involvement in paramilitary groups, which was equally detrimental, he has denied involvement in or knowledge of every incident mentioned to hime, which leaves people with the conclusion that he was the most overpromoted —

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Would the Member come to his question?

Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Londonderry)

— Second in command (2IC) in paramilitary history in the history of the world.

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Is it not just as well for all of the people out there, who we represent, that I am not as bitter as the Member who has just spoken? I spent a year in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister with Ian Paisley during which we built up not just a good working relationship but a friendship that lasted until the day he died. We had many conversations about many things. I know that the Member held the Reverend Ian Paisley in a very high regard: in all the conversations that Ian Paisley and I had, not once did we recriminate about anything — not once. In the eight years that I worked with Peter Robinson in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, all that we were interested in was making this place work, making the Executive work, delivering for our people, getting jobs, trying to improve people's lifestyles and standing together against the activities of those who would plunge us back to the past.

I just think that it is a pity that we still have small-minded MLAs in the Assembly. One of them has just spoken, and another spoke a very short time ago. Fortunately for all of us in the Assembly, the vast majority of people are not like that.

[Interruption.]

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Order. Question 8 has been withdrawn. As Mr McNarry is not in his place, I call John McCallister.

John McCallister (UUP, South Down)

I am sure that the deputy First Minister will be keen to have as much contact as possible with the incoming Irish Government.

John McCallister (UUP, South Down)

T10. Mr McCallister asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether, in light of the Irish election results, the deputy First Minister thinks the d'Hondt process should be exported to enable an Irish Government to be populated. (AQT 3570/11-16)

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Is it not interesting that our institutions are the most stable institutions on the island at the moment?

[Interruption.]

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Order.

Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

On radio interviews over the weekend, I heard people make the same proposition that the Member for South Down has just made.

Obviously, the political landscape in the South has changed. Going into the election, we were the fourth-largest political party; we are now the third-largest political party, with a batch of new TDs. That opportunity has to be used sensibly. It is my sense that we will see a Government formed, probably around Easter or after. If that is the case, it appears to be shaping up to be the Fine Gael party and the Fianna Fáil party coming together. That in itself would represent a dramatic development, given that, for the first time in elections south of the border, both those parties recorded less than 50% of the vote. The landscape is changing fairly dramatically.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

I ask Members to take their ease for a few moments.

(Mr Speaker in the Chair)

Oral Answers to Questions — Culture, Arts and Leisure

Mitchel McLaughlin (Speaker, South Antrim)

Mrs Pam Cameron is not in her place.

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

2. Mr Clarke asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure whether her Department has provided any financial assistance for promoting pigeon clubs. (AQO 9737/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I thank the Member for his question. My Department and Sport NI have had a number of meetings with representatives of the NI pigeon association and Robin Swann MLA to explore options regarding funding, the recognition of pigeon racing as a sport, charitable status, rates relief and other avenues of support that may be available. The process to formally recognise an activity as a sport is the responsibility of the four sports councils. At present, Sport NI and the sports councils in England, Scotland and Wales do not recognise pigeon racing as a sport. Any application to recognise the activity as a sport would have to be agreed. In addition to meeting representatives of the NI pigeon association, my officials met the Charity Commission to explore the implications for pigeon clubs seeking charitable status and subsequently provided advice and guidance to the association.

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

I thank the Minister for that answer. I was not aware of the issue until it was raised, and I am glad that my colleague from North Antrim has raised the issue of pigeon clubs; I did not understand the value of it. However, Minister, in your answer, you did not allude to what your Department will do to recognise it as a sport, a step that could open more avenues for the clubs. Will you outline what your Department will do to help recognise pigeon racing as a sport?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

The association has been advised by my officials — I think that it has been happy with the advice given thus far — on the procedures for recognition and the processes to go through with Sport NI. In the interim, we are looking at getting the Charity Commission to give them support. They are happy with the support they have been given. It has been a long time in the making, and, at least, I am trying to do something about it.

Leslie Cree (UUP, North Down)

Is the Minister surprised that the DUP is interested in promoting pigeon clubs when they voted recently against rates relief for community and amateur sports clubs?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I can feel an election coming on. I am not for one minute comfortable with getting into an argument between the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party: I prefer to watch from a distance.

Certainly, it is good that everyone is, at last, trying to recognise the work of the pigeon association. The people involved in that have been lobbying for some time to get that recognition, regardless of the position on rates relief for sports clubs.

That is a positive step forward. In particular, I commend the Member's party colleague Robin Swann for his work. I hope that, when the recognition proceeds, that will also enjoy full party support.

Alastair Ross (DUP, East Antrim)

3. Mr Ross asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline the programmes her Department has to develop rugby at grass-roots level. (AQO 9738/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I thank the Member for his question. Responsibility for the development of grass-roots rugby here rests in the first instance with the governing body for the sport, the Irish Rugby Football Union, through its Ulster branch, Ulster Rugby. Since April 2010, my Department has provided over £1·6 million to rugby through a number of funding programmes to assist in the development of the sport, at grass-roots level in particular. The performance focus programme provides funding to Ulster Rugby to improve the quality of coaches and provide participation programmes in the game of rugby in clubs and schools. Active Communities is a Sport NI National Lottery-funded initiative that aims to increase participation in sport and physical recreation in communities across the North. Since April 2009, the funding provided to rugby through that programme has resulted in over 42,000 participants, including girls, young and older people and those with disabilities, taking part in the sport.

Funding was also provided to rugby from the Active Awards for Sport programme towards costs such as equipment, coach education, coaching fees and venue hire. In addition, within the current financial year, my Department has allocated an additional £114,000 of funding through promoting equality, tackling poverty and social exclusion through Ulster Rugby, with the key objectives of increasing rugby participation in school-age children, encouraging more young girls to get involved in the sport, creating fitness development programmes and developing club opportunities that cater for individuals with disabilities.

Alastair Ross (DUP, East Antrim)

I thank the Minister for a comprehensive answer. I am sure that she will agree that, with the Women's Rugby World Cup coming to these shores next summer and, indeed, the under-19 women's football championships, there is a real opportunity to get increased participation amongst young women and girls, in particular, in sport. What does the Minister intend to do in the run-up to that, and as a legacy of those events, to make sure that we get more females participating in sport, particularly rugby?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

The Member is right: it was a comprehensive answer. He will have heard from the answer that a substantial amount of money is provided to Ulster Rugby, particularly given the work that it does at grass-roots level, including its work with young women and girls. It is important that that continues, not only because of the events that the Member mentioned, such as under-19 soccer for women, which we are giving support to and which, I believe, the Executive will be giving support to, as it does excellent work, but because of Ulster Rugby. It has gone to the communities surrounding Ravenhill, now Kingspan, and worked with hard-to-reach communities. That legacy in those communities and, indeed, in schools across the board is exemplary. I believe that the funding that we have invested in Ulster Rugby is well spent.

Oliver McMullan (Sinn Féin, East Antrim)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I thank the Minister for her answers. Can she be sure that rugby is being developed at all grass-roots levels across the North?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

Yes, I am assured of that. Sport NI's Active Communities programme has made a significant contribution, but I believe that the credit must go to Ulster Rugby and everyone involved in it through community groups, and in schools and clubs. There are Active Communities rugby coaches in the council areas of Antrim and Newtownabbey; Belfast; Mid Ulster; Lisburn and Castlereagh; Newry, Mourne and Down; Ards and North Down; Derry City and Strabane; and Fermanagh and Omagh. I believe that that is as broad and wide-reaching as you will get. Once again, I put on record the work that Ulster Rugby, Ulster GAA and the IFA have done with this fund. It has been nothing short of remarkable, given some of the work that they are picking up from other bodies and agencies. They are now bringing a more comprehensive approach to rugby across the North.

Cathal Ó hOisín (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

4. Mr Ó hOisín asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline the cost of the repairs required to the MAC in Belfast. (AQO 9739/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I thank the Member for his question. The total cost of the repairs required for the MAC facade and pipework is estimated at £938,000. Indeed, it is almost £1 million. That figure includes the replacement of the stone facade and pipework as well as the cost for management and supervision of the works, which include professional and legal fees.

The cost of addressing the outstanding building snag list is being assessed, but it is estimated to be in the region of £160,000 to £180,000. Remedial work was carried out to the roof following recent dislodgement of the aluminium panel. The cost to date of that work is approximately £5,000, but the full cost is still being assessed. The cost to date of repairing the lintels, lantern, pipework, installation of the fall-arrest-system netting and the erection of scaffolding is currently at £55,000.

To date, approximately £28,000 has been spent on the various reports commissioned to address the defects identified in the building.

Cathal Ó hOisín (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an fhreagra sin. I thank the Minister for her answer. Can she outline any reports of inspections that took place on the MAC during construction work there?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

There have been various reports certainly going into some of the problems that I outlined in my answer to the Member's primary question. Certainly, Ground Check Limited was commissioned to undertake an inspection of the stone cladding to the facade of the MAC. That inspection was carried out in April 2015. Ground Check was also commissioned to undertake a descaling operation to remove damaged or defective pieces of stone from the facade of the MAC.

In July 2015, Access Rescue Consulting at Height (ARCH) was commissioned to carry out a survey of the facade to check the safety of the netting and identify potentially loose material. ARCH is engaged on an ongoing basis to carry out regular checks to the facade. In September 2015, Consarc Design Group was commissioned to review the condition of the external stone work. Again, in January 2016, during exceptionally high winds, as the Member will be aware, a panel was dislodged from the MAC's roof. It took an immediate inspection to secure it. In February 2016, BuroHappold provided a report on defective pipework that has also been discovered.

Gordon Dunne (DUP, North Down)

I thank the Minister for her answers. I think that we are all concerned that an award-winning building is now literally falling apart. Does the Minister agree that the public should not pay twice for that work at a cost of almost £1 million? I understand that the contractor has gone out of business. Will she give us an assurance that all will be done to try to recover those costs and to ensure that this occurrence will not happen again?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I certainly agree with the Member: it is regrettable that almost £1 million of public money is being spent certainly not only to carry out repairs but to cover some of the outstanding healthy and safety related work. I assure the Member, and indeed every Member, that my Department, through the Arts Council, will pursue, as much as possible, full recovery of the money. It is an award-winning building, and many people have gone through its doors. This has certainly raised a lot of concern, particularly given the amount of money that was spent from the public purse in the first instance.

Sandra Overend (UUP, Mid Ulster)

I thank the Minister for her response. Can she provide an update on the legal situation with respect to essential repairs at the MAC, which were due at the end of the month? Considering that today is a leap day, they have had an extra day.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

Certainly, there are have been many reports, which I outlined to Cathal Ó hOisín. Reports on the legal situation and indeed others, particularly with regard to the last point that was raised by Mr Gordon Dunne, are still being pursued. When those reports are in front of me, they will certainly go very quickly to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure, and I will ensure that they are copied to the Member for information as well. It is unfortunate that, given the amount of money that was spent on the MAC, we are now having to invest additional scarce moneys from the public purse to repair a building that really should not need so many repairs, given that it is quite a young building. Those reports will go to the Committee and certainly to the Member thereafter.

Raymond McCartney (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

5. Mr McCartney asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure for an update on the subregional stadia programme for soccer consultation. (AQO 9740/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I thank the Member for his question. The subregional stadia programme for soccer 12-week consultation, as the Member will be aware, commenced on 30 November 2015 and ran until 22 February 2016. During that period, consultation events were held in Craigavon, Ballymena, Belfast, Omagh and Derry to seek views and feedback from stakeholders. I am content that there have been over 1,100 responses to the consultation. That demonstrates the level of interest in the subregional programme. A report detailing the responses is currently being prepared, and I intend to publish it as soon as possible, subject to requests for confidentiality. Careful and detailed consideration and analysis of the responses, as I mentioned, is now being undertaken and will help to inform the final programme going forward. I want to acknowledge and thank all those who have taken the time to respond to the consultation.

Raymond McCartney (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an fhreagra sin. I thank the Minister for her answer and welcome the consultation and the interest. As we take this forward, will there be some sort of regional programme, particularly for GAA and rugby? In light of the 2023 World Cup, will there be some sort of joint ventures to ensure that we can bring that to Ireland?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

To take the Member's last point first, the Executive have endorsed the Rugby 2023 World Cup bid, and I believe that that commitment still stands. In relation to the consultation that went out into the subregional programme, we already knew before the consultation started that there would never be enough money to cover all the needs, particularly going across the whole of the North. To that end, we already commenced a full business case to look at a phase 2 subregional programme for soccer and a phase 1 subregional programme for GAA and rugby. I do not anticipate that business case being ready until late spring or early summer.

William Humphrey (DUP, Belfast North)

Will the Minister join with me, since we share a constituency, in congratulating Carl Frampton on his great victory on Saturday night in uniting the IBF and WBA titles in Manchester? In relation to regional stadia, does the Minister envisage government money being used to upgrade the Brandywell Stadium in Londonderry?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

There is no funding from my Department going to the upgrade of the Brandywell. Any funds that I put in were around Daisyfield and the Showgrounds. I believe that Derry City Football Club has applied to other Departments, and I wish it well in that. I accept the Member's sentiments in congratulating Carl Frampton, but I also congratulate Conrad Cummings, Ryan Burnett, Marco McCullough and Luke Wilton. I believe that the work that those boxers have done has been exemplary. They are role models for a lot of young men and women going forward in the world of boxing.

Gerard Diver (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

Are the moneys to fund the subregional stadia programme going forward likely to come from the £100 million borrowing that was agreed at Stormont House?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I appreciate that the Member is relatively new here, but the subregional soccer money was already built in to an Executive decision that was made in March 2011. Anticipation of additional needs for the three sporting bodies will mean a fresh bid, but the £36 million for the subregional programme, which is a remainder of the £62 million, is coming from this mandate. The programme has attracted a lot of attention. There is a lot of demand out there, and even in the Member's constituency, you can see a coming together of clubs in relation not only to promoting sport but promoting health and well-being and physical activity with local groups and communities. I believe that that is the way forward.

Maeve McLaughlin (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

6. Ms Maeve McLaughlin asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline her Department's investment in the music academy and Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin. (AQO 9741/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I thank the Member for her question. Between 2007 and 2009, DCAL provided a total of £483,000 towards the construction of Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin through the north-west challenge fund. In 2014-15, through the north-west social and economic development programme, I allocated £150,000 towards the refurbishment of the Manse building at 35 Great James Street to establish an Acadamh Ceoil — a music academy — which officially opened at the beginning of this month. The project was part of my continuing commitment to establishing a legacy from the City of Culture across the north-west. In addition, an Gaeláras, which manages Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin and, indeed, the music academy, has received support through the Arts Council's annual funding programme of £139,000 in each of the years towards the last financial year.

Maeve McLaughlin (Sinn Féin, Foyle)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I thank the Minister for her answer and, indeed, for the focus she has had on Derry and the north-west for quite a number of years. Will she confirm how much DCAL has invested in the north-west since the City of Culture ended in 2014?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

The Member will be aware that the City of Culture for 2013 received £12·8 million, and, between January 2014 and March 2015, I secured more than £6 million. That includes more than £2·5 million for resource and £3·5 million for capital. Since the announcement of the legacy programme, an additional £2·2 million has gone in, bringing that up to a total of £7·92 million. That is over £20 million in the Member's constituency.

Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Londonderry)

7. Mr Campbell asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline her plans to develop the sport of rowing and build on the success of Coleraine rowers in the Olympic Games of 2012. (AQO 9742/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I thank the Member for his question. Responsibility for developing the sport of rowing and building on the successes of the 2012 Olympic rowers from Coleraine rests, in the first instance, with the governing body. My Department and Sport NI have worked very closely with the Ulster branch of Rowing Ireland and local rowing clubs, including Bann Rowing Club, to provide financial and practical support to further develop rowing. In the last five financial years up to March last year, Sport NI invested almost £1 million in rowing, which is an average of £200,000 per year. That is a significant increase from the investment in the three years prior to that, 2007-2010, when the total investment was £256,000.

Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Londonderry)

Does the Minister agree that the sport of rowing yielded a very considerable haul at the last Olympics through Alan Campbell, who is no relation of mine, and the Chambers brothers, and that the developing sport now means that younger rowers are coming on exceptionally well? Does she also agree that we want to see more gold medals for Britain on the podium at the next Olympics?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I would like to see gold medals for every nation that competes, and I know that Bann Rowing Club has a very strong cross-community ethos that is reflected not only in its athletes but in the whole community. I would actually say that most people, regardless of which country or nation an athlete chooses to represent, think those athletes deserve all our support. Bann Rowing Club has done a great job. It does exemplary work in that sport and, outside that, builds and develops good relations in the constituency.

John Dallat (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

I am sure it was an omission or error on the part of Gregory Campbell to forget to mention that Bann Rowing Club has represented Ireland, as well as Britain, in events. Will the Minister assure us that future athletes who may also wish to represent Ireland or Britain will, in fact, have the finance to encourage them, given that rowing is not marbles and is an expensive sport to participate in?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I think the Member would recognise and accept that, since coming into this Department, I have had to be very consistent in my support for every athlete, regardless of who they decide to represent. That should be the case for every MLA in the Chamber. It is hard enough to have the commitment and discipline and to make sacrifices to compete without people here making silly political points that do not reflect where people are at.

I believe that the work that Bann Rowing Club has done in not only Coleraine but right across this island has been respected and accepted by all rowing clubs. I congratulate the club on its achievements. I know there will be more successes, given the work it has done and the investment it has made. My Department and Sport NI, I have absolutely no doubt, will continue that relationship.

Claire Sugden (Independent, East Londonderry)

We are incredibly talented on the north coast, but I believe the level of our success has led to some complacency in the Executive because they think that will carry us through.

What support will the Minister offer generally to rowing and other sports to ensure that we do create that important legacy when we have this level of success?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

Certainly, it is easy for the Member to talk about complacency. I would like to think that if she has any concerns, she should bring them forward to not just my Department but other Departments. I know that Sport NI, and indeed all the athletes from the Member's constituency, are very happy with the level of support that they have received thus far. They certainly could do with more money, but the thresholds that they have, particularly going into the Olympic and Paralympic Games, are set at the same rate right across. If they need other support, and perhaps even some sponsorship, I will be happy to talk to sponsors, as I have in the past. There are many parents in this Chamber. One thing is common when it comes to success at games: when those athletes are training, they are giving up their family life and making many sacrifices. It is up to us to make sure that we have their back and their corner. I am prepared to do that. I know that my officials will continue that, as will Sport NI.

Robin Swann (UUP, North Antrim)

8. Mr Swann asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure for an update on the redevelopment of Casement Park. (AQO 9743/11-16)

Trevor Lunn (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

11. Mr Lunn asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what contingency measures exist in the event that the rebuild at Casement Park cannot proceed in 2016. (AQO 9746/11-16)

Nelson McCausland (DUP, Belfast North)

12. Mr McCausland asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure for her assessment of when the Gaelic Athletic Association will be in a position to seek planning permission for the redevelopment of Casement Park. (AQO 9747/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

With your indulgence, Mr Speaker, I will take questions 8, 11 and 12 together.

The redevelopment of Casement Park remains an Executive Programme for Government commitment as an integral part of delivering the regional stadia programme. It is a project that I am fully committed to delivering. Following the concerns raised in April 2015, a project assessment review (PAR) was carried out in June 2015 by the British Cabinet Office. A panel of independent experts was selected by the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD). The PAR report was published on 7 August 2015 and confirmed that the Casement Park project not only was achievable but could be delivered. On that basis, the Department is not planning for failure and is working with the GAA to ensure the successful delivery of this Programme for Government commitment.

The GAA has already engaged its project team to work on a new planning submission for Casement Park. Since the judicial review decision, the GAA and its team have carefully considered the judgement to ensure that any new planning application fully addresses the points raised in that judgement. Initial meetings have been held with key stakeholders, including the safety technical group, to provide the necessary assurances required to support a robust new planning application. The GAA is preparing a detailed programme that will fully address the tasks associated with successful delivery of the Casement Park stadium.

Robin Swann (UUP, North Antrim)

I thank the Minister for her answer. Can the Minister confirm that the new application for the refurbishment of the stadium will include all the new safety features, including emergency exiting procedures?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

In every application that anyone makes around sports grounds, but particularly Casement Park, safety and emergency evacuation procedures will be front, right, left and centre. They will be an integral part of the application. Even though emergency evacuation was not part of the refusal it certainly has been raised since, so I give the Member — indeed all Members — the assurance that that will certainly be done before any new planning application is submitted.

Nelson McCausland (DUP, Belfast North)

Can the Minister confirm, as has been reported in social media, that the advertising hoarding along the front of Casement Park was erected without planning permission? If that is the case, will she call on the GAA to ensure that the illegal advertisement is removed within the 14 days specified?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I certainly cannot confirm that it was erected without planning permission, and I will not be calling on the GAA to remove it. If the GAA erected a hoarding that did require planning permission, it is up to it, in the first instance, to seek that, albeit retrospectively.

Mitchel McLaughlin (Speaker, South Antrim)

I call Ms Rosaleen McCorley for a very quick supplementary.

Rosaleen McCorley (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a freagra go dtí seo. Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the Minister for her answers thus far. Did Mr Dominic Walsh ever raise concerns about safety in regard to the redevelopment of Casement Park?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

No. Mr Walsh never raised any concerns with me at any time about safety. In the early stages of the programme, Mr Walsh was a member of the sponsor board programme until March 2012. The regional stadia sponsor board is chaired by me, and its membership includes representatives from not only the governing bodies but Sport NI. Mr Walsh did not raise it there. The sponsor board and programme board meetings would have provided Sport NI and, indeed, Mr Walsh with an appropriate forum and opportunity to raise any concerns. He did not do it then, and he has never done it since.

Mitchel McLaughlin (Speaker, South Antrim)

That ends the period for listed questions. We now move on to 15 minutes of topical questions.

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

T1. Mr Clarke asked the Minister, given the great victory that Carl Frampton had on Saturday night, what plans she has to host a reception for him in Parliament Buildings on his return. (AQT 3571/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

As the Member will be aware, we have had receptions for athletes who have achieved a lot in the past. We plan to do that on 9 March in the Lakeland Forum in Enniskillen, where we will look at all of the successes and achievements of all athletes who have competed at different levels. I anticipate and hope that not just Carl but all of the other athletes who performed on Saturday evening will be more than welcome to that.

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

I thank the Minister for that answer. I want to focus primarily on Carl Frampton, given that he had the victory on Saturday night. In one of his speeches since then, he has said that he would love to have a fight in Windsor Park in Belfast. Given that there was a sell-out match in Manchester and we have the champion from North Belfast, which, indeed, is your constituency, what will you and your Department do, Minister, to support his ambition to have that fight in Northern Ireland at Windsor Park so that people in Northern Ireland can enjoy it here rather than having to travel elsewhere?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I visited Windsor Park last week, and I have to say that its redevelopment is very impressive. I think that it would be a great backdrop for any boxing bill. I am not a boxing promoter. It is up to the boxing promoters to bring forward opportunities, not just for Carl but for other boxers. In the past, we have met Barry McGuigan, Carl Frampton and many other professional boxers. Where there are opportunities, as there was in Titanic, to provide such a spectacle for us to enjoy, we will certainly do all that we can to help. In the first instance, it is really a matter for the boxing promoters.

Gerard Diver (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

In the Minister's earlier answers, she referred to an ongoing package of funding that her Department has made available for cultural legacy projects connected to the City of Culture across the north-west. Obviously, we are aware that the new sports and leisure complex in Dungiven is one of the projects that has been able to benefit from that. We much very welcome that facility as the people of Dungiven are certainly deserving of it.

Gerard Diver (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

T2. Mr Diver asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what pot of legacy funding the funding for the Dungiven sports and leisure complex was taken from. (AQT 3572/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I made bids to ensure that there was a legacy for the City of Culture, and, thankfully, that was approved. I have made subsequent bids for Coleraine, which received £1·6 million, and for Dungiven, which received £2·2 million. I believe that there will be further funding applications for support for Ballymoney through the legacy programme, working in conjunction with Derry City and Strabane District Council and, indeed, others. The Museum of Free Derry received money, as did many others. I am happy to write to the Member with those details. I believe, particularly given the legacy of underinvestment in the city, it is completely appropriate that each of the Departments bid to try to redress the balance somewhat.

Gerard Diver (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

I thank that the Minister for her answer. With that in mind, was there a high level of awareness or consultation with, in particular, arts and cultural organisations that were involved very deeply in the City of Culture year on eligibility for that funding and on how this funding was likely to be rolled out?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

There absolutely was. In fact, we have a DCAL office in the city and we worked with those projects through 2013, and we are still there and working with them. Indeed, I have visited many of the programmes, and they all came together in clusters, particularly around neighbourhood renewal areas and through those partnerships and fora and presented the best case. It was really good example to other areas. When you want to look at how an area puts its best foot forward, that is it. All of those groups and individuals will not only have been aware of but have been a part of and have supported the bids for legacy programmes.

Chris Lyttle (Alliance, Belfast East)

I add my congratulations to double world champion Carl Frampton, his camp and his family. I congratulate him not only on the skill and dedication that he shows to his craft but on the dignity and respect with which he treats others, which, I believe, unites a community behind him.

Chris Lyttle (Alliance, Belfast East)

T3. Mr Lyttle asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure whether, after years of underinvestment in East Belfast in the context of subregional soccer stadium funding, she believes that it is vital that Glentoran Football Club is granted the funding necessary to develop a new stadium to drive sporting and community development in the constituency. (AQT 3573/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

The Member is aware of the work that Glentoran and many other clubs in his constituency have done primarily for the health and well-being of young men, but I would like to see more young women coming forward. That needs to be shown in any bid that will be made as part of any future application. Glentoran has done a great job in that regard, and I believe that that will stand the club in good stead for any future support.

I join the Member in congratulating not just Carl Frampton but his entire family, who also make sacrifices. He has been over there for almost four months, sacrificing his family life in order to compete at the level at which he did on Saturday. That is something that every Member in the House can support.

Chris Lyttle (Alliance, Belfast East)

I thank the Minister for her response, and I commend her for the work that she is doing to support grass-roots development in soccer. When will the final programme for the subregional soccer stadia funding be announced?

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

I am sure that the Member was listening intently to some of the responses that I gave earlier in relation to the consultation process. There were over 1,100 responses, and we will bring a lot of them together and do a quick but thorough analysis of them. Given the fact that some people may have wished their submission to remain confidential, I will have those removed, and I will publish that analysis. The purpose of that is to inform the application process, and I hope that that process will be open some time in April or, if not, the end of April/beginning of May. It is really important that the momentum that has been built up thus far on this means not only that it happens but that people see an outcome from something that was announced in 2011 but will not realise its potential until 2016 and after.

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Féin, Belfast South)

Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Aire. Amárach, tosaíonn mí na Gaeilge. Le linn do thréimhse chuir tú béim mhór ar chúrsaí Gaeilge agus ar chur chun cinn na Gaeilge. Ar mhaith leat, is tú ag breathnú siar, labhairt ar chuid de na ceachtanna a d’fhoghluim muid?

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Féin, Belfast South)

T4. Mr Ó Muilleoir asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure whether, given that tomorrow is the start of Irish language month and that the Minister has put great emphasis on the promotion of the Irish language, it would be appropriate in what may be her last Question Time to reflect on the successes of the Irish language during her period in office and on the lessons learned. (AQT 3574/11-16)

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

It is my last Question Time, and I want to use the opportunity to thank the Speaker, the Principal Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Speakers, the Speaker's Office and the Business Office and everybody else who is involved, including the Whips.

The work that has been done to raise awareness of Seachtain na Gaeilge, which is now Mí na Gaeilge, not just on this island but right across the world, has been massive. Already, we are preparing, as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge, a tráth na gceist, which is a quiz that will happen in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich in Belfast and will take in participants and competitors from New York and elsewhere via Skype. The awareness of this, from the very young to the very old, has been huge and continues to grow, and that is absolutely great. What will we do from tomorrow onwards? It is a question of "Watch this space".

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Féin, Belfast South)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Mo bhuíochas fosta leis an Aire. Níor luaigh an tAire Líofa, ach tá súil agam go ndéanfaidh sí sin. Ar mhaith leat, a Aire, tréaslú le gach duine a rabh baint acu le láidriú na Gaeilge le linn do thréimhse? Tá ráfla láidir ann go mbeidh tú ag glacadh páirte i Rith 2016 a thagann arais i mbliana.

The Minister did not mention Líofa, which she is certainly entitled to do because it has been one of the great successes of her tenure. Will she join me in congratulating the Irish groups that have strengthened the Irish language during her tenure? Rith 2016, the biennial run, comes back to Belfast this year. Minister, there is a strong rumour that you will take part; maybe you will let us know.