By Lisa McElherron from NICVA
Published on 10 Sep 2007
An overview of business upcoming at the Assembly from 10 September 2007 to 14 September 2007.
Monday 10 September 2007
Questions for First and Deputy First Minister
The first question to be put to OFM/DFM is from North Belfast’s Alban Maguinness and asks “what action has been taken following the findings of the report 'The Cost of Division - A Shared Future Strategy' ?”
Francie Molloy will ask a question on the progression of the ‘equality agenda’ while Anna Lo is more precise in her request for an update on developments regarding the Single Equality Bill.
Pat Ramsey has asked “what progress has been made on the restoration of the Civic Forum, and if it will produce a detailed timetable and action plan”.
Mickey Brady has a question asking for the current position on the appointment of the Commissioner for Older People but at number 14 it’s unlikely that it will be asked before time runs out. Similarly there are a few questions on the Victims Commissioner even further down the order paper and so probably won’t get an oral answer.
Questions for Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development
The first question to Minister Gildernew comes from Tom Elliot and concerns the illegal dumping of waste.
The next question comes from Francie Molloy who has asked the Minister to outline the steps she has taken to encourage the use of renewable energy in the agri-food industry.
Sinn Fein’s Martina Anderson has asked how DARD intends to address the equality agenda in relation to rural communities and party colleague Claire McGill has a question about the rural childcare strategy. However at numbers 12 and 13 it’s unlikely they will make it past the questions on foot and mouth and single farm payments that come before them.
Question for Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure
The first question to Minister Poots comes from Strangford MLA Kieran McCarthy who asks the Minister “what are your plans to address the shortfall in funding, in light of the recent decision by the National Lottery to redirect £42 million from Northern Ireland's grant, and channel it towards the Olympic Games in 2012?” Question 16 is from Ken Robinson and deals with the same issue asking “what steps are you taking to offset the impact on arts and community groups of the reduction in National Lottery funding, due to its redirection to support 2012 London Olympic Games projects?”
The other questions likely to be asked relate to funding for Ulster Scots and progress on the Irish Language Bill.
An interesting issue is raised by South Down’s Willie Clark on the possible siting of an All-Ireland cycling velodrome in Newcastle or Belfast. Looks like Minister Poots can’t get away from questions about where to put sporting venues!
Motions for Debate
Tommy Gallagher from Fermanagh South Tyrone has proposed a motion calling on DETI Minister to establish an economic task force for the North West.
Sinn Fein MLAs Jennifer McCann and Mitchel McLaughlin have proposed
“That this Assembly supports the transfer of tax varying powers to the Executive, along with the establishment of an Executive borrowing facility”.
Tuesday 11 September 2007
Questions for the Minister for Education
The first question for Minister Ruane comes from her party colleague Sue Ramsey and asks for details on departmental expenditure on youth outreach work.
Academic selection is next with Foyle’s Pat Ramsey asking for assurances that it will end in 2008. The UUP’s David Burnside also raises this issue at question 14 and asks what progress has been made on “replacement selection procedure to the 11+”.
Next up is a question from the Minister’s party and constituency colleague Willie Clarke asking about the support available to help families on low incomes purchase school uniforms.
John Dallat has asked for details on the strategy to ensure that no child leaves primary school without levels of literacy and numeracy that meet agreed targets.
Ken Robinson wants to know what the Minister is doing about “low educational attainment in Protestant inner-city areas of Belfast, and large re-location estate areas in towns surrounding Belfast.” Alliance Party MLA Anna Lo has a question relating to the training of teachers and “resources available from the Sustained Education Encouraging Diversity programme.”
Question for the Minister for Employment and Learning
Issues related to student life are taxing Minister Empey this week with John Dallat asking him to outline his thinking on “the current £15,000 threshold at which students commence repayment of their student loans upon graduation” and Paul Butler enquiring if “if there has been an assessment of the impact of tuition fees on applications to, and enrolment in, third level education institutions, particularly in relation to the number of applicants from lower socio-economic backgrounds.” Butler’s Sinn Fein colleague Claire McGill asks a similar question on access to third level education by disadvantaged groups as does South Belfast’s’ Anna Lo.
The Alliance’s Stephan Farry has asked the Minister to outline “the factors contributing to Northern Ireland's high level of economically inactive people, in comparison with other parts of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland” while his party colleague Kieran McCarthy wants to know if the Minister plans to set a target for the reduction of numbers of people who are economically inactive. John Dallat asks how the Minister will be marking the 40th anniversary of EGSA.
Questions for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment
The siting of public sector jobs is first up for Minister Dodds with Ken Robinson wondering what steps have been taken to increase public sector employment in his East Antrim Constituency.
Martina Anderson has asked the Minister “to detail the new and existing incentives to support economic investment in areas of high unemployment or social deprivation”.
There are several questions about inward investment and tourism, with the possible visitors’ centre at the Giants Causeway getting some attention. Anna Lo has an interesting question asking the Minister to “outline three key industries in which he believes Northern Ireland can become a world leader over the next decade.”
Motions for debate
Green Party MLA Brian Wilson has joined with the Alliance’s Kieran McCarthy and independent Kieran Deeny to propose a motion which congratulates the Irish Football Association on its campaign against sectarianism and asks DCAL Minister Edwin Poots to consider introducing to Northern Ireland an Act similar to the Football Offences Act 1991.
DUP MLAs, Easton, Morrow and McCausland have tabled a motion condemning attacks on Orange Halls.
David McClarty and Basil McCrea from the UUP have proposed a debate on the minimum wage which “opposes any attempt to replace the national minimum wage with regional variants”.
Committee meetings
Click here for agendas for committee meetings.
Tuesday 11 September
11.00am Assembly Executive and Review Committee
2.00pm DETI Committee
2.00pm DARD Committee
Wednesday 12 September
10.00am DRD Committee
10.00am DFP Committee
10.00am DEL Committee
2.00pm OFMDFM Committee
Thursday 13 September
10.15am DCAL Committee
10.30am DOE Committee
11.00am DSD Committee
2.00pm Public Accounts Committee
2.35pm DHSS&PS Committee
Friday 14 September
10.30am Education Committee
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