Upcoming at the Assembly - 12 November

Monday 12 November 2007

Questions to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM)

Sinn Fein MLAs Martina Anderson and Mitchel McLaughlin will ask the Minister to elaborate upon the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland the steps being taken to prepare for the investment conference planned for spring 2008.

DUP MLA Peter Weir will ask the Minister to outline how it intends to progress and promote sustainable development across all Government departments.

Francie Molloy (Sinn Fein) will ask the Minister about the steps being taken to promote children and young people's issues.

The DUP’s Jimmy Spratt will ask the Minister to detail the progress made towards providing an older persons' commissioner, while later the SDLP’s PJ Bradley will ask the Minister what plans he has to make the appointment of the Commissioner for Older People a priority in the new financial year.

Alex Attwood of the SDLP will ask the Minister to provide an update on the proposed review of the number of Government departments; to detail the timescale for the review; and to give his assessment of whether or not the number of departments should be significantly reduced. Sam Gardiner (UUP) will later ask the Minister to detail whether or not it has carried out an evaluation of the standard of policy making within Northern Ireland government departments, under its excellence in policy and legislation making remit.

Carmel Hanna (SDLP) will ask the Minister if his Office will confirm that it will not adopt the former direct rule Minister's efficiency-saving proposal to scrap ethnic minority funding; and to outline how the department plans to meet its commitment in the Racial Equality Strategy to build capacity in the minority ethnic community.

Mid Ulster MLA, Patsy McGlone will ask the Minister to provide an update on the timescale for reporting on the future of the Civic Forum; and what action it has taken to progress this issue.

Sinn Fein’s Willie Clarke will ask the Minister to outline the next steps in bringing forward the Programme for Government.

Finally, Tom Elliott (UUP) will ask the Minister, in light of the extension given to the process of appointing a Victims' Commissioner and its subsequent delay, to outline what current plans are in place to progress the recommendations of the Interim Victims' Commissioner.

Questions to the Minister for Agriculture & Rural Development

Alliance leader David Ford will ask the Minister to detail her proposals in relation to the implementation of the Assembly's resolution on the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board.

The SDLP’s PJ Bradley will ask the Minister what discussions she has had with the Minister of the Environment, in relation to the concerns of theagricultural community about the designation of the Mournes and Slieve Croob area as a National Park.

Francie Molloy (Sinn Fein) will ask the Minister what is her assessment of the progress of new delivery mechanisms for the Rural Development Programme.

Foyle MLA, Martina Anderson will ask the Minister to outline the number of article 4 and article 10 inspections that have been carried out on Leader groups; and to detail how this compares with other programme monitoring that falls under her remit.

Roy Beggs (UUP) will ask the Minister to outline the purpose behind the clustering of district council areas in groups of three, in order to administer Rural Development Programme funds; and to detail how this will benefit its development.

North Down MLA, Leslie Cree will ask the Minister what steps she is taking to ensure that any changes introduced as a result of the European Commission's 2008 review of the Common Agricultural Policy will benefit agriculture in Northern Ireland.

Questions to the Minister for Culture, Arts & Leisure

Paul Maskey (Sinn Fein) will ask the Minister what plans he has to develop specific funding packages for culture, arts and leisure projects in areas of high social need.

Sinn Fein’s Francie Brolly will ask the Minister to explain why there was no direct communication between himself and the chairperson of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure, about his statement on the Irish language legislation consultation process, prior to 16 October 2007. Additional questions on the Irish language legislation consultation process and his decision not to introduce Irish language legislation will follow later from party colleagues Sue Ramsey, Fra McCann and Caral Ní Chuilín.

Leslie Cree (UUP) will ask the Minister to detail whether or not a business plan has been prepared for the national stadium at the Maze site, while later Kieran McCarthy (Alliance) will ask the Minister provide an update on the proposed national stadium.

East Belfast MLA, Naomi Long will ask the Minister to make a statement on the future of maritime heritage.

The SDLP’s Pat Ramsey will ask the Minister what is his assessment of the total loss of investment in sport and the arts, including matched and leverage funding, which resulted from the loss of National Lottery funding due to the 2012 London Olympics; and to detail what representations he has made to the National Lottery in relation to the shortfall.

Anna Lo (Alliance) will ask the Minister to make a statement on funding arrangements for the Belfast Festival at Queen's.

Motions for Debate

Road Deaths
Sinn Fein’s Cathal Boylan and Raymond McCartney have tabled a joint motion:

‘That this Assembly calls for an all-Ireland summit to tackle the crisis on our roads, and for the integration of the Road Safety Council and the Road Safety Authority, to deal with the issue of road safety on an all-Ireland basis’.

Co-Ownership and Shared Equity
UUP MLA’s, Sam Gardiner, Ken Robinson and Danny Kennedy have tabled a joint motion:

‘That this Assembly calls for an expansion of housing co-ownership to at least 10% of the overall housing market in Northern Ireland, with a wide variety of shared equity options available to first time home buyers’.

Tuesday 13 November 2007

Motions for Debate

Sports Strategy
Pat Ramsey (SDLP) has proposed a motion:

‘That this Assembly recognises the importance of sport in the physical, social and economic well-being of society; expresses concern that National Lottery funding is being diverted to the 2012 London Olympics and will have a negative impact on community sport; and believes that the proposed draft budget is not sufficient to meet the standards and priorities of the proposed sports strategy recently announced by the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure’.

Irish-Medium Club Bank
DUP MLA’s Michelle McIlveen and Mervyn Storey have tabled a joint motion:

‘That this Assembly opposes the introduction of a club bank arrangement for establishing Irish-Medium schools in Northern Ireland’.

Adjournment

‘The proposed new build campus for Holywood Priory College’ debate proposed by

Stephen Farry (Alliance)

Committee Business

Click here to see full Assembly Committee Business Diary

Tuesday 13 November 2007

• 1.30pm - Agriculture & Rural Development Committee

Wednesday 14 November 2007

• 10.00am - Finance & Personnel Committee
• 10.30am - Regional Development Committee
• 10.30am - Employment & Learning Committee
• 2.00pm - Committee for OFMDFM

Thursday 15 November 2007

• 09.30am - Environment Committee
• 10.00am - Enterprise, Trade & Investment Committee
• 10.30am - Culture, Arts & Leisure Committee
• 10.30am - Social Development Committee
• Health, Social Services & Public Safety Committee - (Visit to Northern Ireland Hospice)

Friday 16 November 2007

• 10.30am - Education Committee