Episode 1 Nolan Live

Welcome along to a brand new series of Nolan Live, and the first

Lots to talk about tonight with our politicians

and studio audience, but first let's just recap on some

of the events that have brought us to our second Assembly election

In the strongest terms, both in volume and force, Arlene Foster as

First Minister... Arlene Foster needs to take the opportunity she

has now to step aside for an agreed period, as Peter Robinson has done

in the past and allow the truth to come out in this issue. I am not

stepping aside, I am the First Minister, the party leader and I

have a job to do. The purpose of summoning us today was to receive a

statement of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. You have

made it clear, the Deputy First Minister has made it clear she does

not endorse what Mrs Foster is going to say. That invalidate standing

order 11. Mr Speaker, I am grateful for you to agree to recall the

assembly today and make the time for my statement about my role in the

renewable heat incentive scheme. Today I have told Arlene Foster I

have tendered my resignation. I think today is the right time to

call a stop to the DUP. Northern Ireland need stability but because

of Sinn Fein's selfish actions, we have instability. If Sinn Fein

doesn't nominate a replacement to the role of Deputy First Minister, I

am obliged to call an election of the assembly. We have seen our

government behaved like a squabbling couple, seeking a divorce, who throw

their head up, walk out and leave their children at home with no food

and no water. The decision around removing it, was the wrong one. They

need to select damages they would say, on the DUP. Sinn Fein will not

renominate but the Deputy First Minister. They have forced an

election which refutes the future. There will be no return to the

status quo. In this characterisation we should have given something to

Sinn Fein to keep them appeased, is not the way I do business. If you

feed a crocodile, they are going to keep coming back and looking for

more. See you later, alligator. I will be transferring from my

unionist vote to the SDLP. So, lots and lots to talk

about tonight with representatives On the panel, outgoing education

Minister Peter Weir of the DUP, from Sinn Fein John O'Dowd,

Steve Aiken of the UUP, Nichola Mallon from the SDLP

and Stephen Farry from Alliance. Also joining us in studio

are the TUV's Sammy Morrison, Clare Bailey of the Greens

and Gerry Carroll from You can find details

of all candidates running in this election on our

website at bbc.co.uk/nolanlive. I have no doubt that

you in the audience will want to join in the debate and we want

you to get involved at home too. Now, our questions for the panel

tonight are coming straight from our studio audience,

they've come up with them, and our First question is from Luke Chapman.

As it said in the video before, the assembly has basically crumbled time

and time again because of petty squabbles that children in a

playground could sort out. Bad times there are issues that are

controversial, but every time we do take a step forward it comes to a

halt, goes back to square one and here we sitting here at our second

election in a year. It is not good enough, instead of asking you

questions, we should be seeing things getting done. What is your

question? What other party is going to do when they get elected into

Stormont to stop this happening again, so when we sat here in six

months' time, we sat here in six months' time, we're not in another

election. Peter. There has been a threat against Nicola Mallon, it is

important we show solidarity and whatever robust debate we have

tonight we should stand together in solidarity. There shouldn't have

been a need for an election. From the DUP's point of view, we wanted

to move ahead on health, education, Brexiter and the economy.

Unfortunately we are seeing a narrow agenda being pushed by Gerry Adams

and Sinn Fein. What he is asking is how will you make sure it doesn't

happen again? We will try to ensure, our aim would be to see government

re-established rate away. If it is not possible, we have to look and

see what we can do structurally because we cannot keep lurching from

is anything going to be different next time? That is what he is

asking. We will try and continue to deliver for people. If we enter

negotiations where everything deliver for people. If we enter

go into the pot, we have to ensure we have a more stable forum. It is

about how you treat each other and how you talk about each other.

Within that, it is irresponsible for Sinn Fein to bring down the

executive. We should be putting the priority with dealing with money for

extra health, and the waiting lists, except the pride of Sinn Fein. He is

saying you walked away? I don't agree with him. This isn't a

childish dispute. It is not something we sort out in the

playground. We're talking about financial corruption at the heart of

government. There is no democracy or government that would have or should

have survived the period of time we have seen over this last six weeks.

We are talking about the loss of ?85,000 of public funds in a scheme

which was either designed to be corrupted, or through incompetence,

has been corrupted. We will talk about our page I in a second. This

first question is about, is there any notion of things getting better

in the future? What are people voting for? More of the same. The

institutions collapsed, because of the scandal, the agreements were not

being lived up to. Will things be different in the future? They can

be. If we live up to the agreements we have signed up to and we treat

each other, both in the chamber and outside the chamber and the people

in this audience and your viewers today, with mutual respect. Will

there be disagreement in the future? Of course, there is no utopian

society. Let's not state obvious facts tonight, we know that. Is it

going to be any different? When I have been out and about, some people

have said, what is the point of voting, we will get it all over

again, again, and again. We have spent weeks of journalists,

commentators debating the issues. The public will make up their minds

whether to vote, who to vote for and if there will be progress in the

future. That is what the ballot box is about and the decision will be

made by the people in this room. Young lady up here, go ahead. Why is

power-sharing not working, what motivation is there for young people

to keep voting along the single issue, green or orange lines. We

need to move on from the single issue. Do you think that is what

people will vote for this time, orange or green? I think there is

still an element of it. People here are loyal to an issue, but as young

people, it is time we move past it. Is there anyone in the audience, may

be a show of hands, who may have in the past voted along orange and

green and this time, because of what happened, you may vote differently?

Is there any sense? Gentlemen here, why is it going to be different this

time? There has been so many issues with both green and orange parties.

In the middle seems to be the way to go. They are talking more sense.

There is no funny business going on, nobody bickering in the background.

It is time for change. Time for change, yes, go ahead. We hear the

MLAs and politicians talking about the failure of Stormont and moving

Northern Ireland forward. They should, in my eyes, we have a

structure of storm on is that has been said, unfit for purpose. What

would be better? Voluntary coalition, those who are willing and

can agree formed the government, those who cannot agree from the

opposition with a weighted majority of around 60%. This would ensure

cross community government for all. We need to be changing what we are

doing. We should be moving towards partnership. We should be moving

towards parties that want to work together. We have issues with the

health care system, issues with education. We have got to be working

together and that is what we need to change about Northern Ireland. Would

it be different your party working with the SDLP and Sinn Fein working

with the DUP? It will be a lot different because we will be working

from mutual respect, not screaming and shouting at each other. We will

be working with the SDLP, working with the Alliance and other members

of the party who want to make things work. Isn't that what the executive

was supposed to be doing? Yes, and it hasn't. When you were in it, not

that long ago. APPLAUSE

You forget you all then this is not that long ago.

We went the Deputy First Ministers. Look what happened. Stephen, you

were a government minister, how often were you involved in the

decision-making at the centre? How often could you go up there and

influence what was happening. We won't. So you were toothless?

Probably. As ministers we could do a lot and good things were done, not

just by David Forde and myself, but by other parties. But the system

failed. There was a lack of collective decision-making, both the

DUP and Sinn Fein arrogantly took decisions themselves and excluded

other parties. I think the audience are identifying this problem. There

is an issue of trust and partnership and an issue of the structures

themselves where we have these vetoes, designations where people

are in a comfort zone where they don't have to work with one another

in terms of partnership and they are arrogant in terms of the way they

approach government. Nicola? I understand your frustrations, I did

not get into politics for institutions get stuck or we are

held captive by the past. Don't enter the fallacy it always has to

be like this. You have the power on the 2nd of March to vote for change.

You can vote for division, deadlock and direct rule which is where Sinn

Fein and the DUP are taking us. Or you can vote for parties that want

to work together and have proven they can. You cannot even agree on

vote transfer, how can you agree on anything the government if you

cannot agree with each other. You have been in power for how long?

There is a draft paper the government. On the point of it in

the Ulster Unionist, you don't agree and education, health, welfare and

you have different positions in terms of Brexit. The idea you are

trying... Do you have do hold your nose to go across the table? The

idea you will go into some cosy utopia... Let me tell you then, the

SDLP and the Ulster Unionists, if you take them parties, we are

different and there will be a number of issues we cannot agree on. But

what we promise is we will work together based on respect and we

will find commonalities. Sinn Fein and the DUP told us two months ago

everything was wonderful. Then we find out it is dysfunctional, no

respect or quality. What he will get from the SDLP is the truth.

My question is a potent issue and there are several others but the

straw that broke the camel's back this time was HRI. My question is

not about who did what and who knew what, what preventative vertical

method can we have two ensure that nothing like that ever happens

again? What measure would ensure that nothing like HRI ever happened

again, Peter Weir? Is your party sorry for what happened? We've

already apologised. There were mistakes that were made about HRI

because everyone voted in favour of it, there's no point saying

otherwise. They voted for the right scheme. From the very beginning,

when HRI was set up, there was a minister in charge of that, who was

Arlene Foster. Was she incompetent in not knowing there was no cost

control? I was at the civil servant's fault I was at the

public's fault or the man on Mars? Who was responsible? The

responsibility will be determined by the independent public inquiry. that

after the election, that's why I'm asking you who you think what is

possible before the election. We would have liked to have had the

independent inquiry before the election. Whatever the findings of

the inquiry are, we will accept them unreservedly in relation to it. The

HRI is the excuse, not because of the selection. Northern Ireland know

that this was all brought about by the complete inefficiency,

incompetence, arrogance and above all corruption around HRI.

Let the public inquiry do its duty. We brought in cost control measures

which will ensure there is no overspend at. Says in your fact

sheet, costs have been capped so they will be no future overspend and

you just said you will ensure that. Simon Hamilton says they will be an

overspend of ?2 million. It is important for people to know what

the real factors. As you know, the overspend is capped at 2 million for

just one year and it's up in the air what will happen for the next 19

years. Do you accept that? We will ensure that there will be

legislation put through which will ensure that there won't be overspend

in the future and I have to say, every party is in favour of that

position. It has to be said, given at one stage you were actually

making an allegation that 400 million had already been spent in

relation to that, the point is how we move on. 64 million has already

spent. What measure would ensure nothing like HRI happens again? I

think the whole election is about HRI but the problem is we don't know

about it because we haven't had a public inquiry yet to be expected to

vote on something and we don't know who's to blame. We say the DUP is to

blame but you can't turn your back on it, everyone at the table is to

blame, the whole system is incompetent, it is not one-woman's

fault because ring Foster could not have put threw herself -- put this

threw herself. -- through. How did you not know so many people were

piling into this? I don't wear anyone involved an attempt to --

involved in the HRI scheme. The flaws in the HRI scheme when they

came to light were brought directly to the attention of the responsible

Minister Arlene Foster so the public inquiry has two establish what

Arlene Foster did with that information and how that information

was dealt with -- has to establish. they were brought to civil servants,

not to her. There were concerns about the HRI scheme. The public

inquiry will find to what level those concerns were raised and what

action Arlene Foster should have taken. They were brought to the

attention of Sinn Fein and Martin McGuinness and ahead of the civil

servants. Within a week, we the scheme closed down or stop within a

week, it was shut down. We are responsible on a certain level, but

are we responsible for closing it down? Yes, we are. I responsible for

bringing forward the selection? -- this election? Yes. Are you always

going to walk away from the executive and are you just using HRI

as an excuse? The parties pretending they will hold hands and skip

through the medal is rubbish. It is a difficult position to be on in

terms of power-sharing. John is being loose in terms of trying to

paint this rosy and unrealistic picture. We're not saying it's going

to be rosy, we're not going to be just glossy documents. We're not

going to have joint spin doctors. On HRI, you need to make sure a

minister is completely briefed. You need to make sure whistle-blowers

are acted on. You need to have humility and honesty when you get it

wrong. We need to see quickly, I got it wrong and fix it. -- you need to

say quickly. Peter, you are saying there won't be an overspend on HRI.

Where will funds be diverted from in order to ensure there isn't an

overspend? We put through legislation which will make sure

there is not an overspend on that. There is no explanation as to what

those measures are. What specific legislation have you put in place?

Legislation has already gone through the Assembly which will cap the

payments. Any piece of legislation will be subject to review. I would

have thought there was a collective will around this table. In contrast,

I have to say sharply, for example in the last Assembly, we had a ?170

million overspend because of the blockage of welfare reform. Any

normal job situation, the person in charge would be suspended so why is

our dream Foster not being suspended? -- why is Arlene Foster

not being suspended? One of the reasons Martin McGuinness

reluctantly resigned was to spare Arlene Foster. Who gives you the

right to suspend another party leader? Who do you think you are? I

haven't suspended her, I didn't claim she was suspended as leader,

she has been suspended as First Minister. you said to this audience

a moment ago that within a week of you knowing about HRI, it took you a

lot longer to tell the public. You are telling the public you have

walked away because of the scandal of HRI. The public should know you

found out about it in January 2016 and you want away in January 20

17th. It was because the media got it -- January 2017. You stayed in

the executive and now you're saying you walked away. How does that add

up? It was brought to the attention of the audit office and the auditor

general. But you didn't walk away. There were further revelations that

came about through your show where we had a former DUP minister making

serious allegations about the conduct of the DUP and what was

happening in relation to Spies and ministers within the DUP. Further

information came to light. This isn't an issue of suspension. In any

other democracy, this would be a matter of ministerial resignation.

Ministers have gone far, far less in those jurisdictions -- for far less.

It is called ministerial accountability. We then office on

behalf of the public. If things go wrong on our watch whether we are

directly responsible, you have to walk. Having public inquiry is all

very well but what action are you going to take as a result of the

findings of this inquiry? We spend millions on inquiries every year but

we don't actually act upon them. Is it going to make prosecutions? What

is the money for this public inquiry? Will there be any results

from this inquiry? What should happen as a result of the public

inquiry? People are furious about what has been happening. It is not

just HRI, and Arlene Foster designed the scheme. Sinn Fein organised 58

meetings on HRI. We want to see politics about standing up for

corruption. The HRI situation shows priorities are in the wrong place

because rather than put money into health and education, we've had

hundreds of millions wasted on HRI scheme but at the same time Arlene

Foster promised the payments. Protesters were out because they

were not sure if they would have a job next month. It is one law for

corporations... There is not a direct budget but there is no

intention to cut any of those by the education authority and they will be

a budget next year. The budget will continue for those people and their

jobs are safe. Isn't the case that London people thought London were

paying for HRI and money found out we would have to pay for some of it

ourselves, that's when it broke out and it took a year to figure out. I

think you're exactly right. One of the problem is that so-called

unionists in the DUP think it is all right to take money from Britain.

I'm a British taxpayer, that's my money as well and everybody here who

pays taxes, that money has been taken out of it. It's not a 0-sum

game. This is an absolute scandal. we need to keep moving this on.

Peter, if the public inquiry and that Arlene Foster, because she was

the minister who set it up, was responsible for anything that went

wrong, without the resignation matter for her? We are confident

that Arlene Foster will be cleared. I've already indicated that whatever

the findings of the inquiry, we will accept them. We're not going to

prejudge what the inquiry says and I think it would be wrong to prejudge

it. We will accept whatever findings emerge from that. We have a

commitment because one of the things we ask... I have questions for you!

I'm not just talking about our programme. Newspapers and other

broadcast media, they have dug into a lot of detail. The public also pay

you lot in committees to be digging into the details. Where were you?

We did. The scheme went to the committee, then it went in front of

the assembly. The scheme was approved. So if there is guilt...

The chair of the economy commitment, we asked Simon Hamilton the minister

and the permanent Secretary... Let him finish. We asked Simon Hamilton

when he made the decision and when he was going to put together the

plan to stop the RHI debacle going forward? Simon Hamilton told us he

did it on the 30th of December. Not 2015, 30th of December 20 16. Then

we asked him the question, was it his plan? No, he said it wasn't. We

asked the question of the permanent secretary. We are going to move on.

You are highly selective of the quotations from the permanent

secretary. Arlene Foster followed the advice and therefore did

nothing. You are not just there to follow advice. As the minister you

are the first line of scrutiny and accountability and it is your

responsibility to ensure the advice is correct, challenge the advice and

ask questions. Any minister worth their salt would ask the question,

what are the risks of the scheme I am about to sign up to, what are the

financial risks? Those questions were not asked. Where is Florence

tonight? I am from Co Fermanagh and we don't have a doctor. A doctor has

to come up 15 miles and it is on a limited basis. I would like to know

what are the government going to do to relieve the pressure on the

health service? What we have seen already has shown us this government

is incapable of delivering. After this election we will face the same

problems. The question is, what is your party going to do? We will have

to change the government of Northern Ireland so it is delivering on

issues like that, Stephen. And unless you change the government of

Northern Ireland, so that those who are agreeing are in government

together you will get things moving on health. It is the biggest policy

in Northern Ireland. What is your idea to reduce waiting lists?

Reverse the cuts to the number of hospital beds. In some trusts we

have seen cuts up to 20% and above that in some places. When you cut

the number of birds, the number of people who can go into hospital

decreases. -- beds. How many extra beds are you pledging? We want to

reverse the cuts, bring it back to the 20%. 20% of what? Reverse the

20% cut. I don't know the figures and he will make a show of that, I

am sure. We have got lots of numbers we can talk about... Lots of

numbers? Let's talk about one of them, one of the biggest issues that

face is Northern Ireland is the health service. The TUV is sitting

in front of the country tonight and you are their representatives, how

many beds are you pledging extra? I am pledging to reverse the cuts.

20%. 20% of what? I don't have the piece of paper in front of me.

Hundreds of extra beds because there were hundreds of beds cut. How much

would that cost? I don't know. Clare Bayley, your policy for health on

waiting list, how would you reduce them? Have a bigger conversation.

What is coming up for us on the doorsteps, it is not necessarily

RHI, but it is health and education. When you are having that

conversation and you are part of that conversation, this is a

conversation and I am saying, what is your policy? How are you reducing

waiting list? We need to have a bigger conversation about what our

priorities are the government. What is your policy? On what? To reduce

waiting lists. We need to invest in the health service, put the money in

and get it sorted, stop putting doctors under pressure. Take the

money from where? From the government's budgets, we are a very

rich nation. We have a government and ministers who can commit half ?1

billion to a faulty scheme, then they tell us we cannot invest in a

waiting list. Is there a bigger thinking from the Greens than, we

need to invest more money. Some people are waiting, I have the

latest figures, at the end of January 2017, some people were

waiting up to three years for surgery on their back, routine

surgery. I am trying to understand if you have a policy on reducing

waiting lists beyond saying invest more money. We don't see waiting

lists as a single issue. We think investing in the health service

generally, people cannot get appointments with their GPs. That is

what the question was about. How would you solve it? Sit down as a

government who want to work together, prioritise the needs of

the people in Northern Ireland and put our resources to those needs.

Sammy doesn't know how many more beds he would bring back, you don't

know how much money to invest... I don't have a piece of paper sitting

in front of me with all those figures. What did the audience make

of this? You, sir go ahead. We are talking about general practitioners.

There is mass resignation, resigning GPs. This will come to a head very

quickly. How would the panel address that immediately after the election?

APPLAUSE . This is about primary care and

often in the debate around health we tripped off and primary care is left

behind. We have to look at the health service in totality and

restructure the health service to deal with the pressures that are

there. In relation to primary care, Michelle has invested in the

training of more doctors. A long border communities, it is ridiculous

we don't have greater cross-border cooperation for primary care and you

should be able to access primary care on either side of the border.

With GPs, we need to bring more GPs into the service. But we need to

look at how we manage GP practices and how they are governed as well.

You mentioned Michelle, let's talk about your new leader. When she was

the health minister she promised us in October, she would have a plan

ready to reduce waiting lists by January. What did she do? She didn't

produce it in January, it wasn't costed and delivered to the public

in January, it was produced in February after she walked out of the

executive. Why didn't she sought it while she was in the executive? She

said it would be ready in January so some of the people sitting at home

now, waiting on an operation, it wouldn't be an election issue, it

would be delivered to them when Michelle promised it would be, which

was January. She waited till she had walked out of government and they

still don't have it. Michelle is still health minister. Has she

delivered it? She delivered it last week. The waiting list programme.

She has written to all the executive parties. Let me finish the point.

She has written to the executive parties and ask them to commit to

the delivery of the ?31 million ahead of an executive being formed.

If there is failure to Bruce Senna Dzeko did, the civil Service need a

sense of direction of where it is going. We heard in October, to these

people every day, she promised the country she would deliver a costed

plan in January and she didn't. She produced it in February. This is an

important point. Michelle O'Neill is still health minister. She has

authority as Minister of health. You walked away before you got the

money. The DUP are not prepared to hand over the money. Sorry, that is

untrue. Arlene Foster has said in principle she supports this. Her

only complaint... She is agreeing with the 31 million going. In

principle, or if she agreeing it? We cannot allocate any budget at the

moment because he pulled the plug on that. Our commitment is to put 80

million from next year's budget into the waiting lists. Sinn Fein made a

decision and the decision was, before they got the money guaranteed

for people on waiting lists, and by the way these are people waiting a

year. You walked away, you didn't put them first and get the money in,

you walked away before getting the money. Michelle O'Neill walked away.

Michelle O'Neill is still health minister. You walked away before the

budget. Go ahead. We have a multi-million pound

hospital sitting there and it is crumbling. Two years ago the people

campaigned and went out in their droves and still nothing has been

done. An amazing hospital with brilliant staff and the money isn't

there. What will they do with this hospital? If you get sick in the

middle of the night... Young man here, go ahead. I am a final year

students in school and I hope to study medicine. Seeing our

politicians tonight arguing and throwing figures around, it is

worrying and cringeworthy. At the end of the day, it is patients

suffering, the everyday person on the waiting list. Real lives.

APPLAUSE You asked the question, how do you

feel of the responses you have got so far, Florence? I was just sitting

there thinking, once they get into government again, will they squabble

the same, will we be any better off than we are now? There is a doctor

by me, who wants to retire, but they won't let him because nobody can

take his place. Florence, the one issue I can say, people were putting

their party differences aside was around health. People were willing

to rally round the health minister because it was about putting

patients first. The problem is, you don't have a budget. Why can't

parties get together, agree a budget to cover critical issues like this?

We have a crisis in A and in some and a hospital, you will be waiting

85 minutes, the highest waiting to be seen in north Belfast. We have a

crisis with GPs and a crisis in mental health. Remind me how many

times when the SDLP could have done when you have taken the health

brief. We haven't taken the health brief yet. You haven't voted for a

budget in ten years. I wasn't around when we were selecting it. If you

don't have the health budget and you don't hold the purse strings, it is

difficult to get things done. You could say that about any department.

It is difficult around health. If it is a big issue for the people of

Northern Ireland, are you going to run away from the big issues? We

have no problem in handling the big issues. We have taken a number of

ministries, but we haven't taken health. If we look at other parties,

health was one of the last pics in the mandates. What does that say

about political parties. It says it is a big challenge and when you take

on the health portfolio you have difficult decisions to make. That is

why you don't take it. Are we afraid to take difficult decisions? No

we're not. Difficult dishes and is have to be taken, and have the

health Ministry, will continue to work with any political party...

You haven't supported a budget in ten years. I think it is

interconnected because you are waiting 12, 13, 14 hours at A, it

is a holistic approach to health. There has been a series of thousands

of Beds pulled out of the health service or not rhetoric but it's

true to say that want the health service defended. At the minute,

there are millions being spent on recruiting agency staff. They should

be employed. the lady at the end. One of the problems as a parent is

my daughter was recently diagnosed with Asperger's and a waiting list

was 13 weeks. Why do we have to constantly phone? 21 months I had to

wait. As regards to how we move forward, money is part of the

problem. There have been a number of reports. A lot of it is involved in

doing things differently. how frustrated are you? With patients

phoning up on a daily basis to ask when their procedures will be. It

will involve doing things differently. What is your direct

question? If there are differences about how we deliver services, will

they stand up for the overall concept and supporting local

hospitals and local casualties? I don't know how many health care

professionals are heeded the moment but I think one of the things we did

as a party, we ask the question. We haven't actually seen any results.

For 920 critical staff short, one of the big issues we have is their key

people in key places missing, particularly late consultant

anaesthetists. Would you support centralisation of

some services and taking them away from other areas? This is a

question, we have a population in Northern Ireland about the size of

Manchester and we have some of the best hospitals and staff. We need to

be able to provide the best health care when it is available. I have

suffered from cancer in the past. I do not mind travelling 1.5 hours to

get a scan. We need to think about how we're doing it differently. One

more question tonight. Peter, your question. Do we really need a. Irish

Language Act when people can learn this at night classes? Yes, I think

we do but the question is what the Irish Language Act will look like. I

see the Irish language being politicised on both sides of the

debate. There are people who speak Irish and it is important we

recognise it is the individual language that we celebrate in our

culture. There should be appropriate protections but there is an issue of

cost. We cannot take a proposal without proper scrutiny. Your leader

today on the radio show described the Irish language as a hobby. Well,

it is. It's not a language you going to use on holiday. In agreeing to

speak Irish in France. You're not going to speak it...

BOOING how respectful is that people in

this audience to see the language as part of their and identity? I don't

have a problem with that, I have a problem with it being politicised.

His party is politicising the Irish language. There are so keen about it

they are having to take down Irish language posters because they have

misspelled words. It will not be the first time... In terms of the

question, do we need a Irish Language Act, it's not about

learning Irish, it's the right to use Irish in your daily life and

have that right. How much will it cost? I don't have the cost but I'll

put it in this context. Wales has a Welsh language act and a health

service and education and all those other things. Scotland has a

Scottish language act and a health service. I'm not painting red lines

here tonight. Is the electorate not entitled to know what the red lines

are before they decide whether to vote for you or not? Or do you want

to keep all your options open and jumbled in the air and people don't

know what they are likely going to get delivered? Would you go into

Government if you don't get an Irish Language Act? Peter is telling me

that if the Irish Language Act was reasonably priced, we would support

it. It's nothing to do with cost. I respect the rate of anybody to learn

whatever language they want, whether it is Irish or whatever. The problem

is when you come to the practicalities of this and if you

look at what Sinn Fein are asking for, if you look at what the

equivalent is in the Republic of Ireland, they are spending about 100

million euros each year on the Irish language. If we go by what was put

out ahead of the last Assembly election, is much more ambitious

now. We believe it would introduce a

range of affirmative action. It is to do with cost. The Irish language

is not a hobby, it is my first language that I use every day. I

want to say so much to everybody. How old are you? 19. I think the

point that has to be made -- the comments that are being made about

the Irish language are disgusting. They surely have hated and are

intolerant. As a young who speak Irish every day, I think it is your

downfall -- as a young man. I respect his right to speak Irish.

Bite you call it a hobby language. The reality is -- air what you call

it a hobby language. Keep looking at that young man. I

want you to tell the young man that he's not allowed to decide his

identity is and his languages. I'm not disputing it but the reality is

that we don't have enough respect for Orange men to walk down a road

for ten minutes. You cannot campaign -- you cannot compare the ice

language to an Orange order march -- the Irish language. The reality is

you cannot tolerate the Orange order. I think the only way to take

the politics out of a Irish Language Act is to have one and give it back

to the people who speak it and ornate and take it away from

politics -- own it. A group of people started the school

and took it forward because they wanted Irish to be the language of

their children. I don't speak Irish but you should take it away from

politics and give it back to the people. It is important that we take

the politics out of this. It is offensive to say it is a hobby

because people speak it as their first language and is part of their

daily lives. The key point is that my version of Irish Language Act is

something we do ask public bodies to scope out their client base and work

out what the level of demand is and ensure they are responding in kind.

I think politicising the Irish language, whoever does that does it

a great injustice and for me it is about respect and when you see

people talking about the Irish language, they call it a hobby, that

is insulting, they call people crocodiles, that is insulting, and

if you ask me what is at the heart of our problems, it is a lack of

respect. As someone who is raising his family through Irish, I can

confirm it is far from a hobby and as far as politicising a language,

that goes back centuries when it was banned from being spoken here. What

I would ask the party, we have broad support as evidenced by our panel

for an Irish Language Act. We have people abdicating their

responsibility in the British Government. We are in a time warp in

terms of Irish language. Will the parties enter into another executive

without the provisions being made for an Irish Language Act? Where

does the red line? I'm not painting any red lines. I've answered your

question. I'm not painting any red lines here tonight. Your leader has

said she will never do the Irish Language Act. We don't believe there

is a need for legislation. Is that a word that should be used? Is it that

disgusting to let people have their language? I'm mad enough say sorry.

I shouldn't have said disgusting. It will lead to certain levels of

affirmative action. Rather than pursue an agenda which Sinn Fein are

looking for, whether it is the rewriting of the past, legacy issues

around prosecution of soldiers and police officers, whether it is the

Irish Language Act, we should prioritise health, education and the

economy. the DUP have held themselves up as a moral party. they

would say that they didn't technically sign up to it but did

embrace the spirit of St Andrews. The DUP has never signed up to a

Irish Language Act. That is factually incorrect. Do you agree to

St Andrews? they will be a lot more discussion

across the BBC networks. Thank you for your company tonight. We're back

next week. Good night. I just feel as though the decisions

I made when I was younger We'll go home and the horses

still need mucking out Mightn't be

in this particular outfit -