:00:28. > :00:31.Hello, and welcome to Spotlight Special. As ever, we've invited a
:00:31. > :00:34.first-rate panel to discuss the pressing issues of the day with our
:00:34. > :00:39.studio audience. Danny Kennedy is an Ulster Unionist MLA for Newry
:00:40. > :00:42.and Armagh and the Minister for Regional Development at Stormont.
:00:43. > :00:48.Alex Attwood is the Environment Minister and an SDLP MLA for West
:00:48. > :00:53.Belfast. Conor Murphy is the Sinn Fein MP and an MLA for Newry and
:00:53. > :00:56.Armagh and chair of the Assembly's Finance and Personnel Committee.
:00:56. > :00:59.Joanne Stuart is a leading light in the local business world and a
:00:59. > :01:02.former Chairperson of the Institute of Directors here. And finally,
:01:02. > :01:05.Edwin Poots is our third Executive Minister tonight. He's a DUP MLA
:01:05. > :01:15.for Lagan Valley and he's currently in charge of the Stormont Health
:01:15. > :01:22.
:01:22. > :01:25.portfolio. That's our lineup for tonight's Spotlight Special. Now
:01:25. > :01:29.the questions come from members of the studio audience here but you
:01:29. > :01:34.can have your say at home. You can text your comments throughout the
:01:34. > :01:41.programme, to 81771. You can phone and e-mail us and geet your
:01:41. > :01:49.comments to us. The details are on your screen now. -- tweet your
:01:49. > :01:56.comments to us. Our first question tonight comes from Adrian McKinney
:01:56. > :02:01.who is a community worker from Armargh. Good evening panel. Based
:02:01. > :02:08.on today's hot topic, should the minister of the environment's title
:02:08. > :02:13.be changed to minister of the destruction of the environment?
:02:13. > :02:17.Well... Alex Attwood, you made a decision to green light this golf
:02:17. > :02:22.development on the north Antrim coast, you said you knew it would
:02:22. > :02:26.be controversial, have we got your title wrong? Well, James who is the
:02:26. > :02:30.head of friends of the earth in Northern Ireland, was at my press
:02:30. > :02:34.launch today, and he said the following, these are his words not
:02:34. > :02:38.mine. He said that he thought I was a good Environment Minister, indeed
:02:38. > :02:42.he went further, and I have to be careful of present company, that he
:02:42. > :02:46.thought I was the First Minister for the environment in some time in
:02:46. > :02:50.Northern Ireland, and the reason I think he said that was is that over
:02:50. > :02:55.the last seven or eight months I have tried to demonstrate that the
:02:56. > :02:59.build to natural heritage is one of the assets we have. The scale and
:02:59. > :03:04.wonder of what we have needs to be protected but it needs to be
:03:04. > :03:09.developed and advanced, in order to grow our tourism, and grow our
:03:09. > :03:14.economy, given that some people suggest that we need to increase
:03:14. > :03:17.our tourist growth over the next seven, eight years by 100%, to �1
:03:18. > :03:22.billion a year industry. So given all of that context, that I do
:03:22. > :03:25.think I am strong on the environment, but see the benefit of
:03:25. > :03:29.the built and natural heritage being use for economic growth and
:03:29. > :03:34.job opportunities in times of need. I think I have made the right
:03:34. > :03:40.decision about it, because my decision, fully respects Azerbaijan
:03:40. > :03:45.far as you possibly can, the quality of the natural heritage up
:03:45. > :03:50.there, the designations up there, including the World Heritage status
:03:50. > :03:57.that we have for the giants causeway, and the same time, in
:03:57. > :04:00.sympathy with that, develop a golf resort that will profile tourism
:04:00. > :04:05.going forward, multi-pie our golfing opportunities going forward,
:04:05. > :04:09.grow the economy and jobs in that area going forward. As a
:04:09. > :04:13.consequence, hard though it was, difficult judgment though it is, I
:04:13. > :04:17.think I've got the balance right. I have the message right and the
:04:17. > :04:21.opportunities right, both for the heritage and the economy going
:04:21. > :04:24.forward. Just to be clear, about what Jamesor said, he may have said
:04:24. > :04:28.you were a good minister for the environment, but he is not happy
:04:28. > :04:32.with your decision,, situation he thinks you got that wrong. He said
:04:32. > :04:37.opening this golf resort on the north Antrim coast was like opening
:04:37. > :04:42.a burger par at the Taj ma hall. think that James and other people
:04:42. > :04:44.who make that argument can't reconcile the fact on one hand a
:04:45. > :04:48.good environment ministers apparently the First Minister of
:04:48. > :04:53.the environment for some time, and the same time make an allegation
:04:53. > :04:57.that I would be reckless with the natural heritage up there, to
:04:57. > :05:02.compare it with having a burger bar at the Taj ma hall. Far from it.
:05:02. > :05:07.What I have done, is recognise that in times of economic need, given
:05:08. > :05:12.the need to grow a tourist industry, given the opportunities that we
:05:12. > :05:17.have given success of golfer, professional and amateur, I think
:05:17. > :05:21.that I have got the balance right, between on the one hand developing
:05:21. > :05:26.a golf resort, creating hotel accommodation for a project like
:05:27. > :05:29.that and the same time, being highly vigilant, and recognising
:05:29. > :05:33.all the necessary heritage standards and protections that are
:05:33. > :05:37.required up there. I approved the planning permission that lie lays
:05:37. > :05:42.down 19 planning condition, all minded to protect the environment.
:05:42. > :05:46.I think that I have the balance right. Yes, people will differ from
:05:46. > :05:48.me but I hope most people, including those in the audience,
:05:48. > :05:55.will recognise difficult judgment, balance right, good for the north,
:05:55. > :05:59.good for jobs and good for heritage. Conor Murphy, is that how you see
:05:59. > :06:03.it? He is fix Tait Yateed with his own reputation, I think in terms of
:06:03. > :06:08.the planning decision there are balances to be taken, and of course,
:06:08. > :06:14.you must protect the environment as best we possibly can, there are
:06:14. > :06:18.strong environmental protections, there was a debate over independent
:06:18. > :06:22.environmental protection agency for some time but there are strong
:06:22. > :06:28.protections for the environment, and I appreciate Alex was damned if
:06:28. > :06:32.he did and daped if he didn't. If he had taken the decision in
:06:32. > :06:36.negative those in business and those which want to promote tourism
:06:36. > :06:39.would have been critical. It is a matter of getting the balance right.
:06:39. > :06:43.I do have the detail of the decision but I do think that there
:06:43. > :06:47.is prord recognition that we have a beautiful heritage there we has to
:06:47. > :06:50.be protected, but at the same time, we are in severe economic
:06:50. > :06:53.difficulties and tourism is one potential growth area for us, I
:06:53. > :06:57.think you have to in making decisions such as he made today you
:06:57. > :07:01.have to be sure and be careful and he says he got the balance right
:07:01. > :07:05.and I accept that decision. Edwin Poots, you were of course minister
:07:05. > :07:09.for the environment in the past. You didn't have to make a call on
:07:09. > :07:13.this very difficult decision. Do you think Alex Attwood did get it
:07:13. > :07:17.right today? Absolutely. He has made the right decision, and it
:07:18. > :07:21.reflects where the executive is and that is our economy is our number
:07:22. > :07:26.one priority, and when we look to Northern Ireland, we see a lot of
:07:26. > :07:31.unemployment, particularly in younger people, we do need to be
:07:31. > :07:36.transforming the economic landscape. Destroying our heritage won't
:07:36. > :07:40.actually transform our economy, so if Alex was making a decision that
:07:40. > :07:44.was going to destroy our landscape, that is something that I would have
:07:44. > :07:49.been opposed to as someone on the radio said this morning talked
:07:50. > :07:56.about bungalows scattered through the site. They are not. They are
:07:56. > :08:01.against Bushmills village. The hotel itself, it won't be seen from
:08:01. > :08:05.as wide an area as the causeway hotel which was owned by the
:08:05. > :08:10.National Trust, and in terms of the dunes themselves, they will not be
:08:10. > :08:15.affected. This is a sensitive development and indeed a sensible
:08:15. > :08:19.development. It will help create economic regeneration and Bushmills
:08:20. > :08:24.and an area where there are lots of people unemployed it is the right
:08:24. > :08:29.decision. You didn't think it will threaten the status of the giant's
:08:29. > :08:37.causeway. That is what we are not clear about. It is being referred
:08:37. > :08:40.to UNESCO. That was a matter for Alex's department. That shouldn't
:08:40. > :08:44.be an issue. Because what has been proposed here is not something that
:08:44. > :08:50.will be seen from the giant's causeway, there are lots of people
:08:50. > :08:55.exaggerating. Can I say if we were to listen to everybody's complaints,
:08:55. > :08:59.that criticise planning decisions now, if you lock at the road the
:08:59. > :09:04.Coast Road, the Antrim Coast Road, that would never have been qop
:09:04. > :09:07.developed. If you look at Parliament buildings in store month
:09:07. > :09:11.that would never have been developed. These things shouldn't
:09:12. > :09:17.be developed if you listen to the argument but you look at those and
:09:17. > :09:20.they are magnificent features on the landscape. Joanne Stuart,
:09:20. > :09:22.minister for the environment or destruction of the environment?
:09:23. > :09:26.Minister for the environment. I think from a business perspective
:09:26. > :09:30.it is great to get a decision I mean this has been five years
:09:30. > :09:36.within the planning service, and through that time has gone through
:09:36. > :09:40.a very rigorous environmental impact, on, you know, and as Edwin
:09:40. > :09:44.said, business remindful and sensitive to our heritage, and that
:09:44. > :09:50.is the reason that we get business coming into Northern Ireland, so
:09:50. > :09:54.the development is to enhance that, and it is certainly not the
:09:54. > :09:58.business won't do anything to ruin the environment. What it shows it
:09:58. > :10:01.is good to see the economic considerations are being taken into
:10:01. > :10:04.account, as well as the environmental, and it always is a
:10:04. > :10:07.balance, but for business it is about getting decisions quickly,
:10:07. > :10:12.whether that is a yes or no you want dae circumstances because you
:10:12. > :10:17.can decide what do next. When it takes this long to get a decision
:10:17. > :10:22.it doesn't help anybody. Danny Kennedy. On balance he has made the
:10:22. > :10:27.right decision. I am not across the detail of it but it has been a
:10:27. > :10:31.detail that is in the waiting for a considerable time. Almost ten years
:10:31. > :10:35.since it was first advocated, so I think we should welcome that. I
:10:35. > :10:39.think politics is about making big decision, which are sometimes not
:10:39. > :10:44.always popular decisions but I think for economic reason, sound
:10:44. > :10:48.economic reasons, the promotion of golf tourism, I think there is a
:10:48. > :10:53.huge potential there, in Northern Ireland for that, we have golf
:10:53. > :10:56.champion, we should exploit that to its maximum. Yes, there are
:10:56. > :11:01.environmental considerations, and they have to be carefully assessed.
:11:01. > :11:06.There is also the wider view that local farmers for instance, should
:11:06. > :11:10.have the opportunity to build houses of their own in the area,
:11:10. > :11:13.that it shouldn't be entirely excluded to those with cheque book,
:11:14. > :11:17.I think that is an important consideration too, so I think on
:11:17. > :11:27.balance it is the right decision. And I think it is an important
:11:27. > :11:30.
:11:30. > :11:35.decision. Let us hear from Adrian, I am not happy with it. Personally
:11:35. > :11:41.I think we need this golf course like a hole in the head. We have
:11:41. > :11:49.got three in walking distance. I do not have a problem with the
:11:49. > :11:56.business. But we have got many more areas that could have taken it. Why
:11:56. > :12:01.here? It was all from the outside but not out of my pocket and I am
:12:01. > :12:10.happy about that. The developers have said they are not looking for
:12:10. > :12:14.public money and we will see if that is the case. I heard on the
:12:14. > :12:18.radio, be possible minister for tourism, he said he came across
:12:18. > :12:23.here with some friends and travelled from Dublin to Portrush
:12:23. > :12:30.to play golf. But they travelled back to Dublin because they did not
:12:30. > :12:35.have any hotels. Plenty of golf courses but no hotels. But does the
:12:36. > :12:40.hotel have to be there? That is what people are concerned about.
:12:40. > :12:45.What they were saying was if they had hotels in that area, he could
:12:45. > :12:54.frequent sites in the area. Also, we have got good quality golf
:12:54. > :12:59.courses. You think it is a good idea? I do not! Hotels, yes but
:12:59. > :13:07.there is enough golf courses in the area. But in that location, you are
:13:07. > :13:10.happy. The lady in the red scarf. What assurances will be be given to
:13:10. > :13:19.insure that young people will actually benefit from jobs on the
:13:19. > :13:22.site and that it does not become a rich playground. --? A very quick
:13:22. > :13:24.word on that because other members of the audience wants to get
:13:25. > :13:31.involved. Are there any stipulations about local people
:13:31. > :13:39.getting jobs? I think that developers in the north of Ireland
:13:39. > :13:42.like the government into Northern Ireland need to apply rigorous
:13:42. > :13:46.practice around the course. Then we have got to have a local
:13:46. > :13:51.involvement. We have got to have social clauses for long-term
:13:51. > :13:57.employed people. I previously collapsed a threshold around
:13:57. > :14:01.housing associations in order to enable a lot more people to get
:14:01. > :14:08.social clauses and get a long-term job as part of the original
:14:08. > :14:11.contract. The developers, public and private, government and
:14:11. > :14:18.external, must build into the contracts going forward, these
:14:18. > :14:26.types of clauses. Do they have to at the moment? In public contracts,
:14:26. > :14:29.yes. But not to guess, a private contract? I have asked my
:14:30. > :14:35.department to look at a series of proposals whereby there are
:14:35. > :14:38.community benefit causes as part and parcel of planning decisions.
:14:38. > :14:42.Then we will escalate the opportunities to build into
:14:43. > :14:45.planning permissions, funding going to local communities as well as
:14:45. > :14:50.opportunities to build into contracts opportunities for
:14:50. > :14:55.employment. At the moment, we have got legal restrictions on that but
:14:55. > :15:01.that clearly to answer the question is the way to get a better culture.
:15:01. > :15:09.It will be interesting to see how the debate continues and stable --
:15:09. > :15:17.people will want to express their opinions. Our next question is from
:15:17. > :15:25.Jonathan, a student from Lisburn. What science is the Minister basing
:15:25. > :15:28.his supposition on the? You have a policy in place that gay men cannot
:15:28. > :15:36.donate blood in Northern Ireland which is not the same as the rest
:15:36. > :15:44.of the UK. What is your response? Up the slick, this goes back for
:15:44. > :15:52.some considerable time and I have not changed or altered anything. --
:15:52. > :15:57.obviously.... Actually, the same regulations are in place in North
:15:57. > :16:03.America and virtually every other country in Europe. We are not out
:16:03. > :16:07.of step in the Europe and America. A but with the rest of the UK.
:16:07. > :16:11.There has been pressure in terms of blood donations in the rest of the
:16:11. > :16:17.UK because the people that the blood in the UK are from an older
:16:17. > :16:23.population base. It has been a pressure for them that is not
:16:23. > :16:30.present for us. In terms of the sides involved, we have looked at
:16:30. > :16:34.best and my department has made a recommendation. We have to take
:16:34. > :16:40.their opinions into consideration and look at the issues of
:16:40. > :16:43.compliance. We have asked for papers on compliance. We have not
:16:43. > :16:50.made a decision to proceed because we are not happy with the
:16:50. > :16:57.information that has come forward. Some people made a remark about
:16:58. > :17:04.commercial sex workers but that was not a claim that I made. That was
:17:04. > :17:11.about a lesser risk from commercial sex workers. But the rest of the UK
:17:11. > :17:15.is satisfied with the scientific evidence. Why are we not satisfied?
:17:16. > :17:20.They have made the recommendations and we make the decisions.
:17:20. > :17:23.Currently, we do not have a big pressure, perhaps not as big a
:17:23. > :17:31.pressure as a part of Great Britain in terms of the blood supply that
:17:31. > :17:34.we have got. But what makes it nonsense is that you do not like
:17:34. > :17:42.demented debate but in Northern Ireland but we get blood from
:17:42. > :17:46.across the water that could have been donated by gay men. We have
:17:46. > :17:56.donations per annum across the UK. The number of units we receive
:17:56. > :17:56.
:17:56. > :18:03.probably did not even enter into 100s. What is clear to me is that
:18:03. > :18:09.this is not about sexuality. It is about the risk applied. I have met
:18:10. > :18:13.the officials and I have spoken to people that have engaged in sex and
:18:13. > :18:23.being able to get blood from people that have engaged in sex with
:18:23. > :18:28.prostitutes. All of these are things I have concern about. This
:18:28. > :18:31.is about people receiving blood and it is about maximising the security
:18:31. > :18:38.they have that the blood that they are receiving is not something that
:18:38. > :18:44.will give them an illness. Some people have died from diseases as a
:18:44. > :18:47.result of receiving blood. I know some people have died because of
:18:48. > :18:52.receiving blood. I have to be very sure and I am strong about this,
:18:52. > :18:57.that I am acting in the interest of people receiving blood. Notts
:18:57. > :19:07.people giving blood but the recipient. The has he got this
:19:07. > :19:07.
:19:07. > :19:11.right? He has got it plainly wrong. I think we have got an important
:19:11. > :19:17.principle that whatever personal morality and values that we have,
:19:17. > :19:24.ministers must stand back and take advice. He has not actually
:19:24. > :19:28.mentioned morality at all. understand that. But we cannot
:19:28. > :19:35.easily divorce personal values and morality is from a public position
:19:35. > :19:44.but we must be very vigilant. When the sides suggests that is the way
:19:44. > :19:51.to go, we should follow that. -- science. I think that is the
:19:51. > :20:01.principle we should follow. You are saying personal morality issues
:20:01. > :20:02.
:20:02. > :20:12.Clio and scientific judgment? -- cloud sighted judgment? -- cloud
:20:12. > :20:13.
:20:13. > :20:16.judgment? I previously allowed a conference to be operated in a
:20:16. > :20:21.university involving gay and lesbian people and representing
:20:21. > :20:28.their needs will stop outside the student union, people were trying
:20:28. > :20:34.to impose their morality, in their words, Save Ulster from sodomy and
:20:34. > :20:38.undermining the student population. Whether it is said or not, there is
:20:38. > :20:47.a danger that personal and private about these are influencing public
:20:47. > :20:53.policy. It is a serious charge. You are letting moral convictions cloud
:20:53. > :20:58.your judgement as Health Minister. I have questioned regulations about
:20:58. > :21:02.a series of things and not just about this issue. If he is
:21:02. > :21:07.suggesting we should be receiving blood from commercial sex workers,
:21:07. > :21:13.that is an interesting point of view to have. I think it is
:21:13. > :21:18.difficult to say one whole group presents a risk. Every group,
:21:18. > :21:26.straight and gay, they have got different risks associated. We have
:21:26. > :21:31.to look at the screening and testing of blood. We have to insure
:21:31. > :21:39.that because that has moved on in a number of years and that is what
:21:39. > :21:44.would give me confidence. Are you satisfied that system is
:21:44. > :21:49.sufficiently in place in Northern Ireland? I certainly have
:21:49. > :21:53.confidence on the screening and testing facilities and I think
:21:53. > :21:59.maybe there has got to be a bit more transparency and information
:21:59. > :22:03.in the public domain, so we can look at that in more detail. That
:22:03. > :22:10.is what the brokers should be had not on the person giving the blood.
:22:10. > :22:15.At should be Minister think again? He has not made the final decision
:22:15. > :22:24.yet. But I do not think we should say all of one group is a
:22:24. > :22:28.particular risk with blood. Conor Murphy? The primary objective is
:22:28. > :22:35.that he said that there is not a need and if that is correct then
:22:35. > :22:39.day is no point in carrying on. I think it is a regulation that could
:22:39. > :22:44.be considered insulting and discriminatory and he should move
:22:44. > :22:48.ahead with the decision to lift that ban. I do not think that there
:22:48. > :22:53.is a point of principle here. As long as scientific evidence does
:22:53. > :22:59.not suggest greater risk, this is certainly discriminatory and
:22:59. > :23:06.insulting for that community and it should be lifted. I want to hear
:23:06. > :23:13.from the audience but first, Danny Kennedy? What is crucial and what
:23:13. > :23:19.has already been indicated is that the sexuality of the individual is
:23:19. > :23:26.not the issue at stake. I think we have got issues that our moral and
:23:26. > :23:31.ethical. These have to be considered. But you assemble all
:23:31. > :23:36.the facts. You take the necessary information from the experts that
:23:36. > :23:41.are available and then you make the appropriate decision. I think based
:23:41. > :23:45.on that, I would certainly be relying on people like the Chief
:23:45. > :23:55.Medical Officer of Northern Ireland to provide information on this
:23:55. > :24:00.matter. What do you think, Jonathan? I think the points about
:24:00. > :24:05.screening were very good. Screening has come to a stage where we can
:24:05. > :24:10.detect things in the blood that might be harmful to the recipient.
:24:10. > :24:20.I would like to pick up on the. The Minister made, that it is happening
:24:20. > :24:28.in the rest of the UK. -- the point that the minister made. A very
:24:28. > :24:34.quick response to that. Sometimes the blood is needed very quickly
:24:34. > :24:39.and sometimes some of the screening is very important. I do not
:24:39. > :24:42.apologise for not taking risks. I need to make a decision and I do
:24:42. > :24:52.not apologise for taking my time when it is health we are talking
:24:52. > :24:55.about. The gentleman on the left. Important thing is that if I am
:24:55. > :25:02.brought into the hospital, I want a guarantee that the blood I get is
:25:02. > :25:10.100 % not contaminated. I do not care where or whom it comes from
:25:10. > :25:13.but I want to be saved. Do you think the minister is right to hold
:25:13. > :25:20.off or is that irrelevant because you could be getting blood from
:25:20. > :25:24.across the water? Regardless of where it comes from, I want to make
:25:24. > :25:33.sure, 100 % that it is safe to take his blood. That is my interest at
:25:33. > :25:38.the moment. That is the most important thing. Irrespective of
:25:38. > :25:44.the moral of philosophical issues of gay blood donation, what we must
:25:44. > :25:48.remember is that it is the patient that is the recipient. You have to
:25:48. > :25:54.be 100 % sure that he is getting, not necessarily pure blood but but
:25:54. > :26:03.that is not contaminated. anything, this is contributing to
:26:03. > :26:06.the myth that only gay people contract HIV and Aids. What is your
:26:06. > :26:13.message to the minister tonight? He has got to make a decision. What
:26:14. > :26:18.should he do? He needs to be careful not to contribute to these
:26:18. > :26:28.problems. Heterosexual people need to protect themselves from HIV and
:26:28. > :26:28.
:26:28. > :26:33.Aids as well. You must consider what message you are putting out.
:26:33. > :26:38.We have looked at these issues with HIV and prostitutes and we have
:26:38. > :26:48.looked at Africa and this is all about safety. It is important that
:26:48. > :26:49.
:26:49. > :26:53.we concentrate on not who gets the It is not only the prostitutes who
:26:53. > :26:58.contract aides and HIV. Let us move on. It is something people have
:26:58. > :27:03.strong views on. We won't have complete agreement but it is
:27:03. > :27:07.interesting to give it an airing, when will you make a final decision
:27:07. > :27:11.on that, do you know? We have been taking legal advice from the
:27:11. > :27:16.department's solicitor's office, so there is interesting views. But the
:27:16. > :27:19.bottom line it will take a lot to get you to change your position?
:27:19. > :27:23.is something we will give due consideration to and wise
:27:24. > :27:29.consideration too. Our third question is from Paul, who is a
:27:29. > :27:32.student support officer from Belfast. My question is, how does
:27:32. > :27:37.the panel feel ability Scotland attaining independence and what
:27:37. > :27:42.will this mean for Northern Ireland? Danny Kennedy? I am
:27:42. > :27:47.opposed to Scottish independence. I think the United Kingdom works best
:27:47. > :27:51.when all four constituent parts are working together, co-operating
:27:51. > :27:59.together, and economically, I think that makes sense. I hope very much
:27:59. > :28:05.that the Scottish referendum when it does take place, that it will
:28:05. > :28:09.reject the notion of Scottish independence. I would hope that all
:28:09. > :28:13.the partys in the United Kingdom, like local parties will be able to
:28:13. > :28:18.make a contribution to that overall debate. Edwin Poots, I imagine you
:28:18. > :28:22.don't disagree with much of that? think Alex Salmond to some extent
:28:22. > :28:26.remind me at a dog at the end of a leash barking and slavering,
:28:26. > :28:30.wishing to get off it but sometimes when they do, they don't know what
:28:30. > :28:33.to do I would urge the Scottish people to be careful what you wish
:28:33. > :28:37.for, because Scotland does very well out of the Barnett Formula.
:28:37. > :28:42.Scotland is well ahead of the rest of the United Kingdom, in many
:28:42. > :28:46.things it can offer the public. I suspect if he is reliant on North
:28:46. > :28:52.Sea oil, which may not last forever, it will be a very foolish way to
:28:52. > :28:56.lead the people of Scotland. This United Kingdom is a stronger for
:28:56. > :28:58.having Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and
:28:59. > :29:02.Wales all together, and I am glad that Scotland is currently part of
:29:02. > :29:06.the United Kingdom. I trust that continues to be the case, as I am
:29:06. > :29:09.glad that Northern Ireland as opposed to north that Alex was
:29:09. > :29:11.referring to is part of the United Kingdom and will remain part of the
:29:11. > :29:14.United Kingdom. It is entersing the question is no longer about
:29:14. > :29:24.Northern Ireland. The question is about other parts of the United
:29:24. > :29:30.Kingdom, we are secure within it. Alex Attwood? Unlike Edwin I think
:29:30. > :29:35.Alex Salmond is one of the best politicians in these islands. More
:29:35. > :29:39.than that, I think Alex Salmond, John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon
:29:39. > :29:42.the three leaders of the Scottish Government know best of all the
:29:42. > :29:46.ministers in these islands the difference between in Government
:29:46. > :29:50.and being in power. Whatever happens about the referendum, we
:29:50. > :29:55.have a lot to learn about good Government from the Scottish
:29:55. > :29:59.Government and about pushing the limits of good Government and good
:29:59. > :30:02.politics, we need to get our heads round that here. The second thing
:30:02. > :30:07.is the nature of British union has been changing fundamentally over
:30:07. > :30:11.the last 60 or 70 years. The old certainties are gone. The empire
:30:11. > :30:16.has gone. The character of British monarchy is changing. Devolution
:30:16. > :30:19.has come, and when you give power to people it is likely they will
:30:20. > :30:24.want more power to themselves, be it Wales, Scotland or Northern
:30:24. > :30:28.Ireland. I think we need to encourage this debate. Encourage a
:30:28. > :30:31.definition of the British union and redefine the nature of
:30:31. > :30:35.relationships at the same time. Scotland votes for independence
:30:35. > :30:38.what would that mean for Northern Ireland? I think it will encourage
:30:38. > :30:43.Northern Ireland to consider further its role in the British
:30:43. > :30:48.union. And the future as part of united Ireland. That is for another
:30:48. > :30:52.day. I think for now, we need to get our heads round, if not the
:30:52. > :30:58.issue of independence, at least the issue of devolution Voe max, about
:30:58. > :31:03.more power coming to Belfast, Wales and Edinburgh and the same time,
:31:03. > :31:07.learning from Scottish experience, of a Government that pushes the
:31:07. > :31:13.limits of Government. Pushes the limits of politics, pushes the
:31:13. > :31:18.agenda with London in a way we should measure up to Devo Max is a
:31:18. > :31:23.separate debate to any region of the United Kingdom, most especially
:31:23. > :31:28.Scotland, because independence for Scotland would presumably give them
:31:28. > :31:35.economic independence, and I mean I think it doesn't need to be spelled
:31:36. > :31:40.out to harshly, that that is simply an non-starter. I think it's a
:31:40. > :31:42.matter for the people of Scotland, just as it is for ourselves here as
:31:42. > :31:45.well. I don't think that the British Prime Minister should be
:31:45. > :31:49.interfering or attempting to bully Scotland in terms of deciding when
:31:49. > :31:54.the question is asked or what the content of the question is, and I
:31:54. > :31:57.do think there are lessons to learn in the interim in terms of having
:31:57. > :32:01.more authority, having more say over the issues that affect the
:32:01. > :32:05.people that you are elected to represent, and you know, for
:32:05. > :32:09.instance Sammy Wilson's objection to more fiscal powers to the
:32:09. > :32:14.assembly because he is a unionist doesn't stack up, I think we should
:32:14. > :32:17.continue to press the boat out here for as much powers as we have to
:32:17. > :32:21.affect and at erthe economic and social conditions we are trying to
:32:21. > :32:25.grapple with. Certainly I think the question of sentence -- sentence
:32:25. > :32:31.for Scotland is a matter for the people of Scotland. It shouldn't be
:32:31. > :32:34.dictated to by a British Prime Minister. -- sentence sentence.
:32:34. > :32:37.think Scotland has a progressive Government and certainly they ra
:32:37. > :32:41.Government that have made decisions quicker than we have here. They
:32:41. > :32:45.have a majority Government, but I think they have been more radical
:32:45. > :32:48.in their policies and they have put things in place to help develop
:32:48. > :32:51.their economy. In Northern Ireland, we have good relationships with
:32:51. > :32:55.Scotland from a business perspective but when it comes down
:32:55. > :32:58.it is a more complex question. It is one thing says do you want to be
:32:58. > :33:03.independent but how are you going to do that? And are, do we have
:33:03. > :33:08.that ability within us as a country? I agree with Conor, that
:33:08. > :33:11.it is not for us to influence what Scotland are doing, that is a
:33:11. > :33:16.question down to them, but I think you need to have the question and
:33:16. > :33:19.the decision made, I think the longer that this goes on, without
:33:19. > :33:23.maybe having all the information there, does create an unstable
:33:23. > :33:27.environment, so you know, am glad there is now a date that has been
:33:27. > :33:32.set, so that a decision can be made, and we take it from there. OK. Let
:33:32. > :33:35.us hear from Paul who asked the question. Yes I I agree with what
:33:35. > :33:39.some have said. It is up to the people of Scotland decide. If they
:33:39. > :33:43.decide that is what they want, as Democrat, if you claim to be
:33:43. > :33:46.Democrats you have to respect this butlet maltly that will ask big
:33:46. > :33:50.questions about the future of Northern Ireland and the union, the
:33:50. > :33:54.old certainties are gone. It isn't necessarily great depending where
:33:54. > :33:59.you are coming from to be part of the union, Northern Ireland has
:33:59. > :34:02.been treated as an afterthought and we still experience that today.
:34:02. > :34:04.What do you think the implications would be for Northern Ireland if
:34:04. > :34:08.Scotland was to vote for independence? I think we are going
:34:08. > :34:12.to start thinking about more we will become more independent.
:34:12. > :34:18.independent or just a union with a different country? More independent.
:34:18. > :34:23.We don't have to look to England for support, and that we have, we
:34:23. > :34:27.have our own culture and history. We can do it in conjunction with
:34:27. > :34:32.England. We don't have to be ruled, uniformly from the UK. OK. Thank
:34:32. > :34:36.you. There are a couple of hands, a couple of quick comments. I agree
:34:36. > :34:44.more or less with Conor and the fellow ore here, nobody has the
:34:44. > :34:49.right to say to Scotland don't, you know, sort of determine your own
:34:49. > :34:55.future. So it's a democratic decision as far as you are
:34:55. > :34:59.concerned. Yes. The SNP are looking at a referendum for 2014. I would
:34:59. > :35:04.take one next week because they will be rejected. You think so?
:35:04. > :35:13.Final thought from a gentleman in the front. The thing that suprises
:35:13. > :35:18.me is why England hasn't gone for independence. APPLAUSE. I reckon
:35:18. > :35:22.England could make a fair go of it on its own. Do you think that would
:35:22. > :35:26.make everybody think twice. could get rid of the aping --
:35:26. > :35:32.hangers on and start living the good life. Interest thought! Thank
:35:32. > :35:38.you for that. Thanks for asking the question. Let us hear our next
:35:38. > :35:42.question on youth employment. It is from a student. Good evening. Can I
:35:42. > :35:47.ask what is being done to keep Northern Ireland's talented young
:35:47. > :35:52.people here, to work and study? It's a question I think this time
:35:52. > :35:59.round for Joanne Stuart, it is your area of expertise, you have been
:35:59. > :36:03.written about this and been to conferences, it is a serious issue.
:36:03. > :36:07.I think there are a number of options for young people, and I
:36:07. > :36:09.think there is a rule for business, young people and Government, from a
:36:09. > :36:14.business perspective there is a lot of opportunity out there but we
:36:14. > :36:16.have to get much better at communicating those. And really
:36:16. > :36:22.marketing ourselves to young people, so that you can see exactly where
:36:22. > :36:27.the growth industries are. I mean areas like ICT, in engineering, in
:36:27. > :36:30.health, in the connected health the minister was speaking about this
:36:30. > :36:33.week, tourism, hospitality, there are opportunities out there but we
:36:33. > :36:37.are not marketing those in the right way. But I think from a
:36:37. > :36:39.Government there are programmes out there so for example for graduates
:36:39. > :36:42.there is a graduate acceleration programme, a programme which is
:36:42. > :36:46.about helping you to get some work experience and understand what
:36:46. > :36:51.being in a job is about, there is training for success, to help
:36:51. > :36:54.people to get into work, there is apprenticeships, there is knowledge
:36:54. > :36:57.transfer partnerships working with universities colleges and business
:36:57. > :37:00.but the problem for young people there is some research you need to
:37:00. > :37:04.do of all of the stuff we have, available in Northern Ireland, one
:37:04. > :37:08.of the problems we have and I find this in any area we are looking at,
:37:08. > :37:12.we have great things happening on the ground, we haven't got the way
:37:12. > :37:17.of how do we join it up so it is easier to final the information.
:37:17. > :37:21.The other thing I would say, is because one of the programmes I
:37:21. > :37:24.support is a mentor ship programme which is about giving graduates 12
:37:24. > :37:28.months experience in the US UK, and I do think there is something to be
:37:28. > :37:30.said for getting that sort of international experience, for us to
:37:31. > :37:33.build our economy we need to be looking at markets outside of
:37:33. > :37:37.Northern Ireland, we need to be growing our export, and if we can
:37:37. > :37:39.get people who have got that international experience, got those
:37:40. > :37:43.network, that can bring those skills back to Northern Ireland,
:37:43. > :37:47.then I think that will be the benefit. The key is though, is
:37:47. > :37:53.keeping connected. It is, we can't let young people go off and you
:37:53. > :37:57.know, not stay connected to them, so programmes like the come on over,
:37:57. > :38:00.the Department of Employment run which keeps people connected. We
:38:00. > :38:03.have a programme that keeps people connected so everybody can see what
:38:03. > :38:07.the opportunities are, how do we bring you back, how can you
:38:07. > :38:10.contribute to Northern Ireland? It is not always negative for people
:38:10. > :38:14.to spend some time overseas, learning a different experience,
:38:14. > :38:19.getting a broadening your horizon, I have started to see poom people
:38:19. > :38:23.coming back from the mentor ship programme they have spent in the
:38:23. > :38:27.States. The contact is second to none. They have much more
:38:27. > :38:31.confidence, they have come up with different ideas of how they want to
:38:31. > :38:33.go forward, including creating their own businesses as well as
:38:33. > :38:37.working with smaller business, and the other area is supporting young
:38:37. > :38:40.people, because young people have great ideas. It is how do we
:38:40. > :38:44.support yourselves to actually take those, and make them into
:38:44. > :38:50.businesses as well. And there is different ways of supporting that.
:38:50. > :38:53.There is a lot out there but it is getting it available to young
:38:53. > :38:56.people. Maybe there isn't the joined up approach we need. Do you
:38:56. > :39:00.think first of all that enough is being done by Government? If you
:39:00. > :39:05.open one of the newspapers in Belfast this morning and saw a
:39:05. > :39:11.photograph of the GEA team where two thirds of the members are
:39:11. > :39:14.overseas at the moment, many of them in Melbourne, you would vo to
:39:14. > :39:17.conclude there has been a collective failure. Whatever the
:39:17. > :39:22.economic situation is beyond our control, there should have been
:39:22. > :39:26.more within our control, to ensure that so many didn't go overseas.
:39:26. > :39:31.The fundamental issue for me is that we have to decide in the north
:39:31. > :39:34.where we are going to place ourselvess, when it comes to
:39:34. > :39:39.economic opportunity, in order to have the jobs, so that young people
:39:39. > :39:43.in every other generation can get access to jobs, and those are the
:39:43. > :39:48.fundamental strategic choices we have to decide now. And they are
:39:48. > :39:50.about recognising that renewables is our single biggest opportunity,
:39:51. > :39:57.recognising we can grow agricultural and Agri food in the
:39:57. > :40:02.image of the south of Ireland but 200-300% going forward. Tourism,
:40:02. > :40:06.where we are hoping to have 26,000 new jobs over the next seven or
:40:06. > :40:10.eight years and that by deciding what the global economic strategy
:40:10. > :40:14.is for the north, then applying our resources to have people trained up
:40:14. > :40:18.for the skills, in the short-term we need a lot of urgent
:40:18. > :40:21.interventions, to try to give people some sense of hope and
:40:21. > :40:25.opportunity, so for example, Government, if you look at Belfast
:40:25. > :40:29.City Council, they have announced a major capital project which is
:40:29. > :40:31.looking to build into the body of the council a lot of training
:40:31. > :40:36.opportunities for young peep. We should do the same thing in
:40:36. > :40:40.Government. If we adopted a model I am working up on, we could have
:40:40. > :40:44.2,000 six month placements in Government, as part of the
:40:44. > :40:48.architecture of Government, giving people an opportunity for and those
:40:48. > :40:56.are the short-term urgent interventions as we decide what is
:40:56. > :41:01.the overall economic strategy going forward. Danny? I served as
:41:01. > :41:05.employment and learning minister, and many of the projects and
:41:05. > :41:09.schemes that Alex is referring to are actually happening and Joanne
:41:09. > :41:15.will confirm that, but we need to intensify that, and certainly,
:41:15. > :41:19.there is clear proof to me that at a time of economic downturn, you
:41:19. > :41:23.must always invest in training and skills, and that goes for local
:41:23. > :41:29.companies but it goes particularly for our young people, because they
:41:29. > :41:34.are one of our greatest assets, if not our best asset, so I think the
:41:34. > :41:39.executive is continuing to look at schemes, I know the employment and
:41:39. > :41:44.learning minister has recently circulated a paper to executive
:41:44. > :41:46.colleague, we are studying that, to look at ways we can bring forward
:41:46. > :41:52.positive initiatives to improve the lot. People are still leaving, that
:41:52. > :41:57.is the point and leaving in big numbers. But this is not just a
:41:57. > :42:02.Northern Ireland problem. This is a problem in national terms of almost
:42:02. > :42:06.epidemic proportions and so we need to be careful that we take all
:42:06. > :42:11.necessary measures that we can and can I say the executive has held
:42:11. > :42:15.the issue of student fee, tuition fees, to encourage young people to
:42:15. > :42:19.study here in universities in Northern Ireland, and that was part
:42:19. > :42:24.of the brain drain that for years dogged Northern Ireland and
:42:24. > :42:28.industry in Northern Ireland, a lot of people, the best of our young
:42:28. > :42:38.people left and didn't return. We have to encourage and put in place
:42:38. > :42:42.
:42:42. > :42:46.the mechanisms where by the train Conor Murphy? More than half of my
:42:46. > :42:53.family are scattered across the water. I do not think any of them
:42:53. > :42:59.will come back, such is the reality of life here. They are in Australia,
:42:59. > :43:05.Canada and England. Is that a failure on the part of Northern
:43:05. > :43:08.Ireland? It is a failure across the country, in Britain as well and it
:43:08. > :43:16.is a symptom of the economic downturn to. But there are things
:43:16. > :43:22.to be done and Joanne has listed a few of them. We have made the point
:43:22. > :43:26.about contracts. That was made in the last Executive but the
:43:26. > :43:32.Executive is still a big spender had it has got the power, if not
:43:32. > :43:35.the case in the golf courses, they can insure that we have got
:43:35. > :43:40.opportunities for young people in contracts to gain employment,
:43:40. > :43:48.experience, knowledge and skills. There are other areas suited for
:43:48. > :43:55.people in terms of new technology as well. We need to invest in
:43:55. > :43:59.chasing opportunities abroad. In this climate, we should be striking
:43:59. > :44:04.that balance more in favour of investing in local businesses and
:44:04. > :44:11.finding opportunities for young people here. I think we need to get
:44:11. > :44:15.back to basics and I think the economy was too reliant on retail,
:44:15. > :44:19.construction and as Northern Ireland plc, we need to be
:44:19. > :44:23.manufacturing more and selling more services abroad. We need to bring
:44:23. > :44:29.more money into the economy and when that comes in, it will sustain
:44:29. > :44:34.the retail sector and the construction sector will grow again.
:44:34. > :44:39.A considerable amount of work is being done and we have got a lot of
:44:39. > :44:45.job opportunities in Northern Ireland. I can think of farms for
:44:46. > :44:51.example, which employ people. But some people do not want to work in
:44:51. > :44:56.these industries. Why? In the New York Stock Exchange recently,
:44:56. > :45:00.people put up advertising for 40 staff and have not got the workers.
:45:00. > :45:09.We need to encourage people to take up opportunities that actually
:45:09. > :45:13.exist. We will go back to the question. All these programmes
:45:13. > :45:17.sound fantastic and I am sure they cost the taxpayer a fair amount of
:45:17. > :45:24.money but where is the evidence they are working? Where are the
:45:24. > :45:32.employment figures? When will they reduce? Well, they have. Youth
:45:32. > :45:36.unemployment was 21 %, down to 18 %. Against Wales at 27 %. We are
:45:36. > :45:41.bringing in 7% of investment into the United Kingdom in a population
:45:41. > :45:48.of less than 3%. I recognise it is tough but a lot of good things are
:45:48. > :45:53.happening. I want to bring in the audience. The gentleman on the left.
:45:53. > :45:58.We cannot wait eight years for another 26,000 jobs. We can wait
:45:58. > :46:02.eight months but you have had five years to get past the jobs. Perhaps
:46:02. > :46:08.if you put 80 things more through planning had made decisions in the
:46:08. > :46:16.last term a parliament, we would not be in this situation today. By
:46:16. > :46:22.in the second row. One of the things that I have to say is that a
:46:22. > :46:30.lot of the interventions are full 17, 18-year-old but what about 12 I
:46:30. > :46:39.and 17? What about opportunities for the young people here? -- 12-
:46:39. > :46:47.17? These are the things I think are very important and they are
:46:47. > :46:50.neglected in urban and rural areas. The lady in the front. You are
:46:50. > :46:57.talking about giving people skills but a lot of people read social
:46:57. > :47:01.skills before they can get qualifications. They have not got
:47:01. > :47:09.consequences -- concert at -- they have not got confidence to do the
:47:09. > :47:17.job interview. The panel spoke highly of freezing university
:47:17. > :47:21.tuition fees to decrease unemployment. But could be funding
:47:21. > :47:28.not go to increasing employment and not maintain increasingly high
:47:28. > :47:33.graduates in Northern Ireland? gentleman on the ride. Every time
:47:33. > :47:38.we talk about youth unemployment, we talk about university and
:47:38. > :47:46.college graduates. We need investment in working-class areas.
:47:46. > :47:56.How do young people feel? People want to hear about solid investment
:47:56. > :47:57.
:47:57. > :48:03.in their areas to help them. final comment. Universities are
:48:03. > :48:09.irresponsibly offering places in jobs, for example, teaching.
:48:09. > :48:14.Careers are really important and we have to work in schools and we have
:48:14. > :48:17.got to teach people how to market themselves better. People pick up
:48:17. > :48:22.skills through hobbies and different things that they have
:48:22. > :48:26.done and not just through jobs. Some people are not understanding
:48:26. > :48:32.the skills that they have got. The market place is competitive but
:48:32. > :48:38.businesses are stepping up to try and get the skills to young people.
:48:38. > :48:45.People feel very strongly about that. The next question is from an
:48:45. > :48:55.administrator from County Armagh. Would putting a minimum price not
:48:55. > :48:56.
:48:56. > :49:03.be penalising P-U -- people that drink alcohol sensibly? Sometimes
:49:03. > :49:08.we have what can be considered a clear and short term solutions. --
:49:08. > :49:15.short-term solutions. We have got a broad range of problems. Some have
:49:15. > :49:19.been referred to in the past discussions about self-esteem.
:49:19. > :49:29.About decent people have of themselves and lack of self-worth.
:49:29. > :49:30.
:49:30. > :49:35.-- about people with a lack of self-worth. Some people think that
:49:35. > :49:38.the answer is actually a much broader issue. We have to look at
:49:38. > :49:45.health and all of the other departments and education in
:49:46. > :49:49.particular. When people talk about a sense of despair, education is
:49:49. > :49:54.failing people and we are trying to change the education system and we
:49:54. > :49:59.are getting resistance to that. But we have to recognise that we have
:49:59. > :50:03.got a broad level of young people that are affected by the problem
:50:03. > :50:13.that you are talking about and simply applied one solution about
:50:13. > :50:19.prices is not enough and it needs a broader intervention. I support
:50:19. > :50:25.minimum unit pricing of alcohol. Absolutely no doubt about that. 80
:50:25. > :50:31.% alcohol is consumed by 20 % of people. Most people are not a
:50:31. > :50:36.problem drinkers. They are responsible. But we must create
:50:36. > :50:43.disciplines in order for people that do drink to excess, they can
:50:43. > :50:49.be prevented. You have to hit hard on irresponsible might club owners.
:50:49. > :50:52.You hit hard on irresponsible drinking promotions. You hit hard
:50:52. > :50:56.on vehicles driving people consuming vast amounts of alcohol
:50:57. > :51:02.before they get to nightclubs. You create a minimum price per unit of
:51:02. > :51:06.alcohol. That will not inhibit people from buying alcohol when
:51:06. > :51:12.they are responsible but it will restrict access to alcohol from
:51:12. > :51:16.people that are not responsible. A collective measure across a range
:51:16. > :51:25.of interventions is all one way of drilling down on people that are
:51:25. > :51:30.irresponsible. My view is that alcohol is too easily accessible.
:51:30. > :51:35.In terms of price, it is too cheap. It provides any number of social
:51:35. > :51:39.problems that we have to deal with at a later stage. My opinion is
:51:39. > :51:48.that we should be coming forward with measures to deal with it
:51:48. > :51:51.effectively. To respond to the question, for people that drink
:51:52. > :51:57.responsibly, the price increase will not created by most people.
:51:57. > :52:02.But we need to make any impact on people that drink excessively. They
:52:02. > :52:06.are costing the health service millions of pounds every year. They
:52:06. > :52:12.cost the economy around �900 million every year. That is not
:52:12. > :52:17.sustainable. It is not morally right that Northern Ireland, almost
:52:17. > :52:27.300 people last year got killed because of alcohol. It was not
:52:27. > :52:27.
:52:27. > :52:34.right during the Troubles. We did not found -- find that acceptable.
:52:34. > :52:37.Joanne Stuart? I think it is one of a number of interventions and one
:52:37. > :52:42.aspect of that his education and how we get the message out to
:52:42. > :52:48.people. A lot of people might not think they are drinking too much
:52:48. > :52:54.and we need to look at this in the round. We will hear from the lady
:52:54. > :53:00.get asked the question. To an extent I do think people will be
:53:00. > :53:06.punished and penalised. Some people want to have a good time and drug
:53:06. > :53:10.people will get drunk no matter what and people will find a way to.
:53:10. > :53:14.Is there any guarantee that this money will come in handy it will
:53:14. > :53:22.actually go back into the health system and education? Are These
:53:22. > :53:27.people damaging their bodies? more audience thoughts? There is a
:53:27. > :53:36.lot of research that indicates that when we have a unit price increase
:53:36. > :53:39.that it actually reduces the harm resulting from alcohol abuse. That
:53:39. > :53:46.is good international research that demonstrates that increasing the
:53:46. > :53:49.price can reduce harm. understand suicide is a big problem
:53:49. > :53:55.and the psychiatrists have said that if we have a minimum price of
:53:55. > :54:02.alcohol it would reduce that problem greatly. I am a recovering
:54:02. > :54:06.alcoholic. I think the system of controlled drinking in bars where
:54:06. > :54:09.people cannot get access to drinking, we have to go back to
:54:10. > :54:19.that system and reduce problems with the drinking and social
:54:19. > :54:28.problems. The gentleman on my right. Primarily, people on low incomes
:54:28. > :54:34.would be penalised by an extra tax on alcohol. Should we not penalise
:54:34. > :54:39.the government for not delivering on a range of issues? Out of these
:54:39. > :54:46.people penalise our government? -- how do these people penalise our
:54:46. > :54:56.government? But is it progress? but many people will see it as a
:54:56. > :55:05.tax on poor families. It will be regarded as a tax by these people.
:55:05. > :55:12.The gentleman at the back. I think having a minimum price is likely to
:55:12. > :55:17.encourage other markets which are already increasing. We will take a
:55:17. > :55:25.final question from Roger, a businessman from Belfast. What
:55:25. > :55:31.would each of the panellists gave up for Lent and why? It is a short
:55:31. > :55:37.one that you might or might not be glad to hear. Joanne Stuart?
:55:37. > :55:47.would have to be me constantly on a diet so I think it will be crisps.
:55:47. > :55:48.
:55:48. > :55:54.Will that be easy? I would just have to try! Enjoyed. Plenty of
:55:54. > :56:00.crisps in the studio if you need them. Edwin Poots? I did not have
:56:00. > :56:04.that many bad habits... But I do tend to wind up people closest to
:56:04. > :56:10.me so I could promise not to wind up my wife that but I suspect that
:56:10. > :56:20.would not last very long. instalment? I will have to keep
:56:20. > :56:23.winding them up. -- and in Stormont? Sometimes you start to
:56:23. > :56:31.falter from New year's resolutions and for me it would be more about
:56:32. > :56:39.foodstuffs. Are you good about that? I am generally good during
:56:39. > :56:44.the week but the weekend is always my downfall. Danny? Chocolate bars.
:56:44. > :56:54.I am not sure that you are allowed to advertise chocolate bars on the
:56:54. > :56:54.
:56:54. > :57:00.BBC. And wine gums. Not a wine gums. Will they go tomorrow? The jury is
:57:00. > :57:09.still out. You can make a commitment on BBC One. Politicians
:57:09. > :57:14.making a commitment? It would be novel! Looking towards Danny and my
:57:15. > :57:24.other colleagues, I presume they would wish that I was speaking less.
:57:24. > :57:32.Not a chance, is there? Around the executive table I can tell you that
:57:32. > :57:35.is very true. Roger? I think politicians should give up
:57:35. > :57:45.pretending to be competent politicians. They cannot run this
:57:45. > :57:45.
:57:45. > :57:51.country. What are you giving up for Lent? I did not recognise Lent.
:57:51. > :57:56.Interesting you asked a question about it. The lady in the middle?
:57:56. > :58:05.What should they give up about welfare reform and the impact on
:58:05. > :58:08.the lips of carers? -- lives. is where we must leave it for
:58:08. > :58:12.another edition of Spotlight Special. Thank you to the panel of