Special Spotlight

Hello, and welcome to Spotlight Special. As ever, we've invited a

first-rate panel to discuss the pressing issues of the day with our

studio audience. Danny Kennedy is an Ulster Unionist MLA for Newry

and Armagh and the Minister for Regional Development at Stormont.

Alex Attwood is the Environment Minister and an SDLP MLA for West

Belfast. Conor Murphy is the Sinn Fein MP and an MLA for Newry and

Armagh and chair of the Assembly's Finance and Personnel Committee.

Joanne Stuart is a leading light in the local business world and a

former Chairperson of the Institute of Directors here. And finally,

Edwin Poots is our third Executive Minister tonight. He's a DUP MLA

for Lagan Valley and he's currently in charge of the Stormont Health

portfolio. That's our lineup for tonight's Spotlight Special. Now

the questions come from members of the studio audience here but you

can have your say at home. You can text your comments throughout the

programme, to 81771. You can phone and e-mail us and geet your

comments to us. The details are on your screen now. -- tweet your

comments to us. Our first question tonight comes from Adrian McKinney

who is a community worker from Armargh. Good evening panel. Based

on today's hot topic, should the minister of the environment's title

be changed to minister of the destruction of the environment?

Well... Alex Attwood, you made a decision to green light this golf

development on the north Antrim coast, you said you knew it would

be controversial, have we got your title wrong? Well, James who is the

head of friends of the earth in Northern Ireland, was at my press

launch today, and he said the following, these are his words not

mine. He said that he thought I was a good Environment Minister, indeed

he went further, and I have to be careful of present company, that he

thought I was the First Minister for the environment in some time in

Northern Ireland, and the reason I think he said that was is that over

the last seven or eight months I have tried to demonstrate that the

build to natural heritage is one of the assets we have. The scale and

wonder of what we have needs to be protected but it needs to be

developed and advanced, in order to grow our tourism, and grow our

economy, given that some people suggest that we need to increase

our tourist growth over the next seven, eight years by 100%, to �1

billion a year industry. So given all of that context, that I do

think I am strong on the environment, but see the benefit of

the built and natural heritage being use for economic growth and

job opportunities in times of need. I think I have made the right

decision about it, because my decision, fully respects Azerbaijan

far as you possibly can, the quality of the natural heritage up

there, the designations up there, including the World Heritage status

that we have for the giants causeway, and the same time, in

sympathy with that, develop a golf resort that will profile tourism

going forward, multi-pie our golfing opportunities going forward,

grow the economy and jobs in that area going forward. As a

consequence, hard though it was, difficult judgment though it is, I

think I've got the balance right. I have the message right and the

opportunities right, both for the heritage and the economy going

forward. Just to be clear, about what Jamesor said, he may have said

you were a good minister for the environment, but he is not happy

with your decision,, situation he thinks you got that wrong. He said

opening this golf resort on the north Antrim coast was like opening

a burger par at the Taj ma hall. think that James and other people

who make that argument can't reconcile the fact on one hand a

good environment ministers apparently the First Minister of

the environment for some time, and the same time make an allegation

that I would be reckless with the natural heritage up there, to

compare it with having a burger bar at the Taj ma hall. Far from it.

What I have done, is recognise that in times of economic need, given

the need to grow a tourist industry, given the opportunities that we

have given success of golfer, professional and amateur, I think

that I have got the balance right, between on the one hand developing

a golf resort, creating hotel accommodation for a project like

that and the same time, being highly vigilant, and recognising

all the necessary heritage standards and protections that are

required up there. I approved the planning permission that lie lays

down 19 planning condition, all minded to protect the environment.

I think that I have the balance right. Yes, people will differ from

me but I hope most people, including those in the audience,

will recognise difficult judgment, balance right, good for the north,

good for jobs and good for heritage. Conor Murphy, is that how you see

it? He is fix Tait Yateed with his own reputation, I think in terms of

the planning decision there are balances to be taken, and of course,

you must protect the environment as best we possibly can, there are

strong environmental protections, there was a debate over independent

environmental protection agency for some time but there are strong

protections for the environment, and I appreciate Alex was damned if

he did and daped if he didn't. If he had taken the decision in

negative those in business and those which want to promote tourism

would have been critical. It is a matter of getting the balance right.

I do have the detail of the decision but I do think that there

is prord recognition that we have a beautiful heritage there we has to

be protected, but at the same time, we are in severe economic

difficulties and tourism is one potential growth area for us, I

think you have to in making decisions such as he made today you

have to be sure and be careful and he says he got the balance right

and I accept that decision. Edwin Poots, you were of course minister

for the environment in the past. You didn't have to make a call on

this very difficult decision. Do you think Alex Attwood did get it

right today? Absolutely. He has made the right decision, and it

reflects where the executive is and that is our economy is our number

one priority, and when we look to Northern Ireland, we see a lot of

unemployment, particularly in younger people, we do need to be

transforming the economic landscape. Destroying our heritage won't

actually transform our economy, so if Alex was making a decision that

was going to destroy our landscape, that is something that I would have

been opposed to as someone on the radio said this morning talked

about bungalows scattered through the site. They are not. They are

against Bushmills village. The hotel itself, it won't be seen from

as wide an area as the causeway hotel which was owned by the

National Trust, and in terms of the dunes themselves, they will not be

affected. This is a sensitive development and indeed a sensible

development. It will help create economic regeneration and Bushmills

and an area where there are lots of people unemployed it is the right

decision. You didn't think it will threaten the status of the giant's

causeway. That is what we are not clear about. It is being referred

to UNESCO. That was a matter for Alex's department. That shouldn't

be an issue. Because what has been proposed here is not something that

will be seen from the giant's causeway, there are lots of people

exaggerating. Can I say if we were to listen to everybody's complaints,

that criticise planning decisions now, if you lock at the road the

Coast Road, the Antrim Coast Road, that would never have been qop

developed. If you look at Parliament buildings in store month

that would never have been developed. These things shouldn't

be developed if you listen to the argument but you look at those and

they are magnificent features on the landscape. Joanne Stuart,

minister for the environment or destruction of the environment?

Minister for the environment. I think from a business perspective

it is great to get a decision I mean this has been five years

within the planning service, and through that time has gone through

a very rigorous environmental impact, on, you know, and as Edwin

said, business remindful and sensitive to our heritage, and that

is the reason that we get business coming into Northern Ireland, so

the development is to enhance that, and it is certainly not the

business won't do anything to ruin the environment. What it shows it

is good to see the economic considerations are being taken into

account, as well as the environmental, and it always is a

balance, but for business it is about getting decisions quickly,

whether that is a yes or no you want dae circumstances because you

can decide what do next. When it takes this long to get a decision

it doesn't help anybody. Danny Kennedy. On balance he has made the

right decision. I am not across the detail of it but it has been a

detail that is in the waiting for a considerable time. Almost ten years

since it was first advocated, so I think we should welcome that. I

think politics is about making big decision, which are sometimes not

always popular decisions but I think for economic reason, sound

economic reasons, the promotion of golf tourism, I think there is a

huge potential there, in Northern Ireland for that, we have golf

champion, we should exploit that to its maximum. Yes, there are

environmental considerations, and they have to be carefully assessed.

There is also the wider view that local farmers for instance, should

have the opportunity to build houses of their own in the area,

that it shouldn't be entirely excluded to those with cheque book,

I think that is an important consideration too, so I think on

balance it is the right decision. And I think it is an important

decision. Let us hear from Adrian, I am not happy with it. Personally

I think we need this golf course like a hole in the head. We have

got three in walking distance. I do not have a problem with the

business. But we have got many more areas that could have taken it. Why

here? It was all from the outside but not out of my pocket and I am

happy about that. The developers have said they are not looking for

public money and we will see if that is the case. I heard on the

radio, be possible minister for tourism, he said he came across

here with some friends and travelled from Dublin to Portrush

to play golf. But they travelled back to Dublin because they did not

have any hotels. Plenty of golf courses but no hotels. But does the

hotel have to be there? That is what people are concerned about.

What they were saying was if they had hotels in that area, he could

frequent sites in the area. Also, we have got good quality golf

courses. You think it is a good idea? I do not! Hotels, yes but

there is enough golf courses in the area. But in that location, you are

happy. The lady in the red scarf. What assurances will be be given to

insure that young people will actually benefit from jobs on the

site and that it does not become a rich playground. --? A very quick

word on that because other members of the audience wants to get

involved. Are there any stipulations about local people

getting jobs? I think that developers in the north of Ireland

like the government into Northern Ireland need to apply rigorous

practice around the course. Then we have got to have a local

involvement. We have got to have social clauses for long-term

employed people. I previously collapsed a threshold around

housing associations in order to enable a lot more people to get

social clauses and get a long-term job as part of the original

contract. The developers, public and private, government and

external, must build into the contracts going forward, these

types of clauses. Do they have to at the moment? In public contracts,

yes. But not to guess, a private contract? I have asked my

department to look at a series of proposals whereby there are

community benefit causes as part and parcel of planning decisions.

Then we will escalate the opportunities to build into

planning permissions, funding going to local communities as well as

opportunities to build into contracts opportunities for

employment. At the moment, we have got legal restrictions on that but

that clearly to answer the question is the way to get a better culture.

It will be interesting to see how the debate continues and stable --

people will want to express their opinions. Our next question is from

Jonathan, a student from Lisburn. What science is the Minister basing

his supposition on the? You have a policy in place that gay men cannot

donate blood in Northern Ireland which is not the same as the rest

of the UK. What is your response? Up the slick, this goes back for

some considerable time and I have not changed or altered anything. --

obviously.... Actually, the same regulations are in place in North

America and virtually every other country in Europe. We are not out

of step in the Europe and America. A but with the rest of the UK.

There has been pressure in terms of blood donations in the rest of the

UK because the people that the blood in the UK are from an older

population base. It has been a pressure for them that is not

present for us. In terms of the sides involved, we have looked at

best and my department has made a recommendation. We have to take

their opinions into consideration and look at the issues of

compliance. We have asked for papers on compliance. We have not

made a decision to proceed because we are not happy with the

information that has come forward. Some people made a remark about

commercial sex workers but that was not a claim that I made. That was

about a lesser risk from commercial sex workers. But the rest of the UK

is satisfied with the scientific evidence. Why are we not satisfied?

They have made the recommendations and we make the decisions.

Currently, we do not have a big pressure, perhaps not as big a

pressure as a part of Great Britain in terms of the blood supply that

we have got. But what makes it nonsense is that you do not like

demented debate but in Northern Ireland but we get blood from

across the water that could have been donated by gay men. We have

donations per annum across the UK. The number of units we receive

probably did not even enter into 100s. What is clear to me is that

this is not about sexuality. It is about the risk applied. I have met

the officials and I have spoken to people that have engaged in sex and

being able to get blood from people that have engaged in sex with

prostitutes. All of these are things I have concern about. This

is about people receiving blood and it is about maximising the security

they have that the blood that they are receiving is not something that

will give them an illness. Some people have died from diseases as a

result of receiving blood. I know some people have died because of

receiving blood. I have to be very sure and I am strong about this,

that I am acting in the interest of people receiving blood. Notts

people giving blood but the recipient. The has he got this

right? He has got it plainly wrong. I think we have got an important

principle that whatever personal morality and values that we have,

ministers must stand back and take advice. He has not actually

mentioned morality at all. understand that. But we cannot

easily divorce personal values and morality is from a public position

but we must be very vigilant. When the sides suggests that is the way

to go, we should follow that. -- science. I think that is the

principle we should follow. You are saying personal morality issues

Clio and scientific judgment? -- cloud sighted judgment? -- cloud

judgment? I previously allowed a conference to be operated in a

university involving gay and lesbian people and representing

their needs will stop outside the student union, people were trying

to impose their morality, in their words, Save Ulster from sodomy and

undermining the student population. Whether it is said or not, there is

a danger that personal and private about these are influencing public

policy. It is a serious charge. You are letting moral convictions cloud

your judgement as Health Minister. I have questioned regulations about

a series of things and not just about this issue. If he is

suggesting we should be receiving blood from commercial sex workers,

that is an interesting point of view to have. I think it is

difficult to say one whole group presents a risk. Every group,

straight and gay, they have got different risks associated. We have

to look at the screening and testing of blood. We have to insure

that because that has moved on in a number of years and that is what

would give me confidence. Are you satisfied that system is

sufficiently in place in Northern Ireland? I certainly have

confidence on the screening and testing facilities and I think

maybe there has got to be a bit more transparency and information

in the public domain, so we can look at that in more detail. That

is what the brokers should be had not on the person giving the blood.

At should be Minister think again? He has not made the final decision

yet. But I do not think we should say all of one group is a

particular risk with blood. Conor Murphy? The primary objective is

that he said that there is not a need and if that is correct then

day is no point in carrying on. I think it is a regulation that could

be considered insulting and discriminatory and he should move

ahead with the decision to lift that ban. I do not think that there

is a point of principle here. As long as scientific evidence does

not suggest greater risk, this is certainly discriminatory and

insulting for that community and it should be lifted. I want to hear

from the audience but first, Danny Kennedy? What is crucial and what

has already been indicated is that the sexuality of the individual is

not the issue at stake. I think we have got issues that our moral and

ethical. These have to be considered. But you assemble all

the facts. You take the necessary information from the experts that

are available and then you make the appropriate decision. I think based

on that, I would certainly be relying on people like the Chief

Medical Officer of Northern Ireland to provide information on this

matter. What do you think, Jonathan? I think the points about

screening were very good. Screening has come to a stage where we can

detect things in the blood that might be harmful to the recipient.

I would like to pick up on the. The Minister made, that it is happening

in the rest of the UK. -- the point that the minister made. A very

quick response to that. Sometimes the blood is needed very quickly

and sometimes some of the screening is very important. I do not

apologise for not taking risks. I need to make a decision and I do

not apologise for taking my time when it is health we are talking

about. The gentleman on the left. Important thing is that if I am

brought into the hospital, I want a guarantee that the blood I get is

100 % not contaminated. I do not care where or whom it comes from

but I want to be saved. Do you think the minister is right to hold

off or is that irrelevant because you could be getting blood from

across the water? Regardless of where it comes from, I want to make

sure, 100 % that it is safe to take his blood. That is my interest at

the moment. That is the most important thing. Irrespective of

the moral of philosophical issues of gay blood donation, what we must

remember is that it is the patient that is the recipient. You have to

be 100 % sure that he is getting, not necessarily pure blood but but

that is not contaminated. anything, this is contributing to

the myth that only gay people contract HIV and Aids. What is your

message to the minister tonight? He has got to make a decision. What

should he do? He needs to be careful not to contribute to these

problems. Heterosexual people need to protect themselves from HIV and

Aids as well. You must consider what message you are putting out.

We have looked at these issues with HIV and prostitutes and we have

looked at Africa and this is all about safety. It is important that

we concentrate on not who gets the It is not only the prostitutes who

contract aides and HIV. Let us move on. It is something people have

strong views on. We won't have complete agreement but it is

interesting to give it an airing, when will you make a final decision

on that, do you know? We have been taking legal advice from the

department's solicitor's office, so there is interesting views. But the

bottom line it will take a lot to get you to change your position?

is something we will give due consideration to and wise

consideration too. Our third question is from Paul, who is a

student support officer from Belfast. My question is, how does

the panel feel ability Scotland attaining independence and what

will this mean for Northern Ireland? Danny Kennedy? I am

opposed to Scottish independence. I think the United Kingdom works best

when all four constituent parts are working together, co-operating

together, and economically, I think that makes sense. I hope very much

that the Scottish referendum when it does take place, that it will

reject the notion of Scottish independence. I would hope that all

the partys in the United Kingdom, like local parties will be able to

make a contribution to that overall debate. Edwin Poots, I imagine you

don't disagree with much of that? think Alex Salmond to some extent

remind me at a dog at the end of a leash barking and slavering,

wishing to get off it but sometimes when they do, they don't know what

to do I would urge the Scottish people to be careful what you wish

for, because Scotland does very well out of the Barnett Formula.

Scotland is well ahead of the rest of the United Kingdom, in many

things it can offer the public. I suspect if he is reliant on North

Sea oil, which may not last forever, it will be a very foolish way to

lead the people of Scotland. This United Kingdom is a stronger for

having Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and

Wales all together, and I am glad that Scotland is currently part of

the United Kingdom. I trust that continues to be the case, as I am

glad that Northern Ireland as opposed to north that Alex was

referring to is part of the United Kingdom and will remain part of the

United Kingdom. It is entersing the question is no longer about

Northern Ireland. The question is about other parts of the United

Kingdom, we are secure within it. Alex Attwood? Unlike Edwin I think

Alex Salmond is one of the best politicians in these islands. More

than that, I think Alex Salmond, John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon

the three leaders of the Scottish Government know best of all the

ministers in these islands the difference between in Government

and being in power. Whatever happens about the referendum, we

have a lot to learn about good Government from the Scottish

Government and about pushing the limits of good Government and good

politics, we need to get our heads round that here. The second thing

is the nature of British union has been changing fundamentally over

the last 60 or 70 years. The old certainties are gone. The empire

has gone. The character of British monarchy is changing. Devolution

has come, and when you give power to people it is likely they will

want more power to themselves, be it Wales, Scotland or Northern

Ireland. I think we need to encourage this debate. Encourage a

definition of the British union and redefine the nature of

relationships at the same time. Scotland votes for independence

what would that mean for Northern Ireland? I think it will encourage

Northern Ireland to consider further its role in the British

union. And the future as part of united Ireland. That is for another

day. I think for now, we need to get our heads round, if not the

issue of independence, at least the issue of devolution Voe max, about

more power coming to Belfast, Wales and Edinburgh and the same time,

learning from Scottish experience, of a Government that pushes the

limits of Government. Pushes the limits of politics, pushes the

agenda with London in a way we should measure up to Devo Max is a

separate debate to any region of the United Kingdom, most especially

Scotland, because independence for Scotland would presumably give them

economic independence, and I mean I think it doesn't need to be spelled

out to harshly, that that is simply an non-starter. I think it's a

matter for the people of Scotland, just as it is for ourselves here as

well. I don't think that the British Prime Minister should be

interfering or attempting to bully Scotland in terms of deciding when

the question is asked or what the content of the question is, and I

do think there are lessons to learn in the interim in terms of having

more authority, having more say over the issues that affect the

people that you are elected to represent, and you know, for

instance Sammy Wilson's objection to more fiscal powers to the

assembly because he is a unionist doesn't stack up, I think we should

continue to press the boat out here for as much powers as we have to

affect and at erthe economic and social conditions we are trying to

grapple with. Certainly I think the question of sentence -- sentence

for Scotland is a matter for the people of Scotland. It shouldn't be

dictated to by a British Prime Minister. -- sentence sentence.

think Scotland has a progressive Government and certainly they ra

Government that have made decisions quicker than we have here. They

have a majority Government, but I think they have been more radical

in their policies and they have put things in place to help develop

their economy. In Northern Ireland, we have good relationships with

Scotland from a business perspective but when it comes down

it is a more complex question. It is one thing says do you want to be

independent but how are you going to do that? And are, do we have

that ability within us as a country? I agree with Conor, that

it is not for us to influence what Scotland are doing, that is a

question down to them, but I think you need to have the question and

the decision made, I think the longer that this goes on, without

maybe having all the information there, does create an unstable

environment, so you know, am glad there is now a date that has been

set, so that a decision can be made, and we take it from there. OK. Let

us hear from Paul who asked the question. Yes I I agree with what

some have said. It is up to the people of Scotland decide. If they

decide that is what they want, as Democrat, if you claim to be

Democrats you have to respect this butlet maltly that will ask big

questions about the future of Northern Ireland and the union, the

old certainties are gone. It isn't necessarily great depending where

you are coming from to be part of the union, Northern Ireland has

been treated as an afterthought and we still experience that today.

What do you think the implications would be for Northern Ireland if

Scotland was to vote for independence? I think we are going

to start thinking about more we will become more independent.

independent or just a union with a different country? More independent.

We don't have to look to England for support, and that we have, we

have our own culture and history. We can do it in conjunction with

England. We don't have to be ruled, uniformly from the UK. OK. Thank

you. There are a couple of hands, a couple of quick comments. I agree

more or less with Conor and the fellow ore here, nobody has the

right to say to Scotland don't, you know, sort of determine your own

future. So it's a democratic decision as far as you are

concerned. Yes. The SNP are looking at a referendum for 2014. I would

take one next week because they will be rejected. You think so?

Final thought from a gentleman in the front. The thing that suprises

me is why England hasn't gone for independence. APPLAUSE. I reckon

England could make a fair go of it on its own. Do you think that would

make everybody think twice. could get rid of the aping --

hangers on and start living the good life. Interest thought! Thank

you for that. Thanks for asking the question. Let us hear our next

question on youth employment. It is from a student. Good evening. Can I

ask what is being done to keep Northern Ireland's talented young

people here, to work and study? It's a question I think this time

round for Joanne Stuart, it is your area of expertise, you have been

written about this and been to conferences, it is a serious issue.

I think there are a number of options for young people, and I

think there is a rule for business, young people and Government, from a

business perspective there is a lot of opportunity out there but we

have to get much better at communicating those. And really

marketing ourselves to young people, so that you can see exactly where

the growth industries are. I mean areas like ICT, in engineering, in

health, in the connected health the minister was speaking about this

week, tourism, hospitality, there are opportunities out there but we

are not marketing those in the right way. But I think from a

Government there are programmes out there so for example for graduates

there is a graduate acceleration programme, a programme which is

about helping you to get some work experience and understand what

being in a job is about, there is training for success, to help

people to get into work, there is apprenticeships, there is knowledge

transfer partnerships working with universities colleges and business

but the problem for young people there is some research you need to

do of all of the stuff we have, available in Northern Ireland, one

of the problems we have and I find this in any area we are looking at,

we have great things happening on the ground, we haven't got the way

of how do we join it up so it is easier to final the information.

The other thing I would say, is because one of the programmes I

support is a mentor ship programme which is about giving graduates 12

months experience in the US UK, and I do think there is something to be

said for getting that sort of international experience, for us to

build our economy we need to be looking at markets outside of

Northern Ireland, we need to be growing our export, and if we can

get people who have got that international experience, got those

network, that can bring those skills back to Northern Ireland,

then I think that will be the benefit. The key is though, is

keeping connected. It is, we can't let young people go off and you

know, not stay connected to them, so programmes like the come on over,

the Department of Employment run which keeps people connected. We

have a programme that keeps people connected so everybody can see what

the opportunities are, how do we bring you back, how can you

contribute to Northern Ireland? It is not always negative for people

to spend some time overseas, learning a different experience,

getting a broadening your horizon, I have started to see poom people

coming back from the mentor ship programme they have spent in the

States. The contact is second to none. They have much more

confidence, they have come up with different ideas of how they want to

go forward, including creating their own businesses as well as

working with smaller business, and the other area is supporting young

people, because young people have great ideas. It is how do we

support yourselves to actually take those, and make them into

businesses as well. And there is different ways of supporting that.

There is a lot out there but it is getting it available to young

people. Maybe there isn't the joined up approach we need. Do you

think first of all that enough is being done by Government? If you

open one of the newspapers in Belfast this morning and saw a

photograph of the GEA team where two thirds of the members are

overseas at the moment, many of them in Melbourne, you would vo to

conclude there has been a collective failure. Whatever the

economic situation is beyond our control, there should have been

more within our control, to ensure that so many didn't go overseas.

The fundamental issue for me is that we have to decide in the north

where we are going to place ourselvess, when it comes to

economic opportunity, in order to have the jobs, so that young people

in every other generation can get access to jobs, and those are the

fundamental strategic choices we have to decide now. And they are

about recognising that renewables is our single biggest opportunity,

recognising we can grow agricultural and Agri food in the

image of the south of Ireland but 200-300% going forward. Tourism,

where we are hoping to have 26,000 new jobs over the next seven or

eight years and that by deciding what the global economic strategy

is for the north, then applying our resources to have people trained up

for the skills, in the short-term we need a lot of urgent

interventions, to try to give people some sense of hope and

opportunity, so for example, Government, if you look at Belfast

City Council, they have announced a major capital project which is

looking to build into the body of the council a lot of training

opportunities for young peep. We should do the same thing in

Government. If we adopted a model I am working up on, we could have

2,000 six month placements in Government, as part of the

architecture of Government, giving people an opportunity for and those

are the short-term urgent interventions as we decide what is

the overall economic strategy going forward. Danny? I served as

employment and learning minister, and many of the projects and

schemes that Alex is referring to are actually happening and Joanne

will confirm that, but we need to intensify that, and certainly,

there is clear proof to me that at a time of economic downturn, you

must always invest in training and skills, and that goes for local

companies but it goes particularly for our young people, because they

are one of our greatest assets, if not our best asset, so I think the

executive is continuing to look at schemes, I know the employment and

learning minister has recently circulated a paper to executive

colleague, we are studying that, to look at ways we can bring forward

positive initiatives to improve the lot. People are still leaving, that

is the point and leaving in big numbers. But this is not just a

Northern Ireland problem. This is a problem in national terms of almost

epidemic proportions and so we need to be careful that we take all

necessary measures that we can and can I say the executive has held

the issue of student fee, tuition fees, to encourage young people to

study here in universities in Northern Ireland, and that was part

of the brain drain that for years dogged Northern Ireland and

industry in Northern Ireland, a lot of people, the best of our young

people left and didn't return. We have to encourage and put in place

the mechanisms where by the train Conor Murphy? More than half of my

family are scattered across the water. I do not think any of them

will come back, such is the reality of life here. They are in Australia,

Canada and England. Is that a failure on the part of Northern

Ireland? It is a failure across the country, in Britain as well and it

is a symptom of the economic downturn to. But there are things

to be done and Joanne has listed a few of them. We have made the point

about contracts. That was made in the last Executive but the

Executive is still a big spender had it has got the power, if not

the case in the golf courses, they can insure that we have got

opportunities for young people in contracts to gain employment,

experience, knowledge and skills. There are other areas suited for

people in terms of new technology as well. We need to invest in

chasing opportunities abroad. In this climate, we should be striking

that balance more in favour of investing in local businesses and

finding opportunities for young people here. I think we need to get

back to basics and I think the economy was too reliant on retail,

construction and as Northern Ireland plc, we need to be

manufacturing more and selling more services abroad. We need to bring

more money into the economy and when that comes in, it will sustain

the retail sector and the construction sector will grow again.

A considerable amount of work is being done and we have got a lot of

job opportunities in Northern Ireland. I can think of farms for

example, which employ people. But some people do not want to work in

these industries. Why? In the New York Stock Exchange recently,

people put up advertising for 40 staff and have not got the workers.

We need to encourage people to take up opportunities that actually

exist. We will go back to the question. All these programmes

sound fantastic and I am sure they cost the taxpayer a fair amount of

money but where is the evidence they are working? Where are the

employment figures? When will they reduce? Well, they have. Youth

unemployment was 21 %, down to 18 %. Against Wales at 27 %. We are

bringing in 7% of investment into the United Kingdom in a population

of less than 3%. I recognise it is tough but a lot of good things are

happening. I want to bring in the audience. The gentleman on the left.

We cannot wait eight years for another 26,000 jobs. We can wait

eight months but you have had five years to get past the jobs. Perhaps

if you put 80 things more through planning had made decisions in the

last term a parliament, we would not be in this situation today. By

in the second row. One of the things that I have to say is that a

lot of the interventions are full 17, 18-year-old but what about 12 I

and 17? What about opportunities for the young people here? -- 12-

17? These are the things I think are very important and they are

neglected in urban and rural areas. The lady in the front. You are

talking about giving people skills but a lot of people read social

skills before they can get qualifications. They have not got

consequences -- concert at -- they have not got confidence to do the

job interview. The panel spoke highly of freezing university

tuition fees to decrease unemployment. But could be funding

not go to increasing employment and not maintain increasingly high

graduates in Northern Ireland? gentleman on the ride. Every time

we talk about youth unemployment, we talk about university and

college graduates. We need investment in working-class areas.

How do young people feel? People want to hear about solid investment

in their areas to help them. final comment. Universities are

irresponsibly offering places in jobs, for example, teaching.

Careers are really important and we have to work in schools and we have

got to teach people how to market themselves better. People pick up

skills through hobbies and different things that they have

done and not just through jobs. Some people are not understanding

the skills that they have got. The market place is competitive but

businesses are stepping up to try and get the skills to young people.

People feel very strongly about that. The next question is from an

administrator from County Armagh. Would putting a minimum price not

be penalising P-U -- people that drink alcohol sensibly? Sometimes

we have what can be considered a clear and short term solutions. --

short-term solutions. We have got a broad range of problems. Some have

been referred to in the past discussions about self-esteem.

About decent people have of themselves and lack of self-worth.

-- about people with a lack of self-worth. Some people think that

the answer is actually a much broader issue. We have to look at

health and all of the other departments and education in

particular. When people talk about a sense of despair, education is

failing people and we are trying to change the education system and we

are getting resistance to that. But we have to recognise that we have

got a broad level of young people that are affected by the problem

that you are talking about and simply applied one solution about

prices is not enough and it needs a broader intervention. I support

minimum unit pricing of alcohol. Absolutely no doubt about that. 80

% alcohol is consumed by 20 % of people. Most people are not a

problem drinkers. They are responsible. But we must create

disciplines in order for people that do drink to excess, they can

be prevented. You have to hit hard on irresponsible might club owners.

You hit hard on irresponsible drinking promotions. You hit hard

on vehicles driving people consuming vast amounts of alcohol

before they get to nightclubs. You create a minimum price per unit of

alcohol. That will not inhibit people from buying alcohol when

they are responsible but it will restrict access to alcohol from

people that are not responsible. A collective measure across a range

of interventions is all one way of drilling down on people that are

irresponsible. My view is that alcohol is too easily accessible.

In terms of price, it is too cheap. It provides any number of social

problems that we have to deal with at a later stage. My opinion is

that we should be coming forward with measures to deal with it

effectively. To respond to the question, for people that drink

responsibly, the price increase will not created by most people.

But we need to make any impact on people that drink excessively. They

are costing the health service millions of pounds every year. They

cost the economy around �900 million every year. That is not

sustainable. It is not morally right that Northern Ireland, almost

300 people last year got killed because of alcohol. It was not

right during the Troubles. We did not found -- find that acceptable.

Joanne Stuart? I think it is one of a number of interventions and one

aspect of that his education and how we get the message out to

people. A lot of people might not think they are drinking too much

and we need to look at this in the round. We will hear from the lady

get asked the question. To an extent I do think people will be

punished and penalised. Some people want to have a good time and drug

people will get drunk no matter what and people will find a way to.

Is there any guarantee that this money will come in handy it will

actually go back into the health system and education? Are These

people damaging their bodies? more audience thoughts? There is a

lot of research that indicates that when we have a unit price increase

that it actually reduces the harm resulting from alcohol abuse. That

is good international research that demonstrates that increasing the

price can reduce harm. understand suicide is a big problem

and the psychiatrists have said that if we have a minimum price of

alcohol it would reduce that problem greatly. I am a recovering

alcoholic. I think the system of controlled drinking in bars where

people cannot get access to drinking, we have to go back to

that system and reduce problems with the drinking and social

problems. The gentleman on my right. Primarily, people on low incomes

would be penalised by an extra tax on alcohol. Should we not penalise

the government for not delivering on a range of issues? Out of these

people penalise our government? -- how do these people penalise our

government? But is it progress? but many people will see it as a

tax on poor families. It will be regarded as a tax by these people.

The gentleman at the back. I think having a minimum price is likely to

encourage other markets which are already increasing. We will take a

final question from Roger, a businessman from Belfast. What

would each of the panellists gave up for Lent and why? It is a short

one that you might or might not be glad to hear. Joanne Stuart?

would have to be me constantly on a diet so I think it will be crisps.

Will that be easy? I would just have to try! Enjoyed. Plenty of

crisps in the studio if you need them. Edwin Poots? I did not have

that many bad habits... But I do tend to wind up people closest to

me so I could promise not to wind up my wife that but I suspect that

would not last very long. instalment? I will have to keep

winding them up. -- and in Stormont? Sometimes you start to

falter from New year's resolutions and for me it would be more about

foodstuffs. Are you good about that? I am generally good during

the week but the weekend is always my downfall. Danny? Chocolate bars.

I am not sure that you are allowed to advertise chocolate bars on the

BBC. And wine gums. Not a wine gums. Will they go tomorrow? The jury is

still out. You can make a commitment on BBC One. Politicians

making a commitment? It would be novel! Looking towards Danny and my

other colleagues, I presume they would wish that I was speaking less.

Not a chance, is there? Around the executive table I can tell you that

is very true. Roger? I think politicians should give up

pretending to be competent politicians. They cannot run this

country. What are you giving up for Lent? I did not recognise Lent.

Interesting you asked a question about it. The lady in the middle?

What should they give up about welfare reform and the impact on

the lips of carers? -- lives. is where we must leave it for

another edition of Spotlight Special. Thank you to the panel of