05/12/2016 Stormont Today

The Executive's campaign to knock the paramilitaries back

on their heels continues, but there's an obvious absence

of agreement between the two main parties

A new campaign reminds people that the money from counterfeit

goods often ends up in the pockets of paramilitaries...

And realise that buying a perfume for example shouldn't be undermined,

it's not trivial, is the beginning of a chain of events that can cause

great harm in their communities. A Sinn Fein motion on human rights

provokes an angry response I often think of families robbed of

a loved one at the hands of terrorism here in Northern Ireland.

What a violation of their human rights.

And joining me with his thoughts on today's developments

How to tackle paramilitaries continues to be a source

Today, the Executive launched a scheme which it hopes

It's claimed around 138 crime gangs are selling counterfeit goods here.

The Justice Minister says money spent on fake products

she launched a public awareness campaign.

I am your money. I am the notes you hand over for a fake bag or a shirt

or drink. And passed to the man who sources that year. Join the pile is

made from fake and illegal goods. Where I am used to pay for drugs to

be sold in your community. I don't care that I found crying. I am your

money. Last year, over 100 organised crime gangs including Summers who

call themselves paramilitaries made tens of millions of pounds in

Northern Ireland. The public need to realise that buying a perfume for

example should not be undermined. It's not trivial, it's the beginning

of a chain of events that could cause serious harm within their

communities. Obviously, people will say this is all very well, but is

the executive sending out a strong message of it had the paramilitaries

and given what's been happening in some of the controversy over the

social investment fund? The strongest message we've sent out is

that we have accepted the recommendations in the paramilitary

report and we are working through these actions. This is a very

visible action that we are able to take forward today in terms of

raising awareness. This is something we will do over the next couple of

years and try to encourage the public to pay their role in tackling

paramilitaries. But yes, I think what we are doing in terms of the

action plan is a strong message because we are actually agreeing

that we need to get rid of these people who scored our society. If

the public do their part, can they be convinced that the police will be

strong enough in terms of cracking down, in terms of arrests of

paramilitary suspects? I think so. Adding the range of goods received

today demonstrates the police's commitment in terms of this type of

activity. The Justice Minister was quick

to say there that the Executive is sending out a strong message

to the paramilitaries. The message has become muddled in

recent weeks due to stories about the social investment fund and try

to an eyesore she does have a job of work to do in trying to convince the

public that the executive's commitment in tackling this is as

resolute as it could be. With the issue of Dee Stitt's

position at Charter NI still hanging over the Executive it may prove

difficult for the government An issue like this is important, but

maybe it is less easy for something like this to grab the headlines.

You've seen it there today. The Justice minister what's the story of

the day to be about this and this publicity campaign in terms of

criminality, but she is being talked with questions about the executive

doing enough, whether they are leading by example. As long as we

see stories like Charter an eye in the news, it will be difficult for

them to get this message out to the public. 130 crime against selling

goods across Northern Ireland, is perhaps only bigger scale than some

people may have imagined. Criminality is a huge issue across

Northern Ireland and a huge issue across many parts by society and the

fact is that a lot of people will not have as much confidence in the

police and in other sectors to properly tackle that criminality is

so again, the justice minister does have a job of work to do in

reassuring people and getting public confidence.

Alliance is bringing a motion about the Social Investment Fund

The opposition parties are not letting the issue fade

into the background as the Executive parties might wish.

Yes, Naomi Long made some further comments on the social investment

fund today about the need for further investigation. This issue

does seem to still have legs and it won't go away and I would expect it

to dog the executive going into the New Year.

The fall-out from his decision not to hand over regeneration powers

to councils continues to follow the Communities Minister.

At the dispatch today, Paul Givan reiterated that people

don't care who does the work, as long as it's done.

First up, though, he was asked for an update on the recently

The community holds capital Grants scheme on the 19th of October was

launched at Salters Tyne Orange Hall in Bally Roman. My department aims

to distribute individual grants of up to a maximum of ?25,000 towards

community holds minor works. There is half ?1 million allocated towards

this pilot scheme in the current financial year and I can update

perhaps that is currently, officials are in the process of assessing in

excess of 800 applications. Will the Minister take this opportunity to

acknowledge the huge need on their investment in our communities? There

is a need for investment of community halls in our communities

because they support a great amount of work done to our communities in

Northern Ireland. Many halls are dilapidated and this pilot will

reach only a small proportion of the halls that are in the worst

conditions. On the basis of this pilot scheme, this is something that

I believe does merit future support in our capital programme in the

years ahead and I intend to bring forward a future programme to allow

us to continue to improve community halls and undertake larger projects

to raise the standards of the community halls facilities. Can I

ask what shared future arrangements are included in the application

process for this grand? 'S the applications for this grant is

available to everybody to apply irrespective of class, creed or

religion. Can the Minister confirm whether the decision not to devolve

these powers was an executive decision or was it a sober one? This

is an issue that I have been able to clarify with the Minister for

Finance and obviously he, like I, are very keen to make sure that we

use the opportunities we have two regenerate our towns and villages

and so there is no disagreement or a disrespect of this issue. We are

clear that we want towns and villages regenerated. Local

Government what to do that and collectively together we will be

able to achieve that and so this is an issue that I know some elected

representatives have focused upon but whenever I have been meeting

with community organisations, who I have to say all of whom I have met

have said they are delighted that it is not going to local Government and

that they wanted it to stay within my department's remit, this is

something that I think people should move on with because the decision

has been taken. We now have the lifetime of this mandate to make

sure that we work together because the public do not distinguish

between what local Government and central governments do. The bell

that city growth strategy says it is essential that regeneration powers

that have been available to other cities for decades are devolved to

Belfast City Council. Can the Minister outline the key regions

where he disagrees? Mr Speaker, the reasons in respect of the

regeneration powers as laid out in great detail in a statement made to

this house of which members of this house had opportunity to ask further

questions. That decision has now been taken. I am keen to ensure that

we maximise our regeneration powers and it will be in the interest of

councils as well of whom I have met some recently, who recognised the

decision has been making and now collectively want to work together

and I'm sure Belfast City Council will want to do that as well.

And that row over regeneration powers clearly rumbles on.

The leader of the Green Party, Steven Agnew, was appointed

to the Assembly's Business Committee today after a sustained campaign

for the smaller parties to be represented on the body

and establishes the rules governing debates.

Mr Agnew says he'll use his position to make sure the committee's

decision-making is open and transparent in future.

You totally silly about changes to the business committee which were

important and which were disadvantageous to the smaller

parties. What were those changes and how did you discover that that has

happened? The changes took place in November last year but I only found

out about them being re-elected when I went to the induction period and

that was in relation to the tabling of motions essentially before you

could have exclusive motions. Now you could submit a motion on the

Monday, another motion could be submitted on the Tuesday and that

meant that my party would never have a motion debated. I set out to do

three things. Achieve representation on the business committee, establish

whether or not my party was able to put forward motions which it was no

one had told us and we never had the opportunity to do so, and thirdly to

get better speaking rights because this is something else that was

changed at the start of this mandate and previous week where parties with

two members had increased speaking rights over parties with one and we

have effectively been relegated into the list again. Is that when I am

yet to change but that will be the one I continue working on. You will

try to make that change from the inside now rather than from the

outside. How important do you think it is for you and the other smaller

parties that you are now sitting at that table as of right? Before now,

I had to write to the Speaker and requests papers that went to the

committee meeting to see minutes in advance of them going online and

really, we were not being informed. Changes were being made without us

being informed so we will have the papers, we will have a say in the

decisions and there will be transparency and openness around us

assistance. Deal of credit to the five bigger parties for accepting

your argument that you should be represented on the business

committee? You made your case and they have effectively accepted that.

We have got there. Persuasion was required and I welcome the decision

that has been made. On the issue of speaking rights, effectively the two

largest parties, DUP and Sinn Fein, for whatever reason want to keep us

relegated to towards the end of debate. I think it is important to

have a diversity of voices and effect of challenges and it's

important that my constituents who elected me and the others in the

other two parties are having their voices heard in the assembly chamber

so I will continue to pressure that. Nothing was gifted. I suppose

everything had to be top four but I welcome those other parties who have

been supportive from the start but the two largest parties still seem

to want to retain control. Can you effectively represent the views of

people before profit? Those two parties and the Greens, pretty

diverse grouping? It is very much a ministry position. This will be

making sure that they are entitled to get their emotions and that their

views are put forward. They need access to the papers and I will be

sharing. You will represent Jim Allister on that committee? I will

indeed. Can you do that easily? Uzzy comfortable with that? It's about

respecting his mandate. We have worked in this together and he is

happy although it was my campaign and I lead on it. But it is not... I

suddenly will not be reflecting his views on climate change your LGBT

right but I will be ensuring that it is his right as an elected

representative to have a say. Ultimately, would you be comfortable

with him at some stage in the future are presenting new? It will be a

rotating membership. What I will tip the first period having led the

campaign, the other parties will put forward their own representatives at

other stages. It will be interesting to see how the debate over speaking

rights unfolds in the months ahead. Thank you very much indeed for

joining us. Levels of air pollution are falling

across Northern Ireland, according to the Agriculture

and Environment Minister, Michelle McIlveen says vehicle

emissions are largely to blame Here she is, outlining

the findings of the most recent report into air quality

here during questions The report clearly shows that air

quality in Northern Ireland is continuing to improve although we

continue to have problems with emissions from road traffic. The

report notes the long-time levels of pollutants in Belfast are decreasing

albeit at a slower rate than I would like. In addressing egg quality in

Belfast in Northern Ireland, our department has commenced a review of

air quality policy and legislation with the intention of developing a

dedicated Northern Ireland equality strategy and revised policy

guidance. In addition to this review, my department currently

provides funding support to councils including Belfast City Council to

carry out their statutory management and action plan duties and has

worked closely with Belfast City Council and the department for

infrastructure to draw up an air quality action plan for the greater

Belfast area. The quality issues here are predominantly due to road

traffic commission is therefore the plan focuses on introducing the

measures relating to sustainable transport such as the forthcoming

Belfast rapid transport scheme, the Belfast transport hub, park-and-ride

and strategies that promote public transport, walking and cycling.

Would she agree with me in terms of tackling congestion any air quality

strategy must have significant investment in infrastructure? I

totally agree with the member and as the Foreign Minister for regional

development, I was very much involved in some of those projects

and in particular the interchange. The member will also know that the

council has declared the corridor as an air quality management area from

York Street to the city boundary. This area carries approximately

100,000 vehicles per day. The development of the interchange

project is one of the principal measures in reducing transport

emissions along the West Link corridor and is a range of measures

that DFI has agreed with the council to include in their air quality

action plan. It is therefore vitally important that this project goes

ahead. She may be aware that it was reported last week that one of the

quality monitors was not working and has not been for some time. I

understand it is the council's responsibility to replace that but

was the Department where it was not working and whose responsibility is

it to request a replacement? Yes, I am aware of that, as I was aware of

the Abbey issue. That has now been diffused since March this year and

the reason why it has not been replaced is due to the replacement

of parts. They are in the process of procuring a new monitor and I

understand that they are still continuing to monitor pollution but

are using a different method in order to do so.

Michelle McIlveen on the challenge of monitoring air

A Sinn Fein motion calling for increased awareness of human

rights prompted scorn from some unionist quarters in the Chamber.

Jim Allister and the DUP refused to support the motion,

saying it was hypocritical, but there were also calls

on the First Minister to raise human rights on her visit to China.

First, here's Claire Bailey with her list of human rights

A Bill of Rights, termination of pregnancy, Irish language

protection, promotion of Ulster Scots, issues but Irish travellers

including educational attainment and housing, lack of involvement by the

Northern Ireland executive, poverty, conflict and legacy issues. This is

critical, not least given the ongoing Supreme Court challenge that

started at 11am. There is a binding international treaty between the

British and Irish governments and the outworking of that treaty is the

Corporation of the European Convention on human rights and the

Human Rights Act. But I find particularly hard to swallow but

this motion is we have Sinn Fein tabling a motion is we have Sinn

Fein tabling motions human rights. But some in their party have denied

the very right of life to many of the years. I spoke with a man just

last week, a former bus driver, who was targeted by the IRA, a man who

for many years lived in fear, a man whose family were massively affected

by it and are still affected. I often think of families robbed of a

loved one at the hand of terrorism here in Northern Ireland. What if

violation of their human rights and those victims' rights to life. I

oppose this motion. The declaration in 1914 eight was a milestone and

the first article is all human beings are born free and equal in

dignity and rights. And we all know and we could get into a slapping

match across the floor that our own recent chequered past has not lived

up to Article one, and neither have we lived up to article three, the

right to life. But I see no point in trading insults around the place

because again I go back to the fact that I believe this is something

that we should be celebrating. Does the member hope like me that in

protecting the Human Rights Act that the First Minister will raise human

rights in China during her visit this week? I sincerely hope that

whatever opportunities any minister or representative of this Assembly

has, when they visit states who are not perhaps those which are fully

subscribed to international standards on human rights, and we

know that China is not, in those circumstances, I hope and trust and

we should ask the question of our First Minister, has she taken the

opportunity to raise the issue of human rights? Some who to this day

have no apology to make for their own actions or the actions of their

comrades in delivering murder and denying the fundamental right to

life have the audacity to come to this House and to cloak themselves

in the language of human rights! This Assembly has the ability to

pass legislation relating to quality on human rights, equality and human

rights legislation has been passed in Britain, Scotland and 26

counties. How do we ensure that the people in the north do not have

lesser rights than those other jurisdictions?

Sinn Fein's Cathal Boylan winding up the debate on that

motion, which was passed despite DUP opposition.

Next to water charges and the Executive may have committed

to carrying the cost for domestic users but the meters that might some

day be used to calculate them have been installed

Well, not any more, says the Infrastructure Minister.

The regulations I'm bringing forward the date removed the requirement of

water meters in domestic properties connecting for the first time the

public water supply. The practice of installing meters currently cost the

public purse ?200,000 per year and given that the meters are not used,

this is a new country expense and one which cannot be sustained in the

current financial climate. The Assembly will be aware of the

commitment of this executive not to bring in water charges. That is the

intention of this executive to bear the cost of water charges on behalf

of domestic customers for the next five years. The requirement to

install water meters for future connections may be required at a

later date. It is for this reason that this meeting of the 16th of

November, the committee considered a row and offered no objections to the

rule. They're been poured a dozen water meters installed, costing the

taxpayer here in excess of ?30 million. These regulations make

uncomfortable reading, especially for the underprivileged families who

are struggling to survive to pay bills and make ends meet, who were

worried about this train coming down the track and the uncertainty around

whether or not water meters or water charges would be applied. The SDLP

has always been and will continue to be completely oppose to water

charges for domestic properties. We believe the regional rate includes

such charges and we do not need any additional charges for families. We

have all talked about the lack of money that is available for hospital

waiting lists, the lack of money available to pay for life extending

drugs for people with cancer, the lack of money available for children

with special education needs. So is say very clearly that the money

spent out of our grant from Westminster to go forward to pay for

water is the very money that we should be using to pay for those

essential services. I believe that those who can afford to pay should

and every single person in this House can afford to pay but we are

protecting them by not bringing forward an open and transparent

debate on water charging. The number of countries that this wastage of 13

million, the actual figure is 1.3 million, so you might want to look

at your figures close again. Also, the factors Shin Hain is following

the SDLP in the example is finally doing the right thing, it was all

parted walked away from the Executive. But the SDLP decided to

otherwise. Just for clarity, no meters have been installed since the

6th of July in domestic properties and this has saved ?100,000. So when

Ms Armstrong was about wasting money, this is public money we have

actually saved and again the Alliance Party strengthen the points

raised here today. Something that has been rejected by the people as

we have seen with their recent performance. People do not want

water charges and I think that is what the Executive will stand for.

Chris Hazzard making it very clear that he and his party remain

opposed to the introduction of domestic water charges.

And David McCann's here for a final word.

No change in Sinn Fein's position, then, but were you expecting this

Again, the Irish News had been reporting on water meters installed

and it was pretty embarrassing for the party so Chris Hazard is finally

drawing the line and about. And demonstrating the fact that what

Sinn Fein can do, this matches their narrative in the south where they

are trying to get water charges down there so this gives them a selling

point in the south and it goes to show they are making key points of

delivery for themselves. What about the Alliance point that,

at the very least, an open and honest conversation about water

charges needs to take place? If you don't have enough money to

education and health, you need to talk about revenue raising. It is a

well-made point because budgets will get tighter and tighter so we should

at least have the conversation about it and others said that as a prickly

issue of the Sinn Fein and the DUP but I don't think there is any harm

in having the conversation. The Alliance Party willing to have that

conversation and possibly to the detriment of votes.

And David Ford is moving his Private Members' Bill

on abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality tomorrow.

This is something that David Ford tried to tackle whilst he was

Justice Minister. This is unfinished business for the Alliance Party.

They have made this a priority issue in this mandate for the party. It

will be an interesting debate and the working group supposed to

report, we still do not know when that will happen yet. It will be

very interesting seeing table Ford table that is a private member but

it will be a controversial debate because they use a very fixed. The

abortion debate is polarising. The recommendations from what I can see

seem relatively sensible but again, these debates can go off on a

tangent I hope again that we can get some good debates in the last debate

we had, we had really measured examples.

And finally, tributes were paid to Austin Hunter by Members

The former BBC journalist and News Letter editor was killed

at the weekend in a road accident in Bahrain.

The Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy took time

during the debate on human rights to pay this tribute to Mr Hunter.

It is right I think that we refer to one such person who cared deeply

about human rights, Austin Hunter, who very tragically died over the

weekend. Austin Hunter was one of the outstanding broadcasters and

journalists of his generation but he was also a man of great humanity and

compassion who covered through his professional career some of the

worst atrocities of the troubles but he did so with care and respect to

those most deeply affected and with great courtesy. It is clear from the

very many tributes there had been received from the political and

media world Austin was a man of great integrity and highly respected

by all who came into contact with him and I'm sure the whole house

will join me in offering their present awards to the family at this

time. The Communities Minister,

Paul Givan, with his tribute to Austin Hunter, who died

at the weekend. That's it for now but there'll be

more of the same tomorrow. Until then, from everyone

in the team, goodnight.