13/03/2012 Stormont Today

Hello and welcome. The Cheltenham Festival has begun with a flourish,

but the race up here is struggling gain momentum. With only John

McCallister so far confirmed in the Ulster Unionist leadership battle.

And Basil McCrea is a non-runner. Off course though, it's been as

usual as the Education Minister takes a pop at the grammar secter.

Grammar's talents outstrips all over sectors. And who dares

criticise this minister's economic strategy. If that is the member's

definition of failure, I would have thought coming from the Ulster

Unionist party she would have had a better definition of failure.

First tonight, the news that Mary McArdle is stepping down as special

advisor to the culture minister. Her appointment led to a furious

political row when it was revealed she was involved in the IRA murder

of Mary Travers in 1984, who was shot in the back leaving mass with

her father the magistrate Tom Travers. With necessity is our

political editor. This very much came out of the blue this evening,

what more can you tell is? Certainly it was a bit of a

surprise. This appointment of Mary McArdle caused great controversy.

This was one of the most notorious murders of the Troubles. And also

Mary Travers' family was so vocal that the appointment added to their

pain, particularly her sister Ann. Tonight Ann has sent out a message

that she thrilled with her stepping down from the post. Sinn Fein for

their part say that this is no kind of response to the press furore

that there was last year. Instead they say it's part of a routine

rotation of people through posts. We think that Mary McArdle is

working now in the political department of the party. What about

the Ulster Unionist Party race then? Only one confirmed candidate,

but speculation about others. I think it will hot up. John

McCallister came out of the traps today, announcing himself as the

Standard Bearer for the liberal progressive wing of the party. He

said his first act as party leader would be to pull the party

unionists out of the executive, change the equation and form the

opposition. Basil McCrea, who is closely associated with John

McCallister made it clear he would back the Deputy Leader rather than

standing against him. This leaves however the potential for other

contenders. We would expect the regional development minister Danny

Kennedy to probably confirm his candidacy tomorrow and Mike Nesbit

to follow suit maybe on Thursday. Thanks very much.

Caral NiChuilin now and part of her brief includes sport a topic which

featured at Question Time. She was asked about the decline in adult

participation, which she acknowledged before giving good

news. On a more positive note a report published by my department

on the website this morning indicates that 97% of young people

surveyed in 2010 as part a young person's behaviour and attitude

survey said that they have participated in sport or physical

activity in seven days prior to the survey. I thank the minister for

her answer, but giving that bridging the gap report highlights

that tens of thousands of people weekly cannot take part in activity

due it a lack of facilities, what action will the minister take to

improve this situation? Well, I think, I mean I have seen aspects

of that report and many others. Not only was a lack of facilities

expressed as an issue, but even access to facilities was seen as a

problem. The economic decline was seen as a barrier for people

involved in sport and physical activity. I know some of the local

governments and I've been in discussion was Belfast, looking at

outside facilities, bringing in gyms from the outside and how that

works. And with the Department of Education and others we -- how we

increase physical activity. That's ongoing. I hear what the member has

to say and I share those concerns. Onto community relations an the

minister was asked how sport can reach out across divides.

strategy recognises that a well organised sport can make a

significant contribution to community relations. It commits

government to promote cohesion through sport in the context of a

better future and contains actions to help also achieve this. These

include actions to encourage underrepresented groups to

participate in sport and provision of space for sport that promote

community integration. These sports matters support the themes in the

emerging programme for government. Sports matters also supports the

delivery of other PFG priorities including a growing and sustainable

economy and tackling disadvantage in priority two. Mr Deputy Speaker,

sport as a means of improving community relation sz part of the

wider government agenda and part of the minister's oversight of her

department. Can I ask the minister does the naming of grounds after

people convicted in the courts make a positive or negative contribution

to community relations? I think the question that the member has raised

has no bearing on the work that the department's undergone. And I

would... And I would... Well I'm only a... We No Speak Americano

order please. I think members -- speaker: I think members know you

have to make remarks through the chair. There's no other way to do

it. John O 'dowd next. People asked about possible school closures.

Could the minister clarify that given the viability aud its were

conducted against the sustainable schools try tiara, many would see

them as a thinly veiled threat to our schools. Would the minister

accept that in fact he is effectively put a closure sign on

many schools, particularly those inural areas? The threat in this

debate is not to schools but to education. I viability has been

used in regards three of sustainable schools criteria. No

action will be taken against any schools based on those criteria

alone. After closer examination, under the sustainable schools

policy which has six criteria, which the school is measured

against. However no-one in this House should choose to ignore the

findings of the viability audit. It is clear that a number of schools

are evidencing underattainment levels, which everyone should be

concerned about. Action needs to be taken in those schools. If after

the full process has been went through, including the development

proposal, which includes a two- month consultation process, if the

right thing to do is close the school, to protect the educational

attainment of young people, then that's the action that will be

carried out. I thank the minister for his

response. Would he acknowledge that there's little new material that's

come out of the viability audit and it continues to list a high number

of schools, 84% of post primary schools and as stressed and this is

causing unnecessary stress to communities, to school staff and to

parents as pupils themselves? significant amount of the

information before us has been collated in a central point now.

It's now open to public examination. And is the member seriously

suggesting that the general public are of such a nervous disposition

they can't handle this information? Surely would the minister not agree

he has created a difficult situation given the fact that he

didn't, nor his department use criteria that was comparable, ie,

in terms of non-selective schools he used a bench mark of 25%, which

was lower than the Northern Ireland average, based on five GCSEs, A

star to C. He used a bench mark for grammar schools of 85%, which was

above the Northern Ireland average, based on seven GCSEs and the data

for educational attainment was 8, 9, 9, 10, so it's out of date.

data for 10/11 has not been verified yet. If I used this

information I would be accused of using data that was not verified.

In regards to how the figures were gathered, this was an agreement

with the board of CCMS. And why is grammars on a higher level than

secondary schools? They tell us their academic ability outstrips

all other sectors. Now 2012 is proving to be the

biggest year ever for sport in the UK generally and in Northern

Ireland in particular. With the Olympics and Paralympics in London,

bringing a number of teams here for pre-Games training, the Irish Open

coming to Portrush and our golfers leading the world, sport has been

dominating the front pages for all the best reasons. With me now is

chair of sport NI, Dominic Walsh. It's great to say positive things.

The spinnoff for the economy is potentially fantastic. It's a

really exciting year, the Olympics, Paralympics. We have had a number

of ef vents and confirmation that pre-Games training camps. This will

be an varietying times fro vied inspiration for local athletes into

the future. Whu mention golf, how wonderful to see Rory McIlroy

leading the world. Brilliant time for Northern Ireland. There is an

announcement tomorrow for more good news. What can you tell us? There

will be an announcement tomorrow, more good news leading no the pre-

Games training camps. We have the Chinese gymnasts confirmed. Olympic

Gold Medal is coming. The Australian boxers are going to be

sparring and helping local boxers as they get ready to compete. We

have the Paralympics Ireland here and more to come. We've had events

already hosted here, where we've had qualifying events for badminton.

We've had the world championships, table tennis, where we've had Spain,

Team GB and Northern Ireland, a big boost for the competitors, to get

ready for competing and trying to qualify for the Olympics. It's

exciting time. It is a turn around though. We had a lot of negativity

at the time not least from your organisation about the lack of

teams that were going to come here and the disaster that has been the

swimming pool in Bangor. It hasn't lived up to all the expectations

that we had hoped for when it was announced. Looking back at, that

timing was everything on that. At the time we were negotiating with

countries we would have loved to have said, yes we have the

Australian boxing team. We knew that we were 99% of that, but we

couldn't announce until we had the ink on the paper. It was

frustrating as the chair of sport Northern Ireland to say nothing.

But a lot of hard work had been done. A lot of investment and time

and effort from the local volunteers in sport, whether it be

boxing, athletics, the Paralympics, disability sport Northern Ireland,

a lot of hard work was done. It was a wee bit unfair at the time. We

would have loved to have said. But we couldn't because the negotiation

waser in a delicate position. will come back to that later.

Growing the economy is the executive's number one priority. A

tough task in these tough times. The minister responsible brought

her economic strategy to the chamber earlier and with such an

uncertain outlook, the few MLAs who dared criticise her plans were put

in their place. We start as Arlene Foster outlines plans to generate

We're committed to increase manufacturing exports. We have

introduced a new and stretching target to increase the value of

manufacturing exports to the emerging economies by 60% by 2014.

We have a new commitment around youth unemployment, which aims to

deliver 6,000 work experience and training opportunities for young

people by 2015. And given the tourism potential, we have upped

our targets to increase visitor numbers by 4.2 million and 676

million. On finance, I accept this remains a key challenge for many

businesses throughout Northern Ireland and having a local banking

sctor that meets the needs of consumers and businesses and

provides lending on a competitive basis is vital to economic recovery.

There are two ways to approach the figures. Given there are around

61,500 people claiming unemployment benefit, we're saying you have less

than one in two chance of getting a job and I feel this is not good

enough. Secondly, given the failure of Invest NI and handing back �39

million, Haswell as the failure of jobs fund, changes must occur if

we're to meet the targets and I understand the Federation of Small

Businesses considers this target to be an aspirational one. The Ulster

unionist Party will take a pragmatic approach and support and

scrutinyise to ensure delivery. is lacking in proposals for all

Ireland co-operation. I don't make that as a political point. One

example which should not present a political difficulty for anyone in

this house, is that right around the globe there is huge duplication

and competition between invest and NIDA in term of where they locate

offices. With greater integration, huge sums could be saved. Despite

our criticisms, we see this as a good attempt at an economic

strategy. This is probably because those who knew something about the

economy were given their head and the document was protected for more

cynical influences at the centre. If we give OFDFSs first draft of

the CSI one out of ten and the programme for Government three out

of ten, the strategies is a got six out of ten. Inners NI was said to

be a failure. -- invest. Despite the fact that Invest Northern

Ireland secured almost �2.6 billion in investment commitment, promoted

15,565 new jobs. Safeguard 5,329 existing job, supported 8,267 new

local business start between 2007 and 2009. They hit every single one

of their targets. Now, if that is the member's definition of failure,

I would have thought coming from the Ulster Unionist Party she would

have had a better definition of failure. But I see that as the

definition of success. You were saying, Dominic about not being

able to say all you know on occasions. We have had this

development that the culture minister has writ on the

organisations, inclooding yours, asking them to contacts you when

media organisation contact you, so there are no surprises. How do you

feel about that? Well I have been away on business for two days. And

I came back and got a chance to touch on that on the road from the

airport. We are an arm's length body and we have a level of

independence, but we work with the department and the minister and by

working with them, that for sport is thousand team is most effective

-- how the team is most effective. Does it surprise you, some people

have said it amounts to the thought police? I wouldn't quite say that.

Working with the minister is fine. But we are independent and the

minister respects our independence and we have kept our own counsel

and said what needs to be said from time to time. As you would know.

The health minister's attempts to make peace with community

pharmacists have been rebuffed. Today Edwin Poots announced a

financial package of �8 million which would have reimbursed them

for some money deconducted last year. Although part of rise is

about how much has been detubgtd. Here is what the minister said.

the renumeration of pharmacists, its has been necessary to move

quickly, as only a few weeks remain in this financial year. Up to this

points, some 8.5 million has been provided through the arrangements

that were put in place. I'm announcing that the release to

community pharmacies 06 a further �8 million. This fund will support

new services, improve premise and support staffing. Particularly in

depriefrd areas. This represents a substantial package for businesses

in Northern Ireland. This �8 million investment will bring the

total to be provided to contractors for renumeration and aspect of

reimbursements to �91.5 million A further 10% more than the 83

million provided to date. The investment includes an additional

�4 million, in recognition of concerns raised in respect of

vulnerability of pharmacies located in rural and socially deprived

areas. I have been mindful of the committee and MLAs' concerns about

helping depriefrd communities. guest has shob a should be an --

has shown an interest in this. Many people were not pleased with the

minister. He is trying. They have been through two judicial reknews

and he has offered �8 million and I think that is taking something from

him to do that. I think by the fact now, I don't think he realises

himself that it was enough and that is maybe illustrated by the fact he

now wants a survey to take place and nor negotiations to go on. The

pharmacists can go into the negotiations with �le - �8 million

in their pocket. But I think they will be looking for more. The whole

issue is a massive issue. This is not just about the boots, the big

pharmacies, but about my own village pharmacy and others, and

they have been, they have had too much taken from them. And these,

we're talking about the pharmacy side, not just the perfumes and

other things they would sell in their shops. And I think what you

have got to put that together is that now we can see that there are

going to be new reforms, new changes into the health service,

whereby you know patients of all kinds, most of it is going to have

to be done in a communities. The hospitals will be made smaller and

are attracted to certain degrees of patient care. These can be woven

together. The pharmacys are in a strong position and there is a

sense of where the minister is on this and I wouldn't want to be

criticising him too harshly until we see the end of the negotiations.

He does have a point, that community pharmacist should be

doing more than just dispensing drugs? Well, I mean that is what he

is taking away from them. The fact is that do do a lots more. What

concerns me about the survey is it will look into their profits. I

think business people, no matter who they are, pharmacists do a good

community business, they will look at this and sai, hang on, who do

you think you looking into our profits. It is almost implicit that

somehow, maybe they're cheating here or not earning, not declaring

the profits they're earning, I have talked to many pharmacists and they

like many retailers, like many in business, are having difficulties.

If they were making these profits, they would declare them. More on

that I'm sure. While you're here, people will know what has happened

with you with the Ulster unionist Party, there is a leadership race

ffplts Tom el yachts had not disciplined you in the way he did,

do you think he would still be leader? -- Thame Elliott. More than

likely. I was a strong support of Tom's and who is to say what would

have happened? One doesn't know. I would haven't let any party leader

get into the trouble he a allowed himself to get in and to take the

bad advice he was taking. What about the Sinn Fein specialist

advisor, Mary McArdsle and the announcement she will move to

another post in Sinn Fein? That is Sinn Fein's business. They made the

decision and they have made the decision originally and now changed

it. That is their business. I have enough to be worrying about within

the Ulster union I remember. Could I say if I may, I heard Dominic

talking about the special year of the Olympics, for unionism it is a

special year. This is a hundred years since the signing of the

covenant and it will be a massive year for union I remember as parts

of those sell Gration braigss. There is a chance -- of these

celebrations. There is a chance to look at how we went wrong and where

we can put it right. Can you see yourself going back into the

Assembly group under a new leader? I still have the disciplinary

matter, until that is resolved, I'm not going anywhere. But I do want

it resolved. Thank you. The First Minister and deputy First Minister

had to answer tough questions today and for a change it wasn't in the

chamber. Pupils from two schools were taking part in the BBC's

school report project, where young people get the chance to try their

hand at reporting. They told me what they had learned. It was lard

to get the questions out of politician and they're good at

skipping out of points. -- hard to get. What were the interviews like?

Well the interview with Martin that we had first, a lot, he didn't know

the questions. We got interesting answers from him. We found the

answers were tkprifrpbt what Peter gave. Asked should grammar school

become comprehensive and what are you doing to prevent bullying. They

were both similar answers. And they both said that bullying is an issue

that should, the school should address and not tolerate. Were you

nervous? Very nervous. Did they put you at your ease? Or were you there

to ask tough questions. In there to ask tough questions, but they did

put me at my ease. I thought they were nice people and took our

questions very well. I thought that their response was clear and

concise and quite accurate. they answer your questions?

they did. There were a few circumstances where other people

asked questions, or other reporters asked questions and they circled

their way around it and didn't answer it that well. But I think

they answered my questions, yes. There was interviews will be on air

and online on Thursday and you can get more on the web-site. Well

normally now we hear from one of our political correspondents. But

their Scottish counter part was in town and I caught up with him to

ask him what he makes of store months compared to the Scottish

Parliament. The first thing that strikes you is the architects churl

difference. The Scottish Parliament is staggeringly lrm challenging

modern. Here you have a statement of a different kind. Reflecting a

different era and the politics of time when it was built. And then

what strikes me is perhaps the balance between media and members,

we have braps a bit more latitude in the Scottish Parliament to

wander around and engage with members. The third one is the

completely different nature of the politics here. I found an economic

debates going on, where members of the governing kogs coalition are

dissenting from that 5 yet remain member of Government. That is the

core nature of Northern Ireland politics. That it is betore stay

together and keep the disputes -- better to stay together and keep

the structure. But it is unthinkable in the sparplts that

somebody could disputes' sporplt that somebody could disputes the --

Scottish Parliament that somebody could dispute the budgets. But the

politic os of devolution are very different. And change as well now

you have a busy few years coming up with the debate over independence.

The issue of rofr dumb is -- of a referendum is arising. We're

debating the nature of the question, the date and a choice there will be.

The people of Scotland will determine whether they wish to

remain within the union as they have done for more than 3 hundred

47 years -- 300 years or go down the road for independence. The

debate will sutsle as to the nature of the question. The word agree, is

it loaded. Or should we say welcome or for or against. The words will

be pourdz over. But behinds it is a core choice for the people, whether

they choose the union or independence. It is in the hands of

the people, the politicians can cajole and seek to persuade, but