:00:29. > :00:33.in the next half hour: Shared future but no shared decision making.
:00:33. > :00:42.Reaction to the first and deputy First Minister's statements last
:00:42. > :00:47.week continued. Is there nothing more you can do to stem the contempt
:00:47. > :00:51.contemptible so-what attitude to this House? With welfare cuts, the
:00:51. > :00:58.Assembly debated child poverty. On this too consensus remained elusive.
:00:58. > :01:02.That study also said clearly, Mr Deputy Speaker, that we face a sharp
:01:02. > :01:08.increase in child poverty in Northern Ireland, a sharp increase.
:01:08. > :01:12.The evidence shows that relative child poverty is falling in Northern
:01:12. > :01:19.Ireland. And here to give his thoughts on that and much more is
:01:19. > :01:22.the details -- The Detail Steven McCaffery.
:01:22. > :01:27.First tonight, we learned over the weekend that President Obama will
:01:27. > :01:35.stop off in Belfast en route to the G8. He tweeted today about how much
:01:35. > :01:38.he's looking forward to his visit. What will he make of our leaders
:01:38. > :01:41.when he gets here? One man who isn't too impressed with him is Jim
:01:41. > :01:47.Allister. I appreciate that this is a matter over which, at best, you
:01:47. > :01:53.probably have influence rather than control, but last week, again, we
:01:53. > :01:57.had a classic illustration of the executive ministers, this time the
:01:57. > :02:03.First Minister and the deputy First Minister, choosing to make a
:02:03. > :02:08.statement on a criticalically, what they called a critical issue, not to
:02:08. > :02:12.this House, but to the public media. Indeed no sign of any intent to come
:02:12. > :02:22.to this House at all today about that matter. Is there nothing more
:02:22. > :02:25.
:02:25. > :02:30.you can do to stem the contemptible so-what attitude to this House?
:02:30. > :02:35.THE SPEAKER: Let me say to the member, I have some sympathy for the
:02:35. > :02:39.point of order that the member has raised. I know the member has an
:02:39. > :02:43.urgent question to the business at the moment which I haven't taken a
:02:43. > :02:48.decision on. My clear understanding is that the first and deputy First
:02:48. > :02:57.Minister is coming to the House tomorrow to make a statement. So
:02:57. > :03:03.this is why I haven't made my decision on the question that you
:03:03. > :03:07.have raised. If that is not the case, I certainly will be taking the
:03:07. > :03:12.members question and it is an issue. I continually encourage ministers to
:03:12. > :03:15.come to the House here and I think on urgent business and important
:03:15. > :03:19.business they should be coming to this House. I have some sympathy
:03:20. > :03:24.with the member. I'm joined by Steven McCaffery from
:03:24. > :03:29.Dietrich-Smith. We heard -- The Detail. We heard the speak
:03:29. > :03:31.sympathising that the ministers might come to the House with a
:03:31. > :03:35.statement on that. Ittuals quite a tough line. It was more than a
:03:35. > :03:39.passing remark. He spoke at length about how he seems concerned about
:03:39. > :03:44.the issue. As Jim Allister said it seemed to reach back to the friction
:03:45. > :03:49.we saw on the View where John O'Dowd got into trouble for the so-what
:03:49. > :03:52.comment. I think the difficulty for the larger parties is that after the
:03:52. > :03:55.announcement that they made around a shared future, they now have to set
:03:55. > :04:01.about trying to ensure all the parties play ball with their plan
:04:01. > :04:06.for a working party to consider the toughest issues- the flags, parades
:04:06. > :04:09.and other issues such as dealing with the past. I think while they're
:04:09. > :04:13.perhaps used to this tension, the larger parties might wouldn't to
:04:13. > :04:16.invest some time in trying to calm the situation down. Maybe that's
:04:16. > :04:21.part of what tomorrow's appearance is about. It's interesting that the
:04:21. > :04:26.other main parties aren't happy then, obviously, others, some of the
:04:26. > :04:29.smaller parties, Jim Allister was the one making the point there, are
:04:29. > :04:32.also not happy. I think part of the reason why we didn't see any of
:04:32. > :04:36.these measures announced earlier over the last year is because there
:04:36. > :04:41.was a fear that if there were holes in the package it would be pick add
:04:41. > :04:44.part and quite angrily by parties outside the DUP and Sinn Fein. It's
:04:44. > :04:48.hard to resist the impression that now the G8 is on its way we have to
:04:48. > :04:57.fill that void in some shape or form and the larger parties have had to
:04:57. > :05:00.say look, we have to push ahead. What about the G8? President Obama
:05:00. > :05:05.we now know coming to Belfast on this visit. He's not been here
:05:05. > :05:10.before. We don't know precisely when or where. Yeah, as I say, there's
:05:10. > :05:15.some reference to the fact that his arrival perhaps has some influence
:05:15. > :05:19.over the talks between the larger parties at Stormont. Setting that
:05:19. > :05:25.aside, it will be interesting to see him at a public level in terms of
:05:25. > :05:29.interaction with the public. We have had great scenes in the past with
:05:29. > :05:32.the Clintons. It will be nice to find out a bit more about that and I
:05:32. > :05:36.wonder will we get a chance to have the big picture interface with the
:05:36. > :05:40.public. We had these figures today suggesting the benefit to the
:05:41. > :05:46.Northern Ireland economy of the G8 could be in and around the figure of
:05:46. > :05:53.�40 million. Does that stack up for you? Some of the figures were based
:05:53. > :05:56.on actual facts such as hotel rooms taking up. You tend to come at these
:05:56. > :06:01.things with scepticism. What will be key will be how the summer goes
:06:01. > :06:04.there after G8 in terms of what benefit in tourism we can reap from
:06:04. > :06:08.it. We'll talk to you later in the programme. For now, thank you very
:06:08. > :06:12.much. Plans for an investment conference in the wake of the G8
:06:12. > :06:16.summit are already under way. It will be the second such conference
:06:16. > :06:20.here. The first was in 2008. How successful was that event? Trevor
:06:20. > :06:23.Lunn wanted to know when he addressed the Enterprise Minister
:06:23. > :06:29.Arlene Foster during Question Time. The most notable achievement in
:06:29. > :06:35.terms of investment arising from the 2008 conference was at nounsment by
:06:35. > :06:39.NYSE October 2009 promoting an additional 325 jobs in addition to
:06:39. > :06:42.securing first-time advise tights Northern Ireland, the USNI
:06:42. > :06:47.conference provided the opportunity to advance or accelerate a number of
:06:47. > :06:54.projects already in the pipeline prior to the event, for example
:06:54. > :06:58.projects involving Bombardier, Bae aerospace. The sales team continued
:06:58. > :07:07.to develop key accounts as a result of the May 2008 and October 2010
:07:07. > :07:12.conferences. I thank the minister for her answers so far. Could I ask
:07:12. > :07:17.the minister how the outcomes compare perhaps with the expectation
:07:17. > :07:24.or the targets set in 2008? And how the lessons learned over those five
:07:24. > :07:31.years might inform the next USNI conference? Of course, when we had
:07:31. > :07:35.our first conference that was in May 2008 and then the global, worldwide
:07:35. > :07:41.recession kicked in around October, November 2008. I think the fact that
:07:41. > :07:45.we made the progress that we did make was very substantial and
:07:45. > :07:49.indeed, something that we should be proud of. Little did we know at that
:07:49. > :07:53.time that was going to be the case. We have progressed as I have
:07:53. > :07:56.indicated a number of projects that were in the pipeline, that may have
:07:56. > :08:01.taken longer. It's always difficult to assess those things, how much
:08:01. > :08:05.longer would they have taken had we not have had the USNI investment
:08:05. > :08:08.conference. I think we can safely say it had a major impact on
:08:08. > :08:11.bringing attention to Northern Ireland at that particular time and
:08:11. > :08:16.indeed providing us with a platform to talk about all of the things that
:08:16. > :08:20.we do intend to talk about when the G8 comes to here in June of this
:08:20. > :08:24.year. That is the fact that it's a good place to do business. Ties good
:08:24. > :08:29.place to work and it's a good place to visit. We hope that we get those
:08:29. > :08:35.messages across. Would the minister care to expand, she touched upon it
:08:35. > :08:40.herself, the G8 visit. There has been some rumours that the executive
:08:40. > :08:45.will try to show case the north and try to use that to piggy back for
:08:45. > :08:49.further economic investment here. Cot minister advise as to what
:08:49. > :08:53.organisation has been put in place to facilitate that, please? I can
:08:53. > :08:59.confirm to the chair that it's more than a rumour. It's absolutely fact
:08:59. > :09:03.that we're going to use the G8 summit to give us a platform because
:09:03. > :09:07.there will be global attention on our little part of the world between
:09:07. > :09:11.the 17th and 18th and indeed before that, because of course a lot of the
:09:11. > :09:19.journalists and tell gagss will have arrived before that and indeed,
:09:19. > :09:23.we've had many delegations from the countries involved to send sending
:09:23. > :09:27.out their ambassadors to see what's it all about in Northern Ireland and
:09:27. > :09:30.indeed in county Fermanagh. My own department, the executive
:09:30. > :09:35.information service, the Tourist Board, the Northern Ireland office,
:09:35. > :09:39.Number Ten and other partners including Fermanagh District Council
:09:39. > :09:43.have been developing proposals to Max miles the opportunity looking at
:09:43. > :09:47.short-term and indeed longer-term benefits and in particular, to raise
:09:47. > :09:53.the profile of Northern Ireland to encourage investment and to build
:09:53. > :09:58.trade links, to create awareness, to change perceptions, to drive visitor
:09:58. > :10:02.numbers and to stimulate that all important measure of sifb pride. If
:10:02. > :10:05.I can say to the chair of my committee, it is all about
:10:05. > :10:08.partnership and working together to make the most out of this huge
:10:08. > :10:13.event. We've seen the way in which we work together over a short period
:10:13. > :10:16.of time in the run up to the Irish Open last year. The announcement was
:10:16. > :10:21.made in January, the avent happened in June. Through partnership working
:10:21. > :10:26.we made the most out of it. I hope that's what happens in Fermanagh in
:10:26. > :10:30.June this year Touchlite Arlene Foster. There are many issues
:10:30. > :10:36.that we know divide the Assembly. Child poverty is one you might
:10:36. > :10:38.expect to unite everybody. Not so. Today an SDLP motion called for
:10:38. > :10:43.child poverty legislation specific to Northern Ireland was defeated.
:10:43. > :10:49.The very sad fact is that we have failed to address the issues of
:10:49. > :10:53.child poverty and the recent figures do differ and I do accept that. The
:10:53. > :10:58.recent figures coming from ute Institute of Fiscal Studies say that
:10:58. > :11:04.there's 26%, 26. 3% of children in Northern Ireland living in relative
:11:04. > :11:14.poverty. That's compared to 20. 5% in the UK. Children living in
:11:14. > :11:15.
:11:15. > :11:21.absolute poverty is 28. 5% compared with 23. 1% in the UK. That study
:11:21. > :11:24.also said clearly Mr Deputy Speaker, that we face a sharp increase in
:11:24. > :11:31.child poverty in Northern Ireland, a sharp increase. I think that's
:11:31. > :11:36.something that we need to be very, very concerned about. I rise on
:11:36. > :11:39.behalf of our party not to support the motion. We are not convinced
:11:39. > :11:44.that the bringing forward another Child Poverty Act will make a
:11:44. > :11:46.difference. I have to say I'm somewhat disappointment that the
:11:46. > :11:51.proposers of the motion have not included recognition of the many
:11:51. > :12:00.excellent initiatives led by the first and deputy First Ministers to
:12:00. > :12:05.tackle child poverty. I thank the member for giving way. A number of
:12:05. > :12:10.contributors have made mention of the initiatives, perhaps he's
:12:10. > :12:15.intending to illustrate some of those? If not, perhaps he will.
:12:15. > :12:21.indeed because I know the Opposition from your side of the House will not
:12:21. > :12:26.do that. So, I have to say that there have already been a number of
:12:26. > :12:32.programmes which have benefitted disadvantaged families. For example,
:12:32. > :12:37.the freezing of water rates, free prescriptions, warm home scheme, the
:12:37. > :12:44.free school meals scheme, the department for social development
:12:44. > :12:49.has also invested heavily in neighbourhood renewal areas. Deical
:12:49. > :12:55.continues to invest in sports facilities, all of which helps to
:12:55. > :13:00.tackle the systemic issues which lead to child poverty. The The tenor
:13:00. > :13:06.of the debate has been very positive with the acceptance of one attempt
:13:06. > :13:12.to score political points. We're still listening to cackling from the
:13:12. > :13:17.side here. I would say that all the parties, I believe, are committed to
:13:17. > :13:22.eradicating child poverty. We're not trying to moat a target. The target
:13:22. > :13:28.is total eradication. I note in your contribution he didn't attempt to
:13:29. > :13:36.address my question in what has OFM/DFM done? Is that cackling I
:13:36. > :13:38.hear, Mr Deputy Speaker? Or just CAC? The current delay by the social
:13:38. > :13:43.development minister in bringing the bill for consideration stage, as
:13:43. > :13:46.well as the inability so far to in any way alter the bill to be
:13:46. > :13:51.Northern Ireland specific does not fill me with confidence that the
:13:51. > :13:59.needs of children in poverty are adequately being taken into account.
:13:59. > :14:02.I think the question to ask is are the measures we take effective? Mr
:14:02. > :14:06.Sprat is reasonable to outline the things that the executive is doing
:14:06. > :14:10.and has been done. A number of the things he outlined he outlined what
:14:10. > :14:15.are and have been independently judged to be regressive measures.
:14:15. > :14:22.The evidence shows that relative child poverty is falling in Northern
:14:22. > :14:28.Ireland. However, we understand very much understand how difficult it can
:14:28. > :14:32.be for those who are living in poverty. I can assure the House that
:14:32. > :14:37.the targets contained within the Child Poverty Act are very
:14:37. > :14:45.challenging, with the aim of achieving the elimination of child
:14:45. > :14:50.poverty. What we now have deputy Speaker is a clear strategy endorsed
:14:50. > :14:54.by all executive ministers, we have clear arrangements in place to
:14:54. > :14:58.develop measures of departmental impact and we are delivering
:14:58. > :15:02.specific programmes which will make a meaningful difference, both to the
:15:02. > :15:07.immediate and to the longer term needs of the children and young
:15:07. > :15:11.people. It is about improving their lives not changing statistics. It's
:15:11. > :15:18.what we are focussed on. I therefore urge members on all sides of the
:15:18. > :15:22.House to oppose the motion. With me now is one of the proposers
:15:22. > :15:27.of that motion, Delores Kelly. Thank you for joining us. Were you
:15:27. > :15:31.surprised there was so much division in the House on this today? Yes, we
:15:31. > :15:36.didn't anticipate a division vote. We both Sinn Fein and the DUP would
:15:36. > :15:40.have no objection to set tarring totes eradicate child poverty that
:15:40. > :15:46.were Northern Ireland specific. fact it was two to one against your
:15:46. > :15:51.motion. 56 members voted against. Mostly Sinn Fein and the DUP and 28
:15:51. > :15:55.in favour. We hoping to hold the executive to account in eradication
:15:55. > :15:59.of child poverty. It looks as though, yet again, Sinn Fein and the
:15:59. > :16:03.DUP don't wish to be held to account by this Assembly nor by any other
:16:04. > :16:07.organisation. Need to bring the motion forward? I suppose that's
:16:07. > :16:10.maybe part of the what the issue is today. There are targets, Jonathan
:16:10. > :16:14.Bell said relative child poverty in Northern Ireland is falling. Prance
:16:14. > :16:19.the view from the other side of the House is that today's discussion
:16:19. > :16:24.wasn't necessary. I would dispute that. I mean, the welfare reform
:16:24. > :16:31.agenda is only getting under way. There's some 600 million to be taken
:16:31. > :16:38.out annually out of the Northern Ireland disposable income avail --
:16:38. > :16:43.availability to families. The Scottish Assembly has introduced a
:16:43. > :16:46.family fund which we would argue that the minister should look at in
:16:47. > :16:50.relation to the social protection fund. The other issue is that, we
:16:50. > :16:52.saw from some of the pictures in the previous report, there weren't many
:16:52. > :16:56.people in the chamber for much of the discussion. Were you surprised
:16:56. > :17:02.at that? Yes, though I do know some members said they were watching the
:17:02. > :17:05.debate from their offices. There seems to be a general malaise around
:17:05. > :17:10.the place where some members no longer think it worth their while to
:17:10. > :17:13.come into the chamber. At the end of the day, it seems as if Assmebly
:17:13. > :17:16.Members' views don't count. I was making the point during the debate
:17:16. > :17:19.that it's the function of the Assembly to hold the executive to
:17:19. > :17:24.account. Some members don't get that. We have a malaise amongst
:17:24. > :17:29.MLAs. It appears to be the case.The Institute for Fiscal Studies says
:17:29. > :17:34.benefit reforms will have a disproportionate effect here.
:17:34. > :17:39.There's an argument which Margaret Richie had made in the past in
:17:39. > :17:44.relation to welfare reform. The conflict is a huge contributor to
:17:44. > :17:49.the deprivation in many of the areas that continue to suffer
:17:49. > :17:52.post-conflict. You have to say if MLAs can't get together and agree on
:17:52. > :17:58.an issue like child poverty and what to do about, it you wouldn't hold
:17:58. > :18:03.out much hope for agreement on too much else. Well it hasn't been very
:18:03. > :18:07.good, we're into the third year of this term and Peter Robinson said to
:18:07. > :18:11.be judged on delivery in this term. It hasn't been optimistic thus far.
:18:11. > :18:15.One of the things that they have failed to agree on but which would
:18:15. > :18:19.be a key contributor to tackling child poverty would be a child care
:18:19. > :18:22.strategy. Yet there's no date for a publication of such a strategy.
:18:22. > :18:26.Where does this leave us on the wider issue after agreement between
:18:26. > :18:30.the parties on the way forward? We had this pretty testy discussion
:18:30. > :18:35.towards the end of the week about a shared future, driven by the two
:18:35. > :18:39.main parties, much toot nouns of the three other main parties. Were you
:18:39. > :18:42.surprised by that? Were you surprised by Jonathan Bell and John
:18:42. > :18:46.O'Dowd on Thursday night an the attitude they adopted? There's a
:18:46. > :18:51.level of arrogance between the two parties which is breath taking. I
:18:51. > :18:54.suppose we shouldn't be too surprised whenever you said it in
:18:55. > :18:59.the context wherever the Justice Minister was appointed and that was
:18:59. > :19:04.denied it a Nationalist. At that time it was the then junior minister
:19:04. > :19:07.replied to one of my colleagues" Get used to it." I think the so-what
:19:07. > :19:12.comment is a further extension of that. Neither Sinn Fein or the DUP
:19:12. > :19:16.seem to be living up to the aspirations and intention of the
:19:16. > :19:18.Good Friday agreement which was around inclusive government. Thank
:19:18. > :19:24.you very much for joining us on the programme tonight.
:19:24. > :19:28.Now it's that time of year, exam time, and as many A-level students
:19:28. > :19:31.prepare for the big tests, today the Minister for Employment and Learning
:19:32. > :19:36.was quizzed on higher education from university places to funding and a
:19:36. > :19:43.suggested chill factor for Protestants at some campuses here.
:19:43. > :19:46.would stress eligibility for European Union tuition fee status at
:19:46. > :19:50.Scottish universities is for the higher education in Scotland. The
:19:50. > :19:54.Scottish Government has determined it is the responsibility of each
:19:54. > :19:58.Scottish university to make a decision on a student's eligibility
:19:58. > :20:01.for the European Union rate of tuition fees by applying residency
:20:01. > :20:04.guidelines produced by the Scottish Government. Prior to this
:20:04. > :20:08.presentation of an Irish passport was sufficient for Northern Ireland
:20:08. > :20:13.domiciled student to be eligible for European Union fee status in
:20:13. > :20:17.Scotland. From the academic year 2013/14 the Scottish universities
:20:17. > :20:22.will independently seek to establish whether an applicant has exercised a
:20:22. > :20:25.right of residence elsewhere in the European Economic Area. Can I ask
:20:25. > :20:30.what impact the decision to freeze tuition fees in Northern Ireland has
:20:30. > :20:35.had on university applications? have seen that our decision in
:20:35. > :20:40.Northern Ireland to freeze tuition fees for our local students has had
:20:40. > :20:45.a beneficial impact. The number of applications to local universities
:20:45. > :20:51.has been more or less maintained while applications elsewhere, within
:20:51. > :20:56.these islands, have seemed to drop off. But by some extent now, those
:20:56. > :20:58.are the initial figures and in the medium term we may see a
:20:58. > :21:03.stabilisation in terms of application figures, but the
:21:03. > :21:06.evidence to date would suggest that our decision locally has certainly
:21:06. > :21:12.made a major impact in terms of people's decision to go on to higher
:21:12. > :21:15.education. There are genuine concerns amongst the Unionist
:21:16. > :21:22.students about equality of opportunity. One example being the
:21:22. > :21:25.display of Irish language signage within the Coleraine University
:21:25. > :21:31.students union. Account minister outline his views on this and what
:21:31. > :21:37.actions he would take to address the issue? Can I first of all say that I
:21:37. > :21:44.am opposed to any actions in any of our colleges or universities that
:21:44. > :21:48.would create a chill factor. That said, you do not automatically jump
:21:48. > :21:53.to the conclusion that the erection of an Irish language sign in a
:21:53. > :21:57.students union would lead to that conclusion being reached. Those
:21:57. > :22:03.matters are of course for the universities an the students union
:22:03. > :22:08.to address themselves, but I do want to stress the point. There is no
:22:08. > :22:12.hard, solid evidence of a chill factor within our universities.
:22:12. > :22:17.There's something -- they're something we should be proud of in
:22:17. > :22:20.that in this still divided society our universities and colleges offer
:22:20. > :22:24.a genuine, integrated form of education. We should celebrate that
:22:24. > :22:28.rather than trying to undermine it by whipping up tensions in the
:22:28. > :22:33.system wherever they don't actually exist. Can I ask the minister what
:22:33. > :22:36.steps is he now going to take to stop these rumours that are doing a
:22:36. > :22:44.disservice to those people from the Protestant community who may be put
:22:44. > :22:50.off bit rumours constantly peddled by members opposite? I think it's
:22:50. > :22:55.really incumbent on all of us, I include myself in that, to talk up
:22:55. > :23:00.the, how our universities are genuine, shared and integrated
:23:01. > :23:06.facilities and to encourage people from all backgrounds that they can
:23:06. > :23:12.attend such institutions without any fear for their safety or indeed, for
:23:12. > :23:16.their identity being disrespected. It is important that in saying that
:23:16. > :23:22.That we recognise that there is an issue of under representation of
:23:22. > :23:27.young Protestant males from areas of deprivation. That under
:23:27. > :23:33.representation is not based around any perseived chill factor in the
:23:33. > :23:36.institutions. That is a feature of lack of attainment and aspiration.
:23:36. > :23:41.That's something that the widening access strategy is seeking to
:23:41. > :23:44.address. Today's sitting had to be extended
:23:44. > :23:48.into the early evening after business ran more than an hour late.
:23:48. > :23:52.The final motion up for discussion concerned energy costs. It was
:23:52. > :23:55.proposed by the DUP and praised two of the party's ministers, Arlene
:23:55. > :24:00.Foster and Sammy Wilson. Here's the proposer.
:24:00. > :24:07.The first line of this motion recognises that energy costs are of
:24:07. > :24:12.concern to business and consumers and that certainly is the drive
:24:12. > :24:18.behind this motion here before us today in this House. First of all,
:24:18. > :24:25.can I commend the minister and of course her colleague the minister
:24:25. > :24:30.for finance and personnel for delivering on a result on the carbon
:24:30. > :24:35.price floor. It will have not been lost to this House that both these
:24:35. > :24:41.ministers indeed the ministers, but I think credit should be given where
:24:41. > :24:45.credit is due. Up to 42% of households are in fuel poverty. And
:24:45. > :24:49.particularly as we witness the weather conditions as they are at
:24:49. > :24:53.the moment, that is creating more and more difficulties, not just for
:24:53. > :24:56.people who are on income-based benefits. This is an important
:24:56. > :25:01.point. But many people who are on lower income and are working,
:25:01. > :25:04.they're the ones having to make the choices between heating and eating.
:25:04. > :25:12.Very difficult situation we're in at the moment Touchlite that end, it is
:25:12. > :25:16.welcome that this derregation from the carbon tax floor price has been
:25:16. > :25:25.long it coming. While today's motion is somewhat sycophantic in its
:25:25. > :25:30.praise for ministers, the SDLP will support it. Paul in his moving in a
:25:30. > :25:33.motion is probably successful in moving up the ranks of the DUP by
:25:33. > :25:37.now. Maybe you're in line for a ministerial position. I'm hoping
:25:37. > :25:42.that this doesn't mean that the minister will be moving on any time
:25:42. > :25:47.soon. I think it is important and all joking aside, I think it is
:25:47. > :25:51.important where credit is due. A lot of the time in this chamber we are
:25:51. > :25:56.quick to criticise and rightly so. But we're not very quick to give
:25:56. > :26:06.credit when it's due as well. We should recognise that. Of course
:26:06. > :26:09.
:26:09. > :26:16.it's right to acknowledge and to commend the dear gags -- deregation
:26:16. > :26:21.where it's beneficial. This superficial and largely
:26:21. > :26:25.self-congratulatory motion tells only a small part of the energy
:26:25. > :26:30.story in Northern Ireland. And the truth is which this motion does not
:26:30. > :26:36.address, is that the corner stone of the minister's policy, namely the
:26:36. > :26:40.single electricity market, is failing. North/south interconnector
:26:41. > :26:45.and the connection between Wales and the Republic of Ireland because
:26:45. > :26:50.we're moving in the direction of a market not just on this island, but
:26:50. > :26:58.on the two islands. Of course that's good news because that's going to
:26:58. > :27:03.bring more people into the market. Of course I'm talking about the
:27:03. > :27:06.interconnector. There's point -- there's little point of having it
:27:06. > :27:09.between Northern Ireland and the republic if we can't share it with
:27:09. > :27:16.the rest of the United Kingdom. Despite the concept of Jim Allister
:27:16. > :27:19.the motion was voted through. Steven McCaffery is with me again. Let's go
:27:19. > :27:22.back to the comments from Delores Kelly of the SDLP a few moments ago.
:27:22. > :27:28.Malaise among MLAs, it's an interesting point she makes.
:27:28. > :27:35.Obviously the point has been made for a while that the, the chamber is
:27:35. > :27:40.dominated by motions, a bit divorced by the feelings on the street. For
:27:40. > :27:44.that reason, I think the malaise has deepened. Now as we build towards G8
:27:44. > :27:48.and the announcements from the First Minister and deputy First Minister,
:27:48. > :27:51.that's a chance to change the mood. But we're back into the summer and
:27:51. > :27:54.we have to hope that events on the streets during the marching season
:27:54. > :27:59.don't work against the expectation that there will be a greater degree
:27:59. > :28:02.of hope zpl. It's depressing when you hear that MLAs are sitting in
:28:02. > :28:06.their offices watching rather than... I know they have other work
:28:06. > :28:12.to dirks but rather than taking part in the cut and thrust. When you
:28:12. > :28:14.consider that on top of the strategy on child poverty, strategies on
:28:14. > :28:18.racial issues and the gay community, there's a long list that people
:28:18. > :28:22.aren't coming to the chamber to talk about. Let's talk about shared
:28:22. > :28:27.future. We discuss today already on the programme. We know there's a
:28:27. > :28:32.ministerial statement from OFM DMF tomorrow morning on this subject.
:28:32. > :28:37.What are you expecting? I wonder will it be about formally asking the
:28:37. > :28:41.parties because they are to be written to To send forward members
:28:41. > :28:44.to take part in the all-party group. It may be the beginning to involve
:28:44. > :28:49.the Assembly to chip away at the negativity. I suppose we'll find out
:28:49. > :28:53.in due course. We'll know this time tomorrow night. Thank you very much.