Official Report (Hansard) Tuesday 6 March 2012 Volume 73 , No 4 Session 2011-2012 Contents Ministerial Statements North/South Ministerial Council: Health and Food Safety ..............................................................195 Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland and Employer Engagement Plan ...............................................200 Executive Committee Business Labour Relations Agency Code of Practice on Time Off for Trade Union Duties and Activities ............208 Private Members’ Business Educational Assistance for Young People .....................................................................................210 Oral Answers to Questions Justice ......................................................................................................................................218 Regional Development ................................................................................................................224 Private Members’ Business Educational Assistance for Young People (continued).....................................................................230 Fairtrade Fortnight ......................................................................................................................240 Adjournment Parkgate Quarry, County Antrim ...................................................................................................251 Suggested amendments or corrections will be considered by the Editor. They should be sent to: The Editor of Debates, Room 248, Parliament Buildings, Belfast BT4 3XX. Tel: 028 9052 1135 · e-mail: [email protected] to arrive not later than two weeks after publication of this report. Assembly Members Agnew, Steven (North Down) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) McCallister, John (South Down) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Clarke, Willie (South Down) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McNarry, David (Strangford) Doherty, Pat (West Tyrone) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Durkan, Mark H (Foyle) Maskey, Paul (West Belfast) Easton, Alex (North Down) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Ford, David (South Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hay, William (Speaker) Ritchie, Ms Margaret (South Down) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lewis, Ms Pam (South Antrim) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Northern Ireland Assembly Tuesday 6 March 2012 The Assembly met at 10.30 am (Mr Speaker in the Chair). Members observed two minutes’ silence. Ministerial Statements Altnagelvin and noted that construction is planned to commence in 2013, with an operational North/South Ministerial Council: date of 2016. Health and Food Safety Ministers also noted the success of the North/ South conference on alcohol misuse, which was Mr Poots (The Minister of Health, Social held in Armagh on 26 January 2012. Over 130 Services and Public Safety): I wish to make delegates from many sectors attended the a statement on the thirteenth North/South conference, which included informative Ministerial Council (NSMC) meeting in the health presentations from local and international and food safety sectoral format, which took place speakers. It was agreed that the two Health in the NSMC joint secretariat offices in Armagh Departments would develop proposals on how on Thursday 2 February 2012. Minister Michelle joint work in that area could be taken forward in O’Neill MLA and I represented the Northern a more structured way, and consideration is Ireland Executive. The Irish Government were being given to that. The Council also noted the represented by Dr James Reilly TD, Minister for development of strategies in both jurisdictions Health, and Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for on alcohol and drug misuse and the continuing Children and Youth Affairs. I chaired the meeting commitment of the Departments to share on this occasion. This statement has been information and best practice to address those agreed with Minister O’Neill, and I make the issues. We also noted the forthcoming publication statement on behalf of both of us. of a 10-year tobacco control strategy for Northern Ireland and noted that regulations to introduce Minister Reilly and I welcomed the signing of text and photo warnings on tobacco products a memorandum of understanding between were introduced in Ireland in December 2011. Ireland, Northern Ireland and the US National Cancer Institute in December 2011. The Joint progress on suicide prevention was also memorandum of understanding will enable noted, including the National Office for Suicide the continuation for the next five years of joint Prevention and the Public Health Agency part programmes in cancer education, training, funding an all-island project targeting the issue research and prevention. We also welcomed of suicide and young men. the launch by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry and the National Cancer Registry of Minister Fitzgerald and I jointly launched the the ‘All Ireland Cancer Atlas: 1995-2007’ and interjurisdictional protocol for the transfer of the launch of the new All-Ireland Institute for child care cases between Northern Ireland and Hospice and Palliative Care. The institute will Ireland. The protocol will allow for the sharing of deliver education, research and care services information between the statutory authorities in for people who are nearing the end of life with relation to children who are in care or are on the illnesses that include cancer. We noted the child protection register or those for whom there continuation of the US/Ireland R&D partnership is a level of concern and who move between and welcomed the participation of a high-level jurisdictions. The protocol will be made available member of the US State Department as co-chair to appropriate health and social care and health of its steering group. service executive staff and will be included on both departmental websites. The Council Ministers welcomed the progress to date on acknowledged the work undertaken by the arrangements for the radiotherapy unit at five existing child protection subgroups, noted 195 Ministerial Statements: Tuesday 6 March 2012 North/South Ministerial Council: Health and Food Safety that the work of those subgroups was largely and thank him for the briefing on it that he gave completed and that the cross-border steering me and the Deputy Chairperson yesterday. group on child protection will bring forward a Last Thursday, the Health Committee held new work programme to the next NSMC health its first formal joint meeting with the health and food safety meeting. committee in Dublin, and a number of areas of Turning to the food safety sector, Ministers co-operation came up, many of which have been welcomed the recently appointed chairperson covered in the statement. It is important to have of Safefood, Ms Lynn Ní Bhaoighealláin, to that co-operation because,