Official Report (Hansard) Tuesday 16 October 2012 Volume 78, No 4 Session 2012-2013 Contents Ministerial Statements North/South Ministerial Council: Roads and Transport ..................................................................... 1 North/South Ministerial Council: Road Safety ................................................................................... 5 Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service ........................................................................................ 11 Oral Answers to Questions Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................................................... 19 Education ........................................................................................................................................... 25 Executive Committee Business Air Passenger Duty (Setting of Rate) Bill: Accelerated Passage ...................................................... 31 Air Passenger Duty (Setting of Rate) Bill: Second Stage .................................................................. 34 Committee Business Standing Order 59 ............................................................................................................................. 50 Private Members' Business The Disappeared ............................................................................................................................... 51 Adjournment St John’s Primary School, Middletown: Nursery Provision…………………………………………….. 65 Assembly Members Agnew, Steven (North Down) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) 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) McCorley, Ms Rosaleen (West Belfast) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brown, Ms Pam (South Antrim) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McDonnell, Alasdair (South Belfast) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGahan, Ms Bronwyn (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McLaughlin, Ms Maeve (Foyle) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) McNarry, David (Strangford) Easton, Alex (North Down) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Farry, Stephen (North Down) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Fearon, Ms Megan (Newry and Armagh) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Ford, David (South Antrim) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) O'Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) O'Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hay, William (Speaker) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hazzard, Chris (South Down) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Rogers, Sean (South Down) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Wells, Jim (South Down) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Northern Ireland Assembly Tuesday 16 October 2012 The Assembly met at 10.30 am (Mr Speaker in the Chair) Members observed two minutes' silence. specifically before the EU transport council Ministerial Statements meeting in March. North/South Ministerial Council: The Council also noted that events are being Roads and Transport organised in the Republic of Ireland during the EU presidency that may be of interest to Mr Kennedy (The Minister for Regional Departments with responsibility for transport Development): In compliance with section 52 safety. Minister Varadkar invited me, Minister of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, I wish to make Attwood and relevant officials to attend EU a statement on the thirteenth meeting of the presidency events relating to road safety and North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in intelligent transport systems. transport sectoral format, held in Armagh on Tuesday 16 October at 10.30 am — no; this is The Council agreed to hold its next NSMC Tuesday 16 October. It was held some time in transport meeting in spring 2013. I confirm that September, and it was really good. [Laughter.] I the meeting on which I am reporting took place attended the meeting with the Environment on Friday 5 October. Minister, Alex Attwood MLA, who will make a separate statement covering issues that relate Mr Lynch (The Deputy Chairperson of the to his Department. That will follow directly after Committee for Regional Development): Go my statement, and question and answer raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. session. Minister Leo Varadkar chaired the Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a ráiteas. I meeting, with Minister Attwood and me in thank the Minister for the statement, very short attendance. though it was. The Council noted the conclusion of the work of I note his comments regarding EU matters, the all-island freight forum. I welcome the which are timely given that he will host the chair relationships and co-operation that have been of the EU Committee on Transport later this developed through the freight forum and look week. Will the Minister expand on the priorities forward to those continuing. of the Irish presidency of the EU in respect of transport? Do those tie in with the priorities that The Council noted that the necessary orders he will present to the chair of the EU Committee have been made regarding construction on two on Transport this Friday? Is he content that the sections of the A5. We also noted that, in line Department of Transport in the South is on with the procedure for payment of the Irish board in representing the needs of the North of Government contribution agreed at the July Ireland during the negotiations on TEN-T and 2009 NSMC plenary meeting, an updated the connecting European facility? project milestone and payment schedule for the period to the end of 2016 will be prepared for Mr Kennedy: I am grateful to the Member for agreement at a future NSMC transport meeting. his supplementary question. The Member will We also noted that construction work has know that the Irish presidency comes at a most commenced on the A8 project and is expected opportune time, as a range of EU proposals, to be completed by early 2015. particularly the Trans-European Transport Network or TEN-T regulation, will go some way On EU matters, we noted some of the current to determining how we travel throughout the significant EU proposals with implications for European Union well into the future. the transport sector affecting both jurisdictions. We also heard the priorities for the Irish The Member mentioned that Mr Brian Simpson presidency of the EU in the first half of 2013 MEP, who is chair of the Transport Committee relevant to transport, and Departments will of the European Parliament, is coming as my liaise on relevant issues in the coming months, guest later this week. We will take the 1 Tuesday 16 October 2012 opportunity to look at a number of projects and Is the Minister happy that, by proceeding with have some discussions, including with the Chair both schemes, there will be opportunities for and Deputy Chair of the Committee for our local construction industry to get involved Regional Development. That is very welcome. and provide local employment? Any influence that we can have on European matters, particularly in relation to TEN-T, will be Mr Kennedy: I am grateful to the Member for very important. With the presidency being held his question. I will avoid the temptation to by the Republic of Ireland early next year, there simply give a one-word answer and reduce will obviously be further opportunities. even further my contribution. The Member raises an important issue about the potential for Mr