Question Time: Executive Office Tuesday 4 May 2021

deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill answers Members questions on 04 May 2021.

Read the Official Report (Hansard) – https://lk.nia.fyi/4IS8

Each of the questions answered have been chaptered in the video to help you find them more easily.

Chapters/Questions

00:00 Goods Checks: Veterinary Arrangements 

1. Mr O’Toole asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether any discussions that they have had with the UK Government on the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland have included veterinary arrangements in relation to goods checks. (AQO 1962/17-22) 08:21 Paramilitary Activity 

2. Mr Stewart asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on their Department’s work in tackling paramilitary activity. (AQO 1963/17-22) 

20:10 COVID-19 Task Force: Business and Hospitality 

3. Mr Buckley asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline the actions taken by the COVID-19 task force to facilitate the reopening of business and hospitality. (AQO 1964/17-22) 

28:43 Communities in Transition: Funding 

4. Mr Durkan asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether the reported £10 million for the Communities in Transition project is additional money or an existing funding allocation. (AQO 1965/17-22) 

Topical Questions 

31:16 Social Distancing 

T2. Mr McCrossan asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, after adding his voice to those of other Members in wishing the First Minister well for the future on whatever path she takes, albeit there are things on which they have not agreed, she has always put the interests of her constituency first and has done her best to serve those whom she represents, whether, given that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, this week revealed that he believes that social distancing could end by 21 June, a similar approach is anticipated for here and to state whether the Executive have had discussions in relation to that. (AQT 1252/17-22) 

33:57 Travel: Isolation Period 

T3. Mr Frew asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, considering the impact on people who have been stranded from close family members for so long, how it can be justified that we are the only part of the United Kingdom with an isolation period in place after people travel around the country. (AQT 1253/17-22) 

36:01 Misogyny and Sexism in Public Life 

T4. Mr McGuigan asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether the joint First Minister agrees that misogyny and sexism in public life, such as that referred to last week by the First Minister and highlighted by the disgraceful and disgusting comments directed at the joint First Minister by a DUP councillor from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, are totally unacceptable and are a real deterrent to women in public life. (AQT 1254/17-22) 

38:40 NDNA Commitments: Delivery 

T5. Ms Flynn asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, after sending her very best wishes to the First Minister, to state whether, given that the restoration of the Assembly and the Executive last year was based on commitments made in New Decade, New Approach (NDNA), the joint First Minister agrees that, whatever the outcome of the process to appoint a new First Minister, those commitments need to be honoured. (AQT 1255/17-22) 

40:51 Illegal Street Protests 

T6. Ms Dolan asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, after wishing her constituency colleague the First Minister all the best in the future, whether the joint First Minister agrees that the ongoing illegal street protests are unacceptable and need to be brought to an end. (AQT 1256/17-22) 

42:23 PSNI: Unacceptable Attacks 

T8. Mr McAleer asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, given that the deputy First Minister referred to recent attacks on the PSNI, whether, in light of the disgraceful attack on a police officer’s home in Larne, she will join with him to condemn such attacks and to call for an end to the reckless and unacceptable rhetoric targeting the PSNI from some people in positions of political leadership. (AQT 1258/17-22) 

44:04 Northern Bank Robbery 

T9. Mr Allister asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, given that “truth and justice” is a phrase that the deputy First Minister has recourse to from time to time, whether, in light of last night’s BBC programme, she acknowledges that the Northern Bank robbery was indeed the work of the IRA as the truth. (AQT 1259/17-22)