Your Assembly » Roadshow

Adequate Provision of Services to the Voluntary Sector

CommsOfficeAdmin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:17:20 +0000

How do you see the roles of MLAs as engaging with organisations in the voluntary sector when we are campaigning on behalf of our members in local areas to ensure there is adequate provision of services and how you can help us achieve our goal?

Willie Clarke: The most useful mechanism is the Committee structure, which will scrutinise the Department and the Minister.
Roy Beggs: Go to your local MLAs who have a responsibility to you and to the statutory committees of the Assembly.
Declan O’Loan: These are the areas that local politicians do make a difference. Don’t forget about the Parties themselves.
Alastair Ross: The Committee structure is very powerful. MLAs rely on those who are prepared to lobby on behalf of a particular interest.
Sean Neeson: Lobbying can be a very powerful movement.

Fines for Missed Hospital Appointments

CommsOfficeAdmin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:50:49 +0000

Do the MLAs agree that charges should be brought in for missed GP appointments?

Alastair Ross: I would support this. Someone who persistently misses hospital appointments should be fined.
Willie Clarke: There are many underlying factors which could mean someone misses appointments and this shouldn’t be brought in.
Roy Beggs: The Health Service can improve its appointments system which could mean that appointments are not missed.
Sean Neeson: Nobody knows the reason why people miss appointments.
Declan O’Loan: This is a potential minefield.

Antisocial Behaviour and Police Resources

CommsOfficeAdmin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:40:10 +0000

How would you fight the growing level of anti-social behaviour in Carrickfergus without a police force in the town?

How would you fight the growing level of anti-social behaviour in Carrickfergus without a police force in the town?
Sean Neeson: In order to create a peaceful society you need police resources.
Alastair Ross: He meets with members of the Youth Council who tell him there is a growing gang culture.
Roy Beggs: Suspects this is a widespread problem and not just local to Carrickfergus. Parents have a responsibility to know where their children are and what they are doing.
Declan O’Loan: Anti social behaviour is worse now than what it was and it’s not helped by the police service not being able to get officers onto the street efficiently. There is also a shift in policing towards the suspected dissident threat which consumes limited resources.
Willie Clarke: We need to devote more resources to youth outreach projects and develop a multi agency approach to tackling these issues.

Equality Impact Assessment

CommsOfficeAdmin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:13:08 +0000

A review of a policy decision in Northern Ireland is subject to an equality impact assessment.

Why do Unionists have a difficulty over a future Sinn Fein Justice Minister?

CommsOfficeAdmin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:06:58 +0000

Roy Beggs: Those who have been actively engaged in terrorism should not now be in charge of policing and justice.

PPS 21

CommsOfficeAdmin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:15:45 +0000

Do you only need to have one horse or a goat in order to build a house under PPS 21?

Policing and Justice

CommsOfficeAdmin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:07:37 +0000

What is the DUP’s definition of ‘confidence’ in the transfer of policing and justice? How is this judged and how will they know when confidence has been reached?

Loyalist Paramilitary Flags

CommsOfficeAdmin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:03:31 +0000

What is Jim Wells doing to address the issue of loyalist paramilitary flags in places like Clough and Ballynahinch?

Settled Communities

CommsOfficeAdmin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:56:42 +0000

Why is the Minister for Social Development using settled communities to dump drug dealers?

Is the Executive being hindered by Vetos?

CommsOfficeAdmin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:52:40 +0000

Do you feel the effectiveness of the Executive Committee is severely hindered by a lack of collective responsibility and the use of vetos by the DUP and Sinn Fein?