Question Time: Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Monday 06 October 2014
Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, answered questions
on behalf of his Department during today’s Question
Time. Budget cuts were once more at the forefront of Members concerns as
Kieran McCarthy enquired about the impact they will have on the Victims
and Survivors Service. Junior Minister, Jennifer McCann, answered on behalf
of the deputy First Minister explaining that the Service remains a “high
priority” and the Department is “committed to ensuring that the Victims and
Survivors budget is protected”. A bid for an extra £1.3m has been submitted in
the October monitoring round to match last year’s baseline of £11.3m. However,
the increase in the number of victims and survivors coming forward has meant
that some cost-cutting measures are being put in place but the Department is
confident that a targeted 4.4% worth of administrative efficiencies will protect
front line services. The Junior Minister pointed to the steady reduction in the
block grant from the British Government as a mitigating factor to the stretched
resources. Ms McCann also updated the House on the vacant Victims Commissioner
post – applications have been received and interviews will be commencing next
week.
Colum Eastwood asked if the Programme
for Government target of creating 1,670 jobs in Londonderry in 2013/2014
was achieved. Job creation was one of the key priorities of the One
plan, one of the Programme
for Governments initiatives for the regeneration of Londonderry. Mr
McGuinness was delighted to announce that the number of jobs created in
2013/2014 was estimated at 1,683. The jobs were created through small business
start-ups and expansions, support from Invest NI and as a result of the City of
Culture programme. The deputy First Minister credited all the hard work and
investment that has occurred during a difficult economic time while
acknowledging that “much more work still needs to be done”.
The deputy First Minister also answered questions on gender
balance in public appointments and the Social
Investment Fund. During topical questions he also answered queries on the
Irish Government’s role in talks regarding the future of the Assembly,
budgetary cuts and racist and sectarian attacks.
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