Northern Ireland Assembly / Working Well / Working Hard

WALKING IN AN MLA'S SHOES
ORGANISED CRIME MUST BE STAMPED OUT SAYS COMMITTEE
GOVERNMENT SLOW TO LEARN PROJECT MANAGEMENT LESSONS, COMMITTEE FINDS
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SEES IMPACT OF POOR ACCOMMODATION ON LEARNING
COMMITTEE PRAISES SKILLS TRAINING IN FERMANAGH
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE CELEBRATES SCHOOL CHOIR OF THE YEAR
WALKING IN AN MLA'S SHOES

Posted: 20 Jun 2010 06:44 PM PDT

Northern Ireland Assembly Youth Panel member, Darren O’Reilly had a unique opportunity to gain insight into political life today as he spent a day shadowing the Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy, MLA. The Northern Ireland Youth Panel is made up of 30 young people who will to help develop the look, feel and purpose of a youth assembly [1]. Every panel member will get the chance to shadow an MLA to enhance their understanding of how the Northern Ireland Assembly works and the role of Ministers and MLAs. Conor Murphy MP, MLA Minister for Regional Development said: "I fully support this initiative and hope that Darren gained some valuable experience and insight into the work of the Assembly. This provides a unique opportunity for the young people on the Assembly Youth Panel to see legislation being debated, Ministers being questioned and gain a first hand understanding into the work of the devolved government. It's important that we support and encourage our young emerging leaders of tomorrow today and as part of my Department’s policy on Corporate Social Responsibility we are committed to doing just that." Darren O’Reilly, Youth Panel member said: “This has been a great opportunity and I am very grateful to the Minister for taking the time to explain his role as an MLA and as a Minister. To spend time with a Minister and see him in action during an Assembly debate has been fascinating. It will be invaluable to me in my role on the Assembly Youth Panel giving me a better idea of how a youth assembly might work.” The Youth Panel will be holding a series of meetings around Northern Ireland in the coming months, gathering the thoughts and views of local people, businesses and organisations on matters relating to the formation, membership and workings of a youth assembly. ENDS Notes to Editors [i] The Youth Panel is made up of 30 young people and will meet regularly around Northern Ireland over the course of a year. They will work with the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission to develop plans for a youth assembly. It is an opportunity for young people to make a real difference and secure a stronger voice in issues that concern them, as well as gain experience and develop skills for the future. Darren O'Reilly, member of NI Assembly Youth Panel spends the day shadowing the Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy MP, MLA For further information please contact: Jennifer Pleavin Communications Officer Northern Ireland Assembly Phone: 028 9052 1606 Mobile: 07502 379339
ORGANISED CRIME MUST BE STAMPED OUT SAYS COMMITTEE

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 04:18 PM PDT

National and international organised crime is affecting Northern Ireland and tackling it requires co-operation across Government departments, agencies and borders. These are some of the key findings from the Northern Ireland Assembly Public Accounts Committee’s report, Combating Organised Crime, which was published today. Speaking at the launch of the report, Paul Maskey MLA, Chairperson of the Committee, said: “Organised crime is a form of fraud that goes to the very heart of public finances. It threatens the Executive’s overarching aim of achieving a peaceful, fair and prosperous society, with respect for the rule of law and where everyone can enjoy a better quality of life now and in years to come. “Its impact on individuals, communities, society and the environment is devastating.For example,human trafficking, a particularly heinous form of organised crime, is on the rise here and causing misery in our midst. Vulnerable women and children falsely enticed here by the prospects of employment, education and a better life, can find themselves the victims of domestic servitude or sexual exploitation. This cannot be allowed to continue.” Another area that the Committee highlighted was the illegal dumping of waste. The high cost of legitimately disposing of waste has made this an attractive area for criminals and unscrupulous individuals to exploit. Illegal dumping of waste is prevalent in every county of Northern Ireland and the resulting lost revenue is estimated to run to tens of millions of pounds a year. The clean-up costs for some sites can also run into millions. Paul Maskey said: “This is money that is needed and could better be used for essential front-line services. Vigilance should be the watchword of the public sector and the key message to those involved in organised crime should be that it will not be tolerated and it will not pay. It is also vital that more is done to raise public awareness; the dangers of organised crime need to be continually highlighted.”
GOVERNMENT SLOW TO LEARN PROJECT MANAGEMENT LESSONS, COMMITTEE FINDS

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 05:36 PM PDT

Major Government projects are still being completed late and incurring increased costs. That’s one of the key findings from the Northern Ireland Assembly Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) First Thematic Report, published today. The Report, which looks at how complex Government projects have been managed since 2007, also found that the public has not always received the intended project outcomes. Speaking at the launch of the report, Paul Maskey MLA, Chairperson of the Committee, said: “The Committee wanted to consolidate the key findings from previous PAC reports to reinforce recurring lessons to all Government departments about managing complex projects. In the current economic climate it is essential that the planning, management and evaluation of projects is appropriate and thorough to ensure that tax payers get value for money.” Lessons highlighted by the Committee’s first report of this kind centred on Project Management. It draws out themes such as project appraisal, project team expertise, post-project evaluation and actions to protect the taxpayers’ interests. A number of cases examined by the Committee have exposed a worrying lack of skills in areas such as IT, accounting and project management that undermines the public sector’s ability to negotiate successful outcomes of projects with private sector contractors. The report highlights the Committee’s experience of many appraisals which significantly under-estimated costs, resulting in significant cost overruns for large complex projects. The Committee found that such appraisals did nothing to ensure the success of projects, but instead undermined their viability. Mr Maskey said: “ Public bodies need to be realistic and careful about the number of complex change management projects that they can resource and deliver at the same time. To be more competitive, the public sector also needs to be able to assess the profitability of contracts to their private partner. We hope that highlighting the trends we have come across will start a new and positive conversation about how efficiency can be improved for the taxpayer.” The Committee will debate this report on 29 June 2010 in the Assembly. At that time it will also address the findings of its fourth composite report, which summarises inquiries dealt with through written correspondence with departmental officials. These included internal fraud in the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland and legal challenges by unsuccessful bidders.
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SEES IMPACT OF POOR ACCOMMODATION ON LEARNING

Posted: 22 Jun 2010 05:52 PM PDT

The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Education today (23 June 2010) visited a North Belfast school to see first hand school facilities described by the Inspectorate as ‘far short of acceptable’. Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagáin - an Irish Medium school in North Belfast - received an Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) in 2007 which stated that ‘Despite the teachers’ best efforts, the inadequate accommodation affects the quality of learning and teaching by impinging adversely on the morale of the teachers and children.’ A Committee spokesperson said: “The Board of Governors invited the Committee to visit today and see for ourselves the conditions in which teachers and pupils have to work and learn. “The Committee is very concerned at the lack of progress in tackling the school’s accommodation problems. We understand the Department of Education is conducting a Review to determine how the very limited money available for building work should be prioritised. Whether Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagáin will get a new school will not be known until the results of that Review are announced. “Despite these conditions the Committee was pleased to see the 2010 ETI Report note improvements in the quality of education provided since its 2007 report. The Committee has also written to the Department of Education about the situation at Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagáin. The Department has responded saying that following a visit to the school Belfast Education and Library Board will be seeking the Department’s approval for minor capital works to address toilet and security issues. The Committee recently received a budget update briefing from Department of Education officials which highlighted that between £270 and £290 million of repairs were needed on schools in Northern Ireland.
COMMITTEE PRAISES SKILLS TRAINING IN FERMANAGH

Posted: 24 Jun 2010 12:15 AM PDT

Without a significant improvement in the skills of our workers, Northern Ireland will continue to lag behind its neighbours. That’s what the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Employment and Learning heard as they held a meeting at the Technology and Skills Centre of the South West College in Enniskillen. MLAs heard about the variety of skills training that the college undertakes, including apprenticeships, essential skills, training for Success programmes, Steps to Work programmes and foundation degrees in a range of subjects, including engineering. Chairperson Dolores Kelly MLA, said: “It is very clear to the Committee that if we do not offer our young people the very best in skills training we will be left behind by our competitors. “What the College has established at the Centre is very impressive. The Committee has seen state of the art equipment and training methods being applied. The South West College should be very proud of the facilities that they provide here for the young people of Fermanagh and beyond. “We were very interested in the work that the college is taking forward with foundation degrees. This allows people to undertake higher education learning in their local college and means that HE is not confined to Belfast. “With foundation degrees in local colleges new skills and innovation should be brought to the area to revive the local economy. Fermanagh, like so many places here, has long suffered from underinvestment. Now, with young people in the local community learning new skills in areas such as engineering and sciences, we believe that they will make a real impact on local businesses and will increase the number of local entrepreneurs.”
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE CELEBRATES SCHOOL CHOIR OF THE YEAR

Posted: 24 Jun 2010 05:17 AM PDT

Pupils from Ballyholme Primary School Choir hit all the top notes as they performed for the Northern Ireland Assembly in Parliament Buildings today. The Assembly Committee for Culture Arts and Leisure invited the choir to perform following the school’s recent success in the 2010 BBC Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year. The choir sang a selection of songs during the 20 minute performance, including ‘Purify my heart’ which they sang in the televised contest. Chair of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Barry McElduff, MLA said: “The Committee was delighted to welcome Ballyholme Primary School Choir today and to hear them sing. The dedication and commitment of the pupils and teachers is clear and it’s easy to see why they were awarded School Choir of the year. The pupils are a credit to their school, their families and the community. “The choir’s success and appearances throughout the televised competition were fantastic and today’s performance was equally enjoyable and entertaining. It’s great to see and hear young talent emerging and being recognised.” Ballyholme Primary School Choir’s performance at Parliament Buildings was watched by MLAs and Assembly staff in the Great Hall.