Health Committee receives briefing on Covid-19 impact by Business Services Organisation.
Justice Minister Naomi Long outlines response to Covid-19.
Ad hoc Covid-19 committee given briefings by Ministers for Health and Agriculture
That concludes another week of coverage from the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Parliament Buildings will be lit up blue tonight at 20:00 as a tribute to NHS and other key workers on the front line battle against Covid-19, in keeping with the clap for heroes.
Whatever you get up to over the weekend, stay home and stay safe.
Image source, Getty ImagesPeople Before Profit's Gerry Carroll says "food shortages have been described as due to panic buying, but actually they are due to a market driven approach to food production".
He asks the minister if he thinks there should be a re-imagining of "how food is produced and received in society?"
Mr Poots says that with food production there is always a "need to review, and advancing and doing things better".
He says "not all profits should end up in one end of it and not the other".
The minister finishes questions by thanking all members for their condolences and puts on record a "really big thank you to the Ulster Hospital for all they have done” in helping his father prior to his death.
The principal deputy speaker thanks the minister for his time and brings the meeting to a close.
Image source, NI Assembly
Image source, NI AssemblyTUV MLA Jim Allister asks the minister about the possibility of re-opening car parks at forest parks.
Mr Poots says the "week before close down, was a particularly sunny weekend" and "masses of people" descended to various parks.
He says "those facilities were overloaded with people" but adds, "we need to show a little respect to the public in terms of their ability to behave responsibly".
The MLA says the parks remain "open for pedestrians so will be used largely by local communities" but he says "we will look at how we can address that issue".
Image source, Getty ImagesClare Bailey of the Green Party says she's been encouraged by the minister's statement and asks if tackling the climate crisis will be at the heart of the reconstruction post-Covid.
Mr Poots says there's so much that can be done "to help the climate".
"I think Northern Ireland has been ahead of the game," he adds, making particular reference to renewable energy and waste recycling.
SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole asks the department's permanent secretary about the number of staff working to address Covid-19.
Denis McMahon replies, there is a "core team working on policy issues as they have arisen".
He says the department has "responded as best we can during the course of it".
Mr McMahon says he'll send the member a written response.
Image source, NI AssemblyJustin McNulty then asks the minister about fly-tipping and whether he believes "recycling is an essential service".
Mr Poots says he understands Lisburn and Castlereagh Council, "prior to the reopening of recycling centres" will "put bin lorries in places" where "people can bring bags and leave them".
Martina Anderson about rural community transport partnerships during the Covid-Crisis.
The minister says that rather than people being transported to town to do their shopping, the partnerships are now taking shopping to people at their homes.
He says he's been delighted to work with the Minister for Infrastructure on this service.
Image source, Getty ImagesPaula Bradshaw of Alliance asks the minister how he perceives the agricultural and hospitality sectors working to rebuild after Covid.
"The executive have started to do a course of work on recovery, that's across all departments," he says.
He says that "with the best will in the world we will not get the same number of tourists" for a number of years.
UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt asks the minister about a briefing the Committee for the Executive Office received on Brexit yesterday afternoon.
Mr Poots says if there is "no deal, there is tariffs applied both ways".
He says "whilst we encourage a deal, whilst we want there to be a deal, that's within the interest of wider industry, it might not be in the interest of agriculture".
He adds that "most products can be sold within the UK".
Image source, NI AssemblyPaul Frew of the DUP asks the minister if he can "outline what areas his department is looking at in regards scientific evidence the farming industry is able to help around climate change".
Mr Poots says "the population hasn’t decreased, nor indeed agriculture changed over the course of six to eight weeks, but we have seen an improvement in the climate and reduction in greenhouse gases".
"Evidence, which I have always sought to promote, that much of what happens within agriculture is actually circular and there is a lot of capture of carbon," he says.
"We need to have governments right across the world looking to see how various agriculture practices best promote that circular environment where the greenhouse gases are reduced as there is a capture and not just emissions."
Sinn Féin MLA Sinéad Ennis asks about fly-tipping and whether the department has "sought to keep track of level of that".
She describes it as "highly irresponsible and, quite frankly, disgusting".
Mr Poots responds that it "hasn't increase alarmingly but it has increased".
He explains there has been contact made with local councils and says he hopes they will respond.
Image source, NI AssemblyColin McGrath of the SDLP asks about the fishing market and restaurants and says it's "not likely to be on it’s feet again in two months, three months, or maybe even six months".
He asks the minister what long-term planning is in place for these industries.
Mr Poots replies that "some markets are starting to open up again".
He says the "fish we use is about 70% imported" as "we like our cod and chips on a Saturday night" but adds, "others like our prawns".
He says "a lot of that goes to the far East, a lot goes to the continent".
Mr Poots says they will continue to look at the markets.
Image source, NI AssemblyDUP MLA Harry Harvey asks the minister about forest and country parks, and for clarification on the use of these services.
Mr Poots says "to date, we have had no issues raised with us from anybody in the public".
He says he has "sought to discourage people from travelling" and says "car parks are locked so people aren’t encouraged to travel".
"There will be no ice cream vans or coffee vans in them either for that matter," he adds.
"That's how it will have to be for the foreseeable."
Image source, NI AssemblyThe UUP's Rosemary Barton asks about applications for the Single Farm Payment.
The minister says he has received 53% of the expected number and they are due in by 15 May.
Could there be a relaxation of the deadline by a week or 10 days, Mrs Barton wants to know.
The minister says it's "tremendous" that they have 53% by this stage.
He says that if farmers have concerns that their application is not entirely accurate "they have until 9 June to amend it".
Image source, Getty ImagesJohn Blair of Alliance asks if the minister shares his concern that additional workers may be required to enable the harvest to happen effectively this year.
Mr Poots says NI doesn't have the same fruit industry as other parts of the UK.
He says some people have complained about workers from Romania coming to pick crops in GB but the government had offered people who were furloughed the opportunity to keep their furlough money and go to work on farms but they chose not to do so.
The DUP's William Irwin asks the minister about tuberculosis testing during the Covid crisis.
Mr Poots says that in areas where farmers need to carry out TB tests, but where their designated veterinary practice cannot carry out the tests, "they can go to different practice".
He says they would normally have to use a practice designated by the department, but says as long as a veterinary practice is happy that social distancing can be applied while the tests are carried out, then that can be done.
Image source, NI AssemblyThe SDLP's Pat Catney says he regrets not being able to go to the minister's home to pay his respects following the death of his father, as the minister had done six weeks ago when his own mother died.
He asks the minister about financial support for business.
Mr Poots thanks the member and says he and others would have been very welcome at his home if the circumstances had been different.
In response to the question, he says "farmers tend to pump money back into the businesses" and so the "profitability is low".
He says many will fall outside the small business scheme and says it is "critical we identify a source of funding".
He adds that he hopes it comes from the "UK government, and if it's not, I think the executive should step up to the plate".
Sinn Féin's Declan McAleer chairs the assembly's Agriculture Committee.
He begins by expressing his sympathy to the minister on the passing of his father last week.
Mr McAleer asks about the slump in farm gate prices.
He asks the minister for an update on a potential £105m package co-funded by the Westminster government and the EU to support the agriculture industry
Image source, Getty Images"We have been pressing the UK government in particular on this matter," says Mr Poots.
He says the EU produced a package of 80m euro largely for storage across Europe "which is better than a poke in the eye".
He says the department considers something in the region of £100m would be needed for Northern Ireland alone.
The minister says he thinks that neither the UK government nor the EU has responded in a way that is needed.
The committee reconvenes and Chrisopher Stalford invites Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to brief the Ad hoc Covid-19 Committee.
Mr Poots says his department has "made it a priority to work with and support others across the system" and says DAERA has supplied Belfast City Hospital "with 30 power respirator units".
The minister turns to the supply of food and says "we must ensure flow of produce from farms in not interrupted".
He says, "thankfully that has not happened to date and hopefully the risk of it is receding".
Image source, NI AssemblyTurning to waste management, Mr Poots says he has sent a letter to all those working in the waste industry thanking them for fulfilling their key role.
He says "waste and recycling are critical public services".
On the subject of fly-tipping, Mr Poots says it's not just "illegal, but also damaging to public health and environment" and has an "increased risk of wild fires".
Image source, NI AssemblyHaving answered a total of 37 questions, Mr Swann concludes his briefing to the Ad hoc Committee.
Principal Deputy Speaker Christopher Stalford personally thanks the minister and wishes him "God bless".
The meeting then takes a short break, and will return to a briefing by the Agriculture Minister, Edwin Poots.
The Green Party's Claire Bailey asks the minister about a potential contact tracing app.
"Who will own the IT systems and apps and who will have access to all data collected on these systems?" she asks the minister.
Mr Swann responds, "my intention is it would be held as locally and personally as possible" but adds "the app isn't mine in development".
"I want to make sure it is fit for purpose and not used as some sort of Big-Brother tool."
He says he told Matt Hancock about the "political sensitivities of such an app" would have in NI.
Mr Swann says the app is about "two to three weeks away".
Image source, NI AssemblyJim Allister of the TUV asks the minister about plans to "make up lost ground for non-Covid patents in the health service" who have missed out on procedures, and have had screenings cancelled.
He says after the pandemic has passed, "cancer patients are still going to be cancer patients".
Mr Swann says he "can't give the member an exact timeline or date today" but says "it’s about the re-engagement plan we’re looking at".
He says he'll be "blunt with members" and explains that "when we start to re-engage services, people who need operations may have to travel to central locations".
"There will be no such thing as a non-Covid hospital" but rather there may be "Covid-neutral facilities".
He adds, "when I took over this post we had the worst waiting lists across these islands" and says they have now "got worse".
Mr Swann emphasises that there is also a need not to risk "re-engaging too quickly that we’re not able to cope with" Covid-19.
Image source, NI AssemblyThe SDLP's Justin McNulty is concerned about people with cystic fibrosis.
He says he believes the regional centre in Belfast City Hospital is closed "and up to 300 patients have been affected".
He says people with cystic fibrosis fear becoming infected if they have to attend an emergency department.
Mr McNulty asks the minister to review the decision.
The minister says the centre was closed down "because we were cognisant of how susceptible or how particularly damaging Covid-19 could be".
He says he'll go back and check on the guidance for the member.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe SDLP's Pat Catney asks about the specifications for "the six essential items of PPE" for manufacturers that wish to repurpose to make the equipment.
The minister says those specifications are already available online.
He says that a local manufacturer will soon be supplying gowns.
Image source, NI AssemblySinn Féin's Pat Sheehan asks the minister to "outline what progress has been made developing joint up approach in recent MOU (memorandum of understanding) north and south".
Mr Swann says before the ad hoc committee meeting he was on a "quad call" involving government ministers north and south of the border.
He says the "memorandum of understanding hasn't changed" how his department works, but is "more a formalisation of putting that in writing"
"We've always had a good cross-border relationship when it came to health," and says there is a further joint call due to take place this evening.
Chris Lyttle of Alliance asks the minister about childcare providers and any financial assistance or schemes that the minister will make available.
Mr Swann replies it is a "co-sponsored programme" and that there will be "detail on that coming out shortly".
He adds that he will ensure Mr Lyttle "gets first sight of it" in his role as chair of the Education Committee.
Image source, NI AssemblyDUP MLA David Hilditch (above) asks the minister about the Irish Premiership football league and for any advice he would give them in terms of potential games taking place in four weeks' time.
The minister quips: "As a Ballymena supporter I'm in no rush back."
He says he cannot comment, but says "when it comes to each three-week period there are discussions had as to what measures should be lifted" and that this is done by the executive as a whole.
The DUP's Tom Buchanan asks the minister if he or the department have engaged with anyone regarding a vaccine for Covid-19.
Mr Swann says work on finding a vaccine "is going on globally across many health professionals, many departments and many chemical labs".
"We're part of the UK medical trials, which is already trialling drugs that are already there," the minister adds.
Image source, Getty ImagesSinn Féin's Declan McAleer asks the mister if he has any plans to deal with the anticipated mental health surge following the Covid pandemic.
"When we ask people to self-isolate the stresses and the strains that it is putting on individuals and families will manifest itself in the future," Mr Swann says.
He says the health service is doing a lot more "online, telephone conversations, counselling sessions".
Emma Sheerin of Sinn Féin asks the minister about the proposed medical school at Ulster University's Magee campus in Londonderry.
Mr Swann replies that there is a "conversation at an executive level on the issues" as it "cross-cuts" a number of departments.
He says the "business case in terms of number of students" lies with his department, but "where they go does not lie solely within my department".
Image source, NI AssemblyThe SDLP's Matthew O'Toole asks about contact tracing.
Mr Swann says it will be more important "when we start to come out of lockdown".
He says that is the time there will be a need for "more contact tracers".
The minister adds that contact tracing is also about "advice you give" to people, adding, "we as an executive and assembly need to make sure there is a support mechanism that kicks in for you and your family for two weeks" if you contract the virus.
He says it will be a "very big piece of work".