Officials from NI's four main ports gave evidence at the Infrastructure Committee
Glyn Roberts from Retail NI outlined the effects of Covid-19 and Brexit on the sector
The NI Youth Forum briefed MLAs on Our Voices: Speaking Truth to Power
Colin McGrath thanks all the Youth Forum representatives for their presentation.
The members discuss some committee business before the chair takes them into private session for a briefing on Brexit issues.
Join us tomorrow at 09:30 for live coverage of the Health Committee.
In the meantime, stay safe and enjoy your evening.
Image source, NI AssemblyMartina Anderson of Sinn Féin says she is "a firm believer in participatory democracy".
She says the speaker of the house is "really serious" about the new youth assembly and that senior management has been assigned to it.
They believe "there will be 90 young people in the assembly in a few short months." the Foyle MLA says..
Image source, NI AssemblyChristopher Stalford has Queen's University in his constituency.
He says he has been contacted by students concerned about paying rent.
The DUP MLA condemns the "unscrupulous behaviour" on the part of landlords in holding tenants to contracts when they are unable to attend classes at the university.
Image source, NI AssemblyUlster Unionist Doug Beattie says he wants to unpick some of the issues.
"I feel anxious and I feel annoyed and I feel frustrated," he says, adding that these are things that affect society.
Chris Quinn (above) says Mr Beattie's points "are very valid".
However, he gives an example of a problem that exists particularly for young people and that is a 500% increase in homelessness among young people during the pandemic.
Image source, NI AssemblyCommittee chair Colin McGrath says the politicians must listen to the voices of 4,000 people.
"When we hear terms like anxious and annoyed and frustrated as being the key words that young people are feeling. If that isn't a call to action by an executive and political representatives then I don't know what we are here to do," he says.
Image source, NI AssemblyAdam Crothers, from Bangor, is a first-year student at Queen's University.
He is living at home and says his experience of being a university student "has been a lonely one".
"Covid has diluted the university experience into a laptop," says Mr Crothers.
Image source, NI AssemblyJack Dalzell, who's in Year 10, picks up the briefing on the subject of education.
He outlines some of the challenges faced by pupils, including those in his year who are currently choosing GCSE subjects.
"Our teachers are expecting us to produce the same amount of work and at the same quality as we would if we were still in school," he says.
Jack Dalzell says the forum would like to meet the the education minister and assembly's Education Committee to discuss its concerns.
Image source, NI Youth ForumMr Ó Raghallaigh explains that the four most important issues raised by young people related to the pandemic were mental health, education, isolation and loneliness, and boredom.
He says that when asked to describe how they felt, young people said they were "anxious, annoyed and frustrated".
The Youth Forum representative notes that 89% of respondents felt that the voice of young people has not been heard during the pandemic.
Image source, NI AssemblyColin McGrath welcomes the NI Youth Forum representatives to the meeting and invites them to begin their presentation.
The forum's director, Chris Quinn, gives a brief introduction, noting that young people joining the committee meeting today have never met in person.
Oisín-Tomás ó Raghallaigh is the vice chairperson and is part of the NIYF sub-committee looking at the effects of Covid-19 on young people.
The committee carried out research that received almost 4,000 responses from young people.
According to the research 75% of respondents felt their mental health hade deteriorated during the pandemic and 55% said they did not understand the restrictions.
Image source, NI AssemblyThe SDLP's Colin McGrath (above) is chairing the committee this afternoon.
Following the catalogue of technical difficulties at last week's committee meeting he assures members that this week they will not be as chaotic as Handforth Parish Council.
The chair takes the members though some initial committee business before turning to this afternoon's briefing.
It's a presentation from the Northern Ireland Youth Forum on Our Voices: Speaking Truth to Power.
The witnesses are:
We're back from lunch.
Here's a sneak peek at what's happening at the Executive Office Committee this afternoon.
The meeting kicks off at 14:00.
Image source, NI AssemblyCommittee chair Michelle McIlveen thanks Mr Roberts for his presentation and takes the members through come minor committee business before winding up the meeting.
We'll be back after lunch with the weekly meeting of the Executive Office Committee.
Do join us again at 14:00.
Image source, NI AssemblyLiz Kimmins of Sinn Féin says that in the early period of Covid restrictions the infrastructure minister relaxed parking enforcement but had declined to do so again recently.
"Is that something you believe would be a good support for businesses?" she asks.
Mr Roberts says that even before the pandemic there was "an almost over-zealous approach of many of the traffic wardens".
He says Retail NI recognises the need for parking enforcement.
"I think there is a particular problem in Lisburn and Newry" in that on-street parking has to be paid for, says Mr Roberts.
He notes that in nearby towns drivers have their first hour's parking free.
Image source, Ben Birchall/PA WireMichelle McIlveen notes the "quite devastating" effect of Covid on the High Street.
She wants to know what the role of retailers can be in economic recovery.
Mr Roberts says the executive "needs to change how it views business and wider civic society" and to see them as full partners, not just "consultees".
The new High Streets Task Force will have a key role to play, he adds.
The Retail NI representative criticises the granting of permission for the building of new out-of-town shopping centres.
Michelle McIlveen thanks the witnesses from the ports
Following a brief discussion, the members move to the next item.
It's a briefing from Glyn Roberts (below) of Retail NI on Brexit and Covid issues.
Image source, NI AssemblyMr Roberts says he wants to talk about the effects of the protocol and the role of the Department of Infrastructure in Covid recovery.
He says the influence of the two issues has led to a "perfect storm" for the retail sector.
Mr Roberts notes that the department will have a key role to play in the High Streets Task Force.
Turning to the issues raised by the protocol, he calls for "a further extension in the grace periods".
Mr Roberts says there is a need for long-term solutions and "it is not just a case of kicking the can down the road".
He emphasises the importance of the UK and the EU showing flexibility.
Image source, NI AssemblyMartina Anderson, of Sinn Féin, asks about the situation at Foyle Port, which is in her constituency.
She notes that it deals with bulk cargo, unlike the other ports, which deal with roll-on roll-off shipping.
Ms Anderson asks Brian McGrath about Brexit and a remark he made previously.
She says the last time he was at the committee he spoke of a potentially "catastrophic" situation if there was not an arrangement "with regard to the all-Ireland nature".
"That was the analysis had the government failed to get a deal, " says the Foyle Port official.
He says the protocol and the agreement that was reached "prevented us from having that kind of catastrophic outcome".
He says this is due to the nature of the trade at Foyle Port and its cross-border trade.
Image source, NI AssemblyKeith Buchanan of the DUP (above) asks about the volume for trade east-west.
Ricardo Tonelli says that, for instance, the supermarket trade comes in fairly regularly.
"It's true that it is easier to go east than it is to go west," he adds.
"It's fairly steady, certainly comparable to what it used to be," the Larne Port official says.
He explains that the normal forces in the market are not in place at the moment, for example Covid restrictions have meant the hospitality industry is closed.
Image source, NI AssemblyCommittee chair Michelle McIlveen asks about the roles currently being carried out by councils, specifically in relation to Northern Ireland Protocol arrangements.
Ricardo Tonelli says that, at Larne, the local council carries out checks on a number of trade vehicles that are disembarked in Larne and headed westbound.
The council staff carry out the randomised checks on behalf of the Department of Agriculture (DAERA), he explains.
Brian McGrath of Londonderry Port and Harbour (below) says they have been working hard in preparation for EU exit.
"We have had no impact in terms of our trade flows," he says, adding that it has been "business as usual".
Turning to Covid, Mr McGrath says the harbour set up a modified set of shift patterns "but is has been effectively managed".
He says the port is keen to work on a freeport scheme for Northern Ireland.
Image source, NI AssemblyMaurice Bullick from the Belfast Harbour Commissioners says that "in essence it's really too early to say what the effect of the latest stage of Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol has been".
He says the port authority is really an infrastructure provider and it is one or two steps removed from the actual effects of Brexit.
"It's the traders and the hauliers and the owners of cargo shipping companies are most affected," he explains.
Ricardo Tonelli (below) from the Port of Larne opens the briefing.
He says the port has "worked incredibly hard over the past few months to keep the port open and smoothly carrying freight".
Mr Ricardo says the port is "keen to be at the forefront of the discussion when it comes to the protocol and new rules".
Image source, NI AssemblyDavid Holmes from Warrenpoint Harbour says Brexit preparations began in earnest in late 2019 with a reconfiguring of space at the harbour.
He says considerable further work is required and raises the issue of potential additional grant funding for the ports.
Mr Holmes says it's "probably too soon to say definitively" what the effect of EU exit has had on the harbour.