The Minister for Infrastructure made a statement on the Rural Roads Initiative.
He stated, "The rural roads initiative will target sections of the network in greatest need of repair, with the £10 million funding targeted at the areas of greatest need right across the four Transport NI divisions. The £10 million will deliver up to 1,000 small-scale resurfacing schemes on short lengths of rural roads with high numbers of potholes."
The Budget Bill passed its Final Stage. The vote was divided with Sinn Fein and the DUP voting in favour and Alliance, TUV. UUP, SDLP and Greens voting against.
Topical Questions to the First Minister were dominated by the EU Referendum and included:
EU Referendum: NI "Remain" Mandate
EU Referendum: Migrant Community
EU Referendum: Powers for the Assembly
EU State Aid Rules
Opposition Business included a motion on a Mental Health Champion, brought by the UUP. The motion was successfully amended by Sinn Fein and passed unanimously as follows:
"That this Assembly notes that more than one in four of the population is affected by poor mental health and well-being; further notes the significant social and economic implications that this is having on society; expresses deep concern that, per capita, we have one of the worst records of poor mental health and well-being in the world; accepts that our shocking rates have been impacted directly by decades of conflict, and more recently by austerity and the resulting increased levels of unemployment and homelessness and that the issue is now intergenerational; and calls on the Minister of Health to explore the role and remit of a mental health champion to protect and promote the interests of those suffering poor mental health and well-being."
