To ask the Minister for the Economy whether she will commission a review into the performance and culture of her Department.

Dr Archibald

Under its previous political leadership, the Department for the Economy did not have clear strategic objectives. It paid lip service to the need for regional balance, for example, and did not embrace the potential of the all-Ireland economy. Its key delivery agency, Invest NI, lacked proper oversight. Those issues have been tackled over the past two years. The progress delivered by my Department includes a 22% increase in the number of students at Magee; a significant funding boost for St Mary's University College and Stranmillis University College, both of which were previously in a financially precarious position; the extension of Ireland's Hidden Heartlands into Fermanagh; more affordable grid connections for rural households and businesses; and increased investment in InterTradeIreland and Tourism Ireland. The growth of the all-Ireland economy and our relatively impressive economic output and export statistics are positive signs of change.

Madam Principal Deputy Speaker

Minister, did you hear that all right?

Dr Archibald

Just about. I base my assessment on what the Department delivers and the outcomes that we achieve. We see improvements in key areas, including our overall objectives of having more good jobs, improved productivity, greater regional balance and lower emissions. It is important that we see the culture coming from the top — the leadership of the Department. Every day, I work with officials whom I see as being dedicated public servants with a real focus on delivering for people here. I also understand that the Department went through a programme of organisational development in the recent past, in which there was a clear focus on improving the culture and on efficiencies and leadership development. In the NICS people survey, my Department performed best in class across all nine Departments, including having the highest level of employee engagement. It is important, however, that we keep a focus on delivery and having a positive culture, and, in any Department, that has to come from the top.

Mr Kearney

Previously, DUP Economy Ministers delivered the renewable heat incentive scandal, which led to a black hole in our public finances, and a scathing report on the workings of Invest NI. With regard to your earlier comments, how systemic at a cultural, management and operational level are the reforms that you have introduced in the Department? How durable will they be to ensure continued success?

Dr Archibald

I thank the Member for his question. As I have indicated, the performance and culture of any organisation is likely to improve when that organisation has clear and strategic leadership, direction and a focus on delivering the things that matter most for people here. My predecessor, Conor Murphy, and I have provided that throughout this shortened mandate. I have already pointed to some of the examples of our delivery. We are also pursuing an ambitious programme for the rest of the mandate, including an ambitious legislative programme — a once-in-a-generation reform of employment rights. We have already made significant and targeted investments to address priority skills gaps, and we continue to make progress on our long-standing commitment to the expansion of university provision at Magee, with more investment there in the past two years than in the previous 10. We have clear plans to grow our priority sectors, raise our productivity and better deliver regional balance. That all requires a continued focus, and that has to come from the top.

Ms Forsythe

Minister, you mentioned that the most senior officials in your Department had a lapse in knowledge, forgetting about £81 million being bid for by Treasury. We have seen delays in legislation and two years of your departmental accounts being disclaimed — it looks like a third year, as the Audit Office will not even put its name to the accounts. The Audit Office also published a scathing report on the energy strategy. Under your leadership, the Department's performance genuinely cannot be considered to be good. Will you look at it again and consider reviewing it?

Dr Archibald

I thank the Member for her question. A number of those issues stem from the previous leadership of the Department. We are working to address the issues that she has highlighted. For example, significant progress has been made on the accounts, as recognised by the Audit Office. As she will know, they are complex accounts, and a number of the issues that led to the opinion that was given by the Audit Office were outwith the Department. Those issues are being addressed, and a programme of work has been undertaken. Of course, there is always room for improvement. I will keep a focus on delivery, because that is what everybody wants us collectively to do for them here.

Mr McNulty

Given the focus on delivery, will the Minister update the House on the extension of tourism brands the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East into northern counties?

Dr Archibald

I thank the Member for his question and his continued focus on tourism. He will know, because I have given the answer at previous Question Times, that Ireland's Ancient East is under review by Fáilte Ireland, which owns all the brands. Once it has evaluated that, I will be keen to engage with it. He will also be aware that there is a Shared Island project on the connection between the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway coastal route that I continue to keep a focus on. I continue to make the case to Fáilte Ireland that we should see better incorporation of those brands.

Madam Principal Deputy Speaker

Before I call Claire Sudgen, I remind everyone that supplementaries need to be related, even thinly, to the primary question. Minister, you do not have to respond if they are not related at all.