Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Welcome to the Home Page of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. The committee was established to advise and assist the First Minister, the Rt Hon Peter D Robinson MLA and the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness MP MLA, on matters within their responsibilities as Ministers. The committee undertakes a scrutiny, policy development and consultation role with respect to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and plays a key role in the consideration and development of legislation. The Committee Chairperson is Mr Mike Nesbitt.
Here you will find information about the Committee membership and the work of the Committee.
The Committee will meet in closed session at 11.30am on Monday 20 May to consider legal advice on an EU proposal for a regulation on measures to reduce the cost of deploying high-speed electronic communications networks.
The Committee will meet again on Wednesday 22 May at 2pm in public session to take briefings from:
- Junior Ministers on the “Together: Building a United Community” announcement and related actions;
- Department of Justice officials on their Department’s proposals for the NI Judicial Appointments Ombudsman (NIJAO); and
- the NI Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman on the Department of Justice’s proposals for NIJAO.
The Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister has agreed its Report on the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill. Amendments to the Bill, including those brought forward by the Department at the request of the Committee, were considered by the Assembly during the Consideration Stage debate on 20 November 2012. The amended Bill passed its Final Stage in the Assembly on 11 December 2012 and awaits Royal Assent.
On Wednesday 8 May 2013 Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly were invited by the Committee to see and hear at first hand the peace and reconciliation work that is being supported by the European Union’s PEACE III Programme.
Chairperson of the OFMDFM Committee, Mike Nesbitt MLA, said: “The Committee takes a keen interest in Peace III funded projects as part of its oversight role in relation to Community Relations and Europe. The Committee is delighted that all MLAs have had an opportunity to see these presentations which combine to make a powerful case for Peace funding. We are also pleased that visiting UK Minister for State for Europe, David Lidington, was able to join us and see the work of Peace III.”
The groups presenting were:
- Theatre of Witness: is a model of performance drama that brings together people, from all backgrounds and political viewpoints, who have suffered as a direct result of the conflict and gives voice to their powerful testimonies.
- Groundwork NI: managed two projects focusing on contested physical space, attempting to overcome sectarianism and segregation within local communities in Northern Ireland and the border area.
- Football for All: is an IFA initiative committed to tackling sectarianism and racism through football - with a number of grass-root level education measures.