Review of Public Petitions Procedures

report---review-of-public-petitions-procedures.pdf (268.5 kb)

Executive Summary

This report sets out the Committee on Procedures’ review of the Public Petitions process of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The current process is described in Standing Order 22, which provides for Member sponsored public petitions to be presented in the Assembly.

The Committee examined the current process, as well as the potential to introduce an electronic petitions (e-petitions) process either to enhance or replace it. To inform its decision making the Committee took evidence from stakeholders and considered written submissions. It also examined the public petitions processes operating in other devolved legislatures as well as the House of Commons and the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Committee found that the existing process was well understood and effective and that it should be retained. However, it also agreed that its impact would be broadened and enhanced by the introduction of an e-petitions process.

Given the time that will be required to build and roll out the bespoke e-petitions system, the Committee agreed it should only come into effect from September 2016.

Download the full report here

Minutes of Proceedings can be viewed here

Written submissions can be viewed here

Correspondence can be viewed here

Other Documents relating to the report can be viewed here