Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
The Committee pictured shortly before the start of a meeting in room 21, Parliament Buildings.
Latest News
The next meeting of the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will take place on Thursday 28 May 2026 The meeting will start at 10am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Committee will have briefings on the following:
- SL1 - The Cattle Identification (No. 2) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 - Oral Briefing
- SL1 - The Draft Air Quality (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 - Oral Briefing
- Research and Information Service (RaISe) Briefing - Bill Research Paper on Areas with Natural Constraints (Payments) Bill
- Departmental Written Briefing - Consultation on the Introduction of Fees for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guidance EIA Screening and Scoping Fees for Marine Licence
Details of upcoming meetings and agendas can be found on the Business Diary.
Interested in the future work of the Committee? View our Forward Work Programme.
Committee Membership
The current Committee membership is:
- Mr Robbie Butler, UUP (Chairperson)
- Mr Declan McAleer MLA, Sinn Féin (Deputy Chairperson)
- Mr John Blair MLA, Alliance
- Mr Tom Buchanan MLA, DUP
- Ms Aoife Finnegan MLA, Sinn Féin
- Mr Daniel McCrossan MLA, SDLP
- Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA, DUP
- Miss Áine Murphy MLA, Sinn Féin
- Mr Gareth Wilson MLA, DUP
Quick Links
- Watch Again
- Forward Work Programme
- Minutes of Proceedings
- Minutes of Evidence
- Legislation
- Reports
- Research Papers
- Press Releases
- Committee Engagement
- Guidance for witnesses appearing before a Committee and on submitting written evidence
- Committee Privacy Notice
- Work of the Committee in previous mandate
Areas with Natural Constraints (Payments) Bill - Have your say!
The Dilapidation Bill was formally introduced by Declan McAleer, MLA on Tuesday 16th February 2026.
A Bill to require the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to make regulations under the Agriculture Act 2020 as to payments for areas with natural constraints.
The Bill completed its Second Stage on Tuesday 22nd March 2026 and is now referred to the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for scrutiny.
As part of the Assembly’s legislative processes, the Committee will now consider and take evidence on the Bill and report its opinion to the Assembly.
The closing date for responses is Monday 6th July 2026.
Further information
Series 8 - Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series (KESS) - 27th May 2026
The NI Assembly 8thKESS is underway (organised by RaISe) and this week’s seminar is related to the AERA remit: Series 8 - Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series (KESS)
The Seminar is entitled All-Island Marine and Water Governance and Water-Land-Edge Environmental Cleaning: Considerations when Legislating.
Contact the Committee
Committee Clerk: Dr Janice Thompson
Room 285, Parliament Buildings,
Ballymiscaw,Stormont,
Belfast, BT4 3XX
Tel: (028) 90 521369
Email: Committee.AgriEnvRural@niassembly.gov.uk
