Marshalled List of Amendments

19 October 2021

Item 4: Order Paper 124/17-22 –Tuesday 19 October 2021

Motion: Stability of Institutions and Referral to the Assembly and Executive Review Committee

Proposed

That this Assembly affirms the importance of the stability of these institutions in order to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland; refers to the Assembly and Executive Review Committee under Standing Order 59(3)(b) consideration of the matter of replacing the current cross-community voting system, which is based on community designations, with a weighted majority system free from designations, to be used in place of cross-community voting in the circumstances specified in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 or when a reformed Petition of Concern is invoked; and agrees that the Committee should report on the outcome of this consideration to the Assembly before the end of this mandate.

[Ms Kellie Armstrong]

[Mr Andrew Muir]

[Ms Paula Bradshaw]

[Mr Chris Lyttle]

The Speaker has selected the following Amendments for debate:

Amendment 1

Leave out all after ‘Northern Ireland;’ and insert:

‘recognises the growing numbers of people in our community who do not primarily identify as unionist or nationalist; acknowledges that the votes of those they elect are not currently treated equally within these institutions; further acknowledges that the system of designations perpetuates division, inequality, and instability; welcomes work initiated by the Assembly and Executive Review Committee to consider of the matter of replacing the current cross-community voting system, which is based on community designations, with a weighted majority system free from designations, to be used in place of cross-community voting in the circumstances specified in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 or when a reformed Petition of Concern is invoked; calls on the Committee to report on the outcome of this consideration to the Assembly before the end of this mandate; and further calls on the UK Government to legislate to make provision for such alternative arrangements at the earliest opportunity.’

[Ms Kellie Armstrong]

[Mr Andrew Muir]

[Mr John Blair] 

Amendment 2

Leave out all after ‘Northern Ireland;’ and insert:

‘notes the strong case for reviewing and supplementing designation-related voting, elections and appointments in the Northern Ireland Assembly with additional measures commensurate with wide community support; refers to the Assembly and Executive Review Committee under Standing Order 59(3)(b) consideration of additional voting procedures which maintain the integrity of the Good Friday Agreement while establishing options for weighted majority voting beyond designations; further refers for consideration the restoration of joint election of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in line with the Good Friday Agreement; and agrees that the Committee should report on the outcome of this consideration to the Assembly before the end of this mandate.’

[Mr Colin McGrath]

[Mrs Dolores Kelly]

[Mr Mark Durkan]