Minutes of Proceedings

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2.    Private Members’ Business

2.1   Motion – Establishment of a Working Group to Consider the Return of Lough Neagh into Public Ownership

Proposed:

That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, to convene a working group to explore and pursue actively the potential for a cross-departmental approach to bring Lough Neagh back into public ownership.

Mr F Molloy
Mr O McMullan
Ms M Boyle

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried (Division 1).

2.2   Motion – Kinship Care

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes and welcomes the growth of kinship care and acknowledges the valuable role it plays in providing care for the many children who cannot be raised by their parents; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to note the excellent, and often invisible, contribution made by kinship carers, to identify a number of key priorities and actions for their support, and to consider amending the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 in support of kinship carers.

Miss M McIlveen
Mr J Wells

The sitting was suspended at 12.30pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm with the Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the Chair.

3.    Assembly Business

3.1  Committee Chairperson and deputy Chairperson Appointments

The Deputy Speaker informed Members that he had received notification of the resignation of Mr Tom Elliott as Chairperson of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister; and the resignation of Mr Mike Nesbitt as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Education.

The Deputy Speaker further informed Members that he had received correspondence from the nominating officer of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mr Mike Nesbitt, nominating himself as Chairperson of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister; and Mr Danny Kinahan as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Education, both with immediate effect. The Deputy Speaker confirmed the appointments.

4.    Question Time

4.1   Agriculture and Rural Development

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Michelle O’Neill.

4.2   Regional Development

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Ms Carál Ní Chuilín.

5.    Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

5.1   Kinship Care (Cont’d)

The Speaker took the Chair.

Debate resumed on the motion.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

6.    Adjournment

Mr Sammy Douglas spoke to his topic on the provision of counselling services in East Belfast.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.59pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
17 April 2012

Northern Ireland Assembly

17 April 2012
Division 1

Lough Neagh - Motion

Proposed:

That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, to convene a working group to explore and pursue actively the potential for a cross-departmental approach to bring Lough Neagh back into public ownership.

Mr F Molloy
Mr O McMullan
Ms M Boyle

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 62

Noes: 15

Ayes

Mr Agnew, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr D Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr Brady, Ms Brown,
Mr Campbell, Mr Clarke, Mr Dallat, Mr Dickson, Mr Doherty, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton,
Mr Frew, Ms Gildernew, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hazzard, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin,
Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Lo, Mr Lynch, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney,
Mr I McCrea, Mr McDevitt, Dr McDonnell, Mr McElduff, Mr McGlone, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr McQuillan, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey,
Mr Molloy, Lord Morrow, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O’Dowd, Mrs O’Neill, Mr Poots,
Mr P Ramsey, Ms S Ramsey, Mr G Robinson, Mr Rogers, Mr Ross, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Gildernew and Mr Lynch.

Noes

Mr Allister, Mr Beggs, Mr Copeland, Mr Cree, Mrs Dobson, Mr Elliott, Mr Gardiner, Mr Hussey,
Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Mr McCallister, Mr McClarty, Mr McNarry, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Swann.

Tellers for the Noes: Mrs Dobson and Mr Kinahan.

The Motion was carried.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
17 April 2012

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

Draft S.R 2012. The Race Relations Order 1997 (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (OFMDFM)

For Information Only:

S.R. 2012/166 The Roads (Speed Limit) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DRD)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

The Draft Single Use Carrier Bags Charge Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DOE)

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

Northern Ireland Assembly Legislation:

Stages in Consideration of Public Bills

First Stage: Introduction of Bill.

Second Stage: General debate of the Bill with an opportunity for Members to vote on its general principles.

Committee Stage (Comm. Stage): Detailed investigation by a Committee which concludes with the publication of a report for consideration by the Assembly.

Consideration Stage (CS): Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, the details of the Bill including amendments proposed to the Bill.

Further Consideration Stage (FCS): Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, further amendments to the Bill.

Final Stage: Passing or rejecting of Bill by the Assembly, without further amendment.

Royal Assent.

Proceedings as at 18 April 2012

2011-2015 Mandate
Executive Bills

/ Bill progressing by accelerated passage