Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

The Speaker confirmed that the sitting had been convened following receipt of a valid notice, signed by not less than 30 Members, in accordance with Standing Order 11, for the purpose of debating a motion on the “Judgement In The Case Of R.v.Downey” (Appendix 1).

3. Private Members’ Business

3.1 Motion – Judgement In The Case Of R.v.Downey

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with grave concern the detail contained within the judgement of Mr Justice Sweeney in the case of R.v.Downey; expresses disgust at the heretofore deliberately hidden actions of the British Government and Sinn Fein revealed in the judgement of issuing these letters to those described as “on-the -runs” and the detrimental consequence of those acts to justice; further notes the undermining impact such disclosures will have on recent discussions on dealing with the past; and calls on the British Government to urgently and effectively address the gross injustice to the many victims who will suffer further because of these shameful actions and wider damage to the rule of law, and to take swift action to rebuild confidence and trust by conducting a judge-led inquiry.

Mr P Robinson
Mrs A Foster
Mr S Wilson
Mr G Campbell

Debate ensued.

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

4. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 2.19pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
28 February 2014

Appendix 1  

Northern Ireland Assembly

The undersigned Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly support the call for an earlier sitting on Friday 28 February 2014, under Standing Order 11, to debate the following Motion:

Judgement In The Case Of R.v.Downey

That this Assembly notes with grave concern the detail contained within the judgement of Mr Justice Sweeney in the case of R.v.Downey; expresses disgust at the heretofore deliberately hidden actions of the British Government and Sinn Fein revealed in the judgement of issuing these letters to those described as “on-the -runs” and the detrimental consequence of those acts to justice; further notes the undermining impact such disclosures will have on recent discussions on dealing with the past; and calls on the British Government to urgently and effectively address the gross injustice to the many victims who will suffer further because of these shameful actions and wider damage to the rule of law, and to take swift action to rebuild confidence and trust by conducting a judge-led inquiry.

MR SYDNEY ANDERSON

MR JONATHAN BELL

MS PAULA BRADLEY

MR THOMAS BUCHANAN

MRS PAM CAMERON

MR GREGORY CAMPBELL

MR TREVOR CLARKE

MR JONATHAN CRAIG

MR SAMMY DOUGLAS

MR GORDON DUNNE

MR ALEX EASTON

MRS ARLENE FOSTER

MR PAUL FREW

MR PAUL GIRVAN

MR PAUL GIVAN

MRS BRENDA HALE

MR SIMON HAMILTON

MR DAVID HILDITCH

MR WILLIAM HUMPHREY

MR WILLIAM IRWIN

MR NELSON MCCAUSLAND

MR IAN MCCREA

MR DAVID MCILVEEN

MISS MICHELLE MCILVEEN

MR ADRIAN MCQUILLAN

THE LORD MORROW

MR STEPHEN MOUTRAY

MR ROBIN NEWTON

MR EDWIN POOTS

MR GEORGE ROBINSON

MR PETER ROBINSON

MR ALASTAIR ROSS

MR JIMMY SPRATT

MR MERVYN STOREY

MR PETER WEIR

MR JIM WELLS

MR SAMMY WILSON

Northern Ireland Assembly

28 February 2014

Division

Motion – Judgement In The Case Of R.v.Downey

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with grave concern the detail contained within the judgement of Mr Justice Sweeney in the case of R.v.Downey; expresses disgust at the heretofore deliberately hidden actions of the British Government and Sinn Fein revealed in the judgement of issuing these letters to those described as “on-the -runs” and the detrimental consequence of those acts to justice; further notes the undermining impact such disclosures will have on recent discussions on dealing with the past; and calls on the British Government to urgently and effectively address the gross injustice to the many victims who will suffer further because of these shameful actions and wider damage to the rule of law, and to take swift action to rebuild confidence and trust by conducting a judge-led inquiry.

Mr P Robinson
Mrs A Foster
Mr S Wilson
Mr G Campbell

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 58
Noes: 27

AYES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Campbell, Mr Clarke, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Copeland, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Hussey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr Lyttle, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Mr McGimpsey, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr Wilson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McQuillan and Mr G Robinson

NOES

Mr Boylan, Mr Brady, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr Hazzard, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McKay, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr McCartney and Ms Ruane.

The following Members voted in both Lobbies and are therefore not counted in the result: Mr Attwood, Mr D Bradley, Mr Dallat, Mr Durkan, Mrs D Kelly, Mr McCallister, Mr B McCrea, Dr McDonnell, Mr McGlone, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Mr P Ramsey, Mr Rogers

The Motion was carried.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
26 – 28 February 2014

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

Registry of Credit Unions and Industrial and Provident Societies Annual Report 2012/13 (DETI)

The General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2013 (DE)

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

S. R. 2014/47 The Explosives (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DOJ)

For Information Only:

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Ralphs Close Residential Care Home (DHSSPS)

Salmon Conservation Regulations (DCAL)

8. Consultation Documents

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications