Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

2.1 Standards and Etiquette in the Assembly Chamber
The Speaker reminded Members of the standards of parliamentary courtesy that are expected to be upheld in the Assembly.

3. Members’ Statements

Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly;

Mr Matthew O'Toole
Ms Aisling Reilly
Ms Diane Forsythe
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Mr Declan McAleer
Mrs Deborah Erskine
Mr John Stewart
Miss Nuala McAllister
Mr Gary Middleton
Ms Emma Sheerin
Mr Mike Nesbitt
Ms Paula Bradshaw
Mr Phillip Brett
Mr Daniel McCrossan

4. Opposition Business

4.1 Motion: Executive Reform

Proposed:

That this Assembly is ashamed of the long suspensions of devolution over the last ten years; accepts responsibility for the decline in public services that have taken place over that time; apologises to public sector workers who have experienced pay injustice over the last ten years; resolves that the functioning of the Assembly and the Executive should never again be subject to the veto of a single party; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to include a specific commitment to reform of the institutions in the Programme for Government.

Leader of the Opposition

Debate ensued.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

The debate stood suspended for Question Time, the Speaker took the Chair.

5. Question Time

5.1 The Executive Office
Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly.

5.2 Health
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Health, Mr Robin Swann.

6. Question for Urgent Oral Answer

6.1 Nexus NI
The Minister of Health, Mr Robin Swann, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Ms Cara Hunter.

7. Opposition Business (cont’d)

7.1 Motion: Executive Reform (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

The Question being put, the motion was negatived (Division 1).

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

7.2 Motion: Public Sector Pay

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the immense burden placed on public sector workers by the political uncertainty and the failure to deliver equitable pay awards; resolves that all outstanding public sector pay negotiations for 2023-2024 will be concluded by the end of this financial year; and calls on the Minister of Finance to make a statement to the Assembly upon the conclusion of these negotiations or at the end of the financial year.

Leader of the Opposition

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The Speaker took the Chair.

7.3 Establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to consider legislation to prevent the suspension of devolved institutions

Proposed:

That, as provided for in Standing Order 53(1), this Assembly appoints an Ad Hoc Committee to consider legislation to prevent the suspension of the devolved institutions at the discretion of a single party or an Executive Minister; and to submit a report to the Assembly by 16 September 2024.

Composition: Sinn Féin 2
Democratic Unionist Party 2
Alliance Party 1
Ulster Unionist Party 1
Social Democratic and Labour Party 1
The Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee shall be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition, and a Deputy Chairperson shall be nominated by the Committee.

Quorum: The quorum shall be five members except when no decision is taken or question put to the Committee, when the quorum shall be four.

Procedure: The procedures of the Ad Hoc Committee shall be such as the Committee shall determine.

Leader of the Opposition

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was negatived (Division 2).

8. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.59pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
4 March 2024

Northern Ireland Assembly

4 March 2024 - Division 1

Motion: Executive Reform

Proposed:

That this Assembly is ashamed of the long suspensions of devolution over the last ten years; accepts responsibility for the decline in public services that have taken place over that time; apologises to public sector workers who have experienced pay injustice over the last ten years; resolves that the functioning of the Assembly and the Executive should never again be subject to the veto of a single party; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to include a specific commitment to reform of the institutions in the Programme for Government.

Leader of the Opposition

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 32
Noes: 46

AYES

Mr Allen, Ms Armstrong, Mr Beattie, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Brown, Mr Butler, Mr Chambers, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Mr Durkan, Ms Eastwood, Ms Egan, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Miss McAllister, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Toole, Mr Stewart, Ms Sugden, Mr Swann, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Durkan, Mr McGrath.

NOES

Mr Allister, Dr Archibald, Mr Baker, Mr Boylan, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Miss Brogan, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Clarke, Mr Delargy, Mrs Dillon, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Erskine, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gildernew, Mr Givan, Miss Hargey, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Miss McIlveen, Mrs Mason, Mr Middleton, Ms Á Murphy, Mr C Murphy, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Ms Reilly, Mr Robinson, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin.
Tellers for the Noes: Mrs Dillon, Mr Frew.

The following Members voted in both Lobbies and are therefore not counted in the result: Mr Carroll.

The motion was negatived.

Northern Ireland Assembly

4 March 2024 - Division 2

Establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to consider legislation to prevent the suspension of devolved institutions

Proposed:

That, as provided for in Standing Order 53(1), this Assembly appoints an Ad Hoc Committee to consider legislation to prevent the suspension of the devolved institutions at the discretion of a single party or an Executive Minister; and to submit a report to the Assembly by 16 September 2024.

Composition: Sinn Féin 2
Democratic Unionist Party 2
Alliance Party 1
Ulster Unionist Party 1
Social Democratic and Labour Party 1

The Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee shall be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition, and a Deputy Chairperson shall be nominated by the Committee.

Quorum: The quorum shall be five members except when no decision is taken or question put to the Committee, when the quorum shall be four.

Procedure: The procedures of the Ad Hoc Committee shall be such as the Committee shall determine.

Leader of the Opposition

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 24
Noes: 51

AYES

Ms Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Brown, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Mr Durkan, Ms Eastwood, Ms Egan, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Miss McAllister, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Toole, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Hunter, Mr McCrossan.

NOES

Mr Allister, Dr Archibald, Mr Baker, Mr Beattie, Mr Boylan, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Miss Brogan, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Butler, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mr Delargy, Mrs Dillon, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Erskine, Mrs Ferguson, Misss Flynn, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Miss McIlveen, Mrs Mason, Mr Middleton, Miss Á Murphy, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Ms Reilly, Mr Robinson, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Brooks, Mr Delargy.

The motion was negatived.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 28 February 2024 to 4 March 2024.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly


2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council


4. Statutory Rules

SR 2024 No 0000 DRAFT The Period Products (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

SR 2024 No 0000 DRAFT The Human Medicines (Amendments Relating to Coronavirus and Influenza) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Health)

SR 2024/22 The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/28 The Rates (Regional Rates) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Finance)

SR 2024/29 The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still Births) (Extension) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Finance)

For information only

SR 2024/23 The Waiting Restrictions (Limavady) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/24 The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/25 The Parking Places and Waiting Restrictions (Moy) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/26 The Traffic Weight Restriction (Augher) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/27 The Parking Places and Waiting Restrictions (Downpatrick) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

6. Assembly Reports

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Regional Rate 2024/25 (Minister of Finance)
Cash Advance from the NI Consolidated Fund (Minister of Finance)
HSC Pay Settlement (Minister of Health)

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

First Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees 16 February 2024 (Northern Ireland Assembly)

Second Report of the Examiner for Statutory Rules dated 28 February 2024 (Northern Ireland Assembly)
Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman’s Report for 2022-23 (Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman)
Local Government Commissioner for Standards Annual Report 2022-23 (Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman)

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland’s (CJI's) “It’s with Forensics!” An inspection of Forensic Services in Northern Ireland (Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland)