Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at 1pm, the Acting Speaker, Mr Chambers, in the Chair.

1. Speaker’s Business

Acting Speaker Remarks
1.1 The Acting Speaker made some comments on his role as Acting Speaker, and paid tribute to the outgoing Speaker.

2. Election of Speaker

The Acting Speaker outlined the procedure for the election of a Speaker under Standing Order 4.

Mr Keith Buchanan nominated Mr Edwin Poots as a candidate for the Office of Speaker and Ms Joanne Bunting seconded the nomination.
Mr Poots indicated his agreement to accept the nomination.

Mr Matthew OʹToole nominated Mr Patsy McGlone as a candidate for the Office of Speaker and Ms Cara Hunter seconded the nomination
Mr McGlone indicated his agreement to accept the nomination.

Mr John Stewart nominated Dr Steve Aiken as a candidate for the Office of Speaker and Mr Doug Beattie seconded the nomination.
Dr Aiken indicated his agreement to accept the nomination.

Debate ensued.

The Question being put that Mr Poots be Speaker of the Assembly, the Motion was carried with cross-community support (Division).

The Speaker (Mr Poots) took the Chair.

3. Election of Deputy Speakers

The Speaker advised that the procedure for election of Deputy Speakers would be the same as that for the election of the Speaker.

Ms Michelle O'Neill nominated Ms Carál Ní Chuilín as Deputy Speaker.
Mrs Sinéad Ennis seconded the nomination. Ms Ní Chuilín indicated her agreement to accept the nomination.

Ms Paula Bradshaw nominated Mr John Blair as Deputy Speaker.
Miss Nuala McAllister seconded the nomination. Mr Blair indicated his agreement to accept the nomination.

Mr John Stewart nominated Dr Steve Aiken as Deputy Speaker.
Mr Doug Beattie seconded the nomination. Dr Aiken indicated his agreement to accept the nomination.

Debate ensued.

The Question being put that Ms Carál Ní Chuilín be Deputy Speaker, the Motion was carried with cross-community support.

The Question being put that Mr John Blair be Deputy Speaker, the Motion was carried with cross-community support.

The Question being put that Dr Steve Aiken be Deputy Speaker, the Motion was carried with cross-community support.

4. Assembly Business

4.1 Motion – Business Committee Membership

Proposed:

That the following shall be appointed to be Members of the Business Committee:
The Speaker (ex officio);
Ms Paula Bradshaw;
Mr David Brooks;
Mr Trevor Clarke;
Mr Mark Durkan;
Mr Tom Elliott;
Mrs Sinéad Ennis;
Miss Nuala McAllister;
Mr Colin McGrath;
Mr Philip McGuigan; and
Mr John Stewart.

The Speaker

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

5. Appointment of First Minister and deputy First Minister

The Speaker outlined the procedure for the appointment of the First Minister and deputy First Minister as set out in section 16A of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Standing Order 44(1).

The nominating officer for Sinn Féin nominated Ms Michelle O'Neill as First Minister.
Ms Michelle O'Neill confirmed that she was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office contained in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The nominating officer for the Democratic Unionist Party nominated Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly as deputy First Minister.
Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly confirmed that she was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office contained in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The Speaker confirmed that Ms Michelle O'Neill and Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly had taken up office as First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively.

Members made remarks on the appointments

The sitting was suspended at 3.01pm.
The sitting resumed at 3.32pm, with the Speaker in the Chair.

6. Filling of the Office of Minister of Justice

The Speaker outlined the process for filling the office of the Minister for Justice.

Ms Paula Bradshaw nominated Mrs Naomi Long to be Minister of Justice. Mrs Long indicated her agreement to accept the nomination.

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, that Mrs Naomi Long be the Minister of Justice, the motion was carried by parallel consent.

Mrs Naomi Long affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed that Mrs Long had taken up office as Minister of Justice.

7. Appointment of Ministers

The Speaker outlined the process for the appointment of Ministers.

The nominating officer for Sinn Féin nominated Mr Conor Murphy to be Minister for the Economy.
Mr Murphy confirmed that he was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Mr Conor Murphy as Minister for the Economy.

The nominating officer for the Democratic Unionist Party nominated Mr Paul Givan to be Minister of Education.
Mr Givan confirmed that he was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Mr Paul Givan as Minister of Education.

The sitting was suspended at 3.42pm.
The sitting resumed at 3.54pm, with the Speaker in the Chair.

The nominating officer for Sinn Féin nominated Dr Caoimhe Archibald to be Minister of Finance.
Dr Archibald confirmed that she was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Dr Caoimhe Archibald as Minister of Finance.

The nominating officer for the Democratic Unionist Party nominated Mr Gordon Lyons to be Minister for Communities.
Mr Lyons confirmed that he was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Mr Gordon Lyons as Minister for Communities.

The nominating officer for the Ulster Unionist Party nominated Mr Robin Swann to be Minister of Health.
Mr Swann confirmed that he was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Mr Robin Swann as Minister of Health.

The nominating officer for Sinn Féin nominated Mr John O'Dowd to be Minister for Infrastructure.
Mr O'Dowd confirmed that he was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Mr John O'Dowd as Minister for Infrastructure.

The nominating officer for the Alliance Party, nominated Mr Andrew Muir to be Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
Mr Muir confirmed that he was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Mr Andrew Muir as Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

8. Official Opposition

The Speaker informed the Assembly that as the SDLP Members comprised 8% or more of the total number of Members of the Assembly at the end of the day on which the Assembly first met, the condition set out in Standing Order 45A(1)(c) was met and that the SDLP may choose to be recognised as an Opposition party.
The nominating officer for the SDLP indicated that the SDLP wished to be recognised as the official Opposition, and that Mr Matthew O'Toole would be Leader of the Opposition.

9. Appointment of Junior Ministers

The Speaker informed the Assembly that he had received correspondence from the First Minister and deputy First Minister informing him of their intention to appoint today Ms Aisling Reilly MLA and Mrs Pam Cameron MLA as junior Ministers in the Executive Office.
Ms Aisling Reilly confirmed that she was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Ms Aisling Reilly as junior Minister.
Mrs Pam Cameron confirmed that she was willing to take up the office and affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Speaker confirmed the appointment of Mrs Pam Cameron as junior Minister.

10. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.02pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
3 February 2024

Northern Ireland Assembly

3 February 2024 - Division

Question put, That Mr Edwin Poots be Speaker of the Assembly.

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 67
Noes: 9

AYES

NATIONALIST:

Dr Archibald, Mr Baker, Mr Boylan, Miss Brogan, Mr Delargy, Mrs Dillon, Miss Dolan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Miss Á Murphy, Mr C Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin.

UNIONIST:

Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Erskine, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Mr Middleton, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Ms Sugden.

OTHER:

Ms Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Brown, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Ms Eastwood, Ms Egan, Mr Honeyford, Mrs Long, Miss McAllister, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Ms Nicholl, Mr Tennyson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Brooks, Ms Forsythe.

NOES

NATIONALIST:

Mr Durkan, Ms Hunter, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Mr O'Toole.

UNIONIST:

Mr Allister.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr McCrossan, Mr McGrath.

Total Votes                   76      Total Ayes              67 [88.2%]
Nationalist Votes          33      Nationalist Ayes    25 [75.8%]
Unionist Votes             26      Unionist Ayes         25 [96.2%]
Other Votes                  17      Other Ayes             17 [100.0%]

The motion was carried with cross-community support.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 18 January 2024 – 3 February 2024

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

SR 2024/7 The Government Resources and Accounts (Northern Ireland) Act 2001 (Estimates and Accounts) (Designation of Bodies) (Amendment) Order 2024 (Department of Finance)

SR 2024/8 The Annesborough Industrial Estate, Lurgan (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/12 The Greengraves Road, Dundonald (Abandonment and Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/13 The Cairnmartin Crescent, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/14 The Castle Lodge, Randalstown (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/15 The Occupational Pension Schemes (Collective Money Purchase Schemes) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Communities)

SR 2024/16 The Farming for the Generations Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

SR 2024/17 The Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Justice)

SR 2024/18 The Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (Work Search and Work Availability Requirements - limitations) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Communities)

SR 2024/19 The Education (Student Support, etc.) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for the Economy)

For Information Only

SR 2024/9 The Parking Places on Roads and Waiting Restrictions (Dungannon) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/10 The Roads (Speed Limit) (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2024/11 The Roads (Speed Limit) (No. 3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

6. Assembly Reports

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Guidance for training and continuous professional development under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (Department of Health)

Northern Ireland Law Commission Annual Report 2022-23 (Department of Justice)

Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation Annual Report and Accounts, for the year ended 31st March 2022 (Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation)

Pensions Regulator’s Draft General Code of Practice (Department for Communities)

Tackling the Public Health Impacts of Smoking and Vaping (Northern Ireland Audit Office)

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23 (Department of Health)

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

UK Sport Annual Report and Accounts for 2022-23 (UK Sport)

Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland Annual report and Accounts 2022-23 (Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland)