Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 31 March 2025
The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.
1. Prayers
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Speaker’s Business
2.1 Report on the abuse of Members
The Speaker acknowledged a recent news report highlighting the abuse that Members of the Assembly regularly face, thanked those who Members spoke about their experiences and encouraged all Members to ensure they report any incidents to the PSNI.
3. Members’ Statements
Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:
Ms Emma Sheerin
Mr Harry Harvey
Ms Connie Egan
Mr John Stewart
Ms Cheryl Brownlee
Mr Andrew McMurray
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin
Mr Peter Martin
Mr Gerry Carroll
Mr David Honeyford
Dr Steve Aiken
Mr Maurice Bradley
Mr Timothy Gaston
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
4. Executive Committee Business
4.1 Motion: The draft Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) (Extension to Switzerland etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Proposed:
That the draft Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) (Extension to Switzerland etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.
Minister of Finance
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
5. Private Members’ Business
5.1 Motion: Housebuilding on Public Land
Proposed:
That this Assembly recognises the critical role of social and affordable housing in reducing housing need, supporting communities and strengthening the economy; notes the Department for Communities’ commitment to deliver at least 33,000 social homes under the Housing Supply Strategy; acknowledges the need to secure suitable land for housebuilding to meet this goal; recognises the potential of utilising public land to increase the supply of social and affordable housing; and calls on the Minister for Communities to establish a Public Land Agency to maximise the use of public land for the delivery of sustainable and affordable housing to help meet the Housing Supply Strategy targets.
Mr Mark Durkan
Mr Colin McGrath
Ms Cara Hunter
Debate ensued.
The debate stood suspended at 1.48pm.
The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, the Speaker in the Chair.
6. Question Time
6.1 Executive Office
Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly. The junior Minister, Mrs Pam Cameron, also answered a number of questions.
6.2 Communities
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons.
The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.
7. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)
7.1 Motion: Housebuilding on Public Land (cont’d)
Debate resumed.
The Question being put, the motion was carried. (Division)
7.2 Motion: Early Access to State Pension for Terminally Ill People
Proposed:
That this Assembly believes that people diagnosed with a terminal illness should not be forced to endure financial hardship as they approach the end of their life; calls on the British Government to allow those diagnosed with a terminal illness to access their state pension early, providing them with financial security and dignity in their final months; and further calls on the Minister for Communities to engage with the Department for Work and Pensions to advocate for, and facilitate, the necessary legislative and administrative changes to make early access to state pensions a reality for terminally ill people.
Mrs Linda Dillon
Miss Nicola Brogan
Mr Colm Gildernew
Mr Philip McGuigan
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
8. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 4.18pm.
Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
31 March 2025
Northern Ireland Assembly
31 March 2025 – Division
Motion: Housebuilding on Public Land
Proposed:
That this Assembly recognises the critical role of social and affordable housing in reducing housing need, supporting communities and strengthening the economy; notes the Department for Communities’ commitment to deliver at least 33,000 social homes under the Housing Supply Strategy; acknowledges the need to secure suitable land for housebuilding to meet this goal; recognises the potential of utilising public land to increase the supply of social and affordable housing; and calls on the Minister for Communities to establish a Public Land Agency to maximise the use of public land for the delivery of sustainable and affordable housing to help meet the Housing Supply Strategy targets.
Mr Mark Durkan
Mr Colin McGrath
Ms Cara Hunter
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 54
Noes: 22
AYES
Mr Allen, Ms D Armstrong, Ms K Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Boylan, Ms Bradshaw, Miss Brogan, Mr Butler, Mr Carroll, Mr Chambers, Mr Crawford, Mr Delargy, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dillon, Miss Dolan, Mr Donnelly, Mr Durkan, Ms Egan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Ms Finnegan, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Mrs Guy, Miss Hargey, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McMurray, Mr McNulty, Mr McReynolds, Mrs Mason, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Miss Murphy, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Ní Chuilín, Ms Nicholl, Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Durkan, Ms Hunter.
NOES
Mr Bradley, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gaston, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Mr Martin, Mr Middleton, Mr Robinson.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Bradley, Mr Kingston.
The motion was carried.
Votes cast by proxy:
Mr O’Toole’s vote was cast by Mr McGrath.
Ms Nicholl’s vote was cast by Ms Bradshaw.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Proxy Voting Notifications
In line with Standing Order 27A, Mr Matthew O’Toole arranged for his vote to be exercised by a proxy (Mr Colin McGrath) during the period 24 March 2025 to 12 April 2025.
In line with Standing Order 27A, Ms Kate Nicholl arranged for her vote to be exercised by a proxy (Ms Paula Bradshaw) during the period 31 March 2025 to 28 December 2025.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 26 March 2025 to 31 March 2025.
1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
3. Orders in Council
4. Statutory Rules
SR 2025/64 The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Communities)
SR 2025/66 The Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Communities)
SR 2025/67 The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Communities)
SR 2025/68 The Registered Rents (Increase) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Communities)
For information
SR 2025/65 The Road Races (Circuit of Ireland Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2025/69 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department of Finance)
5. Legislative Consent Memorandums
6. Assembly Reports
Report on the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget Statement Joint Event – 29th January 2025 (NIA 81/22-27) (Committee for Finance and Committee for the Economy)
Report on Major Capital Projects: Follow-up Report (NIA 78/22-27) (Public Accounts Committee)
Report on complaints made by Timothy Gaston MLA and Doug Beattie MLA against First Minister Michelle O’Neill (NIA 74/22-27) (Committee on Standards and Privileges)
7. Written Ministerial Statements
8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
3rd Annual Report: Developments in the UK Internal Market 2024-2025 (Office for the Internal Market, part of the Competition and Market Authority)
Competition and Markets Authority Annual Plan 2025 to 2026: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers to Drive Growth, Opportunity, and Prosperity for the UK (Competition and Markets Authority)
2023-2024 Annual Report of the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland (Covering Period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024) (Department for the Economy)
Health and Social Care Imaging Services (Northern Ireland Audit Office)
Charitable Donations and Bequests Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 (Department for Communities)
