The Older People’s Parliament – Saturday 12 October 2024
Introduction
While citizen’s parliaments are nothing new to the Northern Ireland Assembly (Women’s Parliament 2022, Disability Parliament 2021, Older People’s Parliament 2021), with the onset of Covid restrictions and then a political hiatus, the parliaments were placed in ‘warm storage’ until the Assembly returned to full function and when the parliaments became a number one priority for the Engagement Team.
Although previous parliaments had proved successful, with the recognition engagement was required on a wider scale with the public and the need for a meaningful outcome, resulted in the development of a new Parliament framework, one which would ensure extensive inclusion and a monitoring mechanism.
The new framework provided collaboration with a number of business areas across the organisation including Research and information Services, the Business Office, Communications and Visitor Experience Team and the use of a consultation process for the first time.
Preparation
The Engagement Team identified relevant groups and organisations across Northern Ireland who represented older people in local areas and who became the Consultative Panel. The main task for the Panel was to identify key issues and promote the Parliament as widely as possible and to encourage the completion of the survey.
The Panel worked tirelessly to make the Parliament a success and this is evident in the 1,700 responses to the survey, mostly by individuals so that on the day the speakers were able to enter the Assembly Chamber with a clear message from older people across Northern Ireland as to what were the most important issues they needed raised.
The Panel decided the Parliament would be motion-led and it would focus on the ongoing consultation of the Programme for Government and what needs to be in it for older people.
On the Day
The Parliament itself proved to be a success. Although participants were disappointed that no Ministers were available in the Chamber, most recognised that this Parliament was an opportunity to have their voices heard and what they said could be conveyed in writing in a Hansard report and playback a video and would be submitted as a response to the draft programme for government consultation.
The feel of disappointment was short lived when on the day not one but two Ministers appeared during the roundtable discussions before the Parliament began and this was an opportunity for both to reassure the Panel and their members that they would be listening to what they had to say as it was an important contribution to the draft Programme for Government.
The Deputy Speaker Mr John Blair MLA also reassured the Panel and members that the Parliament would have an official report which he would ensure would be sent to Ministers and the First and deputy First Minister who are responsible and are carrying out the consultation on the Programme for Government.
Once the roundtable and speeches were over it was now to the Assembly Chamber where some expressed a nervousness, but when it came to the start the professional behaviour of the speakers and interveners was exceptional, no one looked nervous at all. The Speaker was first to congratulate the participants on their contribution to the motions once the Parliament ended.
Pictures from the roundtable discussions in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings
Deputy Speaker John Blair MLA with members of the Building Communities Resource Centre
Deputy Speaker John Blair MLA (fourth from left), deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengally MLA (centre right) and Minister of Health Mike Nesbitt MLA (third from right) with the main speakers of the Older People’s Parliament
Colin Crawford MLA chats with Valerie Cobain U3A
Kellie Armstrong MLA (left) with Dorothy Beattie AGEnda (right)
Brian Kingston MLA (centre) with Ann Murray and Anne Watson, AGE NI
Alan Robinson MLA (centre), Colin Crawford MLA (right) and Ivan Baxter of Engage with Age
Brian Kingston MLA (right) chats with representatives of Engage with Age during roundtable discussions
Emma Little-Pengelly |MLA, deputy First Minister (third from left), with Katherine (second from left) and James (first from left) from Building Communities Resources Centre
Deputy Speaker John Blair and MLAs in a group photo on the steps in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings with participants in the Older People's Parliament
