Northern Ireland Assembly Commission - Public Authority Statutory Equality and Good Relations Duties: Annual Progress Report 2025-26

Annual ECNI Progress Report 25-26.pdf (891.66 kb)

This report has been prepared using a template circulated by the Equality Commission. It presents our progress in fulfilling our statutory equality and good relations duties, and implementing Equality Scheme commitments and Disability Action Plans. This report reflects progress made between 1April 2025 and 31 March 2026.

PART A – Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Equality Scheme

Section 1:  Equality and good relations outcomes, impacts and good practice

1. In 2025-26, please provide examples of key policy/service delivery developments made by the public authority in this reporting period to better promote equality of opportunity and good relations; and the outcomes and improvements achieved. Please relate these to the implementation of your statutory equality and good relations duties and Equality Scheme where appropriate.

1 (a) Corporate Strategy

The Corporate Values which underpin the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission’s (‘the Assembly Commission’) Corporate Strategy 2023-2028 are Excellence, Positivity, Integrity and Collaboration. The Strategy includes two priorities with specific relevance to promoting equality of opportunity and good relations, which are:

• ‘The public will understand and value the role of the Assembly and be engaged in its work’ which contains an objective to ‘make the work of the Assembly more accessible’; and

• ‘Our staff will be a motivated, resilient and expert team’.

The Corporate Strategy can be accessed here .

In order to command confidence and facilitate compliance with the statutory duties, a number of measures are also in place:

• All equality plans and monitoring reports are tabled at Senior Management Team (SMT) meetings;
• The Equality Scheme, the Audit of Inequalities, the Disability Action Plan and the Good Relations Action Plan are published on the Assembly website (and can be accessed here );
• Policy screening arrangements are in place, including a protocol for the sign-off of screening forms;
• The screening template is kept under regular review and screening guidance is updated as appropriate;
• Applicable policies (new and revised) submitted to SMT and the Assembly Commission must include a screening form (this is a requirement of the SMT/Assembly Commission cover paper template);  
• Policy screening forms are published on the Assembly website quarterly and stakeholders are sent a notification email;
• Public consultations are held on action plans, equality impact assessments (EQIAs), etc., in order to engage with the public and seek their views;
• Training on equality issues is incorporated into the staff training schedule; and
• The Clerk/Chief Executive and Directors discuss equality issues with the Equality Manager as required.

1 (b) Disability Action Plan 2025-2030

The Disability Action Plan (DAP) 2025-2030 sets out how the Assembly Commission is fulfilling its statutory obligations under Section 49 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Section 49A of the Act says that the Assembly Commission must:

• promote positive attitudes towards disabled people; and
• encourage participation by disabled people in public life.

Implementation of the DAP is monitored formally every six-months with progress reported to and discussed with SMT.  

The DAP and the status of individual actions are provided in Part B of this Report. A summary is at Table 1 below:

Table 1 – DAP 2025-2030 Status of Actions

Notable actions achieved during the reporting period include:

DAP Area Communication and Feedback Action 6 : relates to the provision of British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL) for at least one Northern Ireland Assembly Question Time per week and other special events. BSL and ISL interpretation was provided for one Question Time per week, with questions to the Executive Office always interpreted. BSL and ISL interpretation was also provided at meetings of the Committee for Communities to support the scrutiny of the Sign Language Bill.

DAP Area Representation Action 17: relates to providing short-term supported placements for people with a disability, under the Assembly Commission’s Apprenticeship and Placement Framework. A placement was completed during the reporting period in the Office of the Examiner of Statutory Rules, allowing the individual to develop their skills across IT systems and processes and attended plenary to gain further insight into the Assembly’s work.

DAP Area Representation Action 18: relates to holding a Disabled People’s Parliament every year as part of a series of Outreach Parliaments. The Disabled People’s Parliament took place on 21 November 2025, allowing people with disabilities the opportunity to have their voices heard, engage with decision-makers and have their say on issues that are important to them.

DAP Area Representation Action 19: relates to having young people with disabilities represented on the Northern Ireland Youth Assembly. In the 2025-2027 Youth Assembly, 18 of the 90 young people appointed as Youth Assembly members have a disability. These Youth Assembly members are fully supported to participate and share their views, for example through reasonable adjustments with written materials and making appropriate access arrangements for in-person events.

Two actions which were not completed during the reporting period were:

DAP Area Staff Training Action 3: relates to all Education and Youth Assembly Officers completing the ‘Developing SEND Inclusive Learning with Confidence’ course. This action will not be completed until September 2027 at which point staff will complete training.

DAP Area Communication and Feedback Action 7: relates to monitoring feedback from the visitor experience in Parliament Buildings with a focus on customer service, public facilities and accessibility to Assembly business. The Visitor Experience Team intend to develop a short visitor survey following the appointment of new staff.

DAP 5-Year Review and Disability Action Plan 2025-2030.

During the reporting period a Five Year review and Closure Report was published.

A successor Disability Action Plan to cover the 2025-2030 period was submitted to the ECNI and published following a public consultation.

External Disability Advisory Group

Assembly Commission officials havecontinued to engage with the External Disability Advisory Group (EDAG), which is comprised of representatives from various disability organisations. During the reporting period the group provided advice and input on relevant disability issues. During the reporting period, an EDAG meeting was held on 25 September 2025.

1 (c) Good Relations Action Plan 2025-2030

Under section 75(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Assembly Commission is required to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group. The Good Relations Action Plan (GRAP) sets out how the Assembly Commission proposes to fulfil this duty in relation to the functions for which it is responsible.

The GRAP 2025-2030 indicates how the Assembly Commission plans to fulfil the Good Relations duty. Previous GRAPs and six-monthly monitoring reports to SMT can be accessed on the Assembly website here . The GRAP 2025-2030 can be accessed here . The GRAP 2025-2030 is focused on four key aims:

• Staff Training
• Participation, Dialogue and Engagement
• Accessibility and Communication
• Recruitment and Workforce Monitoring

The GRAP contains 13 actions. Seven of these are complete for the reporting period, two are partly complete, three are not complete and one is not yet due.

A summary is at Table 2 below:

Table 2 – GRAP 2025-2030 Status of Actions

Notable actions and activities undertaken during the reporting period include:

GRAP Aim 2: Participation, Dialogue and Engagement

Action 7: relates to hosting events to help build relationships with communities and create effective opportunities for engagement. A Speaker’s event was held in October 2025 to mark Good Relations Week.

GRAP Aim 3: Accessibility and Communication

Action 10: relates to the development and implementation of a strategy to communicate the impact of the Assembly on Northern Ireland society, promoting the advantages of community harmony delivered by a functioning representative Assembly. Content continues to be produced to communicate diversity and inclusivity at the Assembly. This includes information on areas such as the Youth Assembly, the Disabled People’s Parliament and the Women’s Parliament.

The actions which were not completed during the reporting period were:

GRAP Area Participation, Dialogue and Engagement Action 5:   relates to holding a Minority Ethnic Parliament as part of a series of citizen parliaments. It has taken longer than anticipated to identify and engage relevant groups, therefore this action will not complete until Autumn 2027.

GRAP Area Accessibility and Communication Action 8: relates to continually improving the accessibility of our website.  We have yet to commence the exercise to establish which pages on the Assembly website would benefit from being made in alternative languages. This will be addressed during the re-design of the new website by December 2026.

GRAP Area Accessibility and Communication Action 9: relates to monitoring feedback from the visitor experience in Parliament Buildings with a focus on customer service, public facilities and accessibility to Assembly business. The Visitor Experience Team intend to develop a short visitor survey following the appointment of new staff (new staff will be in post by August 2026).

Good Relations Action Plan 2022-2025 Closure Report and Good Relations Action Plan 2025-2030.

During the reporting period a closure report on the Good Relations Action Plan 2022-2025, and the Good Relations Action Plan 2025-2030, were presented to the Assembly Commission and subsequently submitted to the ECNI.

1 (d) Audit of Inequalities 2022-2026

The purpose of an Audit of Inequalities (AoI) is to provide a strategic picture of inequalities relevant to the role and functions of an organisation. This audit informs the development of an AoI Action Plan, which aims to address inequalities and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations. 

The AoI 2022-2026 and Action Plan contained 8 actions intended to increase representation of Section 75 groups. These actions were  implemented by the Human Resources Office over the lifetime of the Plan.

The AoI Action Plan 2022-2026 is published on the Assembly website and can be accessed here .

Six-monthly progress reports and a closure report on the implementation of the AoI Action Plan were provided to SMT. All eight actions were complete during the reporting period (Table 3 refers).

Table 3 – AoI Action Plan Closure Report Update

A public consultation on a new AOI Action Plan for 2026-2031 will be conducted in due course.

1 (e) Key Achievements and Outcomes

Disabled People’s Parliament

The Disabled People’s Parliament took place 21 November 2025. It provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to engage directly with decision-makers have their say on issues and decisions that affect their lives.

Disability Audit of Parliament Buildings

A Disability Access Audit of Parliament Buildings was conducted in March 2025 to identify accessibility issues in the building. The issues identified as a result of the audit will now be progressed.

Short-term supported placement

A second short-term supported placement for a person with a disability under the Apprenticeship and Placement Framework was completed by an individual with the Office of the Examiner of Statutory Rules. The placement was a success with the individual having the opportunity to develop their skills across IT systems and processes and attend plenary to gain further insight into the work of the Assembly.

1 (f) Speaker’s Events

In addition to ongoing engagement with the Youth Assembly and the Assembly’s Education Service during this reporting period, the Speaker hosted and attended a range of events and initiatives for Members and users of Parliament Buildings, for example:

6 May 2025 – 80 ^th Anniversary of VE Day

The Speaker hosted and gave an opening address at an event to mark the 80 ^th anniversary of VE day. Primary school pupils from Pond Park primary entertained the guests with ‘war time’ songs and there was an address from the US Consul General and exhibition of items and documents from PRONI.

14 May 2025 – Balmoral Show

The Speaker officially opened the Assembly Marquee at the Balmoral Show. Staff engaged with thousands of visitors to the marquee and the Speaker hosted a reception for industry leaders and a roundtable discussion with Youth Assembly Members.

31 May 2025 – Polish Community Event

The Speaker hosted an event celebrating the Polish Community in Northern Ireland. The event included a public engagement workshop with the Assembly staff, a youth engagement programme and an address from the Polish Honorary Consul. 

5 September 2025 – 85 ^th Anniversary of the Battle of Britian

The Speaker hosted an event to mark the 85 ^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The event welcomed Chief of the Air Staff Harv Smith, who gave a keynote address and a flyover of a Battle of Britain Lancaster Bomber entertained VIPs and RAF staff, Music and entertainment was provided by Central band of the Royal Air Force and an exhibition was provided by the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).

25 September 2025 – Chinese National Day

The Speaker gave opening remarks at an event hosted by the Chinese Consulate in Belfast to mark their National Day. The event was attended by other Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and various other guests and hosted in the Consul General building in Belfast.

17 October 2025 – Good Relations Week

The Speaker hosted an event in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings to mark Good Relations week. Young participants from ‘Crosslinks’, a Cross Community Performance arts group based in Belfast, gave a presentation about their work and engaged in an interview telling of the impact of the Crosslinks programme for each of them individually.

10 November 2025 – Civil Service Memorial Event

The Speaker hosted an event in conjunction with historian Nigel Henderson who highlighted the real stories behind the names of those Civil Servants listed in the reception area of Parliament Buildings as those who gave their lives during the Second World War.

11 November 2025 - Remembrance Day Event

The Speaker hosted an event in the Senate Chamber to mark the anniversary of Remembrance Day. The event was attended by representatives from all parties.

11 November 2025 – 10 ^th Anniversary of the Chinese Consulate in Belfast

The Speaker attended and gave opening remarks at an event in the Chinese Consulate to mark 10 years since its opening. The event was attended by a variety of guests and welcomed the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang.

13-14 November 2025 – North South Inter-Parliamentary Association (NSIPA)
The Speaker hosted the annual NSIPA reception and plenary event in Parliament Buildings. MLAs and TDs from the Dáil Eireann came together for a networking and business dinner and plenary sessions were held on ‘All Ireland Energy usage’ and ‘All Island Cancer strategy’.

21 November 2025 – Disabled Peoples Parliament

The Speaker hosted the Disabled People’s Parliament in the Assembly Chamber. This event engaged with people from across the disabled people’s community in Northern Ireland and gave opportunity for those to present their views to appropriate Ministers.

24 November 2025 - Christmas Tree Lighting

The Speaker held the annual ‘Lighting of the Christmas Tree’ event which marks the beginning of a specific fundraising drive for the Northern Ireland Assembly charity of the year, Air Ambulance. Music was provided by Ballyholme Primary school.

26 November 2025 – Women’s Aid Event

The Speaker hosted an event in the Long Gallery of Parliament Buildings to mark the international day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

20 January 2026 - Ulster Scots and Robert Burns Event

The Speaker hosted an event in the Great Hall to mark ‘Burns night’ and Ulster Scots culture and heritage. Entertainment was provided by Opera Singer Rebecca Murphy, who sang songs written by Robert Burns and James MacMillen. The Ulster Scots Society provided an exhibition. 

5 February 2026 - Chinese Lunar New Year Reception

The Speaker gave an opening address at the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year with the Chinese community. The event was hosted at the Chinese Consulate in Belfast.

18 February 2026 – Commonwealth Women’s Parliament

The Speaker welcomed representatives from across the British Islands and Mediterranean region for a their conference held in Parliament Buildings. The Speaker made opening remarks and chaired a parliamentary session in the Assembly Chamber.

20 February 2026 – Historical and Institutional Abuse Memorial Event

The Speaker gave opening remarks at an event which unveiled a memorial plaque which was erected in the reception area of Parliament Buildings. The plaque remembers those victims of Historical and Institutional Abuse.

3 March 2026 - Irish Language – Seachtain na Gaelige

The Speaker hosted an event to mark Seachtain na Gaelige (Irish Language Week) at which pupils from Scoil na Seolta, an Irish language nursery and primary school entertained guests with music and poems in Irish. The event also heard an address by Seachtain na Gaelige President Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin.

9 March 2026 - National Day of Reflection

Remembering all those in Northern Ireland who died as a result of Covid 19, the Speaker held a minute’s silence in the Great Hall as part of the National Day of reflection.

1 (g) Education Service

The role of the Assembly’s Education Programme is broadly to support young people’s understanding of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the democratic process.

During the reporting period, the Education Service (ES) delivered a programme of visits in Parliament Buildings and online sessions. A range of groups participated, including schools from all sectors (primary, secondary, maintained and controlled, voluntary grammar, special, integrated and Irish medium, universities, general youth groups and teachers).

In total, the programme was delivered to 229 groups and 7,362 participants. School groups account for 72.49% of groups. See Table 4 for breakdown.

Irish Medium Schools

The Education Service continues to offer its regular programme through the medium of Irish and to develop online educational support for Irish Medium schools. Two Irish Medium groups availed of this service during the reporting period. The primary and years 8-10 sections of the Education Service website are available in Irish.

Additional Needs

During this reporting period 15 Special Educational Needs (SEN) school groups took part in the education programme in Parliament Buildings.

On 16 October 2025, the Education Service assisted the Committee for Communities with a consultation event (on the Sign Language Bill) for deaf children, children with deaf parents and teachers of deaf children.

On Friday 6 June 2025, the Education Service held a Professional Learning Event, attended by 11 teachers from Special Schools and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) units in mainstream schools. A senior teacher from Clifton Special School (North Down) was invited to design and present a lesson plan suitable for the SEND classroom.

Adaptions have been made to the content of the education programme and school groups visiting Parliament Buildings can now be hosted in a room on the ground floor. Teachers are contacted in advance to make sure the programme is shaped to the needs to the group.

SEN group participants all receive a sensory model of Parliament Buildings, and a post-visit work booklet and colouring book, as appropriate.

An accessibility video on the Education Service website shows young people what to expect from a visit, and a new feature was added to animations to allow them to be slowed down. New explainer animations are signed and subtitled, with transcripts. A new poster was produced in 2025 for school classrooms, on the roles of the Assembly and Executive.

1 (h) Engagement & Outreach

The Participation and Outreach Team works to create meaningful opportunities for the public to connect with the work of the Northern Ireland Assembly. A key focus of this work is building relationships and widening participation, particularly among marginalised, disadvantaged and underrepresented communities. The team provides accessible opportunities for people to learn about, engage with and participate in the work of the Assembly.

During the reporting period, the team delivered 53 workshops to 1,230 participants. These free programmes provided information, training and support to a diverse range of groups, including organisations working with disabled people, older people, women, refugees and asylum seekers.

To further extend its reach, the team developed a strategic outreach plan focused on seldom-heard and underrepresented groups. This ongoing work supports stronger community connections through outreach sessions delivered both across Northern Ireland constituencies and at Parliament Buildings. The team continues to work with organisations representing Section 75 groups to support inclusive and meaningful participation.

Over the past year, the team has also led and supported a number of key initiatives, including the Disabled People’s Parliament, Family Fun Open Days at Parliament Buildings, the Assembly’s public engagement activities at the Balmoral Show and Belfast Mela, and an event celebrating the Polish community in Northern Ireland.

The team also continued to support Assembly Committees to engage and consult with the public as part of their scrutiny and legislative work. This included supporting a series of engagement events linked to the Sign Language Bill, helping to ensure that the views and experiences of relevant communities were reflected in the Assembly’s work.

1 (i) Communications Office

The Communications Office is responsible for providing information about the work of the Northern Ireland Assembly to the public and key stakeholders. The team supports a central objective within the Assembly’s Corporate Strategy, which is ensuring the public understand and value the role of the Assembly and are engaged in its work.

A significant proportion of this activity is delivered through social media and web publishing. During the reporting period, the team has been focussed on improving the quality and descriptiveness of Alt Text on social media images.

However, the current front-end design of the Assembly website does not fully meet accessibility requirements, and the volume of historical content further compounds this challenge. An external end-user review conducted during the previous reporting period is now guiding the development of a new website, which forms part of a three-year project. In parallel, web publishing training continues to be delivered regularly, with guidance on accessibility also available via the intranet.

The passage of the Sign Language Bill has provided a strong example of considering the needs of the deaf community through accessible communication. One example through our Broadcast provider was ensuring live signed evidence was possible through live interpreting along with post meeting interpreting where appropriate.

Diversity and multicultural events held at Parliament Buildings continue to be highlighted across Assembly social media channels, supporting the corporate objective of promoting Parliament Buildings as an inclusive and welcoming space for all. The Communications Office also plays a key role in supporting the Speaker’s Office by promoting and publicising events hosted by the Speaker, many of which reflect the diversity of the community served.

The team has also actively promoted the sittings of community parliaments—including those for older people, younger people, disabled people, and women—through press releases and social media content, reinforcing the Assembly’s connection with citizens and voters.

1 (j) Northern Ireland Youth Assembly

The Youth Assembly was established to perform three functions:

• to engage with the work of the Northern Ireland Assembly, specifically with Assembly Committees on legislation and inquiries relevant to young people;
• to undertake project work generated by the three Youth Assembly committees; and
• to enable consultation with government Departments and to participate in youth voice projects.

The Youth Assembly was established in June 2021, comprising 90 members aged between 13 and 17 years old, appointed for a two-year period. The second mandate ran from October 2023 to October 2025 and the third cohort began their mandate in November 2025.

To achieve a balanced and representative membership, the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission’s Research and Information Service (RaISe) produce a demographic profile of the youth population within the school years of 9-12 in Northern Ireland.

The recruitment process (September to November 2025) resulted in a fully inclusive and representative cohort of Members which met or exceeded RaISe targets (see table 5 below).

Table 5 – Section 75 Data for Youth Assembly Recruited October 2025

The Youth Assembly team has continued to support Youth Assembly Members at face to face meetings and events and by providing a robust training programme to develop the capacity of the young people.

In the period April 2025 to March 2026, Youth Assembly Members attended a wide range of meetings and events. These included 2 plenaries in the Assembly Chamber, 15 Youth Assembly committee meetings,14 meetings with Assembly Committees to give evidence on Bills, attended consultation events and presented research projects, 17 meetings/events with external organisations and government departments, and 5 training events.

Youth Assembly activities during the period of the Annual Progress Report are set out below at Appendix 1.

2. Please provide examples of outcomes and/or the impact of equality action plans/ measures in 2025-26 (or append the plan with progress/examples identified).

a)    The Good Relations Action Plan 2022-2025 Closure Report is available on the Assembly website   here .

b)    The Good Relations Action Plan 2025-2030 is available here .

c)    A 5-year review of the Disability Action Plan is available on the Assembly website here .

d)    The Disability Action Plan 2025-2030 is available here .

e)    The Audit of Inequalities Action Plan 2022-2026 Closure Report is available on the Assembly website here .

3. Has the application of the Equality Scheme commitments resulted in any changes to policy, practice, procedures and/or service delivery areas during the 2025-26 reporting period? (tick one box only)

Yes   No (go to Q.4)   x Not Applicable (go to Q.4)

Please provide any details and examples: see 3a below

3a With regard to the change(s) made to policies, practices or procedures and/or service delivery areas, what difference was made, or will be made, for individuals, i.e. the impact on those according to Section 75 category? 

Please provide any details and examples: Not applicable

3b What aspect of the Equality Scheme prompted or led to the change(s)? (tick all that apply)

As a result of the organisation’s screening of a policy (please give details):

As a result of what was identified through the EQIA and consultation exercise (please give details):

As a result of analysis from monitoring the impact (please give details):

As a result of changes to access to information and services (please specify and give details) 

x Other (please specify and give details) : Not applicable.

Section 2:  Progress on Equality Scheme commitments and action plans/measures

Arrangements for assessing compliance (Model Equality Scheme Chapter 2)

4. Were the Section 75 statutory duties integrated within job descriptions during the 2025-26 reporting period? (tick one box only)

x Yes, organisation wide

Yes, some departments/jobs

No, this is not an Equality Scheme commitment

No, this is scheduled for later in the Equality Scheme, or has already been done

Not applicable

Please provide any details and examples:

Job descriptions within the Assembly Commission are generic in nature and may not make specific reference to Section 75. However, the list of duties reflects compliance with the Assembly Commission policies which inherently include Section 75 duties.

5. Were the Section 75 statutory duties integrated within performance plans during the 2025-26 reporting period? (tick one box only)

x Yes, organisation wide

Yes, some departments/jobs

No, this is not an Equality Scheme commitment

No, this is scheduled for later in the Equality Scheme, or has already been done

Not applicable

Please provide any details and examples:

The approach to performance management assesses performance in relation to the work carried out by staff and also in relation to the Assembly Commission’s Skills and Behaviours Framework. Within the context of the Framework, staff are required to promote the values of excellence, positivity, integrity and collaboration as set out in the Corporate Strategy 2023-2028.

6. In the 2025-26 reporting period were objectives/ targets/ performance measures relating to the Section 75 statutory duties integrated into corporate plans, strategic planning and/or operational business plans? (tick all that apply)

Yes, through the work to prepare or develop the new corporate plan

x Yes, through organisation wide annual business planning

Yes, in some departments/jobs

No, these are already mainstreamed through the organisation’s ongoing corporate plan

No, the organisation’s planning cycle does not coincide with this report

Not applicable

Please provide any details and examples:

The Corporate Strategy for 2023-2028 commits staff to demonstrate the values of excellence, positivity, integrity and collaboration.

The Assembly Commission also has a Behaviour Code in place which reminds those working in or visiting Parliament Buildings on how they should be treated and how they should treat others. Six behaviours are promoted: 

1. Show respect to and value everyone. Bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct will not be tolerated;
2. Be aware of your power, influence and authority and don’t abuse them;
3. Think about how your behavior affects others and always strive to understand their perspective;
4. Act professionally towards others;
5. Speak up about any unacceptable behaviour that you experience; and
6. Display the highest ethical standards of integrity, courtesy and mutual respect.

Equality action plans/measures (Audit of Inequalities Action Plan)

7. Within the 2025-26 reporting period, please indicate the number of:

Actions completed: 8

Actions Ongoing: 0

8. Please give details of changes or amendments made to the equality action plan/measures during the 2025-26 reporting period (points not identified in an appended plan) :

None.

9. In reviewing progress on the equality action plan/action measures during the 2025-26 reporting period, the following have been identified: (tick all that apply)

x Continuing action(s), to progress the next stage addressing the known inequality

Action(s) to address the known inequality in a different way

Action(s) to address newly identified inequalities/recently prioritised inequalities

Measures to address a prioritised inequality have been completed

Arrangements for consulting (Model Equality Scheme Chapter 3)

10. Following the initial notification of consultations, a targeted approach was taken – and consultation with those for whom the issue was of particular relevance: (tick one box only)

x All the time

Sometimes

Never

11. Please provide any details and examples of good practice in consultation during the 2025-26 reporting period, on matters relevant (e.g. the development of a policy that has been screened in) to the need to promote equality of opportunity and/or the desirability of promoting good relations:

The Assembly Commission carried out public consultations on its draft Disability Action Plan 2025-2030 and draft Good Relations Action Plan 2025-2030 between 11 November 2024 and 17 February 2025. As part of the consultation process Easy Read versions of the draft Disability Action Plan were produced and Irish Sign language (ISL) and British Sign Language (BSL) signed videos were produced and placed on the Assembly website to direct the public to the consultation. The results of the consultations were incorporated into the  Disability and Good Relations Action Plans 2025-2030.

The Engagement Office aims to create opportunities for people to engage with the work of the Assembly.The focus is on building connections and reaching out to the public, particularly to marginalised and disadvantaged groups, and to provide opportunities to learn, engage, and participate in the work of the Assembly. The Engagement Office has provided free training programmes, information and support to a wide range of section 75 groups, including organisations that support people with disabilities, older people, women, and refugees and asylum seekers. 

12. In the 2025-26 reporting period, given the consultation methods offered, which consultation methods were most frequently used by consultees : (tick all that apply)

x Face to face meetings

Focus groups

x Written documents with the opportunity to comment in writing

x Questionnaires

x Information/notification by email with an opportunity to opt in/out of the consulation

x Internet discussions

Telephone consultations

Other (please specify)

Please provide any details or examples of the uptake of these methods of consultation in relation to the consultees’ membership of particular Section 75 categories:

Q11 above refers.

13. Were any awareness-raising activities for consultees undertaken, on the commitments in the Equality Scheme, during the 2025-26 reporting period? (tick one box only)

x Yes   No   Not applicable

14. Was the consultation list reviewed during the 2025-26 reporting period? (tick one box only)

x Yes    No   Not applicable - no commitment to review

Arrangements for assessing and consulting on the likely impact of policies (Model Equality Scheme Chapter 4)

Please see relevant links below:

http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/about-the-assembly/corporate-information/publications/equality-screening-and-equality-impact-assessments-eqias/

http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/about-the-assembly/corporate-information/policies/equality-policies/

15. Please provide the number of policies screened during the year ( as recorded in screening reports ):

1

16. Please provide the number of assessments that were consulted upon during 2025-26:

1 Policy consultations conducted with screening assessment presented.

Policy consultations conducted with an equality impact assessment (EQIA) presented.

Consultations for an EQIA alone.

17.  Please provide details of the main consultations conducted on an assessment (as described above) or other matters relevant to the Section 75 duties:

Consultation was noted as related to one equality screening form for the reporting period. No issues were raised as regards differential impact on the section 75 categories. The policy consultation was as follows:

Performance and Wellbeing Framework and can be found here .

18. Were any screening decisions (or equivalent initial assessments of relevance) reviewed following concerns raised by consultees? (tick one box only)

Yes   

x No concerns were raised   

No   

Not applicable

Please provide any details and examples:

Arrangements for publishing the results of assessments (Model Equality Scheme Chapter 4)

19. Following decisions on a policy, were the results of any EQIAs published during the 2025-26 reporting period? (tick one box only)

Yes

No

x Not applicable

Please provide any details and examples:

Arrangements for monitoring and publishing the results of monitoring (Model Equality Scheme Chapter 4)

20. From the Equality Scheme monitoring arrangements, was there an audit of existing information systems during the 2025-26 reporting period? (tick one box only)

Yes

x No, already taken place

No, scheduled to take place at a later date

Not applicable

Please provide any details:

21. In analysing monitoring information gathered, was any action taken to change/review any policies? (tick one box only)

Yes

x No

Not applicable

Please provide any details and examples:

22. Please provide any details or examples of where the monitoring of policies, during the 2025-26 reporting period, has shown changes to differential/adverse impacts previously assessed:

Not applicable

23. Please provide any details or examples of monitoring that has contributed to the availability of equality and good relations information/data for service delivery planning or policy development:

Monitoring arrangements are built into our equality action plans. For example, six-monthly progress updates on the Disability Action Plan, Audit of Inequalities and the Good Relations Action Plan are provided to SMT. Monitoring is also carried out informally on an on-going basis. In addition, information arising from monitoring is considered when reviewing service delivery, existing action plans and when developing policies.

Staff Training (Model Equality Scheme Chapter 5)

24. Please report on the activities from the training plan/programme (section 5.4 of the Model Equality Scheme) undertaken during 2025-26, and the extent to which they met the training objectives in the Equality Scheme.

As part of the on-boarding process within the NI Assembly, all staff are required to complete a range of compliance eLearning courses, several of which relate to section 75 categories.  Table 1 summarises course completions during the current reporting period. Each course has an associated refresher cycle; therefore, staff are only required to complete the course on entry and then once every two years thereafter:

eLearning Courses

 In addition, in line with several National Campaigns, the Organisational Development and Learning team at the Northern Ireland Assembly are working collaboratively with the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, the Oireachtas, House of Commons and the House of Lords to offer a range of virtual learning opportunities for staff including those offered during this reporting year, namely: 

National Inclusion Week 2025 

To mark National Inclusion Month and Black History Month in September - October 2025, we hosted a series of informative and engaging sessions with our interparliamentary colleagues celebrating diversity, equity and belonging across our institutions.

 National Inclusion Week 2025 / Black History Month Events

 LGBTQ+ History Month 2026

To mark LGBTQ+ History Month across February 2026, we hosted a series of informative and engaging sessions with our interparliamentary colleagues, designed to build understanding, reflect on lived experiences and strengthen inclusion and allyship

LGBTQ+ History Month 2026

During the reporting period work commenced on the development of new online training modules for staff on the section 75 and disability duties. This forms part of the Assembly Commission’s ongoing commitment to raising staff awareness and understanding of statutory equality obligations.

25. Please provide any examples of relevant training shown to have worked well, in that participants have achieved the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve the stated objectives.

The Organisational Development and Learning Team has observed higher levels of engagement in bite-sized learning activities. As a result, the short Lunch & Learn format adopted through interparliamentary events has proven to be a positive and effective development for the team.

Utilising Survey Monkey as an evaluation tool, feedback on Learning at Work Week and Black History month 2025 was generally positive, with many praising the presenters’ expertise and the relevance of content. Several valued the inter-parliamentary event formats and networking opportunities, though some felt certain sessions could be more engaging or better tailored to diverse experience levels. A few noted preferences for workshop formats over presentations and mentioned technical quality in online sessions. Overall, participants appreciated the variety and delivery, with some suggestions for broader inclusion and deeper engagement in future events.

Feedback on National Inclusion month highlighted the value of hearing lived experiences and using multiple sessions to cover equality themes from different perspectives.

26. Please list any examples of where monitoring during 2025-26, across all functions, has resulted in action and improvement in relation to access to information and services :

 Examples regarding access to information and services are provided below:

During the reporting period, the Education Service delivered a programme of visits in Parliament Buildings and online sessions. A range of groups participated, including schools from all sectors, universities, general youth groups and teachers. The Engagement Office provided free training programmes, information and support to a wide range of section 75 groups, including organisations that support people with disabilities, older people, women, and refugees and asylum seekers. 

The Engagement Office’s 3-year plan to reach more seldom-heard and underrepresented groups focuses on building relationships with communities. The team works with organisations and groups that support and represent section 75 groups to understand more about their requirements and how effective opportunities for engagement can be developed and created.

Complaints (Model Equality Scheme Chapter 8)

27. How many complaints in relation to the Equality Scheme have been received during 2025-26?

Insert number here: 0

Please provide any details of each complaint raised and outcome:

Section 3: Looking Forward

28. Please indicate when the Equality Scheme is due for review:

The approved Equality Scheme 2022-2026 remains in place and may be found here . The Equality Scheme has been reviewed for the 2026-2031 period and will be published once the  Audit of Inequalities Action Plan for the same period has been subject to public consultation. This will take place during the next reporting period (2026-2027).

29. Are there areas of the Equality Scheme arrangements (screening/consultation/training) your organisation anticipates will be focused upon in the next reporting period? (please provide details)

During the next reporting period we will continue to implement the actions in our Disability and Good Relations Action Plans 2025-2030 and conduct a public consultation on our Audit of Inequalities Action Plan 2026-2031. Areas on which we will focus over the next reporting period will also include:

• • establishment of the external Ethnic Minority Stakeholder group and hold a series of cultural events with minority ethnic groups.
  • delivery of web publishing training to ensure that staff are aware of the latest accessibility guidance and understand how to use it.
  • development of a visitor survey to gain a better understanding of the experience of visitors.

30. In relation to the advice and services that the Assembly Commission offers, what equality and good relations priorities are anticipated over the next (2026-27) reporting period? (please tick any that apply)

Employment

Goods, facilities and services

Legislative changes

Organisational changes/ new functions

x Nothing specific, more of the same

Other (please state):

PART B - Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended) and Disability Action Plans

The Disability Action Plan 2025-2030 is provided at Part B and may be found here .  

PART B - Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended) and Disability Action Plans

1. Number of action measures for this reporting period that have been: ( 23 action measures in total)

Fully achieved: 19

Partially achieved: 1

Not achieved: 2

Not due yet: 1

2. Please outline below details on all actions that have been fully achieved, partly achieved, not achieved, not due yet in the reporting period.

Aim 1: Promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people

Corporate Strategy 2023-2028 High Level Objective: Promote a learning environment to support staff in their careers

Area: Staff Training

Corporate Strategy 2023-2028 High Level Objectives:

1. Make the work of the Assembly more accessible
2. Develop and implement a strategy for communicating the impact of the Assembly

Area: Communication and Feedback

 Corporate Strategy 2023-2028 High Level Objectives:

1. Develop and implement a public engagement strategy
2. Create more opportunities to engage with Committees

Area:  Engagement and Participation.

Corporate Strategy 2023-2028 High Level Objective: Make the work of the Assembly more accessible

Area: Awards, Accreditations and Standards

Aim 2: Encouraging the participation of disabled people in public life

Corporate Strategy 2023-2028 High Level Objectives:

1. Develop and implement a public engagement strategy
2. Create opportunities to build networks and teams

Area: Representation

Monitoring and Reporting

5. What monitoring tools have been put in place to evaluate the degree to which actions have been effective / develop new opportunities for action?

(a) Qualitative

Use of questionnaires, interviews, action plan review and feedback systems.

(b) Quantitative

Screening and EQIA processes.

6. As a result of monitoring progress against actions has your organisation either:

• • made any revisions to your plan during the reporting period or
  • taken any additional steps to meet the disability duties which were not outlined in your original disability action plan / any other changes?

No.

7. Do you intend to make any further revisions to your plan in light of your organisation’s annual review of the plan?  If so, please outline proposed changes?

No

Appendix 1

Youth Assembly activities during the period of the Annual Progress Report are set out below.

[1] MO: Measurable Output

[2] SEND refers to Special Educational Needs and Disability.

[3] The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations .

[4] Content Management System.

[5] SEN refers to Special Educational Needs