Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

The Committee pictured shortly before the start of a meeting in room 21, Parliament Buildings.

From left to right: Patsy McGlone MLA, Michelle McIlveen MLA, Gillian Barker, Assistant Committee Clerk, Robbie Butler MLA (Chairperson), Declan McAleer MLA (Deputy Chairperson), Dr Janice Thompson, Committee Clerk, Áine Murphy MLA, John Blair, MLA

Latest News

The next meeting of the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will take place on Thursday 10 April 2025 at 10:00am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings

The Committee will have a briefings from:

  • Ministerial evidence session - Consideration of DAERA Corporate Plan 2025-27 and update on current issues
  • Agriculture Bill - Committee Deliberations (Clause by Clause)
  • SL1 - The Farming with Nature Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025

 

Details of upcoming meetings and agendas can be found on the Business Diary.

Interested in the future work of the Committee? View our Forward Work Programme.

 

Thursday 27 March 2025

The Committee held its weekly meeting at AFBI. Hillsborough. Members were briefed by AFBI, following the briefing a tour of the facility occured. Picture below are some Members of the Committee at AFBI.

 

Thursday 13th February 2025

The Committee held its weekly meeting at the RSPB Window on Wildlife, Belfast. Members were briefed by the RSPB NI followed by a tour. Picture below are some Members of the Committee at the Window on Wildlife.

 

 

Thursday 17th October 2024
The Committee held its weekly meeting at Mount Stewart. Members were briefed by the National Trust followed by a tour of the Estate.Picture below are the some Members of the Committee at Mount Stewart.

 

 

Thursday 27th June 2024
The Committee held its weekly meeting at the Nautilus Centre in Kilkee. Members were briefed by Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation (ANIFPO) & The Northern Ireland Fish Producers’ Organisation Ltd (NIFPO) on the issues and challenges being felt in the fishing sector.
 
Picture below are the Members of the Committee at Kilkeel Harbour.

Committee Membership

The current Committee membership is:

 

View previous membership changes.

View Member attendance at Committee meetings.

Quick Links

Agriculture Bill

The Agriculture Bill was introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly by the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on 25 November 2024.

On completion of its Second Stage it was referred to the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for consideration.

As part of the Committee Stage the Committee issued a 'call for evidence' inviting people to have their say on the Bill. This was in the form of an online survey. The deadline for submissions expired on 14 February 2025.

The Committee is now considering the evidence received and will continue with its scrutiny of the Bill

Contact the Committee

Committee Clerk: Dr. Janice Thompson

Room 285, Parliament Buildings, 
Ballymiscaw,Stormont, 
Belfast, BT4 3XX 

Tel: (028) 90 521369
Email: Committee.AgriEnvRural@niassembly.gov.uk

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