Committee for Communities

Minutes of Proceedings - Thursday 24 September 2026

Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings

Present:

Mr Colm Gildernew MLA (Chairperson)

Ms Nicola Brogan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Andy Allen MBE MLA

Mrs Kellie Armstrong MLA

Mr Paul Boggs MLA (via Zoom)

Mrs Pam Cameron MLA

Mr Mark Durkan MLA (via Zoom)

Mrs Sian Mulholland MLA

In Attendance:

Mrs Emer Boyle (Assembly Clerk)

Mrs Victoria Bourquin (Assistant Clerk)

Mr Chris McAfee (Clerical Supervisor)

Ms Katie Egan (Clerical Officer)

Ms Patrice Morris (Senior Assistant Clerk)

Ms Kathryn Black (Senior Assistant Clerk)

The meeting commenced in public session at 10.00 a.m.

1. Declarations of Interest

The following interests were declared:

• Colm Gildernew - Member’s Bill on mitigating the threat of homelessness, Charity Trustee, Private Sector Landlord.
• Andy Allen – Charity Trustee, Private Sector Landlord, Trade Union Member.
• Kellie Armstrong – Member of NILGOSC Pension Scheme.
• Paul Boggs – Member of NILGOSC Pension Scheme, Member on the Committee for Infrastructure.
• Pam Cameron – Former Junior Minister with sight of Executive and cross-departmental policy, strategy and legislation.
• Sian Mulholland – Member of NILGOSC Pension Scheme.

2. Apologies

Mr Maurice Bradley MLA.

3. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson advised that following Committee agreement at the meeting on 10 September, he and the Deputy Chairperson attended an informal meeting on 21 September 2026 with the Permanent Secretary to raise Members’ concerns on behalf of the Committee, a summary of which was circulated in Tabled Papers.

The Chairperson then raised concern and disappointment in the manner of which Committee Members had been invited by the Department, to attend an event celebrating the commencement of the Sign Language Act.

The Chairperson then advised Members that he had been made aware of issues constituents were having in relation the application process of the Home Heating Oil Scheme. He then proposed that the Committee write to the Department to highlight particular issues that the public were experiencing and bringing to their attention.

Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Department to highlight the following:

• Communications plans to families with children with an entitlement to an eligible benefit;
• The need for a dedicated phone line for elected representatives;
• Accessibility issues for online applications and the use of QR codes; and
• That the FAQ section is continually updated as ongoing issues are identified throughout the process

Finally, the Chairperson reminded Members that the Committee meeting on 1 October would take place in Ulster Rugby, Affidea Stadium. The Chairperson further informed Members that there would be no capacity for the provision of remote links for that external meeting.

4. Draft Minutes

The Chairperson informed Members that they had been provided with a copy of draft minutes from the Committee meeting on 17 September 2026.

Agreed: That the minutes are agreed as drafted.

The Chairperson advised Members that the Department had requested that three officials remain in the public gallery for the next agenda item taking place in closed session.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Department’s officials may remain in the public gallery throughout the closed session.

The Chairperson then informed Members that the next agenda item would take place in closed session to allow the Department to brief the Committee on updated work ongoing in relation to the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to move into closed session to receive the briefing.

The meeting moved into closed session at 10.11a.m.

5. Anti-Poverty Strategy Update: Oral briefing from Department

The Chairperson welcomed the following Departmental Officials to the meeting:

• Grainia Long, Permanent Secretary (via Zoom)
• Iain Greenway, Acting Deputy Secretary of Engaged Communities Group
• Linsey Farrell, Deputy Secretary Operational Delivery Group

A question-and-answer session followed the briefing and the main areas of discussion were:

• Changes made following consultation responses
• Timeline for publication and Executive approval
• Public consultation on revised Strategy
• Financial assistance to delivery partners delivering their own actions
• Discrepancies in dates as reported in Department Business Plan
• Anti-Poverty Coalition involvement
• Measures and Targets
• Cross-Departmental resources and commitment
• Role of Housing in Strategy
• Governance Models
• Data and Research
• Lifecycle and Co-Design
• Bids and joint Bids (by Department(s)) for financial funding

The Chairperson proposed that the meeting move back into public session to continue with the remainder of the agenda.

The meeting resumed in open session at 11.14 a.m. with all Members present.

Agreed: That a letter is sent to all Departments to ask for the detail of each of their financial bids in relation to planned actions associated with the re-developed Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Agreed: That a briefing on the work ongoing to update the Draft Anti-Poverty Strategy is scheduled for a future meeting, in public session.

6. Charities (Amendment) Bill: Oral evidence from Charities Commission Northern Ireland (CCNI)

The Chairperson welcomed the following Officials to the meeting:

• Frances McCandless, Chief Executive, Charities Commission Northern Ireland
• Ainslie McMullan, Head of Legal Services, Charities Commission Northern Ireland
• Fiona Muldoon, Monitoring and Compliance Manager, Charities Commission Northern Ireland

A question-and-answer session followed the briefing and the main areas of discussion were:

• Minimal additional resources
• Dispensation
• 4 week consultation
• Benefit to smaller charities
• Relationship with Charities around Ireland
• Costings
• Legal implications of lack of resources
• England and Wales definition within the draft Bill
• Powers to remove employees and safeguards
• Removal of asset threshold
• Rationale for use of the term “office holder”
• Official Warnings, Warning Powers and Publication of Warnings
• Contact details for all Charity Trustees and Communication

Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Department to ask:

• For clarification on which provisions of the Bill apply to Designated Religious Charities and those provisions from which they are exempt;
• How the Department has addressed concerns raised about CCNI's capacity to take on the additional responsibilities arising from the Bill; and
• That given the uncertainty surrounding the meaning of "office-holder" and the ongoing High Court proceedings, that the Department provides an explanation as to why the Bill does not seek to clarify interpretation in relation to this term or adopt the England and Wales terminology.

Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Charities Commission Northern Ireland to ask:

• For further information on CCNI's capacity to implement the additional powers and responsibilities introduced by the Bill; and
• For additional details on how CCNI uses artificial intelligence to support the assessment of charity accounts, including the governance, oversight and safeguards in place to ensure its appropriate use.

Agreed: That contact is made with the High Court in relation to a prospective date for a decision on the definition of “office-holder”.

7. Charities (Amendment) Bill: Oral evidence from NICVA

The Chairperson welcomed the following Officials to the meeting:

• Denise Copeland, Governance & Charity Advice Manager, NICVA
• Donna Semple - Governance and Charity Advice Officer, NICVA

A question-and-answer session followed the briefing and the main areas of discussion were:

• Temporary Breach - £250,000 threshold
• Disqualification of Employees
• Publication of Official Warnings
• Exemption for Religious Charities and the rationale 
• Disapplication for small charities

Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Department to ask:

• The Department to provide further information on what a stepped approach would involve in practice and how it would operate and to clarify  how this would interact with employment law; and
• For clarification in terms of why the wording “may” is used as opposed to “chose to”.

Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Charities Commission of Northern Ireland to ask:

• For further information around what a ‘stepped approach’ would involve in practice; and
• To provide examples of circumstances in which official warnings have been published and indicate where that information is published to.

8. Charities (Amendment) Bill: Oral evidence from the Fundraising Regulator

The Chairperson welcomed the following witnesses to the meeting (via Zoom):

• Gerald Oppenheim, Chief Executive, Fundraising Regulator
• Lisa Caldwell, NI Board Member, Fundraising Regulator
• Paul Winyard, Director of Policy, Fundraising Regulator
• Gráinne Mathews, Stakeholder and Policy Manager – NI, Fundraising Regulator

A question-and-answer session followed the briefing and the main areas of discussion were:

• Clause 2 and examples of data sharing
• Appropriate Reporting Measures
• Official Warnings and Reputational Impact
• Disapplication for smaller charities, e.g. asset register
• Regulatory Tools for NI

9. Housing (Amendment) Bill: Agreement of Committee stage arrangements

As the Chairperson is the sponsor of this Bill, the Deputy Chairperson, Nicola Brogan MLA, assumed the Chair for this item.

The Deputy Chairperson informed Members that Housing (Amendment) Bill passed second stage and has now been referred to the Committee for Scrutiny.

The Deputy Chairperson reminded Members that a forecast timetable had been considered on 2 July 2026 to facilitate an early Call for views, which had closed on 3 September 2026 and that a revised and updated timeline was included for Members consideration.

Agreed: That the Committee is content to agree the revised Committee Stage plan and timeframe.

Agreed: That the Draft Motion to extend Committee Stage is approved.

Agreed: That the Bill is referred to all Statutory Committees for review and comment.

Agreed: That the relevant Stakeholders identified are scheduled to brief the Committee, at a future meeting on aspects of the Bill.

The Chairperson resumed the Chair at 12.31 p.m.

10. Retention and Disposal Schedule - Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry

The Chairperson reminded Members that the Committee that the considered the Retention and Disposal Schedule on 10 September 2026 and agreed to ask the Committee for Health and PRONI for further information.

Agreed: That the Committee is now content to approve the schedule.

11. End of Session Report - Consideration of End of Session Report 2025/26

The Chairperson reminded Members that the Committee deferred consideration of the report and had now been provided with a draft copy of the report for review and consideration.

Agreed: That the Committee’s End of Session Report 2025/26 is published, subject to a minor amendment.

12. SL1 - The Social Security (Income and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

The Chairperson reminded Members that the SL1 was received on 16 September 2026 and a revised SL1 was received on 21 September and provided Members with an overview of the SL1.

The Chairperson advised the Committee thatthe Minister for Communities had requested that the Committee consider the proposed statutory rule within a shortened timeframe .

The Chairperson further advised that a draft SR and Explanatory Memorandum had not yet been received.

Agreed: That the Committee consider the proposed statutory rule within the shortened timeframe, and that:

• The Social Security (Income and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 would be considered at the Committee Meeting on 8 October 2026.

The Chairperson reminded Members that a shortened timeframe does not preclude the committee from issuing a call for views.

The Chairperson then informed Members that:

• The Committee team will issue a call for views on the SL1 using the standard survey on Citizen Space from 24 September 2026;
• The SL1, and any relevant papers from the Department will be published on the Committee website and notified to relevant stakeholders, where appropriate; and
• The Committee will next consider this SL1 on 8 October 2026 alongside a summary of any comments and feedback received via Citizen Space .

Finally, the Chairperson informed Members that:

• The Department intends to lay the rule as soon as possible, after Westminster lay the corresponding SI on 9 October 2026.

Agreed : That the Committee is content to publish the Citizen Space call for views, publish the Departmental documents in relation to this SL1, and notify  relevant stakeholders as appropriate.

Agreed : That the Committee will next consider this SL1 on 8 October 2026 alongside a summary of any comments and feedback received via Citizen Space .

Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Department to request that, when the relevant Statutory Instrument is laid in Westminster, that DWP clarify how  the benefits will remain identifiable across the wide benefits payment system.

13. Matters Arising

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council - Rural Affairs Research

Agreed: That the response is forwarded to all Statutory Committees.

Agreed: That Fermanagh and Omagh District Council are scheduled to brief the Committee at a future meeting.

Committee for Communities - Response to Committee for the Economy on the Renewable Electricity Generation Bill

Agreed: That the response is submitted to theCommittee for the Economy.

14. Correspondence

Ulster University – National Data Sharing Strategy

Agreed: That the requested information on the correspondence relating to the National Data Sharing Strategy is released to the Ulster University.

Co-Ownership – Request to brief Committee on Property Value Limit for New Build Homes

Agreed: That the correspondence is forwarded to the Committee for Infrastructure, for information.

Agreed: That all Local Councils are asked to provide a written update on their Local Development Plans.

Wastewater Infrastructure Group - NI Wastewater Report - September 2026

Agreed: That an oral briefing is scheduled for a future meeting, and that the Clerk explores options for Committee consideration for a possible concurrent meeting with the Committee for Infrastructure in relation to this issue.

Department for Economy - Charities (Amendment) Bill – attached response to CfVs; and

Committee for The Executive Office - Charities (Amendment) Bill – nil response; and

Committee for Education - Charities (Amendment) Bill– nil response; and

Committee for Education - Conversion Practices (criminalisation) – nil response; and

Committee for Education - Housing Amendment Bill – nil response; and

Individual - Charities Amendment Bill - Mourne Gospel Fellowship; and

General Medical Council - Submission to call for evidence on Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill Final

Agreed: That each response is added to its relevant bill folder, collated with other responses to the relevant bill and returned to the Committee for consideration during committee stage scrutiny of each Bill.

The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:

The Committee noted the following items of tabled correspondence:

15. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted a copy of the Forward Work Programme.

16. Any other business

There was no other business.

17. Date, time and location of the next meeting

The next meeting is at 10.00 a.m. on Thursday 01 October 2026, in Ulster Rugby, Affidea Stadium.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.51p.m.

Colm Gildernew MLA

Chairperson, Committee for Communities