Committee for The Executive Office
Minutes of Proceedings - Wednesday 18 February 2026
Meeting Location: Room 30, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Ms Paula Bradshaw MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Phillip Brett MLA
Mrs Pam Cameron MLA
Mr Timothy Gaston MLA
Ms Áine Murphy MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
Online:
Mr Stewart Dickson MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Sinéad McLauglin MLA
Apologies:
Ms Claire Sugden MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Nick Mitford (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Sarah-Anne McKinley (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Neil Porter (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced at 2.00pm in public session.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Declarations of Interest
Phillip Brett declared an interest regarding item 4 on the agenda advising that a family member is a former employee of WAVE Trauma Centre and another family member currently a current employee for SEFF. Phillip Brett also declared an interest in relation to WAVE Trauma Centre and Bridge of Hope, as both organisations are located within his constituency.
Carál Ní Chuilín declared an interest regarding item 4 on the agenda advising that WAVE Trauma Centre and Bridge of Hope, as both organisations are located within her constituency.
3. Chairperson’s Business
3.1 Interim Chair of Victims and Survivors Consultative Forum
The Chairperson advised Members that the Interim Chair of the Victims' and Survivors' Consultative Forum had emailed her in relation to the work of the Forum.
The Chairperson advised Members that following receipt of this correspondence, that they and the Clerk held an informal meeting with Marie Breen-Smyth (Interim Chair of the Victims' and Survivors' Consultative Forum) on Tuesday 17 February 2026, where wider Forum issues were discussed. A note of the informal meeting was
include in the tabled pack for today’s meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to go into closed session to discuss this item further.
The Committee moved into closed session at 2.03pm.
The Committee moved into open session at 2.07pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed tonote these items.
3.2 Interfaith Clerical Abuse Survivors: Correspondence to the First Minister and deputy First Minister
The Chairperson advised Members that she had been copied into correspondence from representatives of Interfaith Clerical Abuse Survivors to the First and deputy First Minister regarding clerical childhood abuse and the public dissemination of TEO research and recommendations on the issue.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item.
3.3 Survivors Together – Final Statement
The Chairperson advised Members that Survivors Together emailed a final statement regarding the HIA Memorial Plaque ceremony taking place this Friday 20 February 2026.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item.
3.4 Recent Racist Incident in Belfast
The Chairperson expressed her concern in relation to recent media reports of racially offensive slurs being sprayed on a wall inside a residential apartment block in Belfast City Centre.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First and deputy First Minister to ask for an urgent update on the new Racial Equality strategy, as well as an updated timeline on the introduction of the Race Relations legislation.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the revised minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 4 February 2026.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 11 February 2026.
5. Matters Arising
There were no Matters Arising.
6. Stakeholder Session – Strategy for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles / Conflict 2024-2034: Oral Briefing
Agreed: The Committee agreed for Hansard to record the oral evidence session.
The witnesses joined the meeting at 2.09pm.
Members received an oral briefing from:
- Irene Sherry, Senior Leadership Team, Bridge of Hope
- Lee McDowell, Director of Services, Ely Centre
- Andrée Murphy, Deputy Director, Relatives for Justice
- Kenny Donaldson, Director, South East Fermanagh Foundation
- Dr. Paul Gallagher, Trauma Education Officer, WAVE Trauma Centre
The witnesses provided an update on the Strategy for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles / Conflict 2024-2034.
The oral briefing session was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.
Stewart Dickson joined the meeting remotely at 2.54pm.
Carál Ní Chuilín left the meeting at 3.18pm and returned at 3.21pm.
The witnesses left the meeting at 3.56pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to take a short comfort break and suspend the meeting.
The meeting was suspended at 3.57pm.
The meeting resumed in open session at 4.06pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to VSS and the Victims Payment Board to request that the oral briefing originally scheduled for 10 June 2026 be rescheduled to an earlier meeting within the forward work programme.
7. Departmental Officials – Strategy for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles / Conflict 2024-2034: Oral Briefing
Agreed: The Committee agreed for Hansard to record the oral evidence session.
The witnesses joined the meeting at 4.15pm.
Members received an oral briefing from:
- Gavin King, Acting Director, Victims and Survivors Division, TEO
- Siobhán Portern, Head of Branch, Victims and Survivors Unit, TEO
- Marcin Klimasz, Policy Lead, Victims and Survivors Unit, TEO
The witnesses provided an update on the Strategy for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles / Conflict 2024-2034.
The oral briefing session was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.
Phillip Brett left the meeting at 4.23pm and returned at 4.29pm.
Sinéad McLauglin left the meeting at 4.24pm.
Carál Ní Chuilín left the meeting at 4.35pm and returned at 4.41pm.
The witnesses left the meeting at 4.56pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Irish Government to request further information on how the module on education relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles curriculum, as part of the Leaving Certificate is being developed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Head of the Civil Service to request further information on discussions regarding a memorial in the grounds of the Stormont Estate in relation to the Strategy for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles / Conflict 2024-2034.
8. Assembly Legal Services – Supreme Court on Religious Education in Northern Ireland: Written Briefing
The Chairperson advised Members that following communication with the Clerk, Members agreed via correspondence to amend this agenda item to a written briefing in the first instance.
The Clerk will arrange for the oral briefing from Assembly Legal Services to be added to the forward work programme for the meeting on Wednesday 25 March 2026.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item.
9. Correspondence
- The Committee noted the summary of Committee correspondence.
- The Committee considered a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 30 January 2026 regarding Survivors Together and the final wording of the HIA Memorial plaque.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item of correspondence. - The Committee noted correspondence from TEO – Overseas Offices: December 2025 update.
- The Committee noted correspondence from NIA Legal Services – Fifty-sixth report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules. There are no rules for the attention of this Committee.
- The Committee noted an Official Report (Hansard) – Draft Budget and December monitoring: Executive Office 4 February 2026.
- The Committee noted an Official Report (Hansard) – Ministerial briefing with the First Minister and deputy First Minister 4 February 2026.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance in relation to the review of Arm’s Length Bodies.
10. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the draft forward work programme.
The Committee noted an update from the Assistant Clerk in relation to next week’s meeting where the Committee will receive an Introductory briefing from the new Commissioner for Public Appointments and the new Clerk of EU and Interparliamentary Affairs at the Assembly. The Committee will also consider an Updated Draft Final Report in relation to its Inquiry on Gaps into Equality Legislation.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to proceed with the remaining briefings as set out in the forward work programme.
11. Any Other Business
Carál Ní Chuilín asked when a date would be scheduled for the Consideration Stage debate of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill. The Clerk advised that the Department had indicated the debate was expected to be scheduled either shortly before or shortly after the Easter recess.
12. Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 25 February 2026 at 2.00pm in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 5.04pm.
Paula Bradshaw MLA
Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office
Wednesday 18 February 2026
