Committee for The Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings - 26 November 2025

Committee for The Executive Office - Minutes of Proceedings - 26 November 2025.pdf (211.44 kb)

Meeting Location: Room 21, Parliament Buildings

Present:

Ms Paula Bradshaw MLA (Chairperson)

Mr Stewart Dickson MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Phillip Brett MLA

Ms Pam Cameron MLA

Mr Timothy Gaston MLA

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA

Ms Áine Murphy MLA

Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA

Online:

Apologies:

Ms Claire Sugden MLA

In Attendance:

Mr Nick Mitford (Assembly Clerk)

Ms Aoife Keating-Fitzpatrick (Snr Assist Assembly Clerk)

Ms Sarah-Anne McKinley (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Mr Neil Porter (Clerical Supervisor)

Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Officer)

The meeting commenced at 2.XXpm in public session.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Declarations of Interest

Áine Murphy declared a standing interest as having a family member who was born in a Mother and Baby institution in relation to the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.

Pam Cameron declared a standing interest as having worked previously in TEO as a junior Minister from February 2024 until September 2025.

Pam Cameron declared a standing interest on the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill as it stands, she has a family member who may be entitled to a redress payment as part of the second part of this legislation.

3. Chairperson's Business

3.1 Interparliamentary Forum

The Chairperson advised Members that the next meeting of the Interparliamentary Forum, which was due to take place in Cardiff on Friday 28 November has been cancelled. As of yet, there is no re-scheduled date and the Chairperson will keep the Committee updated once a new date has been arranged.

4. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 19November 2025.

5. Matters Arising

6. Consideration of End of Session Report

The Committee considered its draft End of Session Report for February 2024 - July 2025.

The Committee considered the Title Page, Contents Page, Remit, Powers and Membership Section as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Title page, Contents Page, Remit, Powers and Membership Section stand part of the Report

Key Activities.

The Committee considered the Key Activities, Outputs and Achievements Section as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Key Activities, Outputs and Achievements Section stand part of the Report.

Appendices.

The Committee considered the Appendices section; Appendix x and x as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Appendices section stand part of the Report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Committee for the Executive Office End of Session Report 2024-25 be the x number? Report of the Committee.

7. Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill: Junior Ministers - Oral Briefing

Agreed: The Committee agreed for Hansard to record the evidence session.

The witnesses joined the meeting at 2.XXpm.

Members received an oral briefing from:

• Aisling Reilly, Junior Minister
• Joanne Bunting, Junior Minister
• Martin Carey, Truth Recovery Programme Director, TEO
• Elaine Allen, Head of Redress Board, TEO

The witnesses provided information on the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.

The oral briefing session was followed by a question and answer session.

The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.

The witnesses left the meeting at 3.XXpm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to

8. Deliberation: Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to move in to closed session at 3.XXpm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Bill Clerk may join the meeting for this session.

The Committee considered clauses 18 to 29 in relation to the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill and clauses 30 to 47 in relation to the Redress Scheme, Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to take a short comfort break and suspend the meeting.

The meeting was suspended at 4.XXpm.

The meeting resumed in closed session at 4.XXpm.

The meeting moved to open session at 5.XXpm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek clarification on a number of queries relating to clauses 18 to 29 of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill and clauses 30 to 47 in relation to the Redress Scheme, Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.

9. Correspondence

1. The Committee noted the summary of Committee correspondence.
   
   
2. The Committee considered a copy of correspondence from TEO to the Committee for Finance regarding potential Reserve Claims associated with the Redress Scheme for those affected by Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses. 
   
   Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item of correspondence and to forward the correspondence to the Department for a response.
   
   
3. The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill. 
   
   Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item of correspondence and for the Committee team to follow-up on a response from the DALO in relation to Clauses 6, 8, 9 and 14.
   
   
4. The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding a Review of Arm's Length Bodies. 
   
   Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item of correspondence and to write to the Department to ask if an assessment of TEO Arm's Length Bodies has been completed and if so, could a copy of this assessment be shared with the Committee.
   
   
5. The Committee noted correspondence from Legal Services - the forty-ninth report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules. There are no rules for attention of the Committee.
   
   
6. The Committee considered noted correspondence from Legal Services - the fiftieth report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules. There are no rules for attention of the Committee.
   
   
7. The Committee noted a TEO news release - Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland recruitment competition launched.
   
   
8. The Committee noted correspondence from TEO - Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) for the year ending 31 March 2025. This report was laid before the Assembly on 11 November 2025.
   
   
9. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Justice in relation to an ongoing individual.
   
   
10. The Committee noted a response from the PSNI to the Committee's correspondence on 2 October 2025 requesting further information on the PSNI's Communication Strategy and associated costs in relation to its investigation into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses, 1922 - 1990. 
    
    Agreed: The Committee agreed for the Committee team to liaise with the Communications team to cross-reference the geographical spread of countries from which the PSNI received reports against the Committee's Call for Evidence publications.
    
    
11. The Committee noted correspondence from TEO - Annual Report and Accounts NI Judicial Appointments Commission: 2023-24. This was laid before the Assembly on 12 November 2025.
    
    
12. The Committee noted correspondence from TEO - Annual Report of the Victims Payment Board for year ending 31 March 2024. This was laid before the Assembly on 13 November 2025.
    
    
13. The Committee noted correspondence from the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the North South Ministerial Council Institutional and Plenary meetings held on 17 October 2025.
    
    
14. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the role of the Department of Finance with respect to the conduct and impartiality of Members of the NICS and the appropriate use of NICS resources by Executive Ministers.
    
    
15. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the revised 2025 - 2026 Outturn and Forecast Outturn Guidance.
    
    
16. The Committee noted a Written Statement from the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the North South Ministerial Council Fourteenth Institutional Meeting and Thirtieth Plenary Meeting held on 17 October 2025.

10. Forward Work Programme

The Committee considered the draft forward work programme.

The Committee noted an update from the Assistant Clerk in relation to the rescheduled briefing with the Equality Commission.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to proceed with the remaining briefings as set out in the forward work programme.

11. Any Other Business

None

12. Date and Time of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 26 November at 2.00pm in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 5.12pm.

Paula Bradshaw MLA

Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office

Wednesday 19 November 2025