Committee for The Executive Office
Minutes of Proceedings - Wednesday 14 October 2026
Meeting Location: Room 30, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Ms Paula Bradshaw MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Stewart Dickson MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Phillip Brett MLA
Ms Deborah Erskine MLA
Mr Timothy Gaston MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
Ms Claire Sugden MLA
Online:
Ms Sinéad McLauglin MLA
Apologies:
Ms Sinéad Ennis MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Nick Mitford (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Aoife Keating Fitzpatrick (Snr Assistant 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
Deborah Erskine declared an interest in relation to item three as a family member is a religious minister.
Claire Sugden declared an interest in relation to item seven as the Bill sponsor.
3. Chairperson’s Business
3.1 The Dromore Group – Case for an Ombudsman for the Safeguarding of Children
The Chairperson advised Members that The Dromore Group had copied the Committee into correspondence sent to the Department, which included a policy paper setting out a proposed permanent statutory system for safeguarding complaints and institutional accountability across Northern Ireland.
The Committee noted this item.
3.2 The Dromore Group – Costs of Childhood Abuse
The Chairperson advised Members that The Dromore Group had copied the Committee into correspondence sent to the Finance Minister regarding a further policy paper that examines the potential financial implications of establishing a public inquiry.
The Committee noted this item.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 7 October 2026.
5. Matters Arising
5.1 Strategic Planning
The Chairperson reminded Members that at last week’s meeting the Committee held a short Strategic planning session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the following actions:
- That a scoping exercise be undertaken to develop possible Terms of Reference for a mini-inquiry into Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG), examining whether TEO’s Local and Regional Change Fund is delivering measurable and sustainable change to help EVAWG.
- That the proposed oral briefing with the Bill Sponsor of the Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill should not proceed if Claire Sugden’s PMB passes Second Stage.
Stewart Dickson joined the meeting at 2.02pm.
5.2 Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses - Delegated Legislation
The Chairperson reminded Members that at last week’s meeting the Committee received an oral briefing from Departmental officials on the Inquiry Rules and Regulations. A copy of the PowerPoint used during the briefing has been included in the Committee pack.
The Committee noted this item.
5.3 Press Releases – Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses
The Chairperson advised Members that the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Act (Northern Ireland) 2026 received Royal Assent and became law on 7 October 2026.
A draft press release paying tribute to victims and survivors was circulated to Members by email. The press release was agreed by the Committee on 8 October 2026 and subsequently published on 9 October 2026.
The Committee noted this item
5.4 Press Release - Condemnation of intimidation and abuse of Political Representatives
The Chairperson reminded Members that at last week’s meeting, the Committee agreed to issue a press release on Women in Public Life in the context of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, including condemnation of the recent abuse directed at political representatives.
This press release was approved by the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson on 9 October 2026 and published on 12 October 2026.
The Committee noted this item.
5.5 Victims’ and Survivors Services (VSS)- Funding for Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme
The Chairperson reminded Members that there was a brief discussion at last week’s meeting regarding specific additional funding to groups in relation to Victims’ Payment Scheme and the volume of applications made the Victims’ Payment Board before the schemes’ closure.
The Chairperson advised Members that correspondence has now been received from VSS clarifying that the correspondence referenced by the Clerk during last week’s meeting related solely to the VSS remit in respect of HIA and not the Victims’ Payment Scheme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to VSS to request a breakdown of the £750,000 in additional funding allocated by the Department to VSS in the updated indicative budget allocation of 2 October 2026 for organisations supporting victims and survivors of the Troubles/conflict.
6. Oral Briefing: Positive Peace Report - Queen’s University Belfast
The witnesses joined the meeting at 2.08pm.
Sinéad McLaughlin joined the meeting online at 2.12pm.
Members received an oral briefing from:
- Professor Dominic Bryan, Queen’s University Belfast
- Andrew Thomson, Queen’s University Belfast
The witnesses provided an oral briefing on the report findings from the Queen’s University Belfast Positive Peace Report.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
Phillip Brett left the meeting at 3.03pm and returned at 3.08pm.
Carál Ní Chuilín left the meeting at 3.11pm and returned at 3.14pm.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.
The witnesses left the meeting at 3.25pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to take a short comfort break and suspend the meeting.
The meeting was suspended at 3:25pm.
Proceedings continued in open session at 3.31pm with the following Members present: Paula Bradshaw, Stewart Dickson, Phillip Brett, Deborah Erskine, Timothy Gaston, Carál Ní Chuilín, Claire Sugden and Sinéad McLaughlin online.
7. Oral Briefing: TEO Budget – Departmental officials
The officials joined the meeting at 3.31pm.
Members received an oral briefing from:
- Ronan Murtagh, Finance Director, TEO
- Paula Shearer, Head of Budgeting Branch, TEO
The officials provided an oral briefing on the TEO Budget.
Phillip Brett left the meeting at 4.11pm and returned at 4.14pm.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for their attendance.
The officials left the meeting at 4.26pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask for the following information:
- Further information on the breakdown of EU Peace Funding and the governance arrangements relating to the SEUPB.
- A breakdown of the outturn to 31 August 2026 compared with August 2025 year to date figures (YTD), explaining the increase in Non-Earmarked Resource expenditure for International Relations.
- A breakdown of outturn to 31 August 2026 compared with August 2025 YTD figures, detailing the Earmarked Resource variance for the Communities in Transition Programme and staff numbers associated with Windsor Framework expenditure.
- A breakdown of expenditure for Intgr8, PfG Delivery Unit, the Office of AI and the Climate Commissioner during the current financial year.
- Details of any expenditure incurred in relation to data breaches within the Victims Pool.
8. Oral Briefing: Age Discrimination (Goods, Facilities and Services) Bill - Bill Sponsor
Agreed: The Committee agreed for Hansard to cover this session.
The witness joined the meeting at 4.27pm.
Sinéad McLauglin left the meeting online at 4.18pm.
Carál Ní Chuilín left the meeting at 4.28pm.
Timothy Gatson left the meeting at 4.48pm and returned at 4.53pm.
Phillip Brett left the meeting at 5.16pm and returned at 5.20pm.
Members received an oral briefing from:
- Claire Sugden, MLA
The witness provided an oral briefing on the Age Discrimination (Goods, Facilities and Services) Bill.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the witness for her attendance.
The witness left the meeting at 5.30pm.
9. Written Briefing: Use of Section 44 of the Northern Ireland Act
Agreed: The Committee agreed to move into closed session.
The Committee moved into closed session at 5.30pm.
The Committee considered a written briefing from NIA Legal Services on the use of Section 44 of the Northern Ireland Act.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to move into open session.
Proceedings continued in open session at 5.43pm with the following Members present: Paula Bradshaw, Stewart Dickson, Phillip Brett, Deborah Erskine, Timothy Gaston and Claire Sugden.
10. Correspondence
- The Committee noted the summary of Committee correspondence.
- The Committee considered a response Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) to its correspondence of 1 October 2026, seeking an update on any HIA funding pressures VSS may be experiencing in the lack of an agreed budget.
The Committee noted this item. - The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Infrastructure regarding the Display of Flags and Emblems Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask whether TEO has any views or comments on this Bill and whether there are any implications or any role for TEO arising from the Bill. - The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Infrastructure in relation to the Tree Protection Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask whether TEO has any views or comments on this Bill and whether there are any implications or any role for TEO arising from the Bill. - The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Infrastructure regarding the Harbours Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask whether TEO has any views or comments on this Bill and whether there are any implications or any role for TEO arising from the Bill. - The Committee considered a response from TEO to its correspondence of 2 July 2026 regarding Race Relations.
The Committee noted this item. - The Committee considered a response from the Charity Commission to its correspondence of 1 October 2026 in relation to the registration requirement for Churches and Religious Organisations in Northern Ireland.
The Committee noted this item. - The Committee noted a copy of correspondence from the Committee for Finance to the Head of the Civil Service regarding the Public Sector Transformation Fund.
- The Committee noted correspondence from Outcome Imps following their oral briefing to the Committee on 1 October 2026.
- The Committee noted an invitation from the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the NIA Business Office – Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation Annual Report and Accounts 2026-2032.
- The Committee noted a Written Ministerial Statement from the First Minister and deputy First Minister - Publication of the Northern Ireland Executive Response to the Covid-19 Inquiry Module 4 (Vaccines and therapeutics) Report recommendations.
- The Committee noted a copy of correspondence sent from the Committee for Communities to TEO regarding the Housing (Amendment) Bill.
- The Committee noted a news release from TEO - Attitudes to the Free Period Products Scheme in Northern Ireland 2025.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the NIA Business Office – Annual Report of the Victims’ Payment Board (VPB) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
11. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the draft forward work programme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to proceed with the remaining briefings as set out in the forward work programme.
12. Any Other Business
Deborah Erskine raised issues concerning the Omagh Bomb Inquiry and the role of the Irish Government.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Irish Government in light of the most recent findings of the Inquiry, to ask for clarification regarding reports that an Irish army camp received a warning prior to the bombing and what actions the Irish Government intends to take to support victims and their families.
Agreed: The Committee agreed for the Committee Clerk to check with NIA Legal Services to seek guidance on the wording of the proposed letter given that the Omagh Bomb Inquiry remains ongoing.
Deborah Erskine raised a further issue regarding the Troubles Bill and seeking stakeholders’ views on the amendments for possible inclusion in the Committee’s End of Mandate Report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Veterans Commissioner and the Victims Commissioner to seek their views on the proposed amendments to the Troubles Bill.
13. Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday 21 October 2026 at 2.00pm in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 5.48pm.
Paula Bradshaw MLA
Chairperson, Committee for The Executive Office
Wednesday 14 October 2026
