Committee for Infrastructure: 2022 - 2027 Mandate
2026 Research Papers
Below you will find details of Research Publications which have been prepared by the Assembly's Research and Information Service (RaISe) for the Committee for Infrastructure in 2026.
Display of Flags and Emblems Bill
- Date: 05/10/2026
This Bill Paper provides an overview of the Display of Flags and Emblems Bill. It outlines the current legislative framework as well as policy and guidance responses to flag displays. It discusses what the Bill proposes and includes scrutiny points Members may wish to consider during their examination of the Bill.
Review of Costs: Display of Flags and Emblems Bill
- Date: 05/10/2026
Seeking to support Northern Ireland Assembly scrutiny, this Review of Costs addresses key potential “public purse” implications arising from the Display of Flags and Emblems Bill, if enacted and implemented as introduced. The Bill seeks to tackle the persistent issue of public property abuse to display flags or emblems that are designed to exclude or intimidate. It should be read in conjunction with RaISe Bill Paper NIAR 88-2026 (dated 01 October 2026), which addresses policy considerations arising from the Bill.
Tree Protection Bill
- Date: 02/10/2026
This Bill paper provides an overview of the Tree Protection Bill as introduced to the Assembly on 29 June 2026. The paper also identifies those areas within the Bill which may merit further consideration and, where relevant, compares similar provisions within GB and Ireland.
Review of Costs: Tree Protection Bill
- Date: 01/10/2026
Seeking to support Northern Ireland Assembly scrutiny, this Review of Costs considers key potential “public purse” implications that could arise from the non-Executive Tree Protection Bill, if enacted and implemented as introduced.
Harbours Bill: scrutinising key “public purse” implications
- Date: 16/09/2026
This Review of Costs aims to support Northern Ireland Assembly Members in their plenary, committee and constituency capacities, when scrutinising key potential implications for the “public purse”, if the Harbours Bill would be enacted as introduced. It relies on the Bill’s accompanying Explanatory and Financial Memorandum and other relevant sources; and should be read in conjunction with RaISe Bill Paper NIAR 203-2026 (dated 26 June 2026), addressing the Bill’s underlying policy.
Experiences of Managing and Delivering Major Capital Projects in Great Britain and Ireland
- Date: 26/03/2026
This briefing paper examines the delivery of major capital projects in Northern Ireland and compares these experiences with similar projects across Great Britain and Ireland. The paper also discusses international best practice in managing infrastructure delivery.
Planning Decision Times – comparison across the UK and Ireland
- Date: 04/02/2026
A comparison of planning decision times across the UK jurisdictions and Ireland. The paper provides a snapshot of decision times in NI using statistics published by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI). Where possible, it provides some comparisons of the decision times with the other jurisdictions, highlighting some of the limitations in performing the exercise. The final section provides some additional information on more recent developments in relation to the planning systems in other jurisdictions.
