Public Accounts Committee
minutes of proceedings 19 February 2026
Public Accounts Committee minutes of proceedings 19 February 2026.pdf (161.04 kb)
Meeting Location: Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Daniel McCrossan, MLA (Chairperson)
Diane Forsythe, MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Stephen Dunne, MLA
Tom Buchanan, MLA
David Honeyford, MLA
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Pádraig Delargy, MLA
Apologies:
Jon Burrows, MLA
Cathal Boylan, MLA
Colm Gildernew, MLA
In Attendance:
Lucia Wilson (Committee Clerk)
Kirsten McClelland (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Karen Barry (Clerical Supervisor)
Yannie Mahood (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened in public session at 2.10pm.
1. Apologies
Apologies were noted from Jon Burrows, MLA, Cathal Boylan, MLA and Colm Gildernew, MLA.
2. Draft minutes
Agreed: Members agreed the draft minutes of the meeting on 12 February 2026.
3. Declaration of Interests
The Chairperson reminded members of the requirement to register their interests under Standing Order 69(5).
Stephen Dunne, MLA declared an interest as APS to the Communities Minister and as a member of the Committee for Infrastructure.
Daniel McCrossan, MLA declared an interest as Dalradian Gold is within his constituency.
Tom Buchanan, MLA declared an interest as Dalradian Gold is within his constituency.
4. Chairperson’s Business
5. Matters Arising
Members noted correspondence dated 12 February 2026 from HoCS and the 16 February 2026 from the C&AG regarding outstanding Executive minutes relating to the Ministerial Direction on the FIFA Women’s World Cup bid.
Agreed: Members agreed to note the correspondence.
Agreed: Members agreed to defer discussions on the MoR on Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland and the update to the MoR on Child Poverty in Northern Ireland to allow discussion in closed session.
Members noted correspondence dated 17 February 2026 from the Department of Finance confirming attendance of witnesses for an evidence session on Major IT Projects scheduled to take place on 23 April 2026.
Agreed: Members agreed to note the correspondence.
6. Correspondence
Members considered a Clerk’s memo regarding ongoing correspondence received from a Member of the Public regarding the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
Agreed: Members agreed to note the correspondence.
Members considered a Clerk’s memo regarding ongoing correspondence received from a Member of the Public regarding Dalradian Gold.
Agreed: Members agreed to note the correspondence.
7. Memorandum of Reply: Public Procurement in Northern Ireland
Members considered an update to the Memorandum of Reply on Public Procurement in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: Members agreed to seek further clarification in writing.
Agreed: Members agreed to provide a written update to the Finance Committee
The meeting moved into closed session at 2.25 pm.
8. Inquiry on Homelessness in Northern Ireland
The following official joined the meeting at 2.25 pm.
Dorinnia Carville, C&AG
The Committee noted the draft report is classified as RESTRICTED for Members’ attention and therefore should not be published more widely.
The Committee noted it had the formal consideration for the report ‘Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland’, at last week’s meeting, 12 February 2026.
Agreed as amended: Paragraph 3
Agreed as amended: Title: Homelessness prevention must be prioritised as a key part of strategic delivery
Agreed as amended: Recommendation2.
Agreed as amended: Recommendation3.
Agreed as amended: Recommendation4.
Agreed as amended: Recommendation8.
Agreed as amended: Recommendation9.
Agreed: Members agreed to order the report to be published on 26 February 2026.
Agreed: Members agreed the draft press release for the report.
9. Inquiry on Road Openings by Utilities
The following witnesses and officials joined the meeting at 2.40 pm.
Dorinnia Carville, C&AG;
Patrick Barr, Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO);
Michael Heery, Audit Manager, NIAO
Members considered the first draft of the report into Road Openings by Utilities.
Agreed: Members suggested amendments to the report and agreed to return for further consideration on 5 March 2026.
Witnesses left the meeting at 3.08pm.
5. Matters Arising
Members considered the deferred Matters Arising.
Agreed: Members agreed to invite the DoH Accounting Officer, Mike Farrar to provide further evidence to the Committee on the MoR on Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: Members agreed to consider a revised draft press release regarding Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland by correspondence.
Agreed: Members agreed to provide a written update to the Health Committee.
Agreed: Members agreed to invite the DfC Accounting Officer, Emer Morelli to provide further evidence to the Committee on the MoR on Child Poverty in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: Members agreed to consider a revised draft press release regarding Child Poverty in Northern Ireland by correspondence.
Agreed: Members agreed to provide a written update to the Communities Committee.
10. Draft Forward Work Programme
Agreed: Members agreed arrangements for the launch event for the report into ‘Homelessness in Northern Ireland’.
Agreed: Members agreed to seek updates on the case studies detailed in the NIAO report on Major IT Projects.
Agreed: Members agreed the draft forward work programme.
11. Any Other Business
Agreed: Members agreed a response to a request from a Belfast Telegraph journalist on PAC’s consideration of NIAO report on Leading and Resourcing the NICS.
12. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will take place in the Senate Chamber on Thursday 5 March 2026 at 2.00pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 4.04 pm.
Daniel McCrossan
Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee
5 March 2026
