Public Accounts Committee
Minutes of Proceedings - 27 November 2025
Public Accounts Committee - 27 November 2025.pdf (188.42 kb)
Meeting Location: Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Diane Forsythe, MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Stephen Dunne, MLA
Tom Buchanan, MLA
Colm Gildernew, MLA
Jon Burrows, MLA
David Honeyford, MLA
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Pádraig Delargy, MLA
Apologies:
Daniel McCrossan, MLA (Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan, 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 received from Daniel McCrossan, MLA and Cathal Boylan, MLA.
2. Draft minutes
Agreed: Members agreed the draft minutes of the meeting on 20 November 2025.
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.
Padraig Delargy, MLA declared an interest due family members being GPs and BMA members.
Colm Gildernew, MLA declared an interest as Chair of the Communities Committee, in respect of a private members bill on housing and as owner of a rental property.
4. Chairperson's Business
No Chairperson's Business.
5. Matters Arising
Members noted correspondence from Neil Gibson, Accounting Officer for the Department of Finance regarding the outstanding Memorandum of Reply on the report into Major Capital Projects: Follow Up Report.
Agreed: Members agreed to note the letter for further consideration at a later date alongside previous correspondence.
Members noted a letter from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive providing further information following the recent evidence session on Homelessness in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: Members agreed to share with the Northern Ireland Audit Office for inclusion evidence to the inquiry.
6. Correspondence
Members noted correspondence from Grainia Long, CEO of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive advising of a Declaration of Interest made under NIHE's Declarations of Interest process in respect of the inquiry into Homelessness in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: Members agreed to note the Declaration of Interest and to publish it alongside the final inquiry report.
7. Inquiry into Homelessness in Northern Ireland - Evidence Session
The following witnesses and officials joined the meeting at 2.14pm.
Nicola McCrudden, CEO, Homeless Connect;
Mark Bailie, Head of Policy and Programmes, Homeless Connect;
Jim Dennison, Chief Executive, Simon Community;
David Carroll, CEO, DePaul;
Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller and Auditor General; and
Stuart Stevenson, Treasury Officer of Accounts, DoF
Members heard evidence on homelessness in Northern Ireland from Homeless Connect, Simon Community and DePaul.
Thomas Buchanan, MLA left the meeting at 3.03pm.
Stephen Dunne, MLA left the meeting at 3.07pm.
The Deputy Chair thanked the witnesses for attending and for the work that they do in supporting those affected by homelessness in Northern Ireland.
Witnesses and officials left the meeting at 3.40pm.
8. Inquiry into Homelessness in Northern Ireland - Discussion of Evidence
The following officials joined the meeting at 3.40pm.
Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller and Auditor General; and
Barry Mitchell, Audit Manager, NIAO;
Claire Turner, Senior Auditor, NIAO
Members considered the evidence heard.
Officials left the meeting at 3.55pm.
9. Inquiry on Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland - Final Consideration of Draft Report
The following officials joined the meeting at 3.55pm.
Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller and Auditor General; and
Colette Kane, Director, NIAO;
Roger McCance, Audit Manager, NIAO
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 initial consideration for the report 'Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland', at last week's meeting, 20 November 2025.
The Committee noted this is the final consideration for the report 'Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland' and agreed the title of the report.
Section 'Membership and Powers' and 'List of Abbreviations': Pages 5 - 7
The Committee agreed corrections to the abbreviations
Section Patients are experiencing significant difficulties in getting basic access to their GP which is page 17 of the report paragraphs 27 to 29
Paragraph 27: Read and Agreed as amended
Paragraph 28: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 29: Read and Agreed
Section 'There is a huge demand for patient access and much is unmet', paragraphs 30 to 33.
Paragraph 30: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 31: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 32: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 33: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 1: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'Through its survey, the Committee heard a loud and unanimous voice expressing public concern, paragraphs 34 to 39.
Paragraph 34: Read and Agreed as amended
Paragraph 35: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 36: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 37: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 38: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 39: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'The 'patient's voice' needs to be better understood, paragraphs 40 to 43
Paragraph 40: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 41: Read and Agreed as Amended
Paragraph 28: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 29: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 30: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 31: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 32: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 1: To be reworded
Recommendation 2: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: Greater collaboration, together with improved governance and accountability arrangements are required.
Paras 33 - 37
Paragraph 33: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 34: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 35: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 36: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 37: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 2: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: The Department needs a single system to significantly improve its inadequate and outdated data
Paras 38 - 40
Paragraph 38: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 39: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 40: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 3: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 4: Read and Agreed
Paras 41 - 42
Paragraph 42: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 43: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'Patient experience needs to be better understood', paragraphs 44 to 46.
Paragraph 44: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 45: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 46: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 2: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'The Department must take strategic action to improve access to Primary Care', paragraphs 47 to 52.
Paragraph 47: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 48: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 49: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 3: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 50: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 51: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 52: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'There are key gaps in the Department's understanding of the Primary Care workforce, paragraphs 53 to 57.
Paragraph 53: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 54: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 55: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 56: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 57: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'The number of training places for GPs has increased', paragraphs 58 and 59.
Paragraph 58: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 59: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'A workforce strategy for Primary Care is urgently needed, paragraphs 60 and 61.
Paragraph 60: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 61: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 4: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'The Royal College of GPs produced its own strategy relating to workforce', paragraphs 62 and 63.
Paragraph 62: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 63: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'Northern Ireland needs better schemes aimed at sustaining the Primary Care workforce', paragraphs 64 to 68.
Paragraph 64: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 65: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 66: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 67: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 68: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 5: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'The variation in accessing GPs throughout Northern Ireland is unwarranted and must be addressed, paragraphs 69 to 72.
Paragraph 69: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 70: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 71: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 72: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'The Department has no measures of patient access to GPs', paragraphs 73 to 79.The risks and benefits of transitioning PFI/PPP assets needs to be planned.
Paragraph 73: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 74: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 75: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 76: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 77: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 78: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 79: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 6: Read and Agreed as amended
Agreed: Section Title: 'Action must be taken to help prevent further contract handbacks', paragraphs 80 to 86.
Paragraph 80: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 81: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 82: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 83: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 84: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 85: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 86: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'The use of locums needs to be carefully managed', paragraphs 87 to 90.
Paragraph 87: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 88: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 89: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 90: Read and Agreed as amended
Recommendation 7: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'The Department must lead on developing new models of service delivery for Primary Care in Northern Ireland', paragraphs 91 to 93.
Paragraph 91: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 92: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 93: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 8: Read and Agreed
Agreed: Section Title: 'Plans for the roll-out of e-prescribing need more urgency, paragraphs 94 to 96.
Paragraph 94: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 95: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 96: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 9: Read and Agreed
Agreed as Amended: Section Title: 'Progress in the roll out of multi-disciplinary teams in general practice has been slow', paragraphs 97 to 109.
Paragraph 97: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 98: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 99: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 100: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 101: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 102: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 103: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 104: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 105: Read and Agreed as Amended
Paragraph 106: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 107: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 108: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 109: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 10: Read and Agreed as amended
The Committee then returned to the Executive Summary paragraphs 1 to 26 and agreed the following:
Paragraph 1: Read and Agreed
Section Title: 'Access to Primary Care must be urgently improved for patients': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 2: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 3: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 4: Read and Agreed
Section Title: 'The 'patient's voice' needs to be better understood': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 5: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 6: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 7: Read and Agreed as Amended
Section Title: 'The Department must take strategic action to improve access to Primary Care': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 8: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 9: Read and Agreed as Amended
Paragraph 10: Read and Agreed
Section Title: 'A workforce strategy for Primary Care is urgently needed': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 11: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 12: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 13: Read and Agreed
Section Title: 'The variation in accessing GPs throughout Northern Ireland is unwarranted and must be addressed': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 14: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 15: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 16: Read and Agreed
Section Title: 'The Department needs better oversight of patient access to GPs': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 17: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 18: Read and Agreed
Section Title: 'The Department must lead on developing new models of service delivery for Primary Care in Northern Ireland': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 19: Read and Agreed as Amended
Paragraph 20: Read and Agreed as Amended
Paragraph 21: Read and Agreed
Section Title: 'The use of locums needs to be carefully managed': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 22: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 23: Read and Agreed as Amended
Section Title: 'Plans for the roll-out of e-prescribing need more urgency': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 24: Read and Agreed
Section Title: 'Section Title: 'Plans for the roll-out of e-prescribing need more urgency': Read and Agreed
Paragraph 25: Read and Agreed
Paragraph 26: Read and Agreed
Recommendations 1 to 10:
Recommendation 1: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 2: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 3: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 4: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 5: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 6: Read and Agreed as Amended
Recommendation 7: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 8: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 9: Read and Agreed
Recommendation 10: Read and Agreed as Amended
Agreed: The Committee agreed to order the report to be published.
Agreed: Members agreed the report on the Citizen Space Survey Results
Agreed: Members agreed the appendices to the report
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the C&AG and her team for their assistance with the report and extended best wishes on behalf of Members to Colette Kane on her retirement.
Officials left the meeting at 17.08pm.
The following official joined the meeting at 17.08pm:
Felicity Templeton, Communication and Digital Content Officer
Members considered the draft press release for the 'Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland' Report.
Agreed: Agreed the draft press release subject to amendments.
Agreed: Members agreed a media plan for the report launch to include the Deputy Chairperson covering media requests in the absence of the Chairperson.
Agreed: The Committee noted the 'Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland Report will be published on Thursday 4 December 2025 with a launch event to be held in the Senate Chamber.
The Deputy Chair thanked officials for attending.
Officials left the meeting at 5.33 pm.
10. Inquiry on 'Road Openings by Utilities' - Briefing Session
The following officials joined the meeting at 5.34pm:
Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller and Auditor General; and
Patrick Barr, Director, NIAO;
Michael Heery, Audit Manager, NIAO
Members received a briefing on the upcoming inquiry into Road Openings by Utilities
The Deputy Chair thanked officials for attending.
Officials left the meeting at 5.57 pm.
11. Draft Forward Work Programme
Agreed: Members agreed the draft forward work programme to December 2025.
12. Any Other Business
There was no other business.
13. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will take place in the Senate Chamber on Thursday 11 December 2025 at 2.00pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 5.58pm.
Diane Forsythe
Deputy Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee
11 December 2025
