Committee on Standards and Privileges

Minutes of Proceedings - 24 April 2024 [EXTRACT]

Meeting Location: Room 21, Parliament Buildings

Present:

  • Carál Ní Chuilín MLA (Chairperson)
  • Stewart Dickson MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
  • Paul Frew MLA
  • Connie Egan MLA
  • Harry Harvey MLA
  • Brian Kingston MLA
  • Cathy Mason MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

  • Colin McGrath MLA

Apologies:

  • Jemma Dolan MLA

In Attendance:

  • Shane McAteer, Committee Clerk
  • Nick Mitford, Senior Assistant Clerk
  • Elaine Farrell, Assistant Clerk
  • Alison Ferguson, Clerical Supervisor
  • Ciara Dorrian, Clerical Officer

The meeting commenced at 10.02 a.m. in closed session

 

8. Complaint against a Member – Consideration of draft Committee Report

Members considered a draft Committee report on a complaint against a Member, which has been developed to reflect and explain the Committee’s decisions on the complaint case taken at the meeting on 13 March 2024.

Members undertook formal consideration of the draft report as follows:

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Title Page, Table of Contents, Power and Membership and List of Abbreviations stand part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the ‘Introduction’ section, at paragraphs 1 to 2, stands part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the ‘Role of the Committee’ section, at paragraphs 3 to 4, stands part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the ‘Background’ section, at paragraphs 5 to 9, stands part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the ‘Relevant Rules in the Members’ Code of Conduct’ section, at paragraphs 10 to 13, stands part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the ‘Commissioner’s Reasoned Decision’ section, at paragraph 14, stands part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the ‘Committee’s consideration and conclusions’ section, at paragraphs 15 to 21, stands part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Annex, at page 13, stands part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the ‘Links to Appendices’, at page 14, stand part of the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that any necessary redactions identified by Legal Services, for the purposes of complying with data protection obligations, are made to the report prior to publication.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that this report be the first report of the Committee on Standards and Privileges in the 2022-2027 Mandate.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson will agree an extract of the minutes from the meeting today regarding agreement of the report so that it may be included in the Minutes of Proceedings appendix to the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the report will be published online on the Assembly website at noon on 26 April 2024 and will remain embargoed until then.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to provide the complainant and the respondent with a copy of the embargoed report in advance of publication in line with normal practice.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that, in line with agreed protocols, a copy of the report will be laid in the Business Office within 24 hours (the Committee noted that the report will be made available for viewing by members once the embargo has expired and that a link to the report will be emailed to all MLAs following publication).

Agreed: The Committee agreed the draft press release and that is should issue from the Communications Office following publication of the report on the Assembly website.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the wording of a tweet that the Communications Office will post to signpost the press release.