Marshalled List of Amendments
Item 5: Order Paper 105/22-27 - Monday 2 June 2025
Motion: Improving Safety at School Bus Stops
Proposed:
That this Assembly notes the absence of a legal requirement for vehicles to stop when a school bus is picking up or dropping off pupils; recognises the need for stronger safeguarding measures at school bus stops, particularly in rural areas where road layouts increase risk; and calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to introduce legislation requiring vehicles to stop for school buses, in line with best practice in other jurisdictions.
Leader of the Opposition
Amendment 1
Leave out all after 'pupils;' and insert:
'recognises the need for a broader and more comprehensive approach to improving the safety of children travelling to and from school, particularly at roadside locations and in rural areas where road layouts may increase risk; acknowledges that this requires more than legislative change alone; calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to work alongside the Minister of Education, school transport providers, the PSNI and other stakeholders to bring forward a cross-departmental strategy to improve pupil safety, including measures such as the development of safer school bus stop infrastructure, increased use of warning signage and lighting, public awareness campaigns targeted at drivers, and improved guidance for schools and parents on safe travel practices; and further calls on the Minister to review existing legislation and consider any changes required to better protect all pupils travelling to and from school.
Mr Doug Beattie
Mr John Stewart
Ms Diana Armstrong
Mr Colin Crawford
Amendment 2 (mutually exclusive to amendment 1)
Leave out all after 'increase risk;' and insert:
'acknowledges the Minister for Infrastructure's commitment to improving road safety around buses through the launch of an advertising campaign on school buses and at bus stops, to warn and remind drivers of the dangers when driving close to school buses; welcomes the roll-out of a third tranche of part-time 20mph speed limits at additional schools; further notes the Minister's commitment to consider 20mph speed limit zones in residential areas and to review speed limits generally; further recognises the Minister's commitment to bring forward legislation to improve road safety around school buses; and calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to model this legislation on best practice in other jurisdictions.'
Mr Cathal Boylan
Mrs Linda Dillon
Mr Declan McAleer
Motion: A European Future for Northern Ireland
Proposed:
That this Assembly welcomes the positive step forward represented by the UK-EU deal of 19 May 2025; affirms that any arrangement which reduces friction for businesses is welcomed; supports further alignment between the UK and EU including via a comprehensive veterinary agreement; notes that Northern Ireland retains a competitive advantage as a result of its guaranteed dual market access and urges efforts to capitalise on this potential and increase Northern Ireland's voice in EU institutions; believes that the UK's vote to leave the European Union continues to be an act of historic, diplomatic and economic self-harm; further affirms that Northern Ireland's best long-term future will be achieved by rejoining the European Union, an outcome which the people of Northern Ireland can only decisively effect via a vote for a new Ireland under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement; and calls for positive progress on a European future for Northern Ireland.
Leader of the Opposition
Amendment
Leave out all after 'rejoining the European Union,' and insert:
'; further notes that there are two potential routes back into the European Union via either the United Kingdom as a whole re-entering or via constitutional change under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to set out when they will publish a Europe strategy to form part of positive progress on a European future for Northern Ireland.'
Mr Eoin Tennyson
Mr David Honeyford
Motion: The Cost of Doing Business
Proposed:
That this Assembly recognises the growing challenges facing businesses in Northern Ireland as detailed in the cost of doing business impact report by Ulster University's Economic Policy Centre; expresses concern that the only action being taken forward by the Minister of Finance in response is to send this report to the UK Treasury; calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to recall the High Street Taskforce; and further calls on the Minister of Finance to establish a Cost of Doing Business Advisory Forum by 1 September 2025.
Leader of the Opposition
Amendment 1
Leave out all after 'UK Treasury', and insert:
'calls on all Ministers to take forward the recommendations of the High Street Taskforce Delivering a 21st Century High Street report, including securing Executive agreement where necessary; and further calls on the Minister of Finance to seek to extend rates relief for retail, leisure and hospitality, whilst expediting the current reviews of small business rate relief and non-domestic vacant rating exclusion.'
Ms Diane Forsythe
Mr Brian Kingston
Amendment 2 (mutually exclusive to amendment 1)
Leave out all after 'High Street Taskforce', and insert:
'and further calls on the Minister for the Economy to work with the Minister of Finance and the Taskforce to publish proposals by the end of September 2025, setting out how the recommendations contained in the High Street Taskforce report "Delivering a 21st Century High Street" will be implemented.'
Mr David Honeyford
Mr Eoin Tennyson
