Marshalled List of Amendments

30 January 2025

Item 4: Order Paper 78/22-27 – Monday 3 February 2025

Motion: Enhancing Accountability and Trust in Government

Proposed:

That this Assembly acknowledges that the Executive has lasted for one year, but affirms that simply existing is not enough; notes with regret the findings of the Life in the UK Report 2024, that Northern Ireland experiences the lowest levels of democratic wellbeing across the UK; further notes that people’s low level of trust in our institutions is compounded by repeated institutional collapse, the failure of the Executive to deliver on its promised legislative programme or improve public services; calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to initiate a programme to rebuild trust and accountability in our politics by each making a clear and specific commitment not to resign their respective offices during this mandate under any circumstances; and further calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to write to the UK and Irish Governments to commence a programme of reform, including an amendment to the Pledge of Office, so no party can veto the operation of Government.

Leader of the Opposition

Amendment

Leave out all after ‘mandate’ and insert:

‘as a means of frustrating operation of the devolved institutions; and further calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to write to the UK and Irish Governments to commence a programme of reform, to include an amendment to the Pledge of Office, the introduction of weighted majority voting for the election of the Assembly Speaker, restrictions on the application of Petitions of Concern and cross-community votes in the Assembly and Executive, and measures to allow the next largest party to nominate a First or deputy First Minister if the first eligible party is unwilling to do so, so no party can veto the operation of Government.’

[Ms Paula Bradshaw]

[Mrs Michelle Guy]

[Mr Stewart Dickson]

[Ms Kate Nicholl]

Motion: Fixing the Health Crisis

Proposed:

That this Assembly regrets that, since the restoration of the Assembly, challenges facing our health service have worsened, with extensive waiting times, an escalating mental health crisis, and severe workforce shortages; acknowledges that these pressures are not solely due to a lack of funding, but also the failure of successive Ministers of Health and Executives to implement meaningful reform; and calls on the Minister of Health to work with Executive colleagues to introduce a fully costed and time-bound health service rescue plan to be presented to the Assembly no later than September 2025.

Leader of the Opposition

Amendment

Leave out all after ‘regrets’ and insert:

‘the significant challenges facing our health service, including extensive waiting times, an escalating mental health crisis, and severe workforce shortages; acknowledges that these pressures are not solely due to a lack of funding, but also the ongoing need to implement meaningful reform; recognises the need to invest in our health and social care workforce; calls on the Minister of Health to deliver digital capability, innovation and research, take difficult decisions about reconfiguration of services, and address health inequalities through primary, community and social care; and further calls on the Minister to work with Executive colleagues to progress plans to cut health waiting times and introduce a fully costed and time-bound health service rescue plan to be presented to the Assembly no later than September 2025.’

[Mrs Diane Dodds]

[Mr Alan Robinson]

Motion: Support for First-Time Buyers

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses regret that, since the restoration of the Assembly, the challenges facing first-time buyers have intensified, with rising house prices and rental costs creating significant barriers for prospective homeowners; acknowledges the limited provisions within the Housing Supply Strategy to address the specific needs of first-time buyers; and calls on the Minister for Communities to introduce a comprehensive suite of interventions aimed at supporting first-time buyers, including the roll out of an equity-based Help to Buy scheme to provide meaningful support and improve access to home ownership.

Leader of the Opposition

Amendment 1

Leave out all after 'regret' and insert:

'that the challenges facing first-time buyers have intensified, with rising house prices and rental costs creating significant barriers for prospective homeowners; acknowledges that increasing housing supply and creating affordable options across all tenures, in line with Objective 1 of the Housing Supply Strategy, will be vital toward addressing the specific needs of first-time buyers; and calls on the Minister for Communities to consider a comprehensive and evidence-led suite of interventions aimed at supporting first-time buyers, building on the roll-out, and success to date, of Co-Ownership as the exclusive shared ownership scheme for Northern Ireland.’

[Mr Brian Kingston]

[Mr Maurice Bradley]

Amendment 2 (Mutually exclusive to Amendment 1)

Leave out all after second 'buyers' and insert:

' and calls on the Minister for Communities to explore the introduction of interventions aimed at first-time buyers that provide meaningful support and improve access to home ownership.’

[Mr Colm Gildernew]

[Mrs Ciara Ferguson]