Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at noon, the Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

2.1 Insolvency (Amendment) Bill: Royal Assent

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, informed Members that Royal Assent was signified to the Insolvency (Amendment) Bill. The Insolvency (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2026 became law on 24 June 2026.

3. Matters of the Day

3.1 Further revelations about inappropriate behaviour by Jeffrey Donaldson and failures to address these

Miss Deirdre Hargey, under Standing Order 24, made a statement on further revelations about inappropriate behaviour by Jeffrey Donaldson and failures to address these. Other Members were also called to speak on the matter.

4. Members’ Statements

Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:

Ms Liz Kimmins
Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly
Ms Paula Bradshaw
Mr Mike Nesbitt

The Speaker took the Chair.

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin
Ms Aisling Reilly
Mrs Julie Middleton
Mr Danny Baker
Mr Alan Robinson
Mr Robbie Butler
Ms Cheryl Brownlee
Mr Timothy Gaston

5. Public Petition

5.1 Save Our Trees

Mr Alan Chambers was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition relating to ‘Save Our Trees’.

6. Assembly Business

6.1 Motion: Suspension of Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4)

Proposed:

That Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4) be suspended for 29 June 2026.

Business Committee

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.

7. Speaker’s Business (cont’d)

7.1 Assembly Commission Investigation

The Speaker informed Members that he had asked the Clerk/ Chief Executive to conduct an investigation to enable staff and Members to raise any issues following Jeffrey Donaldson’s conviction.

8. Ministerial Statements

8.1 Consultation on the Business Growth Accelerator and Vacant Rating Reform

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

The Minister of Finance, Mr John O’Dowd, made a statement regarding the consultation on the Business Growth Accelerator and Vacant Rating Reform, following which he replied to questions.

8.2 North South Ministerial Council Special EU Programmes Sectoral Format Meeting

The Minister of Finance, Mr John O’Dowd, made a statement regarding the North South Ministerial Council Special EU Programmes Sectoral Format meeting, following which he replied to questions.

The sitting was suspended at 1.54pm and resumed at 2.00pm, the Speaker took the Chair.

9. Question Time

9.1 Health

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Health, Mr Mike Nesbitt.

9.2 Infrastructure

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Infrastructure, Ms Liz Kimmins.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

10. Ministerial Statements (cont’d)

10.1 North South Ministerial Council Inland Waterways Sectoral Format Meeting

The Minister for Infrastructure, Ms Liz Kimmins, made a statement regarding the North South Ministerial Council Inland Waterways Sectoral Format meeting, following which she replied to questions.

11. Executive Committee Business

11.1 Motion: The Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

Proposed:

That the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 be approved.

Minister for the Economy

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

11.2 Motion: The Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Employment and Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

Proposed:

That the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Employment and Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 be approved.

Minister for the Economy

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair

11.3 Motion: The draft Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

Proposed:

That the draft Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 be approved.

Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Debate ensued

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

12. Committee Business

12.1 Motion: Repeal of Standing Order 70 and Consequential Amendments

Proposed:

The Standing Orders are amended as follows—

(1) That Standing Order 70 be repealed;

(2) In Standing Order 22, for paragraph 2, substitute—

“Every petition presented under this order, not containing matter which would create a substantial risk that the course of justice in legal proceedings (which are active within the meaning of section 2 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981), would be seriously impeded or prejudiced, shall be notified to the Clerk of the Business Committee, and that committee shall consider whether and when it shall be taken in the Assembly.”;

(3) In Standing Order 57—

(a) in the heading, omit “and Privileges”;

(b) in paragraph 1, omit “and Privileges”;

(c) for sub-paragraph 1(a) substitute—

“(a) to consider any complaint of unauthorised disclosure of information by a member referred to it by the Assembly or a committee;”;

(4) In Standing Order 69A—

(a) in paragraph (3) omit “and Privileges”;

(b) in paragraph (4) omit “and Privileges”;

(c) for sub-paragraph 5(a), substitute—

“(a) made by the Committee on Standards, that relates to the conduct of members;”;

(5) In Standing Order 69B, in paragraph 1, omit “and Privileges”; and

(6) In Standing Order 69C, in paragraph 2, omit “and Privileges”.

Chairperson, Committee on Procedures

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.

12.2 Motion: New Standing Order

Proposed:

After Standing Order 43 insert:

43A Scrutiny of Delegated Powers in Bills

(1) In carrying out its functions under Standing Order 33(2), the appropriate committee may, among other things, consider and report on the following—

(a) whether the provisions of the Bill inappropriately delegate legislative power, and
(b) whether the exercise of legislative power provided for in the Bill is subject to an inappropriate degree of scrutiny by the Assembly.

(2) The appropriate committee may delegate to the Examiner of Statutory Rules the functions set out in this Standing Order.

(3) In this Standing Order, the “appropriate committee” is the committee to which the Bill is referred under Standing Order 33.

Chairperson, Committee on Procedures

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.

 
13. Private Members’ Business

13.1 First Stage: Tree Protection Bill (NIA Bill 42/22-27)

Mr Peter McReynolds introduced a Bill to amend the law relating to the protection of trees and woodlands.

The Tree Protection Bill (NIA Bill 41/22-27) passed First Stage and was ordered to be printed.

14. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.47pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
29 June 2026

Northern Ireland Assembly

The undersigned Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly confirmed the Petition of Concern, (presented on 15 June 2026, in relation to the vote on amendments 79, 80, 81, 82, 85 and 86 to the Consideration Stage of the Justice Bill (NIA Bill 07/22-27), in accordance with section 42 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998

 
Northern Ireland Assembly

Proxy Voting Notifications

In line with Standing Order 27A, Miss Nicola Brogan arranged for her vote to be exercised by a proxy (Mrs Sinéad Ennis) during the period 11 November 2025 to 10 August 2026.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 24 June to 29 June 2026.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Insolvency (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2026

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Tree Protection Bill (NIA Bill 41/22-27)

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

SR 2026/XXXX The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Closure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 (Department for the Economy)

SR 2026/124 The Dangerous Dogs (Compensation and Exemption Schemes) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

For information only

SR 2026/123 The Road Races (Eagle Rock Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 (Department for Infrastructure)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

Memorandum Not Seeking Consent - Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill (Department for the Economy)

6. Assembly Reports

Report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (NIA 181/22-27) (Committee for Finance)

Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committee Seventieth Report (NIA 185/22-27) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)

Report on Major IT Projects in Northern Ireland (NIA 179/22-27) (Public Accounts Committee)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Appointment of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (First Minister and deputy First Minister)

Draft Executive Early Learning and Childcare Strategy – Consultation Analysis (Minister of Education)

Special Educational Needs (SEN) Regulations (Northern Ireland) (Minister of Education)

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Progress in reducing emissions - 2026 report to Parliament - June 2026 (Climate Change Committee)

Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry Retention and Disposal of Records Policy and Schedule (Department for Communities)

Special Advisers: Annual Report 2025/26 (Department of Finance)

The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) Directors’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026 (Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education)

Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2026 (Department of Education)

Arrangements to assess and manage the risks posed by terrorist risk offenders: A Review of the Multi-Agency Review Arrangements in Northern Ireland (Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland)

Libraries NI Retention and Disposal Schedule (Department for Communities)

Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2026 (Department of Justice)

Commissioner for Standards Annual Report 2025-26 (Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards)

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Submission to the Northern Ireland Assembly on the List of Amendments to the Justice Bill – June 2026 (Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission)