Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 19 May 2025
The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.
1. Prayers
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Speaker’s Business
2.1 Availability on Tuesday 20 May 2025
The Speaker notified Members that he would not be in the Chamber on Tuesday 20 May as he would be representing the Assembly in London.
3. Members’ Statements
Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:
Ms Emma Sheerin
Mr Stephen Dunne
Ms Connie Egan
Mr Alan Chambers
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Declan McAleer
Mr Phillip Brett
Mrs Michelle Guy
Mrs Linda Dillon
Mrs Deborah Erskine
Dr Steve Aiken
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin
Mr Timothy Gaston
4. Ministerial Statement
4.1 GP GMS Contract 2025-26
The Minister of Health, Mr Mike Nesbitt, made a statement regarding a GP GMS Contract 2025-26, following which he replied to questions.
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
5. Executive Committee Business
5.1 Motion: Suspension of Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4)
Proposed:
That Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4) be suspended for 19 May 2025.
Minister of Finance
The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.
5.2 Motion: Budget 2025-26
Proposed:
That this Assembly approves the programme of expenditure proposals for 2025-26 as announced by the Minister of Finance on 3 April 2025 and set out in the Budget document laid before the Assembly on 12 May 2025.
Minister of Finance
Debate ensued.
The debate stood suspended for Question Time, the Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.
6. Question Time
6.1 Communities
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
6.2 Finance
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Finance, Mr John O’Dowd.
The Speaker took the Chair.
7. Question for Urgent Oral Answer
7.1 UK-EU Summit
The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr Andrew Muir, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Eóin Tennyson.
8. Executive Committee Business (cont’d)
8.1 Motion: Budget 2025-26 (cont’d)
Debate resumed.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support (Division).
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
8.2 Motion: The draft Farming with Nature Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Proposed:
That the draft Farming with Nature Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.
Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
9. Committee Business
9.1 Motion: Extension of Committee Stage – Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill (NIA Bill 13/22-27)
Proposed:
That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 1 October 2025 in relation to the Committee Stage of the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill.
Chairperson, Committee for Finance
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
10. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 7.35pm.
Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
19 May 2025
Northern Ireland Assembly
19 May 2025 – Division
Motion: Budget 2025-26
Proposed:
That this Assembly approves the programme of expenditure proposals for 2025-26 as announced by the Minister of Finance on 3 April 2025 and set out in the Budget document laid before the Assembly on 12 May 2025.
Minister of Finance
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 57
Noes: 10
AYES
NATIONALIST:
Mr Baker, Mr Boylan, Mr Delargy, Mrs Dillon, Miss Dolan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Mrs Mason, Miss Murphy, Mr O'Dowd, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin.
UNIONIST:
Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Ms D Armstrong, Mr Beattie, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Butler, Mr Chambers, Mr Crawford, Mr Dunne, Mrs Erskine, Mr Frew, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mr Middleton, Mr Robinson, Mr Stewart.
OTHER:
Ms Bradshaw, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Mrs Guy, Mr Honeyford, Mr McMurray, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Ms Nicholl.
Tellers for the Ayes: Miss Dolan, Miss Murphy.
NOES
NATIONALIST:
Mr Durkan, Ms Hunter, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Mr O'Toole.
UNIONIST:
Ms Sugden.
OTHER:
Mr Carroll.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Carroll, Mr Durkan.
Total Votes 67 Total Ayes 57 [85.1%]
Nationalist Votes 29 Nationalist Ayes 21 [72.4%]
Unionist Votes 27 Unionist Ayes 26 [96.3%]
Other Votes 11 Other Ayes 10 [90.9%]
The motion was carried with cross-community support.
Votes cast by proxy:
Ms Nicholl’s vote was cast by Ms Bradshaw.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Proxy Voting Notifications
In line with Standing Order 27A, Ms Kate Nicholl arranged for her vote to be exercised by a proxy (Ms Paula Bradshaw) during the period 31 March 2025 to 28 December 2025.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 14 May 2025 to 19 May 2025.
1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
3. Orders in Council
4. Statutory Rules
SR 2025/83 The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) (Independent Guardian) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department of Health)
SR 2025/85 The Kensington Avenue, Banbridge (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2025/86 The Rathenraw Industrial Estate, Antrim (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2025/90 The Freight Containers (Safety Convention) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for the Economy)
For Information Only
SR 2025/87 The Roads (Speed Limit) (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2025/88 The Loading Bays on Roads (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2025/89 The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Belfast) (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)
5. Legislative Consent Memorandums
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill [Laid under Standing Order 42A(4)(b)] (Department of Justice)
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill [Laid under Standing Order 42A(4)(a)] (Department of Justice)
Crime and Policing Bill [Laid under Standing Order 42A(4)(a)] (Department of Justice)
6. Assembly Reports
Report on the Estimates of the Northern Ireland Audit Office and the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman 2025-26 (NIA 92/22-27) (Audit Committee)
Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committee Thirty-ninth Report of Session 2024 – 2025 (NIA 96/22-27) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)
7. Written Ministerial Statements
Early Learning and Childcare Measures 2025-26 (Minister of Education)
