Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 20 January 2025
The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.
1. Prayers
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Members’ Statements
Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:
Mr Declan Kearney
Mr Jonathan Buckley
Ms Kate Nicholl
Ms Emma Sheerin
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Matthew O’Toole
Mr Paul Frew
Mr Pat Sheehan
Mr Peter McReynolds
Mr David Brooks
Mr Colm Gildernew
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr Timothy Gaston
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
3. Executive Committee Business
3.1 Motion: The draft Period Products (Department of Health Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024
Proposed:
That the draft Period Products (Department of Health Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 be approved.
Minister of Health
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
4. Committee Business
4.1 Motion: Extension of Committee Stage – Agriculture Bill (NIA Bill 08/22-27) 2024
Proposed:
That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 23 May 2025, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Agriculture Bill.
Chairperson, Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
The Speaker took the Chair.
5. Private Members’ Business
5.1 Motion: Protection of Rights and Safety in Custodial Facilities
Proposed:
That this Assembly commits to providing continuous support for the LGBTQ+ and other minority communities throughout Northern Ireland, while ensuring there is no diminution of societal rights, particularly the rights of women; agrees that our justice system must ensure that those placed in custody should not feel any more vulnerable than what would be expected from having their liberty taken away; and calls on the Minister of Justice to bring forward supporting legislation to give guidance to the judiciary, Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Prosecution Service, proposing that only biological males should be held in a male prison or holding facility, and that only biological females should be held in a female prison or holding facility.
Mr Doug Beattie
Ms Diana Armstrong
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Andy Allen
Amendment:
Proposed:
Leave out all after ‘That this Assembly commits to’ and insert:
‘ensuring there is no diminution of societal rights, particularly the rights of women; maintains that our justice system must ensure that those placed in custody are given the basic human rights to safety and dignity and should not feel any more vulnerable than would be expected from having their liberty taken away; and calls on the Minister of Justice to bring forward supporting legislation and guidance to the judiciary, Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Prosecution Service, ensuring that only biological males are held in any male prison or holding facility, and that only biological females should be held in a female prison or holding facility.’
Mr Timothy Gaston
Debate ensued.
The debate stood suspended for Question Time.
6. Question Time
6.1 The Executive Office
Questions were put to, and answered by, the First Minister, Ms Michelle O’Neill. The junior Minister, Ms Aisling Reilly, also answered a number of questions.
6.2 Economy
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for the Economy, Mr Conor Murphy.
7. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)
7.1 Motion: Protection of Rights and Safety in Custodial Facilities (cont’d)
Debate resumed.
The Question being put, the amendment fell (Division 1).
The Question being put, the motion was negatived (Division 2).
The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.
7.2 Motion: Specialist Autism Mental Health Services
Proposed:
That this Assembly notes with great concern the lack of capacity within mental health services to meet the needs of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); further notes the lack of specialist interventions available for autistic individuals; affirms that mental health support is vital for many on the autism spectrum; and calls on the Minister of Health to bring forward plans to develop specialist autism mental health services, informed by the lived experiences of service users and their families, to meet the needs of those with ASD and other mental health conditions.
Mr Cathal Boylan
Mr Maolíosa McHugh
Ms Liz Kimmins
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
8. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 5.42pm.
Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
20 January 2025
Northern Ireland Assembly
20 January 2025 – Division 1
Amendment: Protection of Rights and Safety in Custodial Facilities
Proposed:
Leave out all after ‘That this Assembly commits to’ and insert:
‘ensuring there is no diminution of societal rights, particularly the rights of women; maintains that our justice system must ensure that those placed in custody are given the basic human rights to safety and dignity and should not feel any more vulnerable than would be expected from having their liberty taken away; and calls on the Minister of Justice to bring forward supporting legislation and guidance to the judiciary, Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Prosecution Service, ensuring that only biological males are held in any male prison or holding facility, and that only biological females should be held in a female prison or holding facility.’
Mr Timothy Gaston
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 25
Noes: 57
AYES
Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mrs Erskine, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gaston, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mr Middleton, Mr Robinson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Bradley, Mr Gaston.
NOES
Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Dr Archibald, Ms D Armstrong, Ms K Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Beattie, Mr Blair, Mr Boylan, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Butler, Mr Carroll, Mr Chambers, Mr Crawford, Mr Delargy, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dillon, Mr Donnelly, Mr Durkan, Ms Egan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Mrs Guy, Miss Hargey, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Ms Kimmins, Mrs Long, Mr McAleer, Miss McAllister, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McMurray, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Miss Á Murphy, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Ní Chuilín, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart, Ms Sugden, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Donnelly, Mr Mathison.
The Amendment fell.
Northern Ireland Assembly
20 January 2025 – Division 2
Motion: Protection of Rights and Safety in Custodial Facilities
Proposed:
That this Assembly commits to providing continuous support for the LGBTQ+ and other minority communities throughout Northern Ireland, while ensuring there is no diminution of societal rights, particularly the rights of women; agrees that our justice system must ensure that those placed in custody should not feel any more vulnerable than what would be expected from having their liberty taken away; and calls on the Minister of Justice to bring forward supporting legislation to give guidance to the judiciary, Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Prosecution Service, proposing that only biological males should be held in a male prison or holding facility, and that only biological females should be held in a female prison or holding facility.
Mr Doug Beattie
Ms Diana Armstrong
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Andy Allen
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 33
Noes: 48
AYES
Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Ms D Armstrong, Mr Beattie, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Butler, Mrs Cameron, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mr Crawford, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mrs Erskine, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mr Middleton, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Robinson, Mr Stewart.
Tellers for the Ayes: Ms D Armstrong, Mr Crawford.
NOES
Dr Archibald, Ms K Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Blair, Mr Boylan, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Carroll, Mr Delargy, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dillon, Mr Donnelly, Mr Durkan, Ms Egan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Mrs Guy, Miss Hargey, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Ms Kimmins, Mrs Long, Mr McAleer, Miss McAllister, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McMurray, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Miss Á Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Ms Sugden, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Noes: Mrs Guy, Mr McMurray.
The following Member voted in both Lobbies and is therefore not counted in the result:
Mr Gaston.
The motion was negatived.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 15 January 2025 to 20 January 2025.
1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
3. Orders in Council
4. Statutory Rules
SR 2025/3 The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Communities)
SR 2025/4 The Rules of the Court of Judicature (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) 2025 (Department of Justice)
5. Legislative Consent Memorandums
6. Assembly Reports
7. Written Ministerial Statements
Publication of Equality Impact Assessment on the NI Executive draft 2025-26 budget (Minister of Health)
Publication of the Executive Response to the Covid-19 Module 1 Report Recommendations (First Minister and deputy First Minister)
Public Expenditure: 2024-25 January Monitoring (Minister of Finance)
Update on Confirmed Foot and Mouth Disease in Germany (Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Assembly Contributory Pension Fund Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2023 (NIAO)
Members Contributory Pension Fund Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2023 (NIAO)
