Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 23 September 2024
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 Peter Martin
Miss Órlaithí Flynn
Mr Andrew McMurray
Dr Steve Aiken
Mr Colin McGrath
Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr Maolíosa McHugh
Mrs Diane Dodds
Ms Sian Mulholland
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Phillip Brett
Ms Diane Forsythe
3. Executive Committee Business
3.1 Motion: Suspension of Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4)
Proposed:
That Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4) be suspended for 23 September 2024.
Minister of Finance
The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.
3.2 Final Stage: Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 06/22-27)
The Minister of Finance, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, moved that the Final Stage of the Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 06/22-27) do now pass.
Debate ensued.
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
The Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 06/22-27) passed Final Stage with cross-community support (Division).
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
3.3 Motion: The Occupational Pension Schemes (Funding and Investment Strategy and Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024
Proposed:
That the Occupational Pension Schemes (Funding and Investment Strategy and Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 be approved.
Minister for Communities
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
The Speaker took the Chair.
4. Question Time
4.1 The Executive Office
Questions were put to, and answered by, the First Minister, Ms Michelle OʹNeill.
4.2 Economy
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for the Economy, Mr Conor Murphy.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
5. Executive Committee Business (cont’d)
5.1 Motion: The Occupational Pension Schemes (Collective Money Purchase Schemes) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024
Proposed:
That the Occupational Pension Schemes (Collective Money Purchase Schemes) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 be approved.
Minister for Communities
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
6. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 3.40pm.
Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
23 September 2024
Northern Ireland Assembly
23 September 2024 – Division
Final Stage: Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 06/22-27)
Minister of Finance
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 58
Noes: 13
AYES
NATIONALIST:
Dr Archibald, Mr Baker, Mr Boylan, Miss Brogan, Mrs Dillon, Miss Dolan, Mrs Ennis, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Mrs Mason, Miss Á Murphy, Mr C Murphy, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O’Neill, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin.
UNIONIST:
Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Ms Bunting, Mr Clarke, Mr Dunne, Mrs Erskine, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Kingston, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mr Middleton, Mr Robinson.
OTHER:
Ms Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Ms Egan, Mrs Guy, Mr Honeyford, Mrs Long, Miss McAllister, Mr McMurray, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Ms Mulholland, Ms Nicholl, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Miss Brogan, Mrs Ennis.
NOES
NATIONALIST:
Mr Durkan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin.
UNIONIST:
Dr Aiken, Mr Beattie, Mr Butler, Mr Chambers, Mr Crawford, Lord Elliott, Mr Gaston, Mr Stewart.
OTHER:
Mr Carroll.
Tellers for the Noes: Dr Aiken, Mr Carroll.
Total Votes 71 Total Ayes 58 [81.7%]
Nationalist Votes 27 Nationalist Ayes 23 [85.2%]
Unionist Votes 27 Unionist Ayes 19 [70.4%]
Other Votes 17 Other Ayes 16 [94.1%]
The Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 06/22-27) passed final stage with cross-community support.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 18 September 2024 to 23 September 2024.
1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
3. Orders in Council
4. Statutory Rules
SR 2024/0000 The Fair Employment (Monitoring) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (The Executive Office)
SR 2024/171 The Hops Certification (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
SR 2024/172 The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) (No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Finance)
SR 2024/173 The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Live Links for Courts and Tribunals) (No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Justice)
SR 2024/174 The Social Security (Infected Blood Capital Disregard) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Communities)
5. Legislative Consent Memorandums
6. Assembly Reports
7. Written Ministerial Statements
City and Growth Deals: Treasury Pause on Funding Commitments (Minister of Finance)
8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Annual Report and Accounts of the Charitable Trust Funds held by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust for the year ended 31 March 2024 (Department of Health)
9. Publications Presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly
Partnership Agreement between the Department for the Economy and the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (Department for the Economy)