Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 24 February 2025
The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.
1. Prayers
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Speaker’s Business
2.1 Invictus Games
The Speaker put on record both his, and the Assembly’s, congratulations to Mr Andy Allen MLA following his recent participation in and achievements at the Invictus Games.
3. Members’ Statements
Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín
Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr David Honeyford
Dr Steve Aiken
Mr Matthew O’Toole
Miss Nicola Brogan
Mr Brian Kingston
Ms Connie Egan
Mr Phillip Brett
Ms Claire Sugden
Mr Stephen Dunne
Mr Timothy Gaston
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
4. Executive Committee Business
4.1 Consideration Stage: Budget Bill (NIA Bill 11/22-27)
The Minister of Finance, Mr John O’Dowd, moved the Consideration Stage of the Budget Bill (NIA Bill 11/22-27).
No amendments to the Bill were tabled.
Clauses
The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clauses 1 to 15 stand part of the Bill.
Schedules
The question being put, it was agreed without division that Schedules 1 to 3 stand part of the Bill.
The question being put, the Long Title was agreed without division.
The Budget Bill (NIA Bill 11/22-27) stood referred to the Speaker.
4.2 Consideration Stage: Child Support Enforcement Bill (NIA Bill 05/22-27)
The Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons, moved the Consideration Stage of the Child Support Enforcement Bill (NIA Bill 05/22-27).
No amendments to the Bill were tabled.
Clauses
The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 1 stand part of the Bill.
The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 2 stand part of the Bill.
Schedule
The question being put, it was agreed without division that the Schedule stand part of the Bill.
Long Title
The question being put, the Long Title was agreed without division.
The Child Support Enforcement Bill (NIA Bill 05/22-27) stood referred to the Speaker.
5. Private Members’ Business
5.1 Motion: Prayer of Annulment – The Animals (Identification, Records, Movement and Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Proposed:
That the Animals (Identification, Records, Movement and Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (SR 2025/11) be annulled.
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr William Irwin
Mr Tom Buchanan
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was negatived (Division).
The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.
5.2 Motion: Delivering a New Deal for Private Renters in Northern Ireland
Proposed:
That this Assembly expresses concern at the unaffordable rents, lack of long-term security and inadequate protections for tenants in Northern Ireland’s private rented sector; recognises that many private renters face a constant struggle to keep a roof over their heads, afford daily essentials, or access the basic repairs necessary to make their homes habitable and safe; and calls on the Minister for Communities to deliver a new deal for private renters, including a considered system of third-generation rent controls, a ban on no-fault evictions, legislation to make open-ended tenancies the norm for private tenants, creation of a statutory Housing Ombudsman, measures to boost the supply of affordable rental properties, and a review of minimum fitness standards and enforcement in the private rented sector.
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Ms Sian Mulholland
Mrs Michelle Guy
Mr Andrew McMurray
Amendment 1:
Proposed:
Leave out all after the second ‘private renters’ and insert:
‘including a considered system of third-generation rent controls, or a rent freeze, followed by a phased rent reduction, a ban on no-fault evictions, legislation to make open-ended tenancies the norm for private tenants, creation of a statutory Housing Ombudsman and establishment of a Rental Board to enforce minimum fitness standards and rent controls, measures to boost the supply of affordable rental properties and social housing, in recognition that the supply of social housing has a direct impact on the security and affordability of homes in the private rented sector, and a review of minimum fitness standards and enforcement in the private rented sector.’
Mr Gerry Carroll
Amendment 2:
Proposed:
Leave out all after ‘properties’ and insert:
‘a review of minimum fitness standards and enforcement in the private rented sector, legislation to extend the threatened with homelessness window and the introduction of a grant to provide meaningful support to help renters facing a shortfall between Local Housing Allowance and market rent.’
Mr Mark Durkan
Ms Cara Hunter
Debate ensued.
The debate stood suspended for Question Time, the Speaker took the Chair.
6. Question Time
6.1 Economy
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for the Economy, Dr Caoimhe Archibald.
6.2 Justice
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long.
7. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)
7.1 Motion: Delivering a New Deal for Private Renters in Northern Ireland (cont’d)
Proposed:
Debate resumed.
The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.
The Question being put, amendment 1 fell.
The Question being put, amendment 2 was made.
The Question being put, the motion, as amended, was carried.
8. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 4.49pm.
Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
24 February 2025
Northern Ireland Assembly
24 February 2025 – Division
Motion: Prayer of Annulment – The Animals (Identification, Records, Movement and Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Proposed:
That the Animals (Identification, Records, Movement and Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (SR 2025/11) be annulled.
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr William Irwin
Mr Tom Buchanan
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 34
Noes: 47
AYES
Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Ms D Armstrong, Mr Beattie, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, 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 Gaston, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mr Middleton, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Robinson, Ms Sugden.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr T Buchanan, Mr Irwin.
NOES
Dr Archibald, Ms K Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Blair, Mr Boylan, Ms Bradshaw, Miss Brogan, Mr Carroll, Mr Delargy, Mrs Dillon, Miss Dolan, Mr Donnelly, Mr Durkan, Ms Egan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Ms Finnegan, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Mrs Guy, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Ms Kimmins, Mrs Long, Mr McAleer, Miss McAllister, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McMurray, Mr McNulty, Mr McReynolds, Mrs Mason, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Miss Murphy, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Dowd, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Mathison, Mr McMurray.
The motion was negatived.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 19 February 2025 to 24 February 2025.
1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
3. Orders in Council
4. Statutory Rules
SR 2025/31 The Moore’s Lane, Lurgan (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2025/32 The Education (Student Support, etc.) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for the Economy)
For Information Only
SR 2025/30 The Waste (Fees and Charges) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
SR 2025/33 The Farm Sustainability (Transitional Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
5. Legislative Consent Motions
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Employment Rights Bill (Department for Communities)
6. Assembly Reports
Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committee Thirty-Third Report of Session 2024 – 2025 (NIA 79/22-27) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)
7. Written Ministerial Statements
Completing the Implementation of the RHI Inquiry Recommendations (Minister of Finance)
Update on Avian Influenza Outbreak in Northern Ireland (Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Independent Review of the Liquor Licensing System in Northern Ireland including the Surrender Principle with associated Appendices, Executive Summary, and Briefing Note (Department for Communities)
Special EU Programmes Body Annual Report and Accounts 2023 (Department of Finance)
The Waste Management Charging Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
Department of Education -Teachers’ Pension Annual Scheme Statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 (Department of Finance)
