Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

2.1 Ministerial Availability

The Speaker informed Members that the Ulster Unionist Party did not intend to move its motion on Improving Sentencing Practices in NI, or the adjournment debate, as the Minister of Justice was unwell and would not be available to respond.

3. Matters of the Day

3.1 Ballymena Unrest

Ms Sian Mulholland, under Standing Order 24, made a statement on Ballymena Unrest. 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:

Mr Declan Kearney
Mr Keith Buchanan
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Mr Justin McNulty
Mr Maolíosa McHugh
Ms Diane Forsythe
Mr Stewart Dickson
Mr Philip McGuigan
Mr Phillip Brett
Mr Andy Allen
Mr Daniel McCrossan
Mr Jonathan Buckley
Mr Timothy Gaston

5. Ministerial Statement

5.1 North South Ministerial Council Language Body Meeting

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

The Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons, made a statement regarding a North South Ministerial Council Language Body Meeting, following which he replied to questions.

6. Executive Committee Business

6.1 Consideration Stage: Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 14/22-27)

The Minister of Finance, Mr John O’Dowd, moved the Consideration Stage of the Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 14/22-27).

No amendments to the Bill were tabled.

Clauses

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clauses 1 to 8 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 Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 14/22-27) stood referred to the Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

7. Private Members’ Business

7.1 Motion: Opposing Plans for the Nutrients Action Programme 2026-2029

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the need to tackle all sources of pollution affecting water quality in Lough Neagh and in rivers throughout Northern Ireland; expresses alarm at plans to impose stricter phosphorus limits on over 3,500 local farms, mandate low emission slurry spreading equipment and require compulsory uncultivated buffer strips for those in the arable and horticulture sectors; believes such measures could devastate agriculture, reduce livestock numbers, add cost and red tape and undermine food security; stresses that any future nutrient management policy, which is focused on more sustainable agricultural practices, must be the product of genuine partnership, rather than punitive policies that risk the viability of our agri-food industry; further stresses the need to redouble efforts, and actions, to address the sources of pollution in wastewater treatment; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to immediately withdraw the current public consultation on the Nutrients Action Programme 2026-2029 in order to provide time and space to develop a genuinely multi-sectoral and multi-agency approach that is fair and workable for all stakeholders.

Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr William Irwin
Mr Tom Buchanan

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.55pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, the Speaker in the Chair.

8. Question Time

8.1 Economy

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for the Economy, Dr Caoimhe Archibald.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

9. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

9.1 Motion: Opposing Plans for the Nutrients Action Programme 2026-2029 (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

The Question being put, the motion was carried (Division).

9.2 Motion: Improving Sentencing Practices in Northern Ireland

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the independence and vital role of the Northern Ireland judiciary and acknowledges the complex nature of the cases that come before the courts; supports the requirement for all judges to take part in ongoing personal and professional development, as directed by the Lady Chief Justice; expresses deep concern at the lenient sentences handed down in some of the most serious cases, including those involving sexual offences; further recognises the lasting harm such sentences can cause to victims and the damage they do to public confidence in the justice system; is alarmed by recent figures showing that nearly 80 per cent of prisoners in Northern Ireland are repeat offenders, highlighting the urgent need for sentencing policy to do more to deter reoffending and protect the public; believes that sentencing should reflect the seriousness of such crimes and meet the expectations of victims and wider society; calls on the Minister of Justice to take urgent and proactive steps to address these concerns, including launching a public consultation on the establishment of a Sentencing Council for Northern Ireland to support greater consistency, transparency and robustness in sentencing; and further calls on the Minister to ensure that, in all relevant cases, victims are provided with written copies of sentencing remarks, at no cost and without delay.

Mr Doug Beattie
Mr Robbie Butler
Ms Diana Armstrong
Mr Andy Allen

Amendment

Leave out all after ‘urgent need for’ and insert:

‘a comprehensive rehabilitation and resettlement programme to reduce reoffending and protect the public; believes that sentencing should reflect the seriousness of such crimes and meet the expectations of victims and wider society; calls on the Minister of Justice to take urgent and proactive steps to address these concerns, including launching a public consultation on the establishment of a Sentencing Council for Northern Ireland to support greater consistency, transparency and robustness in sentencing; and further calls on the Minister to ensure that, in all relevant cases, victims are provided with written copies of sentencing remarks, at no cost and without delay.’

Miss Deirdre Hargey
Mrs Ciara Ferguson
Mr Danny Baker

Motion not moved.

10. Ministerial Statement

10.1 Winter Fuel Payments

The Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons, made a statement regarding Winter Fuel Payments, following which he replied to questions.

11. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 3.50pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
10 June 2025

Northern Ireland Assembly

10 June 2025 – Division

Motion: Opposing Plans for the Nutrients Action Programme 2026-2029

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the need to tackle all sources of pollution affecting water quality in Lough Neagh and in rivers throughout Northern Ireland; expresses alarm at plans to impose stricter phosphorus limits on over 3,500 local farms, mandate low emission slurry spreading equipment and require compulsory uncultivated buffer strips for those in the arable and horticulture sectors; believes such measures could devastate agriculture, reduce livestock numbers, add cost and red tape and undermine food security; stresses that any future nutrient management policy, which is focused on more sustainable agricultural practices, must be the product of genuine partnership, rather than punitive policies that risk the viability of our agri-food industry; further stresses the need to redouble efforts, and actions, to address the sources of pollution in wastewater treatment; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to immediately withdraw the current public consultation on the Nutrients Action Programme 2026-2029 in order to provide time and space to develop a genuinely multi-sectoral and multi-agency approach that is fair and workable for all stakeholders.

Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr William Irwin
Mr Tom Buchanan

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 52

Noes: 23

AYES

Mr Allen, Dr Archibald, Ms D Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Beattie, Mr Boylan, Mr Brett, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Mr Butler, Mrs Cameron, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mr Crawford, Mr Delargy, Mrs Dillon, Mrs Dodds, Miss Dolan, Mr Dunne, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Erskine, Mrs Ferguson, Ms Finnegan, Miss Flynn, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gaston, Mr Gildernew, Mr Givan, Miss Hargey, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Ms Reilly, Mr Robinson, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr T Buchanan, Mr Harvey.

NOES

Ms K Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Carroll, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Mr Durkan, Ms Egan, Mrs Guy, Mr Honeyford, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McMurray, Mr McNulty, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Toole, Mr Tennyson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr McMurray, Mr McReynolds.

Votes cast by proxy:

Ms Nicholl’s vote was cast by Ms Bradshaw.

The motion was carried.

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 10 June 2027.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

SR 2025/104 The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department of Finance)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

6. Assembly Reports

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s Annual Report 2024-25 (Department of Justice)

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland Assembly Legislation:

Stages in Consideration of Public Bills

First Stage: Introduction of Bill.
Second Stage: General debate of the Bill with an opportunity for Members to vote on its general principles.
Committee Stage (Comm. Stage): Detailed investigation by a Committee which concludes with the publication of a report for consideration by the Assembly.
Consideration Stage (CS): Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, the details of the Bill including amendments proposed to the Bill.
Further Consideration Stage (FCS): Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, further amendments to the Bill.
Final Stage: Passing or rejecting of Bill by the Assembly, without further amendment.
Royal Assent.

Proceedings as 10 June 2025

2022-2027 Mandate
Executive Bills

2022-2027 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills

/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage