Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at 10.30am, 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:

Mrs Linda Dillon
Ms Diane Forsythe
Mr Peter McReynolds
Mr Andy Allen
Mr Daniel McCrossan
Mr Declan Kearney
Mr Phillip Brett
Miss Nuala McAllister
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr Peter Martin
Mr Timothy Gaston

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Motion: The draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024

Proposed:

That the draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2024 be approved.

Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

4. Committee Business

4.1 Motion: New Standing Order

Proposed:

After Standing Order 59 insert: -

59A. Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee

(1) This order supplements section 56B and Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
(2) There shall be a standing committee of the Assembly to be known as the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (‘the committee’) to assist with the observation and implementation of Articles 13(3a) and (4) of the Windsor Framework.
(3) The committee shall exercise the functions set out in Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
(4) The committee may exercise the power in section 44(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, read with paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 6B to that Act.
(5) Membership of the committee shall be determined in accordance with Standing Order 52.
(6) Each member of the committee (‘M’) may appoint as a substitute a person who is—
(a) a member of the same political party as M;
(b) a member of the Assembly;
(c) not a member of the committee; and
(d) not a substitute for any other member of the committee.
(7) A substitute may attend any meeting of the committee from which M is absent.
(8) A substitute may participate in the proceedings of the committee as though the substitute were a member of the committee.
(9) If the chairperson is absent, the committee shall be chaired by the deputy chairperson.
(10) If both the chairperson and the deputy chairperson are absent, the committee shall be chaired by the oldest member present at the meeting who is not a substitute.
(11) In this Standing Order, ‘Windsor Framework’ has the same meaning as in paragraph 1(6) of Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998

Chairperson, Committee on Procedures

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

5. Private Members’ Business

5.1 Motion: Delays to Flagship Maternity and Children’s Hospital Project

Proposed:

That this Assembly deplores the lack of progress, and action, towards transforming our health service since the restoration of the Executive; believes it is unacceptable, given that the Department of Health accounts for over half of all day-to-day spend from the public purse, that people across Northern Ireland have experienced little practical benefit, with hundreds of thousands languishing on waiting lists or struggling to access timely health and social care; points out that the recent draft framework for the reconfiguration of hospitals lacks detail, as well as concrete plans for reform; is concerned that the flagship Maternity and Children’s Hospital project has been beset by unprecedented delays and eye-watering costs, driven largely by the contamination of water systems on the Royal Victoria site; expresses alarm that the Children’s Hospital, in particular, will not be operational before 2030, ten years later than anticipated; and calls on the Minister of Health to ensure these failings cannot be repeated by commissioning a full and independent inquiry into the handling of the Maternity and Children’s Hospital project to date, including the handover of the Maternity Hospital to Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in March 2024.

Mrs Diane Dodds
Mr Alan Robinson
Mr Phillip Brett

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.53pm.

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

6. Question Time

6.1 Communities

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

7. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

7.1 Motion: Delays to Flagship Maternity and Children’s Hospital Project (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

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

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

8. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

Mrs Cathy Mason spoke to her topic regarding Pressures in the Fishing Industry in Ardglass.

The Assembly adjourned at 3.58pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
26 November 2024
 

Northern Ireland Assembly

26 November 2024 – Division

Motion: Delays to Flagship Maternity and Children’s Hospital Project

Proposed:

That this Assembly deplores the lack of progress, and action, towards transforming our health service since the restoration of the Executive; believes it is unacceptable, given that the Department of Health accounts for over half of all day-to-day spend from the public purse, that people across Northern Ireland have experienced little practical benefit, with hundreds of thousands languishing on waiting lists or struggling to access timely health and social care; points out that the recent draft framework for the reconfiguration of hospitals lacks detail, as well as concrete plans for reform; is concerned that the flagship Maternity and Children’s Hospital project has been beset by unprecedented delays and eye-watering costs, driven largely by the contamination of water systems on the Royal Victoria site; expresses alarm that the Children’s Hospital, in particular, will not be operational before 2030, ten years later than anticipated; and calls on the Minister of Health to ensure these failings cannot be repeated by commissioning a full and independent inquiry into the handling of the Maternity and Children’s Hospital project to date, including the handover of the Maternity Hospital to Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in March 2024.

Mrs Diane Dodds
Mr Alan Robinson
Mr Phillip Brett

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 61
Noes: 9

AYES

Dr Archibald, Ms K Armstrong, Mr Blair, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Miss Brogan, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dillon, Mrs Dodds, Miss Dolan, Mr Durkan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Erskine, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gildernew, Mr Givan, Mrs Guy, Miss Hargey, Mr Harvey, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mr Irwin, Mr Kearney, Ms Kimmins, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Mr McAleer, Miss McAllister, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Mr McMurray, Mr McNulty, Mr McReynolds, Mr Martin, Mrs Mason, Mr Mathison, Mr Middleton, Mr Muir, Miss Á Murphy, Mr O'Dowd, Ms Reilly, Mr Robinson, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Tennyson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Bradley, Mr Middleton.

NOES

Dr Aiken, Ms D Armstrong, Mr Beattie, Mr Butler, Mr Carroll, Mr Chambers, Mr Crawford, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Stewart.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Butler, Mr Nesbitt.

The motion was carried.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 26 November 2024.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

Draft SI 2024/XXXX The Human Medicines (Amendment) (Modular Manufacture and Point of Care) Regulations 2024 (Department of Health)

SR 2024/198 The State Pension Debits and Credits (Revaluation) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Communities)

SR 2024/199 The State Pension Revaluation for Transitional Pensions Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Communities)

Draft SR 2024/XXXX The Period Products (Department of Health Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Health)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

6. Assembly Reports

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

National Museums NI Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 (Department for Communities)

Security Industry Authority Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24 (Department of Justice)

Northern Ireland Child Maintenance Service Annual Report on Decision Making,1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 (Department for Communities)

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 26 November 2024
2022-2027 Mandate
Executive Bills