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 Adjournment Debate

The Speaker informed Members that Mr Colm Gildernew had informed him that he did not intend to speak to the Adjournment Debate scheduled in his name that evening, and that the Business Committee had been informed.

3. Members’ Statements

Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:

Ms Cheryl Brownlee
Miss Nuala McAllister
Mr Matthew O'Toole
Mr Peter Martin
Ms Connie Egan
Mr Phillip Brett
Mr Daniel McCrossan
Mrs Deborah Erskine
Mr Timothy Gaston
Mr Alan Robinson
Mr Gerry Carroll

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

4. Committee Business

4.1 Motion: Extension of Committee Stage – Justice Bill (NIA Bill 07/22-27)

Proposed:

That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 27 March 2026, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Justice Bill.

Chairperson, Committee for Justice

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion, was carried.

5. Private Members’ Business

5.1 Motion: Failure of RAISE Programme in Tackling Educational Underachievement

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises that socio-economic background is the biggest predictor of educational underachievement; acknowledges that a range of targeted interventions across government are required to tackle the issue and give children and young people the opportunity to reach their potential; welcomes the allocation of over £20 million from the Shared Island fund to help tackle educational underachievement; regrets that the resulting RAISE programme’s eligibility formula excludes many schools in some of the most deprived working class communities; further regrets that, by design, this programme will not deliver based on objective need; and calls on the Minister of Education to replace the RAISE programme with a new programme which will target support to the schools and children that, based on objective evidence, need it most.

Mr Pat Sheehan
Mrs Cathy Mason
Mr Danny Baker
Mr Pádraig Delargy


Amendment:

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘further regrets that’ and insert:

‘this programme may not deliver based on objective need; calls on the Minister of Education to urgently review the criteria for the targeting of the RAISE programme to ensure that funding is directed to the children and young people most impacted by the effects of socio-economic deprivation and experiencing the highest levels of educational underachievement, based on objective need; and further calls on the Minister to update the Committee for Education and the Assembly on the actions the Department is taking to alleviate concerns and ensure the integrity of the programme.’

Mr Nick Mathison
Mrs Michelle Guy
Ms Connie Egan
Ms Sian Mulholland

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.59pm.

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

6. Question Time

6.1 Finance

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Finance, Dr Caoimhe Archibald.

7. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

7.1 Motion: Failure of RAISE Programme in Tackling Educational Underachievement (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

The Question being put, the amendment was made.

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

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

8. Ministerial Statement

8.1 Integrated Advice Partnership Fund

The Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons, made a statement regarding an Integrated Advice Partnership Fund, following which he replied to questions.

9. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

9.1 Motion: Implementation of RHI Inquiry recommendations

Proposed:

That this Assembly acknowledges the findings of the Northern Ireland Audit Office’s second report on progressing implementation of the Renewable Heat Incentive public inquiry recommendations, published on 15th October 2024, which highlights the outstanding issues and a lack of progress regarding the implementation of these recommendations; expresses serious concern that the Department of Finance has not acted with sufficient pace to fully implement the report’s recommendations; expresses regret that the Executive Sub-Committee on Reform has not met since 2020; calls on the Minister of Finance to urgently accelerate efforts to address the deficiencies identified by the report, ensuring that all recommendations are implemented without further delay; and further calls on the Minister to work with Executive colleagues to re-establish the Executive Committee on Reform as a matter of urgency and to include clear outcomes for reform in the final Programme for Government.

Mr Matthew OˈToole
Mr Colin McGrath
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion, was carried.

10. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.53pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
5 November 2024
 

Northern Ireland Assembly

5 November 2024 – Division

Motion as Amended: Failure of RAISE Programme in Tackling Educational Underachievement

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises that socio-economic background is the biggest predictor of educational underachievement; acknowledges that a range of targeted interventions across government are required to tackle the issue and give children and young people the opportunity to reach their potential; welcomes the allocation of over £20 million from the Shared Island fund to help tackle educational underachievement; regrets that the resulting RAISE programme’s eligibility formula excludes many schools in some of the most deprived working class communities; further regrets that this programme may not deliver based on objective need; calls on the Minister of Education to urgently review the criteria for the targeting of the RAISE programme to ensure that funding is directed to the children and young people most impacted by the effects of socio-economic deprivation and experiencing the highest levels of educational underachievement, based on objective need; and further calls on the Minister to update the Committee for Education and the Assembly on the actions the Department is taking to alleviate concerns and ensure the integrity of the programme.

Mr Pat Sheehan
Mrs Cathy Mason
Mr Danny Baker
Mr Pádraig Delargy

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 46
Noes: 22

AYES
Mr Allen, Dr Archibald, Ms D Armstrong, Ms K Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Boylan, Ms Bradshaw, Miss Brogan, Mr Butler, Mr Carroll, Mr Chambers, Mr Crawford, Mr Delargy, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dillon, Ms Dolan, Mr Donnelly, Ms Egan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Miss McAllister, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McMurray, Mr McNulty, Mrs Mason, Mr Mathison, Ms Mulholland, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Baker, Mrs Mason.

NOES
Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, 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 Robinson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Clarke, Ms Forsythe.

The motion, as amended, was carried.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 5 November 2024.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

6. Assembly Reports

Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees Twenty-Sixth Report of Session 2024-2025 (Northern Ireland Assembly) (NIA 57/22-27)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

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 5 November 2024
2022-2027 Mandate
Executive Bills