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

VE Day

The Speaker informed Members of the exhibition and event in Parliament Buildings to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

3. Members’ Statements

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

Ms Carál Ní Chuilín
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr Stewart Dickson
Ms Diana Armstrong
Ms Cara Hunter
Mr Pat Sheehan
Mr Jonathan Buckley
Mr Eóin Tennyson
Mr Colm Gildernew
Mrs Deborah Erskine
Mr Andrew McMurray
Ms Connie Egan

4. Public Petition

Safe Crossing for Children at Ashgrove Roundabout

Miss Nuala McAllister was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition on Safe Crossing for Children at Ashgrove Roundabout.

5. Ministerial Statements

5.1 North South Ministerial Council Tourism Meeting

The Minister for the Economy, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, made a statement regarding a North South Ministerial Council Tourism meeting, following which she replied to questions.

5.2 North South Ministerial Council Trade and Business Development Sectoral Meeting

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

The Minister for the Economy, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, made a statement regarding a North South Ministerial Council Trade and Business Development Sectoral meeting, following which she replied to questions.

5.3 Tackling Waiting Lists – Investment Plan

The Minister of Health, Mr Mike Nesbitt, made a statement regarding Tackling Waiting Lists – Investment Plan, following which he replied to questions.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

6. Executive Committee Business

6.1 Motion: The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Live Links for Courts and Tribunals) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025

Proposed:

That the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Live Links for Courts and Tribunals) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

Minister of Justice

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

6.2 Motion: The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025

Proposed:

That the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

Minister of Finance

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

6.3 Motion: The draft Period Products (Department for Communities Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025

Proposed:

That the draft Period Products (Department for Communities Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.

Minister for Communities

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The sitting was suspended at 12.56pm.

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

7. Question Time

7.1 Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr Andrew Muir.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

8. Private Members’ Business

8.1 Motion: Review of Local Councils’ Animal Welfare Policies

Proposed:

That this Assembly believes in the highest standard of welfare for dogs in Northern Ireland; commends the work of the Dogs Trust and many other rehoming organisations and charities; expresses concern at the lack of support and oversight from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs regarding enforcement of animal welfare legislation by local councils; is alarmed at the policy of euthanising healthy dogs after just five days if they are not reclaimed; supports the Dogs Trust’s calls for legislation to ensure that all animal welfare establishments, including dog pounds, are licensed and have regular unannounced inspections; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to review local councils’ dog pound and kennelling policies, including the euthanising of healthy dogs and bringing forward a standardised approach across all councils.

Mr Colin Crawford
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Doug Beattie
Ms Diana Armstrong

Amendment

Leave out all after ‘charities;’ and insert:

‘welcomes the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affair’s work to actively examine the case for inspecting and licensing rescue and rehoming organisations and bring forward relevant legislation thereafter; notes that the vast majority of stray dogs are claimed or rehomed; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to publish his animal welfare pathway to improve animal welfare across Northern Ireland.’

Mr John Blair
Mr Andrew McMurray
Ms Sian Mulholland
Mr Eóin Tennyson

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the amendment fell.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

8.2 Motion: Voting Rights for the Election of the President of Ireland

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes that the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement recognises the birth right of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both; recalls that, in November 2013, the Fifth Report of the Convention on the Constitution recommended to give citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in presidential elections; further notes that Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland can stand for, and be elected as, President of Ireland but cannot vote in presidential elections; and calls on the Irish government to implement the recommendation of the Convention on the Constitution with regards to voting rights in presidential elections, thereby extending the right to vote in elections for President of Ireland to all Irish citizens on the island of Ireland.

Mrs Sinéad Ennis
Mr Declan Kearney
Mr Pat Sheehan
Ms Emma Sheerin

Debate ensued.

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

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

9. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

Mr Matthew O’Toole spoke to his topic regarding the Pedestrianisation of Hill Street, Belfast.

The Assembly adjourned at 5.34pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
6 May 2025

Northern Ireland Assembly

6 May 2025 – Division

Motion: Voting Rights for the Election of the President of Ireland

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes that the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement recognises the birth right of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both; recalls that, in November 2013, the Fifth Report of the Convention on the Constitution recommended to give citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in presidential elections; further notes that Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland can stand for, and be elected as, President of Ireland but cannot vote in presidential elections; and calls on the Irish government to implement the recommendation of the Convention on the Constitution with regards to voting rights in presidential elections, thereby extending the right to vote in elections for President of Ireland to all Irish citizens on the island of Ireland.

Mrs Sinéad Ennis
Mr Declan Kearney
Mr Pat Sheehan
Ms Emma Sheerin

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 46
Noes: 25

AYES

Dr Archibald, Ms K Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Boylan, Ms Bradshaw, Miss Brogan, Mr Carroll, Mr Delargy, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dillon, Miss Dolan, Mr Donnelly, Ms Egan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Ms Finnegan, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Mrs Guy, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Mr McMurray, Mr McReynolds, Mrs Mason, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Miss Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Tennyson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mrs Dillon, Mr McHugh.

NOES

Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mrs Erskine, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gaston, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mr Middleton, Mr Robinson, Ms Sugden.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Brett, Mr Kingston.

The motion was carried.

Votes cast by proxy:

Ms Nicholl’s vote was cast by Ms Bradshaw.

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 30 April to 6 May 2025.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

SR 2025/XXXX Draft Statutory Rule The Farming with Nature Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Replacement draft SR) (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

For information only

SR 2025/78 The Northern Ireland Climate Commissioner Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (The Executive Office)

SR 2025/79 The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

Product Regulation and Metrology Bill [HL] (Department for the Economy)

6. Assembly Reports

Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committee Thirty-eighth Report of Session 2024 – 2025 (NIA 93/22-27) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Social Security Fraud Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 Code of Practice on Obtaining Information, Version 3 (Department for Communities)

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service Consultation on Court Fees 2026-2029 ( Department of Justice)

Consultation on the contents of the list of Qualifying Offences as specified under Article 53A of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (Department of Justice)

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 6 May 2025

2022-2027 Mandate
Executive Bills

2022-2027 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills

/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage