Order Paper

1.   Prayers

2.   Members’ Statements

3.   Executive Committee Business

Further Consideration Stage: Budget Bill (NIA Bill 10/22-27)

Minister of Finance          

4.   Question Time

4.1     Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

5.   Private Members’ Business

Motion: Strategic Planning for an Ageing Population

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises our ageing population and the challenges and opportunities this presents for public services; acknowledges the vital contributions of older people while recognising the pressures on healthcare, social care, housing, transport, and the economy; notes that failure to plan strategically will place unsustainable strain on public services, exacerbate inequalities, and impact the wider population; calls on the Executive to develop a cross-departmental strategy to ensure services are adapted and resourced to meet the needs of an ageing society; and further calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to embed ageing population planning in the final Programme for Government 2024-2027, to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience in public services.

Ms Claire Sugden

Motion: Improving Procurement Practices for Schools

Proposed:

That this Assembly acknowledges the vital importance of ensuring schools have access to high-quality goods and services that meet their particular needs; notes that public procurement policy does not prohibit schools from directly procuring low cost goods and services in a timely manner; further notes the concerns raised by schools and school leaders regarding the inflexibility and complexity of the Education Authority's (EA) current application of procurement policies; recognises that overly rigid and bureaucratic procurement processes can hinder schools' ability to achieve best value for money, respond quickly to local needs, and access small and local suppliers of relevant goods and services; and calls on the Minister of Education to conduct a review of the EA's application of procurement policy for schools with a focus on reducing unnecessary administrative burdens, providing flexibility for school leaders to make purchasing decisions within clear and transparent guidelines, and establishing regular engagement with school leaders to identify and address ongoing challenges in procurement policy.

Mr Pat Sheehan
Mrs Cathy Mason
Mr Danny Baker

6.   Executive Committee Business (cont’d)

Final Stage: Budget Bill (NIA Bill 10/22-27)

Minister of Finance

7.   Adjournment

• Lack of dentists and out of hours dental service in Fermanagh and South Tyrone

Mrs Deborah Erskine