Order Paper
Date: 21 October 2025
The Assembly to sit at 10.30am.
Indicative timings for order of business.
1. Prayers
2. Members' Statements
3. Question Time
4. Private Members' Business
Motion: Local Growth Fund
Proposed:
That this Assembly recognises the positive impact that the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund have had in supporting the community and voluntary sector; notes the ongoing failure of the British Government to deliver on the commitment to fully replace European funding in the aftermath of Brexit; further notes the ongoing lack of clarity from the British Government regarding the Local Growth Fund which will replace the Shared Prosperity Fund in 2026; acknowledges the uncertainty for the community and voluntary sector here; calls on the British Government to fulfil its promise to match European Union funding in full and to provide clarity for the community and voluntary sectors beyond 2026; and further calls on the British Government to fulfil its commitment to return decision-making on structural funds to the Executive and to urgently engage to ensure a replacement fund can be put in place by April 2026.
Ms Emma Sheerin
Mr Pádraig Delargy
Mr Colm Gildernew
Miss Jemma Dolan
Motion: Reducing the Level of Unpaid Rates
Proposed:
That this Assembly expresses concern that over £82 million in rates bills have been written off by the Department of Finance in the last six years, with over £145 million remaining unpaid as of 31 August 2025; believes it is unfair that law-abiding businesses and households pay their rates while others have their slate wiped clean; notes that uncollected rates debt is a barrier to maximising funding available for vital public services; calls on the Minister of Finance to tangibly increase the target figure for gross collectable rates operated by Land and Property Services; and further calls on the Minister to present a range of new and concrete proposals to reduce the level of rates that are unpaid or written off over the next five years.
Ms Diane Forsythe
Mr Brian Kingston
Mr Harry Harvey
5. Adjournment
- Improving Infrastructure in Castlereagh South
Ms Kate Nicholl
