Research and Information Service
Research Publications 2025
Synopsis: The Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) produces a number of Research publications each year. These cover a variety of topics which are of interest to Members, Committees and the general public.
Search for all research publications...
Number | Title | Date* |
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76/25 |
Insolvency (Amendment) Bill: key considerations This Bill Paper aims to support the Northern Ireland Assembly scrutiny of the Insolvency (Amendment) Bill – as introduced into the Assembly by the Minister for the Economy on 23 June 2017. The Bill aims to bring parity with comparable legislation enacted in Westminster in relation to England and Wales. The Paper includes context-setting information, an overview of the Bill Clauses that seek to deliver its policy objectives and consideration of public finance implications. |
10.10.25 |
75/25 |
Renewable Electricity: progress, barriers and policy in the United Kingdom and the European Union This Research Paper identifies key barriers to renewable electricity development within Northern Ireland and examines Executive policy adopted to date, and for comparison looks to Great Britain and the European Union. |
10.10.25 |
74/25 |
This briefing paper has been prepared following a request from the Committee on Procedures. The committee asked RaISe for information on: how many questions are on the list, how many questions are withdrawn by MLAs from the lists and how many times oral questions are grouped together for answer by a Minister. This paper was originally presented in June 2024. |
01.10.25 |
73/25 |
This Bill paper provides an overview of the Dilapidation Bill as introduced to the Assembly on 23 June 2025. The paper also identifies those areas within the Bill which may merit further consideration and, where relevant, compares similar provisions within GB and Ireland. |
26.09.25 |
72/25 |
Review of Costs: Sign Language Bill - Supplementary Information This Briefing Paper provides a summary of available information on the costs associated with sign language legislation in Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland. |
26.09.25 |
71/25 |
Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill This Bill paper provides an overview of the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill as introduced to the Assembly on Monday 23 June 2025. The paper also identifies those areas within the Bill which may merit further consideration and, where relevant, compares similar provisions within GB and Ireland. |
24.09.25 |
70/25 |
As requested by the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) Committee, the following paper considers the use of sniff tests for odour assessments by local authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
|
19.09.25 |
69/25 |
A comparative Analysis of the Statutory Remit and Powers of Public Accounts Committees |
19.09.25 |
68/25 |
Administration and Financial Provisions Bill: key considerations |
18.09.25 |
67/25 |
Social Enterprises: Female participation and leadership |
17.09.25 |
66/25 |
Social Enterprises: Current state of play in Northern Ireland, European Union and Republic of Ireland |
17.09.25 |
65/25 |
The EU-UK Reset: Implications of an Emissions Trading System (ETS) Linkage Agreement for the Windsor Framework |
17.09.25 |
64/25 |
Justice Bill: Organised Crime Amendments |
16.09.25 |
63/25 |
This briefing paper provides an overview of Mental Health Courts, their functioning, benefits, and challenges in existing jurisdictions including the United States, Canada, and Australia. |
09.09.25 |
62/25 |
This Review of Bill Costs considers key potential financial implications for the ‘public purse’, if the proposed Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill (the Bill) is enacted as introduced into the Northern Ireland Assembly by the First Minister of The Executive Office. It should be read alongside RaISe Bill Paper NIAR 113-2025, which addresses the Bill’s key potential policy implications. |
08.09.25 |
61/25 |
Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill This Bill Paper provides an overview of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill. It also draws together comments from organisations that responded to the public consultation and lays out key scrutiny points Members may wish to consider during their examination of the Bill.
|
08.09.25 |
60/25 |
Northern Ireland Fiscal Council Bill: key considerations This Bill Paper provides an overview of the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council Bill, as introduced into the Northern Ireland Assembly on 23 June 2025. It identifies key considerations regarding the Bill’s contents in terms of policy and ‘public purse’ costs. |
08.09.25 |
59/25 |
Inclusion and School Uniform: Religious Observance, Disability, Gender and Race This research paper explores the potential implications of school uniform policies for issues relating to inclusion i.e., religious, disability, gender and race. It is intended to inform the scrutiny of the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill. |
02.09.25 |
58/25 |
Designing Consultations for Sensitive Policy Issues: Insights from Other Jurisdictions This briefing note explores how other jurisdictions design consultations and engagement on sensitive policy issues, highlighting key themes of engagement with victims, survivors and others with lived experience. |
01.08.25 |
57/25 |
Brexit outcomes and Northern Ireland: A Reading List This reading list – ‘Brexit Outcomes and Northern Ireland’ – was created to assist Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and others to contemplate developments following the UK’s formal exit from the European Union on 31 January 2020. In May 2025, a significant development occurred with a 'reset' in UK-EU relations, marked by a high-level summit held in London. This reset has led to new agreements, fostering cooperation between the two parties and addressing a number of post-Brexit issues. Key intentions behind these agreements included the easing of restrictions on work and trade, reducing bureaucratic hurdles for businesses, and enhancing collaboration in the energy sector. |
30.06.25 |
56/25 |
Justice Bill: AccessNI Filtering Amendments This paper provides an overview of the amendments to the Justice Bill relating to AccessNI filtering. |
27.06.25 |
55/25 | This paper provides an overview of the amendments to the Justice Bill relating to the repeal of the Vagrancy Act 1824 and Vagrancy (Ireland) Act 1847. | 25.06.25 |
54/25 |
Aquaculture overview – UK and Ireland This briefing paper provides an overview of the current scale and value of aquaculture within the UK and Ireland. Additionally, the paper includes details on strategies/policy interventions with a focus on growing aquaculture within the UK and Ireland. Within this latter context, the paper also briefly considers the Northern Ireland Food Strategy Framework and associated Action Plan in terms of specific reference to and provisions for aquaculture. |
20.06.25 |
53/25 |
Disability legislation in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland This briefing paper provides an overview of the disability legislation currently in place across Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. It summarises the core pieces of legislation that provide protections and rights to disabled people, as well as the duties placed on public authorities and bodies to enforce those protections. |
19.06.25 |
52/25 |
Renewable electricity in Northern Ireland: a primer This Research Paper provides an introduction to renewable electricity in Northern Ireland. It includes background information on renewable electricity generation technologies, their costs and efficiency. The Paper also looks at renewable electricity policy, support and development in Northern Ireland. |
19.06.25 |
51/25 |
This Briefing Paper provides an overview of the definition of a trauma-informed approach, what a best practice approach looks like, the limitations of the approach and four case studies of how a trauma-informed approach has been used in the Redress Schemes in comparable jurisdictions.
|
17.06.25 |
50/25 |
Data sharing and linkage in the Northern Ireland Executive This Paper considers the current legal basis for data sharing and linkage between Executive departments in Northern Ireland for both service delivery and research. It also considers barriers to sharing data and practice in the rest of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. |
12.06.25 |
49/25 |
Decarbonising Transport: Policy approaches of UK regions and Republic of Ireland |
11.06.25 |
48/25 |
Cross-cutting scrutiny in other legislatures |
11.06.25 |
47/25 |
Scrutiny of WestminsterStatutory Instruments in devolved areas |
11.06.25 |
46/25 |
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Northern Ireland: an Analysis of PIP Recipients by Parliamentary Constituency |
09.06.25 |
45/25 |
Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill |
23.05.25 |
44/25 |
Comparing parliamentary oversight of retention and disposal schedules This briefing paper offers Members of the Communities Committee a comparative analysis of the scrutiny processes for retention and disposal schedules across various legislatures in the UK, Ireland, Canada, and Australia. Additionally, it includes a summary of the reporting requirements for EU-funded activities within retention and disposal schedules. |
23.05.25 |
43/25 |
Homelessness: a comparison of legislative frameworks in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales |
22.05.25 |
42/25 |
Proposed Reform of Employment Rights in Great Britain and Northern Ireland: a comparative perspective |
15.05.25 |
41/25 |
Justice Bill: Rehabilitation of Offenders Amendments |
14.05.25 |
40/25 |
The Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 – an overview and progress to date |
12.05.25 |
39/25 |
Social Enterprises: International Best Practice |
07.05.25 |
38/25 |
Justice Bill: Restorative Justice Amendments |
02.05.25 |
37/25 |
Public Estate Value to Society |
01.05.25 |
36/25 |
Institutional Review Committees |
01.05.25 |
35/25 |
Assembly & Executive reform – a literature review |
01.05.25 |
34/25 |
School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill |
01.05.25 |
33/25 |
Use of AI in Legislatures |
09.04.25 |
32/25 |
Private financing & capital redevelopment projects in government |
04.04.25 |
31/25 |
Financial Transaction Capital: Usage and Challenges This Briefing Paper aims to help inform the Committee for Finance’s consideration of Financial Transactions Capital (FTC) - in particular: government use of FTC in Northern Ireland, when compared to that in Great Britain; challenges associated with such use; and, any identified best practice in the area. |
03.04.25 |
30/25 |
Community Asset Transfer – provisions and support within the UK and Ireland This briefing note provides an overview of legislative provisions and associated support across the UK and Ireland with regard to community asset transfer. Community Asset Transfer (CAT) is a process that allows a community organisation to take over publicly-owned land or buildings in a way that recognises the public benefits that the transfer will bring. |
28.03.25 |
29/25 |
Overview of devolved powers in the UK |
27.03.25 |
28/25 |
This Briefing Paper – commissioned by the Committee for Finance – explains the development and implementation of Community Wealth Building measures in neighbouring jurisdictions in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. |
27.03.25 |
27/25 |
Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Education System |
24.03.25 |
26/25 |
Responses to Historical Abuse in Great Britain |
21.03.25 |
25/25 |
Current Provision of Palliative and End of Life Care Services in Northern Ireland |
21.03.25 |
24/25 |
Credit Unions in Northern Ireland: a preliminary consideration This Briefing Paper presents a preliminary consideration of key issues regarding reforming financial services currently offered by credit unions in Northern Ireland. |
20.03.25 |
23/25 |
Introduction to palliative and end of life care in Northern Ireland |
19.03.25 |
22/25 |
European Commission Work Programme 2025 'New' and 'Replacement' EU Acts |
18.03.25 |
21/25 |
Justice Bill: Biometrics Amendments This paper provides an overview of the amendments to the Justice Bill relating to biometrics.This set of amendments covers the additional provisions relating to Part One on the framework for the retention and destruction of DNA and fingerprints in Northern Ireland. |
04.03.25 |
20/25 |
Sign Language Bill (Northern Ireland) 2025 |
27.02.25 |
19/25 |
Public Spend per head: A comparative perspective |
27.02.25 |
18/25 |
Proxy voting – bereavement and absence on parliamentary business |
26.02.25 |
17/25 |
Members' Pay and Allowances: regimes and provisions |
25/02/25 |
16/25 |
Educational underachievement in Northern Ireland This paper considers the persistence of the educational attainment gap between socially disadvantaged pupils and all others. This includes an examination of existing policies to tackle the attainment gap, more recent proposals to raise educational outcomes for all, and how other jurisdictions are dealing with the same issue. |
24.02.25 |
15/25 |
Planning Applications and Flood Risk |
19.02.25 |
14/25 |
Northern Ireland Economy and the Budget: initial considerations for 2025/26 |
14.02.25 |
13/25 |
International Migration in Northern Ireland: an Update |
13.02.25 |
12/25 |
Comparative Overview: Non-Domestic Rating Systems across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland |
13.02.25 |
11/25 |
Comparative Overview: Domestic Rating Systems across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland |
13.02.25 |
10/25 |
Proxy voting - long-term illness This briefing paper has been prepared following a request from the Committee on Procedures. The committee asked for information on the provision for proxy voting in other legislatures for reasons of long-term illness. The research looked at the Scottish Parliament, Senedd and House of Commons. There is currently no provision for proxy voting in Dáil Eireann. |
05.02.25 |
09/25 |
Approaches to inter-parliamentary and international engagement in other legislatures |
30.01.25 |
08/25 |
Scrutiny and Presentation of Parliamentary Corporate Body Budgets and Estimates: A comparative perspective |
29.01.25 |
07/25 |
Mutual Banking in Northern Ireland: preliminary considerations |
28.01.25 |
06/25 |
An Overview of the Current Skills Landscape in the Republic of Ireland |
28.01.25 |
05/25 |
The Agriculture Bill (Northern Ireland) 2024 |
17.01.25 |
04/25 |
The regulation of gambling in Northern Ireland and key developments in other jurisdictions |
16.01.25 |
03/25 |
Regulating gambling advertisements in Northern Ireland |
16.01.25 |
02/25 |
Republic of Ireland: Biometric Data and Policing |
09.01.25 |
01/25 | Justice Bill: Supplementary Information This Briefing Paper provides further information for the Justice Committee in relation to the meaning of qualifying and recordable offences specified within the draft Justice Bill. |
09.01.25 |
* Please note: Date refers to the date on which the paper was published on the website.