Independent Remuneration Board

Minutes of Proceedings - 15 September 2026

Independent Remuneration Board - 15 September 2026.pdf (173.51 kb)

Meeting Location: Virtual meeting held via MS Teams

Present:

Alan Lowry, Chairperson

Craig Griffiths, Member

Robert Herron, Member

In Attendance:

James Gilsenan, Assembly Clerk

Roisin Donnelly, Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk

Krystal Clarke, Executive Assistant

Jonathan McMillan, Head of Legal Services, NI Assembly Legal Services (Agenda item 6)

Helen Smyth, Legal Adviser, NI Assembly Legal Services (Agenda item 6)

John Hart, Head of Communications, NI Assembly (Agenda item 7)

Felicity Templeton, Communications and Digital Content Officer, NI Assembly (Agenda item 7)

The meeting commenced at 9.00 am.

1.  Apologies

There were no apologies.

2.  Declaration of Interests

No interests were declared in relation to the agenda items listed for the meeting.

3.  Chairperson's Business

There was no Chairperson’s Business.

4.  Draft Minutes

Agreed:  The Board agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2026.

5. Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

6.  Drafting Instructions for Second draft Determination on Assembly Members’ Salaries

Jonathan McMillan, Head of Legal Services and Helen Smyth, Legal Advisor, NI Assembly, joined the meeting at 9.07 am.

Mr McMillan detailed revisions made to the draft Determination further to instruction from the Board at its last meeting.

Agreed:   The Board agreed the draft Determination subject to further minor amendments.

The Chairperson thanked Mr McMillan and Ms Smyth for their attendance.

The Board discussed preparation for its consultation on the draft Determination.

Agreed:   The Board agreed the consultation process with both the statutory consultees (the Assembly Commission; the Assembly Members’ Pension Scheme Trustees; and Assembly Members;) and the public.

Agreed: The Board agreed questions for the public consultation using the Citizen Space platform.

Agreed: The Board agreed to hold a 4-week consultation with both statutory consultees and  the public.

7.  Board Communications

John Hart, Head of Communications, and Felicity Templeton, Communications and Digital Content Officer, NI Assembly, joined the meeting at 9.25 am.

There followed a discussion on the communication relating to the draft Determination on Assembly Member’s Salaries.

The Chairperson thanked Mr Hart and Ms Templeton for their attendance.

8. Any Other Business

The Board noted that consideration of Assembly Members’ pensions was scheduled for the next meeting.

9. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

The next meeting was scheduled to take place on Thursday, 22 October 2026.

The meeting was adjourned at 10.02 am.

Chairperson, Independent Remuneration Board

22 October 2026