No. 4-07/08
MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2007
The Assembly met at 10.30 am, the Speaker in the Chair
1. Personal Prayer or Meditation
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Executive Committee Business
2.1 Statement – British-Irish Council
The First Minister, the Rt Hon Ian Paisley, made a statement to the Assembly on the British-Irish Council, following which he replied to questions.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) in the chair.
2.2 Statement – North-South Ministerial Council
The deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness, made a statement to the Assembly on the North/South Ministerial Council, following which he replied to questions.
The sitting was suspended at 12.22 pm.
The sitting resumed at 2.00 pm with the Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the chair.
3. Private Members’ Business
3.1 Motion – Fuel Poverty
Proposed: That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Social Development to review the strategy for the eradication of fuel poverty, particularly amongst pensioner households and households with children.
[Mr R Beggs]
[Mr J McCallister]
3.2 Amendment
Proposed: Leave out all after ‘Assembly’ and insert:
‘notes the debate on fuel poverty which took place on 29 th May 2007 and the resolution adopted; and calls on the Executive to prioritise the elimination of fuel poverty in the forthcoming Programme for Government.’
[Mr A Maginness]
Debate ensued.
The Amendment being put, the Amendment was made without division.
The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.
3.3 Motion – School Openings and Amalgamations
Proposed: That this Assembly notes with concern some of the decisions taken by the Minister of Education over the summer recess on school openings and amalgamations; and calls upon the Minister to clarify her approach to the recommendations of the Bain Report and the Sustainable Schools Policy published by her Department.
[Mr S Wilson]
3.4 Amendment
Proposed: Leave out all after ‘Assembly’ and insert:
‘calls upon the Minister to clarify her approach to the recommendations of the Bain Report by publishing her Department’s sustainable schools policy without further delay.’
[Mr D Bradley]
Debate ensued.
The Speaker in the chair.
The Amendment being put, the Amendment fell (Division 1).
The Question being put, the Motion was carried (Division 2).
3.5 Motion – Heart Defect Screening Service
Proposed: That this Assembly expresses its sympathy to the families of Patrick Breen and Patrick Devlin, who died recently on the sports field from heart defects; sympathises with all families on the island of Ireland who have lost loved ones in this way; calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to bring forward options for a comprehensive screening service; further calls on other Government Departments to co-operate in clarifying the costs of the development of such options, which should include schools and college services; and believes that such a service would benefit from co-operation and co-ordination through the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council.
[Mr D Bradley]
[Mrs C Hanna]
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the chair.
3.6 Amendment
Proposed: Leave out all after the second ‘families’ and insert:
‘who have lost loved ones in this way; and calls upon the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and the Executive, to consult with their United Kingdom counterparts through the National Screening Committee, and bring forward fully costed, evidence-based proposals to reduce avoidable cardiac deaths in the young, including screening programmes where appropriate.’
[Mrs I Robinson]
[Mr T Buchanan]
Debate ensued.
The Amendment being put, the Amendment was made without division.
The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.
4. Adjournment
Mr Simon Hamilton spoke on maximising tourism potential in the Strangford constituency.
Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.
[The Speaker]
The Assembly adjourned at 7.34 pm.
Mr William Hay
The Speaker
18 September 2007
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
18 SEPTEMBER 2007
DIVISIONS
Division No. 1
School Openings and Amalgamations – Amendment No. 1
Proposed: Leave out all after ‘Assembly’ and insert:
‘calls upon the Minister to clarify her approach to the recommendations of the Bain Report by publishing her Department’s sustainable schools policy without further delay.’
[Mr D Bradley]
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 35
Noes: 42
Ayes
Ms Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Brolly, Mr Butler, Dr Deeny, Mr Doherty, Mr Durkan, Dr Farry, Mr Gallagher, Ms Gildernew, Mrs Hanna, Mr G Kelly, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McElduff, Mrs McGill, Mr McGlone, Mr McHugh, Mr McLaughlin, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mrs O’Neill, Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Ms Ruane.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mrs M Bradley and Mr A Maginness.
Noes
Mr Armstrong, Mr Beggs, Mr Bresland, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dodds, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Mrs Foster, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr McCallister, Mr McCausland, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Mr McGimpsey, Miss McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Mr Newton, Mr Paisley Jnr, Rt Hon Ian Paisley, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Savage, Mr Shannon, Mr Spratt, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr McQuillan and Mr G Robinson.
The Amendment fell.
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
18 SEPTEMBER 2007
DIVISIONS
Division No. 2
School Openings and Amalgamations
Proposed: That this Assembly notes with concern some of the decisions taken by the Minister of Education over the summer recess on school openings and amalgamations; and calls upon the Minister to clarify her approach to the recommendations of the Bain Report and the Sustainable Schools Policy published by her Department.
[Mr S Wilson]
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 46
Noes: 30
Ayes
Mr Armstrong, Mr Beggs, Mr Bresland, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dodds, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mrs Foster, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Mr McGimpsey, Miss McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Mr Newton, Mr Paisley Jnr, Rt Hon Ian Paisley, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Savage, Mr Shannon, Mr Spratt, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McQuillan and Mr G Robinson.
Noes
Ms Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Brolly, Mr Butler, Mr Doherty, Mr Durkan, Mr Gallagher, Ms Gildernew, Mrs Hanna, Mr G Kelly, Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McElduff, Mrs McGill, Mr McGlone, Mr McHugh, Mr McLaughlin, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mrs O’Neill, Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Ms Ruane.
Tellers for the Noes: Ms Anderson and Mr Doherty.
The Motion was carried.
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY ON
18 SEPTEMBER 2007
- Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
- Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
- Orders in Council
- Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium Annual Report and Accounts 2006 -07 (NIA 02/07-08)
- Assembly Reports
- Statutory Rules
- Consultation Documents
- Departmental Publications
Review of the Northern Ireland GMS Global Sum Formula (DHSSPS) - Agency Publications
- Westminster Publications
- Miscellaneous Publications
NORTHERN IRELAND LEGISLATION:
EXECUTIVE BILLS
PROCEEDINGS AS AT 18 SEPTEMBER 2007
Title & Bill Number |
First Stage |
Second Stage |
Committee Stage Extension |
Committee Stage Report |
Consideration Stage Concluded |
Further Consideration Stage |
Final Stage |
Royal Assent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
**Welfare Reform Bill |
4.06.07 |
12.06.07 |
N/A |
N/A |
18.06.07 |
19.06.07 |
25.06.07 |
29.06.07 |
Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (NIA Bill 2/07) |
5.06.07 |
19.06.07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
**Budget Bill |
11.06.07 |
12.06.07 |
N/A |
N/A |
18.06.07 |
19.06.07 |
25.06.07 |
29.06.07 |
Taxis Bill |
11.06.07 |
26.06.07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Libraries Bill |
11.06.07 |
19.06.07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
**Bills which are granted accelerated passage do not pass through a Committee Stage.