No. 03-09/10
MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
MONDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2009
The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair
1. Personal Prayer or Meditation
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Executive Committee Business
2.1 Statement - North-South Ministerial Council Agriculture Sectoral Meeting
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Michelle Gildernew, made a statement to the Assembly regarding the North-South Ministerial Council Agriculture sectoral meeting, held on 21 July 2009, following which she replied to questions.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) in the Chair.
2.2 First Stage - Water and Sewerage Services (Amendment) Bill (NIA 3/09)
The Minister for Regional Development, Mr Conor Murphy, introduced a Bill to enable the Department for Regional Development to continue to make payments to water and sewerage undertakers for a limited period.
Bill passed First Stage and ordered to be printed (NIA Bill 3/09).
3. Private Members’ Business
3.1 Motion - Financial Support for Sports Clubs
Proposed:That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to ensure that no sports club, which facilitates a commemoration or glorification of terrorism, receives financial support through his Department, either directly or indirectly.
[Mr T Elliott]
[Mr D Kennedy]
[Mr D McNarry]
3.2 Amendment
Proposed: Leave out all after ‘ensure’ and insert:
‘that his Department recognises the excellent work done by sports clubs, particularly in providing community facilities, encouraging healthy activity, and promoting a positive life-style for young people; further, noting cases of sectarianism and support for terrorism carried out in sports clubs, this Assembly urges the Minister to use his good offices with governing bodies to ensure that sporting facilities provide a welcoming atmosphere for everyone; and while recognising the excellent work that has already been done in this regard, this Assembly believes a withdrawal of funding would be appropriate after repeated and deliberate incidents of sectarianism or glorification of terrorism.’
[Mr T Lunn]
[Mrs N Long]
[Dr S Farry]
[Ms A Lo]
Debate ensued.
The Amendment being put, the Amendment fell without division.
The Question being put, the Motion was carried (Division No. 1).
3.3 Motion - Civil Service Recruitment
Proposed: That this Assembly notes the efforts made by the Northern Ireland Civil Service in recent years to address the under-representation of Protestants among those applying for, and being recruited to, occupational groups which have most employees in the Civil Service; and calls for continued monitoring of all the grades, but particularly those grades where thousands of people are employed, in order that those from all community backgrounds can have confidence in the recruitment process.
[Mr G Campbell]
[Mr P Weir]
3.4 Amendment No. 1
Proposed: Leave out all after the second ‘Civil Service;’ and insert:
‘notes the continued under-representation of Catholics and women in the most senior grades of the Civil Service; and calls for continued monitoring of all grades, the immediate publication of the ninth Equal Opportunities Unit report which the DFP Equality and Diversity Plan (para. 6.2) stated, in October 2008, would be published by the end of 2008 and the continued publication, in their traditional format, of the major DFP Equal Opportunities Unit reports detailing NICS workforce recruitment, composition and promotion patterns in order that those from all community backgrounds can have confidence in the recruitment and promotion processes.’
[Mr J O’Dowd]
[Mr M McLaughlin]
[Ms J McCann]
3.5 Amendment No. 2
Proposed: Leave out all after ‘people are employed’ and insert:
‘to ensure that achievements made to address historic imbalances throughout the Civil Service workforce are sustained; and recognises the continued need for a specific focus on encouraging religious and gender equality and ethnic diversity, not least in the Senior Civil Service, in order that those from all community backgrounds can have confidence in the recruitment and appointment processes.’
[Mr D O’Loan]
[Mr A Attwood]
Debate ensued.
Debate suspended for Question Time.
The Speaker in the Chair.
4. Question Time
4.1 Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister
Questions were put to, and answered by, the First Minister, Rt Hon Peter Robinson.
4.2 Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister, Ms Michelle Gildernew.
5. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)
5.1 Motion - Civil Service Recruitment (cont’d)
Debate resumed on the Motion.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the Chair.
Amendment No. 1 being put, the Amendment fell without division.
Amendment No. 2 being put, the Amendment fell without division.
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
6. Adjournment
Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.
[The Speaker]
The Assembly adjourned at 5.01 pm.
Mr William Hay
The Speaker
21 September 2009
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
21 SEPTEMBER 2009
DIVISIONS
Division No. 1
Financial Support for Sports Clubs - Motion
Proposed:That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to ensure that no sports club, which facilitates a commemoration or glorification of terrorism, receives financial support through his Department, either directly or indirectly.
[Mr T Elliott]
[Mr D Kennedy]
[Mr D McNarry]
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 53
Noes: 38
Ayes
Mr Armstrong, Mr Beggs, Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dodds, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mr Gardiner, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Miss McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Neeson, Mr Newton, Mr Paisley Jnr, Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Mr K Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Savage, Mr Shannon, Mr Simpson, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr B Wilson, Mr S Wilson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Elliott and Mr Kennedy
Noes
Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Brolly, Mr Burns, Mr Butler, Mr W Clarke, Mr Durkan, Mr Gallagher, Ms Gildernew, Mrs Hanna, Mrs D Kelly, Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Dr McDonnell, Mr McElduff, Mrs McGill, Mr McGlone, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin, Mr Molloy, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mr O’Loan, Mrs O’Neill, Mr P Ramsey, Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Ms Ruane.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Butler and Mr McCartney.
The Motion was carried.
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY FROM
16 TO 21 SEPTEMBER 2009
1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
3. Orders in Council
4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Annual Report of the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland 2008-2009 (NIA 202/08-09)
5. Assembly Reports
6. Statutory Rules
(The Department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only.)
For Information Only :
S.R. 2009/310 The Magistrates' Courts (Amendment No.2) Rules ( Northern Ireland) 2009
S.R. 2009/311 The Magistrates' Courts (Criminal Justice (Children)) (Amendment) Rules ( Northern Ireland) 2009
7. Written Ministerial Statements
8. Consultation Documents
Consultation on the Implementation of Individual Movement Recording for Sheep and Goats, and Electronic Identification (EID) for Sheep
9. Departmental Publications
Department of Finance and Personnel Memorandum on the Twelfth and Thirteenth reports from the PAC session 2008-2009:
- Control of Bovine Tuberculosis in Northern Ireland
- Review of Financial Management in the Further Education Sector in Northern Ireland and Governance Examination of Fermanagh FE College