No. 5-07/08
MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
MONDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2007
The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair
1. Personal Prayer or Meditation
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Speaker’s Business
2.1 The Speaker informed Members that Mr Arthur Moir had decided to retire from his position as Clerk to the Assembly, and he paid tribute to Mr Moir’s service to the Assembly since 2001.
3. Executive Committee Business
3.1 Statement – Workplace 2010 and the Location of Public Sector Jobs
The Rt Hon Peter Robinson, Minister of Finance and Personnel, made a statement to the Assembly on Workplace 2010 and the Location of Public Sector Jobs, following which he replied to questions.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the chair.
4. Committee Business
4.1 Motion – Extension of Committee Stage: Libraries Bill (NIA Bill 5/07)
Proposed: That, in accordance with Standing Order 31(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 31(2) be extended to 25 February 2008, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Libraries Bill (NIA Bill 5/07).
[Chairperson - Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
4.2 Motion – Administrative Support for Party Whips
Proposed: That, as set out in section 2(4) of the Financial Assistance for Political Parties Act (Northern Ireland) 2000, this Assembly approves the revised scheme (NIA 26/07-08) laid before the Assembly on 20 September 2007, for payments to political parties for the purpose of assisting Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly who are connected with such parties to perform their Assembly duties.
[Mr A Maginness]
[Mr P Butler]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
5. Private Members’ Business
5.1 Motion – Classroom Assistants
Proposed: That this Assembly calls upon the Minister of Education to intervene immediately in the classroom assistants’ dispute, in recognition of the vital role of classroom assistants, and to prevent disruption to children’s education.
[Mr B McCrea]
[Mr K Robinson]
Amendment No. 1
Proposed: Leave out all after ‘Education’ and insert:
‘to implement the recommendations put forward by the trade unions in the dispute over classroom assistants’ pay evaluation, and to liaise with the Minister of Finance and Personnel to ensure that funds are made available in order to resolve the situation and avert strike action.’
[Ms D Purvis]
5.3 Amendment No. 2
Proposed: Leave out all after the second ‘assistants’ and insert:
‘, by convening an urgent meeting of the Department, employers and Trade Union side in the dispute, with an agenda to include (a) retention of the Special Needs Allowance; (b) retention of the 32.5 hourly pay divisor; (c) NVQ III and the job evaluation exercise; and (d) adequate pay protection arrangements, in order to prevent disruption to children’s education.’
[Rt Hon Mr J Donaldson] (R)
[Miss M McIlveen]
Debate ensued.
Debate suspended.
The Speaker in the chair.
5. Question Time
6.1 Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness.
6.2 Minister of the Environment
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister, Mrs Arlene Foster.
6.3 Minister of Finance and Personnel
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister, Rt Hon Peter Robinson.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the chair.
6.4 Assembly Commission
Questions were put to, and answered by, Mr Paul Butler and Mr Sean Neeson, on behalf of the Assembly Commission.
7. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)
7.1 Motion – Classroom Assistants (Cont’d)
Debate resumed.
Amendment No. 1 being put, the Amendment fell without division.
Amendment No. 2 being put, the Amendment was made without division.
The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.
7.2 Motion – World Alzheimer’s Day
Proposed: That this Assembly expresses support for World Alzheimer’s Day on 21 September 2007; acknowledges that over 15,000 local people are currently living with Alzheimer’s, and that dementia is expected to rise by 27% over the next ten years, due to people living longer, which would result in 20,500 people in Northern Ireland living with dementia by 2017; and notes that maintaining current levels of service provision is not sufficient for such an increase, and that it is important for patients and their carers to receive the best care available and access to clinically effective drugs, when appropriate.
[Mrs C Hanna]
[Mr T Gallagher]
[Mrs M Bradley]
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
8. Adjournment
Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.
[The Speaker]
The Assembly adjourned at 5.28 pm.
Mr William Hay
The Speaker
24 September 2007
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY FROM
19 SEPTEMBER to 24 SEPTEMBER 2007
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
HSENI Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 (NIA 4/07-08)
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure - Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2007 (NIA 6/07-08)
Department for Employment and Learning - Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2007 (NIA 9/07-08)
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment - Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2007 (NIA 10/07-08)
Department of the Environment Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2007 (NIA 11/07-08)
Department of Finance and Personnel – Superannuation and Other Allowances Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2007 (NIA 13/07-08)
Department of Finance and Personnel – North/South Pension Scheme Resource Accounts for year ended March 2007 (NIA 14/07-08)
Department for Social Development Resource Accounts for year ended March 2007 (NIA 17/07-08)
Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister - Resource Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2007 (NIA 19/07-08)
Financial Assistance for Political Parties Scheme 2007 (NIA 26/07-08)
Southern Board Health and Social Services Trust Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2007 (NIA 31/07-08)
5. Assembly Reports
Examiner of Statutory Rules Session 2007-2008: Second Report to the Assembly and Appropriate Committees (NIA 40/07-08)
Report on a Complaint Against Mr Ian Paisley Junior MLA (3/0708R) (Committee on Standards and Privileges)
Report on Springvale Educational Village Project (4/0708R) (Public Accounts Committee)
6. Statutory Rules
(The department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only.)
S.R. 2007/399 The Export Restrictions (Foot-and-Mouth Disease) (Amendment No.2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DARD)
S.R. 2007/400 The Marketing of Vegetable Plant Material (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DARD)
S.R. 2007/401 The Seed Potatoes (Amendment) Regualtions ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DARD)
S.R. 2007/402 The General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (Approval of Qualifications) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DE)
S.R. 2007/403 The Health and Safety at Work Order (Application to Environmentally Hazardous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DETI)
S.R. 2007/406 The Gas (Designation of Pipelines) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DETI)
For information only:
S.R. 2007/397 The Magistrates' Courts (Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995) (Amendment) Rules ( Northern Ireland) 2007
S.R. 2007/398 The Magistrates' Courts (Domestic Proceedings) (Amendment) Rules ( Northern Ireland) 2007
7. Consultation Documents
Transformation of Business Services in Health and Social Care - Shared Services (DHSSPS)
8. Departmental Publications
9. Agency Publications
10. Westminster Publications
11. Miscellaneous Publications