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No. 16-10/11

Minute of Proceedings
Monday 08 November 2010

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 13 October 2010, following which she replied to questions.

2.2 Statement - North-South Ministerial Council Environment Sectoral Meeting

The Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) took the Chair

The Minister of the Environment, Mr Edwin Poots, made a statement to the Assembly regarding the North-South Ministerial Council Environment Sectoral meeting, held on 20 October 2010, following which he replied to questions.

3. Committee Business

3.1 Motion - Statutory Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Danny Kinahan be appointed as a member of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister; and that Sir Reg Empey replace Mr John McCallister as a member of the Committee for Education and Mr Tom Elliott as a member of the Committee for Justice.

Mr F Cobain
Mr B Armstrong

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

3.2 Motion - Standing Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Tom Elliott replace Mr Danny Kennedy as a member of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee.

Mr F Cobain
Mr B Armstrong

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

4. Private Members’ Business

4.1 First Stage - Autism Bill (NIA Bill 2/10)

Mr Dominic Bradley introduced a Bill to amend the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and to require an autism strategy to be prepared.

Bill passed First Stage and ordered to be printed (NIA Bill 2/10).

4.2 Motion - Assembly Running Costs

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with concern the likely reduction in the Block Grant that will be brought about by the Comprehensive Spending Review; and calls on the Assembly Commission to reduce its running costs in line with the level of reduction faced by Executive Departments.

Rt Hon Peter Robinson

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) took the Chair.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

4.3 Motion - Irish Language Strategy

A valid Petition of Concern was presented in relation to this motion under Standing Order 28, on Thursday 4 November.

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes that correspondence sent to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure by the NI Human Rights Commission on 17 August 2010 stated that the Minister's failure to introduce Irish language legislation is not human rights compliant; and calls on the Minister to bring forward his proposals for a strategy to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language in accordance with obligations agreed in the St Andrews Agreement 2006.

Mr B McElduff
Mr B Leonard
Mr R McCartney

4.4 Amendment

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'compliant' and insert;

‘; acknowledges the legislative requirement of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 for an Irish language strategy; further notes the commitment in the Agreement at Saint Andrews that “The Government will introduce an Irish Language Act”; and calls on the Minister to bring forward proposals for an Irish Language Bill.’

Mr D Bradley
Mr P McGlone

Debate ensued.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

5. Question Time

5.1 Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mrs Arlene Foster.

5.2 Environment

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of the Environment, Mr Edwin Poots.

6. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

6.1 Motion - Irish Language Strategy (Cont’d)

The debate resumed on the Motion.

The Speaker took the Chair.

The Question being put, the Amendment fell (Division 1).

The Question being put, the Motion was negatived (Division 2).

7. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.08pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
8 November 2010

Appendix 1

Northern Ireland Assembly

The undersigned Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly presented a petition of concern, in accordance with Standing Order 28, on Thursday 4 November in relation to the following motion.

Irish Language Strategy

That this Assembly notes that correspondence sent to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure by the NI Human Rights Commission on 17 August 2010 stated that the Minister's failure to introduce Irish language legislation is not human rights compliant; and calls on the Minister to bring forward his proposals for a strategy to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language in accordance with obligations agreed in the St Andrews Agreement 2006.

MR SYDNEY ANDERSON
THE LORD BANNSIDE
MR JONATHAN BELL
MR ALLAN BRESLAND
THE LORD BROWNE
MR THOMAS BUCHANAN
MR GREGORY CAMPBELL
MR TREVOR CLARKE
MR JONATHAN CRAIG
MR ALEX EASTON
MRS ARLENE FOSTER
MR PAUL FREW
MR SIMPSON GIBSON
MR PAUL GIRVAN
MR PAUL GIVAN
MR SIMON HAMILTON
MR DAVID HILDITCH
MR WILLIAM IRWIN
MR IAN MCCREA
MS MICHELLE MCILVEEN
MR ADRIAN MCQUILLAN
THE LORD MORROW
MR STEPHEN MOUTRAY
MR ROBIN NEWTON
MR EDWIN POOTS
MR GEORGE ROBINSON
RT HON PETER ROBINSON
MR ALASTAIR ROSS
MR JIMMY SPRATT
MR MERVYN STOREY
MR PETER WEIR
MR JIM WELLS
MR SAMMY WILSON
MR WILLIAM HUMPHREY

The following Members added their names to the Petition of Concern on Monday 8 November 2010.

MR KEN ROBINSON
SIR REG EMPEY
MR DANNY KENNEDY
MR TOM ELLIOTT
MR DAVID MCNARRY
MR DANNY KINAHAN
MR LESLIE CREE
MR DAVID MCCLARTY
MR ROY BEGGS

Northern Ireland Assembly

8 November 2010
Divisions
Division No. 1

Proposed:

Irish Language Strategy - Amendment

Leave out all after 'compliant' and insert;

‘; acknowledges the legislative requirement of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 for an Irish language strategy; further notes the commitment in the Agreement at Saint Andrews that “The Government will introduce an Irish Language Act”; and calls on the Minister to bring forward proposals for an Irish Language Bill.’

Mr D Bradley
Mr P McGlone

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 37
Noes: 48

Ayes

Mr Adams, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr PJ Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Burns, Mr Butler, Mr W Clarke, Mr Dallat, Mr Doherty, Mr Durkan, Mr Gallagher, Ms Gildernew, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Mr Leonard, Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McDevitt, Mr McElduff, Mrs McGill, Mr McHugh, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mr O’Loan, Mr P Ramsey, Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Ms Ruane.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Burns and Mr O’Loan.

Noes

Mr S Anderson , Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Gibson, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan , Mr Hamilton, Mr Humphrey, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Miss McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Neeson, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr K Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Savage, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr B Wilson, Mr S Wilson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Bresland and Mr G Robinson.

The Amendment fell.

Northern Ireland Assembly

8 November 2010
Divisions
Division No.2

Irish Language Strategy - Motion

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes that correspondence sent to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure by the NI Human Rights Commission on 17 August 2010 stated that the Minister's failure to introduce Irish language legislation is not human rights compliant; and calls on the Minister to bring forward his proposals for a strategy to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language in accordance with obligations agreed in the St Andrews Agreement 2006.

Mr B McElduff
Mr B Leonard
Mr R McCartney

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 43
Noes: 42

Ayes

Nationalist

Mr Adams, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr PJ Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Burns, Mr Butler, Mr W Clarke, Mr Dallat, Mr Doherty, Mr Durkan, Mr Gallagher, Ms Gildernew, MrsD Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Mr Leonard, Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McDevitt, Mr McElduff, Mrs McGill, Mr McHugh, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mr O’Loan, Mr P Ramsey, Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Ms Ruane.

Other

Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Ms Lo, Mr McCarthy, Mr Neeson, Mr B Wilson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McCartney and Ms S Ramsey.

Noes

Unionist

Mr S Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Gibson, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mr Hamilton, Mr W Humphrey, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Mr McCallister, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Miss McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr K Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Savage, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Bresland and Mr G Robinson.

Total votes    85 Total Ayes 43 [50.6 % ]
Nationalist Votes 37 Nationalist Ayes 37   [100 % ]
Unionist Votes 42 Unionist Ayes 0   [0.0 % ]
Other Votes 6   Other Ayes   6   [100.0 %]

The Motion was negatived on a cross-community vote.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly from
3 to 8 November 2010

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

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

(The Department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only)

S.R. 2010/361 Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 ( DEL)

S.R. 2010/362 The Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 (OFMDFM)

S.R. 2010/363 The Cycle Racing on Roads (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 (DRD)

S.R. 2010/364 The Lower Braniel Road, Castlereagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 (DRD)

S.R. 2010/367 The Motor Vehicles (Driving Instruction) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 (DOE)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

The Interaction of the deferral of State Pension with certain income related benefits – consultation (DSD)

9. Departmental Publications

Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission Annual Report and Accounts - 2007/08 (DOJ)

The 2009 pandemic - Learning from Experience - A report of the Northern Ireland response to the 2009 influenza pandemic November 2010 (DHSSPS)

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

 

 

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