Upcoming at the Assembly - 22 October

By Sean Kelly from NICVA

Published on 22 Oct 2007

An overview of upcoming business at the Assembly from 22 October 2007 to 26 October 2007.

Monday 22 October 2007

Questions to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM)

Newry and Armagh Sinn Féin MLA, Mickey Brady, will ask OFMDFM to give an assessment of the 'Challenge of Change' cross-border anti-racism initiative. On a similar theme Mr Brady’s party colleague Gerry McHugh will later ask OFMDFM to outline the next steps it will take in tackling racism and sectarianism.

Jim Shannon of the DUP will ask OFMDFM what plans it has to promote Northern Ireland in the United States of America and in Europe.

Mary Bradley of the SDLP will ask OFMDFM what budget is being sought in order to resource 'A Shared Future’ and the Racial Equality Strategy.

Upper Bann MLA Samuel Gardiner (UUP) will ask OFMDFM to give its assessment of whether or not the Sustainable Development Strategy target to obtain 40% of all electricity consumed in Northern Ireland from indigenous renewable energy sources, beyond 2025, will be achieved.

Ken Robinson also of the UUP will ask OFMDFM to detail the costs incurred in appointing an independent party to undertake work on behalf of Junior Ministers, to review the case for an Older Persons' Commissioner for Northern Ireland.

John Dallat (SDLP) will ask OFMDFM what assessment it has made, and what plans it has to review, the impact of the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland on equality of opportunity, generally, and on access to job opportunities across Northern Ireland.

Fred Cobain (UUP) will ask OFMDFM to outline the final stages of the appointment process for the Victims' Commissioner; and to give a timescale within which the successful candidate is likely to take up the post. The SDLP’s Alban Maginness will later ask OFMDFM what assessment it has made of the appointment of a Victims' Commissioner, with specific reference to whether or not this appointment should be based on merit. Similarly Declan O’Loan also of the SDLP will ask OFMDFM to outline why it did not consider any of the existing candidates for the position of Victims' Commissioner to be suitable for appointment.

The Alliance Party’s Anna Lo will ask OFMDFM to give an assessment of the effectiveness of its arrangements for ensuring racial equality in public appointments.

The DUP’s Allan Bresland will ask OFMDFM what is its assessment of continued attacks against Orange Halls, including the destruction of an Orange Hall in Strabane; and if it will make a direct representation to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on this matter.

Sammy Wilson also of the DUP will ask OFMDFM to give a timescale within which it intends to publish the legislative programme for 2007/2008; and to detail the number of pieces of legislation on this programme.

Finally, Dolores Kelly (SDLP) will ask OFMDFM if it will outline a timetable for a decision to be made on the future of the Maze site.

Questions to the Minister for Environment

Trevor Lunn also of Alliance will ask the Minister what action she is taking to increase funding for the Environment and Heritage Service.

Robert Coulter (UUP) will ask the Minister what action she is taking, financial and otherwise, to enable communities and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint.

Gerry McHugh (Sinn Féin) will ask the Minister what is her assessment of the protection of built heritage within towns, villages and the countryside; and if she will make a statement on over-development and the enforcement of planning regulations.

Peter Weir of the DUP will ask the Minister what plans she has to hold discussions with stakeholders regarding the Review of Public Administration.

The SDLP’s Alban Maginness will ask the Minister what discussions she has had with the European Commission regarding infraction proceedings, in respect of the delivery of the Birds and Habitats Directive in Northern Ireland.

Mickey Brady (Sinn Féin) will ask the Minister what steps she has taken to address the issue of climate change and global warming on an all-island basis, in conjunction with her counterpart in the Republic of Ireland.

Tom Elliott of the UUP will ask the Minister what formal training planning officers have received in relation to Planning Policy Statement 14: Sustainable Development in the Countryside, and its implementation.

Sinn Féin’s Willie Clarke will ask the Minister to provide an update on co-operation between the Environment and Heritage Service and its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency.

Francie Molloy of Sinn Féin will ask the Minister what steps she is taking to help protect biodiversity.

John McCallister (UUP) will ask the Minister to give a timescale within which she will make a formal response to the Report of the Mourne National Park Working Party.

Simon Hamilton of the DUP will ask the Minister to outline the role of the Council for Nature, Conservation and the Countryside.

Questions to the Minister of Finance and Personnel

David Ford (Alliance) will ask the Minister to provide an update on rating reform, while party colleague Naomi Long will ask the Minister to report on the implications for the level of the regional rate, if additional water charges are added to the overall rates burden.

Dominic Bradley of the SDLP will ask the Minister to detail what bid has been received from the Minister of Education for funding to address the classroom assistants' dispute.

Michelle McIlveen (DUP) will ask the Minister what is his assessment of the implications of the Lyons Review into local Government finance, in relation to the present review of rating in Northern Ireland.

David McNarry (UUP) will ask the Minister to detail the budgetary implications for 2008/2009, as a result of the current review of rating policy.

Roy Beggs also of the UUP will ask the Minister what is his assessment of underspending in previous budgets on children's services within Northern Ireland when compared to other regions of the United Kingdom; and to detail what action he is taking to address this underspend.

Motions for Debate

Abortion

The DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson has proposed a motion that:
“This Assembly opposes the introduction of the proposed guidelines on the termination of pregnancy in Northern Ireland; believes that the guidelines are flawed; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to abandon any attempt to make abortion more widely available in Northern Ireland.”

Abolition of Agricultural Wages Board

Tom Elliot of the UUP has tabled a motion that:
“This Assembly calls on the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development to bring forward the required legislation to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board.”

Thursday 25 October2007

Motions for Debate

IVF Fertility Waiting Lists

Alex Attwood of the SDLP has tabled a motion that:
“This Assembly calls for a review of the policy on IVF fertility waiting lists, including urgent consideration of the introduction of age-weighting criteria.”

Windscale/Sellafield

Sinn Féin MLAs Daithí McKay and Willie Clarke have tabled a joint motion that:
“This Assembly expresses concern at the findings of the report on the impact of the Windscale Piles accident at the Sellafield nuclear plant and the implications that this has for the health and well-being of people living on these islands and in Europe; and calls upon the Government to discontinue all operations at the Sellafield nuclear plant.”

Committee Business

Get the full Assembly Committee Business Diary here.

Monday 22 October 2007

2.30pm - Social Development Committee

Tuesday 23 October 2007

10.00am - Environment Committee
11.00am - Assembly and Executive Review Committee
12.30pm - Business Committee
2.00pm - Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee

Wednesday 24 October 2007

10.00am - Finance and Personnel Committee
10.30am - Employment and Learning Committee
10.30am - Regional Development Committee
2.00pm - Committee for OFMDFM (Magee Campus UU)