Motion

Establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to consider legislation to prevent the suspension of the devolved institutions

Motion TitleEstablishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to consider legislation to prevent the suspension of the devolved institutions

Motion TextThat, as provided for in Standing Order 53(1), this Assembly appoints an Ad Hoc Committee to consider legislation to prevent the suspension of the devolved institutions at the discretion of a single party or an Executive Minister; and to submit a report to the Assembly by 16 September 2024. Composition: Sinn Féin 2 Democratic Unionist Party 2 Alliance Party 1 Ulster Unionist Party 1 Social Democratic and Labour Party 1 The Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee shall be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition, and a Deputy Chairperson shall be nominated by the Committee. Quorum: The quorum shall be five members except when no decision is taken or question put to the Committee, when the quorum shall be four. Procedure: The procedures of the Ad Hoc Committee shall be such as the Committee shall determine.

Motion CategoryPrivate Members' Motion

Motion TypeOpposition business

Date Tabled to Business Office22/02/2024

Date Selected By Committee22/02/2024

Date of Plenary Debate04/03/2024

View Official Report

Tabled By

Member Name	Tabled As
Mr Matthew O'Toole	MLA - South Belfast
Mr Colin McGrath	MLA - South Down
Ms Cara Hunter	MLA - East Londonderry
Mr Mark Durkan	MLA - Foyle

Bills

Outcome/Voting

75 Members voted

24 Members voted AYE

51 Members voted NO

The Motion Was Negatived, Simple Majority Lobby Division

MLA Name	Designation	Voted
Mr Jim Allister KC	Unionist	NO
Dr Caoimhe Archibald	Nationalist	NO
Ms Kellie Armstrong	Other	AYE
Mr Danny Baker	Nationalist	NO
Mr Doug Beattie MC	Unionist	NO
Mr John Blair	Other	AYE
Mr Cathal Boylan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Maurice Bradley	Unionist	NO
Ms Paula Bradshaw	Other	AYE
Mr Phillip Brett	Unionist	NO
Miss Nicola Brogan	Nationalist	NO
Mr David Brooks	Unionist	NO
Ms Cheryl Brownlee	Unionist	NO
Mr Patrick Brown	Other	AYE
Mr Keith Buchanan	Unionist	NO
Mr Jonathan Buckley	Unionist	NO
Ms Joanne Bunting	Unionist	NO
Mr Robbie Butler	Unionist	NO
Mr Alan Chambers	Unionist	NO
Mr Trevor Clarke	Unionist	NO
Mr Pádraig Delargy	Nationalist	NO
Mr Stewart Dickson	Other	AYE
Mrs Linda Dillon	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Diane Dodds	Unionist	NO
Mr Danny Donnelly	Other	AYE
Mr Stephen Dunne	Unionist	NO
Mr Mark Durkan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Alex Easton	Unionist	NO
Ms Sorcha Eastwood	Other	AYE
Ms Connie Egan	Other	AYE
Mrs Sinéad Ennis	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Deborah Erskine	Unionist	NO
Mrs Ciara Ferguson	Nationalist	NO
Miss Órlaithí Flynn	Nationalist	NO
Ms Diane Forsythe	Unionist	NO
Mr Paul Frew	Unionist	NO
Mr Colm Gildernew	Nationalist	NO
Miss Deirdre Hargey	Nationalist	NO
Mr Harry Harvey	Unionist	NO
Mr David Honeyford	Other	AYE
Ms Cara Hunter	Nationalist	AYE
Mr William Irwin	Unionist	NO
Mr Declan Kearney	Nationalist	NO
Mr Gerry Kelly	Nationalist	NO
Ms Liz Kimmins	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly	Unionist	NO
Mr Gordon Lyons	Unionist	NO
Mr Declan McAleer	Nationalist	NO
Miss Nuala McAllister	Other	AYE
Mr Daniel McCrossan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Patsy McGlone	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Colin McGrath	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Philip McGuigan	Nationalist	NO
Miss Michelle McIlveen	Unionist	NO
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Justin McNulty	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Peter McReynolds	Other	AYE
Mrs Cathy Mason	Nationalist	NO
Mr Nick Mathison	Other	AYE
Mr Gary Middleton	Unionist	NO
Mr Andrew Muir	Other	AYE
Ms Sian Mulholland	Other	AYE
Miss Áine Murphy	Nationalist	NO
Mr Mike Nesbitt	Unionist	NO
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín	Nationalist	NO
Ms Kate Nicholl	Other	AYE
Mr John O'Dowd	Nationalist	NO
Ms Michelle O'Neill	Nationalist	NO
Mr Matthew O'Toole	Nationalist	AYE
Ms Aisling Reilly	Nationalist	NO
Mr Alan Robinson	Unionist	NO
Mr Pat Sheehan	Nationalist	NO
Ms Emma Sheerin	Nationalist	NO
Mr John Stewart	Unionist	NO
Mr Eóin Tennyson	Other	AYE

Amendments

Tabled Date	Amendment Text
29/02/2024	Leave out all after “provided for in” and insert: ‘Standing Order 59 (3)(b), urges the Assembly and Executive Review Committee to revisit the issue of reform of the devolved institutions to prevent a single party from collapsing the Assembly and Executive; gather further evidence and examine the removal of the designations requirement and the method of appointing the First Minister and deputy First Minister; and further calls on the UK and Irish Governments to appoint an independent chair to work with both governments and Northern Ireland parties to agree reforms to these institutions as a matter of urgency.’

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Establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to consider legislation to prevent the suspension of the devolved institutions

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