Motion

Labour Shortages

Motion TitleLabour Shortages

Motion TextThat this Assembly notes with concern the impact that labour shortages are having in the agri-food and haulage sectors locally and in Britain; acknowledges that these sectors relied on EU labour; recognises that these labour shortages are a direct consequence of Brexit and the end to freedom of movement for EU workers; believes that the British Government needs to act urgently to address labour shortages and enable EU citizens to come here to work and live; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to make clear to the British Government the significant impact labour shortages are having on the local economy and the need to rectify the situation.

Motion CategoryPrivate Members' Motion

Date Tabled to Business Office28/09/2021

Date Selected By Committee28/09/2021

Date of Plenary Debate11/10/2021

View Official Report

Tabled By

Member Name	Tabled As
Dr Caoimhe Archibald	MLA - East Londonderry
Mr Declan McAleer	MLA - West Tyrone
Miss Áine Murphy	MLA - Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Mr John O'Dowd	MLA - Upper Bann
Miss Jemma Dolan	MLA - Fermanagh and South Tyrone

Bills

Outcome/Voting

85 Members voted

48 Members voted AYE

37 Members voted NO

The Motion Was Carried, Simple Majority Lobby Division

MLA Name	Designation	Voted
Dr Steve Aiken OBE	Unionist	NO
Mr Andy Allen MBE	Unionist	NO
Mr Jim Allister KC	Unionist	NO
Dr Caoimhe Archibald	Nationalist	AYE
Ms Kellie Armstrong	Other	AYE
Ms Clare Bailey	Other	AYE
Mrs Rosemary Barton	Unionist	NO
Mr John Blair	Other	AYE
Mr Cathal Boylan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Maurice Bradley	Unionist	NO
Ms Paula Bradley	Unionist	NO
Ms Sinéad Bradley	Nationalist	AYE
Ms Paula Bradshaw	Other	AYE
Miss Nicola Brogan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Keith Buchanan	Unionist	NO
Mr Tom Buchanan	Unionist	NO
Mr Jonathan Buckley	Unionist	NO
Ms Joanne Bunting	Unionist	NO
Mr Robbie Butler	Unionist	NO
Mrs Pam Cameron	Unionist	NO
Mr Gerry Carroll	Other	AYE
Mr Pat Catney	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Alan Chambers	Unionist	NO
Mr Trevor Clarke	Unionist	NO
Mr Pádraig Delargy	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Stewart Dickson	Other	AYE
Mrs Linda Dillon	Nationalist	AYE
Mrs Diane Dodds	Unionist	NO
Miss Jemma Dolan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Stephen Dunne	Unionist	NO
Mr Mark Durkan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Alex Easton	Unionist	NO
Mrs Sinéad Ennis	Nationalist	AYE
Mrs Deborah Erskine	Unionist	NO
Mrs Ciara Ferguson	Nationalist	AYE
Miss Órlaithí Flynn	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Paul Frew	Unionist	NO
Mr Colm Gildernew	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Paul Givan	Unionist	NO
Miss Deirdre Hargey	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Harry Harvey	Unionist	NO
Mr David Hilditch	Unionist	NO
Mr William Humphrey	Unionist	NO
Ms Cara Hunter	Nationalist	AYE
Mr William Irwin	Unionist	NO
Mr Declan Kearney	Nationalist	AYE
Mrs Dolores Kelly	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Gerry Kelly	Nationalist	AYE
Ms Liz Kimmins	Nationalist	AYE
Mrs Naomi Long	Other	AYE
Mr Gordon Lyons	Unionist	NO
Mr Chris Lyttle	Other	AYE
Mr Declan McAleer	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Fra McCann	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Daniel McCrossan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Patsy McGlone	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Colin McGrath	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Philip McGuigan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Maolíosa McHugh	Nationalist	AYE
Miss Michelle McIlveen	Unionist	NO
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Justin McNulty	Nationalist	AYE
Ms Nichola Mallon	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Gary Middleton	Unionist	NO
Mr Andrew Muir	Other	AYE
Miss Áine Murphy	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Conor Murphy	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Mike Nesbitt	Unionist	NO
Mr Robin Newton	Unionist	NO
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín	Nationalist	AYE
Mr John O'Dowd	Nationalist	AYE
Ms Michelle O'Neill	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Matthew O'Toole	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Edwin Poots	Unionist	NO
Mr George Robinson MBE	Unionist	NO
Ms Emma Rogan	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Pat Sheehan	Nationalist	AYE
Ms Emma Sheerin	Nationalist	AYE
Mr Christopher Stalford	Unionist	NO
Mr John Stewart	Unionist	NO
Mr Mervyn Storey	Unionist	NO
Mr Robin Swann	Unionist	NO
Mr Peter Weir	Unionist	NO
Mr Jim Wells	Unionist	NO
Miss Rachel Woods	Other	AYE

Amendments

Selected Amendments

No amendments tabled were selected for this motion.

Other Amendments Tabled

Tabled Date	Amendment Text
06/10/2021	Leave out all after ‘locally’ and insert: ‘and across Europe; acknowledges that these sectors rely on access to labour, including from the EU and rest of the world; believes that the UK Government needs to act urgently to address current barriers facing those coming here to work in affected industries from countries inside and outside the EEA; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to make clear to the UK Government the significant impact labour shortages are having on the local economy and the need to reflect the interests of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom’s migration policy.’

Tabled Date

Amendment Text

06/10/2021

Leave out all after ‘locally’ and insert: ‘and across Europe; acknowledges that these sectors rely on access to labour, including from the EU and rest of the world; believes that the UK Government needs to act urgently to address current barriers facing those coming here to work in affected industries from countries inside and outside the EEA; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to make clear to the UK Government the significant impact labour shortages are having on the local economy and the need to reflect the interests of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom’s migration policy.’

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