| Motion Type | Motion | Tabled Date | Tablers |
| Committee Motion |
Report on the extent to which Standing Orders should permit the Attorney General for Northern Ireland to participate in proceedings of the Assembly (NIA 232/11-16)
That this Assembly approves the report of the Committee on Procedures (NIA 232/11-16) on its inquiry into the extent to which Standing Orders should permit the Attorney General for Northern Ireland (AGNI) to participate in proceedings of the Assembly: Part 1 – Impartiality of the Office of AGNI, Registration of Interests and participation of the AGNI in Assembly proceedings in respect of areas other than Statutory Rules.
| 24/02/2015 | Mr G Kelly |
| Executive Motion |
The Rates (Regional Rates) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015
That the Rates (Regional Rates) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 be affirmed.
| 25/02/2015 | Minister of Finance and Personnel |
| Executive Motion |
The Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
That the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 be approved.
| 27/02/2015 | Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety |
| Executive Motion |
The Health Service Workers (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
That the Health Service Workers (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 be approved.
| 27/02/2015 | Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety |
| Private Members' Motion |
Ability to Remove Under-Performing Teachers
That this Assembly recognises the significant contribution that teachers make to a young person’s learning; accepts that, in a small number of cases, the standard of teaching is not up to the expected levels; expresses concern that, in such instances, schools are often powerless to act; and calls on the Minister of Education, in addition to ensuring that employers are made aware of the shortcomings of under-performing educators who wish to remain in the school system, to review the powers currently available for school leaders to remove teachers who, after appropriate support and retraining, continue to under-perform.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
Abolition of Rates Cap
That this Assembly notes the disproportionally negative impact the cuts to the budgets of public services is having on the poorest and most vulnerable in society; considers the cap on rates payable on properties valued over £400,000 to be a regressive, unaffordable and unjustified perk for the very wealthiest in society; and calls on the Executive to abolish the cap on rates and reallocate the additional revenue raised into the NHS.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board
That this Assembly notes that the National Minimum Wage covers issues such as the minimum rate of pay, sick pay, employee holiday entitlement and could be applied to the agriculture sector; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Anderson; Mr W Irwin; Mr T Buchanan; Mr E Poots |
| Private Members' Motion |
Abolition of the Parades Commission
That this Assembly believes that the Parades Commission has not achieved its objectives, has contributed to damaging community relations and has become part of the problem rather than part of the solution; and further believes that the abolition of the Parades Commission is an essential part of finding a solution to the issue of parading.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D McIlveen; Mr P Weir; Mr S Anderson; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Access to Sports Facilities
That this Assembly notes the benefit for health, community development and personal wellbeing of promoting grass roots sports and notes the increased cost for access to sporting facilities and participation; and calls on the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure to work with the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Education to audit sports facilities across Northern Ireland and identify ways to open up facilities not already open to the public as well as ways in which community relations can be built upon by promoting schools and public facilities as shared facilities serving the whole community.
| 01/09/2014 | Miss M McIlveen; Mr N McCausland; Mr G Dunne; Mr J Craig |
| Private Members' Motion |
Administration of the Social Security Agency
That this Assembly values the hundreds of jobs across Belfast and Londonderry delivering social security administrative functions for Great Britain; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to do all in his power to ensure the long-term security of such vital jobs.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms P Bradley; Mr G Campbell; Mr S Wilson; Mr S Douglas |
| Private Members' Motion |
Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing
That this Assembly believes that the licensing laws determining the permissible hours for the sale of alcohol and the provision of entertainment are too restrictive; notes that Northern Ireland has one of the earliest closing times in Europe for venues serving alcohol and providing night-time entertainment; recognises the benefits that extending the opening times of such venues would bring to the night-time economy and to tourism, at a time when Government support is required; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to amend the present regulations to give bars and nightclubs the flexibility to remain open later.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Alcohol Related Crime
That this Assembly recognises the proven link between crime and the over-consumption of alcohol and calls on the Minister of Justice to work on a joint strategy with the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety that will aim to deliver a targeted outcome of significantly reducing alcohol related crime.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D McIlveen; Ms P Bradley |
| Private Members' Motion |
Allowing Teachers the Time to Teach
That this Assembly recognises the crucial role that teachers play in the education of young people; and calls on the Minister of Education to review the multiplicity of departmental guidelines currently in existence, discard those which are not considered vital, and group those remaining so that they link together more coherently.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
Ambiguity over Job Creation Targets and Performance
That this Assembly notes the report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office in March 2012 entitled ‘InvestNI: a performance review’; further notes the evidence taken by the Public Accounts Committee in February 2013 from officials representing InvestNI and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the subsequent recommendations by the Public Accounts Committee; recognises that the lack of openness and transparency surrounding job creation targets and performance has been particularly unhelpful in the current economic climate; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to address the ambiguity in relation to the number of jobs created.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mr R Swann |
| Private Members' Motion |
Angling Tourism
That this Assembly welcomes the Steering Group report ‘A Strategic Review of Angling in Northern Ireland, 2013’ and notes its recommendations; and calls upon the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to work with relevant Executive colleagues to develop angling tourism in Northern Ireland.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr N McCausland; Mr G Dunne; Mr D Hilditch; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Arts Council
That this Assembly notes the £78m of cuts to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure announced in the June monitoring round; recognises the work of the Arts Council in promoting social cohesion and peace-building through the arts; acknowledges the health and economic benefits of the arts; further notes that the Minister has warned effected organisations to plan for more cuts in future; and calls on the Minister to assess ways to better manage available finances and access and promote additional areas of funding such as the new EU Creative Europe programme (2014-2020).
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs K McKevitt; Mr D Bradley |
| Private Members' Motion |
Autism
That this Assembly reviews its commitment to families who care for loved ones with Autism, taking into account the daily mental, physical and financial stress that affects these families.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D McIlveen; Ms P Bradley; Mrs P Cameron |
| Private Members' Motion |
Avoidable Delay within the Criminal Justice System
That this Assembly expresses its concern at the level of avoidable delay in the criminal justice system; notes the findings of the Criminal Justice Inspection Progress Report of January 2012 that the situation is worsening in some instances; recognises the negative implications of avoidable delay for many victims and witnesses, as well as for cost effectiveness; and calls on the Minister of Justice to outline specifically how organisations within the criminal justice system are reforming their case management processes.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Elliott; Mr R Hussey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Ballymurphy 1971
This Assembly calls on the Secretary of State to join with the Irish Government in supporting the proposed investigation into the events in Ballymurphy in 1971 when eleven civilians were killed, to be conducted on the same basis as the Hillsborough Football Stadium investigation and jointly funded by the two Governments.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Lunn |
| Private Members' Motion |
Banning of Wild Animals in Circuses
This Assembly calls upon the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to introduce legislation to outlaw the use of wild animals in circuses in Northern Ireland.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Wells; Mr R Newton; Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Calls for a Civic Conversation
That this Assembly calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister, in conjunction with the Secretary of State, to initiate a civic conversation involving politicians and citizens in a time bound process to review and recommend reforms to the Belfast Agreement, to address unresolved issues from the Belfast Agreement including a shared future strategy, a bill of rights and a civic forum as well as proposed changes to the outworking's of the Agreement including a voluntary coalition, reduction in the numbers of MLAs and the removal of community designation.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Cancer Drugs
That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to strive to make new drugs shown to be effective as widely available to cancer sufferers in Northern Ireland as possible; calls on the Minister to engage with his UK counterparts to seek to achieve the best outcome from the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme for citizens in the province; and calls for the significant recent improvements in cancer care to be continued through further specialisation, provision of enhanced targeted radiotherapy and maximising the use of multidisciplinary teams including clinical nurse specialists.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms P Bradley; Mrs P Cameron; Mr G Dunne; Mr G Robinson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Careers Education
That this Assembly notes the CBI Report Evaluation of Education and Employer Partnerships in Northern Ireland; acknowledges the need for better links between schools and businesses including through greater provision of work placements for both students & teachers; recognises the necessity to ensure careers education is an integral part of the post primary curriculum and better related to future employment trends; and calls on the Minister for Education and Minister for Employment and Learning to encourage the development of strong in-house careers education programmes in all schools by enabling all teaching staff involved in careers education to access regular professional development opportunities and pursue up-to-date professional qualifications.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Rogers; Mr P Ramsey; Mrs K McKevitt |
| Private Members' Motion |
Changes to A Levels
That this Assembly notes the changes recently announced to A Levels; further notes the statement from the Secretary of State for Education that it will be difficult to maintain comparable standards when the content and structures of these qualifications diverge across England, Wales and Northern Ireland; expresses concern at the fragmentation of such a significant component of the United Kingdom’s educational system; and calls on the Minister of Education to work with the Executive and Her Majesty’s Government to ensure that local educational qualifications do not become of lesser value when applying for higher education places and job opportunities.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
Childcare in Northern Ireland
That this Assembly notes with concern the recent “Employers for Childcare” survey which demonstrated that 46 per cent of parents compromised their working hours or left work due to a lack of affordable childcare, and that 45 per cent of all additional childcare is provided though grandparents; further notes with concern that the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister is scheduled to underspend £9.5 million of its £12 million childcare budget from 2011-2015; calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to implement a comprehensive and detailed childcare strategy that includes a prompt public media awareness campaign about the availability of current financial assistance schemes, such as childcare vouchers and tax credits; and further calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to explain how the childcare subsidy announced in the 2014/15 UK budget could assist people in Northern Ireland.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Lyttle; Mrs J Cochrane; Mr S Dickson; Ms A Lo |
| Private Members' Motion |
Children's Budgeting
That this Assembly supports the introduction of Children's Budgeting.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Lyttle; Mrs J Cochrane |
| Private Members' Motion |
Citizen Initiative
That this Assembly calls on the Executive and the Assembly Commission to increase participative democracy in Northern Ireland and to bring forward proposals for a citizens initiative to enable the public to propose legislation in an area where the Assembly has competence and trigger a motion for debate by gathering a set level of signatures.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Coastal Erosion and Sea Defences
That this Assembly recognises the risk to life and property due to the coastal erosion and inadequate sea defences in some parts of Northern Ireland; commends the work of the emergency services and the voluntary sector in alleviating the effects of flooding at the end of 2013 and start of 2014; calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to strengthen and implement plans to improve sea defences and further calls on the Executive to increase investment in the infrastructure for flood defences to help prevent problems arising in the future.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr K McCarthy; Mr S Dickson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Common Funding Formula
That this Assembly notes the implementation of the revised Common Funding Formula and its impact on school budgets; expresses concern that the transitional funding arrangements put in place by the Minister of Education for 2014/15 will not be available in future years; and calls on the Minister of Education to consider the recommendations of the Committee for Education on the issue and make the necessary revisions to the formula to ensure a fair financial allocation to all schools.
| 01/09/2014 | Miss M McIlveen; Mr J Craig; Mr R Newton; Mr N McCausland |
| Private Members' Motion |
Concern Over School Development Proposals
That this Assembly notes with concern the widespread criticism of the current process around the formation of school Development Proposals; recognises that whilst the proposer of a Development Proposal is obliged to first consult with the parents of pupils, teachers and the Board of Governors, the standard and professionalism of consultation varies significantly across proposals; believes that the intervening period between a Development Proposal being sent to the Department of Education for consideration and a final decision being taken is often a very challenging period for the schools concerned; and calls on the Minister of Education to review the current procedures and detail the impact that the current Area Planning process is having on the drafting of, and decisions on, recent Development Proposals.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
Concessionary Fare Scheme
That this Assembly supports the Concessionary Fare Scheme; notes that many thousands of people have benefited from the scheme since its introduction; believes that it helps those most at risk of social exclusion; and calls on the Minister for Regional Development to ensure the continuation of the scheme.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Clarke; Mr A Easton; Mr S Moutray |
| Private Members' Motion |
Conscience Clause
That this Assembly notes the increasing number of cases across the UK whereby the freedom of religion is afforded a lesser priority than other fundamental freedoms; acknowledges that this gradation of fundamental rights often leads to people of faith leaving their employment or being forced out of business; and calls on the Minister for Employment and Learning to bring forward legislation to introduce a conscience clause for people of faith to allow them to exercise religious freedom in the workplace.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Buchanan; Mr P Weir |
| Private Members' Motion |
Continuing High Rates of Fuel Poverty
That this Assembly notes the publication of the latest Home Energy Conservation Authority annual report; further notes that the percentage of households in fuel poverty has only been reduced from 44 percent to 42 percent; acknowledges the work of projects such as the Warm Homes Scheme, the Boiler Replacement Scheme and the efforts to promote the installation of double glazing; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to explore other opportunities, such as smart metering and energy brokering, in order to tackle what remains an unacceptable level of fuel poverty across Northern Ireland.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr M Copeland |
| Private Members' Motion |
Corporation Tax
That this Assembly calls on the Executive to reject proposals to lower the headline rate of corporation tax relative to the UK and to support moves towards greater harmonisation of corporation tax in the EU.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Creation of a Hall of Fame
That this Assembly welcomes the efforts of the Ulster History Circle and the Ulster Sports Museum Association to create a Hall of Fame to celebrate the world class achievements of local people from across the community in all walks of life; and calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to explore how her Department can help to create a Hall of Fame on a sustainable basis as an inspiration to present and future generations.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mr R Swann |
| Private Members' Motion |
Cross-border Health
That this Assembly recognises the need to sustain and enhance cross-border health initiatives under the auspices of the North-South Ministerial Council Health Sector; notes the proposal to focus European INTERREG 2014-2020 programme funding with the objective of improving access to quality cross-border healthcare services; and calls on the Northern Ireland Executive to provide the necessary financial support these opportunities for the benefit of patients.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr F McKinney; Mr S Rogers |
| Private Members' Motion |
Cross-border Transport Links
That this Assembly notes the great potential of North-South economic development; acknowledges the focus of the North-South Ministerial Council Transport Sector on developing the strategic transport connections on the island; and calls on the Northern Ireland Executive to support this work by undertaking an assessment of options for financial support for significant infrastructure projects such as the A5 road project, the Narrow Water bridge, Newry relief road, and Belfast to Dublin railway.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Dallat; Mr J Byrne; Mrs K McKevitt; Mr S Rogers |
| Private Members' Motion |
David Healy MBE
That this Assembly recognises the outstanding contribution made by David Healy MBE to sport in Northern Ireland, his record 36 goals for his country and his outstanding achievement as the highest scorer in the group stages of the UEFA European Championships; and calls on the Speaker to invite Mr Healy to Parliament Buildings for a presentation to recognise his outstanding sporting achievements.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Wells; Mr G Robinson; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Decision on Shale Gas Exploration
That this Assembly deplores the discriminatory actions of the Minister of the Environment in respect of shale gas exploration in Fermanagh believing that he has sent out a signal to investors in the industry that Northern Ireland is not a place that is open for business.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Wilson; Mr G Dunne; Mr P Frew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Delay in Processing Planning Applications
That this Assembly expresses concern with the delayed processing of a large number of planning applications that are specialist in nature and are not part of the fast track system; considers that the areas causing greatest concern and delaying decisions being taken are administrative in nature, including a failure to acknowledge correspondence such as further information submissions and the lack of direction by the Department of the Environment Planning Service in using this information when issuing consultations; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to investigate this major issue and report back to the Northern Ireland Assembly with his findings.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P Frew; Mrs P Cameron |
| Private Members' Motion |
Derrylin and Other Terrorist Commemorations
That this Assembly condemns terrorist commemorations such as Derrylin and Castlederg and the dissident commemoration march through Belfast City Centre and other similar events, as they represent a glorification of terrorism, show insensitivity to victims, damage community relations and present unacceptable role models for the next generation.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P Weir; Lord Morrow; Mr T Buchanan; Mrs A Foster |
| Private Members' Motion |
Educational Inequality
That this Assembly believes that socio-economic factors should not have a role in a child's education; believes it is unacceptable that, in many cases, a household's wealth is an influencing factor in a child's expected educational attainment; and calls on the Minister of Education to collate existing policies and bring forward new proposals in a single, realistic and fairly funded strategy that will begin to tackle educational inequality and the range of problems that it causes.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
Electronic Dog Collars
That this Assembly recognises the findings of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs funded research into the use of electric shock collars on dogs which demonstrated that electric shock collars can cause negative behavioural and physiological changes in dogs; notes that positive training tools help to build a relationship of mutual trust and liking between owner and dog rather than a relationship based on fear and pain; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement a ban on electric shock collars to stop unnecessary pain and distress to dogs, as is the case in Wales.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Emergency Departments
That this Assembly notes that the number of individuals having to wait in excess of twelve hours to be assessed, treated and either admitted or discharged from Emergency Departments has been reduced to double figures from four figure monthly totals, but believes that more can be done; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to work to have such delays eradicated altogether through the establishment of enhanced care pathways for frail, elderly patients and greater coordination of all parts of the health and social care system to improve the experience and quality of emergency care.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms P Bradley; Mrs P Cameron; Mr G Dunne; Mr G Robinson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Encouraging Innovation
That this Assembly recognises that improvements have been made in the area of innovation, such as the recently announced Innovation Growth Centre in Omagh; notes that Northern Ireland had the lowest number of patents applied for, and granted, in any UK region for 2010 and 2011; further notes the finding of a Nesta poll which showed that 56 per cent of Northern Ireland business leaders invested either none, or less than one per cent, of their business revenue in innovation in the last financial year; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to bring forward the Innovation Strategy for consultation as soon as possible to encourage more firms to innovate.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mr R Swann |
| Private Members' Motion |
Energy Performance Certificates
That this Assembly notes the successful introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) in 2008; further notes the benefit of cost-effective recommendations on how to improve further the energy performance of buildings and the subsequent reduction in energy bills; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to investigate the feasibility of making it mandatory for properties, with a reasonable expectation of habitation, to meet a minimum EPC rating determined by the Department.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr M Copeland |
| Private Members' Motion |
Energy Prices
That this Assembly notes with concern the recent rises in energy prices, which are part of a longer-term trend towards higher costs of energy; further notes that this is a significant determinant in the levels of fuel poverty; calls on the Executive to ensure a balanced mix of energy provision, including energy from renewable sources, to ensure that the price of energy remains consistent in the future; further calls for concerted action to invest in energy efficiency measures, such as the Green New Deal, to reduce energy use overall; and to explore how to enable households to manage the purchase of home heating oil more effectively.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms A Lo; Mr S Dickson |
| Private Members' Motion |
English and Mathematics
That this House recognises the need to improve literacy and numeracy as evidenced by the disparity between the percentage of year 12 pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs (79.6% in 2012/13) and the percentage of year 12 pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grades A*- C including GCSE English and GCSE maths (60.9% in 2012-13); and calls on the Minister for Education to review the primary curriculum with the intention of placing a greater emphasis on the teaching of English, mathematics and science; to discontinue the current end of key stage assessments; and develop a universal assessment for learning system for all primary school children.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Rogers; Mr J Dallat |
| Private Members' Motion |
Environmental Allowance for Prison Officers
That this Assembly recognises the difficult conditions in which prison officers in the Northern Ireland Prison Service work and the resulting significant additional challenges for these individuals and their families; believes that these prison officers should have access to an environmental allowance as is the case for police officers within the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and calls on the Minister of Justice to ensure that this allowance is reinstated for members of the Prison Service.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Elliott; Mr R Hussey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Equal Marriage Rights
That this Assembly notes that numerous Motions have reaffirmed that no support exists for the introduction of equal marriage rights; and agrees that further consideration would be pointless during the remainder of this Assembly term.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P Weir; Lord Morrow |
| Private Members' Motion |
European School Milk Subsidy Scheme
That this Assembly notes that the purpose of the European School Milk Subsidy Scheme is to maintain, or increase, the consumption of milk products by school children and, ultimately, to encourage continued consumption through later stages in life; further notes that the Scheme enables Education and Library Boards to provide milk to pupils at a reduced price; expresses concern at the relatively low level of awareness and uptake of the Scheme; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to work closely with the Minister of Education to review the Scheme and develop an action plan to increase the involvement of schools and children.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs J Dobson; Mr R Swann; Mr T Elliott |
| Private Members' Motion |
Export Strategy
That this Assembly notes the current economic strategy which supports a commitment to strengthening competitiveness through a focus on export-led economic growth; recognises the importance of increasing exports, particularly to new and emerging markets, to promote growth within the economy; expresses concern at InvestNI's performance against its overall export target of 20 per cent; further notes that the target contained in the Economic Strategy to increase exports by 60 per cent by 2014/15 is from a very small base; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to continue to work to increase opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises involvement in exporting as well as diversification into new markets.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mr R Swann |
| Private Members' Motion |
Farmgate Beef Prices
That this Assembly notes the financial pressure faced by beef farmers as a result of the recent drop in Farmgate prices; and calls on the Minister for Agriculture and Rural development to work with her counterparts in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs to encourage the European Union to develop a relief package for famers and the local beef industry.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Byrne; Mr S Rogers |
| Private Members' Motion |
Female Participation in Sport
That this Assembly notes the Sports Matters Strategy but is concerned by the decrease in the number of young girls in post-primary education participating in sporting activity; acknowledges the need for more female coaches and volunteers in sport clubs; and calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to identify the barriers to female participation in sport and to target investment to address the barriers.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr N McCausland; Mr W Irwin; Mr D Hilditch; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Financial Management of Schools
That this Assembly notes that school leaders are best placed to identify and react to their own local circumstances; supports schools being given greater autonomy over their day to day administration; welcomes Recommendation 3 in the Review of the Common Funding Scheme; and calls on the Minister of Education to bring forward the legislative, or procedural, changes required to allow schools, which are prepared to assume the accompanying management responsibilities, to adopt the systems of financial management operated for voluntary grammar and grant maintained integrated schools.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
Flu-related Teacher Absence
That this Assembly notes that an average of 13,162 work days were lost amongst the teaching profession as a result of flu-related illnesses in each of the last three academic years; expresses concern about the financial and educational impact of this flu-related teacher absence; and calls on the Minister of Education and the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to determine both the cost of instituting a standardised flu vaccination programme for teachers and the potential savings which would result.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs J Cochrane; Mr K McCarthy; Mr T Lunn |
| Private Members' Motion |
Fracking
That this Assembly believes, given the evidence currently available, there should be a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until the environmental impact of it elsewhere in the world can be ascertained; and that resources should be directed towards renewable sources of energy.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms A Lo; Mr K McCarthy; Mr S Dickson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Funding Crisis in the Health Service
That this Assembly notes the severe funding crisis currently facing the Health Service in Northern Ireland; understands that if the current budget shortfall is not addressed then it will have a detrimental impact on the range of services available and the quality of care delivered; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to ensure that public safety is not compromised further.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs J Dobson; Mr R Beggs |
| Private Members' Motion |
Funding for Musical Instruments
That this Assembly welcomes the Arts Council for Northern Ireland's Musical Instruments for Bands funding programme; notes the cultural, artistic and community importance of bands in Northern Ireland; calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to commit to the retention and expansion of the scheme and to review the current criteria, specifically the maximum amount funded for each application to reflect the cost of musical instruments and the time restriction placed on successful bands reapplying to the fund.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr N McCausland; Mr G Dunne; Mr D Hilditch; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Funding for Pipe Bands
That this Assembly notes the unprecedented success, over many years, of pipe bands from Northern Ireland in national and international competitions; and calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to recognise this success and ensure that the legacy of pipe bands continues through increased funding.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr N McCausland; Mr G Dunne; Mr D Hilditch; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Funding for Public Transport
That this Assembly notes with concern our society’s overdependence on the private car; recognises the social, economic and environmental benefits of good quality and affordable public transport; acknowledges that the current level of investment in sustainable transport is inadequate; and calls on the Minister for Regional Development to rebalance his Department’s budget to bring about a modal shift towards the use of sustainable means of transportation.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Dickson; Ms A Lo; Mrs J Cochrane; Mr C Lyttle |
| Private Members' Motion |
Funding for Victims Groups
That this Assembly recognises that budget cuts have affected the funding for many groups representing innocent victims of violence in Northern Ireland; notes with concern that after the 2014 June Monitoring Round, victims groups that were successful could not access their funds due to fines from Westminster resulting from the lack of agreement on Welfare Reform; and calls on the Executive to ensure that groups representing innocent victims are given the funding they need and deserve to carry out the vital help and support they give to the most vulnerable.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Moutray; Mr D McIlveen; Mr J Spratt; Mrs B Hale |
| Private Members' Motion |
Future of Conditional Management Programmes
That this Assembly recognises the vital support provided through Conditional Management Programmes for people with health conditions who require specialised help to better manage their conditions and enable them to return to, and be sustained in, employment, training or education; notes with concern that funding for this initiative is due to end in March 2014; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Minister for Employment and Learning to work collaboratively to ensure that this unique multi-disciplinary service continues.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr R Swann |
| Private Members' Motion |
Future of the Dickson Plan
That this Assembly opposes the decision of the Southern Education and Library Board (SELB) members on 26th June 2013 to effectively end the Dickson model of education in the Craigavon and Tandragee areas; notes that, in reaching the decision, the Board disregarded the overwhelming level of local support for retaining the existing model; believes the decision was politically motivated; and calls on the Minister of Education to detail any involvement, directly or indirectly, that he may have had on the issue in advance of the SELB vote.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
GAA Grounds and Trophies
That this Assembly notes the recent conflicting comments by influential personnel within the GAA regarding the naming of grounds and trophies after dead republican terrorists; and calls on the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure to engage with the GAA to ensure that the progress made by the organisation in expanding its acceptability to all sections of the community is built upon and that no sporting bodies are tarnished by being associated with support for terrorism.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr I McCrea; Mr G Campbell |
| Private Members' Motion |
Genealogical Tourism
That this Assembly notes the vast number of globally celebrated people with Ulster Scots connections; recognises the potential of genealogical tourism for Ulster Scots in Northern Ireland; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to work with the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to use the Ulster Scots language, heritage and culture to promote Northern Ireland as a tourist destination, particularly in Scotland and America.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr R Swann; Mr D Kinahan; Mr M McGimpsey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Gentically Modified Organisms
That this Assembly acknowledges the public concerns associated with the proliferation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs); notes that the health and environmental impacts of GMOs and their potential to spread are unpredictable; recognises that the proliferation of GMOs risks depriving farmers of control over their seeds and would transfer significant power from local farmers to multinational agri-companies; expresses concern that the introduction of GMOs into agriculture may threaten our clean, green image and be detrimental to our ability to export; further recognises that many GMOs have pesticides embedded or that their use has resulted in an increase in the use of herbicides; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to establish Northern Ireland as a GMO-free zone by outlawing the farming of genetically modified plants, animals and organisms.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Good Relations Funding
That this Assembly believes that the Northern Ireland Executive and the new district councils have a significant role to play in funding good relations programmes; and calls for this money to be allocated in an efficient and sustainable manner.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Lyttle; Mr S Dickson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Guidance on Registering Children for Pre-school
That this Assembly recognises the value of providing accurate and current guidance for parents who wish to register their children for pre-school, noting the need for such information to be freely accessible and imparted at the earliest relevant opportunity; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, in conjunction with the Minister of Education, to incorporate the delivery of pre-school registration guidance into the latter stages of the post-natal care package provided to new mothers.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs J Cochrane; Mr K McCarthy |
| Private Members' Motion |
Gynaecological Cancers
That this Assembly recognises the need to raise public awareness of gynaecological cancers; calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to adequately fund gynaecological cancer treatments to improve survival rates.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr F McKinney; Mr J Dallat |
| Private Members' Motion |
Hall of Fame
That this Assembly notes the considerable recent sporting success of athletes from Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games, Winter Paralympics, golf, boxing, rugby and other sports; and calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to bring forward proposals to establish a Sporting Hall of Fame to recognise not only recent success, but to commemorate and celebrate the sporting talent of people from Northern Ireland throughout our history; and to continue to fund a Sporting Hall of Fame on an ongoing basis to inspire future sportsmen and women from Northern Ireland.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr N McCausland; Mr G Dunne; Mr D Hilditch; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Hallett Report
That this Assembly notes the recommendations of The Report of the Hallett Review; and calls on the Secretary of State to take all steps necessary to ensure those guilty of serious terrorist offences are brought to justice.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr G Campbell; Mr P Weir |
| Private Members' Motion |
Housing Allocation
That this Assembly is committed to a system of social housing allocation which operates on the basis of objective housing need; recognises that all housing allocations must continue to be made under the principle of fairness and equity; and recognises that in any new options service model the most vulnerable must be prioritised and protected by appropriate support mechanisms.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs D Kelly; Mr F McKinney; Mr M Durkan |
| Private Members' Motion |
Housing Executive Stock Survey
That this Assembly notes the on-going Northern Ireland Housing Executive stock survey; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to commit to provide adequate funding to address maintenance requirements the survey brings to light in order to robustly tackle housing inequality.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs D Kelly; Mr J Byrne |
| Private Members' Motion |
Housing Regeneration
That this Assembly welcomes the focus by the Minister for Social Development on housing regeneration; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to bring forward proposals to tackle the long-term deficit of vital investment in Northern Ireland's social housing tower blocks as a matter of priority.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms P Bradley; Mr G Campbell; Mr S Wilson; Mr S Douglas |
| Private Members' Motion |
Illegal Drugs in Northern Ireland
That this Assembly acknowledges with grave concern the extent of drug-related fatalities in our communities; supports the ongoing work carried out by statutory services, the Public Health Agency and the voluntary and community sector; and calls on the Minister of Justice to work alongside the relevant bodies involved and bring forward measures to raise awareness and apprehend more of those responsible for drugs on our streets.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Anderson; Mr S Moutray; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Improving Access to Shared Sports Facilities
That this Assembly recognises the health and legacy benefits of promoting grass roots sports facilities; acknowledges that improved sharing of sports facilities would promote community relations, as well as providing better value for money; and calls on the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure along with the Minister of the Environment to conduct an audit of sports facilities and identify ways of promoting increased sharing of facilities across the whole community.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms A Lo; Mr C Lyttle; Mr T Lunn |
| Private Members' Motion |
Independent Environmental Protection Agency
That this Assembly recognises that a high standard of environmental governance is beneficial for the welfare of society; notes that Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK and Ireland which does not have an independent environmental protection agency; concurs with the 2004 Macrory and 2007 Burke reports which recommended the establishment of an independent environmental protection agency; and calls on the Executive to establish a fully independent and well-resourced environmental protection agency which corresponds with the recommendations of these reports.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Injury on Duty Award Scheme
That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Justice to review the legislation and guidance governing the administration of the Injury on Duty Award Scheme, taking cognisance of recent case law and reflecting the unique circumstances in Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the UK.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Craig; Mr P Givan; Mr R Newton; Mr D McIlveen |
| Private Members' Motion |
Integrated Education
This Assembly notes that only around 7 per cent of children currently attend an integrated school; acknowledges the result from the 2012 NI Life and Times survey which indicates that 62 per cent of the public in Northern Ireland would prefer to send their children to a mixed religion school; recognises that barriers exist which deter or prevent parents from sending or children from attending integrated schools and calls on the Minister of Education to take action to guarantee that by 2020 integrated education is a feasible option for all children and that an integrated school operates in each locality.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Kangaroo Care
That this Assembly recognises that kangaroo care, including skin-to-skin contact, offers benefits for all babies and, in particular, preterm and low birth weight infants who experience more normalised temperatures, heart rates, respiratory rates and increased weight gain when this approach is used; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to introduce a policy for all maternity units to promote, where practicable, kangaroo care for a baby by its mother, or other carer, as soon as possible after birth.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Land Value Tax
That this Assembly notes that Northern Ireland experienced one of the most severe property market crashes in the developed world as a result of the land and property speculation; notes the billions of pounds of long term debt liability which was created by this crash and the negative impact that this continues to have on society; recognises the range of benefits which could be realised if rates were replaced with a land value tax including the promotion of a more sustainable housing market and the optimisation of the use of land; and calls on the Executive to back the principle of a land value tax and endorse and implement the recommendations for a land value tax in the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action report “A Land Value Tax for Northern Ireland”.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Licensing and Regulation of Experiments on Animals
That this Assembly notes that it has been the practice to adopt Home Office policy on the licensing and regulation of experiments on animals; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to develop a separate policy on the matter to secure positive change for animals in laboratories.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Lyttle; Ms A Lo; Mr K McCarthy |
| Private Members' Motion |
Littering
That this Assembly notes with concern the levels of littering in parks, open places and beaches; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to tackle this problem by encouraging customers to return containers while ensuring that those who litter are adequately penalised through fines.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D McIlveen; Mr P Weir |
| Private Members' Motion |
Living Wage
That this Assembly recognises that many Northern Ireland households, including a high proportion of those in work, are currently experiencing poverty and the cost of living continues to rise; acknowledges the Programme for Government Commitment to address the challenges of disadvantage and inequality; further notes with concern the Living Wage Foundation calculate that the living wage is £1.34 per hour greater than the Northern Ireland minimum wage; calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Minster for Employment and Learning to bring forward proposals aimed at creating jobs that pay above the living wage; and further calls on the Executive to encourage employers to use socially responsible terms of employment and ensure people working full-time are able to afford housing costs, essential utilities and food bills.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P Ramsey; Mrs D Kelly; Mr P McGlone |
| Private Members' Motion |
Maze/Long Kesh Site
That this Assembly notes with concern that the deputy First Minister, for political reasons, blocked the Ulster Aviation Society's open day event at the Maze/Long Kesh site; and calls on the deputy First Minister to lift the ban on wider agreed development of the site.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Moutray; Mr D McIlveen; Mr J Spratt |
| Private Members' Motion |
Medical Assessments for Welfare Payments
That this Assembly notes the marked increase in patient requests for a medical report for assessing eligibility for welfare during the last two years; further notes that the increase in such reports impacts on the time available to GPs to spend with their patients; notes the differences in process, procedure and cost for verbal and written reports; believes that this needs to be addressed as part of a multi-agency approach to ensure medical information for welfare recipient is suitable; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to liaise with the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to ensure appropriate information and education is provided to GPs and civil servants to assist with the welfare assessment process.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs J Cochrane; Mr K McCarthy |
| Private Members' Motion |
MLA's Insurance Policy
That this Assembly, following the case of O’Loan v Givan and others, notes the terms of the combined Employer’s and Public Liability insurance policy which covers all MLA's; expresses concern that libel or slander falls under the definition of personal injury within this policy and covers an MLA at all times when speaking in that capacity; and calls on the Assembly Commission to review the current insurance policy to ensure that a policy is in place which affords the taxpayer value for money and encourages MLA's to act responsibly.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Elliott; Mr L Cree |
| Private Members' Motion |
Mobile Telecommunication Infrastructure
That this Assembly notes the increasing importance of mobile telecommunication in Northern Ireland; welcomes the improvements that have been made to the infrastructure in recent years; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to continue to press the Government and industry to invest in mobile telecommunication infrastructure.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Anderson; Mr W Humphrey; Mr P Frew; Mr G Dunne |
| Private Members' Motion |
Named Person for Children
That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to work collaboratively with the Minister of Education and the Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister to introduce legislation which would make a named person available for every child in a similar manner as the provisions which were introduced in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
National Parks
That this Assembly notes previous efforts to introduce national parks legislation in Northern Ireland and that the Mournes, the Causeway Coast, the Antrim Glens and the Fermanagh Lakelands have all been identified as areas for designation; accepts that all four areas already have environmental protected status, and that there is significant opposition from local residents to the potential of designated status; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to direct his Department’s priorities away from introducing national parks legislation to increasing the tourism and service potential of these areas.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Elliott; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
Northern Ireland Climate Change Legislation
That this Assembly acknowledges the economic opportunities afforded by, inter alia, renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency measures, decentralised energy generation, local food markets and the development and support of public transport; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to urgently introduce legislation to ensure that Northern Ireland contributes its fair share of emissions reductions to help stabilise the world's climate.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew; Ms A Lo |
| Private Members' Motion |
North-West Enterprize Zone
That this Assembly notes that the Derry City Council area has the highest rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants in any local authority and in England, Scotland and Wales; further notes that the Derry City Council area has experienced the lowest percentage decrease in unemployment figures in the past year; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to liaise with the Minister of Finance and Personnel to make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer with a view to designating the entire council area as an Enterprise Zone; and further calls on the North-South Ministerial Council to explore the introduction of a cross-border enterprise zone in the North West of Ireland.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Eastwood; Mr P Ramsey; Mr M Durkan |
| Private Members' Motion |
Obligations under the Ministerial Code
That this Assembly, being aware of the obligation on Ministers under the Ministerial Code to deal with the public in "a responsible way" and having regard to the irresponsible manner in which the Minister for Social Development wrongly accused four named contractors of overcharging Northern Ireland Housing Executive by £18 million, has no confidence in the Minister and calls on him to resign.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Allister |
| Private Members' Motion |
Paediatric Cardiac Surgery
That this Assembly commends the congenital cardiac services provided by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust; recognises the challenges that the low numbers of operations being performed each year and the difficulty in recruiting key staff will place on the longer-term viability of a high-quality stand-alone paediatric cardiac surgery unit in Belfast; notes the Health and Social Care Board’s April 2013 Identification of a Preferred Option document and its reference that a joint Belfast and Dublin model “was not pursued further pending any change in the position in the Republic of Ireland to include decisions at a Ministerial level”; and calls upon the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to work closely with his counterpart in the Irish Republic to explore how greater co-operation could ensure an acceptable service for these children and their families.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms P Bradley; Mrs P Cameron; Mr G Dunne; Mr G Robinson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Parades
That this Assembly notes the lawful but illogical determination issued by the Parades Commission regarding the application by the three Ligoniel Orange Lodges for a parade in Belfast on 12 July 2014; further notes the consequences for our efforts to build a shared future and the harm caused to the concept of sharing space and respecting cultural identity; and calls, not only for the rule of law to be upheld, but for respect and tolerance to be shown for everyone’s cultural identity.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr W Humphrey; Mr N McCausland |
| Private Members' Motion |
Participation in Sport
That this Assembly notes the increase in obesity and the related healthcare costs from the lack of physical activity in people of all ages; acknowledges the role that sport can play in increasing physical activity and reducing obesity for all; and calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to work along with the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety to bring forward a strategy to increase public participation in sports and other physical activity across all age groups, in particular setting key targets and investment in getting more people participating in sport and physical activity.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr N McCausland; Mr G Dunne; Ms P Bradley |
| Private Members' Motion |
Pedestrian Casualties as a Result of Road Accidents
That this Assembly urges the Minister of the Environment to take action to reduce the numbers of pedestrian casualties as a result of road accidents; and to initiate a campaign directed at pedestrians to help them stay safe, including highlighting the life changing after effects which may result from collisions.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr G Robinson; Mrs P Cameron |
| Private Members' Motion |
Petitions of Concern
That this Assembly notes with concern the increasingly frequent use of the Petition of Concern mechanism and believes that its use should be restricted to a set of defined issues, specified in Standing Orders, where a detrimental impact on one section of the community can clearly be identified.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Lyttle; Mr S Dickson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Post-Primary Transfer Process
That this Assembly notes that a solution to the post primary transfer process has not been found; further notes that a one size fits all educational system will not work; believes that it is becoming increasingly unacceptable that, every year, thousands of young people are sitting unregulated transfer tests and that primary schools are placed in the difficult position of mediating between parental demand and Department of Education policies; further believes that the ongoing politicking of the issue does not address the seriousness of the matter; and calls on the Minister of Education to convene talks with all the major stakeholders in order to build consensus and agree a way forward on the issue.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend |
| Private Members' Motion |
Public Health Agency Report on Organ Donation
That this Assembly notes the report published by the Public Health Agency on Organ Donation - Public Attitudes and Stakeholder Engagement in Northern Ireland 2013; expresses concern at the lack of public awareness of the existing Organ Donor Register; and, whilst recognising the efforts of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to increase the levels of organ donation, calls for an extensive public awareness campaign to ensure that more people across Northern Ireland are aware of the Register and discuss the issue with their families.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr A Ross; Mr G Dunne |
| Private Members' Motion |
Public Petition Procedures
That this Assembly calls on the Committee on Procedures to undertake a review of the public petition procedures and to give consideration to the introduction of a more formal process similar to those used in other legislatures in the UK and Ireland.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Lyttle; Mr S Dickson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Racial Equality Strategy Consultation
That this Assembly welcomes the publication of the Racial Equality strategy consultation and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to develop, fund and implement a strategy as soon as is practicable.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms A Lo; Mr T Lunn; Mrs J Cochrane |
| Private Members' Motion |
Rail Services Between Belfast City Centre and Belfast International Airport
That this Assembly expresses its concern at the lack of competitiveness and availability of rail services between Belfast city centre and Belfast International Airport; calls on the Minister for Regional Development to investigate all options for remedial action including the re-introduction of the Lisburn to Antrim rail link.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P Girvan; Mr T Clarke; Mr J Craig; Mr P Givan |
| Private Members' Motion |
Railways
That this Assembly notes the increased passenger numbers on Northern Ireland Railways and recognises the resultant benefits for public health, the environment, and road safety; and calls on the Executive to ensure the Minister for Regional Development is provided the necessary funds to ensure the success to date in attracting people from road to rail transport is not undermined.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Dallat; Mr J Byrne; Mrs K McKevitt |
| Private Members' Motion |
Reasonable Accommodation in Equality Legislation
That this Assembly notes with concern the action taken by the Equality Commission against Ashers Bakery; and calls for a review of equality legislation that will provide reasonable accommodation for the religious beliefs of service providers in the provision of goods, services and facilities.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P Givan; Mr S Wilson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Recognition for Centenarians
That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to investigate the possibility of introducing a monetary recognition for Northern Ireland's centenarians.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Douglas; Mr R Newton |
| Private Members' Motion |
Referendum on Membership of the EU
That this Assembly welcomes the publication of the Draft European Union (Referendum) Bill, and in particular, the commitment to any referendum on membership of the EU before 31 December 2017; and calls on the Executive to examine areas in which it may be preferable to claw back powers and secure further opt outs from European legislation.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr M Nesbitt; Mr R Swann |
| Private Members' Motion |
Regulation of Animal Sanctuaries and Rescue Centres
That this Assembly notes that the licensing of pet shops, animal boarding, riding and zoological establishments is regulated by the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972; recognises that the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and the Dogs Amendment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 strengthened animal welfare and enforcement policies; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to bring forward proposals to regulate animal sanctuaries and rescue centres to ensure that they are licensed and operate in a manner similar to that already in place for other establishments.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs J Dobson; Mr T Elliott |
| Private Members' Motion |
Regulation of the Use of Snares
That this Assembly recognises the enormous suffering caused by the unregulated use of snares; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to follow the lead of the Scottish Government and introduce a licensing system for their use.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Wells; Mr R Newton; Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Religious Imbalance in Students Attending Regional Colleges
That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Employment and Learning to bring forward a programme to address the imbalance in the number of Protestants and Catholics attending Regional Colleges.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr A Easton; Mr T Buchanan |
| Private Members' Motion |
Relocation of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Headquarters
That this Assembly notes the proposed relocation of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development headquarters as outlined in the 2011-2015 Budget Spending and Savings Proposals; agrees that public sector jobs should be spread equally across all areas of Northern Ireland; expresses concern at the proposed level of expenditure on the project in the current budgetary circumstances; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to ensure that her Department investigates all available options, including reviewing suitable publicly-owned vacant properties, before committing to the construction of new headquarters.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs J Dobson; Mr T Elliott |
| Private Members' Motion |
Removal of Duty to Promote the Gas Industry
That this Assembly endorses the full decarbonisation of the energy supply in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the probability of catastrophic impacts from climate change; recognises that the Executive's duty to promote the gas industry is in direct conflict with their aim of decarbonising the energy supply; understands that all public and private sector investment into the gas industry will have a short lifespan and is displacing urgently required investments in energy efficiency measures and renewable energy technology; notes with concern the existence of a statutory duty to promote the gas industry in Clause 5 section 2(a) of The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to remove this statutory duty in the forthcoming Energy Bill.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Removal of Illegal Republican Terrorist Roadside Monuments
That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Regional Development to remove the 18 illegal Republican terrorist roadside monuments.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr A Easton; Mr P Girvan; Mr D McIlveen; Mr P Weir |
| Private Members' Motion |
Removal of Mandatory Coalition
That this Assembly notes the deadlock within the Executive and the resulting failure to provide good and effective government; recognises that the current governmental arrangements are flawed; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to legislate to remove mandatory coalition and provide instead for voluntary coalition and the operation of an Opposition."
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Allister |
| Private Members' Motion |
Repatriation of Welfare Powers
That this Assembly notes the deadlock over Welfare Reform; and endorses the call by the First Minister for the repatriation of welfare powers to Westminster.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Allister |
| Private Members' Motion |
Residential Care Homes for Older People
That this Assembly expresses concern at the distress experienced by some older people arising from the fear of imminent and wholesale closure of statutory residential homes following trust proposals in Spring 2013; welcomes the intervention by the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to halt the proposals and initiate a new regional process; notes the publication on 21st August of the Project Initiation Document on Improving Services for Older People and that its primary focus will be on improving the quality of care provision for older people and there will be engagement with the Patient Client Council, the Commissioner for Older People and Age NI and other appropriate voluntary/community sector groups; encourages the replication of good practice from the positive examples of how such transition has been managed in recent years to the satisfaction of all involved; supports independence for older people with a range of options being available for them; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to ensure that the new process is simple and transparent with open, honest dialogue with residents, families and staff, and that the Health and Social Care Board is held to its commitment that no older person will be forced from their home.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms P Bradley; Mrs P Cameron; Mr G Dunne; Mr G Robinson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Review of Access to Finance for NI Businesses
That this Assembly recognises that the issue of accessing credit is a major concern for business, particularly small and medium sized enterprises; notes the publication of the report by the Economic Advisory Group entitled a Review of Access to Finance for NI Businesses; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail how they are acting on the relevant recommendations contained in the report.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr R Swann; Mr D Kinahan |
| Private Members' Motion |
Review of Financial Process
That this Assembly agrees that sufficient scrutiny of the financial process is fundamentally important in the accountability for public spending; recognises the work done by the previous Committee for Finance and Personnel in its Budget Scrutiny Inquiry; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to outline why there has been an unacceptable delay in reforming the financial process and to take immediate action to drive this reform forward.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr L Cree |
| Private Members' Motion |
Road and Water Infrastructure at Shackleton
That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Regional Development to expedite the adoption process for the road and water infrastructure at the former Ministry of Defence bases, including Shackleton Barracks.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr G Robinson; Mr T Clarke; Mr G Campbell; Mr A McQuillan |
| Private Members' Motion |
Road Drainage Systems
That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Regional Development to investigate standard operating procedures within Transport NI to ensure that the cleaning out and inspection of road drainage systems are appropriate, fit for purpose and cost effective to negate the threat of flooding to homes and property.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P Frew; Mr T Clarke; Mr A Easton; Mr S Moutray |
| Private Members' Motion |
Rural Crime
That this Assembly notes with concern the increased problem of rural crime; recognises the positive contribution rural communities make to the betterment of all in Northern Ireland; further recognises the need to do all we can to support these communities; calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to bring forward a strategy to proactively tackle and bring to an end the fear of crime felt in rural communities
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Anderson; Mr W Irwin; Mr T Buchanan; Mr E Poots |
| Private Members' Motion |
Rural Schools
That this Assembly acknowledges local schools are the focal point for many rural communities and calls on the Minister of Education and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to develop a rural schools policy in order to ensure the viability of our rural schools.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Rogers; Mr J Byrne; Mrs K McKevitt |
| Private Members' Motion |
Security of Electricity Supply
That this Assembly notes the publication of the All-Island Generation Capacity Statement 2013-2022 by the System Operators Northern Ireland and EirGrid; expresses concern at the fragility of the projected electricity availability and at the lack of specific schemes to improve the security of supply to homes and businesses in Northern Ireland; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to outline the action being taken to provide long term security of supply.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr R Beggs; Mr D Kinahan |
| Private Members' Motion |
Small Businesses
That this Assembly believes that small businesses represent a core sector of the economy; notes that 99.9% of all businesses in Northern Ireland are small businesses and that collectively they provide employment for around 347,000 people; further believes that a balance should be struck between attracting foreign investment and developing local businesses; and calls for a strategy focussed on supporting small businesses which could include issues such as improving access to finance, supporting the redevelopment of local shopping districts, raising exports from small business and promoting the development of innovative new businesses in key sectors of the economy.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Lunn; Mrs J Cochrane |
| Private Members' Motion |
Smart-Metering Technology
That this Assembly notes the twin benefits of smart-metering technology in meeting carbon reduction targets and tackling fuel poverty; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to integrate the use of this technology into the wider energy strategy.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Lyttle; Ms A Lo; Mr K McCarthy; Mr T Lunn |
| Private Members' Motion |
Sow Stall Ban
That this Assembly notes that in 2001 the Pigs Directive was agreed which, among other things, banned the sow stall from 1 January 2013; further notes that in the United Kingdom the use of such methods has been banned since 1999; expresses concern that recently published data from the European Commission reveals that only 13 Member States are fully compliant with the Directive; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to engage with the European Commission to ensure that the current unfair competition between compliant and non-compliant countries is brought to an end and that consumers are no longer unwittingly buying and consuming illegally produced meat products.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs J Dobson; Mr T Elliott |
| Private Members' Motion |
Standardised Assessment System for all Primary School Pupils
That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Education to implement a robust, effective and credible standardised assessment system for all primary school pupils.
| 01/09/2014 | Miss M McIlveen; Mr J Craig; Mr R Newton; Mr N McCausland |
| Private Members' Motion |
STEM Subjects
That this Assembly notes the importance of the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees for the future of the Northern Ireland economy; and calls on the Executive to investigate innovative ways to promote the uptake by students of these degree programmes by introducing incentive schemes such as a graduate housing loan scheme for first-time buyers who are graduating in STEM subjects, or other financial incentives not only take up these degree programmes but to encourage young talent to remain in Northern Ireland post their degree programmes.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr T Buchanan; Mr A Ross |
| Private Members' Motion |
Strategy on Youth Participation in Sport
That this Assembly notes the annual number of deaths as a result of obesity-related illnesses and the opportunities to reduce long-term health costs by investing in sport; further notes that sport participation rates in Northern Ireland are among the lowest in the United Kingdom and Ireland; and calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to develop a cross-departmental strategy, which highlights key targets and performance indicators, to increase youth participation in sport.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr C Lyttle; Ms A Lo; Mr K McCarthy; Mrs J Cochrane |
| Private Members' Motion |
Stroke Awareness
That this Assembly recognises that every £1 invested in stroke awareness can potentially save the Health Service £10; calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to commit to continuing to fund the FAST campaign and to introduce a campaign for awareness of transient ischaemic attack; and further calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to secure funding to promote an awareness campaign for heart attack signs and symptoms.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms P Bradley |
| Private Members' Motion |
Sustainable Transport
That this Assembly notes the Draft Bicycle Strategy for Northern Ireland and the commitment of the Minister for Regional Development to further developing sustainable transport options; acknowledges the intention of the strategy to avoid arbitrary Northern Ireland wide targets and calls on the Minister to ensure specific city wide or local area targets are robust, ambitious, and adequately funded.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr J Dallat; Mr J Byrne |
| Private Members' Motion |
Tackling Educational Inequality
That this Assembly recognises the crucial role that schools, parents and local communities play in encouraging education and enabling children and young people to reach their full potential; notes the dangers of continuing educational underachievement and inequalities; further notes the recent changes to the Common Funding Scheme that was meant to tackle this inequality but which instead reduced resources from the majority of schools; and calls on the Minister of Education to drop his previous proposals and introduce a stand-alone pupil bonus scheme whereby schools would receive additional money based on how many pupils qualify for free school meals or on local levels of deprivation based on information contained in Super Output Areas.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr D Kinahan; Mrs S Overend; Mr R Beggs |
| Private Members' Motion |
Tourism VAT
That this Assembly notes the decision by the Government of Ireland to retain a reduced rate of VAT on tourism and hospitality; further notes that this is a practice in many EU countries; recognises the potential of this measure to significantly boost the Northern Ireland tourism industry; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise Trade and Investment and the Minister of Finance and Personnel to undertake a report into those benefits for presentation to the UK Treasury.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P McGlone; Mrs K McKevitt; Mr S Rogers |
| Private Members' Motion |
UK Membership of the EU
That this Assembly believes that the nature of the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European institutions has fundamentally altered from that to which the people of the UK voted to remain in, in the 1975 Common Market Referendum; recognises that the failure to consult the people of the United Kingdom over the ensuing 39 years regarding fundamental constitutional changes and transfers of power away from the UK into the European structures has fed cynicism about and disillusionment with politics; and supports a referendum on the United Kingdom's continued membership of the European Union.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr A Easton; Mr P Weir |
| Private Members' Motion |
Ulster Scots Broadcasting
That this Assembly notes the importance of community radio broadcasting; commends Ullans Speakers Association for gaining a permanent community radio licence for Fuse FM; and calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to support the expansion of community radio broadcasting for Ulster-Scots and to provide the necessary resources to the Ulster-Scots Agency to core-fund this development.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr N McCausland; Mr G Dunne; Mr D Hilditch; Mr W Humphrey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Unconventional Oil and Gas Exploration and Extraction
This Assembly calls on the Executive to enact a seven year moratorium on all extraction, exploration, and activity relating to such extraction or exploration of or for unconventional hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons located in unconventional reservoirs, including oil and gas from shale or coal strata, any hydrocarbons produced through the use of high volume hydraulic fracturing or underground coal gasification, and unconventional hydrocarbons commonly known as shale gas, shale oil, coal bed methane/coal seam gas, tight gas and tight oil; and calls on the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to take action to ensure that no such extraction or exploration, or other activity relating to such extraction or exploration, including drilling into shale strata, is authorised or permitted under any current petroleum licence, or under any petroleum licence granted within the seven year period of the moratorium, and that no current petroleum licence or work programme referring to such extraction or exploration, or to other activity relating to such extraction or exploration, is extended; and further calls on the Minister for the Environment to take action to ensure that permitted development rights do not apply, and planning permission is not granted, in respect of any such extraction or exploration or other activity related to such extraction or exploration of these hydrocarbons, including drilling into shale strata.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Unhealthy Snack Choices at Supermarket Checkout Areas
That this Assembly calls on all local supermarkets to help to reduce the increasing incidences of childhood obesity and diabetes through removing unhealthy snack choices from their checkouts.
| 01/09/2014 | Mrs P Cameron; Ms P Bradley |
| Private Members' Motion |
Victims and Survivors
That this Assembly notes the Victims and Survivors (Northern Ireland) Bill 2013-14 being brought forward at Westminster; endorses the proposals to include victims and survivors as a specified group for the purposes of the equality duty under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act and to provide clear guidance on a definition of a victim of the troubles; and calls on all parties at Westminster to support this Private Members' Bill.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr P Weir; Mrs B Hale; Mr S Moutray |
| Private Members' Motion |
Voluntary Early Redundancy Scheme for Prison Officers
That this Assembly notes the completion of the Voluntary Early Redundancy scheme for the Northern Ireland Prison Service as part of an invest-to-save scheme within the Prison Service Reform Programme; and calls on the Minister of Justice to review how this scheme was implemented and the current impact on resources within prisons to deliver a safe and effective prison regime.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Anderson; Mr P Weir |
| Private Members' Motion |
Wealth Inequality in Northern Ireland
That this Assembly notes with concern that inequality in the UK has been rising faster than any other rich nation since the 1970's; notes that the wealth of the top 1 percent has increased from 1 percent in 1970 to 14.3% in 2005; recognises that the wealthy have a lower propensity to spend at a time when the economy requires an increase in spending, concurs with the assessments of economists who have identified that more equal societies create healthier, vibrant and more dynamic economies; recognises fairness and equity as key principles in any taxation system; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to establish measurements of wealth inequality and an establish a target with the objective of reducing wealth inequality in Northern Ireland.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Welfare Reform
That this Assembly notes with concern the ongoing cuts to departmental budgets caused by the failure to implement welfare reform; further notes the work of the Minister for Social Development in negotiating substantial concessions to alleviate the worst aspects of welfare reform for the people of Northern Ireland; and calls on the Ministers blocking progress on this matter to immediately reverse their opposition to enable already under-funded and resourced public services to be protected.
| 01/09/2014 | Ms P Bradley; Mr P Girvan; Mr G Campbell; Mr P Weir |
| Private Members' Motion |
Wellbeing as a Measure of Economic Performance and Social Progress
That this Assembly welcomes the publication of the Carnegie UK Trust's report entitled 'Measuring Wellbeing in Northern Ireland'; notes the increasing use by many governments of the concept of wellbeing to measure economic performance and social progress; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to develop a wellbeing-based approach to measuring outcomes as part of his public sector reform agenda.
| 01/09/2014 | Mr A Ross; Mr P Girvan; Mr P Weir; Mr I McCrea |
| Private Members' Motion |
Magilligan to Greencastle Ferry
That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Regional Development to implement a subvention that will ensure a full year round service on the Magilligan to Greencastle Ferry
| 02/09/2014 | Mr C Ó hOisín; Mr S Lynch; Mr D McAleer |
| Private Members' Motion |
Net Fiscal Balance Report
That this Assembly notes that the performance of our economy is inherently variable and effective monitoring of local economic growth is a key challenge, further notes that building a sustainable economy is key objective of the Executive; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to develop accurate and timely economic data to inform current and future Executive strategies and objectives, including the production of an evidence based Net Fiscal Balance report which is focused upon building local economic sustainability and effectively monitoring economic growth.
| 02/09/2014 | Mr D McKay; Ms M Boyle; Mr M McLaughlin |
| Private Members' Motion |
Opportunities of the Internet for Retailers
That this Assembly notes that many independent retailers view the internet as a potential threat to their business; further notes that many local businesses have enjoyed significant success by embracing the opportunities offered by online marketing and retail presence; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, in conjunction with InvestNI, Intertrade Ireland and agencies such as Log-On-NI, to roll out training, advice and support for retailers to encourage them to maximise the opportunities of e-commerce and to protect our strong independent retail sector from further decline.
| 02/09/2014 | Mr P Flanagan; Ms M Fearon; Mr M McLaughlin |
| Private Members' Motion |
Financial Pressures Affecting the Health Service
That this Assembly notes that the financial pressures affecting the Health Service are a result of previous poor management of the Service by successive Ministers as well as the current financial pressures faced by all parts of the public sector in Northern Ireland; believes that short-term pressures on the Health Service should be relieved by a sensible and strategic resolution to the current budget impasse and that the Health Service should be reformed to emphasise prevention, early intervention and reform of service provision.
| 03/09/2014 | Mr K McCarthy; Mrs J Cochrane; Mr S Dickson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Common Platform
That this Assembly supports the Common Platform taken by organisations working for and with people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds living and working in Northern Ireland in response to the draft Racial Equality Strategy; and calls on the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to endorse this Common Platform and implement the recommendations for the Racial Equality Strategy contained therein.
| 12/09/2014 | Mr S Agnew; Mr C Lyttle |
| Private Members' Motion |
Constitutional Reform
That this Assembly welcomes the rejection by the people of Scotland of the break up of the United Kingdom; and calls on Her Majesty's Government in any constitutional reform to address the democratic deficit in Northern Ireland resulting from mandatory coalition, whereby its people are denied the right to vote a party out of government and the right to have an opposition.
| 19/09/2014 | Mr J Allister |
| Private Members' Motion |
Transforming Your Care Audit
This Assembly recognises the deep public concern over health service delivery and funding in Northern Ireland; further recognises that insufficient funding has been allocated to Transforming Your Care; welcomes a Northern Ireland Audit Office investigation to scrutinise and evaluate Transforming Your Care and other elements of health provision in Northern Ireland; notes the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's admission to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety on 3rd September 2014 that there is wastage in the health service; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to carry out an urgent review of all departmental spending to assess the scale of such wastage and redirect funds to frontline services.
| 23/09/2014 | Mr F McKinney; Mr J Dallat |
| Private Members' Motion |
Voting Rights
That this Assembly notes the extension of voting rights to people aged 16 and 17 for the recent referendum on Scottish independence; welcomes the positive impact this had on participatory democracy in Scotland; and calls for the voting age for all future elections and referenda on these islands to be lowered to 16.
| 23/09/2014 | Ms M Fearon; Mr P Flanagan; Mr C Hazzard; Mr D McKay |
| Private Members' Motion |
Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
That this Assembly expresses concern that men outnumber women by nearly three to one in high level science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) posts; welcomes the statement by the Minister for Employment and Learning on 4 June 2013 reiterating the importance of women in STEM sectors; and calls on the Minister, in conjunction with his Executive colleagues, to publish a strategy and action plan that specifically addresses the issue of gender imbalance in the STEM sectors.
| 02/10/2014 | Ms B McGahan; Mr F McCann; Mr P Flanagan |
| Private Members' Motion |
World Down Syndrome Day
That this Assembly supports the United Nations in designating the 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day; and recognises the valuable contribution that people with Down Syndrome, and their families, make to our society.
| 22/10/2014 | Mr O McMullan; Ms B McGahan; Ms M Boyle |
| Private Members' Motion |
Unauthorised Mineral Extraction in Lough Neagh
This Assembly notes the unauthorised extraction of between 1.2 - 1.7m tonnes of sand and gravel each year from Lough Neagh Special Protection Area; recognises the severe adverse environmental impact this activity may be having on this site; further notes that in repeatedly failing to regulate this activity, the Executive may be in breach of EU law including the Wild Birds, Habitats and Environmental Impact Assessment Directives and liable for financial penalties; expresses serious concern that in spite of having no planning permissions or environmental impact assessments, companies have been awarded Aggregate Levy Credit Scheme certificates by the Department for the Environment and may have been in receipt of an 80 percent aggregates levy rebate; and calls on the Minister for the Environment to take immediate action to halt all unauthorised activity on the Lough, to initiate a fully transparent and independent public inquiry into the unauthorised activity and to report any suspected breaches of the financial, or other rules of the Aggregates Levy Credit Scheme Code of Practice to HM Revenue and Customs and the Northern Ireland Audit Office.
| 04/11/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Closure of Minor Injuries Units and Beds
That this Assembly notes the closure of the Minor Injuries Units in Armagh, Bangor and Whiteabbey; believes the closures, as well as the accompanying reductions in beds, are unlikely to be only temporary; agrees that such closures will put additional pressure on already struggling Emergency Units in neighbouring hospitals; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to reverse these decisions immediately.
| 06/11/2014 | Mr R Beggs; Mr L Cree; Mrs J Dobson; Mr M McGimpsey |
| Private Members' Motion |
Ban on Hunting with Hounds
That this Assembly acknowledges the inherent cruelty involved in the hunting of wild animals with hounds; rejects claims that this is a form of pest control; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to bring forward legislation that would ban the hunting of wild animals with hounds.
| 20/11/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement
That this Assembly notes with extreme concern the potential impacts of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA); further notes with concern that these trade agreements will give private companies and investors new rights to sue our devolved administration through the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism; is shocked that ISDS disputes will be heard behind closed doors, that a right of appeal will not exist and that unlimited amounts in damages may be awarded; recognises that the threat of litigation will deter this Assembly from passing legislation where doing so has an economic impact on private investors; is concerned that this fundamental reconfiguration of the relationship between state and private investor undermines completely sovereignty and jeopardises democratic politics; and calls on the UK Government to reject TTIP and CETA.
| 25/11/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Living Wage Employer
That this Assembly recognises the contribution of all staff who work at the NI Assembly; believes in the right of workers to earn a living wage; notes that the living wage has lifted thousands of families out of poverty, reduces staff turnover for employers, promotes a positive and flexible work attitude and increases productivity; and calls on the Assembly Commission to set a positive example and become a living wage employer for all staff, including contracted staff, in line with the accreditation scheme run by the Living Wage Foundation.
| 02/12/2014 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Creation of a Network of Greenways
That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Regional Development to conduct a feasibility study on the potential of utilising track beds from disused railways, canal tow paths and other suitable structures for the purpose of creating a network of Greenways; believes that such a greenway network would bring much needed economic growth; and further calls on the Minister for Regional Development to work in partnership with the Minister of Environment, Local Communities and Local Government to explore the cross-border potential of this proposal.
| 04/12/2014 | Mr C Ó hOisín; Mr D McAleer; Mr S Lynch |
| Private Members' Motion |
Importance of Education, Skills and Training in the Draft 2015/16 Budget
That this Assembly recognises the needs of our developing economy; notes the stated priority of the Executive to grow a sustainable economy; asserts that the draft Budget 2015/16 does not reflect this; believes the proposal to slash funding within education and training will result in a decline in skills provision, leading to Northern Ireland becoming less competitive and undermine efforts to devolve Corporation Tax and attract greater Foreign Direct Investment; and calls on the Executive to ensure that the draft Budget 2015/16 is revised to support the development of a highly skilled and qualified workforce.
| 13/01/2015 | Mr R Swann; Mr D Kinahan |
| Private Members' Motion |
Private Rented Sector
That this Assembly notes its concerns at the continued growth of the unregulated private rented sector which is the biggest provider of socially rented accommodation, a sector which receives tens of millions of pounds in housing benefit but still has little legislation or regulation; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to introduce measures to regulate this sector.
| 13/01/2015 | Mr F McCann; Mr M Brady; Mr A Maskey |
| Private Members' Motion |
The 2015 Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations
That this Assembly expresses its support for families with inherited conditions such as mitochondrial disease; welcomes the ongoing work across the four administrations on the UK Rare Diseases Strategy; expresses concern that the Westminster Government appears to want Parliament to endorse the 2015 Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations before all preclinical safety checks recommended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have been concluded properly and peer reviewed; notes that there has been a lack of consultative engagement with people in Northern Ireland regarding the Regulations compared with the rest of the UK; and calls on the Government to address the safety concerns raised by a range of eminent scientists, confirm with the European Commission and European Court of Justice that the Regulations are fully compliant with the Clinical Trials Directive and further confirm that the Regulations are in compliance with UK law.
| 16/01/2015 | Lord Morrow; Mr P Weir |
| Private Members' Motion |
The Implementation of Together: Building a United Community
That this Assembly notes that it is now over eighteen months since the Executive agreed to implement the Together: Building a United Community strategy; notes in particular it aims to develop shared schools and shared communities; believes that implementation of the strategy should be the first stage in a wider process of building a shared future; expresses its concern that implementation to date is inconsistent; and calls on the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to present a progress report on the implementation, by Departments, of Together: Building a United Community.
| 21/01/2015 | Mr C Lyttle; Mr T Lunn; Mr S Dickson |
| Private Members' Motion |
Reduction in the Number of MLAs
That this Assembly notes that the Stormont House Agreement contains a deadline to reduce the number of MLAs from 108 to 90 by 2021 and the number of Executive Departments in time for the 2016 Assembly term; believes that there is an opportunity to reform the size of the Assembly and the number of Executive Departments to the same timescale; and calls on the Executive to ensure any legislation will see that the reduction in the number of MLAs takes places in time for the 2016 elections.
| 23/01/2015 | Mr S Dickson; Mr C Lyttle; Mr K McCarthy |
| Private Members' Motion |
Challenges Facing the Dairy Industry
That this Assembly notes the immense challenges currently being faced by Northern Ireland’s dairy farmers; further notes that this industry is likely to continue to face the fallout of difficult global circumstances for some time, including unpredictable demand, along with the end of the quota system in April 2015; acknowledges that the regular tribulations of milk prices continues to have a major destabilising impact on the sector; expresses its disappointment at the continued refusal of the European Commission to review the rate of intervention; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to outline what additional action she is taking to support the dairy industry and to promote its produce to new export markets.
| 03/02/2015 | Mrs J Dobson; Mr T Elliott |
| Private Members' Motion |
Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomies
That this Assembly notes the potential benefits to men suffering from prostate cancer of a Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomy; further notes that Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomies are available through the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales and private health insurance in centres in Dublin and Galway but remain unavailable locally; recognises that the British Association of Urological Surgeons suggests that each surgeon carrying out Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomies should ideally be undertaking at least 50-100 cases per annum to maintain skill and to deliver the best possible outcomes, and that any centre should be carrying out at least 160-200 procedures per year; further recognises that there are only around 50 men locally who currently receive this procedure and that a standalone service would likely be unsustainable; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to explore ways in which a cross-border approach to the delivery of Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomies could deliver sustainable numbers of surgeries to allow clinicians to maintain skill and deliver best outcomes for people with prostate cancer.
| 09/02/2015 | Mr P Flanagan; Mr O McMullan; Ms M McLaughlin; Mr M Brady |
| Private Members' Motion |
UDR Four
That this Assembly notes the miscarriage of justice in the case of the UDR Four; recognises the particular circumstances of Mr Colin Worton in relation to the case and that he served over two and a half years in custody on remand before the case against him was dropped and he was released; further notes the Minister of Justice’s comments on the miscarriage of justice, the innocence of Mr Worton and the significant detrimental impact on Mr Worton; and calls on the Minister of Justice to urgently seek to address this miscarriage of justice by exercising his discretion to provide redress for Mr Worton.
| 09/02/2015 | Mr W Irwin; Mrs A Foster |
| Private Members' Motion |
Abattoir CCTV
That this Assembly notes that a 2014 YouGov poll found that, of those who expressed a view, 87 per cent supported mandatory closed circuit television (CCTV) in slaughterhouses; expresses concern that eight of the nine slaughterhouses secretly filmed by Animal Aid breached the law, a failure rate of 89 per cent; believes that the introduction of compulsory CCTV in slaughterhouses will increase animal protection and allow those caught on film breaking the law to be prosecuted; further notes that plant operators who operate CCTV are keen to demonstrate to Food Standards Agency officials the high standard to which their operatives work; further believes that slaughterhouses in Northern Ireland should follow this best practice; and calls on the Executive to bring forward legislative proposals for the mandatory installation of CCTV in slaughterhouses.
| 10/02/2015 | Mr S Agnew |
| Private Members' Motion |
Financial Barriers for Students
That this Assembly acknowledges there are many financial barriers which deter students from accessing postgraduate education, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds; and calls on the Minsiter for Employment and Learning to bring forward an improved financial support scheme for postgraduate students as part of the forthcoming review of higher education funding.
| 10/02/2015 | Mr P Flanagan; Ms B McGahan; Mr F McCann |
| Private Members' Motion |
Performance of the Executive
That this Assembly considers the performance of the Executive to be less than satisfactory.
| 12/02/2015 | Mr D McNarry |
| Private Members' Motion |
Crown Estate
That this Assembly notes the recent recommendation made by the Smith Commission that responsibility for the management of the Crown Estate’s economic assets in Scotland, and the revenue generated from these assets, be transferred to the Scottish Parliament; and calls on the Executive to support the transfer of local economic assets which are managed by the Crown Estate, and the revenue generated from these, to the Assembly and Executive.
| 18/02/2015 | Mr O McMullan; Ms M Fearon; Mr D McKay |
| Private Members' Motion |
Radio Ulster's Farming Slots
That this Assembly deplores the decision of BBC Northern Ireland to terminate the dedicated farming slots in Radio Ulster's output; and calls on the BBC as a public service broadcaster to reverse this decision and retain this service of value to the rural community and agri-food sector.
| 18/02/2015 | Mr J Allister; Mr J McCallister; Mr K McCarthy |
| Private Members' Motion |
Interactive Map-based Register of Defibrillators
That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to conduct a feasibility study into the potential for an interactive map-based register of defibrillators across the range of service providers within her Department, including arm's-length bodies; and further calls on the Minister to bring the findings from the feasibility study to the Executive, to ensure compatibility with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service systems.
| 19/02/2015 | Mr O McMullan; Ms R McCorley; Mr C Ó hOisín |
| Private Members' Motion |
Comprehensive Animal Welfare Bill
That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development to introduce a new and comprehensive Animal Welfare Bill which includes provisions specifically prohibiting wild animals in circuses, the hunting of animals with dogs, the use of electronic dog collars and the use of snares.
| 27/02/2015 | Mr C Lyttle; Mrs J Cochrane; Ms A Lo |
| Private Members' Motion |
Equality Legislation
That this Assembly notes, given the passage of the Equality Act in 2010, that Northern Ireland is now out of step with the rest of the UK in terms of equality protections; expresses concern that no progress has been made on introducing a Single Equality Act in this mandate; rejects efforts being made to introduce conscience clause legislation; further regrets the failure of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to introduce age discrimination legislation that covers under-16s; and calls on the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to issue a fresh consultation paper to facilitate the speedy consideration of a Single Equality Bill by the Assembly.
| 27/02/2015 | Mr S Dickson; Ms A Lo; Mr C Lyttle |