Business Diary

Monday 27 April 2026 - Friday 01 May 2026

* Committee Business relates to non-substantive items of business such as the consideration of minutes of the previous meeting and consideration of correspondence or matters arising from previous meetings
TimeVenuePlenary/Committee
Monday 27 April 2026
12:00 PMAssembly ChamberPlenary Session
Tuesday 28 April 2026
10:30 AMAssembly ChamberPlenary Session
1:00 PMRoom 106Business Committee

Closed from 1:00 PM (30 mins)
Committee Business
Wednesday 29 April 2026
10:00 AMRoom 29Committee for Infrastructure

Public from 10:00 AM (20 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 10:20 AM (10 mins)
SL1 - The Meenan Square, Derry/Londonderry (Footways) (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 - Initial Consideration

SL1 - The Road Races (Loughgall Stages Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 - Initial Consideration

SL1 - The Road Races (Rallye Lecale) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 - Initial Consideration

SL1 - The Railways Safety Act 2002 (Commencement No. 1) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 - Initial Consideration

Public from 10:30 AM (60 mins)
Grant Scheme on the supervision and inspection requirements of the Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 - Public Consultation - Summary of Responses – Department for Infrastructure – Oral Evidence
• Ms Alison Clydesdale, DfI
• Mr Ryan Robinson, DfI
• Mr David Courtenay, DfI

Closed from 11:30 AM (60 mins)
Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill - Initial Deliberations

Public from 12:30 PM (15 mins)
Committee Business
10:00 AMRoom 30Committee for the Economy

Public from 10:00 AM (5 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 10:05 AM (70 mins)
NI Chamber and childcare partners – childcare issues - oral and written evidence
• Stuart Anderson, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce
• Diane Koplewsky, Sleepy Hollow Group
• Nikolai Koplewsky, Sleepy Hollow Group
• Lorna Muldoon, Federation of Small Businesses

Public from 11:15 AM (45 mins)
Department for the Economy – pre-consultation briefing on the draft aviation strategy
• Ciaran McGarrity, DfE
• Ian Maxwell, DfE
• Stuart Maxwell, DfE

Public from 12:00 PM (15 mins)
Utility Regulator (Support for Decarbonisation Preparation) Bill - RaISe briefing
• Mr Aidan Stennett, Research Officer

Public from 12:15 PM (5 mins)
Committee Business

Draft Forward Work Programme – Extension of committee stages

Closed from 12:20 PM (10 mins)
NI Assembly Engagement – Committee Stage engagement events
• Clare Maguire, Outreach Manager
• Mrs Caroline Moore, Outreach Manager
10:00 AMRoom 21Committee on Procedures

Public from 10:00 AM (5 mins)
Committee Business

Closed from 10:05 AM (20 mins)
Repeal of Standing Order 70 and consequential amendments to Standing Orders - Consideration of consequential amendments to Standing Order 22(2) and Legal Advice
• Helen Smyth, Legal Advisor

Closed from 10:25 AM (60 mins)
Northern Ireland Act 1998 Section 42 – Petitions of Concern - Further consideration of provision in draft Standing Orders
• Helen Smyth, Legal Advisor
• Paul Gill, Clerk Assistant
• Dr Frank Geddis, Clerk Assistant

Public from 11:30 AM (5 mins)
Committee Business
10:00 AMRoom 106Committee on Standards and Privileges

Closed from 10:00 AM (10 mins)
Committee Business

Closed from 10:10 AM (40 mins)
Complaints against a Minister - briefing on investigation report by Commissioner for Standards
• Mr Stephen Wright, Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards

Closed from 10:50 AM (30 mins)
The Ministerial Code of Conduct - Briefing by Assembly Legal Services
• Ms Htaik Win, Legal Advisor

Closed from 11:20 AM (15 mins)
Discontinuation of complaint

Closed from 11:35 AM (20 mins)
Complaint against Members - consideration of draft Committee report

Closed from 11:55 AM (5 mins)
Committee Business
2:00 PMRoom 29Committee for Education

Public from 2:00 PM (15 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 2:15 PM (30 mins)
Strategic Review of Current SEN Provision and Transformation Agenda - Committee Consideration

Public from 2:45 PM (30 mins)
Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill - Oral Briefing by RaISe
• Ms Karen Clarke, Research Officer

Public from 3:15 PM (30 mins)
Irish Medium Education (Workforce Plan) Bill - Oral Briefing by RaISe
• Sinead McMurray, Research Officer

Closed from 3:45 PM (30 mins)
General Teaching Council Bill

Public from 4:15 PM (15 mins)
SR 2026/53 The Education (Pupil Reporting) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

Public from 4:30 PM (15 mins)
Committee Business
2:00 PMSenate ChamberCommittee for Finance

Public from 2:00 PM (30 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 2:30 PM (15 mins)
SL1 Baby Loss Certificate Scheme Regulations 2026 - Oral briefing from NISRA officials
• Dr Philip Wales, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
• Ms Aoife Rooney, DoF

Public from 2:45 PM (40 mins)
NI Banking and Financial Services Landscape - Inquiry - Oral Briefing with DoF on follow-up recommendations
• Ms Wendy Lecky, DoF
• Ms Julianne Kieran, DoF
• Mr Dylan McDonnell, DoF

Closed from 3:25 PM (10 mins)
Performance and Culture of the Northern Ireland Civil Service - Pre-Brief for NIAO Oral Briefing on Leading and Resourcing the NICS
• Ms Dorinnia Carville, Northern Ireland Audit Office
• Ms Suzanne Jones, Northern Ireland Audit Office
• Ms Laura Murphy, Northern Ireland Audit Office

Public from 3:35 PM (50 mins)
Performance and Culture of the Northern Ireland Civil Service - Leading and Resourcing the NICS – Oral Briefing from NIAO
• Ms Dorinnia Carville, Northern Ireland Audit Office
• Ms Suzanne Jones, Northern Ireland Audit Office
• Ms Laura Murphy, Northern Ireland Audit Office

Public from 4:25 PM (15 mins)
Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill - Consideration of Committee Stage Approach

Public from 4:40 PM (10 mins)
Committee Business
2:00 PMRoom 30Committee for The Executive Office

Public from 2:00 PM (10 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 2:10 PM (60 mins)
Oral Briefing: Veteran's Commissioner - Armed Forces Covenant
• Mr David Johnstone, Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner's Office

Public from 3:10 PM (10 mins)
Written Briefing: Safeguarding Board

Closed from 3:20 PM (30 mins)
Gaps in Equality Legislation - Updated Draft Final Report (Closed Session)

Public from 3:50 PM (15 mins)
Committee Business

Closed from 4:05 PM (70 mins)
Strategic Planning (Closed Session)
Thursday 30 April 2026
10:00 AMRoom 21Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Public from 10:00 AM (5 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 10:05 AM (60 mins)
Departmental Oral Evidence Session - The Farming with Nature Scheme

Closed from 11:05 AM (60 mins)
Dilapidation Bill

Public from 12:05 PM (15 mins)
Dilapidation Bill

Public from 12:20 PM (10 mins)
Hunting of Wild Mammals with Dogs Bill - Initial briefing from Bill sponsor
• Mr John Blair, MLA

Public from 12:30 PM (20 mins)
Departmental Written Briefing - Update on the DAERA-DAFM Shared Island Bioeconomy Demonstration

Departmental Written Briefing - Animal Welfare Pathway Consultation

Departmental Written Briefing - Permitted Development Rights for Reverse Vending Machines

Public from 12:50 PM (10 mins)
Committee Business
10:00 AMRoom 29Committee for Communities

Public from 10:00 AM (5 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 10:05 AM (55 mins)
Quarterly Financial Update: Oral briefing from the Department for Communities

Public from 11:00 AM (45 mins)
Departmental quarterly update: Oral briefing from Permanent Secretary and senior officials

Public from 11:45 AM (30 mins)
Employment Support Scheme: Oral briefing from the Department for Communities

Public from 12:15 PM (5 mins)
Criminal Justice Bill: consideration of response to Committee for Justice

Public from 12:20 PM (30 mins)
Committee Business
10:00 AMRoom 30Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee

Closed from 10:00 AM (2 mins)
Committee Business

Closed from 10:02 AM (15 mins)
COM/2025/747 Proposal for a Regulation on monitoring and controlling drug precursors and repealing Regulations (EC) No 273/2004 and (EC) No 111/2005 - Legal Advice
• Ms Caroline Byers, Legal Advisor

Closed from 10:17 AM (15 mins)
COM/2025/1030 Proposal for a Regulation as regards the simplification and strengthening of food and feed safety requirements - Legal Advice
• Ms Julie Byers, Legal Advisor

Public from 10:32 AM (1 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 10:33 AM (30 mins)
COM/2025/747 Proposal for a Regulation on monitoring and controlling drug precursors and repealing Regulations (EC) No 273/2004 and (EC) No 111/2005 - Departmental Oral Evidence
• Mr Aaron McKendry, DoH

Public from 11:03 AM (30 mins)
COM/2025/1030 Proposal for a Regulation as regards the simplification and strengthening of food and feed safety requirements - Departmental Oral Evidence
• Mr Phillip Kennedy, Food Standards Agency NI

Public from 11:33 AM (5 mins)
COM/2023/192 Proposal for a Directive on the Union code relating to medicinal products for human use, and repealing Directive 2001/83/EC and Directive 2009/35/EC

Public from 11:38 AM (5 mins)
COM/2023/193 Proposal for a Regulation laying down Union procedures for the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products for human use and establishing rules governing the European Medicines Agency

Public from 11:43 AM (5 mins)
COM/2024/577 Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2021/2115 and (EU) 2021/2116 as regards the strengthening of the position of farmers in the food supply chain

Public from 11:48 AM (5 mins)
Committee Work Planning

Public from 11:53 AM (7 mins)
Committee Business
2:00 PMRoom 29Committee for Health

Public from 2:00 PM (1 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 2:01 PM (4 mins)
SL1 - The Jam and Similar Products (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

Public from 2:05 PM (60 mins)
NICCY - NICCY Mental Health Research Report

Public from 3:05 PM (5 mins)
Departmental Written Briefing - Homecare Services

Public from 3:10 PM (5 mins)
Departmental Written Briefing - Implementation of Maternity Services Review

Public from 3:15 PM (5 mins)
Departmental Written Briefing - Mental Health Strategy

Public from 3:20 PM (5 mins)
Departmental Written Briefing - DoH Formal Response to Committee Inquiry on Access to Palliative Care Services

Public from 3:25 PM (20 mins)
Committee Business
2:00 PMRoom 30Committee for Justice

Closed from 2:00 PM (30 mins)
Committee Business

Justice Bill - Deepfake amendment – Procedural advice
• Dr Frank Geddis, Clerk Assistant

Public from 2:30 PM (5 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 2:35 PM (60 mins)
Justice Bill - Taxation reform: New Clause 27a – The Bar of Northern Ireland oral evidence
• Ms Denise Kiley KC, The Bar of Northern Ireland
• Ms Laura Vance, The Bar of Northern Ireland
• Mr David Mulholland, The Bar of Northern Ireland

Public from 3:35 PM (25 mins)
Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill - Written papers

SL1 Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

Review of State Pathologist’s Department - Department of Justice written paper

Public from 4:00 PM (15 mins)
Committee Business
2:00 PMSenate ChamberPublic Accounts Committee

Public from 2:00 PM (5 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 2:05 PM (40 mins)
Memorandum of Reply - Homelessness in Northern Ireland

Closed from 2:45 PM (60 mins)
Inquiry into Major IT Projects in Northern Ireland - Discussion on Case Study Responses

Closed from 3:45 PM (15 mins)
Committee Business

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