Today's Business

Wednesday 18 March 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
TimeVenueCommittee
Wednesday 18 March 2026
10:00 AMSt. Patrick's Visitor Centre, 53A Market Street, DownpatrickCommittee for Infrastructure

Public from 10:00 AM (30 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 10:30 AM (60 mins)
Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill - Newcastle Concerned Residents Group – Oral Evidence
• Mrs Emma Bohill, Down Business Centre
• Mr Sam Anderson, Newcastle Concerned Residents Group
• Mr Gareth Jones, Newcastle Concerned Residents Group
• Ms Sheila Maginn, Newcastle Concerned Residents Group

Public from 11:30 AM (10 mins)
Proposed Changes to Regulations to support the uptake of Zero Emissions Goods Vehicles in Northern Ireland - Department for Infrastructure - Public Consultation

Taxis in Bus Lanes Experimental Traffic Control Scheme (ETCS) - Department for Infrastructure - Public Consultation

Public from 11:40 AM (30 mins)
SL1 – The Road Races (Drumhorc Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 - Formal Consideration

SL1 – The Comber Road, Dundonald (Abandonment and Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 - Initial Consideration

SR 2026-26 The Glencairn Road, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

SR 2026-27 The St Andrews Square West, Belfast (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

SR 2026-47 The Schools (Part-Time 20mph Speed Limit) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

SR 2026-48 The Road Races (Circuit of Ireland Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

Public from 12:10 PM (5 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)
Utility Regulator oral and written evidence - Forward Work Programme for 2026/27; Customer Care Register; Interconnection; Guaranteed Service Standards consultation Feedback
• John French, Utility Regulator Northern Ireland
• Colin Broomfield, Utility Regulator Northern Ireland
• Barbara Cantley, Utility Regulator Northern Ireland
• Peter Russell, Utility Regulator Northern Ireland
• Brian Mulhern, Utility Regulator Northern Ireland

Public from 11:15 AM (75 mins)
Departmental oral and written evidence on HE Financial Needs Analysis
• Graham Miller, DfE
• Elaine Dolan, DfE
• Joanne Hendry, DfE
• Dr June Faccini, DfE

Public from 12:30 PM (15 mins)
Departmental oral and written evidence – feedback on the consultation on postgraduate tuition fee loans
• Graham Miller, DfE
• Shauna Mullan, DfE
• Jonathan O'Callaghan, DfE

Public from 12:45 PM (20 mins)
SR XX / 2026 The Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay (Miscarriage) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

Departmental oral and written evidence - The Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay - additional regulations

Committee Business
10:04 AMRoom 106Committee on Standards and Privileges

Closed from 10:04 AM (4 mins)
Committee Business

Closed from 10:08 AM (27 mins)
Complaint against Members - Briefing by Commissioner for Standards on Investigation Report
• Mr Stephen Wright, Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards

Closed from 10:35 AM (6 mins)
Committee deliberation on complaint against Members

Closed from 10:41 AM (11 mins)
Discontinuation of complaint

Closed from 10:52 AM (1 mins)
All-Party Group issues

Closed from 10:53 AM (3 mins)
Committee Business
2:00 PMRoom 30Committee for Education

Public from 2:00 PM (3 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 2:03 PM (72 mins)
Effective School Leadership in Disadvantaged Schools
• Professor Noel Purdy, Stranmillis University College
• Dr Emilia Symington, Stranmillis University College
• Ms Katrina Moore, Malone Integrated College
• Mr Pádraig Ó Mianáin, Saint Brigid's College

Public from 3:15 PM (60 mins)
Youth Service - Oral Briefing by DE and EA Officials
• Ms Julie Humphries, DE
• Andrew Scott, DE
• Dr Tomas Adell, Education Authority
• Ms Arlene Kee, Education Authority

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

Public from 2:00 PM (35 mins)
Committee Business

Public from 2:35 PM (6 mins)
SL1 The Government Resources and Accounts (Northern Ireland) Act 2001 (Estimates and Accounts) (Designation of Bodies) Order 2026

SR 2026/30 The Deaths and Still-Births (Signing of Certificates) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

SR 2026/32 (C.1) The Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss (2026 Act) (Commencement) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

Public from 2:41 PM (7 mins)
Northern Ireland Fiscal Council Bill - Final Consideration of Committee Report

Public from 2:48 PM (7 mins)
Budget - Consideration of evidence from other Statutory Committees on draft Budget 2026-2029/30

Public from 2:55 PM (16 mins)
Performance and Culture of the Northern Ireland Civil Service

Public from 3:20 PM (10 mins)
Committee Business
2:00 PMRoom 29Committee for The Executive Office

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

Public from 2:10 PM (80 mins)
Oral Briefing: Director of the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression, Irish Language Commissioner and Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and the Ulster British Tradition
• Dr Katy Radford, Office of Identity and Cultural Expression
• Mr Pól Deeds, Office of Identity and Cultural Expression
• Mr Lee Reynolds, Office of Identity and Cultural Expression

Public from 3:30 PM (45 mins)
Oral Briefing: Open University - "Learnings from Why Riot? The "Whys" Beneath Youth Violence"
• Mr John D'Arcy, The Open University
• Ms Gabi Kent, The Open University
• Mr Stephen Hughes, St Peter's Immaculata Youth Centre
• Mr William Mitchell, ACT Initiative

Public from 4:15 PM (15 mins)
Committee Business

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