Brown O'Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 31 May 2021

Forward Look

  • The DUP’s Executive has formally ratified Edwin Poots MLA as Party Leader and Paula Bradley MLA as Deputy Leader. According to the News Letter’s Sam McBride, Edwin Poots MLA was ratified by 72 votes to 28. A reshuffle of the DUP ministerial team is expected to be announced on Tuesday with multiple media outlets stating Paul Givan MLA is to become the new First Minister, Deputy Leader Paula Bradley MLA to become Junior Minister, Paul Frew MLA as Economy Minister, and Michelle McIlveen MLA to become Education Minister.

  • The Ulster Unionist Party Council has also confirmed Doug Beattie MLA as Party Leader and Robbie Butler MLA as Deputy Leader. A reshuffle of senior party and committee positions took place earlier in the week with Mike Nesbitt MLA moving to the Economy Committee, John Stewart MLA becoming Deputy Chair of the Executive Office Committee, and Andy Allen MLA appointed as Deputy Chief Whip.

  • Economy Minister Diane Dodds MLA has launched a skills strategy for Northern Ireland with focus on increasing further education qualifications in technical and professional skills and rebalancing higher education towards STEM. A Skills Council will be also established to bring together leaders in business, government and education to support skills development.

  • New legislation to reform Northern Ireland’s gambling laws will be brought forward by Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA before the Assembly’s summer recess.

  • Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA has confirmed that he will bring forward an alternative Climate Change Bill in due course. Clare Bailey’s Private Members’ Bill, supported by all parties except the DUP, has been given an extension to its Committee Stage until 17 December 2021.

  • The First Stage of the Financial Reporting (Departments and Public Bodies) Bill (NI) is expected to take place in the Assembly next week. The bill would allow the Department of Finance to issue directions to other departments as to how accounts and budget estimates are supplied.

  • The Health Committee has agreed to give consideration to an inquiry into waiting lists in Northern Ireland. A document outlining the potential inquiry’s terms of reference is to be developed over the coming weeks.

  • Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD is expected to announce today a further easing of restrictions as the Irish Government unveils its plans for June and July. Phased relaxations in all key sectors, particularly aviation and hospitality will be outlined. The next major review of NI’s restrictions will take place on Thursday 10 June.

  • The Assembly will sit on Tuesday next week. Question Time will take place for The Executive Office and the Communities Minister.

  • On Wednesday, the Infrastructure Committee will receive a briefing from Bus & Coach NI, while the Economy Committee will consider the Skills Strategy Consultation. The Executive Office Committee will receive oral briefings on the Urban Villages Strategy and consider a motion on Historical Institutional Abuse.

  • On Thursday, the Communities Committee will receive a briefing on the High Street Task Force.

  • On Monday, Alliance Councillor Kate Nicholl will take office as Lord Mayor of Belfast and the DUP’s Graham Warke will become Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council.

  • Further Education NI, the representative body for all six of NI’s Further Education Colleges, will launch its ‘FE for Me’ Campaign virtually on Wednesday 2 June.

  • The launch of the new GB News channel will take place on Sunday 13 June.

Other Stories this week

  • The Budget 2021-22 was formally approved by the Assembly this week. According to Finance Minister Conor Murphy MLA, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP has said he intends to revert back to multi-year budgets from the next Spending Review.

  • The SDLP’s Sinéad Bradley MLA (South Down) has announced she will stand down ahead of the next Assembly Election. Potential replacements include former MLA Karen McKevitt and the party’s 2019 Westminster Election candidate for South Down Michael Savage.

  • Justice Minister Naomi Long MLA has told the Assembly she expects the first payments for the Victims’ Permanent Disablement Scheme to be made “within the current financial year”. The scheme is set to open for applications on 30 June.

  • Education Minister Peter Weir MLA has announced a £22 million funding package to assist schools with the implementation of the new special education needs (SEN) framework.

  • Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon MLA has said she has sought legal advice over the DUP’s boycott of some North-South Ministerial Council meetings.

  • Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has strongly signalled a July by-election for Dublin Bay South, speaking to the Dáil on Monday. According to the Irish Times, some sources in Fine Gael expect the contest to take place in early July.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 1 June, Belfast City Council Meeting

Consultations