Debate contribution: Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Miss Jemma Dolan on 20 April 2026.

MLA: Miss Jemma Dolan
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 20 April 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill: Consideration Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5493933

Text

The Bill helps to address several issues across several Departments. It includes clauses that provide clarification or new powers to Departments and public bodies to deliver funding, support services and other administrative duties. The oversight of the investment fund to utilise financial transactions capital (FTC) naturally sits within the Department of Finance. Therefore, providing it with the power to issue loans though clause 1 will remove the need for those to be issued through the Strategic Investment Board (SIB), an arm's-length body of the Executive Office, and will improve overall accountability of that scheme. Clause 2 focuses on the ability of the Department for the Economy to be proactive in taking initiatives that provide financial assistance to support the local economy, which the Audit Office highlighted as something that was missing during the pandemic. The ability to create companies is a further intervention that the Department for the Economy could use in the future as a result of the changes being made in the Bill, rather than having to rely on Invest NI to do that. The Executive have prioritised tackling violence against women and girls in the Programme for Government. I am pleased that a clear focus will remain on that as clause 9 provides the Executive Office with the statutory authority for implementing the strategic framework in the coming years. As a society, we need to continue to be proactive in that area and do all that we can to bring an end to the scourge of misogyny and to protect women and girls. The Bill will also enable TEO to coordinate integration and support for asylum seekers and refugees locally, thus permitting TEO to utilise funds that have been provided to it by Whitehall for those purposes rather than having to rely on the sole authority of the Budget Act. Improving financial stability is another aspect of the Bill. Clauses 15, 16 and 17 will enable DFE, DAERA and DFI to have additional fee-raising powers. I welcome confirmation from the Department for Infrastructure that the fee for replacing SmartPasses is not intended to raise revenue and that any income generated will be limited to administrative costs and will be used to protect concessionary travel in the future. I support the Bill, as it will close legislative gaps that have been identified and raised by Members as well as strengthen the overall accountability and functions of several Departments.

400 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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