Summary

  • Critical day for Northern Ireland's political institutions as Stormont collapses

  • Election called for 2 March as Sinn Féin refuses to nominate new deputy first minister

  • Economy Minister Simon Hamilton explains plan to cut RHI scheme costs to committee

  • MLAs have say on new legislation to mitigate RHI scheme costs as it goes before assembly

  • Communities Minister Paul Givan's plan to ease impact of bedroom tax approved by MLAs

  1. MLAs set to debate RHI cost mitigation measurespublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    And now for what could be described as today's main event...

    MLAs are due to debate Economy Minister Simon Hamilton's plan to mitigate the £490m cost of the controversial RHI scheme.

    Burning wood pelletsImage source, Tchara

    He presented the proposals to the Economy Committee this morning.

    There is no time limit on how long members can speak in this debate, so we're likely to be here for quite some time.

  2. 'I can see the colours of the rainbow'published at 16:18 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    People Before Profit MLA Eamonn McCann says the Stormont is dysfunctional because it is "based entirely on trying to reconcile orange and green politics".

    Communities Minister Paul Givan minister rises to sum up the debate, and begins by questioning Mr McCann's attack.

    Eamonn McCann

    "I don't think there's anybody in the unionist community believes for one moment that People Before Profit is nothing but green through and through," he says.

    In return, Mr McCann quotes a song: "But the little boy said; 'I can see the colours of the rainbow, I can see the colours in the morning sun.'"

    The welfare regulations are passed on an oral vote.

  3. Assembly may sit until 1am!published at 16:17 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

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  4. 'Strident moves were made to tackle inequality'published at 16:15 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    What a day to make your maiden speech in the assembly!

    Green Party MLA Claire Bailey rises and says that when she chose this day for her speech she could not have known of "the political fiasco that is happening".

    Claire Bailey

    The South Belfast MLA is a strong advocate for women's rights, and she touches on domestic abuse and reproductive rights in her contribution.

    She says that even though England, Scotland and Wales have introduced same-sex marriage, Northern Ireland is "still refusing to acknowledge that LGBT people are still not seen as equals in the eyes of our laws".

    She says the Justice Committee, of which she is a member, has made "strident moves" to tackle inequality.

  5. Finance minister 'on the money' over bedroom taxpublished at 16:09 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    The past week has seen a row between Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Communities Minister Paul Givan over differing views on what mitigation measures can be put in place against the so-called bedroom tax.

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    The row continued in Stormont earlier today, and Mr Ó Muilleoir still says he was right on the matter.

  6. 'We're entering last hour-and-a-half of devolution'published at 16:01 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon refers to the appeals process for welfare payments, and urges Communities Minister Paul Givan to set aside funding for staff to "help navigate our most vulnerable through what is a very daunting and complex process".

    Nichola Mallon

    Christopher Stalford of the DUP says the proposed measures are a "second example for devolution to be used in a positive and constructive way for those in most need. He says that we are entering the "last hour-and-a-half of devolution".

  7. 'Welfare changes should help financially disadvantaged'published at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Communities Minister Paul Givan is back on his feet to bring the Welfare Supplementary Payment Regulations to the house.

    Paul Givan

    He explains that the regulations lay down "how the executive should help those who are financially disadvantaged as a consequence of the changes to the welfare system".

  8. Blockbuster day at Stormontpublished at 15:53 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Gareth Gordon
    BBC News NI Political Correspondent

    If The Assembly: Nomination Day was a film, it would already have been declared a box office hit.

    Stormont's Great Hall crackled with atmosphere not seen since the distant days of former UUP leader and first minister David Trimble.

    Martin McGuinness

    The problem was that observers knew where this particular drama was going... even before they took their front row seats.

    Read: More analysis on a dramatic day at Stormont.

  9. 'Will O'Neill's legacy be one of failure?'published at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    TUV leader Jim Allister suggests that the public would be entitled to judge Michelle O'Neill's legacy as health minister to be "one of failure".

    Jim Alliste

    He points to "mass" threats of resignations by GPs and the "budget heading for the buffers".

    "Let the people decide," Mrs O'Neill says, adding that she looks forward to "engaging on the doorsteps with absolutely everybody who wants to talk about it".

  10. 'I won't tolerate the arrogance of DUP'published at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Daniel McCrossan of the SDLP asks a question about the ongoing question of underspend on adult learning disability in the Western Trust.

    The minister gives her "commitment to making sure that the issue is resolved".

    Daniel McCrossan

    Mr McCrossan accuses the minister of "standing politicking and people are in crisis".

    The minster says she has worked continually with the families involved, but refuses Mr McCrossan's accusations of politicking.

    "I am leaving office because I won't tolerate the arrogance of the DUP," she says.

  11. 'Christmas an exceptionally challenging time for A&Es'published at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Mark H Durkan of the SDLP asks about pressures faced by emergency departments over the Christmas period.

    The minister says it was "an exceptionally challenging period".

    A nurseImage source, Thinkstock

    "The rising demand was right at the upper end of the forecast and this has been reflected in the impact on our emergency departments," she says.

    Mrs O'Neill adds that health trusts are working to recruit emergency medical doctors, but there is "a recognised shortage" in this area.

  12. 'No funding allocation due to DUP arrogance'published at 15:38 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    The January monitoring round - the reallocation of unspent funds between executive departments - is raised by the UUP's Philip Smith, who asks if the health minister will be making a bid for some of that money.

    But Michelle O'Neill says there will be no monitoring round due to the collapse of the executive as a result, she claims, of the DUP's "arrogance".

    A hospital wardImage source, PA

    "But let's be clear - public finance will continue to flow," she adds, saying that she will "engage" with the Department of Finance to deal with pressures facing the health service.

    She accepts that lengthy hospital waiting lists are "not good enough", but the "reason we're in the scenario, is due to the DUP's making".

  13. Here's where we are...published at 15:37 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    BBC News Northern Ireland

    An election in Northern Ireland looks inevitable after Sinn Féin refused to nominate a deputy first minister to replace Martin McGuinness.

    He quit last week when DUP leader Arlene Foster refused to stand aside as first minister while a botched energy scheme was investigated.

    Martin McGuinness and Arlene Foster

    Because they hold a joint office, the resignation automatically put the DUP leader out of her job.

    Elections must be called if the positions are vacant for seven days.

  14. Rates delay likely over political crisispublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Julian O'Neill
    BBC News NI Business Correspondent

    Contingency plans are being drawn up for this year's rates bills in Northern Ireland, with the collection of £1.2bn in revenue facing a delay caused by the political crisis.

    It is likely that more than 500,000 household and business bills will not be issued on time in April.

    Key in doorImage source, Thinkstock

    The process has been hit by Stormont's failure to agree a budget for 2017-18.

    The Department of Finance hopes bills will be issued by May or June.

  15. 'GPs entitled have their say in election'published at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy asks what the health minister will do about the GP "crisis" in Northern Ireland, with one leading doctor says some will "vote to leave the National Health Service because of the crisis within these political institutions".

    Files in a GP's surgeryImage source, PA

    Michelle O'Neill reiterates the point that her plan for transforming healthcare in Northern Ireland involved investing heavily in primary care, and she says she will be "wedded to" that until she leave office.

    She says the public "are rightly entitled to have their say in relation to the future, and that will include GPs".

  16. Sinn Féin leader pays tribute to outgoing MLApublished at 15:07 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

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  17. Question Time for health ministerpublished at 15:04 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Michelle O'Neill

    Michelle O'Neill takes her place in the chamber for questions on her brief heading up the Department of Health.

  18. Watch Stormont proceedings livepublished at 15:01 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    BBC One

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  19. 'The budgets were ready to go'published at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    UUP leader Mike Nesbitt says Máirtín Ó Muilleoir will be remembered as the finance minister who did not set a budget.

    "Can he confirm that, while we walked away to let him get on with it with the DUP, he's just walking away?" Mr Nesbitt asks.

    Mike Nesbitt

    "I used the word 'pathetic' earlier," the minster says. "I don't want to repeat myself."

    He insists that "the budgets were ready to go and it was the DUP which became consumed by RHI".

  20. 'Givan went beyond usual DUP provocation'published at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    People Before Profit MLA Eamonn McCann weighs in on the "bromance" between Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Communities Minister Paul Givan.

    He asks: "What was it that caused [Mr Ó Muilleoir] suddenly to realise that Mr Givan was not the type of fellow that he could work with?"

    Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Paul GivanImage source, Press Eye

    Earlier Mr Givan had insisted that he was in the right over the bedroom tax, but Mr Ó Muilleoir seizes his chance to challenge that, saying: "What I said was absolutely, 100%, as they say, on the money."

    He adds that Mr Givan "went above and beyond" what he calls the "usual provocations from the DUP".

    But Mr McCann provokes giggles across the chamber when he says: "Even after they break up, they can't help thinking of one another!"