They're sounding an imaginary Last Post under the portico at the front of the floodlit Parliament Buildings.

Opinions seem divided among members as to whether it'll be a short break or a long drag before the assembly returns.

One thing is for sure, cutting the membership from 108 to 90 has concentrated a few minds.

But you haven't quite got rid of us yet, the committees are still meeting.

Join us tomorrow morning at 10:00 as the members of the Education Committee convene for the last time in this assembly mandate.

Until then, goodnight!

Economy Minister Simon Hamilton says his department is working to add superfast broadband to a further 38,000 houses by the end of 2017, and some of those properties are in the Newry and Armagh constituency.

Alternative networks like fixed wireless and satellite can offer an viable option, he says, for difficult-to-reach areas.

But Mr Hamilton adds that is department had "only limited power" in what it can do to improve broadband provision, because telecommunications is a reserved matter and the power lies with Westminster.

The departing Deputy Principal Speaker Caitríona Ruane gives her good wishes to those left in the chamber, and with that, it's all over...

Justin McNulty of the SDLP speaks of "the great digital divide".

He says lack of broadband affects "so any families, businesses and farmers across Newry and Armagh" that he is "constantly inundated" by complaints.

DUP veteran Jim Wells boasts that he was "the last person in the public gallery when the assembly fell in '76, I was the last person speaking when the assembly fell in '86, I was the last person in the chamber before it burned down in '95".

Unfortunately for Mr Wells he's not going to be the last speaker this time as the economy minister has the last word in adjournment debates.

The DUP's William Irwin says a "reluctance" from telecoms provider BT "to improve services" for broadband users "cannot be allowed to hold up progress" in installing fibre broadband in rural areas of the Newry and Armagh constituency.

Image source, Thinkstock

Cathal Boylan of Sinn Féin says there is a "responsibility that public funds are spent properly".

"We have give money from the assembly to try and address the not-spots right across rural areas," he reminds MLAs, but says he does not "think BT have been up front in this matter".

And now the final item of business in the chamber during this assembly mandate...

Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy introduces his adjournment debate on broadband provision in his Newry and Armagh constituency.

Image source, PA

"I sincerely hope that this is not the last time that I address this chamber," he says.

Mr Kennedy outlines some of the challenges facing people in rural areas with poor broadband coverage.

"It is clear that my constituents remain deeply frustrated," he says.

Winding up the debate on his motion, Green Party leader Steven Agnew says the DUP's "bizarre" stance shows that it is rejecting the proposals without "good reason".

He says UUP MLA Doug Beattie won the "quote of the day" competition when he called for "more standards and less privileges".

"We haven't seen the standards [from ministers] that people expect.," he adds.

The North Down representative says his proposal for the assembly's standards commissioner to be able to investigate alleged breaches of the ministerial code is a "modest" one, and he urges members to support him.

The motion passes unopposed on an oral vote.

It is "astounding", says TUV leader Jim Allister, that after all the years of devolution "we are still at the point of effectively no mechanism to hold ministers to account".

He supports the extension of the commissioner's remit to cover ministers who until now "have been the untouchables in this house".

"The speech of Mrs Cameron was quite amazing," he says.

The North Antrim MLA adds that to hear the modest suggestion contained in the motion described as "mischief-making" is "quite astounding".

Issues on "openness, accountability and transparency of operations" have "plagued this assembly" for a "considerable period of time", David Ford says.

The Alliance Party MLA attacks the DUP's Pam Cameron for her "inability in all we face at the moment to recognise the public disgust at the way behaviour has been carried on by certain people in this place".

Image source, Thinkstock

"If we don't have openness and transparency about public dealings," he says, the public mood turns to one of "complete cynicism".

"That is, frankly, what we are witnessing amongst a large number of our people at the moment."

The DUP's Paul Girvan returns to the chamber to make his act of contrition for remarks he made earlier, suggesting a deliberate tardiness of the judiciary.

"I wish to withdraw some of the comments in relation to my calling into question the judiciary," he says.  

Alliance Party MLA David Ford, who drew the the speaker's attention to Mr Girvan's comments, says it is a pity that members speak "without thinking of what they're saying in the first place".

SDLP MLA Alex Attwood accuses Sinn Féin of giving the DUP a "soft landing" over numerous "issues of accountability for ministers".

Anger from Sinn Féin voters has forced the party to support this motion, 18 months after rejecting a similar proposal before the assembly, the West Belfast representative adds.

He goes on to take issue with the contribution of DUP's Pam Cameron, who he quotes: "Why should we have this model to create issues where none exist?"

Exasperated, he asks her: "What world have you been living in for the past two or three months?!"

The members now return to the debate on the Green party motion on alleged breaches of the ministerial code.

The DUP's Pam Cameron says the motion is "little more than mischief-making".

"The commissioner is not here to act as a schoolmaster to preside over disobedient pupils," she says.  

Ulster Unionist Doug Beattie speaks in favour of the motion, saying: "If you don't want a light shined into the corners of the work that you do then you've clearly got something to hide."

Raising a point of order, the Alliance Party's David Ford says DUP MLA Paul Girvan's suggestion that the judicial system "drag[s]" work out "for extra money".

"I believe that statement of Mr Girvan's calls into question the integrity of Sir Patrick Coghlin and other senior judges in this jurisdiction," Mr Ford says, adding that it "would be appropriate" for his fellow South Antrim representative to "withdraw his remarks".

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt (above) adds that his party "in no way wishes to be associated with anything that could be construed as an attack on the integrity of the judge, Sir Patrick."

Speaker Robin Newton says he hopes that the "judiciary would enjoy the confidence of" all MLAs.

Claire Bailey of the Green Party asks whether the inquiry will have access to information about "any potential links" between "party donors and the RHI scheme" and to compel documents from the Electoral Commission.

"The answer is 'yes'," says Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.

The finance minister adds that there should be no piece of evidence in this jurisdiction that inquiry chair Sir Patrick Coghlin should not be able to access.

The inquiry into the RHI scheme could be held at Stormont's Parliament Buildings, Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir suggests.

"That would obviously reduce costs, as opposed to the Europa Hotel," he adds.

The minister says he hopes a business case for the inquiry will be put together "within a matter of days rather than weeks", and that would give a "fair idea of costs".

Alliance Party MLA David Ford asks if Sir Patrick Coghlin will have "the appropriate expertise" on his panel to help him carry out the inquiry.

Mr Ó Muilleoir reassures Mr Ford that Sir Patrick feels the panel menbers should be experts in renewable energy and government accounts.

"It's not just two people dragged off the street," the minister jokes.

Another MLA with concerns over the length of time the inquiry could take to produce its report is the DUP MLA Paul Girvan.

He says he has "absolutely no confidence that the judicial system work expeditiously in trying to get something through as quickly as they can".

"They tend to drag it, from what I can see, for extra money," the South Antrim representative adds.

Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir says he believes the public will be "content" if it was a six-month.

"I trust that [Sir Patrick Coghlin] will be cognisant of the issues of cost and time, but I think we need to back off," he adds.

The DUP's Jim Wells asks for a "ball-park estimate of the cost" of the inquiry, and he also wants to know where it will be held.

Mr Ó Muilleoir says that chair Sir Patrick Coghlin "understands that the costs of the inquiry do not add to the public disquiet" over the scandal and he will be encouraged to "cautious around the costs".

He says he has a "desire to see the inquiry held in public session on TV".

"I do know a building where they have committee rooms which have have TV coverage which can be broadcast," Mr Ó Muilleoir adds, but no decision has been made yet as to where to hear it.

Edwin Poots of the DUP asks if there will be an "early-findings paper produced based on the initial findings" and he wants to know "how quickly could that be received".

Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir says it is Sir Patrick Coghlin's "opinion, conviction, that there should be no inquiry hearings before the election".

"The chair is very strongly of the opinion that there should be no interim report," he says.

Conor Murphy of Sinn Féin asks the finance minister if this type of inquiry, which is "taking the political out of it" can help restore some of the public confidence in the institutions.

"I do trust and believe that every party will give the pledge that I am giving that there will be no ministerial interference in the inquiry," says Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.

Claire Hanna welcomes the inquiry on behalf of the SDLP.

"Better late than never," she says, adding that "it is a regret that people are going to the polls without some of the facts being in the public domain".

DUP MLA Emma Little Pengelly says her party wanted an "independent and robust" inquiry into the RHI scandal, but it has concerns over the "potential for excessive legal costs" and the the "potential for a lengthy" investigation process.

"I am somewhat disappointed that there is no intention for an interim report," she says.

"People out there want to see the truth about this - I certainly know those who feel very unfairly vilified about this want the truth to come out as soon as possible."

Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir says he hopes the report will be produced "expeditiously" and "if pressed" it would be "appropriate for us to have a report six months after the inquiry starts".