BBC News NI

Health Minister Robin Swann says suicide prevention is a top priority for him and his department.

Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody is one of dozens of high-profile figures to sign a letter calling for Stormont to declare a public health emergency.

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The letter calls for spending on mental health to be doubled as a first step in addressing Northern Ireland's suicide rate.

Mr Swann said those signing the letter were right to highlight suicide as one of the biggest challenges facing society and that "urgent action is needed".

Read more here: Suicide prevention top priority, says Swann

There are dozens of statutory rules relating to the abandonment of roads across Northern Ireland that the Infrastructure Committee is considering for approval this morning.

Sinn Féin's Raymond McCartney asks an important question: "Have these roads already been abandoned and we're doing this retrospectively?"

Image source, NI Assembly

Officials from the Department for Infrastructure are questioned and inform the MLAs that all of the roads are no longer being used.

The Foyle MLA Mr McCartney points out that the committee's work this morning would therefore have "no real consequence".

Chair Michelle McIlveen explains the committee will be looking at road abandonment orders.

Those relate to the Department of Infrastructure abandoning a piece of land rather than being responsible for its upkeep.

Image source, Getty Images

The committee is told there have been no objections from the police to any of the orders.

There are also nine other items relating to roads and 18 connected to vehicle regulations.

Kicking off, committee chair Michelle McIlveen reminds the committee there were 275 statutory rules laid by the Department for Infrastructure that need to be considered.

She says the committee's meeting today and tomorrow will be taken up with dealing with about 80 of them and if that's not enough time it'll run into next week too.

Image source, NI Assembly

But Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs expresses "grave concern" that members were given "two two-inch ring binders" of documents to consider at short notice ahead of the meeting.

"I picked mine up at about three yesterday - I don’t know about everybody else but I had a late night last night," he says, while while Mrs McIlveen adds she was in a similar position.

Mr Beggs says he's concerned about time members were given to consider the vast amount of detail.

BBC News NI

The infrastructure minister's electric car has been spotted in a bus lane in rush hour traffic.

Nichola Mallon arrived at Stormont for her first executive meeting on 13 January in an electric car, which she said she would use "as much as possible" on official duties.

Image source, DfI

On Monday morning her car was pictured crossing into a bus lane in Belfast.

The Belfast Telegraph, external reported that Ms Mallon was in the back seat at the time.

Read more here: Roads minister's 'green' car caught in bus lane

BBC News NI

Northern Ireland's finance minister is under pressure to raise an extra £1bn to meet Northern Ireland's public services bill in 2020.

Conor Murphy said Northern Ireland would be stuck in an "austerity trap" unless Westminster's proposed financial package was increased.

Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith has rejected criticism of the package.

What are the fundraising options open to Stormont and how could they improve the executive's financial position?

Our business and economics editor John Campbell has a look at the options - you can read his assessment here.

Let's have a look at what excitement awaits when the session does begin.

There's a long list of business to get through today, most of which are statutory rules relating to roads - you can find the full agenda on the Northern Ireland Assembly website by clicking here, external.

Image source, NI Assembly

Chair Michelle McIlveen calls to order the first meeting of the new Infrastructure Committee.

It's been nearly three years since it last met - then with different members - so Committee Room 29's been given a good dusting.

There are nine MLAs on the Infrastructure Committee, with the DUP holding the top two roles.

Michelle McIlveen, a former Stormont minister, is the chair while David Hilditch is her deputy.

Two newly-appointed MLAs - Andrew Muir of the Alliance Party and Sinn Féin's Liz Kimmins - take their seats on the committee.

There's a role too for the DUP's chief whip Keith Buchanan, while veteran MLAs Roy Beggs (UUP), Cathal Boylan (Sinn Féin), Dolores Kelly (SDLP) and Raymond McCartney (Sinn Féin) make up the rest of the committee.

Good morning and thanks for joining us for the first sitting of Northern Ireland Assembly committees today.

First up is the Infrastructure Committee, beginning at 10:00 and in the afternoon we'll bring you coverage of the Agriculture Committee hearing.

Plenty to get through in both sessions and we'll keep you across the details.