That concludes this week’s second, and final plenary session.

Don’t panic however, as we’ll be back with live coverage of the assembly committees tomorrow, starting with Infrastructure at 10:00.

Members will be hearing the latest from department officials on MOT tests, lifts at MOT centres and driving tests.

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Then in the afternoon, we’ll be joining the Committee for the Executive Office.

They’re having a Brexit-tastic meeting and are hearing from each of Northern Ireland's 11 councils on the subject.

Until then, have a great evening, stay safe, and join us tomorrow.

The minister winds on the debate.

He refers to a number of points raised by members.

Turning to Gerry Carroll, Edwin Poots says the MLA is “good at being against everything, but not actually identifying what he is actually for”.

The minister says under the current scheme there was “just short 3,200 tonnes of carbon allowances had to be purchased by NI business in 2018” which he says “has a cost to NI business of £64.5m”.

“That’s something that happens year on year,” says the minister.

“In terms of getting something back, NI hasn’t got anything back” says Mr Poots.

The minister then lists a number of countries who received money from the EU, including Sweden which got £203m, Germany which got £112m for wind energy, Spain which got £70m for solar energy.

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“This scheme is something which we are in and will remain in, in terms of the EU” says the minister.

He says the replacement scheme “will create a better opportunity for us to get something this is bespoke and fitting of NI plc”.

The motion is passed on oral vote.

Principal Deputy Speaker Christopher Stalford then adjourns the assembly.

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Gerry Carroll of People Before Profit begins by criticising the UK government's record on the environment.

He says Boris Johnson and his government "are masters in greenwashing and have already broken many of their own environmental promises".

Mr Carroll says Mr Poots "wants us to believe that he takes environmental issues seriously but he doesn't want anyone to mention that we're in a climate emergency".

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“These schemes are about reducing greenhouse gas emissions” says Sin Féin’s Philip McGuigan.

He says the carbon price “should be high enough to encourage investment” in low carbon alternatives.

The EU ETS “works by making participants an allowance for each tonne of carbon dioxide they emit,” he says, adding that a cap is set for the total amount of allowances.

“There are many unanswered questions” says the North Antrim MLA.

“This scheme must be closely linked to the current EU” scheme he adds.

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The Green Party’s Claire Bailey calls the order an “unambitious law”.

She adds that “mights, maybes, don’t knows, still to be decided” is as far as the decision-making process has gotten so far.

“The review mechanisms within this have been confirmed as a mirror image of what we currently have under EU law,” says the South Belfast MLA.

“The real debate” she adds, “will really come when we have some sort of proposal from the UK government in how they want to go forward”.

John Blair of Alliance says he accepts the piece of legislation on behalf of his party.

He says that as a DAERA committee member he was "deeply troubled" to learn that the UK government did not include Northern Ireland in assessing a framework to combat the effects of climate change".

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The DUP's Harry Harvey says he welcomes the economy minister's commitment to renewable energy.

He notes that interest in the hydrogen economy is growing locally.

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Matthew O’Toole says “we don’t have a detailed understanding of what this will mean for the different sectors”.

The SDLP MLA says the EU ETS will continue to cover the “majority of our emissions”.

He asks what the “linkage” will be between the UK ETS and the EU ETS “going forward”.

“This order is, I’m afraid, a piece of fairly rushed legislation” says the MLA, adding that it is “frustrating that the UK government has not been able to provide clarity”.

Mr O’Toole says it’s a “shame” that the UK is debating breaking away completely from the EU scheme.

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Rosemary Barton says the “lengthy piece of legislation” seems to “complicate what should be a relatively simple process”.

The UUP MLA says the order has been “foisted upon us”.

“This legislation has relevance to 21 installation that are currently in the EU ETS” she says, adding that five will remain in the EU ETS.

Mrs Barton says “one should wonder if the overall relevance is significant to NI”.

Declan McAleer of Sinn Féin chairs the Agriculture Committee.

He runs through the issues raised by the ending of the Brexit transition period regarding the emissions trading scheme.

Mr McAleer says the EU system is robust and none of the committee members registered any concerns regarding this section of the order.

He says he thinks there is "a little bit of unease" in the committee about considering this order without seeing the remainder of the framework "within which the order will sit".

The committee also expressed concerns that there may be too much "headroom" in the 5% cap on emissions, Mr McAleer adds.

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William Irwin of the DUP is up next.

He says his only concern is around the issue of competitiveness, as he understands the targets will be around 5% less than the equivalent EU scheme.

The next item of business on the agenda, starting just over an hour and a half later than anticipated, is a debate on the draft Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme Order.

It’s brought to the chamber by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots.

Emissions trading is used by governments to encourage firms to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

The minister moves and opens the debate.

This is a statutory rule which Mr Poots says has already been approved by the Scottish and English parliaments.

It’s come about as the UK will no longer be part of the EU’s ETS (Emission Trading Scheme) at the end of the year, the minister explains, as this order will therefore create a UK-wide ETS.

He says there is an important exclusion for NI from the “scope of the UK ETS” in order to “preserve the function of the single electricity market on the island of Ireland” - as such, NI electricity generators are required “to remain in the EU ETS”.

Further legislation will be brought forward to Westminster later in the year to enable this to happen, he adds.

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Mr Poots says the UK has participated in the EU scheme since 2005, adding there are 21 participants from NI in the scheme.

These 21 account for approximately 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions in NI, says the minister.

“The more carbon dioxide emitted, the more allowances required,” says the minister, adding that a cap of allowances is set to encourage businesses to reduce emissions.

“The initial level of the cap will be 5%, below which would have been the case had we stayed in the EU ETS” says Mr Poots.

He says there is a “more stringent cap in the UK scheme”.

The NI Environmental Agency will be the regulator, adds the minister.

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Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín replies to the debate.

"The members will be delighted that I'm not going to go through every single point," she says.

The minister explains that the bill has yet to be considered by the committee and it can be amended there.

"I frankly need a drink after listening to half of yiz," she adds.

She says the bill is "about pub opening hours and not about Christianity" adding that she believes in a "complete separation of church and state, end of".

The minister says she counted about 64 questions.

The question is put to the house and passes on an oral vote.

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Claire Sugden says she believes this is one of the “most positive pieces of legislation to come to this house in years”.

The independent MLA refers to the consultation paper and says perhaps this approach could be continued into the future.

She says she supports the main principles of the bill, but does have some concerns.

The East Londonderry MLA says there is an annual Portrush Beer Festival which she praises for promoting local produce.

“People do come to NI during their Easter holidays” she says, adding “we should be seizing that opportunity”.

Gerry Carroll of People Before Profit refers to the UNITE union's hospitality and tourism Covid rescue plan.

He says this proposes a "sector-specific job retention scheme, adequate sick pay, and routine testing".

Mr Carroll says it would be remiss of him not to request that the minister engage with the union.

Turning to the licensing bill, he says some of the proposals "are long overdue".

He says his concern is that the bill "seeks to extend opening hours" without reflecting on the impact of unsociable hours on workers.

Mr Carroll joins other members in asking why the surrender principle cannot be removed.

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Independent MLA Trevor Lunn says he welcomes the publication of the bill.

"There's very little in this bill that I wouldn't find favour with," he says.

Regarding the removal of Easter restrictions, Mr Lunn says he grew up "in a Christian family environment" and that he plays organ in church.

He says people can make their own minds up but he supports the measure.

On the subject of the surrender principle, Mr Lunn notes that the last time a new liquor licence was issued was 118 years ago.

TUV MLA Jim Allister says he will “strive to be shorter” in his contribution than Ms Woods, adding that he hopes he does not “drive some of you to drink”.

He says the clauses “dealing with the vending machines is very worthwhile” and that the “tidying up the issue of sixth form formals is a necessary move”.

“I have a lot of sympathy with the local breweries,” says the North Antrim representative.

“I’m not a prohibitionist or anything like it, but I do think we need to deal with the realities,” says Mr Allister.

The member refers to a report by the comptroller and auditor general around addiction rates in NI, and says “every day 200 hospital beds, on average, are occupied by those getting treatment for substance abuse of which other figures show alcohol is the biggest component”.

“We’ve heard in the Covid crisis of the great pressure on our beds” in hospitals, says the MLA, and asks “by extending liquor hours to three in the morning, do we think we’re helping that? I don’t”.

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Mr Allister says he spent much time “at the other bar” before he entered politics and represented many those who committed offences coming out of premises where there were extended licenses and who were under the influence of alcohol.

“It’s not just the rough and tumble out on the street when people with too much drink just want to drink, it’s the hapless wife, the hapless partners, maybe even the hapless kids who bear the brunt,” says the MLA.

“Do we care enough about those people to ponder whether it’s right to increase the facilitation go the availability of alcohol through our clubs and our pubs?”

Pat Catney of the SDLP intervenes and says “I cannot remember once the police coming to me and saying to me someone left your pub and started a row outside”.

Mr Allister says he doesn’t doubt there are some well known pubs, but says the assembly is not juts legislating for some, but for all.

“I’m not supportive of the assault on Easter,” says the North Antrim MLA, adding that it is a very important time for many as “without what happened at the first Easter, there is no Christian faith, there is no Christianity as it’s the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ that is celebrated”.

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Rachel Woods says she “has a lot to say” about the bill, which she says “has been a long time running to say the least”.

The Green Party MLA says she worked in the industry before she joined the assembly.

“We have to realise we have to help the hospitality industry and workers in the short, medium and long-term in general,” says Ms Woods.

“Bars and pubs are not busy as normal,” says the North Down MLA, adding that tips are a “vital supplement” to what bar staff are paid.

“These are long hard shifts, often dealing with difficult people in difficult circumstances” says Ms Woods in relation to bar staff.

The SDLP's Pat Catney is a well-known former publican.

He says he can trace his family's involvement in the licensed trade back 100 years.

Mr Catney regales the members with tales from his involvement in the trade and pays tribute to a friend who has opened a distillery.

Deputy Speaker Roy Beggs intervenes to ask him to stick to the matter of the motion.

Mr Catney makes reference to the small Hilden Brewery near his home and says he believes it should be allowed to sell its beers on the premises.

He criticises the surrender principle.

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Mike Nesbitt of the UUP says that since this is the second reading he's going to stick to the principles behind the bill.

He asks if it is "fair and is it equitable" to this sector.

Mr Nesbitt notes that the Police Service of Northern Ireland has commented that there would be an impact on its shift system and "a major impact on resourcing both from a financial and a staffing point of view".

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UUP MLA John Stewart is back in the chamber after isolating following a positive Covid-19 test a number of weeks ago.

He says it’s important that the licensing laws concerning Easter opening are updated as they are “overdue”.

The East Antrim representative says the changes around “drinking-up time will be a real welcome for a lot of bar staff I know”.

Turning the “loyalty schemes”, the MLA says that many social clubs have a card or reduced rate which is a “privilege if you are a member” and raises some concerns about the impact this could have.

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Stewart Dickson of Alliance refers to local breweries and says the experience is very different to sitting in a “village” or “local pub”.

The MLA says there is potential to expand the tourism sector as a result of the legislation.

“We welcome the clarification around school formals,” says Mr Dickson.

The members turn to the debate on the second stage of the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill.

The SDLP's Matthew O'Toole is up next.

He refers to the earliest evidence of beer making, from 8,000BC, adding that some of Northern Ireland's licensing laws appear to date from the same time.

Mr O'Toole says he supports some aspects of the bill but says it still falls short "of the kind of reform that our licensing system needs".

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He says the bill is not ambitious enough in the area of local producers.

The SDLP member outlines the loss of local distilleries and breweries through the twentieth century and their recent revival.

He makes the case for the licensing of taprooms on producers' premises.

Mr O'Toole calls for an end to "the surrender principle", which means that no new licences for on or off-sales are granted.

He says this is "very hard to defend" and it drives small rural pubs towards closure.

That concludes the period for listed questions, and now it’s time for 15 minutes of topical questions.

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley is up first, and asks the minister about next week’s NI’s Euro play-off against Slovakia.

Will she commit to “ensure we can have the maximum number of fans safely attend our national stadium at Windsor Park to cheer on our wee country?”

The minister says she has spoken to the IFA and is waiting for Belfast City Council to respond.

She says she wants to make the game as “stress-free as possible”.

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Caoimhe Archibald of Sinn Féin asks the minister if she can clarify if “grassroots sporting clubs” should apply in their own right, or if it should be done through governing bodies.

“Anyone can apply, should it be a small group or a large governing body - can apply to that hardship fund in their own right,” replies the minister.

The Green Party’s Rachel Woods asks the minister about damp in Housing Executive tenancies, and wants to know if any contracts are currently underway around damp proofing.

Ms Ní Chuilín says she’ll get the details and pass on the information to the minister.

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Trevor Lunn, the independent MLA, is up next.

He asks “for an update on the right-to-buy scheme for Housing Executive and housing association tenants”.

Carál Ní Chuilín responds that the Housing Amendment Act received Royal Assent on 20 August 2020 and will end the house sales scheme for housing associations after a transition period of two years.

She says those who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to buy their homes.

Rachel Woods of the Green Party asks about the “splitting of the landlord function” of the Housing Executive. She asks how this will be facilitated without increasing rents.

The minister says there is a need to ensure that rents are affordable.

She adds that it is really important that there are “better outcomes for people living in housing stress".

Liz Kimmins of Sinn Féin asks her party colleague "how Neighbourhood Renewal projects will contribute to the development of the anti-poverty strategy".

The minister says she has made the commitment that "citizen and community engagement, co-design and co-production" will be embedded from the outset on an anti-poverty strategy.

She says an expert panel will inform the work of a co-design group made up of a cross-section of community and voluntary sectors, neighbourhood renewal partners and others.

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Dolores Kelly of the SDLP asks about the position of the working poor in the anti-poverty strategy.

The minister says lower wages, including those in the hospitality sector, are often connected to zero-hours contracts "which I don't support at all".

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UUP MLA Robbie Butler is up next and asks the minister “to outline the support she is providing to independent musicians during the Covid-19 pandemic”.

The minister says she understands "the impact the current restrictions are having on those trying to make their living through music”.

She adds that she is “looking forward to getting back to gigs myself as soon as possible”.

Sinn Féin’s Karen Mullan thanks the minister for engaging with musicians. She asks what the remainder of the £26m “will be spent on”.

Ms Ní Chuilín says the department is looking at the Arts Council, which is opening applications, as well as theatres, museums, culture and heritage among others.

She says that many organisations have been hit as a result of the pandemic.