Infrastructure Minister Nicola Mallon says the members may be aware of a recent Court of Appeal Judgement relating to 2015 procurement competitions awarded by the former Department for Regional Development and a new legal challenge served on the Department for Infrastructure.

She says this new challenge has prevented the award of the 2021 resurfacing contracts in four areas.

Her statement aims to update the assembly on these legal challenges and to explain how her department is working to recommence work in those areas "at the earliest possible opportunity".

Image source, PA media

She explains that a challenge was made by Northstone (NI) Ltd regarding the awarding of roads resurfacing contracts in 2015.

The minister says that the court found that there had been "a manifest error" in the department's approach to the awarding of maintenance contracts.

"The judgement is a cause of concern for me," she says.

Ms Mallon says she has called for an independent investigation to be carried out.

The minister then turns to the effect of the new legal challenge.

"This is an incredibly frustrating situation," she says, referencing the funding she has achieved for roads resurfacing.

Ms Mallon outlines the details of the challenge.

On 4 June 2021, the decision was taken to discontinue the competition for contracts in certain areas of NI.

There are currently no contracts for surfacing in these areas, the minister explains.

She says officials are working on an interim procurement strategy.

You may notice our live page looks slightly different this morning.

That’s because we are currently unable to bring you a live vide feed of events at the assembly.

Rest assured, we’re working hard to resolve the technical problem as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we’ll continue to bring you live written updates.

If you’d like to watch proceedings, you can do so on the NI Assembly website.

Image source, NI Assembly

Alex Maskey opens the plenary session to the public and brings members to order.

He swiftly turns to the first item on today’s agenda which is a statement from the infrastructure minister on the resurfacing of roads.

Nichola Mallon is called to the podium to speak.

Image source, PA Media

Sinn Féin has told the UK government it should legislate for the Irish language through Westminster to resolve a Stormont split on the issue.

Party leader Mary Lou McDonald claimed the government offered to intervene weeks ago but the party declined.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Sammy Wilson said the government "must not interfere in devolved issues at the behest of Sinn Féin".

A stand-off has developed between the parties over language and culture law.

Read more on this story here.

Welcome to our live coverage of Tuesday at the NI Assembly.

Today's business is dominated by debates on the coronavirus regulations, but there's also a motion on simultaneous interpretation of assembly business in Irish and Ulster Scots.

Business kicks off at 10:30 with a statement from the infrastructure minister on that assemby hardy perennial, roads resurfacing.

Do stay with us.