Image source, Tori Watson

The Principal Deputy Speaker, Christopher Stalford, puts the motion to an oral vote and it passes.

He then adjourns today's meeting.

That also marks the end of our live coverage.

We hope you'll join us again tomorrow morning from 10:00 when we'll be joining the Economy Committee.

Until then, we leave you with this photo of a sculpture that can be found on the Stormont Estate entitled 'Reconciliation'.

Have a great evening!

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Justin McNulty winds on the SDLP motion.

He thanks "teachers, principals, parents, pupils whose lives have been disrupted beyond belief since the arrival of this pandemic".

Mr McNulty comments of some of the points made by members during the debate.

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Michelle McIlveen, the Education Minister, is in the chamber to respond to the debate.

She begins by outlining her thanks to teachers and teaching staff and says she recognises the pressures facing young people.

“My department knows we haven’t always got it right,” says the minister, adding that she is “committed to listening to your concerns” and working with school leaders to help progress recovery.

She says she hopes to support children to “engage enthusiastically with learning”.

“Covid-19 has brought truly unprecedented challenges, never before has our education system witnessed such disruption,” says Ms McIlveen.

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“There are parts of the motion which could be supported but parts which could have been better worded,” says Robbie Butler.

The Ulster Unionist adds his personal tribute to teachers and teaching staff for their efforts during the pandemic.

“We represent the children of NI here and we need to ensure that we put them first,” he says.

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Chris Lyttle chairs the assembly's Education Committee.

The Alliance East Belfast MLA says the pandemic "turned principals and teachers into risk assessors and remote learning co-ordinators overnight".

"In response to this they showed courage to make sure our schools remained open to key worker pupils, they established their own best practice blended learning networks and all this despite at times grossly inadequate communications from the education minister and the Department of Education," he adds.

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Robin Newton says he won’t be supporting the SDLP motion as he views it as an attack on his party, the DUP, and his ministerial colleague Michelle McIlveen.

The East Belfast MLA references to concerns raised by Daniel McCrossan around contact tracing in schools.

Mr Newton says says the chief medical officer said on numerous occasions that “schools are safe”.

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Pat Sheehan says the education service "was dealt a crippling blow when the coronavirus arrived on our shores".

The Sinn Féin MLA says both pupils and children had to adapt to new ways of remote learning.

He adds that the pandemic shone a spotlight on "the fissures and inequalities that already existed in our education system".

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The final listed item of assembly business is a motion brought by SDLP MLAs on an educational catch-up strategy.

Daniel McCrossan opens the debate and thanks staff for putting children first “in what really were unprecedented times”.

“Education was brought to its knees and we have all been playing catch up,” says the SDLP MLA.

He says his party does not think enough resources are being allocated by the Education Department to help children regain the learning they missed due to the pandemic.

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Jonathan Buckley winds for the DUP motion.

He says there's unanimity in the chamber around "the selfless effort made by the fire and rescue services in pursuit of protecting lives".

The Upper Bann MLA pays tribute to his party colleague, David Hilditch, whose son served in the fire service and died from cancer.

The motion as amended passes on an oral vote.

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Órlaithí Flynn winds for the Sinn Féin amendment.

She says she’s delighted that DUP MLA David Hilditch who proposed the motion will be backing the amendment.

Ms Flynn outlines the “critical nature of PPE (Personal Protection Equipment)” for firefighters.

She addresses numerous issues which other members raised during the debate.

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Health Minister Robin Swann replies to points made during the debate.

"For the past 20 months our health and social care workers have been to the fore and rightly so but it's often been forgotten or overlooked that our firefighters here in NI are part of our health family," he says.

"I want to assure members that I am committed to protecting our dedicated firefighters," the minister adds.

He says all firefighters "are required to undertake health surveillance screening".

"Firefighters are reexamined at three-yearly intervals and this screening is carried out in accordance with the national Fire Chiefs Council's requirements," he adds.

Mr Swann says screening for cancer "is clearly desirable" however "the practicality of this approach needs to be risk-assessed by the Fire Service as the employer".

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Gerry Carroll of People Before Profit also backs the motion and amendment.

He says there's "an urgent need" from the Fire Service and the public health authorities to put the necessary provisions in place to keep firefighters safe.

Mr Carroll says toxic chemicals remain on PPE clothing, equipment and helmets after incidents.

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Fra McCann, an outgoing Sinn Féin MLA, is next to speak on the motion and amendment.

“I honestly don’t know how we could ever go about thanking firefighters adequately for all they have done on our behalf,” says the West Belfast MLA.

He says the Health Department needs to “look at what is being done in other jurisdictions”.

“We must do everything we can to protect the lives of those who put their lives on the line for us every day, all day.”

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Paula Bradshaw says Alliance will support both the motion and the amendment.

She says she has raised the question of firefighters' exposure to toxic chemicals with the Fire and Rescue Service and the minister.

The South Belfast MLA says the figures presented in the motion represent "a stark warning".

She says that early screening should become "not just a possibility but a norm".

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Robbie Butler, a former firefighter, says he’ll be supporting the motion and amendment.

The Ulster Unionist says the fire service performs a “particular and peculiar emergency response”.

He says firefighters “often go into the danger zone when everyone else is going out”.

“It is a dangerous job,” says Mr Butler, adding that two of his former colleagues have passed away from cancer.

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SDLP MLA Cara Hunter says firefighters are "among the most selfless people in our society".

She makes reference to the experiences of the 9/11 attack in New York and the Grenfell Tower fire in London.

She welcomes the news that the Fire Brigades Union has implemented training to fight the cancer risk experienced by firefighters.

Ms Hunter says her party also supports calls for post-incident decontamination.

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Colm Gildernew of Sinn Féin moves his party’s amendment.

He says every firefighter is worthy “of every tribute paid to them in the assembly today”.

The MLA welcomes the motion and the call on the Health Department to provide screening services for firefighters.

He says “firefighters put themselves and indeed by extension their families at risk” just by “doing their job and doing it well”.

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DUP MLA David Hilditch opens the debate.

He says the most common reason for death in the fire service is not that the firefighter is caught in a fire or through smoke inhalation

Mr Hilditch says scientific research shows that "firefighters are at significantly higher risk of being diagnosed with and subsequently dying of cancer" that is fundamentally related to and caused by their work.

He says that firefighters are exposed to toxic smoke, asbestos and other chemicals on a daily basis.

The East Antrim MLA says todays debate is an opportunity for NI to be proactive on the matter.

The votes has been cast and counted.

• 58 MLAs voted aye
• 29 MLAs voted no

The bill has passed its second stage and will continue on its scrutiny journey.

The next item on today’s agenda is a DUP motion calling for cancer screening for firefighters.

You can read the wording of the motion in full on the NI Assembly website., external

Image source, NI Assembly

“I want this bill to be right rather than vindictive,” says Clare Bailey.

She’s on her feet and winding on the debate of her private members bill.

The Green Party leader runs through some issues which were raised by other members, including concerns over additional resource strain on the PSNI.

Ms Bailey says when it was operating, the PSNI had a “permanent presence” at the Marie Stopes Clinic doors.

She hopes her bill “would lesson the resource” requirement on the PSNI and enable them to deal with issues efficiently and without heavy sanction.

Roy Beggs, the Deputy Speaker, puts the bill to an oral vote.

There is no agreement and so the House divides.