List of committees of the Northern Ireland Assembly facts for kids
The Northern Ireland Assembly is like the parliament or main law-making body for Northern Ireland. It's where elected representatives from different parts of Northern Ireland come together to make important decisions and laws for everyone living there. To help them do their work effectively, the Assembly has special groups called committees. These committees are smaller teams of Assembly members who focus on specific topics. This helps them look closely at different issues and make sure the Assembly makes the best choices for Northern Ireland.
What Are Assembly Committees?
Committees are super important because they allow the Assembly to handle many different issues at once. Imagine a big school project: instead of everyone doing everything, you might have smaller groups focusing on research, writing, or presentations. That's similar to how Assembly committees work! They look into details, ask questions, and suggest ideas before the whole Assembly makes a final decision. There are different types of committees, each with a special job.
Departmental Committees
These committees are linked to specific government departments. Each one focuses on a particular area of life in Northern Ireland, like schools, hospitals, or roads. They check on the work of the government departments and make sure they are doing a good job for the public.
- Executive Office: This committee looks at the overall plans and big decisions made by the leaders of the Northern Ireland government. It helps make sure everything is running smoothly.
- Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs: This group focuses on farming, protecting nature, and looking after the countryside and rural communities in Northern Ireland.
- Communities: This committee deals with things that help people in their daily lives, like housing, sports, arts, and supporting different groups within communities.
- Economy: This committee works on ways to improve jobs, support businesses, and help the economy of Northern Ireland grow stronger.
- Education: This group looks after schools, colleges, and all aspects of learning for children and young people in Northern Ireland.
- Finance: This committee checks how the government collects and spends public money, making sure it's used wisely and fairly.
- Health: This group focuses on hospitals, doctors, and all the services that help people stay healthy and get care when they are sick.
- Infrastructure: This committee deals with important public services like roads, railways, public transport, and water supply.
- Justice: This group looks at laws, the police, and the court system to make sure justice is fair for everyone in Northern Ireland.
Standing Committees
These committees deal with how the Assembly itself works, rather than specific public services. They help make sure the Assembly runs efficiently and follows its own rules.
- Assembly and Executive Review Committee: This committee looks at how the Northern Ireland Assembly and the government work together, and suggests ways to make them better.
- Committee on Procedures: This group makes sure the Assembly follows its own rules and procedures during debates and decision-making.
- Business Committee: This committee plans the work of the Assembly, deciding what topics will be discussed and when.
- Public Accounts Committee: This important committee checks how government departments spend public money, making sure it's used properly and without waste.
- Committee on Standards and Privileges: This group makes sure that Assembly members behave correctly and follow high standards of conduct.
- Audit Committee: This committee oversees the work of the Northern Ireland Audit Office, which checks how public money is spent.
See also
- List of government departments, their agencies and their ministers in Northern Ireland
