Assembly debates women in politics

Under-representation of women in the Northern Ireland Assembly will be on the agenda during today’s debate.

Sinn Féin wants a working group set up to address the issue as well as the broader impact of women’s marginalisation within politics.

The party has put a motion to the Assembly in which MLA Jennifer McCann will address Assemblymen.

Also on the agenda is a nationalist SDLP motion calling for an upgraded rail link between major towns in the North and South.

Sinn Féin minister Conor Murphy is expected to respond.

Services like the Belfast to Dublin and Bangor lines have proved successful since the introduction of modern high-speed trains and the SDLP’s John Dallat wants to see better trains across the network.

Members will also hear a call from Ulster Unionist Robert Coulter for the North to become part of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

The Association is holding a meeting in Belfast later this week.

An SDLP intervention from PJ Bradley will raise the plight of the undocumented Irish in the US and support the campaign to make their presence legitimate.

Sinn Féin is expected to table an amendment asking the Assembly to write to the US Administration and Congress about the matter.