In its first day back in session since it was suspended, the Northern Assembly passed two motions and gave a first reading to four Bills.
The most important aspect of the day's business was a motion granting accelerated passage to an appropriation Bill giving departments the authority for spending on public services.
Commending the Bill and the motion, the Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Mark Durkan, said it was regrettable the suspension of the Assembly meant the process of scrutinising the budget for the devolved government in the North had not taken place. Instead, the Northern Secretary had confirmed proposals made by the Executive in December.
Mr Durkan proposed that an accelerated process of scrutiny of spending proposals would be possible by considering the main estimates made for each department. Approving these and voting for money through an appropriation Act was "the essence of responsible government," he said. Without doing so, public services would run out of money before the end of the summer recess.
Following normal procedures would require infringing on the summer recess, the Minister said. Despite some reservations a first reading and a motion granting accelerated passage for the appropriation Bill were passed.
The Assembly was also asked to pass a motion on the subject a "memorandum of understanding" between the Assembly, the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Westminster Parliament. Mr Dermot Nesbitt, Junior Minister at the Department of the First and Deputy First Ministers, said this was not legally binding.
"It is binding in conscience only," he said, and set out the principles underlying relations within the United Kingdom. The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, objected to what he saw as the memorandum committing the North to follow a unified UK-wide policy line in dealing with areas such as Europe.
Speaking for the motion, the SDLP Mid-Ulster MLA, Mr Denis Haughey, said in the long run, following such a common line was in the interests of all regions of the UK as it would stop them needlessly outbidding each other in order to attract investment. The motion was carried.