| 3.2 | In accordance with section 52A (2) of the Act, each Minister or junior Minister who has responsibility (whether or not with another Minister or junior Minister) in relation to any matter included in the agenda of a meeting of either Council (appropriate Minister) shall be entitled:- |
| (a) to attend the meeting; and | |
| (b) to participate in the meeting so far as it relates to that matter. | |
| 3.3 | An appropriate Minister may nominate another Minister or junior Minister:- |
| (a) to attend the meeting in place of the appropriate Minister; and | |
| (b) to participate in the meeting so far as it relates to matters for which the appropriate Minister has responsibility, but a person may not be nominated under this paragraph without his or her consent. | |
| 3.4 | Each appropriate Minister shall notify the First Minister and deputy First Minister, as soon as reasonably practical and in any event no later than 10 days before the meeting, that |
| (a) he or she intends to attend the meeting, | |
| (b) he or she does not intend to attend the meeting, but has nominated another person underparagraph3.3 to attend in his or her place; or | |
| (c) he or she does not intend to attend the meeting and he or she does not intend, or has not been able, to make such a nomination, | |
| and a nomination under paragraph (b) shall include the name of the person nominated. | |
| 3.5 | If the appropriate Minister gives a notification under paragraph 3.4 (c) (or if the First Minister and the deputy First Minister receive no notification from him or her under paragraph 3.4), the First Minister and deputy First Minister acting jointly shall nominate a Minister or junior Minister:- |
| (a) to attend the meeting in place of the appropriate Minister, and | |
| (b) to participate in the meeting so far as it relates to matters for which the appropriate Minister has responsibility. | |
| 3.6 | In relation to a matter for which the First Minister and the deputy First Minister are the appropriate Ministers:- |
| (a) the notification to be made by each of them under paragraph 3.4 shall be made to the other;and | |
| (b) if either of them (“A”) gives a notification under paragraph 3.4 (c) (or if the other (“B”) receives no notification from A under paragraph 3.4), B (acting alone) shall make the nomination under paragraph 3.5 in relation to A. | |
| 3.7 | The First Minister and deputy First Minister acting jointly shall make such nominations (or further nominations) of Ministers and junior Ministers (including where appropriate alternative nominations) as they consider necessary to ensure cross community participation in either Council as is required by the Belfast Agreement. |
| 3.8 | Paragraph 3.9 applies in relation to any matter included in the agenda for a meeting of either Council if:- |
| (a) the First Minister and the deputy First Minister are not the appropriate Ministers in relation to the matter, but | |
| (b) the matter is one that ought, by virtue of paragraph 2.4, to be considered by the Executive Committee. | |
| 3.9 | The First Minister and deputy First Minister acting jointly shall also be entitled:- |
| (a) to attend the meeting; and | |
| (b) to participate in the meeting so far as it relates to that matter. | |
| 3.10 | In this section “day” does not include a Saturday, a Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday and any day which is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland. |
