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Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Presiding officer of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Presiding officer of the Northern Ireland Assembly
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | Speaker of the |
| Northern Ireland Assembly | |
| native_name | |
| insignia | NI_Assembly.svg |
| insigniasize | 135px |
| insigniacaption | Logo of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
| image | Edwin Poots, 2024 (cropped).jpg |
| imagesize | 220px |
| incumbent | Edwin Poots |
| incumbentsince | 3 February 2024 |
| department | Northern Ireland Assembly |
| Northern Ireland Assembly Commission | |
| style | Mr. Speaker |
| (Within the house) | |
| appointer | Northern Ireland Assembly |
| (Elected by) | |
| termlength | No limits imposed |
| formation | 1998 |
| inaugural | Lord Alderdice |
| 1 July 1998 | |
| website | Office of the Speaker |
| salary | £87,000 annually |
Northern Ireland Assembly Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Within the house) (Elected by) 1 July 1998
The speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly () (originally having the title of Presiding Officer) is the presiding officer of the Northern Ireland Assembly, elected on a cross-community vote by the Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. A principal deputy speaker and two deputy speakers are elected to help fulfil the role. The office of Speaker is currently held (since February 2024) by the MLA for Belfast South Edwin Poots of the Democratic Unionist Party.
The Office of the Speaker is located in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast. The speaker is also the Chairman of the Assembly Commission, the body corporate of the Assembly, and the Chairman of the Assembly Business Committee.
History
The first person to hold the position was Lord Alderdice, appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in 1998. Prior to devolution in December 1999 the position was referred to as the Initial Presiding Officer. Alderdice left office in 2004.
Eileen Bell held the office of Speaker in the Assembly established under the Northern Ireland Act 2006 which met between May and October 2006 and in the Transitional Assembly established under the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 which met between November 2006 and May 2007. Under the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 she was appointed Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly on 8 May 2007.
One of the first items of business for the Northern Ireland Assembly on 8 May 2007 was to elect a new speaker from the MLAs elected in March 2007. The only nominee was William Hay, DUP member for Foyle and he was elected unopposed.
In May 2011 the new position of Principal Deputy Speaker was created. Sinn Féin deputy speaker Francie Molloy was subsequently elected to the new position in June 2011.
Election
During the first meeting of a new Assembly a speaker is elected. The oldest (by age) Member of the Assembly (see Father of the House) who is not seeking the appointment oversees the election as acting speaker. Nominees are then put forward, seconded and accepted by the nominee. A vote is then taken which must achieve the support of both sides of the house (cross-community support). A successful nominee is then deemed elected as Speaker and takes the chair. Upon election the speaker must relinquish all party political affiliations. The newly or re-elected speaker then oversees the selection of three deputy speakers.
Speakers
| Name | Entered office | Left office | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}" | 1. | John Alderdice, Baron Alderdice | 1 July 1998 | 29 February 2004 | |
| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}" | 2. | Eileen Bell | 8 May 2007 | 8 May 2007 | |
| Democratic Unionist Party}}" | 3. | William Hay | 8 May 2007 | 13 October 2014 | |
| Sinn Féin}}" | 4. | Mitchel McLaughlin | 12 January 2015 | 12 May 2016 | |
| Democratic Unionist Party}}" | 5. | Robin Newton | 12 May 2016 | 11 January 2020 | |
| Sinn Féin}}" | 6. | Alex Maskey | 11 January 2020 | 3 February 2024 | |
| Democratic Unionist Party}}" | 7. | Edwin Poots | 3 February 2024 | Incumbent |
Deputy speakers
| Deputy Speaker (until 28 June 2011) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Deputy Speaker (since 28 June 2011) | Deputy Speaker | Deputy Speaker | Name | Party | Constituency | Name | Party | Constituency | Name | Party | Constituency | |||
| Northern Ireland Women's Coalition}}" rowspan="2" | Jane Morrice 31 January 2000 – 7 May 2007 | NIWC | North Down | Ulster Unionist Party}}" rowspan="8" | Sir John Gorman | |||||||||
| 31 January 2000 – 19 February 2002 | UUP | North Down | Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" rowspan="8" | Donovan McClelland | ||||||||||
| 31 January 2000 – 7 May 2007 | SDLP | South Antrim | ||||||||||||
| Jim Wilson 25 February 2002 – 7 May 2007 | South Antrim | |||||||||||||
| Sinn Féin}}" rowspan="3" | Francie Molloy 8 May 2007 – 15 April 2013 | Sinn Féin | Mid Ulster | David McClarty 8 May 2007 – 11 May 2011 | East Londonderry | John Dallat | ||||||||
| 8 May 2007 – 12 May 2016 | East | |||||||||||||
| Londonderry | ||||||||||||||
| Roy Beggs Jr 12 May 2011 – 12 May 2016 | East Antrim | |||||||||||||
| Mitchel McLaughlin | ||||||||||||||
| 15 April 2013 – 12 January 2015 | South Antrim | |||||||||||||
| Democratic Unionist Party}}" | Robin Newton 20 January 2015 – 12 May 2016 | DUP | Belfast East | |||||||||||
| Sinn Féin}}" | Caitríona Ruane 12 May 2016 – 19 Oct 2017 | Sinn Féin | South Down | Danny Kennedy 12 May 2016 – 29 Jun 2017 | Newry and Armagh | Patsy McGlone | ||||||||
| 12 May 2016 – 3 February 2024 | Mid Ulster | |||||||||||||
| Democratic Unionist Party}}" | Christopher Stalford | |||||||||||||
| 14 January 2020 – 20 February 2022 | DUP | Belfast South | Roy Beggs Jr 11 January 2020 – 31 May 2022 | East Antrim | ||||||||||
| Sinn Féin}}" | Carál Ní Chuilín 6 February 2024 – incumbent | Sinn Féin | Belfast North | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}" | John Blair 3 February 2024 – incumbent | Alliance | South Antrim | Ulster Unionist Party}}" | Steve Aiken 3 February 2024 – incumbent | UUP | South Antrim |
Current speaker and deputy speakers
| Position | Current holder | Term started | Political party | Constituency | Democratic Unionist Party}}" | Sinn Féin}}" | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}" | Ulster Unionist Party}}" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaker | Edwin Poots | [[File:Edwin Poots, 2013 (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | 3 February 2024 | DUP | Belfast South | ||||||
| Principal Deputy Speaker | Carál Ní Chuilín | [[File:Carál Ní Chuilín (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | 6 February 2024 | Sinn Féin | Belfast North | ||||||
| Deputy Speaker | John Blair | [[File:John Blair MLA.jpg | 75px]] | 3 February 2024 | Alliance | South Antrim | ||||||
| Deputy Speaker | Steve Aiken | [[File:Steve Aiken (2020).png | 75px]] | 3 February 2024 | UUP | South Antrim |
References
References
- Northern Ireland Assembly standing orders make provision for a presiding officer who shall have the title ''Speaker'' [http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/sopdf/2007mandate/standingorders.htm#1 1. The Speaker] {{Webarchive. link. (4 November 2014)
- "Seirbhís Oideachais Thionól Thuaisceart Éireann |".
- S. 39 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (which provides for a "Presiding Officer")
- (28 June 2011). "Francie Molloy is assembly's principal deputy speaker". BBC News.
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