Home > Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is a 108-member legislative body for Northern Ireland that sits at Stormont with powers devolved to it from the Westminster parliament. It is created as a power sharing body, so that every party is represented in the executive body of the assembly in numbers according to their numerical strength in the assembly as a whole.
The assembly was created as part of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 and the first election to it was held on June 25, 1998. The initial executive was headed by David Trimble as First Minister. On December 2, 1999 the United Kingdom devolved political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive. [1] The Lord Alderdice served as the only regular speaker of the Assembly thus far, although he has retired to serve as part of the current Independent Monitoring Commission that supervises much of the cease-fire.
The assembly was suspended on October 14, 2002 as problems with the practicalities of power sharing mounted. The assembly dissolved on April 28, 20032003 is a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar), and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Summary Perhaps the defining global event of the year 2003 was the Invasion of Iraq launched by the U as it was scheduled to, but the elections due the following month were postponed by the British LabourThe Labour Party is a centre- left or social democratic political party in Britain (see British politics), and one of the United Kingdom's three main political parties. Under its leader Tony Blair it won a landslide in the 1997 general election, and forme government. These elections were held on November 26November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 35 days remaining. Events 1778 In the Hawaiian Islands, Captain James Cook becomes the first European to discover Maui. 1805 Official opening of Thomas Tel.
The 108 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are elected from 18 multi-member constituencies (the same constituencies used for Westminster elections) by the Single Transferable Vote.
The current state of the parties in the Assembly is as follows (1998 figures are in italics):
1
|
11
|
21
|
31
|
11
|
21
|
4
|
14
|
24
|
10
|
2
|
2
|
12
|
22
|
32
|
12
|
22
|
5
|
15
|
1
|
11
|
3
|
3
|
13
|
23
|
33
|
13
|
23
|
6
|
16
|
2
|
12
|
4
|
4
|
14
|
24
|
4
|
14
|
24
|
7
|
17
|
3
|
13
|
5
|
5
|
15
|
25
|
5
|
15
|
25
|
8
|
18
|
4
|
14
|
6
|
6
|
16
|
26
|
6
|
16
|
26
|
9
|
19
|
5
|
15
|
1
|
7
|
17
|
27
|
7
|
17
|
27
|
10
|
20
|
6
|
16
|
2
|
8
|
18
|
28
|
8
|
18
|
1
|
11
|
21
|
7
|
17
|
3
|
9
|
19
|
29
|
9
|
19
|
2
|
12
|
22
|
8
|
18
|
|
10
|
20
|
30
|
10
|
20
|
3
|
13
|
23
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
Democratic Unionist PartyThe Democratic Unionist Party is a hardline Unionist party in Northern Ireland led by Ian Paisley. It is the largest unionist party at both the Northern Ireland Assembly level and in the Westminster Parliament. Established in the 1970s by Ian Paisley, it: 33 |
20
|
2
|
Ulster Unionist PartyThe Ulster Unionist Party UUP sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP is a political party in Northern Ireland representing the unionist community, and was the party of government in Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972. Until 2003 i: 24 |
28
|
3
|
Sinn FéinSinn Fein (in the Irish language "ourselves" or "we ourselves"; not as sometimes incorrectly translated, "ourselves alone") is an Irish political party. Originally founded by Arthur Griffith as an Irish separatist monarchist party, in 1917 it moved to cam: 24 |
18
|
4
|
Social Democratic and Labour Party: 18 |
24
|
5
|
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland: 6 |
6
|
7
|
UK Unionist Party: 1 |
5
|
8
|
Progressive Unionist Party: 1 |
2 |
| Northern Ireland Women's Coalition: 0 |
2
|
| Independent Unionists: 0 |
3
|
9
|
Independent: 1
The Independent MLA is Dr. Kieran Deeney ( West Tyrone) |
Note: Since the election, three Ulster Unionist Assembly members have moved to the Democratic Unionists.
