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The Northern Ireland Assembly. Education Service. Welcomes St Paul’s College. Parliament Buildings. Home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Northern Ireland Cabinet, Stormont Castle 1922. History of Parliament Buildings – The Northern Ireland Parliament.
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The Northern Ireland Assembly Education Service WelcomesSt Paul’s College
Parliament Buildings Home of the Northern Ireland Assembly
History of Parliament Buildings –The Northern Ireland Parliament • Established in 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act (1920) which created Northern Ireland. • Sat in Belfast City Hall and the Presbyterian Assembly’s College, Botanic Ave, before moving to Parliament Buildings in 1932. • Unionist government 1921-72. • Prorogued (suspended) in 1972. • Northern Ireland came under Direct Rule from Westminster.
Prime Ministers of Northern Ireland 1921-1972 • Sir James Craig 1921-1940 • John Miller Andrews 1940-1943 • Sir Basil Brooke 1943-1963 • Terence O’Neill 1963 – 1969 • James Chichester-Clarke 1969-1971 • Brian Faulkner 1971-1972
Parliament Buildings 1972 to date • From 1972 to September 1998 used by the Civil Service with 2 exceptions • The 1973/74 Assembly with Power Sharing Executive (Sunningdale Agreement). • 1982 – 1986 Assembly set up under James Prior’s Rolling Devolution plan. • Since September 1998 – Parliament Buildings has been the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Sunningdale Agreement 1973/1974 • Negotiated by the British and Irish Governments & by representatives from certain Parties (UUP,SDLP, Alliance) • Established new structures for government • Power-sharing between Nationalist & Unionist Parties • Power-sharing Executive & Council of Ireland
Key Players in Sunningdale • Prime Minister Edward Heath (GB) • Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave (ROI) • Secretary of State: Whitelaw/Pym/Rees • Brain Faulkner • James Craig • Ian Paisley (DUP) • Gerry Fitt (SDLP)
The Northern Ireland Assembly • The Northern Ireland Assembly was set up as a result of the ‘Belfast/Good Friday Agreement’ of 1998. • May 1998 - In a vote, 71% support the Agreement. • In a referendum in the ROI, 94.4% voted to change Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. • First election – June 1998 • Suspended from Oct 2002 to 8 May 2007
The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement • Strand One • The democratic institutions in Northern Ireland • Strand Two • North-South institutions (including a North/South Ministerial Council) to encourage co-operation between NI and ROI in areas such as agriculture, health, education and tourism. • Strand Three • East-West institutions to encourage co-operation between people of Ireland and Great Britain.
agriculture education environment health tourism transport
Westminster decides about … International Relations Defence Income tax Space Exploration Nuclear Power Excepted Matters
Constituency Map 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
MLAs are members of Political Parties 38 29 16 14 1 8 1 Total = 108 MLAs David McClarty MLA Independent as of 7 May 2011
Northern Ireland Party Leaders Tom Elliott Peter Robinson Gerry Adams David Ford Margaret Ritchie Steven Agnew Jim Allister
Who works in the Assembly? • MLAs. • Members of the Legislative Assembly. • MLAs are people who have been elected by those living in an area or constituency to be their voice in the Assembly. • There are 108 MLAs. • Elections are held every 4 years with 18 constituencies electing 6 MLAs each.
MLA diary 12pm - Plenary Session Assembly Chamber 10.30am - Plenary Session Assembly Chamber 10am - Committee meeting Room 30 11am - Committee meeting Senate Chamber Constituency Office – constituents surgery
First Minister deputy First Minister Rt Hon Peter Robinson Mr Martin McGuinness
The Executive Committee • A small group of MLAs called Ministers who take charge of particular areas, eg health or education. • 10 Departmental Ministers – from 4 parties • Appointed using a mathematical formula, called d’Hondt, based on the number of seats parties have in the Assembly. • Agrees the Budget and Programme for Government – to be approved by the Assembly. • The Executive Committee is headed by a First Minister and deputy First Minister, who have equal powers.
The Speaker • The Speaker chairs the plenary meetings of the Assembly. • Makes sure that rules are followed and keeps ‘Order!’ in the Chamber. • The Speaker’s ruling is final in all disputes. • The Speaker cannot vote. • There are 3 Deputy Speakers. Mr William Hay MLA
Making decisions for Northern Ireland The European Parliament International Government The UK Parliament National Government The Northern Ireland Assembly Regional Government City/District Councils Local Government