Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
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Logo used to represent the Northern Ireland Assembly
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| Style | Mr. Speaker (Within the house) |
| Appointer | Northern Ireland Assembly (Elected by) |
| Term length | No limits imposed |
| Inaugural holder | Lord Alderdice July 1, 1998 |
| Formation | 1998 |
| Salary | £87,000 annually |
| Website | Office of the Speaker |
The speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly (Irish: Ceann Comhairle) (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 January 2020) by the former MLA for Belfast West Alex Maskey of Sinn Féin.
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lord Alderdice | 1 July 1998 | 29 February 2004 | Alliance | Belfast East | |
| 2. | Eileen Bell | 8 May 2007 | 8 May 2007 | Alliance | North Down | |
| 3. | William Hay | 8 May 2007 | 13 October 2014 | DUP | Foyle | |
| 4. | Mitchel McLaughlin | 12 January 2015 | 12 May 2016 | Sinn Féin | South Antrim | |
| 5. | Robin Newton | 12 May 2016 | 11 January 2020 | DUP | Belfast East | |
| 6. | Alex Maskey | 11 January 2020 | Incumbent | Sinn Féin | Belfast West | |
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 | |||
| Jane Morrice 31 January 2000 – 7 May 2007 | NIWC | North Down | Sir John Gorman 31 January 2000 – 19 February 2002 | UUP | North Down | Donovan McClelland 31 January 2000 – 7 May 2007 |
SDLP | South Antrim | |||
| Jim Wilson 25 February 2002 – 7 May 2007 | South Antrim | ||||||||||
| 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 |
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| Roy Beggs Jr 12 May 2011 – 12 May 2016 | East Antrim | ||||||||||
| Mitchel McLaughlin 15 April 2013 – 12 January 2015 | South Antrim | ||||||||||
| Robin Newton 20 February 2015 – 12 May 2016 | DUP | Belfast East | |||||||||
| 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 – | Mid Ulster | |||||
| Christopher Stalford 14 January 2020 – 20 February 2022 | DUP | Belfast South | Roy Beggs Jr 11 January 2020 – 31 May 2022 | East Antrim | |||||||
Current speaker and deputy speakers
| Position | Current holder | Term started | Political party | Constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaker | Alex Maskey |  |
11 January 2020 | Sinn Féin | Belfast West | |
| Principal Deputy Speaker | Vacant |  |
20 February 2022 | |||
| Deputy Speaker | Vacant | |
1 June 2022 | |||
| Deputy Speaker | Patsy McGlone MLA |  |
12 May 2016 | SDLP | Mid Ulster | |
See also
- Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons
- Llywydd of the Senedd (equivalent position in Wales)
- Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
- Speaker of the British House of Commons
- Lord Speaker
- Ceann Comhairle (equivalent position in the southern Irish Dáil or lower house of parliament)
