The Assembly & Executive

What is the difference between the Assembly and the Executive?

The Assembly is the legislature, or law-making body, made up of MLAs elected by the people of Northern Ireland to represent their views and make laws on their behalf. It meets in the Assembly Chamber of Parliament Buildings, in the grounds of the Stormont Estate in Belfast.

The Executive Committee – or ‘Executive’ – is the Government of Northern Ireland, made up of Ministers in charge of Government Departments. The Ministers are MLAs chosen by their parties, using the D'Hondt System. The Executive Committee meets in Stormont Castle, also on the Stormont Estate. Its work is co-ordinated by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

Ministers are responsible for day to day government operational decisions within their own areas of responsibility. They get together as the Executive Committee to draw up the draft Budget, the Programme for Government (PfG) and to approve the introduction of Executive legislation to the Assembly.

As the elected body, the Assembly holds the Executive to account, scrutinising Ministers’ proposals for new Laws and operational decisions.

Play the video to find out more about how the Assembly and Executive work together.