The Work of the Assembly

What does the Assembly do and how does it do it?

The Northern Ireland Assembly, made up of Members of the Legislative Assembly or MLAs, has these main functions:

 

Making Legislation

The Northern Ireland Assembly is a devolved legislature. This means that the UK Parliament has transferred to the Assembly the power to legislate on local issues. These issues are called Transferred or Devolved Matters...

 

Scrutinising the Executive Committee

After a Northern Ireland Assembly election, the Assembly appoints the Executive Committee, also known as the Northern Ireland Government. Ministers, including the First Minister and deputy First Minister...

 

Representing Constituents

Constituents elect MLAs. In their law-making and scrutiny roles, MLAs are always mindful of the interests of their constituency.In summary, the role of an MLA is to:...

 

The Role of the Speaker

The Speaker is the Presiding Officer of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Speaker’s most visible role is to chair plenary meetings in the Assembly Chamber. Outside the Chamber, he also chairs...