Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)
Encyclopedia
The Northern Ireland Assembly was a legislative assembly
set up by the Government of the United Kingdom on 3 May 1973 to restore devolved government
to Northern Ireland
with the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive
made up of unionists
and nationalists
.
Elections
were held on 28 June 1973. The Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973
, which received the Royal Assent
on 18 July 1973, abolished the suspended Parliament of Northern Ireland
and the post of Governor
and made provision for a devolved administration consisting of an Executive
chosen by the Assembly. The Assembly met for the first time on 31 July 1973. Following the Sunningdale Agreement
, a power-sharing Executive
was established from 1 January 1974. After opposition from within the Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP) and the Ulster Workers' Council strike
, the Executive and Assembly collapsed on 28 May 1974 when Brian Faulkner
resigned as Chief Executive.
. Two such measures were passed by the assembly:
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
set up by the Government of the United Kingdom on 3 May 1973 to restore devolved government
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
with the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive (1974)
After the Northern Ireland Assembly elections of 1973, negotiations between the pro-agreement parties on the formation of a "power-sharing Executive" began. The most contentious issues were internment, policing and the question of a Council of Ireland....
made up of unionists
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
and nationalists
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
.
Elections
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973
-Seats summary:-Source:* http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fa73.htm...
were held on 28 June 1973. The Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973
Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973
The Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which received the Royal Assent on 18 July 1973...
, which received the Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
on 18 July 1973, abolished the suspended Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
and the post of Governor
Governor of Northern Ireland
The Governor of Northern Ireland was the principal officer and representative in Northern Ireland of the British monarch. The office was established on 9 December 1922 and abolished on 18 July 1973.-Overview:...
and made provision for a devolved administration consisting of an Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
chosen by the Assembly. The Assembly met for the first time on 31 July 1973. Following the Sunningdale Agreement
Sunningdale Agreement
The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
, a power-sharing Executive
Northern Ireland Executive (1974)
After the Northern Ireland Assembly elections of 1973, negotiations between the pro-agreement parties on the formation of a "power-sharing Executive" began. The most contentious issues were internment, policing and the question of a Council of Ireland....
was established from 1 January 1974. After opposition from within the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP) and the Ulster Workers' Council strike
Ulster Workers' Council Strike
The Ulster Workers' Council strike was a general strike that took place in Northern Ireland between 15 May and 28 May 1974, during "The Troubles". The strike was called by loyalists and unionists who were against the Sunningdale Agreement, which had been signed in December 1973...
, the Executive and Assembly collapsed on 28 May 1974 when Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
resigned as Chief Executive.
Members of the Northern Ireland Executive (1974)
- Chief Executive: Brian FaulknerBrian FaulknerArthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
(UUP) - Deputy Chief Executive: Gerry FittGerry FittGerard Fitt, Baron Fitt was a politician in Northern Ireland. He was a founder and the first leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party , a social democratic and Irish nationalist party.-Early years:...
(SDLP) - Minister of Finance: Herbert KirkHerbert KirkHerbert Kirk was an Ulster Unionist cabinet minister in Parliament of Northern Ireland.Born in Belfast, Kirk studied at Queen's University, Belfast before becoming an accountant....
(UUP) - Minister of Commerce: John HumeJohn HumeJohn Hume is a former Irish politician from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and was co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, with David Trimble....
(SDLP) - Minister of Environment: Roy BradfordRoy BradfordRoy Hamilton Bradford was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland and a government minister in both the Parliament of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973....
(UUP) - Minister of Health and Social Services: Paddy DevlinPaddy DevlinPaddy Devlin was a Northern Irish social democrat and Labour activist, a former Stormont MP, a founder of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and a member of the 1974 Power Sharing Executive.-Early life:...
(SDLP) - Minister for Education: Basil McIvorBasil McIvorWilliam Basil McIvor OBE PC was an Ulster Unionist politician, barrister and pioneer of integrated education.-Early life and education:...
(UUP) - Minister of Agriculture: Leslie MorrellLeslie MorrellLeslie Morrell is a former unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Morrell was a farmer from near Coleraine, and was active in the Ulster Unionist Party . He was elected to Coleraine Rural District Council in 1962, then Londonderry County Council in 1969...
(UUP) - Minister of Housing, Local Government and Planning: Austin CurrieAustin CurrieAustin Currie is a former politician who was elected to the parliaments of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland....
(SDLP) - Legal Minister and head of the Office of Law Reform: Oliver NapierOliver NapierSir Oliver Napier was the first leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. In 1974 he served as the first and only Legal Minister and head of the Office of Legal Reform in the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive set up by the Sunningdale Agreement.-Early life:Napier was educated at St...
(Alliance) - Minister of Information: John L. Baxter (UUP)
Legislation passed
The Assembly had powers to pass primary legislation known as Assembly MeasuresAssembly Measures
A Measure of the National Assembly for Wales is primary legislation in Wales that is a category lower than an Act of Parliament...
. Two such measures were passed by the assembly:
- Financial Provisions Measure (Northern Ireland) 1974
- National Insurance Measure (Northern Ireland) 1974
See also
- Northern Ireland Executive (1974)Northern Ireland Executive (1974)After the Northern Ireland Assembly elections of 1973, negotiations between the pro-agreement parties on the formation of a "power-sharing Executive" began. The most contentious issues were internment, policing and the question of a Council of Ireland....
- Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 1973Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 1973This is a list of Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 1973.All members elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the 1973 election are listed and grouped by party.-Ulster Unionist Party :*Norman Agnew*Austin Ardill*John Baxter...
- Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973-Seats summary:-Source:* http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fa73.htm...