Pam Tilson

Lobbying Officer

Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education

Devolution

The transfer of certain powers from a central government to a regional government.

Allows decisions to be made at a level closer to the people they affect.

Central government retains power over certain areas.

Northern Ireland continues to elect MPs to the UK Parliament’s House of Commons and the Secretary of State continues to represent Northern Ireland’s interests in the UK Cabinet.

Transferred Matters

Education Health Housing Transport Road safety Environment Sport, Arts & Leisure Wildlife protection

Agriculture Forestry and fishing Economic Development Employment and

Training Fire and ambulance

services Tourism

The Northern Ireland Assembly has the power to make decisions on many issues; including:

108 Elected Membersincluding

Speaker & Deputy Speakers

First and Deputy First Ministers

Assembly Executive Committee ‘Cabinet’

10 Executive Department Ministers

The Governance of Northern Ireland

The Committee System

Agriculture and Rural Development Culture, Arts & Leisure Education Employment & Learning Enterprise, Trade and Investment Environment Health, Social Services and Public Safety Finance & Personnel Regional Development Social Development The Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister (11th

department)

Executive Departments

Northern Ireland Assembly Election, 7 March 2007

36

28

1816

7

1 1 10

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Number of seats

DUP SF UUP SDLP All PUP Green Others

Political Party

+6 (2003)

+ 4

-9-2

+1+1

30.1% 26.2% 14.9% 15.2% 5.2%0.6% 1.7% 3.2%

108 Members of the Assemblyelected 7 March 2007

Social Democratic and Labour Party

16

Democratic Unionist Party

36

Ulster Unionist

Party

18

The Alliance Party

7

Progressive Unionist Party

1

Green Party

1

Independent

1

Sinn Fein

28

Total = 108 MLAs

Unionist community

Nationalist community

UUP

SDLP

DUP

SF

APNI PUP

Indep.

Political parties

Others

Political Party Designations as of Mar 2007

Speaker

GP

St Andrews Agreement

Ministers - more accountable to the Executive and the Assembly a legally binding Ministerial Code No joint election of FM and DFM Specific reference in Pledge of Office to support for the ‘rule of law’,

including policing and the courts; commitment to the joint nature of OFMDFM and to participating in all the institutions.

OFMDFM Committee now a Statutory Committee A new Institutional Review Committee reviewing functioning of the

Assembly and Executive No redesignation except when a Member changes party. Greater accountability of North-South Institutions

Sittings of the Assembly

Monday and Tuesday Proceedings held in public Begin with prayers/private reflection Quorum – 10, including the Speaker Categories of Business Questions commence at 2.30pm and finish at

4.00pm on Mondays There may be an adjournment debate at the end

of a sitting.

Questions

Written and Oral Must be for the purpose of seeking information Written questions can be longer and ask for more

detail. Oral questions asked during Question Time – a very

public way of getting Ministers to explain their actions 3 Departments questioned each week (30 mins each):

OFMDFM, every fortnight Other Ministers, once every 4 weeks

Computer randomly selects 20 questions Departments have just under 2 weeks to prepare

answers.

The Legislative Process

First Stage: Introduction of Bill to the Assembly. The Speaker will have determined that the Assembly has power to legislate in this area.

Second Stage: A debate on the general principles of the Bill. Committee Stage: Detailed investigation by a Committee which

concludes with the publication of a report for consideration by the Assembly

Consideration Stage: Consideration of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, all the details of the Bill, including amendments proposed to the Bill

Further Consideration Stage: Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, any further amendments to the Bill

Final Stage: Passage or rejection of Bill by the Assembly, without further amendment.

Royal Assent

Committees

Most of the day-to-day work of the Assembly is done in Committees.

There are 3 types of Committees: Statutory Standing Ad Hoc

Membership of Committees broadly reflects party strength in the Assembly. The d’Hondt system is used to allocate Chairs/ Deputy Chairs.

Most Committees have 11 members. Most MLAs were members of 2 or 3 Committees. Meetings are

usually held weekly and last 2 – 3 hours.

Committees

Have right to:-

Scrutinise Bills and make amendments Scrutinise Department Budget Initiate inquiries on areas within their

Departmental responsibility Bring forward their own legislation

Relationship Mapping

Who knows who

Who des what

What can you offer them (publicity, briefing)

Be clear about what you want them to do.

Politicians are not the only ones who are important

Party Policy teams

Special Advisors (SpAds)

Clerks/Researchers for Committees

Staff, Constituency and Parliamentary

Use your available resources in campaigns

Eg. Local Groups/Members Parents/teachers Children Constituents Other allies

Patience is a virtue

Not all issues are ‘winnable’ straight away

Eg. Free Personal Care – first on the agenda 2001.

Know the Party System

Who are key players?

May not all be public figures

How do Parties determine policy?- Conferences?- Individuals?- Spokespeople?

The end

Contact Pam Tilson NICIE Lobbying Officer Phone 9023 6200 Email ptilson@nicie.org Thanks for listening.