Explanatory Notes

Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006

2006 CHAPTER 53

22 November 2006

Commentary on Sections

Part 2: Amendments of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Etc

Miscellaneous

Section  17: Vacancy in the Assembly

82.Section 17 inserts a new paragraph 5 into Schedule 6 to the 1998 Act. This enables the Assembly to make standing orders preserving the exercise of the right to vote in the Assembly in cases where a vacancy in membership would otherwise prevent this right from being exercised. Paragraph 9(6) of Schedule 1 enables equivalent standing orders to be made for the Transitional Assembly. The standing orders could, for example, provide for voting in the Transitional Assembly to take account of any seats won by a party, but subsequently vacated and not filled as a result of section 3(2) and (3).