Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022

1 Period for making Ministerial appointments

(1) The Northern Ireland Act 1998 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 16A (appointment of Ministers following Assembly election), in subsection (3), for the words before paragraph (a) substitute “Before the end of the period for filling Ministerial offices—”.

(3) After subsection (3) of that section insert—

“(3A) In this section “the period for filling Ministerial offices” means the period comprising—

(a) the period of six weeks beginning with the day on which the Assembly first meets, and

(b) the next three successive periods of six weeks (each referred to as an “extension period”), except for any period that is excluded by subsection (3B).

(3B) An extension period is excluded if, before it begins, the Assembly resolves that the period for filling Ministerial offices should not be extended (or further extended).

(3C) The Assembly may not pass a resolution under subsection (3B) without cross-community support.”

(4) In section 16B, for subsection (3) substitute—

“(3) Where at any time the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister become vacant otherwise than by virtue of section 16A(11A), they shall be filled by applying subsections (4) to (7) before the end of the period for filling the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister.

(3A) In this section “the period for filling the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister” means the period comprising—

(a) the period of six weeks beginning with the day on which the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister become vacant, and

(b) the next three successive periods of six weeks (each referred to as an “extension period”), except for any period that is excluded by subsection (3B).

(3B) An extension period is excluded if, before it begins, the Assembly resolves that the period for filling the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister should not be extended (or further extended).

(3C) The Assembly may not pass a resolution under subsection (3B) without cross-community support.”

(5) In consequence of the amendments made by this section, in the Northern Ireland (Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan) Act 2016, omit section 6 and Schedule 1.