Government of Ireland Act 1920

18 Privileges, qualifications, &c. of members of the Parliaments

(1) The powers, privileges, and immunities of the Senate and House of Commons of Southern .Ireland and the Senate and House of Commons of Northern Ireland, and of the members and of the committees thereof, shall be such as may be defined by Act of the Parliament in question, and, until so defined, shall be those held and enjoyed by the Commons House of Parliament of the United Kingdom and its members and committees at the date of the passing of this Act.

(2) The law for the time being in force relating to the qualification and disqualification of the members of the Commons House of Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the taking of any oath required to be taken by a member of that House, shall, save as otherwise provided by this Act, apply to the members of the Senate and House of Commons of Southern Ireland and members of the Senate and House of Commons of Northern Ireland.

(3) A person shall not be disqualified for being a member of the Senate or House of Commons of Southern Ireland or a member of the Senate or House of Commons of Northern Ireland by reason only that he is a peer, whether of the United Kingdom, Great Britain, England, Scotland, or Ireland.

(4) A member of the House of Commons of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland shall be incapable of being chosen or elected or of sitting as a member of the Senate of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland, and a member of the Senate of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland shall be incapable of being chosen or elected or of sitting as a member of the House of Commons of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland; but a Minister of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland who is a member of either House of the Parliament of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland shall have the right to sit and speak in both Houses, but shall vote only in the House of which he is a member.

(5) A member of the Senate or House of Commons of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland may resign his seat by giving notice of resignation to the person and in the manner directed by standing orders of the House, or, if there is no such direction, by notice in writing of resignation sent to the Lord Lieutenant, and his seat shall become vacant on notice of resignation being given.

(6) The powers of the Council of Ireland or the Senate or House of Commons of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland shall not be affected by any vacancy therein, or by any defect in the nomination, election, or qualification of any member thereof.

(7) His Majesty may, by Order in Council, declare that the holders of the offices in the executive of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland named in the Order shall not be disqualified for being members of the Senate or House of Commons of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively by reason of holding office under the Crown, and, except as otherwise provided by Act of the Parliament of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland, the Order shall have effect as if it were enacted in this Act, and on acceptance of any such office the seat of any such person in the House of Commons of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland shall not be vacated.