Ministers and Assembly Members

Undertaking by members of the Assembly
8
1
Before section 41 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (standing orders) insert—

Undertaking by members
40A
1
A member of the Assembly shall not—
a
participate in any proceedings of the Assembly, or
b
have any of the other rights and privileges enjoyed by members of the Assembly who have taken their seats,
until he or she has given the following undertaking:
I undertake:
- to support the rule of law unequivocally in word and deed and to support all efforts to uphold it;
- to work collectively with the other members of the Assembly to achieve a society free of paramilitarism;
- to challenge all paramilitary activity and associated criminality;
- to call for, and to work together with the other members of the Assembly to achieve, the disbandment of all paramilitary organisations and their structures;
- to challenge paramilitary attempts to control communities;
- to support those who are determined to make the transition away from paramilitarism;
- to accept no authority, direction or control on my political activities other than my democratic mandate alongside my own personal and party judgment.
2
Standing orders shall provide for the procedure for giving the undertaking.
3
The procedure may not specify a day or period of time after which members are prohibited from giving the undertaking.
4
Subsection (1) applies to a person on each occasion when he or she becomes a member of the Assembly.
2
In section 77 of that Act (unlawful oaths etc), after subsection (3) insert—
3A
Subsection (1) is subject to the requirement in section 40A for a member of the Assembly to give the undertaking set out there.
3
Schedule 2 (undertaking by Assembly members: transitional provision) has effect.