The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which allowed Westminster to devolve power to Northern Ireland, after decades of direct rule. The act translated the 1998 multi-party agreement into law. [1]
The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which allowed Westminster to devolve power to Northern Ireland, after decades of direct rule. The act translated the 1998 multi-party agreement into law. [1]
The act states that "Northern Ireland in its entirety remains part of the United Kingdom" and that this "shall not cease to be so without the consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland" voting in a dedicated border poll. [2]
It renamed the New Northern Ireland Assembly, established by the Northern Ireland (Elections) Act 1998, to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
It repealed parts of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 and Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973, and established new rules in line with the European Union and the Northern Ireland peace process, subsequent to the Belfast Agreement of 1998.
The act allowed for a devolved Northern Ireland Assembly of 108 members. Membership of the assembly is subject to a pledge of office, which subjects the member to certain requirements with regard to standards and responsibilities. Northern Ireland remains a part of the United Kingdom until or unless a majority vote in a referendum determines otherwise. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland holds the power to call for the referendum if it appears likely to them that a majority of the voters would express their desire to become part of a United Ireland. The assembly has the power of modifying any act of the British Parliament as far as it "is part of the law of Northern Ireland". [3]
The act contains three categories of matters: [4]
When exercising functions relating to reserved or excepted matters, the UK government may be obliged to consult the Republic of Ireland through the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. [5] [6] The Assembly has been suspended a number of times since 1998, and was re-established on Tuesday 8 May 2007, subsequent to the St Andrews Agreement of 2006.
Election to the assembly is by single transferable vote (STV), a form of proportional representation.
Section 75 of the act placed an obligation on statutory agencies to consult with specific minority groups, on every aspect of public policy. [7] The listed of groups under the section 75 of the act does not include veterans. [8]
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