Arrangements for the plenary sitting on Wednesday 7 December 2022
The order paper for the sitting on Wednesday 7 December includes:
- the election of Speaker and Deputy Speakers;
This notice sets out relevant procedural information in relation to those items of business.
Members should note that, if the Assembly does not elect a Speaker and Deputy Speakers with cross-community support as its first item of business, no further business can be conducted and the sitting will be adjourned.
If a Speaker and at least two Deputy Speakers are elected with cross-community support then the Assembly can move on to other business.
Procedure for the Election of the Speaker – Standing Order 4
1. An Acting Speaker will preside over the election and will commence by asking for nominations.
2. Any Member may rise to propose that another Member is elected as Speaker. If two or more Members rise to make a proposal the Acting Speaker will look to the largest party first, in accordance with Assembly precedent.
3. The Acting Speaker will then ask for the first proposal to be seconded by another Member and if the proposal is not seconded, there is no valid nomination.
4. Once seconded, the Acting Speaker will verify that the candidate is willing to accept the nomination. A candidate that is not present may accept nomination by written statement. There will not be an opportunity for speeches at this stage.
5. The Acting Speaker will then ask for further proposals and follow the same procedure for each. When there are no further proposals, the Acting Speaker will indicate that the time for proposals has passed and a debate may then take place.
6. Members should indicate their intention to speak to the Business Office or to the Speaker’s table in the usual way. Members may speak for up to 5 minutes and may not speak more than once. There will be no time limit on the debate.
7. At the conclusion of the debate, the Acting Speaker will put the question that the first candidate proposed shall be Speaker of the Assembly. The vote will be on a cross-community basis and any dissenting voices will result in a division.
8. If the question is not carried, the Acting Speaker will put the question in relation to the next candidate and so on, until a candidate is elected or all nominations are exhausted. Once a Speaker is elected, all other nominations automatically fall.
9. If a Speaker is elected he/she will be invited to take the Chair and there will be an opportunity for him/her to address the Assembly briefly. Party representatives will be allowed up to 3 minutes to respond.
10. If a Speaker is not elected, the business will have to be brought back to the Assembly in due course. No further business shall take place.
Procedure for the Election of Deputy Speakers – Standing order 5
1. The election will be presided over by the newly appointed Speaker.
2. The procedure for electing the three Deputy Speakers is the same as for the Speaker.
3. Any Member may rise to propose that another Member is elected as a Deputy Speaker. If two or more Members rise to make a proposal the Speaker will look to the largest party first, in accordance with Assembly precedent.
4. The Speaker will then ask for the first proposal to be seconded by another Member and if the proposal is not seconded, there is no valid nomination.
5. Once seconded, the Speaker will verify that the candidate is willing to accept the nomination. A candidate that is not present may accept nomination by written statement. There will not be an opportunity for speeches at this stage.
6. The Speaker will then ask for further proposals and follow the same procedure for each. When there are no further proposals, the Speaker will indicate that the time for proposals has passed and a debate may then take place.
7. Members should indicate their intention to speak to the Business Office or to the Speaker’s table in the usual way. Members may speak for up to 3 minutes and may not speak more than once. There will be no time limit on the debate.
8. At the conclusion of the debate, the Speaker will put the question that the first candidate proposed shall be a Deputy Speaker of the Assembly. The vote will be on a cross-community basis and any dissenting voices will result in a division.
9. If the question is not carried, the Speaker will put the question in relation to the next candidate and so on, until three candidates have been elected or all nominations are exhausted. Once three Deputy Speakers have been elected, all other nominations automatically fall.
10. There will be no opportunity for speeches after the Deputy Speakers have been elected.
11. If at least two Deputy Speakers are not successfully elected then no further business can take place.
ALL PARTY GROUP ON AGEING AND OLDER PEOPLE
CANCELLATION OF MEETING
The meeting of the All-Party Group (APG) on Ageing and Older People scheduled for Wednesday 7th December 2022 at 1.00pm has been cancelled.
For further information please contact Eithne Gilligan on 078 5527 0787 or email
