Portrait unveiled of former Assembly Speaker, Alex Maskey, in Parliament Buildings

A portrait of Alex Maskey has been unveiled in Parliament Buildings today to mark his tenure as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly between 2020 and 2024. (Tuesday 25 November).

Painted in oil on canvas by Belfast artist, Tony Bell, the portrait of Mr Maskey will join those of his predecessors, Lord Alderdice; Eileen Bell; Lord Hay; Mitchel McLaughlin and Robin Newton which are on display in the Great Hall in Parliament Buildings.

Following the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Alex Maskey was elected as Speaker on 11 January 2020. Two years later, his planned retirement was delayed by the inability of the Assembly to elect a Speaker. He continued to serve as Speaker until 2024 even though he was not a Member of the Legislative Assembly.

During this time he took on a wide range of significant engagements on behalf of the Assembly including making arrangements for the Assembly to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, leading the expression of condolences on behalf of the Assembly following the death of Queen Elizabeth II and attending the coronation of King Charles.

Today's unveiling ceremony was performed by the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Edwin Poots MLA.

Following the event, he said: "Alex Maskey's time as Speaker was undoubtedly challenging - and while re-establishing the Assembly after three years of not sitting was one of his first responsibilities in 2020, he soon found himself managing Assembly business during the Covid pandemic as it took hold in March of that year. Despite that, he found time to focus on setting up the Youth Assembly that summer - an achievement of which he was rightly proud. He then had his retirement delayed for two years until the Assembly could elect a new Speaker but during that time he represented the Assembly on key occasions, including ensuring the Assembly could express its condolences on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth."

"This portrait will go on public display from today. It is important for several reasons - not least that these paintings record the parliamentary history of the building across all traditions. We also know that visitors really enjoy this part of the overall experience and from today, they will be able to view the portraits of all six former Speakers of the Assembly which are now on show in the Great Hall."

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For media enquiries, please contact: Felicity Templeton, Assembly communications office on 07977 635930 felicity.templeton@niassembly.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

• The Assembly Commission has a long-standing policy of commissioning portraits of all those people who have held the senior offices of First Minister, deputy First Minister and Speaker since the Assembly was established in 1998.
• Alex Maskey was born on 8 January 1952. He was educated at St Malachy's College and the Belfast Institute for Further and Higher Education.
• He was a member of the Sinn Féin negotiating team in the talks which led to the signing of 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement.
• Mr Maskey was elected as a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998 and during his time at the Assembly he represented the constituencies of Belfast West and Belfast South at different times.
• Alex is married to Liz and has two sons.