The Northern Ireland Assembly elected in November 2003 never met as such: Northern Ireland's devolved government and representative institutions had been suspended with the re-introduction of direct rule by the United Kingdom government on 14 October 2002. However, the persons (Members of the Legislative Assembly, MLAs) elected to the Assembly at the 2003 assembly election were called together in a non-legislative capacity, initially under the Northern Ireland Act 2006[1] and then under the St Andrews Agreement.[2] These bodies failed to form a government before the 2007 election.

2nd Northern Ireland Assembly
1st Assembly 3rd Assembly
Overview
Legislative bodyAssembly
JurisdictionNorthern Ireland
Meeting placeParliament Buildings,
Stormont
Term15 May 2006 – 29 January 2007
Election2003 assembly election
GovernmentExecutive of the 2nd Assembly (Direct Rule)
Members108
SpeakerEileen Bell
Sessions
1st15 May 2006 – 7 July 2006
2nd11 September 2006 – 3 October 2006
3rd24 November 2006 – 29 January 2007

The following is a list of the members of that second Assembly,[3] including members co-opted after the election to replace those who had resigned or died, and changes in party affiliation.

Party strengths

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Party Designation Nov 2003
election
Jan 2007
end
  Democratic Unionist Party Unionist 30 32
  Ulster Unionist Party Unionist 27 24
  Sinn Féin Nationalist 24 21
  Social Democratic and Labour Party Nationalist 18 18
  Alliance Party Other 6 5
  UK Unionist Party Unionist 1 1
  Progressive Unionist Party Unionist 1 1
  Independent Nationalist 0 1
  Independent Other 0 1
  Independent Unionist 1 2
  Speaker[n 1] None 0 1
Vacant[n 2] Nationalist 0 1
Totals by Designation Unionist 60 60
Nationalist 42 41
Other 6 6
None 0 1
Total 108

Notes

  1. ^ While in post, the Speaker is not counted as a member of their parliamentary party.
  2. ^ When Sinn Féin MLA Michael Ferguson died in September 2006, no substitutes were available. Sinn Féin was allowed to use his vote in the Assembly despite his death.

Graphical representation

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MLAs by party

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This is a list of MLAs elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the 2003 Northern Ireland Assembly election, sorted by party.

Party Name Constituency
Democratic Unionist Party (32) Norah Beare Lagan Valley
Thomas Buchanan West Tyrone
Gregory Campbell East Londonderry
Wilson Clyde South Antrim
George Dawson East Antrim
Diane Dodds Belfast West
Nigel Dodds Belfast North
Jeffrey Donaldson Lagan Valley
Alex Easton North Down
George Ennis Strangford
Arlene Foster Fermanagh & South Tyrone
Paul Girvan South Antrim
William Hay Foyle
David Hilditch East Antrim
Nelson McCausland Belfast North
William McCrea Mid Ulster
Lord Morrow Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Stephen Moutray Upper Bann
Robin Newton Belfast East
Ian Paisley North Antrim
Ian Paisley Jr. North Antrim
Edwin Poots Lagan Valley
George Robinson East Londonderry
Iris Robinson Strangford
Mark Robinson Belfast South
Peter Robinson Belfast East
Jim Shannon Strangford
David Simpson Upper Bann
Mervyn Storey North Antrim
Peter Weir North Down
Jim Wells South Down
Sammy Wilson East Antrim
Ulster Unionist Party (24) Billy Armstrong Mid Ulster
Roy Beggs, Jr. East Antrim
Billy Bell Lagan Valley
Esmond Birnie South Belfast
David Burnside South Antrim
Fred Cobain Belfast North
Michael Copeland Belfast East
Robert Coulter North Antrim
Leslie Cree North Down
Tom Elliott Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Reg Empey Belfast East
Sam Gardiner Upper Bann
Norman Hillis East Londonderry
Derek Hussey West Tyrone
Danny Kennedy Newry and Armagh
David McClarty East Londonderry
Alan McFarland North Down
Michael McGimpsey Belfast South
David McNarry Strangford
Dermot Nesbitt South Down
Ken Robinson East Antrim
John Taylor Strangford
David Trimble Upper Bann
Jim Wilson South Antrim
Sinn Féin (22) Gerry Adams Belfast West
Francie Brolly East Londonderry
Willie Clarke South Down
Pat Doherty West Tyrone
Michelle Gildernew Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Gerry Kelly Belfast North
Alex Maskey Belfast South
Fra McCann Belfast West
Raymond McCartney Foyle
Barry McElduff West Tyrone
Philip McGuigan North Antrim
Martin McGuinness Mid Ulster
Mitchel McLaughlin Foyle
Francie Molloy Mid Ulster
Conor Murphy Newry and Armagh
John O'Dowd Upper Bann
Patricia O'Rawe Newry and Armagh
Tom O'Reilly Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Sue Ramsey Belfast West
Caitríona Ruane South Down
Kathy Stanton Belfast North
Vacant[n 1] Belfast West
Social Democratic and Labour Party (18) Alex Attwood Belfast West
Dominic Bradley Newry and Armagh
Mary Bradley Foyle
P. J. Bradley South Down
Thomas Burns South Antrim
John Dallat East Londonderry
Mark Durkan Foyle
Sean Farren North Antrim
Marietta Farrell Lagan Valley
Tommy Gallagher Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Carmel Hanna Belfast South
Dolores Kelly Upper Bann
Alban Maginness Belfast North
Alasdair McDonnell Belfast South
Patsy McGlone Mid Ulster
Eugene McMenamin West Tyrone
Pat Ramsey Foyle
Margaret Ritchie South Down
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (5) Seamus Close Lagan Valley
David Ford South Antrim
Naomi Long East Belfast
Kieran McCarthy Strangford
Seán Neeson East Antrim
Progressive Unionist Party (1) Dawn Purvis Belfast East
UK Unionist Party (1) Robert McCartney North Down
Independent (1) Kieran Deeny West Tyrone
Independent Unionist (1) Paul Berry Newry and Armagh
Independent Nationalist (2) Geraldine Dougan Mid Ulster
Davy Hyland Newry and Armagh
Speaker (1) Eileen Bell North Down

† Co-opted to replace an elected MLA

‡ Changed affiliation during the term

MLAs by constituency

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The list is given in alphabetical order by constituency.

Members of the 2nd Northern Ireland Assembly
Constituency Name Party
Belfast East Michael Copeland Ulster Unionist Party
Reg Empey Ulster Unionist Party
Naomi Long Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Robin Newton Democratic Unionist Party
Dawn Purvis Progressive Unionist Party
Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist Party
Belfast North Fred Cobain Ulster Unionist Party
Nigel Dodds Democratic Unionist Party
Gerry Kelly Sinn Féin
Nelson McCausland Democratic Unionist Party
Alban Maginness Social Democratic and Labour Party
Kathy Stanton Sinn Féin
Belfast South Carmel Hanna Social Democratic and Labour Party
Esmond Birnie Ulster Unionist Party
Alex Maskey Sinn Féin
Alasdair McDonnell Social Democratic and Labour Party
Michael McGimpsey Ulster Unionist Party
Mark Robinson Democratic Unionist Party
Belfast West Gerry Adams Sinn Féin
Alex Attwood Social Democratic and Labour Party
Diane Dodds Democratic Unionist Party
Fra McCann Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey Sinn Féin
Vacant[n 1] Sinn Féin
East Antrim Roy Beggs, Jr. Ulster Unionist Party
Sean Neeson Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
David Hilditch Democratic Unionist Party
George Dawson Democratic Unionist Party
Ken Robinson Ulster Unionist Party
Sammy Wilson Democratic Unionist Party
East Londonderry Francis Brolly Sinn Féin
Gregory Campbell Democratic Unionist Party
John Dallat Social Democratic and Labour Party
Norman Hillis Ulster Unionist Party
David McClarty Ulster Unionist Party
George Robinson Democratic Unionist Party
Fermanagh and South Tyrone Tom Elliott Ulster Unionist Party
Arlene Foster Democratic Unionist Party
Tommy Gallagher Social Democratic and Labour Party
Michelle Gildernew Sinn Féin
Tom O'Reilly Sinn Féin
Maurice Morrow Democratic Unionist Party
Foyle Mary Bradley Social Democratic and Labour Party
Mark Durkan Social Democratic and Labour Party
William Hay Democratic Unionist Party
Raymond McCartney Sinn Féín
Mitchel McLaughlin Sinn Féín
Pat Ramsey Social Democratic and Labour Party
Lagan Valley Norah Beare Democratic Unionist Party
Billy Bell Ulster Unionist Party
Seamus Close Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Jeffrey Donaldson Democratic Unionist Party
Marietta Farrell Social Democratic and Labour Party
Edwin Poots Democratic Unionist Party
Mid Ulster Billy Armstrong Ulster Unionist Party
Geraldine Dougan Independent Nationalist
William McCrea Democratic Unionist Party
Patsy McGlone Social Democratic and Labour Party
Martin McGuinness Sinn Féin
Francie Molloy Sinn Féin
Newry and Armagh Paul Berry Independent Unionist
Dominic Bradley Social Democratic and Labour Party
Davy Hyland Independent Nationalist
Danny Kennedy Ulster Unionist Party
Conor Murphy Sinn Féin
Patricia O'Rawe Sinn Féin
North Antrim Robert Coulter Ulster Unionist Party
Sean Farren Social Democratic and Labour Party
Philip McGuigan Sinn Féin
Ian Paisley Democratic Unionist Party
Ian Paisley Jr Democratic Unionist Party
Mervyn Storey Democratic Unionist Party
North Down Eileen Bell Speaker
Leslie Cree Ulster Unionist Party
Alex Easton Democratic Unionist Party
Robert McCartney UK Unionist Party
Alan McFarland Ulster Unionist Party
Peter Weir Democratic Unionist Party
South Antrim David Burnside Ulster Unionist Party
Trevor Clarke Democratic Unionist Party
David Ford Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Paul Girvan Democratic Unionist Party
Thomas Burns Social Democratic and Labour Party
Jim Wilson Ulster Unionist Party
South Down P. J. Bradley Social Democratic and Labour Party
Willie Clarke Sinn Féin
Dermot Nesbitt Ulster Unionist Party
Margaret Ritchie Social Democratic and Labour Party
Caitríona Ruane Sinn Féin
Jim Wells Democratic Unionist Party
Strangford George Ennis Democratic Unionist Party
Kieran McCarthy Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
David McNarry Ulster Unionist Party
Iris Robinson Democratic Unionist Party
Jim Shannon Democratic Unionist Party
John Taylor Ulster Unionist Party
Upper Bann Sam Gardiner Ulster Unionist Party
Dolores Kelly Social Democratic and Labour Party
Stephen Moutray Democratic Unionist Party
John O'Dowd Sinn Féin
David Simpson Democratic Unionist Party
David Trimble Ulster Unionist Party
West Tyrone Thomas Buchanan Democratic Unionist Party
Kieran Deeny Independent
Pat Doherty Sinn Féin
Derek Hussey Ulster Unionist Party
Barry McElduff Sinn Féin
Eugene McMenamin Social Democratic and Labour Party

† Co-opted to replace an elected MLA ‡ Changed affiliation during the term

Changes since the election

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† Co-options

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Date co-opted Constituency Party Outgoing Co-optee Reason
15 July 2004 Foyle Sinn Féin Mary Nelis Raymond McCartney Resignation of Mary Nelis.[4]
29 November 2004 Belfast West Sinn Féin Bairbre de Brún Sue Ramsey Resignation of Bairbre de Brún.[5]
25 September 2006 Belfast West Sinn Féin Michael Ferguson Vacant Death of Michael Ferguson.[6] The vacancy remained unfilled on the dissolution of the Assembly.
9 January 2007 Lagan Valley SDLP Patricia Lewsley Marietta Farrell Resignation of Patricia Lewsley to take up the post of Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People.
23 January 2007 Belfast East PUP David Ervine Dawn Purvis Death of David Ervine.

‡ Changes in affiliation

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Date Constituency Name Previous affiliation New affiliation Circumstance
18 December 2003 Lagan Valley Jeffrey Donaldson UUP Ind. Unionist Jeffrey Donaldson resigned from the UUP.[7]
18 December 2003 Lagan Valley Norah Beare UUP Ind. Unionist Norah Beare resigned from the UUP.[7]
18 December 2003 Fermanagh and South Tyrone Arlene Foster UUP Ind. Unionist Arlene Foster resigned from the UUP.[7]
5 January 2004 Lagan Valley Jeffrey Donaldson Ind. Unionist DUP Jeffrey Donaldson joined the DUP.[8]
5 January 2004 Lagan Valley Norah Beare Ind. Unionist DUP Norah Beare joined the DUP.[8]
5 January 2004 Fermanagh and South Tyrone Arlene Foster Ind. Unionist DUP Arlene Foster joined the DUP.[8]
4 July 2005 Newry and Armagh Paul Berry DUP Ind. Unionist Paul Berry was suspended by the DUP following an internal disciplinary panel meeting and media coverage of his private life. He resigned from the party outright following legal challenges on 10 February 2006.[9]
23 November 2005 Mid Ulster Francie Molloy Sinn Féin Ind. Nationalist Francie Molloy was suspended by Sinn Féin on 23 November 2005 following disagreements about reforms of local government.[10] Molloy was subsequently readmitted to the party.[citation needed]
10 April 2006 North Down Eileen Bell Alliance Speaker Eileen Bell was appointed Speaker of the Assembly on 10 April 2006 for the first session on 15 May.[11]
15 January 2007 Mid Ulster Geraldine Dougan Sinn Féin Ind. Nationalist Geraldine Dougan resigned from Sinn Féin.
2 February 2007 Newry and Armagh Davy Hyland Sinn Féin Ind. Nationalist Davy Hyland resigned from Sinn Féin.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b When Sinn Féin MLA Michael Ferguson died in September 2006, no substitutes were available. Sinn Féin was allowed to use his vote in the Assembly despite his death.

References

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  1. ^ "Northern Ireland Act 2006 (repealed)". Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2006.
  2. ^ "History of the Assembly". www.niassembly.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  3. ^ "BBC NEWS | Election 2007 | Northern Ireland elections | Results: Overview". news.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  4. ^ "The Northern Ireland Assembly -". Archived from the original on 26 September 2006. Retrieved 21 February 2007.
  5. ^ "The Northern Ireland Assembly -". Archived from the original on 26 September 2006. Retrieved 19 December 2005.
  6. ^ "Death of Sinn Fein assembly man". 25 September 2006. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  7. ^ a b c "Donaldson resigns from UUP". BBC. 18 December 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  8. ^ a b c "Ulster Unionist rebels defect to DUP". BBC. 5 January 2004. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Suspended Berry resigns from DUP". 10 February 2006. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ "SF member critical of suspension". 23 November 2005. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  11. ^ "Bell named new assembly speaker". 10 April 2006. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021 – via news.bbc.co.uk.