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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| NI Assembly election: Newly-elected assembly meeting for first time | NI Assembly election: Newly-elected assembly meeting for first time |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The new Northern Ireland Assembly is meeting for the first time on Thursday. | The new Northern Ireland Assembly is meeting for the first time on Thursday. |
| All 108 MLAs have met to sign the roll of membership, with 29 newly-elected members doing so for the first time. | |
| It is expected that they will re-appoint Arlene Foster as first minister and Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister. | It is expected that they will re-appoint Arlene Foster as first minister and Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister. |
| They will also elect a new speaker, replacing Mitchel McLaughlin who announced his retirement before the election. | They will also elect a new speaker, replacing Mitchel McLaughlin who announced his retirement before the election. |
| The sitting has been suspended and MLAs are expected to gather again at 14:00 BST, to elect a new speaker, principal deputy speaker and deputy speakers. | |
| People Before Profit Alliance MLAs Eamonn McCann and Gerry Carroll were among the newly-elected members signing the roll. | |
| Mr Carroll revealed via social media that when they were asked to designate as "unionist, nationalist or other", he and Mr McCann wrote "socialist". | |
| "We will be put in the 'other' camp, but we are clear where we stand," he said. | |
| "This isn't the Alliance Party. This is the new socialist alternative." | |
| Live coverage of proceedings at the new NI assembly | Live coverage of proceedings at the new NI assembly |
| The full Northern Ireland Executive will be formed when a programme for government has been agreed. | The full Northern Ireland Executive will be formed when a programme for government has been agreed. |
| BBC NI's political editor Mark Devenport outlines proceedings on Thursday | BBC NI's political editor Mark Devenport outlines proceedings on Thursday |
| The first substantive item will be signing the roll of membership. | The first substantive item will be signing the roll of membership. |
| They not only have to sign into the book but they also have to designate as unionist, nationalist or other. | They not only have to sign into the book but they also have to designate as unionist, nationalist or other. |
| Then it gets going again after lunch at around 14:30 BST with the election of the speaker. | Then it gets going again after lunch at around 14:30 BST with the election of the speaker. |
| All the speculation is that it will be DUP MLA Robin Newton, who was the principal deputy speaker in the outgoing assembly. | All the speculation is that it will be DUP MLA Robin Newton, who was the principal deputy speaker in the outgoing assembly. |
| Behind him, there will probably be a Sinn Féin principal deputy speaker and probably then, SDLP and UUP deputy speakers, put in place behind that. | Behind him, there will probably be a Sinn Féin principal deputy speaker and probably then, SDLP and UUP deputy speakers, put in place behind that. |
| Around tea-time, the appointment of the first minister and deputy first minister will happen. | Around tea-time, the appointment of the first minister and deputy first minister will happen. |
| Technically they remained in their posts but they have to be reappointed. | Technically they remained in their posts but they have to be reappointed. |
| They will then appoint a business committee and then conclude for the day. | They will then appoint a business committee and then conclude for the day. |
| The parties, who were given an outline of a framework for government programme on Tuesday, have until Thursday to make a response. | The parties, who were given an outline of a framework for government programme on Tuesday, have until Thursday to make a response. |
| Negotiations on the framework could go on for two weeks. | Negotiations on the framework could go on for two weeks. |
| In last week's election, the Democratic Unionist Party maintained the 38 seats it held in the last assembly, while Sinn Féin lost one and now holds 28. | In last week's election, the Democratic Unionist Party maintained the 38 seats it held in the last assembly, while Sinn Féin lost one and now holds 28. |
| The Ulster Unionists have 16 seats, while the Social Democratic and Labour Party lost two and now have 12. | The Ulster Unionists have 16 seats, while the Social Democratic and Labour Party lost two and now have 12. |
| The Alliance Party secured eight seats during the election, meaning it does not have enough seats to automatically qualify for a ministerial department. | The Alliance Party secured eight seats during the election, meaning it does not have enough seats to automatically qualify for a ministerial department. |