The Northern Ireland Assembly was dissolved at 00:01am this Monday 28th March, 2022. The Northern Ireland Assembly will now enter a 'pre-election period'.
Dissolution is the official term for the end of an Assembly mandate.
Dissolution means that there is no longer any Assembly business. So for eg: no Committee meetings, Plenary meetings or All Party Group meetings can take place. All unfinished Assembly Business, including legislation, automatically falls and can only be progressed once a new Assembly is in place.
The main function of dissolution is to allow anyone wanting to campaign to become an MLA to do so on an equal basis , ensuring that former MLAs do not have advantage over other election candidates.
Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)
MLAs stop being MLAs, cease to represent their constituents and can no longer refer to themselves as an MLA on any literature etc , including any election campaigning materials. They go back to being members of the public, losing any privileges associated with being an MLA. For example, access to the offices in Parliament Buildings and other facilities and resources provided by the Assembly Commission. This is to ensure that former MLAs don't have an advantage over other election candidates. Anyone wishing to serve as an MLA in the next Assembly must stand in the Election.
Executive Ministers
Whilst MLAs are no longer in post, as the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive are two separate institutions, Ministers will remain in office during dissolution.
Ministers will perform a largely caretaking role, presiding over the work of their Departments, up until the day of the election (5th May). However, they must exercise discretion in announcing any new initiatives or others that can be considered to have long term impact.
The Speaker & Deputy Speaker
The current Speaker, Alex Maskey, along with the Deputy Speakers, Roy Beggs and Patsy McGlone also remain in office during dissolution.
The election of a new Speaker (and deputies) takes place when the Assembly meets after the election.
You can read more on The Northern Ireland Assembly website here
