Assembly poll 'could be put off until 2008'
The North’s next Assembly election could be delayed for a year if power-sharing is restored by November, the British government signalled today.
Under emergency legislation introduced today recalling the Assembly on May 15, ministers held out the possibility that elections scheduled for May 2007 could be put off to 2008 at Northern Secretary Peter Hain’s discretion.
This would enable any power-sharing executive formed this year involving Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin time to bed down, instead of jumping quickly into an election within months of it being established.
With the North’s 108 Assembly members due to gather at Stormont on May 15 for the first of two bids to form a power-sharing executive this year, Mr Hain said the onus was on the parties to decide if devolution would return or direct rule from Westminster would continue.
“We have reached the point where the parties must decide how they want Northern Ireland governed,” he said.
“They can have devolved government restored and an end to locally unaccountable direct rule.
“But if this opportunity is not taken then the Assembly will cease to meet, MLA salaries and allowances will stop and the May 2007 election will be indefinitey postponed.
“The bill sets an immovable deadline of November 24, 2006, for getting back to devolution.
“Otherwise, as the prime minister and Taoiseach have said, we will have to move on.”
Mr Hain said the two governments were focused on achieving their aim of devolved government in the North.
“We are determined to do all we can to get back to devolved institutions but it is for the parties to make it happen.”
Under today’s bill, which the governments hopes will become law on May 8, the Assembly’s key tasks will be to elect a first and deputy first Minister and to nominate ministers under the power-sharing system used to form an executive.
If ministers are selected and affirm the pledge of office by November 24, the Northern Secretary will sanction the full restoration of the devolved institutions under the Northern Ireland Act 2000.
Devolution in the North has been suspended since October 2002.
The 2000 act will be repealed on the day after the restoration order takes effect.
If ministers have not been chosen by November 24, the British government will under the bill be able to indefinitely postpone the May 2007 election and the Assembly would also be dissolved by May 2007 or an earlier date at the British government’s choosing.
MLAs will also cease to receive salaries and allowances after November 25 if ministers have not been selected before then.
