1st Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland MLAs 1998 to 2003

1st Northern Ireland Assembly

| <-| Forum | 2nd Assembly| ->

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Overview
Legislative body| Assembly
Jurisdiction| Northern Ireland
Meeting place| Parliament Buildings,
Stormont
Term| 1 July 1998 – 14 October 2002
Election| 1998 assembly election
Government| Executive of the 1st Assembly
Members| 108
Speaker| Lord Alderdice
First Minister| David Trimble
— Reg Empey
until 6 November 2001
— David Trimble
until 1 July 2001
Deputy First Minister| Mark Durkan
— Seamus Mallon
until 6 November 2001
Sessions
| 1st| 1 July 1998 – 9 March 1999

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2nd| 15 July 1999 – 8 February 2000
3rd| 5 June 2000 – 4 July 2000
4th| 11 September 2000 – 4 July 2001
5th| 10 September 2001 – 3 July 2002
6th| 9 September 2002 – 14 October 2002

This is a list of the 108 members of the first Northern Ireland Assembly, the unicameral devolved legislature of Northern Ireland established by the Good Friday Agreement. Members (fully Members of the Legislative Assembly, MLAs) elected in June 1998 are listed,[1] as well as those subsequently co-opted to replace those who had resigned or deceased.[2] MLAs are grouped by party, and changes in party affiliation are noted.[2]

## Party strengths

[edit]

Party  | Designation | Jun 1998
election | Oct 2002
end

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●  | Ulster Unionist Party | Unionist | 28 | 27
● | Social Democratic and Labour Party | Nationalist | 24 | 23
●  | Democratic Unionist Party | Unionist | 20 | 20
●  | Sinn Féin | Nationalist | 18 | 18
| Alliance Party | Other | 6 | 5
| UK Unionist Party | Unionist | 5 | 1
| Progressive Unionist Party | Unionist | 2 | 2
| Northern Ireland Women's Coalition | Other  | 2  | 2
| United Unionist Coalition | Unionist  | \-  | 3
| Northern Ireland Unionist Party | Unionist  | \-  | 3
| Independent | Nationalist | 0 | 1
| Independent | Unionist  | 3  | 2
| Speaker | None | 0 | 1
Totals by designation | Unionist | 58 | 58
Nationalist | 42 | 42
Other | 8 | 5
None  | 0  | 1
Total | 108
● = Northern Ireland Executive

### Graphical representation

[edit]

* At election, 25 Jun 1998

* 1 Jul to 21 Sep 1998

* 18 Oct 2003 to end

This is not the official seating plan.

## MLAs by party

[edit]

This is a list of MLAs elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election, sorted by party.

Party  | Name  | Constituency

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| Ulster Unionist Party (26)  | Ian Adamson | Belfast East
Billy Armstrong | Mid Ulster
Roy Beggs, Jr. | East Antrim
Billy Bell | Lagan Valley
Esmond Birnie | South Belfast
Fred Cobain | Belfast North
Robert Coulter | North Antrim
Joan Carson | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Ivan Davis | Lagan Valley
Reg Empey | Belfast East
Sam Foster | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
John Gorman | North Down
Tom Hamilton †  | Strangford
Derek Hussey | West Tyrone
Danny Kennedy | Newry and Armagh
James Leslie | North Antrim
David McClarty | East Londonderry
Alan McFarland | North Down
Michael McGimpsey | Belfast South
Dermot Nesbitt | South Down
Duncan Shipley-Dalton | South Antrim
Ken Robinson | East Antrim
George Savage | Upper Bann
John Taylor | Strangford
David Trimble | Upper Bann
Jim Wilson | South Antrim
| Social Democratic and Labour Party (23)  | Alex Attwood | Belfast West
P. J. Bradley | South Down
Joe Byrne | West Tyrone
Michael Coyle †  | East Londonderry
John Dallat | East Londonderry
Mark Durkan | Foyle
Sean Farren | North Antrim
John Fee | Newry and Armagh
Tommy Gallagher | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Carmel Hanna | Belfast South
Denis Haughey | Mid Ulster
Joe Hendron | Belfast West
Patricia Lewsley | Lagan Valley
Alban Maginness | Belfast North
Seamus Mallon | Newry and Armagh
Donovan McClelland | South Antrim
Alasdair McDonnell | Belfast South
Eddie McGrady | South Down
Eugene McMenamin | West Tyrone
Danny O'Connor | East Antrim
Eamon O'Neill | South Down
Bríd Rodgers | Upper Bann
John Tierney | Foyle
| Democratic Unionist Party (21)  | Paul Berry | Newry and Armagh
Gregory Campbell | East Londonderry
Mervyn Carrick | Upper Bann
Wilson Clyde | South Antrim
Nigel Dodds | Belfast North
Oliver Gibson | West Tyrone
William Hay | Foyle
David Hilditch | East Antrim
William McCrea | Mid Ulster
Maurice Morrow | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Ian Paisley | North Antrim
Ian Paisley Jr. | North Antrim
Edwin Poots | Lagan Valley
Iris Robinson | Strangford
Mark Robinson | Belfast South
Peter Robinson | Belfast East
Jim Shannon | Strangford
Denis Watson ‡  | Upper Bann
Peter Weir ‡  | North Down
Jim Wells | South Down
Sammy Wilson | Belfast East
| Sinn Féin (18)  | Gerry Adams | Belfast West
Bairbre de Brún | Belfast West
Pat Doherty | West Tyrone
Michelle Gildernew | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Gerry Kelly | Belfast North
John Kelly | Mid Ulster
Alex Maskey | Belfast West
Barry McElduff | West Tyrone
Martin McGuinness | Mid Ulster
Gerry McHugh | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Mitchel McLaughlin | Foyle
Pat McNamee | Newry and Armagh
Francie Molloy | Mid Ulster
Conor Murphy | Newry and Armagh
Mick Murphy | South Down
Mary Nelis | Foyle
Dara O'Hagan | Upper Bann
Sue Ramsey | Belfast West
| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (5)  | Eileen Bell | North Down
Seamus Close | Lagan Valley
David Ford | South Antrim
Kieran McCarthy | Strangford
Seán Neeson | East Antrim
| Progressive Unionist Party (2)  | David Ervine | Belfast East
Billy Hutchinson | Belfast North
| Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (2)  | Monica McWilliams | Belfast South
Jane Morrice | North Down
| UK Unionist Party (2)  | Pauline Armitage ‡  | East Londonderry
Robert McCartney | North Down
| Northern Ireland Unionist Party (3)  | Norman Boyd ‡  | South Antrim
Patrick Roche ‡  | Lagan Valley
Cedric Wilson ‡  | Strangford
| United Unionist Coalition (2)  | Fraser Agnew ‡  | Belfast North
Boyd Douglas ‡  | East Londonderry
| Independent Unionist (2)  | Roger Hutchinson ‡  | East Antrim
Gardiner Kane ‡  | North Antrim
| Independent Nationalist (1)  | Annie Courtney †‡  | Foyle
| Speaker (1)  | John Alderdice ‡  | Belfast East

† Co-opted to replace an elected MLA

‡ Changed affiliation during the term

## MLAs by constituency

[edit]

The list is given in alphabetical order by constituency.

Members of the 1st Northern Ireland Assembly

Constituency  | Name  | Party
Belfast East | Ian Adamson |  | Ulster Unionist Party
John Alderdice ‡  |  | Speaker
Reg Empey |  | Ulster Unionist Party
David Ervine |  | Progressive Unionist Party
Peter Robinson |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Sammy Wilson |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Belfast North | Fraser Agnew ‡  |  | United Unionist Coalition
Fred Cobain |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Nigel Dodds |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Billy Hutchinson |  | Progressive Unionist Party
Gerry Kelly |  | Sinn Féin
Alban Maginness |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Belfast South | Esmond Birnie |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Carmel Hanna |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Alasdair McDonnell |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Michael McGimpsey |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Monica McWilliams |  | Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Mark Robinson |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Belfast West | Gerry Adams |  | Sinn Féin
Alex Attwood |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Bairbre de Brún |  | Sinn Féin
Joe Hendron |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Alex Maskey |  | Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey |  | Sinn Féin
East Antrim | Roy Beggs, Jr. |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Sean Neeson |  | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
David Hilditch |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Roger Hutchinson ‡  |  | Independent Unionist
Danny O'Connor |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Ken Robinson |  | Ulster Unionist Party
East Londonderry | Pauline Armitage ‡  |  | United Kingdom Unionist Party
Gregory Campbell |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Michael Coyle †  |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
John Dallat |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Boyd Douglas ‡  |  | United Unionist Coalition
David McClarty |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Fermanagh and South Tyrone | Joan Carson |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Sam Foster |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Tommy Gallagher |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Michelle Gildernew |  | Sinn Féin
Gerry McHugh |  | Sinn Féin
Maurice Morrow |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Foyle | Annie Courtney †‡  |  | Independent Nationalist
Mark Durkan |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
William Hay |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Mitchel McLaughlin |  | Sinn Féín
Mary Nelis |  | Sinn Féín
John Tierney |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Lagan Valley | Billy Bell |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Seamus Close |  | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Ivan Davis |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Patricia Lewsley |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Edwin Poots |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Patrick Roche ‡  |  | Northern Ireland Unionist Party
Mid Ulster | Billy Armstrong |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Denis Haughey |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
John Kelly |  | Sinn Féin
William McCrea |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Martin McGuinness |  | Sinn Féin
Francie Molloy |  | Sinn Féin
Newry and Armagh | Paul Berry |  | Democratic Unionist Party
John Fee |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Danny Kennedy |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Pat McNamee |  | Sinn Féin
Conor Murphy |  | Sinn Féin
Seamus Mallon |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
North Antrim | Robert Coulter |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Sean Farren |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Gardiner Kane ‡  |  | Independent Unionist
James Leslie |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Ian Paisley |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Ian Paisley Jr |  | Democratic Unionist Party
North Down | Eileen Bell |  | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
John Gorman |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Robert McCartney |  | United Kingdom Unionist Party
Alan McFarland |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Jane Morrice |  | Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
Peter Weir ‡  |  | Democratic Unionist Party
South Antrim | Norman Boyd ‡  |  | Northern Ireland Unionist Party
Wilson Clyde |  | Democratic Unionist Party
David Ford |  | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Donovan McClelland |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Duncan Shipley-Dalton |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Jim Wilson |  | Ulster Unionist Party
South Down | P. J. Bradley |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Dermot Nesbitt |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Eddie McGrady |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Mick Murphy |  | Sinn Féin
Eamon O'Neill |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Jim Wells |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Strangford | Tom Hamilton †  |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Kieran McCarthy |  | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Iris Robinson |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Jim Shannon |  | Democratic Unionist Party
John Taylor |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Cedric Wilson ‡  |  | Northern Ireland Unionist Party
Upper Bann | Mervyn Carrick |  | Democratic Unionist Party
Dara O'Hagan |  | Sinn Féin
Bríd Rodgers |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
George Savage |  | Ulster Unionist Party
David Trimble |  | Ulster Unionist Party
Denis Watson ‡  |  | Democratic Unionist Party
West Tyrone | Joe Byrne |  | Social Democratic and Labour Party
Pat Doherty |  | Sinn Féin
Oliver Gibson |  | Democratic Unionist Party
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

[edit]

### † Co-options

[edit]

Date co-opted  | Constituency  | Party  | Outgoing  | Co-optee  | Reason

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11 December 2000  | Foyle |  | SDLP | John Hume | Annie Courtney | Resignation of John Hume.
22 January 2001  | Strangford |  | UUP | Tom Benson | Tom Hamilton | Death of Tom Benson.
9 September 2002  | East Londonderry |  | SDLP | Arthur Doherty | Michael Coyle | Death of Arthur Doherty.

### ‡ Changes in affiliation

[edit]

Date  | Constituency  | Name  | Previous affiliation  | New affiliation  | Circumstance

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21 September 1998  | Belfast North | Fraser Agnew |  | Ind. Unionist |  | United Unionist Coalition | Fraser Agnew established a new political party to access facilities provided to Assembly parties.
21 September 1998  | East Londonderry | Boyd Douglas |  | Ind. Unionist |  | United Unionist Coalition | Boyd Douglas established a new political party to access facilities provided to Assembly parties.
21 September 1998  | Upper Bann | Denis Watson |  | Ind. Unionist |  | United Unionist Coalition | Denis Watson established a new political party to access facilities provided to Assembly parties.
4 January 1999  | Strangford | Cedric Wilson |  | UK Unionist |  | Ind. Unionist | Cedric Wilson left the UKUP in response to proposals from Robert McCartney to resign their Assembly seats in opposition to Sinn Féin participating in the Executive.
4 January 1999  | South Antrim | Norman Boyd |  | UK Unionist |  | Ind. Unionist | Norman Boyd left the UKUP in response to proposals from Robert McCartney to resign their Assembly seats in opposition to Sinn Féin participating in the Executive.
4 January 1999  | Lagan Valley | Patrick Roche |  | UK Unionist |  | Ind. Unionist | Patrick Roche left the UKUP in response to proposals from Robert McCartney to resign their Assembly seats in opposition to Sinn Féin participating in the Executive.
4 January 1999  | East Antrim | Roger Hutchinson |  | UK Unionist |  | Ind. Unionist | Roger Hutchinson left the UKUP in response to proposals from Robert McCartney to resign their Assembly seats in opposition to Sinn Féin participating in the Executive.
24 March 1999  | Strangford | Cedric Wilson |  | Ind. Unionist |  | NI Unionist | Cedric Wilson established the NIUP having recently left the UKUP.
24 March 1999  | South Antrim | Norman Boyd |  | Ind. Unionist |  | NI Unionist | Norman Boyd established the NIUP having recently left the UKUP.
24 March 1999  | Lagan Valley | Patrick Roche |  | Ind. Unionist |  | NI Unionist | Patrick Roche established the NIUP having recently left the UKUP.
24 March 1999  | East Antrim | Roger Hutchinson |  | Ind. Unionist |  | NI Unionist | Roger Hutchinson established the NIUP having recently left the UKUP.
1 December 1999  | East Antrim | Roger Hutchinson |  | NI Unionist |  | Ind. Unionist | Roger Hutchinson expelled from the NIUP for sitting on Assembly committees against party policy.
5 July 2000  | Upper Bann | Denis Watson |  | United Unionist Coalition |  | DUP | Denis Watson joined the DUP.
2 November 2001  | East Londonderry | Pauline Armitage |  | UUP |  | Ind. Unionist | Pauline Armitage suspended from the UUP for voting against the party whip.
9 November 2001  | North Down | Peter Weir |  | UUP |  | Ind. Unionist | Peter Weir expelled from the UUP for refusing to support the re-nomination of David Trimble as First Minister.
1 April 2002  | East Antrim | Roger Hutchinson |  | Ind. Unionist |  | DUP | Roger Hutchinson joined the DUP.
30 April 2002  | North Down | Peter Weir |  | Ind. Unionist |  | DUP | Peter Weir joined the DUP.
11 November 2002  | North Antrim | Gardiner Kane |  | DUP |  | Ind. Unionist | Gardiner Kane resigned from the DUP.
1 April 2003  | Foyle | Annie Courtney |  | SDLP |  | Ind. Nationalist | Annie Courtney resigned from the SDLP after not being re-selected by the party as a candidate for the 2003 Assembly election.
12 June 2003  | East Londonderry | Pauline Armitage |  | Ind. Unionist |  | UK Unionist | Pauline Armitage resigned her membership of UUP and joined the UKUP.
18 October 2003  | East Antrim | Roger Hutchinson |  | DUP |  | Ind. Unionist | Roger Hutchinson resigned from the DUP to contest the 2003 Assembly election as an independent unionist.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Northern Ireland Elections: Candidates in the 1998 NI Assembly Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
2. ^ a b Northern Ireland Assembly Information Office. "The Northern Ireland Assembly - Chronology (1998–2003)". archive.niassembly.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.

## See also

[edit]

* Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly
* Members of the Northern Ireland Forum
* Northern Ireland MPs

* v
* t
* e

Elected representatives in Northern Ireland

House of Commons of Northern Ireland
1922–1973|

* 1st Parliament (1921–25)
* 2nd Parliament (1925–29)
* 3rd Parliament (1929–33)
* 4th Parliament (1933–38)
* 5th Parliament (1938–45)
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* 7th Parliament (1949–53)
* 8th Parliament (1953–58)
* 9th Parliament (1958–62)
* 10th Parliament (1962–65)
* 11th Parliament (1965–69)
* 12th Parliament (1969–73)
* By-elections
* Women

Senate of Northern Ireland
1922–1973|

* 1st Parliament (1921–25)
* 2nd Parliament (1925–29)
* 3rd Parliament (1929–33)
* 4th Parliament (1933–38)
* 5th Parliament (1938–45)
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* 10th Parliament (1962–65)
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* 12th Parliament (1969–73)
* Women

Assemblies etc pre-1998|

* 1973 Assembly (1973–74)
* Constitutional Convention (1975–76)
* 1982 Assembly (1982–86)
* Forum (1996–98)

Northern Ireland Assembly
since 1998|

* 1st Assembly (1998–03)
* 2nd Assembly (2006–07)
* 3rd Assembly (2007–11)
* 4th Assembly (2011–16)
* 5th Assembly (2016–17)
* 6th Assembly (2017–22)
* 7th Assembly (2022–27)

House of Commons of the United Kingdom
since 1922|

* 1922–23‎
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Northern Ireland Assembly

Assembly|

* Speaker
* Assembly Commission
* Acts
* Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)
* Parliament Buildings
* Commissioner for Standards at the Northern Ireland Assembly
* Clerk of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Committees|

* Executive Office
* Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
* Communities
* Economy
* Education
* Finance
* Health
* Infrastructure
* Justice

Constituencies|

* Belfast East
* Belfast North
* Belfast South
* Belfast West
* East Antrim
* East Londonderry
* Fermanagh and South Tyrone
* Foyle
* Lagan Valley
* Mid Ulster
* Newry and Armagh
* North Antrim
* North Down
* South Antrim
* South Down
* Strangford
* Upper Bann
* West Tyrone

Parties|

Current:

* Alliance
* Democratic Unionist
* People Before Profit
* Sinn Féin
* Social Democratic and Labour
* Traditional Unionist Voice
* Ulster Unionist

Elections|

* 1998
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2016
* 2017
* 2022
* Next

Members|

* 1st Assembly (1998–03)
* 2nd Assembly (2006–07)
* 3rd Assembly (2007–11)
* 4th Assembly (2011–16)
* 5th Assembly (2016–17)
* 6th Assembly (2017–22)
* 7th Assembly (2022)

Procedure|

* Cross-community vote

See also|

* Sunningdale Agreement
* Anglo-Irish Agreement
* Good Friday Agreement
* St Andrews Agreement
* Hillsborough Castle Agreement
* Stormont House Agreement
* New Decade, New Approach
* Northern Ireland Protocol
* Windsor Framework
* Northern Ireland Youth Assembly

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