2nd Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland MLAs 2003 to 2007

2nd Northern Ireland Assembly

| <-| 1st Assembly | 3rd Assembly| ->

|
|
|

Overview
Legislative body| Assembly
Jurisdiction| Northern Ireland
Meeting place| Parliament Buildings,
Stormont
Term| 15 May 2006 – 29 January 2007
Election| 2003 assembly election
Government| Executive of the 2nd Assembly (Direct Rule)
Members| 108
Speaker| Eileen Bell
Sessions
| 1st| 15 May 2006 – 7 July 2006

|

2nd| 11 September 2006 – 3 October 2006
3rd| 24 November 2006 – 29 January 2007

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.

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

* At election, 26 Nov 2003 (Suspended Northern Ireland Assembly)

* 10 Apr to 25 Sep 2006 (Suspended Northern Ireland Assembly and Assembly est. under the Northern Ireland Act 2006),

* 25 Sep 2006 to 15 Jan 2007 (Suspended Northern Ireland Assembly and Transitional Assembly)

* 2 Feb 2007 to end (Suspended Northern Ireland Assembly)

## MLAs by party

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

### † Co-options

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

* Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 1998
* Members of the Northern Ireland Forum elected in 1996
* Northern Ireland MPs
* 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election

## Notes

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.

* 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)
* 6th Parliament (1945–49)
* 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)
* 6th Parliament (1945–49)
* 7th Parliament (1949–53)
* 8th Parliament (1953–58)
* 9th Parliament (1958–62)
* 10th Parliament (1962–65)
* 11th Parliament (1965–69)
* 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
* 1923–24‎
* 1924–29‎
* 1929–31‎
* 1931–35‎
* 1935–45‎
* 1945–50‎
* 1950–51‎
* 1951–55‎
* 1955–59‎
* 1959–64‎
* 1964–66‎
* 1966–70‎
* 1970–74‎
* 1974‎
* 1974–79‎
* 1979–83‎
* 1983–87‎
* 1987–92‎
* 1992–97‎
* 1997–2001‎
* 2001–05‎
* 2005–10
* 2010–15
* 2015–17
* 2017–19
* 2019-24

* v
* t
* e

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

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template