Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)

Northern Ireland 1973–98
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Northern Ireland
Interim bodies
Northern Ireland Assembly (1973) Northern Ireland Executive (1974) Constitutional Convention (1975) Northern Ireland Assembly (1982) Northern Ireland Forum (1996)
Elections
1973 · 1975 · 1982 · 1996
Members
1973 · 1975 · 1982 · 1996
See also
Anglo-Irish Agreement New Ireland Forum Northern Ireland by-elections, 1986 Northern Ireland sovereignty referendum, 1973
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The Northern Ireland Assembly was a legislative assembly set up by the Government of the United Kingdom on 3 May 1973 to restore devolved government to Northern Ireland with the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive made up of unionists and nationalists.

Elections were held on 28 June 1973. The Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973, which received the Royal Assent on 18 July 1973, abolished the suspended Parliament of Northern Ireland and the post of Governor and made provision for a devolved administration consisting of an Executive chosen by the Assembly. The Assembly met for the first time on 31 July 1973. Following the Sunningdale Agreement, a power-sharing Executive was established from 1 January 1974. After opposition from within the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Ulster Workers' Council strike, the Executive and Assembly collapsed on 28 May 1974 when Brian Faulkner resigned as Chief Executive.

Members of the Northern Ireland Executive (1974)

• Chief Executive: Brian Faulkner (UUP)
• Deputy Chief Executive: Gerry Fitt (SDLP)
• Minister of Finance: Herbert Kirk (UUP)
• Minister of Commerce: John Hume (SDLP)
• Minister of Environment: Roy Bradford (UUP)
• Minister of Health and Social Services: Paddy Devlin (SDLP)
• Minister for Education: Basil McIvor (UUP)
• Minister of Agriculture: Leslie Morrell (UUP)
• Minister of Housing, Local Government and Planning: Austin Currie (SDLP)
• Legal Minister and head of the Office of Law Reform: Oliver Napier (Alliance)
• Minister of Information: John L. Baxter (UUP)

Legislation passed

The Assembly had powers to pass primary legislation known as Assembly Measures. Two such measures were passed by the assembly:

• Financial Provisions Measure (Northern Ireland) 1974
• National Insurance Measure (Northern Ireland) 1974

See also

• Northern Ireland Executive (1974)
• Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 1973
• Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973