List of members of the 6th Northern Ireland Assembly

This is a list of the 90 members of the sixth Northern Ireland Assembly, the unicameral devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. The election took place on 2 March 2017, with counting finishing the following day; voter turnout was estimated at 64.8%.[1]

6th Northern Ireland Assembly
←5th Assembly
Overview
Legislative bodyAssembly
JurisdictionNorthern Ireland
Meeting placeParliament Buildings,
Stormont
Election2017 assembly election
GovernmentExecutive of the 6th Assembly
Members90
SpeakerAlex Maskey
First MinisterArlene Foster
deputy First MinisterMichelle O'Neill

Only five (rather than six) MLAs were elected from each of the 18 constituencies, following the Assembly Members (Reduction of Numbers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.[2] The reduction negatively affected Unionist candidates whose bloc lost its majority for the first time in the history of the Assembly. The SDLP was also negatively impacted, losing its only West Belfast seat.[3]

Incumbent Speaker Robin Newton informally convened the Assembly on 22 March to pay tribute to the former deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, who died the day before.[4]

However, with the DUP and Sinn Féin unable to agree to form their mandatory coalition government, the Assembly did not formally convene. On 27 April, talks were paused until after a snap general election on 8 June, with a deadline of 29 June 2017 for the parties to reach agreement,[5] but this deadline was repeatedly extended over the next three years. The DUP, Sinn Féin and other parties finally agreed terms on 10 January 2020.[6]

Party strengths
PartyDesignationElected Current
Democratic Unionist PartyUnionist28 27
Sinn FéinNationalist27 27
Social Democratic and Labour PartyNationalist12 12
Ulster Unionist PartyUnionist10 10
Alliance Party of Northern IrelandOther8 7
Green Party in Northern IrelandOther2 2
Traditional Unionist VoiceUnionist1 1
People Before Profit AllianceOther1 1
IndependentOther0 1
Independent UnionistUnionist1 2
Totals by DesignationUnionist40 40
Nationalist39 39
Other11 11
Total[1]90 90

Graphical representation
  • As elected, 2 March 2017
  • 9 May 2018
  • Current composition, from 10 January 2019
  • Current composition following the election of the Speaker from Sinn Féin, 11 January 2020


Parties arranged roughly on the nationalist-unionist spectrum

MLAs by party
Party Name Constituency
Democratic Unionist Party (27) Maurice Bradley East Londonderry
Paula Bradley Belfast North
Keith Buchanan Mid Ulster
Thomas Buchanan West Tyrone
Jonathan BuckleyUpper Bann
Joanne BuntingBelfast East
Pam CameronSouth Antrim
Trevor Clarke †South Antrim
Gordon DunneNorth Down
Alex EastonNorth Down
Arlene FosterFermanagh and South Tyrone
Paul FrewNorth Antrim
Paul GivanLagan Valley
Harry Harvey †Strangford
David HilditchEast Antrim
William HumphreyBelfast North
William IrwinNewry and Armagh
Diane Dodds †Upper Bann
Gordon LyonsEast Antrim
Michelle McIlveenStrangford
Gary MiddletonFoyle
Robin NewtonBelfast East
Edwin PootsLagan Valley
George RobinsonEast Londonderry
Christopher StalfordBelfast South
Mervyn StoreyNorth Antrim
Peter WeirStrangford
Sinn Féin (27) Caoimhe Archibald East Londonderry
Cathal BoylanNewry and Armagh
Linda DillonMid Ulster
Jemma DolanFermanagh and South Tyrone
Sinéad EnnisSouth Down
Órlaithí FlynnBelfast West
Colm Gildernew †Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Deirdre Hargey †Belfast South
Declan KearneySouth Antrim
Catherine Kelly †West Tyrone
Gerry KellyBelfast North
Liz Kimmins †Newry and Armagh
Seán LynchFermanagh & South Tyrone
Alex MaskeyBelfast West
Declan McAleerWest Tyrone
Martina Anderson †Foyle
Fra McCannBelfast West
Philip McGuiganNorth Antrim
Maolíosa McHugh †West Tyrone
Emma Rogan †South Down
Emma Sheerin †Mid Ulster
Karen Mullan †Foyle
Conor MurphyNewry and Armagh
Carál Ní ChuilínBelfast North
John O'DowdUpper Bann
Michelle O'NeillMid Ulster
Pat SheehanBelfast West
Social Democratic and Labour Party (12) Sinéad Bradley South Down
Pat CatneyLagan Valley
Cara Hunter †East Londonderry
Mark H. DurkanFoyle
Dolores KellyUpper Bann
Nichola MallonBelfast North
Daniel McCrossanWest Tyrone
Patsy McGloneMid-Ulster
Colin McGrathSouth Down
Sinead McLaughlin †Foyle
Justin McNultyNewry and Armagh
Matthew O'Toole †Belfast South
Ulster Unionist Party (10) Steve Aiken South Antrim
Andy AllenBelfast East
Rosemary BartonFermanagh and South Tyrone
Doug BeattieUpper Bann
Roy Beggs, Jr.East Antrim
Robbie ButlerLagan Valley
Alan ChambersNorth Down
Mike NesbittStrangford
John StewartEast Antrim
Robin SwannNorth Antrim
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (7) Kellie Armstrong Strangford
Paula BradshawBelfast South
Stewart DicksonEast Antrim
John Blair †South Antrim
Naomi Long ††Belfast East
Chris LyttleBelfast East
Andrew Muir †North Down
Green Party in Northern Ireland (2) Clare Bailey Belfast South
Rachel Woods † North Down
People Before Profit Alliance (1) Gerry Carroll Belfast West
Traditional Unionist Voice (1) Jim Allister North Antrim
Independent Unionist (2) Claire Sugden East Londonderry
Jim Wells ‡South Down
Independent (1) Trevor Lunn ‡Lagan Valley

† Co-opted to replace an elected MLA

‡ Changed affiliation during the term

MLAs by constituency
Constituency Name Party
Belfast East
 Andy AllenUlster Unionist Party
Joanne BuntingDemocratic Unionist Party
Naomi Long ††Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Chris LyttleAlliance Party of Northern Ireland
Robin NewtonDemocratic Unionist Party
Belfast North
 Paula BradleyDemocratic Unionist Party
William HumphreyDemocratic Unionist Party
Gerry KellySinn Féin
Nichola MallonSocial Democratic and Labour Party
Carál Ní ChuilínSinn Féin
Belfast South
 Clare BaileyGreen Party in Northern Ireland
Paula BradshawAlliance Party of Northern Ireland
Deirdre Hargey †Sinn Féin
Matthew O'Toole †Social Democratic and Labour Party
Christopher StalfordDemocratic Unionist Party
Belfast West
 Gerry CarrollPeople Before Profit Alliance
Órlaithí FlynnSinn Féin
Alex MaskeySinn Féin
Fra McCannSinn Féin
Pat SheehanSinn Féin
East Antrim
 Roy Beggs, Jr.Ulster Unionist Party
Stewart DicksonAlliance Party of Northern Ireland
David HilditchDemocratic Unionist Party
Gordon LyonsDemocratic Unionist Party
John StewartUlster Unionist Party
East Londonderry
 Caoimhe ArchibaldSinn Féin
Maurice BradleyDemocratic Unionist Party
Cara Hunter †Social Democratic and Labour Party
George RobinsonDemocratic Unionist Party
Claire SugdenIndependent Unionist
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
 Rosemary BartonUlster Unionist Party
Jemma DolanSinn Féin
Arlene FosterDemocratic Unionist Party
Colm Gildernew †Sinn Féin
Seán LynchSinn Féin
Foyle
 Mark H. DurkanSocial Democratic and Labour Party
Raymond McCartneySinn Féin
Sinead McLaughlin †Social Democratic and Labour Party
Gary MiddletonDemocratic Unionist Party
Karen Mullan †Sinn Féin
Lagan Valley
 Robbie ButlerUlster Unionist Party
Pat CatneySocial Democratic and Labour Party
Paul GivanDemocratic Unionist Party
Trevor Lunn ‡Independent
Edwin PootsDemocratic Unionist Party
Mid Ulster
 Keith BuchananDemocratic Unionist Party
Linda DillonSinn Féin
Michelle O'NeillSinn Féin
Patsy McGloneSocial Democratic and Labour Party
Emma Sheerin †Sinn Féin
Newry and Armagh
 Cathal BoylanSinn Féin
Liz Kimmins †Sinn Féin
William IrwinDemocratic Unionist Party
Justin McNultySocial Democratic and Labour Party
Conor MurphySinn Féin
North Antrim
 Jim AllisterTraditional Unionist Voice
Paul FrewDemocratic Unionist Party
Philip McGuiganSinn Féin
Mervyn StoreyDemocratic Unionist Party
Robin SwannUlster Unionist Party
North Down
 Steven AgnewGreen Party in Northern Ireland
Alan ChambersUlster Unionist Party
Gordon DunneDemocratic Unionist Party
Alex EastonDemocratic Unionist Party
Andrew Muir †Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
South Antrim
 Steve AikenUlster Unionist Party
John Blair †Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Pam CameronDemocratic Unionist Party
Trevor Clarke †Democratic Unionist Party
Declan KearneySinn Féin
South Down
 Sinéad BradleySocial Democratic and Labour Party
Sinéad EnnisSinn Féin
Emma Rogan †Sinn Féin
Colin McGrathSocial Democratic and Labour Party
Jim Wells ‡Independent Unionist
Strangford
 Kellie ArmstrongAlliance Party of Northern Ireland
Harry Harvey †Democratic Unionist Party
Michelle McIlveenDemocratic Unionist Party
Mike NesbittUlster Unionist Party
Peter WeirDemocratic Unionist Party
Upper Bann
 Doug BeattieUlster Unionist Party
Jonathan BuckleyDemocratic Unionist Party
Dolores KellySocial Democratic and Labour Party
Diane Dodds †Democratic Unionist Party
John O'DowdSinn Féin
West Tyrone
 Thomas BuchananDemocratic Unionist Party
Catherine Kelly †Sinn Féin
Declan McAleerSinn Féin
Daniel McCrossanSocial Democratic and Labour Party
Maolíosa McHugh †Sinn Féin

† Co-opted to replace an elected MLA ‡ Changed affiliation during the term

Changes since the election
Date Constituency Loss Gain Note
9 June 2017 West Tyrone Sinn Féin   Barry McElduff elected as Member of Parliament for West Tyrone in the 2017 general election.[7]
9 June 2017 Foyle Sinn Féin   Elisha McCallion elected as Member of Parliament for Foyle in the 2017 general election.[7]
9 June 2017 Fermanagh and South Tyrone Sinn Féin   Michelle Gildernew elected as Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in the 2017 general election.[7]
9 June 2017 South Down Sinn Féin   Chris Hazzard elected as Member of Parliament for South Down in the 2017 general election.[7]
9 June 2017 South Antrim DUP   Paul Girvan elected as Member of Parliament for South Antrim in the 2017 general election.[8]
20 June 2017 West Tyrone   Sinn Féin Catherine Kelly co-opted by Sinn Féin to replace Barry McElduff.[7]
20 June 2017 Foyle   Sinn Féin Karen Mullan co-opted by Sinn Féin to replace Elisha McCallion.[7]
20 June 2017 Fermanagh and South Tyrone   Sinn Féin Colm Gildernew co-opted by Sinn Féin to replace Michelle Gildernew.[7]
20 June 2017 South Down   Sinn Féin Emma Rogan co-opted by Sinn Féin to replace Chris Hazzard.[7]
28 June 2017 South Antrim   DUP Trevor Clarke co-opted by the Democratic Unionist Party to replace Paul Girvan.[8]
9 May 2018 South Down DUP Independent Unionist DUP whip withdrawn from Jim Wells.[9]
25 June 2018 South Antrim Alliance   David Ford resigns.[10]
27 June 2018 South Antrim   Alliance John Blair co-opted by Alliance to replace David Ford.[11]
1 December 2018 Mid Ulster Sinn Féin   Ian Milne resigns to be co-opted to Mid Ulster Council.[12]
4 December 2018 Mid Ulster   Sinn Féin Emma Sheerin co-opted to replace Ian Milne.[13]
2 May 2019 West Tyrone Sinn Féin   Michaela Boyle elected as a Councillor for Derry and Strabane District Council in the 2019 Northern Ireland local elections
28 May 2019 West Tyrone   Sinn Féin Maolíosa McHugh co-opted to replace Michaela Boyle
1 July 2019 Belfast East Alliance   Naomi Long elected as Member of the European Parliament for Northern Ireland in the 2019 European Parliament Election
1 July 2019 Belfast East   Alliance Máire Hendron co-opted by Alliance to replace Naomi Long.
2 September 2019 Strangford DUP   Simon Hamilton resigns
12 September 2019 Strangford   DUP Harry Harvey co-opted to replace Simon Hamilton
30 September 2019 North Down Green (NI)   Steven Agnew resigns
7 October 2019 North Down   Green (NI) Rachel Woods co-opted to replace Steven Agnew
12 December 2019 Upper Bann DUP   Carla Lockhart elected as Member of Parliament for the Upper Bann constituency in the 2019 general election.
12 December 2019 Foyle SDLP   Colum Eastwood elected as Member of Parliament for the Foyle constituency in the 2019 general election.
12 December 2019 Belfast South SDLP   Claire Hanna elected as Member of Parliament for the Belfast South constituency in the 2019 general election.
16 December 2019 North Down Alliance   Stephen Farry elected as Member of Parliament for North Down in the 2019 general election.
16 December 2019 North Down   Alliance Andrew Muir co-opted by Alliance to replace Stephen Farry.
6 January 2020 Newry and Armagh Sinn Féin   Megan Fearon resigns.
6 January 2020 Belfast South Sinn Féin   Máirtín Ó Muilleoir resigns.
8 January 2020 Belfast East Alliance   Máire Hendron resigns.
9 January 2020 Belfast East   Alliance Naomi Long co-opted by Alliance to replace Máire Hendron.
9 January 2020 Upper Bann   DUP Diane Dodds co-opted by DUP to replace Carla Lockhart.
9 January 2020 Newry and Armagh   Sinn Féin Liz Kimmins co-opted by Sinn Féin to replace Megan Fearon.
9 January 2020 Belfast South   Sinn Féin Deirdre Hargey co-opted by Sinn Féin to replace Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.
10 January 2020 Foyle   SDLP Sinead McLaughlin co-opted by SDLP to replace Colum Eastwood.
11 January 2020 Belfast South   SDLP Matthew O'Toole co-opted by SDLP to replace Claire Hanna.
3 February 2020 Foyle Sinn Féin   Raymond McCartney resigns.[14]
10 February 2020 Foyle   Sinn Féin Martina Anderson co-opted by Sinn Féin to replace Raymond McCartney.[15]
2 March 2020 Lagan Valley Alliance Independent Trevor Lunn resigns the Alliance whip due to "internal difficulties".[16]
5 May 2020 East Londonderry SDLP   Death of John Dallat.
18 May 2020 East Londonderry   SDLP Cara Hunter co-opted to replace John Dallat following his death. [17]

References
  1. "Northern Ireland Assembly election 2017 results". BBC News. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  2. "Assembly Members (Reduction of Numbers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  3. McClafferty, Enda. "Assembly election 'a brutal result for unionism'". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  4. "Tributes to mark the passing of former deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness". YouTube. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  5. "Stormont talks paused until after General Election". ITV News. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  6. "Parties return to Stormont after striking deal". 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  7. "New MLAs". The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  8. "New MLA - South Antrim Constituency". The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  9. "DUP's Wells has the whip withdrawn after attack on leadership". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  10. McCormack, Jayne (25 June 2018). "David Ford stepping down from Stormont". BBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  11. McCormack, Jayne (27 June 2018). "First openly gay MLA takes Stormont seat". BBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  12. "CMIS > Councillors". mid-ulster.cmis-ni.org. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  13. "Sinn Féin co-opt Emma Sheerin in Mid Ulster". The Irish News. 24 November 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  14. MLA Details: Mr Raymond McCartney, niassembly.gov.uk; accessed 13 February 2020
  15. "MLA Details: Ms Martina Anderson". Aims.niassembly.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  16. "Trevor Lunn resigns from Alliance Party". Belfast Telegraph. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  17. "East Londonderry: Hunter replaces John Dallat as MLA". BBC News. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
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