The Northern Ireland Assembly:Committee System By Caolán Hamilton and Jonny Matchett

What Is A Committee? A group of MLA’s that are delegated to perform the following functions: Committee’s must: legislate scrutinize represent There is a committee in place for each of the main functions of the N.I administration e.g education, transport or health.

Four Main Types of Committee The Northern Ireland Assembly is Made Up of Four Types of Committee: Statutory Committees Standing Committees Ad Hoc Committees Joint Committees

Standing Committees The Role of Standing Committees: They perform a very different and dedicated role mostly to do with the overall effective running of the Assembly and the Executive. There are currently six permanent Standing Committees. They have the power to call persons and papers. They are permanent Committees. There main role is concerned with the business and operation of the Assembly

Ad Hoc Committees The role of Ad Hoc Committees: These Committees are temporary and are set up to deal with specific, time constrained issues. They have to investigate an issue and report back with concern and solutions. Examples: Proceeds of crime: An investigation into how criminal assets could potentially be seized and put to good use. Flags and Emblems: A report was drawn up into concerns over contentious flags and Murals in Northern Ireland society. As a result communities were encouraged to replace sectarian or paramilitary images with culturally or historically based ones.

Joint Committees The role of Joint Committees: Joint Committees have been set up in certain circumstances to deal with issues which may concern more than one Committee. An example is when the Finance and Trade and Enterprise Committees formed a joint Committee to investigate the relationship between small businesses and banks in Northern Ireland in 2010.

Statutory Committees The role of Statutory committees : There are 12 statutory committees – one for each of the 11 Government Departments and the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. The Committee for Justice was established on 12 April 2010, to scrutinise the work of the new Department of Justice. The roles given to the statutory Committees under the Belfast Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act are deliberately extensive. These Committees have a Legislation role, a Scrutiny role and have Advisory and Consultative roles. These Committees are therefore different to Committees in some other legislatures, as they have wider ranging responsibilities

Strength of Committees Strengths: Committees are locally based and are therefore closest to their constituents whom it will affect. The Assembly has no effective opposition. Committees have worked well together to create effective policies and legislation. The call for persons and papers allow MLA’s the chance to make sure if the policy effective and broad ranging.

Weaknesses of committees Weaknesses: Is it a real opposition, what real powers can they use against the executive? Cross Community disagreements over policy can lead to delay and tension. MLA’s don’t have the time to regularly investigate issues that they would wish. The number of Executive departments has been queried as being too many.

How Are The Committees Chosen? Membership is based on party strength and the key chair and deputy chair positions are chosen through D’Hondt to ensure proportionality. This ensures that they are not drawn from the same party as the minister. Any decisions made are based on simple majority. It is aimed that the Minister and the Committee chairs will be from different parties to ensure fairness and scrutiny. There are 11 members in each.