This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Assembly
Acts: Acts Members: 1998 - 2003 - 2007 Elections: 1998 - 2003 - 2007 Presiding Officer
Northern Ireland Executive
First Minister: Ian Paisley Deputy First Minister: Martin McGuinness Departments and agencies
Local Government Courts of Northern Ireland
United Kingdom Parliament
Committees: Affairs - Grand Members: Commons - Lords Elections: 2005
United Kingdom Government
Northern Ireland Office Secretary of State • Direct Rule
British-Irish Council Electoral Commission North/South Ministerial Council
Belfast Agreement (1998) St Andrews Agreement (2006)
Elections in Northern Ireland
Constituencies • Political parties
The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly is the presiding officer of the Northern Ireland Assembly, elected on a cross-community vote by the Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Three Deputy Speakers are elected to help fulfil the role. The Office of the Speaker is in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast.
The Speaker is also the Chairman of the Assembly Commission, the body corporate of the Assembly, and the Chairman of the Assembly Business Committee.
Upon election the Speaker must relinquish all party political affiliations.
The first person to hold the position was Lord Alderdice, appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in 1998. Initially, he was referred to as the Initial Presiding Officer, becoming known as the Speaker upon devolution in December 1999. He left office in 2004.
Eileen Bell held the office of Speaker in the Assembly established under the Northern Ireland Act 2006 which met between May and October 2006 and in the Transitional Assembly established under the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 which met between November 2006 and May 2007. Under the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 she was appointed Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly on 8 May 2007.
One of the first items of business for the Northern Ireland Assembly on 8 May 2007 was to elect a new Speaker from the MLAs elected in March 2007. The only nominee was William Hay, DUP MLA for Foyle and he was elected unopposed.

Deputy Speakers

Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales
Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
Speaker of the British House of Commons