Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 30 May 2022

Forward Look                                

  • The Assembly will be recalled on Monday at noon, business will include the election of an Assembly Speaker and deputy Speaker and the appointment of a First and deputy First Minister.

  • The US Congressional delegation met with NI’s political parties to discuss post-Brexit trading arrangements.

  • The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will have its Second Reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday 8 June.

  • The Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill was introduced to the House of Lords on Wednesday and is scheduled to have its Second Reading early next month.

  • Health Minister Robin Swann MLA has written to all political parties asking for them to nominate a representative to be briefed on health issues to allow the formation a shadow Health Committee.

  • Northern Ireland’s 2021 Census found that the population has increased by 5% over the past 10 years, rising to 1.903 million people. Equality statistics from the Census will be published in the Autumn.

  • Sinn Féin Councillor Sandra Duffy is expected to be nominated as the new Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, at the Council’s AGM on 6 June.

  • University of Liverpool and Queen’s University Belfast’s report on Public Attitudes to Institutional Reform in Northern Ireland will be launched at Queen’s on Thursday 9 June.

  • Belfast City Council’s AGM is set to take place on 1 June, where the new Lord Mayor will be announced.

  • 30% of respondents in the NI Life & Times Survey said Irish unity was the best long-term policy following Brexit, a rise of 4% from 2020.

  • Foreign Secretary Liz Truss MP said the British Government would prefer a negotiated outcome with the EU over NI Protocol issues.

  • The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill passed its Second Reading in the House of Commons by a majority of 77.

  • Sustainable NI told the NI Affairs Committee that political instability and the lack of an Executive is putting inward investment in Northern Ireland at risk.

 Other Stories this week

  • Cllr Jill Macauley was appointed Chairwoman of the UUP following Danny Kennedy’s decision to step down.

  • The Department of Health allocated £46 million to tackle hospital waiting lists from April to September this year.

  • FinTru and Women in Business announced a three-year partnership to support female opportunities in the local tech industry.

  • Ulster University will host the European Association for Sport Management Conference in September 2023.

  • Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP announced a £400 payment for NI’s most vulnerable households amid the cost of living crisis.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 16 June, NI Chamber’s In Camera with the Department for Infrastructure, The Merchant Hotel, Belfast

  • 17 June, North West Business Awards, City Hotel Derry

  • 21 June, House of Commons rises for Summer Recess

  • 24 June, NI Chamber’s Annual Lunch

  • 30 June, Irish News Workplace and Employment Awards, Titanic Belfast

  • 29 – 30 September, Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference

  • 21 October, Belfast Chamber Business Awards, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast

  • 4 – 5 November, Sinn Féin Ard Fheis

Consultations

Huge increase in demand for rehabilitation in the last six months, RCOT survey finds

A survey by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has found that its members have seen an 82% increase in demand for occupational therapy-led rehabilitation services in the UK over the last six months alone.

As the UK begins to ‘live with COVID’, already overstretched, rehabilitation services have seen demand rocket over the past two years due to the COVID pandemic and are now seeing a further rapid increase in patients. Northern Ireland’s Long Covid clinics launched in November 2021, with 439 people, aged 16 and over, being referred in the first month.

The findings raise questions about the prospects of providing timely rehabilitation, for people recovering from short and long term illnesses, and need urgent support to live independently and carry out their daily lives. The increase in demand for rehabilitation services places additional pressure on waiting lists in Northern Ireland, the worst in the UK.

The survey, which over 550 occupational therapists working across the UK took part in, found that:

  • 84% are supporting people whose needs have become more complex due to delayed interventions arising from the pandemic.

  • 82% of respondents noted increased demand for occupational therapy-led rehabilitation over the previous six months.

  • 71% of respondents felt there were not enough occupational therapists to meet demand.

  • 66% of respondents reported difficulties in delivering rehabilitation services due to reduced access to facilities, suitable space and equipment.

  • 50% are supporting people affected by Long Covid.

Commenting on the survey, RCOT Director of Practice and Innovation, Karin Orman said:

“It’s clear from this survey that rehabilitation services across the UK are overloaded, with the vast majority of occupational therapists seeing a huge increase in demand and complexity of their caseload over the last six months alone. This simply isn’t sustainable and there isn’t a big enough workforce to currently meet demand.”

“Health and social care leaders need to invest more in rehabilitation services in Northern Ireland and drive the recruitment of more occupational therapists as a matter of urgency. Not in a few years but now. As leaders of rehabilitation services, occupational therapists are a vital part of the solution to getting through the backlog of people needing intervention. The maths is simple – the quicker people have access to rehabilitation services, the better their chances at getting back to doing the things they need and love to do.”

Layla Moran MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, said:

“These new findings clearly show that the long-term impacts of the virus, including Long Covid, are exacerbating many of the challenges that occupational therapists are facing both in the NHS and beyond.”

“Healthcare professionals are bearing the brunt of UK Government inaction and as long as Ministers bury their heads in the sand and refuse to address the growing Long Covid crisis, our economy and essential services will be under even greater strain. They must commit more money for research and funding, and recognise the condition as an occupational disease.”

Brown O'Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 23 May 2022

Forward Look                                

  • Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD will hold talks with party leaders today on the restoration of the Assembly.

  • The first statistics from the 2021 Census, including population figures, will be published on Tuesday.

  • Foreign Secretary Liz Truss MP is expected to meet European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič next week to discuss the UK Government’s proposed Protocol amendments.

  • DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP has said his party will not permit the nomination of a Speaker until “new and revised” GB-NI trading arrangements are in place.

  • The NI Fiscal Commission’s final report on Fiscal Devolution in Northern Ireland has stated that income tax powers could be devolved to the Executive by 2027, depending on political stability.

  • Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD has said that direct rule “cannot be accepted as an alternative” to a functioning NI Assembly and Executive.

  • Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis MP has undertaken new powers to speed up the commissioning of abortion services.

  • The Second Reading of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill will take place on Tuesday.

  • Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond has called on the Irish Government to establish an all-party Oireachtas committee on Irish unity.

  • A Belfast City Council Committee has called for people living in Northern Ireland to be given a vote in European parliamentary elections.

  • The final report by Sue Gray into Downing Street lockdown parties is expected next week following the conclusion of the Met Police investigation.

  • EU figures predict that Ireland will grow by 4.4% next year, making it the fastest growing economy in the bloc.

  • The Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies 2021 will be published on Tuesday.

Other Stories this week

  • Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd was appointed interim Infrastructure Minister.

  • Prime Minister Boris Johnson MP met with leaders of the five main parties in Hillsborough.

  • Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University announced investments in digital technologies totalling £108 million.

  • Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer MP addressed local business leaders at a Trade NI event held in Westminster.

  • UK inflation reached a 40-year-high at 9.1%.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 24 May, Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies 2021

  • 26 May, Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast

  • 17 June, North West Business Awards, City Hotel Derry

  • 21 June, House of Commons rises for Summer Recess

  • 24 June, NI Chamber’s Annual Lunch

  • 30 June, Irish News Workplace and Employment Awards, Titanic Belfast

  • 29 – 30 September, Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference

  • 21 October, Belfast Chamber Business Awards, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast

  • 4 – 5 November, Sinn Féin Ard Fheis

Consultations

What can you do if your child has been refused admission to their preferred secondary school, or been unplaced?

Emily Paisley, Associate — Dispute Resolution and Litigation, Eversheds Sutherland

As appeared in the Belfast Telegraph on 18.05.22

As pupils look towards the summer holidays and the school year begins to wind down in May, parents of Primary 7 pupils will be eagerly awaiting the letters which tell them which ‘big schools’ their children will be attending in September. The process has come into sharper focus in recent years, however, especially during the pandemic.

2021 saw a significant increase in the number of school admission appeals appeals brought in Northern Ireland. Then-Education Minister Michelle McIlveen reported that, in June 2021, 280 children in Northern Ireland did not have a secondary school place, having failed to secure a place in any of the schools they had applied for. Minister McIlveen expressed concern at the number of instances in which schools had incorrectly applied their admissions criteria, and over 120 appeals were upheld, resulting in that child obtaining a place in their preferred secondary school.

While it is deeply disappointing for both the pupil and their families if a child is refused a place at their school of choice, there are three options available if you are challenging a school’s decision: the School Admissions Appeal Tribunal; the Exceptional Circumstances Body; or a judicial review of the school’s criteria.

The first option means an appeal can be made to challenge the Board of Governors’ decision not to admit a child to their school. However, the Tribunal’s powers are limited under Article 15 (5) of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997. The Tribunal must ask themselves two key questions: 1) Were the school’s admissions criteria applied, or applied correctly; and 2) If they had been applied correctly, would the child have been granted entry into the school?

If the Tribunal holds that the criteria were not applied correctly, and if they had been applied correctly the child would have been granted entry into the school, the school must make a place for that child in the school. However, the Tribunal might find that even if the criteria had been applied correctly, the child would have been refused admission, and if this is the case, the appeal would be dismissed.

The second option, the Exceptional Circumstances Body, is a separate entity whose powers are governed by the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations (NI) 2010, and who consider applications that a child must attend a particular school.

The ECB applies a three-stage test:

  • Are the circumstances claimed exceptional?

  • Are the circumstances claimed personal to the child? And

  • Do the circumstances claimed require the child’s admission to the school, and only that school?

The ECB cannot consider circumstances which relate wholly or mainly to the kind of education provided at that school i.e. grammar versus comprehensive; circumstances related to a child’s academic ability; or circumstances related to the availability of transport to that school.

Finally, you can also launch a judicial review of the school’s criteria. However, this is a much more complex (and costly) process and legal advice should be sought as to the merits of any such application.

Eversheds Sutherland have dealt successfully with a number of appeals. Should you require any advice or assistance please contact us on 028 9526 2000 or email emilypaisley@eversheds-sutherland.ie.

Young athletes awarded over £70k in Better Bursaries and Cash Awards

Ulster Tennis Player Reese McCann, Ireland Basketball Player Darragh Ferguson, Regional Business Manager at GLL Jonathan Michael, Olympic Boxer Aidan Walsh and Hannah McGugan, Ulster & Irish Squash Player.

Some 125 gifted young athletes from Belfast have been presented with sporting bursaries worth over £70,000 by social enterprise GLL at an awards gala in Belfast City Hall.

Athletes including Belfast boxer and bronze Olympic medalist Aidan Walsh, Bangor Paralympian Eve Walsh Dann and Team GB Trap Shooter Kirsty Hegarty (nee Barr) were presented with financial grants and training memberships by Lady Mary Peters on Monday evening.

The GLL Sports Foundation (GSF) is the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK and awards gifted young athletes, many of whom rely on these bursaries alone to compete at national and international levels.

Local recipients this year include 125 individuals currently competing at Olympic, Paralympic, Special Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth level, 84% of whom receive no other central funding towards their sporting journey.

Awarded in partnership with the Mary Peters Trust, athletes supported by GSF this year received financial grants of up to £1,000 alongside training support and access to GLL facilities across the UK. Some 61% of recipients are aged under 21 while 15% are aged under 16.

The GSF is delivered in Belfast by GLL, the social enterprise which runs the 15 ‘Better’ leisure centres across the city. Since launching in Belfast in 2015, GSF has provided over 773 awards worth over £450,000 to local sporting stars. Previous GSF supported athletes include Paralympian Michael McKillop, Irish Olympic Marathon Runner and winner of the 40th Belfast City Marathon 2022 Paul Pollock, and Irish Hockey International Shirley McCay.

GSF supported Boxer and Olympic bronze medalist Aidan Walsh said:

“As an Olympic Boxer from Belfast I am proud to be among this group of amazing young athletes honoured by the GLL Sports Foundation Awards 2022. Belfast is well known for producing athletes across many disciplines, and support like this is really important to make sure talented young people are given the chance to break through. Local kids that aren’t as supported financially find it hard paying memberships for local gyms, so when GLL step up to give them access it is fantastic.”

“This is something I’ve used to my benefit, and I take great pride in returning to use these facilities and celebrate the community I come from. Some of the best athletes in the world use GLL gyms in Belfast and across the UK as it is up there with the rest in terms of equipment and facilities. To have this on my doorstep is fantastic and I know it will support many more young athletes to put Belfast on the map.”

Regional Business Manager at GLL Jonathan Michael said:

“Each and every one of the 125 athletes honoured in this year’s awards have shown an unbelievable level of talent, commitment and sacrifice as they compete at elite level. As a social enterprise, we are thrilled to support greater numbers of athletes in this way each year and in a growing number of sports than ever before.”

“The GLL Sports Foundation is going from strength to strength in line with the advancement of local sporting talent. It is our pleasure to present 125 awards to worthy recipients this week and I would like to thank our partners Belfast City Council and the Mary Peters Trust for supporting us to do so. We are thrilled to have been in a room of 125 incredible athletes this week and know they will each go on to achieve great success for their city.”

Three appointments as expansion continues at Belfast accountancy and advisory firm Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

New Practice Manager at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Rachel Mills, Payroll Administrator Marta Howako and Assistant Auditor Sanjida Chowdhury

Belfast accountancy and advisory firm Baker Tilly Mooney Moore has made three new appointments across the practice amid a period of sustained growth and development.

The firm, which specialises in Audit & Assurance, Business Services, Consulting, Taxation and Restructuring & Insolvency has appointed a Practice Manager, a Payroll specialist and an Auditor.

Rachel Mills becomes Practice Manager and will oversee the daily operational running of the firm. She joins with over 20 years’ experience in a mid-tier firm. 

Sanjida Chowdhury joins the Audit Department as Assistant Auditor, with experience as a Finance Officer in a charitable organisation and as an Auditor in a ‘Big 4’ practice.

In Business Services, Marta Howako has been appointed Payroll Administrator. She brings specialist payroll experience from working with a well-known recruitment firm to the Business Services team.

Baker Tilly Mooney Moore offers full bookkeeping and accountancy services to clients in the public, private and third sectors. The appointments build on recent growth within the firm, including the promotion of Michael Branniff as Business Services Partner in January and appointment of Eimear Brown as Head of Audit in August 2021.

Joining the team, new Practice Manager at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Rachel Mills said:

“It is fantastic to have joined the team at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore. This is a fast-paced role in a busy work environment, and I am thrilled to have come on board during a period of growth and expansion. A dynamic practice that works with a varied range of clients, I am looking forward to my future here and know that now was the right time to join such a highly regarded firm.”

Audit & Assurance Partner Joanne Small said:

“It is our pleasure to welcome three new professionals to the team at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore. As demand for our services continues to grow, we are thrilled to bring experienced professionals that will help us continue to deliver for clients on board, and we know that Rachel, Sanjida and Marta will all be valuable additions. We look forward to supporting them to grow their careers here at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore.”

Brown O'Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 16 May 2021

Forward Look                                

  •  The 7th Northern Ireland Assembly will formally meet for the first time today to allow MLAs to sign in and elect a speaker. Proceedings will begin at noon.

  • The DUP have confirmed that today they will not support the election of a new Assembly speaker.

  • The SDLP is to form a “constructive opposition” and have until 23:59 tonight to nominate a replacement Infrastructure Minister. The party has stated that it will not do so. Therefore, through the d’Hondt process, Sinn Féin will be invited to nominate a replacement.

  • The State Opening of Parliament occurred on Tuesday which outlined the Government’s intention to introduce The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill and an Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill. A full breakdown of proposed Bills can be viewed here: LINK

  • It is expected that the Government will unilaterally act to legislate to override aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol next week. It comes after Foreign Secretary Liz Truss MP formally rejected the EU’s proposals.

  • The Irish Times has reported that the US Administration is on the verge of appointing a Special Envoy to Northern Ireland to help overcome the current political stalemate.

  • The Northern Ireland Civil Service is to recruit for its first Chief Scientific and Technology Officer from today.

  • Alliance Councillor Michael Long has replaced Kate Nicholl as the Lord Mayor of Belfast after her election to the Assembly. Cllr Long’s tenure will last for three weeks ending on 30 May. 

  • The Department of Health has extended the consultation deadline on Minimum Unit Pricing. The new deadline is 27 May. The consultation can be viewed here: LINK

  • Belfast City Council is seeking views on its proposals to redevelop Cathedral Gardens. The deadline is 23 May. The consultation can be viewed here: LINK

  • Health Minister Robin Swann has extended the public consultation on Reform of Adult Social Care to 1 July. The consultation can be viewed here: LINK

  • The Department of Health is to hold virtual consultation events on the future of Urgent and Emergency care. Virtual events are to begin next week.

  • Southern Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn is to resign his post on 31 May to join EY as a consultant.

  • Former Secretary of State Julian Smith MP will speak at the Women in Business Chair’s Lunch on 15 June at the Culloden Estate and Spa.

Other Stories this week

  • Former DUP MLA and MP Emma Little Pengelly was appointed as DUP MLA for Lagan Valley replacing Party Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP.

  • Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns MP has been appointed as the Prime Minister’s Representative to the US on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

  • In a letter to the Public Accounts Committee, new Belfast City Council Chief Executive, John Walsh has demanded further planning powers from Stormont.

  • M&S announced that it has seen a reduction in the shelf life of its products in Northern Ireland due to the requirements of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

  • Official figures from the Office of National Statistics have suggested that the UK may plunge into a recession.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 24 May, Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies 2021

  • 26 May, Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast

  • 17 June, North West Business Awards, City Hotel Derry

  • 21 June, House of Commons rises for Summer Recess

  • 24 June, NI Chamber’s Annual Lunch

  • 30 June, Irish News Workplace and Employment Awards, Titanic Belfast

  • 29 – 30 September, Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference

  • 21 October, Belfast Chamber Business Awards, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast

  • 4 – 5 November, Sinn Féin Ard Fheis

Consultations

Allstate NI unveils new office spaces and hybrid working policy amid recruitment drive for 100 technologists

Vice President and Managing Director of Allstate NI, John Healy

Northern Ireland’s largest IT employer, Allstate NI, has unveiled its approach to post-pandemic working, including a hybrid working policy and redesigned office spaces amid an ongoing recruitment drive for 100 positions.

The company, which announced in February that it will bring forward 100 new positions in 2022, is seeking applicants for roles right across the business, including in software development, cybersecurity, product management, data science, analytics, and full stack development. It will host a recruitment event on Thursday 12 May that can be attended both in person and online.

Named ‘Workplace of the Year’ at the Digital DNA Awards 2022, Allstate NI has designated all employees as hybrid and made flexible hours available to everyone, allowing staff to work remotely or in the office at any time to find a balance that suits their work and personal life.

With 95% of staff voicing a desire for more flexibility, most have opted not to take on a set schedule, instead working with their line manager to find a pattern that suits their lifestyle and the needs of the business.

The technology giant, which opened its state-of-the-art Belfast office in 2018, has invested in office redesigns across all locations to create collaborative working areas with social spaces and gaming stations built in.

Employees can book a desk at any of the three sites in Belfast, L’Derry and Strabane. All staff can also request a flexible working pattern such as part-time hours, condensed hours or staggered hours from day one of their employment.

The recruitment drive comes after Allstate NI was named Workplace of the Year by Digital DNA, an award that recognises technology companies which put employees at the core of all policies and strategies. 

Further information on current vacancies at Allstate NI is available here. Registration for the recruitment day can be found here.

Vice President and Managing Director of Allstate NI John Healy said:

“Productivity can be achieved anywhere, and greater flexibility in how, when and where we work is an important principle. We are empowering every employee to design a working pattern that suits their needs and the requirements of their team while promoting a healthy work-life balance.”

“With 100 roles currently on offer, we are thrilled to have opened new modern and dynamic workspaces that will foster more collaboration, innovation and socialisation when employees are in the office. This is an exciting time for Allstate NI, and we hope to see many more individuals join us in this new phase.”

Trainee Management Scheme for leisure industry launches in Belfast

The award-winning Graduate Trainee Management Scheme run by GLL, the social enterprise which operates the network of ‘Better’ leisure centres, has launched in Belfast. 

Following a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the fast-track scheme has returned to recruit and train the city’s senior leisure centre managers of the future.

Successful applicants will be added to GLL’s two-year management development programme, during which they will work across all areas of the business from human resources and marketing to lifeguard and fitness instructor training.

Employees on the scheme will be mentored by senior colleagues as they work towards key qualifications for a career in the leisure industry, including:

·        Gym Instructors Level 2

·        RLSS National Pool Lifeguard

·        STA Award in Teaching Swimming

External applicants to the scheme will be welcomed by GLL, which operates 15 leisure centres and delivers leisure services to over 20,000 pre-paid monthly members across the city.

Applicants without experience in leisure require a degree or equivalent level qualification, while internal applicants without a degree that possess solid industry experience will also be considered.

Salaries for the positions range from £21,950 - £27,787. Following a candidate selection process throughout the Spring, successful applicants will take up their positions in August and September.

Previous alumni from the scheme include Michael Kearney, GLL’s Project Manager of the Leisure Transformation Programme in Belfast. Michael joined the fast-track programme in 2015 after working as a casual lifeguard in Andersonstown Leisure Centre. He has since held multiple General Manager positions at centres across the city and now leads on the rollout of the £105 million Leisure Transformation Programme, which includes the current redevelopment of Templemore Baths.

 Project Manager at GLL Michael Kearney said:

“I joined the Graduate Trainee Management Scheme after working in my local leisure centre in Andersonstown while at university. Initially employed as a casual lifeguard, a role I was inspired to pursue by both of my parents who worked there, I was thrilled to find a scheme where I could continue to work within my local community while gaining valuable qualifications and experience.”

“Through continued access to senior colleagues, I left the programme with a great foundation in the skills and attributes required for a management career in leisure and the values and vision of GLL as a charitable social enterprise. I have no doubt that this kickstarted my career and helped me find a role that continues to reward me today.”

GLL Project Manager Michael Kearney

 People Business Partner at GLL in Belfast Lynne Savage said:

“The Graduate Trainee Management Scheme is designed to provide an understanding of the different roles within leisure by giving hands-on experience across a range of duties. After a two-year hiatus, we are delighted to relaunch this flagship programme once again to provide more individuals with a gateway into the industry.”

 As an employer of over 500 individuals in Belfast, we know that the talent and reliability of local people is unrivalled and are pleased to be delivering these new roles for the economy.”

Further information on the GLL Trainee Management Scheme can be found here. Applications close on Monday 16 May.

Northern Ireland Assembly Election 2022 - Brown O'Connor Communications Update

The count of the Assembly Election 2022 has now completed with all 90 seats declared.

The official make-up of the 7th Northern Ireland Assembly is as follows; Sinn Féin has become Northern Ireland’s largest party with 27 seats. The DUP remain the largest Unionist party with 25 seats. The Alliance ‘surge’ became realised with the party now sitting on 17 seats. The UUP return with nine seats while the SDLP suffered a blow and had its seat share reduced from 12 to eight seats. The TUV and People Before Profit both have one seat each and two Independent Unionists have also been elected.

  • The Alliance Party has made the most gains with 10 new seats in Belfast North, Belfast South, North Down, South Down, East Antrim, North Antrim, Lagan Valley, Upper Bann and Strangford.

  • In an interview with BBC’s Mark Carruthers, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said that the DUP party officers will decide if he takes the MLA seat in Lagan Valley or continues to sit as an MP, with the decision to be made ‘early next week’.

  • SDLP deputy Leader and Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon was excluded from North Belfast, losing her seat to Alliance Councillor and former Lord Mayor of Belfast, Nuala McAllister. If a new Executive is not formed in the next week, the SDLP will have to nominate a new caretaker Infrastructure Minister from their elected MLAs.

  • The Green Party has lost both of its seats and has returned no MLAs to the Assembly including its leader, Clare Bailey in Belfast South. This is the first time the party has had no MLAs since 2007.

  • Sinn Féin has returned every seat the party had held in the previous 2017-2022 mandate.

  • Belfast Lord Mayor, Kate Nicholl has been elected to Belfast South. Following signing in as MLA, Ms Nicholl will resign as Lord Mayor and will be replaced for the final weeks of the term, due to end at the beginning of June, by a fellow Alliance councillor. Possible options include Cllr Michael Long of Lisnasharragh DEA, Cllr Michelle Guy of Titanic DEA or Cllr Emmet McDonough-Brown of Botanic DEA.

  • DUP stalwart, Mervyn Storey, who has been an MLA since 2003, has lost his seat in North Antrim to the Alliance’s Patricia O’Lynn who becomes the constituency’s first female MLA.

  • 17 of the successful candidates are new to the Assembly being first time elected MLAs. A number of these candidates will be leaving their former elected roles at local councils which will see co-options across eight councils including Belfast City, Derry City and Strabane, Causeway Coast and Glens, Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ards and North Down, Lisburn and Castlereagh and Mid and East Antrim.

  • The newly elected candidates will be invited to the Assembly to meet on Monday to sign the register and elect a new Speaker. The parties then have seven days to form an Executive. If an Executive is not formed, under the new NI (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act, the Assembly will continue to function and current Ministers could remain in post for up to six months as negotiations take place.

  • In a statement yesterday, Secretary of State for NI, Brandon Lewis MP stated he will meet with the party leaders ‘over the coming days’ and encourage them to restore the Executive.

Electorate Turnout and full list of Seats Declared – Sunday 8 May

Belfast East – 62.52%

  • Naomi Long (Alliance)

  • Joanne Bunting (DUP)

  • Peter McReynolds (Alliance)

  • David Brooks (DUP)

  • Andy Allen (UUP)

Belfast South – 64.36%

  • Deirdre Hargey (SF)

  • Edwin Poots (DUP)

  • Matthew O’Toole (SDLP)

  • Paula Bradshaw (Alliance)

  • Kate Nicholl (Alliance)

Belfast West – 64.66%

  • Danny Baker (SF)

  • Órlaithí Flynn (SF)

  • Aisling Reilly (SF)

  • Pat Sheehan (SF)

  • Gerry Carroll (PBP)

Belfast North – 61.47%

  • Gerry Kelly (SF)

  • Carál Ní Chuilín (SF)

  • Philip Brett (DUP)

  • Brian Kingston (DUP)

  • Nuala McAllister (Alliance)

East Antrim – 60.11%

  • John Stewart (UUP)

  • Gordon Lyons (DUP)

  • Danny Donnelly (Alliance)

  • Stewart Dickson (Alliance)

  • David Hilditch (DUP)

East Londonderry – 61.40%

  • Maurice Bradley (DUP)

  • Alan Robinson (DUP)

  • Caoimhe Archibald (SF)

  • Claire Sugden (IND)

  • Cara Hunter (SDLP)

Fermanagh and South Tyrone – 69.09%

  • Jemma Dolan (SF)

  • Tom Elliott (UUP)

  • Colm Gildernew (SF)

  • Aine Murphy (SF)

  • Deborah Erskine (DUP)

Foyle – 61.64%

  • Pádraig Delargy (SF)

  • Mark H Durkan (SDLP)

  • Ciara Ferguson (SF)

  • Sinead McLaughlin (SDLP)

  • Gary Middleton (DUP)

Lagan Valley – 63.19%

  • Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (DUP)

  • Robbie Butler (UUP)

  • Paul Givan (DUP)

  • Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance)

  • David Honeyford (Alliance)

Mid Ulster – 69.54%

  • Michelle O’Neill (SF)

  • Linda Dillon (SF)

  • Emma Sheerin (SF)

  • Keith Buchanan (DUP)

  • Patsy McGlone (SDLP)

Newry and Armagh – 68.49%

  • Conor Murphy (SF)

  • Cathal Boylan (SF)

  • Justin McNulty (SDLP)

  • Liz Kimmins (SF)

  • William Irwin (DUP)

North Antrim – 62.51%

  • Robin Swann (UUP)

  • Philip McGuigan (SF)

  • Jim Allister (TUV)

  • Paul Frew (DUP)

  • Patricia O’Lynn (Alliance)

North Down – 60.13%

  • Alex Easton (IND)

  • Andrew Muir (Alliance)

  • Stephen Dunne (DUP)

  • Alan Chambers (UUP)

  • Connie Egan (Alliance)

South Antrim – 60.03%

  • Declan Kearney (SF)

  • John Blair (Alliance)

  • Steve Aiken (UUP)

  • Pam Cameron (DUP)

  • Trevor Clarke (DUP)

South Down - 66.19%

  • Sinead Ennis (SF)

  • Cathy Mason (SF)

  • Patrick Brown (Alliance)

  • Diane Forsythe (DUP)

  • Colin McGrath (SDLP)

Strangford – 58.42%

  • Kellie Armstrong (Alliance)

  • Michelle McIlveen (DUP)

  • Harry Harvey (DUP)

  • Mike Nesbitt (UUP)

  • Nick Mattieson (Alliance)

Upper Bann – 62.48%

  • John O’Dowd (SF)

  • Johnathan Buckley (DUP)

  • Diane Dodds (DUP)

  • Doug Beattie (UUP)

  • Eoin Tennyson (Alliance)

 West Tyrone – 66.90%

  • Nicola Brogan (SF)

  • Thomas Buchanan (DUP)

  • Maoliosa McHugh (SF)

  • Daniel McCrossan (SDLP)

  • Declan McAleer (SF)