Background and Summary
3.The purpose of the Act is to extend the deadline for the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and formation of a power-sharing Executive, as set by the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006, to 8 May 2007.
4.The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 (c.53) (“the 2006 Act”) received Royal Assent on 22 November 2006. The 2006 Act gave legislative effect to the St Andrews Agreement and set 26 March 2007 as the deadline for the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Accordingly, the Northern Ireland Assembly was restored by order at the beginning of 26 March 2007.
5.However, since a power-sharing Executive was not formed by the end of 26 March 2007, the Secretary of State would (but for this Act) have been under a duty under the terms of the 2006 Act to make an order revoking restoration, and Schedule 3 to the 2006 Act would (but for this Act) have come into force on 28 March 2007. Had Schedule 3 come into force, the Northern Ireland Assembly would have been dissolved, the next election postponed indefinitely and most of the changes to the devolved institutions effected by the 2006 Act repealed.
6.Following a further commitment between the Northern Ireland political parties to participate in the power-sharing arrangements agreed at St Andrews, a decision was taken to amend the timetable for restoration of the institutions. On that basis, this Act amends the deadlines provided for under the 2006 Act to facilitate restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly on 8 May 2007.