Policy background Extension of Executive formation period
Section 16A of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 ("1998 Act") provides for a 14 day period following an Assembly election in which Northern Ireland Ministers – including the First Minister and deputy First Minister – must be appointed. If they are not, then the Secretary of State is required to propose a date for another election under section 32(3). That period initially expired on 27 March 2017 but was extended by the MARRA so as to expire on 29 June 2017. The Act extends the time under section 16A of the 1998 Act for Ministers to be appointed until 26 March 2019, with the possibility to further extend that period for up to 5 months by statutory instrument.