Commentary on provisions of Act Section 7: Pledge of office by Ministers
Section 7 amends the existing pledge of office, as set out in Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which all Ministers are required to affirm before taking up Ministerial office. Under this provision, all Northern Ireland Executive Ministers are required to make seven new commitments as part of the pledge, and therein, as conditions of taking Ministerial office. These commitments are self-explanatory and relate to the commitments set out in paragraph 2.6 of Section A of the 'A Fresh Start: the Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan’ on ending paramilitarism.