(This note is not part of the Order)
Under section 16B(3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47), if the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister become vacant at any time, they are to be filled by applying the process set out in section 16B within a period of seven days. Under section 32(3) of that Act, the Secretary of State must propose a date for the next Assembly election if that period ends without the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister having been filled. The deputy First Minister resigned at 5pm on 9th January 2017 and the offices were not filled within the seven day period which expired at 5pm on 16th January.
The Secretary of State, having been informed by his ongoing dialogue with Northern Ireland’s political leaders and having also consulted the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland on operational matters, has proposed that the next Assembly election take place on 2nd March 2017. Article 2 of this Order accordingly directs that the next Assembly election is to be on that date. Article 3 of this Order provides for the current Assembly to be dissolved on 26th January 2017 (so the last sitting day of the Assembly will be 25th January 2017).