42Petitions of concern

1

If a petition expressing concern about a matter which is to be voted on by the Assembly is—

a

presented to the Assembly by 30 members, and

b

on the day after the consideration period, confirmed by 30 members,

the vote on that matter requires cross-community support.

2

If such a petition is presented, the vote on the matter to which it relates may not take place until after the day mentioned in subsection (1)(b).

3

The members presenting or confirming a petition must include—

a

one member who belongs to a political party and one member who belongs to a different political party,

b

one member who belongs to a political party and one member who does not belong to a political party and did not belong to a political party when returned as a member of the Assembly, or

c

two members who do not belong to a political party and did not belong to a political party when returned as members of the Assembly.

4

A matter may not be the subject of a petition if it—

a

concerns a sanction in relation to the conduct of a Minister or other member of the Assembly;

b

concerns the vote on the general principles of a Bill referred to in section 13(1)(a);

c

is a matter specified in standing orders made under subsection (6)(c).

5

A petition under this section may not be presented or confirmed by the Presiding Officer or a deputy Presiding Officer.

6

Standing orders must—

a

make provision with respect to the procedure to be followed in presenting and confirming a petition under this section (which may include provision specifying a minimum period between the presentation of the petition and the time when the vote on the matter to which it relates would take place if not postponed by the petition);

b

provide that the matter to which a petition under this section relates may be referred, in accordance with paragraphs 11 and 13 of Strand One of the Belfast Agreement, to the committee established under section 13(3)(a);

c

specify further matters that may not be the subject of a petition under this section, for the purposes of fully implementing paragraph 2.2.4 of Annex B of Part 2 of The New Decade, New Approach Deal;

d

make provision for such steps to be taken during the consideration period as may be necessary for the purposes of fully implementing paragraph 2.2.7 of Annex B of Part 2 of The New Decade, New Approach Deal.

7

If the day mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) is not a working day that paragraph is to be read as referring to the next day that is a working day.

8

In this section—

• “the consideration period” means the period of 14 days beginning with the day on which the petition is presented;

• “working day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a day which is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland.