Debate contribution: Election of the Speaker
Debate contribution by Mr Stewart Dickson on .
- MLA
- Mr Stewart Dickson
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 3 February 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Assembly Business
- Heading
- Election of the Speaker
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4254916
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Today marks a new chapter for the Assembly, but it is also the end of an era, as Alex Maskey finally gets to retire after 26 years in the Assembly and four years as Speaker. During that time, he has shown leadership in extending the hand of friendship to those from different backgrounds. As has been said, he was the first Sinn Féin councillor in Belfast since the 1920s. He went on to become the first Sinn Féin Lord Mayor, which indeed created headlines, but the act of choosing the opening of the Presbyterian general assembly as his first public duty marked him as someone different. Laying a wreath for remembrance is seen now as a normal act, but for a member of Sinn Féin to do so in 2002 was a big event, as were his dealings with the royal family following the passing of the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. From handling official condolences to meeting the new King and Queen at Hillsborough, it was clear that Alex Maskey was prepared to represent the office of Speaker with impartiality and integrity. Many of our young citizens across Northern Ireland will remember him fondly for different reasons. Left with no MLAs to fill this Building, he seized the opportunity to use this space to develop the Northern Ireland Youth Assembly and the Disability Assembly, providing an opportunity for voices not often heard in the Chamber. On behalf of the Alliance Party, I wish him a very happy retirement, although, if he misses sparring in the Chamber too much, perhaps he could return to his boxing roots. In the 75 fights that he competed in, he lost, I believe, only four. Perhaps we won a few more political fights than he did, but we will leave that to the history books and the writers to decide. One thing that we can be sure about is that history will remember him as a fair and impartial Speaker who steered the Chamber through many difficult and momentous occasions. The Alliance Party is happy to support all of the nominations that have been made today for the position of Speaker, as we have done through all of the recalls that the Assembly has had.
372 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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