2. Location: SIXTH FORM CENTRE Time: 2.30 - Free Period It says here that What? What’s
the Northern that all
Ireland Assembly about?
IS doing a comic for
young people!
For
all you
younger
ones
who have
never
been
inside
one of
these
rooms
get
ready...
It’s coz I don’t like the LITTLE DOES HE KNOW BUT
we don’t sound of that - IN A COMIC SHOP NEAR YOU...
know anything sounds like a con
about the to me! What do
Assembly and they KnoW ‘bout
the comic is to Super herOEs and
help us learn! cool stuff.
Look, they’ve A quiz! I’ll be good
got a quiz at that. Go on, ask
here. me a question!
Okay That’s easy! It’s What have any of
Question 1. either the Mars those to do with the Blank!
What’s an Liberation Army or N.I. Assembly? MLAs
MLA? Mighty Lungs Award, and the Assembly...
or Midfield Think!
left
attack!
2

3. PSSST! MLAS ARE MLAS are members of the
PEOPLE who are legislative assembly. see - told
members of the you i was good at quizzes!
legislative assembly
cleveR
cloggs
says -
LEGISLATIVE
MEANS LAW
MAKING -
CAN MAKE
LAWS.
fair enough. question 2 then! A TOUGHIE but PSST! can you the
how do people become mlas? there’s a trick lend me a answer
to multiple choice coin so i can is ‘D’.
questions. toss it for
ARE THEY: the answer?
A) chosen at
random
b) graduates
from mla
school
c) comPEtition
winners or
d) elected by
the people
in their
constituency
mumble cheating mumble 18 x 6 =?
mumble don’t know how. 1, 2, 3, 4...
OK! there are 18
constituencies which
elect 6 mlas each, so
how many mlas are in
the assembly?
LATER... ...64, 65, 66, for
69, 60, 71, goodness
sake put
those away.
108
there are 108 MLAS!
mlas!
cleveR cloggs
says - A
constituency
is an area. the
whole OF NI is
divided into 18
areas (or 18
constituencies
as we say in
the assembly).
3

4. Okay Smartie Pssst! Any You need to read
Pants, What do idea what an this - quickly!
MLAs do? MLA does?
Whoops! Clumsy UNDER THE DESK
me. Dropped
my pen under
the desk.
Gosh! Contents
Back in
a tick... A page from an
MLA’s Diary...............1
Photos from an
MLA’s Album.............2
A WEEK in the Life
of an MLA..................3
A day at the PROPOSING A MOTION
Constituency Office! Making a speech Q&A session with FOR DEBATE
in the school group
8.00 Get Up Chamber
8.15 Eat brekkie
8.30 Go to Office
8.40 Have coffee
9.00 Meet SOMe of
my constituENTS
and discuss THEIR
concerns about
the local school
closing.
10.00 Reply to
emails from
constituENTs EXAMINING A Voting
1.00 Attend the Asking questions at SUGGESTION F in the
opening of a new a Committee meeting. OR A Chamber.
NEW LAW -
community centre CALLED A BILL
Clever Cloggs says
- A Constituent is
a person from the
constituency (area
that the MLA looks
after) or as we say
in the assembly -
represents.
4

5. A week in the life of
an MLA
Clever
Clever Cloggs Clogg’s
says - when sister CINDY
the MLAs MEET says a
in the Assembly motion is
chamber it’s ‘the topic to
known as a be debated’.
plenary session.
Monday morning – head to the Assembly
In the Assembly
Chamber
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
speaking for
Smarty Pants the motion - the
says - DID proposer!
YOU SPOT
THE SPEAKER?
HE’S DEAD KNOW-IT-ALL
IMPORTANT NOEL says - In
COZ HE chairs the Northern
the plenary Ireland
meetings Assembly, after
making sure the proposer
rules are has spoken,
followed other MLAs
and keeping make speeches
order in the for or against
Chamber. the motion.
After all the debating
the MLAs vote WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
Attend a
Attend a Statutory
StaNDING Committee!
Aye! Tuesday Committee!
Another day
of debates in SMART ASS SAYS
the Assembly - A standing
committee is a
Chamber group of MLAs
- Plenary who look after
things such as
Sessions the rules and
procedures OF
the Assembly.
Day 2. For example,
they choose
motions for
debate.
Clever Friday is Constituency Day
Cloggs says
- Statutory
CommitteeS
examine laws
in detail,
check the
work of
Ministers in BRAIN BOX
charge of says -
Government Constituents
Departments want MLAs to
and hold help them solve
inquiries into problems about
THINGS LIKE local schools,
transport hospitals and
and climate roads etc.
change.
5

6. Well MLAs, Blah, Voting on issues, How does he Told you I
Blah, Motions, Blah, Changes to do that? was good at
proposed new laws, Questioning quizzes!
Ministers, Debating, making
Speeches, Meeting Constituents,
Blah! Blah! Drone! Drone! Drone!
Drone, Drone.
Hey gang, I’ve What sort of
just found secrets does
this great it have?
book at the
gates of
Stormont!
Whisper!
Everything you
need to know
to start your
own Assembly.
But I thought we had But this is
our own Assembly! all about
Don’t we have it The N. I.
1.75 million people inng in 18
every morning in the Assembly.
Assembly Hall? Let me try
and explain Northern Ireland, livi nstituency
it to you O constituencies. each co esent
r
elects 6 people to repople to
thick one!
them so 18 x 6 = 108 pe yone. Here’s
er
make decisions for evthey the
They’re the MLAs and science
s for part...
assemble to make law appoint
Northern Ireland and onsibility
Ministers to take resp
for delivering the
services we all need.
6

7. Smartie Pants Puzzle So they’re And some of the MLAs are
Bet you can’t do this!! Here’s a the Ministers in charge of
Northern Government Departments.
map of Northern Ireland. Can you They sit on the Executive
divide it into its 18 Ireland
Committee, which is headed up
Assembly. by a First Minister and deputy
constituencies?
Gosh! First Minister. The rest of the
MLAs in the
Assembly That’s
check to
the work MAKE
of the SURE
Ministers. they
do a
good
job.
ANSWER ON PAGE 14
Hey I’ve a great
idea! Let’s Why? So we can run the
start our own entire school...
Assembly!
...And make it a better
place fit for kids OF
all ages, from all
races, boys and girls,
a place they’ll enjoy Yeah! And I
coming to and working Yeah! bags
in. A place where there All of to be
are no bullies, where that! I Deputy
we’re all equal... I have bags to First
a dream! be First Minister!
Minister.
7

8. It doesn’t work like that! I know but we soon will
The party with the most MLAs have if we follow the
chooses the First Minister and book!! Hang on, I’ll show
the second largest you...
party chooses the deputy
First Minister.
But we
haven’t
got any
MLAs!
ool Brill. Let’s get started!!
540 Young People in the Sch class
ach
workin g in 18 classes. E Compare
elects 2 people.
this to
the board
I did
s
e to make decision earlier
18 x 2 = 36 peoply’ll be our it’ll work!!
for everyone. The assemble;
MLAs and they’LL and we’ll
appoint Ministers ernment!
have a school gov
How on earth Seems we need a lot Why not just Of course, it’ll You
do we tell of press, TV, radio, tell ‘Big be round the better
everyone in adverts, campaigns, Mouth’ Bertha school before not,
the school? ‘mail drops’, bill all about it, hometime! dork!
board poster, ad then tell her Brilliant.
shells it’s a secret! I could
and kiss you!
leaflets
to tell
everyone!
10 minutes later Stage one.
Pssst, hey Bertha did Result!
you hear about whisper Hey did you
whisper! whisper! hear about the
assembly, the POLICIES,
word’s all around Parties &
the school. Stuff
8

9. Why should Coz it’s But a vote for me is a vote
anyone vote me!! for longer school holidays!
for you? That’s my campaign policy!
COMPUTER
Says
- A policy is a plan
to guide decision
making. Before an
election, parties set
out their policies
on different issues
in a manifesto.
Wow I’d vote for A short
him! Guess I need time later! This is
a policy... really good!
(About It seems
471/2 secs) that each
class has
candidates
with the
same policies.
Clever
Cloggs says:
A candidate
is a person
who wishes
to be elected.
Candidates
are usually
members of
teams called
Parties.
Class B Class C Class
Class A Nick – No School Nick D ass E
Ted – No – No ol
Mike – No School School Sc ck – No Scho
Uniform Uniform Uniform Unifor hool
Te Uniform tion
Jim – PE Ryan – PE’s an Option obd – PE’s a m Op
Tom – PE’s an Option ’s
Fred – Le an Option – n Op Bryan – PE’s an
Joe – Less Homework ss Tim – Less ary – Less Hom tion Shazz – Less H
omework
Health ework
Homework y School
Mary – Healthy School Homework
Sue – He Ash – Healthy School School
y Steve – Health
Dinners althy Scho
ol Dinners Dinners Dinners
Dinners Hols
Jane – Longer Hols Dan – Longer Hols
– Lon Leslie – Longer
Rosie – Lo
n – 4 D ger Hols eek
Marie – 4 Day Week Maggie – ger Hols Shazz – 4 Day Week ay We
ek Roisin – 4 Day W
4 Day Wee
k
That means they
could join up to
make six parties! • No School
Our Uniform Party
n
• PE’s an Optio
six
parties
are... Party Stage
• Less Two
Do you know Homework
how many
parties the NI Party Voting
Assembly haS • Healthy and
and can you
name all of School Dinners other
them? Party stuff.
arty
• Longer Hols P rty
a
• 4 Day Week P
Go to www.niassembly.gov.uk
9

10. So how do We put one of ...And we give They write in ‘1’
we vote? these in each everyone in the class for their first
classroom! one of these voting choice, ‘2’ for their
slips which has the second choice and
name of each of so on...
their candidates.
But it has to be Then they put So, all the 1st choice
done in secret so their voting slip votes get counted
no one knows who into the ballot first and whoever
voted for who! box and... makes the target
becomes a class MLA
Clever
Cloggs says
- this sort
of voting
is called
THE single
transferable
vote OR STV!
So who To find out
else gets we use the
...So elected? ‘transferable
Ted’s vote’ system
elected of course.
on the
first
count!
ARNIE THE
ANDROID says
- ‘The target is
a pre agreed
quota. In
this case the
class has So Ted passes
agreed 8 the quota of
votes is the 8 with 10. That
quota. means he has a
surplus of 2...
What’s that Well, we checked Here’s the formula And the 2
when it’s at all of Ted’s votes to find out what transferred
home? and the 2nd choice they’re worth. votes plus
on each of them Sue’s 6
was Sue so she’ll votes
get all 10 of Ted’s equals
transferred votes! 8 so...
Sue’s
elected!
10

11. I’ve worked out all So who The biggest
the results from gets to party
all the classes! be First chooses
Minister one of their
and Deputy people to
First? be FIRst
Minister.
... And the 2nd One intense selection session later...
biggest party 1 Find out
chooses one of Well I’m And I’m The what your
their people First Deputy Assembly devolved
to be Deputy Minister First has a lot
First Minister! Minister of work matters are
to do.
Look... 2 Form
Committees
3 Form an
Executive
Committee
of Ministers
What are Well in the What Simple! You’ve to Go to the head - But
‘Devolved NI Assembly’s about go to the head I’ve done nothin’ Bad!
Matters? case it’s things in our to see what he’s
Westminster case? going to let us
have given make decisions I think
Work? the Assembly about! I’ve had a
power to make mishap!
decisions
and laws
about!
The Assembly Well when you Of course!! Which is our
has think about There’s the Education
departments it, All our ‘less homework’ Dept...
and parties are party...
Ministers to about things That’s our
look after that affect ‘Healthy School Health Dept...
SMARTY PANTS things that our school Dinners’ and
says - NI affect our lives! ‘P.E’s an option’ We’ll need
Assembly can daily lives. parties. more money to
make decisions buy clothes SO
about things That’s OUR
which affect And ‘No School
Uniform’ Party? Finance DEPT.
our daily lives -
like education,
health,
transport AND
agriculture.
CAN YOU name
some MORE?
11

12. With all their ideas the class MLAs have 2 Hours Later!
a friday meeting - with the Head!
Headmaster’s
Office
The Head says we need 30 ÷ 3 Yeh! 10! It would
to set up a statutory is 49 be good if
committee for each of our Just
3 departments to advise testing! we made
the Ministers and check sure
their work SO THAT’s each MLA
36 MLAs... suited the
committee
...MINUS THE 3 they sat
MINISTERS, MINUS on!
1ST & DEPUTY,
Minus...
...SPEAKER 10!
is...
‘Suited the Well for instance Right! So the ... And some
Committee’! it would be good if Education MLAS from the
What do you the Health Committee Committee ‘PEs AN Option’
mean? had MLAs from the could have Party!
‘Healthy School the ‘less
Dinners’ Party and homework’
PEs an option Party. party MLAs... ...And the
‘Healthy School
Dinner’ Party!
Why do you To make Right. WE NEED MINISTERS Right we’re all
want the sure we TO TAKE CHARGE OF
‘healthy get lots OUR 3 DEPARTMENTS set! Let’s bring
school dinner’ of brain AND THEY’LL SIT ON THE about change
party? food LIKE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WITH for the better!
FISH AND THE FIRST MINISTER AND
STUFF! DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER.
THE MINISTER WILL COME UP
Hooray!!
WITH IDEAS FOR NEW LAWS
AND IMPLEMENT THOSE
PASSED BY THE SCHOOL
ASSEMBLY. THE CLASS
MLAS AND COMMITTEES
WILL MAKE SURE THEY DO
A GOOD JOB.
12

13. Volume 493 Issue Number 964
School Assembly PassES 1st Bill!
By Sue McWilliams (Upper 6th)
It was a great day for school politics when our class MLAs
voted to pass our first Bill, namely the controversial ‘Healthy
School Dinners’ Bill. Our intrepid photographer, ‘Snap’
Wilson was there to capture each Stage of the Bill, from
the moment Class MLA Bill Smith presented the written
proposal to the Speaker, to the final debate in plenary, and
the successful ‘yes’ vote which meant it would become law.
Bill Smith “As the representative of my classmates, it was
my job to listen to the things they wanted and, since a
majority of them wanted healthy school dinners, I proposed
Class MLA Bill Smith about to The general principles of the Bill get well
the Bill”.
present the ‘full text’ version and truely debated in plenary.
of his proposed Bill to the
I believe you had to write it out in detail and present it to
Speaker.
the Speaker? “Yeah the problem was it had to be with
him 7 school days before it could be introduced to the
Assembly!” I heard you got there just before final bell? “Yeh,
cut it fine coz of footie practice, but it got there. Its title was
read to the Assembly - and so that was the FIRST STAGE
complete”.
When the general principles were debated in SECOND
STAGE, there was a ‘heated exchange’. “Gosh yeh! Some
eejit told big Joe that if the Bill went through there wouldn’t
be sausages on the school dining menu ever again and he
went nuts!”
That wasn’t the case though? “No, the Bill is just to give us The committee look at the Bill really The committee also listen to the
a choice between what’s already on the menu, and a range closely. views of experts and the pupils.
of healthy options”. So the Health Committee looked at the
whole thing? “Yeh, the Committee Stage was where
MLAs studied the Bill line by line and suggested some
changes that would make it a better law. We took on board
what the experts and pupils thought. Mrs Cooke, our school
canteen manager, was one of those experts.”
Mrs Cooke “It was a pleasure to help the kids and I really
enjoyed creating a new healthy menu for them like Gordo
Ramsey does for all those restaurants in America”.
So she had a lot of input? “Oh, she heard a rumour that
Jimmie Oliver would pay us a visit, so she made a whole lot The committee report what they found ...followed by a debate.
of dishes for him to try like her ‘Lettuce & Brussel Sprout out to the Assembly...
Pie’ and her ‘Potato Pudding’”. What happened next? “The
committee reported back to the school Assembly and the
whole thing was debated, including the suggested changes,
or amendments, as they’re called”.
Another final debate.....“And the Bill was voted through
with a big majority”. So when does the Bill become law? “If
this was the ‘real’ Assembly it would get final approval by
the Queen. This is call Royal Assent, but here it went to the
Headmaster”.
Headmaster “I believe schools should ensure that
students have a good range of healthy options in their
canteens, so I was very pleased to approve this Bill, making
it an Act (law)”.
So readers, we have our first new law. We now have the
option of healthy school dinners and everyone has the right
to choose, thanks to your class MLAs! The vote following the final debate.
Photos by Ginger ‘Snap’ Wilson.
13

14. C D E V O L U T I O N Y C G W Can you find
N O E A H K U L I M L U N A D the following
Y L M K T C M L A B E I L E E words in the
R E B M A H C A M L K B O D M Grid above?
A S A N I H R E K A E P S V O
N C E D E T S G M O R A O R C
Agreement
E L A T N S T N S K C T O E R Assembly
L B O C A X O E N R E L V K A Aye
P P A R T I E S E R L I H A C Chamber
Committee
E O U Q S M D A D E B A T E Y
Constituency
T N X I R S S M I N I S T E R Debate
A G C A G R E E M E N T U S R Decision-making
Democracy
J E O A K E Y A W K S N Q D G
Devolution
D E L E C T I O N A R T O R D Election
C O N S T I T U E N C Y R U K Minister
Law
MLA
Parties
Plenary
Speaker
Vote
1. eitecmomt
2. tneiolec 5. ebtead 8. smitreni
3. awl 6. rpskaee 9. brmerm fo het esvtilgleai sylmbase
4. teov 7. ttcyncuosine 10. amteplrain iduslbign
Down
South
Armagh
Newry &
South Tyrone
Valley Bann Fermanagh &
Lagan Strangford Upper
3
4 2
6. Speaker Antrim
1
Ulster Tyrone
5. Debate 10. Parliament Buildings South West
Mid
4. Vote Leglisative Assembly Antrim
East
4. Belfast West
3. Law 9. Minister of the Antrim Foyle 3. Belfast South
Londonderry 2. Belfast East
North
2. Election 8. Minister East 1. Belfast North
1. Committee 7. Constituency
ANSWERS TO UNSCRAMBLE THE FOLLOWING: ants Puzz le martie P ANSWERS TO S ANSWERS TO WORD SEARCH:
14

15. O R D
S S W abo
ut m bly
?
O
A sse
now land
R
o u k Ire
C
2 o y ern
t d rth
Wha
1
o
th e N
5
3
8
4
6
7
9
10
b ly
ssem
S
andA
E
8] Irel
rn
es [
U
7 ] a tiv o rthe [9] by
re [ resent s [11] the N em eration
CL
e th
dh p er o
loc ate ted re Matt ment t go vern consid
c f
b ly is of ele on …… govern ve s to ages o
em er
Ass numb ass law the UK
s tati st
nd sen arious [9]
S re
ROS orthersnof choo he pow g power
Irela sing a er to p s from rep ugh v tee
lect mit
AC The N oces has t errin
o
ly e ses thr om
ree
le f it pas …C
eop th e…
1. he pr mbly ransf as
e t ch p law orm
3. T he Ass ess of hi
in w ed new er f
c Mi nist
4. T he pro ent os ]
[11 y First
rnm a prop
7. T ove bly t
0] of g iven to s sem d depu
[1 form me g [4] …A an
8. A na e … e First
T e bly f th
9. h Assem be rs o ters, th
the s ]
Mem l Mini bly [7
WNA stands artmenthe Assem
fo r ta
DO ML ep f
2 . 1 0 D ting o
he ee
5. T full m
6. Plenary 10. Committee 4. Transfered
6. A
5. Executive 9. Bill 3. Election
2. Legisative 8. Democracy 1. Belfast
DOWN 7. Devolution ACROSS
ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD:
15

16. Belo
w
plac is a
e t
to t d besi able of
he c de
orre the w words a
ct w ro n
ord ng def d defin
init i
ions tions.
. Co T
nnec he wor
(1) De t th ds
e co have
volu rrec be
tion
t de en
fini
(A ) A ty
tio n
pe o
(2) Co hav
e th f politi
nsti repr ei ca
tuen
cy esen r say o l system
tati n
ves who w where
(B) Th and i
the ll becom people
eU law
Irela K Parl s th e their
nd A iam at w
loca ent ill b
(3) Ple indu
l ma ssembl
tter y th
has
give
em
ade
nary stry s in e po n th .
, ed N wer e No
ucat orthe
ion, rn I to dec rthern
(C) A p hea re id
lth, land, su e about
(4) Memb a
MLA rticular
agri c
cult h as
the ers s to lo ure,
Leg of repr cal are etc.
Asse islat esen aw
mbl iv h
y (M e (D) Me t th
em. ere the
(5) Dem LAs) m peo
ocra app bers of ple
elec
cy oint the t
Dep ed t Asse
artm o ta
ents ke c mbly w
(E) Ch . harg h
e of o have
(6) Min air
ord s the m Gov b
iste er a ernm een
rs nd e eeting ent
nsu s of
ring th
(F) The rule e Asse
s ar mbl
idea e fo y
For of a llow , keepi
(7) Repr e
(the xample cting o ed. ng
esen , n be
tati elec people MLAs
on ted) livin repr half of
. g in es so
(G) A the ent the meone
area ir el
(8) The form
al
whe constit se.
re t
Spe
ake
Asse
mbl discuss hey uents
r y Ch io wer
amb n abou e
(9) Exec (H) Th er tas
ubje
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utiv Dep nM the
Com e uty inis
mit Firs ters
tee t Mi , toge
(10) De nist t
(I) Fu er f her wi
bate orm th
ll m
eeti this the Fi
ng o . rst a
f th nd
(J) Th e As
sem
e in bly
the divi
p dua
The eople o ls elec
re a t
re 1 f North ed to s
08 o e e
f th rn Irela rve and
em. nd i r
n th eprese
e As n
sem t
bly.
(10) - (G) (5) - (9)
(9) - (H) (4) - (J)
(8) - (E) (3) - (I)
(7) - (F) (2) - (C)
(6) - (D) (1) - (B)
WORD CONNECTION: ANSWERS TO
16