1. Location: SIXTH FORM CENTRE Time: 2.30 - Free PeriodIt says here that What? Whats the Northern that allIreland Assembly about?IS doing a comic for young people!For all youyounger oneswho havenever beeninside one ofthese roomsget ready... Its cozI dont like theLITTLE DOES HE KNOW BUTwe dont sound of that - IN A COMIC SHOP NEAR YOU... know anythingsounds like a con about the to me! What do Assembly andthey KnoW boutthe comic is to Super herOEs andhelp us learn!cool stuff. Look, theyve A quiz! Ill be goodgot a quiz at that. Go on, askhere.me a question!Okay Thats easy! Its What have any ofQuestion 1.either the Mars those to do with theBlank!Whats anLiberation Army or N.I. Assembly? MLAsMLA? Mighty Lungs Award,and the Assembly...or Midfield Think!left attack! 2

2. PSSST! MLAS ARE MLAS are members of thePEOPLE who are legislative assembly. see - toldmembers of theyou i was good at quizzes!legislative assemblycleveR cloggs says -LEGISLATIVEMEANS LAW MAKING -CAN MAKE LAWS. fair enough. question 2 then!A TOUGHIE but PSST! can you the how do people become mlas?theres a tricklend me a answerto multiple choicecoin so i canis D.questions.toss it for ARE THEY: the answer? A) chosen atrandom b) graduatesfrom mlaschool c) comPEtitionwinners or d) elected bythe peoplein theirconstituency mumble cheating mumble 18 x 6 =? mumble dont know how. 1, 2, 3, 4... OK! there are 18 constituencies whichelect 6 mlas each, sohow many mlas are inthe assembly?LATER... ...64, 65, 66, for 69, 60, 71,goodness sake put those away. 108there are 108 MLAS! mlas!cleveR cloggssays - A constituencyis an area. thewhole OF NI isdivided into 18areas (or 18constituenciesas we say in the assembly). 3 3. Okay SmartiePssst! Any You need to readPants, What do idea what an this - quickly! MLAs do?MLA does?Whoops! ClumsyUNDER THE DESKme. Dropped my pen underthe desk.Gosh!ContentsBack ina tick... A page from anMLAs Diary...............1Photos from anMLAs Album.............2A WEEK in the Lifeof an MLA..................3A day at thePROPOSING A MOTION Constituency Office!Making a speech Q&A session withFOR DEBATEin theschool group8.00Get Up Chamber8.15Eat brekkie8.30Go to Office8.40Have coffee9.00Meet SOMe ofmy constituENTSand discuss THEIRconcerns aboutthe local schoolclosing.10.00Reply toemails fromconstituENTs EXAMINING AVoting1.00Attend theAsking questions at SUGGESTION Fin theopening of a newa Committee meeting. OR AChamber. NEW LAW -community centre CALLED A BILLClever Cloggs says- A Constituent isa person from theconstituency (areathat the MLA looksafter) or as we sayin the assembly -represents. 4 4. A week in the life ofan MLA CleverClever Cloggs Cloggs says - whensister CINDYthe MLAs MEETsays a in the Assembly motion is chamber itsthe topic to known as a be debated.plenary session.Monday morning head to the Assembly In the Assembly ChamberLadies andGentlemen, speaking for Smarty Pantsthe motion - thesays - DID proposer! YOU SPOTTHE SPEAKER? HES DEADKNOW-IT-ALL IMPORTANTNOEL says - In COZ HE chairsthe Northernthe plenaryIreland meetingsAssembly, after making surethe proposerrules arehas spoken, followed other MLAsand keeping make speechesorder in the for or against Chamber.the motion.After all the debatingthe MLAs vote WEDNESDAYTHURSDAYAttend a Attend aStatutory StaNDINGCommittee!Aye! TuesdayCommittee!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 OFthe Assembly.Day 2. For example,they choosemotions for debate.CleverFriday is Constituency DayCloggs says - StatutoryCommitteeS examine laws in detail,check the work ofMinisters inBRAIN BOX charge of says -GovernmentConstituentsDepartments want MLAs toand hold help them solve inquiries intoproblems about THINGS LIKE local schools,transport hospitals andand climateroads etc. change. 5 5. Well MLAs, Blah, Voting on issues,How does heTold you I Blah, Motions, Blah, Changes todo that?was good at proposed new laws, Questioning quizzes! Ministers, Debating, making Speeches, Meeting Constituents,Blah! Blah! Drone! Drone! Drone!Drone, Drone. Hey gang, Ive What sort ofjust foundsecrets doesthis great it have? book at the gates of Stormont!Whisper!Everything you need to knowto start yourown Assembly. But I thought we had But this isour own Assembly! all about Dont we have itThe 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 esentr elects 6 people to repople tothick one! them so 18 x 6 = 108 pe yone. Heres er make decisions for evtheythe Theyre the MLAsandscience s for part... assemble to make law appoint Northern Ireland and onsibility Ministers to take resp for delivering the services we all need.6 6. Smartie Pants PuzzleSo theyreAnd some of the MLAs areBet you cant do this!! Heres athe Ministers in charge of NorthernGovernment Departments.map of Northern Ireland. Can you They sit on the Executivedivide it into its 18 IrelandCommittee, which is headed upAssembly. by a First Minister and deputyconstituencies?Gosh!First Minister. The rest of the MLAs in the AssemblyThatscheck tothe workMAKEof theSURE Ministers. theydo agood job.ANSWER ON PAGE 14 Hey Ive a greatidea! Lets Why? So we can run thestart our ownentire school... Assembly!...And make it a better place fit for kids OFall ages, from all races, boys and girls,a place theyll enjoy Yeah!And I coming to and workingYeah!bags in. A place where there All of to beare no bullies, wherethat! IDeputy were all equal... I havebags toFirst a dream! be First Minister!Minister.7 7. It doesnt work like that! I know but we soon will The party with the most MLAs have if we follow thechooses the First Minister andbook!! Hang on, Ill showthe second largest you...party chooses the deputy First Minister. But we haventgot anyMLAs!ool Brill. Lets get started!! 540 YoungPeople in the Sch classach workin g in 18 classes. E Compare elects 2 people.this to the board I did s e to make decisionearlier 18 x 2 = 36 peoplyll be ouritll work!! for everyone. The assemble; MLAs and theyLL and well appoint Ministers ernment! have a school govHow on earthSeems we need a lot Why not just Of course, itllYou do we tellof press, TV, radio,tell Big be round thebetter 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. shellsits a secret!I couldandkiss you! leaflets to telleveryone! 10 minutes later Stage one. Pssst, hey Bertha didResult!you hear about whisperHey did youwhisper! whisper!hear about theassembly, thePOLICIES, words all aroundParties &the school. Stuff 8 8. Why shouldCoz its But a vote for me is a voteanyone vote me!!for longer school holidays!for you?Thats my campaign policy! COMPUTER Says- A policy is a planto guide decision making. Before an election, parties set out their policies on different issuesin a manifesto.Wow Id vote forA shorthim! Guess I need time later!This is a policy...really good!(About It seems471/2 secs) that eachclass has candidateswith thesame policies. CleverCloggs says: A candidate is a person who wishesto be elected. Candidates are usually members ofteams calledParties. Class BClass CClass Class ANick No School NickD ass E Ted NoNo ol Mike No School School Scck No Scho Uniform Uniform Uniform Unifor hool TeUniform tionJim PE RyanPEs an Option obd PEs a m Op Tom PEs an OptionsFred Le an Option n Op Bryan PEs an Joe Less HomeworkssTim Lessary Less Hom tion Shazz Less H omework Health eworkHomework y School Mary Healthy School Homework Sue HeAsh Healthy SchoolSchoolySteve Health Dinnersalthy Scho ol DinnersDinners DinnersDinnersHols Jane Longer Hols Dan Longer Hols LonLeslie LongerRosieLon 4 D ger Hols eek Marie 4 Day Week Maggie ger Hols Shazz 4 Day Weekay We ek Roisin4 Day W4 Day Wee kThat means theycould join up tomake six parties! No SchoolOur Uniform PartynPEs an Optiosixparties are...Party Stage LessTwoDo you know Homework how many parties the NI Party Voting Assembly haS Healthy andand can youname all ofSchool Dinners other them?Party stuff.artyLonger Hols P rtya 4 Day Week PGo to www.niassembly.gov.uk9 9. So how do We put one of ...And we give They write in 1we vote? these in each everyone in the classfor their firstclassroom!one of these voting choice, 2 for their slips which has thesecond choice andname of each ofso on...their candidates.But it has to be Then they put So, all the 1st choice done in secret sotheir 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 MLACleverCloggs says- this sort of votingis called THE singletransferablevote OR STV!So who To find out else gets we use the...Soelected?transferable Tedsvote systemelectedof course. on thefirst count!ARNIE THE ANDROID says- The target is a pre agreedquota. In this case theclass hasSo Ted passesagreed 8the quota ofvotes is the8 with 10. That quota.means he has asurplus of 2...Whats thatWell, we checked Heres the formulaAnd the 2when its atall of Teds votes to find out what transferredhome?and the 2nd choice theyre worth.votes plus on each of themSues 6was Sue so shell votes get all 10 of Tedsequals transferred votes! 8 so...Sueselected!10 10. Ive worked out all So who The biggest the results fromgets to partyall the classes!be FirstchoosesMinisterone of their and Deputypeople toFirst?be FIRstMinister.... And the 2nd One intense selection session later... biggest party1Find outchooses one ofWell Im And ImThe what yourtheir people First DeputyAssembly devolved to be Deputy MinisterFirsthas a lotFirst Minister!Minister of work matters are to do. Look...2FormCommittees3Form anExecutiveCommitteeof Ministers What areWell in theWhatSimple! Youve to Go to the head - ButDevolvedNI Assemblys about go to the head Ive done nothin Bad!Matters?case its things in our to see what hesWestminstercase? going to let us have givenmake decisionsI thinkWork?the Assembly about!Ive had apower to makemishap!decisionsand laws about! The AssemblyWell when you Of course!!Which is our hasthink aboutTheres the Education departments it, All ourless homeworkDept... andparties areparty...Ministers toabout things Thats ourlook afterthat affect Healthy School Health Dept... SMARTY PANTS things thatour schoolDinners and says - NIaffect our lives!P.Es an optionWell need Assembly can daily lives.parties. more money tomake decisions buy clothes SO about things Thats OUR which affect And No SchoolUniform Party? Finance DEPT.our daily lives -like education,health,transport ANDagriculture. CAN YOU namesome MORE?11 11. With all their ideas the class MLAs have2 Hours Later!a friday meeting - with the Head!Headmasters OfficeThe Head says we need30 3 Yeh! 10!It would to set up a statutoryis 49be good ifcommittee for each of ourJust 3 departments to advisetesting!we made the Ministers and checksuretheir work SO THATseach MLA 36 MLAs...suited the committee ...MINUS THE 3 they satMINISTERS, MINUS on! 1ST & DEPUTY,Minus... ...SPEAKER10!is... Suited the Well for instanceRight! So the... And some Committee! it would be good ifEducation MLAS from theWhat do you the Health Committee Committee PEs AN Optionmean?had MLAs from the could have Party!Healthy School the lessDinners Party and homework PEs an option Party. party MLAs......And the Healthy School Dinner Party! Why do youTo make Right. WE NEED MINISTERS Right were allwant the sure we TO TAKE CHARGE OF healthy get lots OUR 3 DEPARTMENTS set! Lets bringschool dinner of brainAND THEYLL SIT ON THEabout changeparty?food LIKEEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WITHfor the better! FISH ANDTHE FIRST MINISTER ANDSTUFF! DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER. THE MINISTER WILL COME UP Hooray!!WITH IDEAS FOR NEW LAWSAND IMPLEMENT THOSE PASSED BY THE SCHOOLASSEMBLY. THE CLASS MLAS AND COMMITTEESWILL MAKE SURE THEY DOA GOOD JOB.12 12. Volume 493 Issue Number 964School Assembly PassES 1st Bill!By Sue McWilliams (Upper 6th)It was a great day for school politics when our class MLAsvoted to pass our first Bill, namely the controversial HealthySchool Dinners Bill. Our intrepid photographer, SnapWilson was there to capture each Stage of the Bill, fromthe moment Class MLA Bill Smith presented the writtenproposal to the Speaker, to the final debate in plenary, andthe successful yes vote which meant it would become law.Bill Smith As the representative of my classmates, it wasmy job to listen to the things they wanted and, since amajority of them wanted healthy school dinners, I proposedClass MLA Bill Smith about toThe general principles of the Bill get wellthe Bill.present the full text versionand truely debated in plenary.of his proposed Bill to theI believe you had to write it out in detail and present it toSpeaker.the Speaker? Yeah the problem was it had to be withhim 7 school days before it could be introduced to theAssembly! I heard you got there just before final bell? Yeh,cut it fine coz of footie practice, but it got there. Its title wasread to the Assembly - and so that was the FIRST STAGEcomplete.When the general principles were debated in SECONDSTAGE, there was a heated exchange. Gosh yeh! Someeejit told big Joe that if the Bill went through there wouldntbe sausages on the school dining menu ever again and hewent nuts!That wasnt the case though? No, the Bill is just to give us The committee look at the Bill really The committee also listen to thea choice between whats already on the menu, and a rangeclosely.views of experts and the pupils.of healthy options. So the Health Committee looked at thewhole thing? Yeh, the Committee Stage was whereMLAs studied the Bill line by line and suggested somechanges that would make it a better law. We took on boardwhat the experts and pupils thought. Mrs Cooke, our schoolcanteen manager, was one of those experts.Mrs Cooke It was a pleasure to help the kids and I reallyenjoyed creating a new healthy menu for them like GordoRamsey does for all those restaurants in America.So she had a lot of input? Oh, she heard a rumour thatJimmie 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? Thecommittee reported back to the school Assembly and thewhole thing was debated, including the suggested changes,or amendments, as theyre called.Another final debate.....And the Bill was voted throughwith a big majority. So when does the Bill become law? Ifthis was the real Assembly it would get final approval bythe Queen. This is call Royal Assent, but here it went to theHeadmaster.Headmaster I believe schools should ensure thatstudents have a good range of healthy options in theircanteens, so I was very pleased to approve this Bill, makingit an Act (law).So readers, we have our first new law. We now have theoption of healthy school dinners and everyone has the rightto choose, thanks to your class MLAs! The vote following the final debate.Photos by Ginger Snap Wilson.13 13. 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