What Does an MLA Actually Do?
Northern Ireland has 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly — five for each of its 18 constituencies. But what does the job actually involve? An MLA’s work splits into four strands: making laws, scrutinising government, representing constituents, and — for some — serving in government themselves.
In the Chamber: legislating and debating
On plenary days (normally Mondays and Tuesdays), MLAs debate and vote on bills, motions and ministerial statements, and question ministers at Question Time. Any MLA can propose amendments to legislation, table motions for debate, and introduce a private member’s bill of their own — see how a bill becomes law.
In committee: scrutiny
Most MLAs sit on one or more committees, which meet weekly to examine bills in detail, question officials and ministers, and run inquiries. Committee membership is where much of an MLA’s least visible but most consequential work happens — each MLA’s committee roles are listed on their profile. MLAs also use written and oral questions to extract information from departments on the public record.
In the constituency: casework
Away from Stormont, MLAs run constituency offices where they and their staff handle casework: helping constituents with housing problems, benefits, health service access, planning issues and dealings with public bodies. Casework typically takes up a large share of an MLA’s week. Anyone can contact any of their five MLAs — you don’t have to have voted for them, and office addresses, phone numbers and email addresses are on each MLA’s profile in our directory.
Extra roles: ministers, chairs, whips and the Speaker
Some MLAs carry additional roles on top of the basic job: ministers head departments (see how the Executive is formed); committee chairs and deputy chairs lead scrutiny; the Speaker and three Deputy Speakers chair proceedings impartially; and each party appoints whips to organise its Members. These roles are shown as tags on MLA profiles across this site.
Pay, staff and standards
MLAs’ salaries and expenses are set independently of MLAs themselves — an arrangement the Assembly is currently legislating to reshape through the Assembly Members (Independent Remuneration Board) Bill. Office and staffing costs are paid through a separate, audited expenses scheme. Conduct is governed by a Code of Conduct and a public Register of Members’ Interests, policed by the Committee on Standards and Privileges and an independent Commissioner for Standards.
MLA, MP or councillor?
People in Northern Ireland are represented at three levels: MLAs at Stormont for devolved matters (health, education, justice, roads and more), an MP at Westminster for national matters (immigration, defence, taxation), and councillors for local services (bins, leisure, local planning). Our guide to devolved, reserved and excepted powers maps the dividing lines.
Sources: Northern Ireland Assembly public information; Assembly Code of Conduct; Register of Members’ Interests. Last reviewed: July 2026.