The Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue () was an elected deliberative body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
The forum was elected, with five members being elected for each Westminster Parliamentary constituency for Northern Ireland, under the D'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation. There was also a "topup" of two seats for the ten parties polling most votes; this ensured that two loyalist parties associated with paramilitary groups were represented. See members of the Northern Ireland Forum for a complete list.
Functions and legislative basis The Forum was constituted under the Northern Ireland (Entry to Negotiations, etc) Act 1996. The Forum was described in the Act as being purely deliberative in nature, and was explicitly stated to have no "executive, legislative or administrative" functions assigned to it, nor to have any authority over the Good Friday negotiations. It was permitted to consider, in a deliberative capacity, "any matter" referred to it by the negotiatiors.
Election results
The results of the election were: PartyVotesVote %List seatsTop-up seatsTotal seatsSeats % 181,82924.22823027.3 160,78621.4192 21 19.1 141,41318.82222421.8 116,37715.5152 1715.5 49,176 6.552 76.4 27,774 3.71232.7 26,082 3.502 21.8 16,715 2.20221.8 7,731 1.00221.8 6,425 0.90221.8 3,647 0.5000 3,595 0.5000 3,530 0.5000 2,125 0.5000 1,215 0.2000 1,046 0.1000 McMullan 927 0.1000 Chambers 567 0.1000 389 0.1000 DUP 388 0.1000 Arthur Templeton 350 0.1000 204 0.0000 66 0.0000 Ulster Christian Democrats 31 0.0000Total745,296 90 20 110 All parties shown.
Note: The Democratic Unionist Party was listed on the ballot paper as "Democratic Unionist Party DUP Ian Paisley"
List candidates Top-up candidates were elected from lists supplied by each party. The highest-placed candidates who had not already won election through a constituency won the top-up seats. In the table below, the top-up candidates elected through the regional list are shown in bold, while candidates elected in constituencies are shown in italics. Candidates in normal type were not elected.
PartyRegional list candidates David Trimble, John Taylor, John Gorman, Antony Alcock, Jack Allen, Fred Parkinson, Josias Cunningham, Dennis Rogan, James Cooper, Jim Nicholson John Hume, Seamus Mallon, Eddie McGrady, Joe Hendron, Jonathan Stephenson, Dorita Field, Margaret Ellen, Patricia Walsh, Marietta Farrell, Rosaleen Hughes, Anne McQuillan Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson, William McCrea, Nigel Dodds, Sammy Wilson, Gregory Campbell, Eric Smyth, Ruth Allen, Harry Smith, William McClure Lucilita Bhreatnach, Pat Doherty, Rita O'Hare, Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness, Bairbre de Brún, Mitchel McLaughlin, Gearóid Ó hEára, Joe Cahill, Dodie McGuinness John Alderdice, Seamus Close, Sean Neeson, Steve McBride, Eileen Bell, Anne Gormley, Elizabeth McCaffrey, Mary Clark-Glass, Susan O'Brien, Wendy Watt Robert McCartney, Cedric Wilson, Conor Cruise O'Brien, Patrick Roche, Ronnie Crawford, Alan Field, Valerie Kinghan, Stephen Nicholl, Graeme Jardin, Freda Woods Hugh Smyth, David Ervine, Billy Hutchinson, William Smith, David Kirk, Patricia Laverty, Dawn Purvis, Edward Kinner, Gusty Spence, Winston Churchill Rea Gary McMichael, John White, David Adams, Joe English, Tommy Kirkham, David Nicholl, Robert Girvan, Thomas English, Ester McCracken English, Elizabeth Cathcart McIlwaine Monica McWilliams, Pearl Sagar, Anne Campbell, Kathleen Fearon, Sheila Fairon, Joan Cosgrove, Diane Greer, Brenda Callaghan, Felicity Huston, Mairead Abraham Malachi Curran, Hugh Casey, Mark Langhammer, John McLaughlin, Lucy Simpson, Peter Hadden, Margaret Lawrence, Fionnuala Harbinson, Michael Duffy, David Morrison Paddy McEvoy, Peter Emerson, Jenny Jones, Nuala Ahern, Molly Scott, Robin Harper Barbara Finney, Esmond Birnie Tom French, John Lowry, Marian Donnelly, Ellen Rush, Margaret Smith, Tommy Owens, Brendan Heany, Eilish Duffy, Vivian Hutchinson, Michael McCorry Hugh Ross, Josephine Fulton-Challis, Sandra Jones, Walter Millar, David Kerr, Dierdre Speer-White, Ken Kerr, Donal Casey, Kenneth McClinton, Norman McLelland Mary McMahon, Seamus Lynch, Patrick John McClean, Gerry Cullen, Veronica McEneaney, Frank McElroy, Teresa McVeigh, Jean Craig, Mary Vernon, Monica Hynds David Bleakley, Paul Smyth, Maureen McCaughan, Adrian McKinney, Pearl Snowden, Edwin Sloan, Charles McKee, William Lewis, Erin Tunney McMullanOliver McMullan, John Robb, John McDowell, Wesley H. Holmes, William Dunbar, William Cunning, Helen Craig, Philip Dugdale, Charles Maunsell, Sinead McMullan ChambersAlan Chambers, Joseph Coggle, Mary Chambers, James Arbuthnot, Robert Irvine, Violet Chambers, Linda Chambers, William Chambers, Ruth Patty, Pearl Brown James Anderson, Thomas Mullins, Richard Johnson, John Patrick Lyons, John Small DUPThomas Henry O'Brien, William Baxter, Cecil Braniff, Tara Martin Alexandra, Stuart William O'Brien Arthur TempletonN/A Andrew Thompson, Sarah Thompson, Bernard McGrath, Susan McGrath, Edward Phillips, Trevor Richards, Christopher Carter, Fidelma Carter, Betty Carter, Susan Carter N/AUlster Christian DemocratsN/A
Votes summary
Seats summary
Seats by constituency Constituency UUP DUP SDLP SF AP UKUP PUP UDP WC Lab Belfast East 2 2 1 Belfast North 1 2 1 1 Belfast South 2 1 1 1 Belfast West 1 4 East Antrim 2 2 1 East Londonderry 2 2 1 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 2 1 1 1 Foyle 3 2 Lagan Valley 3 2 Mid Ulster 1 1 1 2 Newry and Armagh 1 2 2 North Antrim 2 2 1 North Down 2 1 1 1 South Antrim 2 2 1 South Down 1 3 1 Strangford 2 2 1 Upper Bann 2 1 1 1 West Tyrone 1 1 2 1 Regional List 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Total30242117732222
Votes by constituency
Const. UUP SDLP DUP SF AP UKUP PUP UDP WC Lab GPNI Con WP UIM DL DP OM AC NL IDUP AT UIV CPI UCDP Seats Valid Spoiled Turnout Electors Belfast East 8,608 1,299 11,270 862 7,130 2,496 3,802 1,156 405 199 161 291 149 114 45 197 11 13 93 38 5 38,419 80 38,499 62,161 Belfast North 6,938 7,493 7,778 7,681 1,670 1,329 3,777 1,874 486 571 265 274 41 123 25 21 14 63 5 40,423 105 40,528 65,411 Belfast South 8,617 7,956 5,818 2,455 4,689 1,750 2,321 1,666 947 333 314 279 270 108 96 133 5 20 31 5 37,808 89 37,897 63,890 Belfast West 1,489 11,087 1,769 22,355 340 1,982 848 252 319 156 60 984 43 37 12 30 36 26 28 5 41,853 173 42,026 61,344 East Antrim 10,036 2,213 9,557 619 3,957 2,041 2,254 1,141 323 218 224 271 69 86 33 102 81 5 14 107 5 33,351 52 33,403 57,989 East Londonderry 11,386 7,451 8,768 3,413 2,107 1,040 652 728 375 241 186 208 75 100 45 5 14 5 36,794 99 36,893 58,471 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 15,542 10,399 6,589 11,666 831 468 410 464 461 297 208 113 199 189 128 118 36 23 5 48,141 214 48,355 63,716 Foyle 4,553 19,997 5,054 11,618 790 324 580 497 695 544 191 92 81 65 40 22 41 5 45,184 124 45,308 66,598 Lagan Valley 16,367 4,001 9,592 1,132 4,508 2,252 1,072 3,007 520 143 175 386 72 164 43 3 18 5 43,455 27 43,482 70,045 Mid Ulster 7,935 12,492 7,243 13,001 549 435 380 375 259 271 132 119 210 263 41 93 20 24 5 43,842 159 44,001 57,683 Newry and Armagh 11,047 16,775 4,774 12,585 1,037 474 640 257 356 262 205 131 208 173 46 114 12 31 55 5 49,182 165 49,347 69,887 North Antrim 11,195 7,185 16,448 2,579 2,518 1,185 665 768 272 187 150 259 60 167 40 114 670 13 14 5 44,489 71 44,560 71,799 North Down 9,270 1,798 6,699 275 6,186 7,579 1,694 651 496 171 283 444 60 49 95 334 15 97 49 5 36,245 26 36,271 62,810 South Antrim 12,001 6,025 9,549 2,149 3,332 2,111 1,697 1,000 435 236 197 246 104 89 119 105 33 3 16 350 5 39,797 77 39,874 68,898 South Down 10,379 20,220 5,060 6,142 1,685 497 404 464 927 251 197 162 130 65 117 18 30 5 46,748 143 46,891 69,035 Strangford 12,547 2,927 11,584 709 4,614 3,112 2,017 1,080 410 202 213 380 73 57 53 13 13 66 5 40,070 44 40,114 69,093 Upper Bann 16,592 9,846 7,134 5,620 2,152 886 1,404 402 390 512 178 311 180 36 71 4 14 5 45,732 49 45,781 69,928 West Tyrone 7,327 11,622 6,727 11,516 1,081 292 238 397 185 792 158 119 169 107 130 30 45 5 40,935 211 41,146 57,348 Northern Ireland 181,829 160,786 141,413 116,377 49,176 27,774 26,082 16,715 7,731 6,425 3,647 3,595 3,530 2,125 1,215 1,046 927 567 389 388 350 204 66 31 110 752,468 1,908 754,376 1,166,106
Vote share by constituency
Const. UUP SDLP DUP SF AP UKUP PUP UDP WC Lab GPNI Con WP UIM DL DP OM AC NL IDUP AT UIV CPI UCDP Seats Valid Spoiled Turnout Electors Belfast East 22.41% 3.38% 29.33% 2.24% 18.56% 6.50% 9.90% 3.01% 1.05% 0.52% 0.42% 0.76% 0.39% 0.30% 0.12% 0.51% 0.03% 0.03% 0.24% 0.10% 5 99.79% 0.21% 61.93% 100.00% Belfast North 17.16% 18.54% 19.24% 19.00% 4.13% 3.29% 9.34% 4.64% 1.20% 1.41% 0.66% 0.68% 0.10% 0.30% 0.06% 0.05% 0.03% 0.16% 5 99.74% 0.26% 61.96% 100.00% Belfast South 22.79% 21.04% 15.39% 6.49% 12.40% 4.63% 6.14% 4.41% 2.50% 0.88% 0.83% 0.74% 0.71% 0.29% 0.25% 0.35% 0.01% 0.05% 0.08% 5 99.77% 0.23% 59.32% 100.00% Belfast West 3.56% 26.49% 4.23% 53.41% 0.81% 4.74% 2.03% 0.60% 0.76% 0.37% 0.14% 2.35% 0.10% 0.09% 0.03% 0.07% 0.09% 0.06% 0.07% 5 99.59% 0.41% 68.51% 100.00% East Antrim 30.09% 6.64% 28.66% 1.86% 11.86% 6.12% 6.76% 3.42% 0.97% 0.65% 0.67% 0.81% 0.21% 0.26% 0.10% 0.31% 0.24% 0.01% 0.04% 0.32% 5 99.84% 0.16% 57.60% 100.00% East Londonderry 30.95% 20.25% 23.83% 9.28% 5.73% 2.83% 1.77% 1.98% 1.02% 0.65% 0.51% 0.57% 0.20% 0.27% 0.12% 0.01% 0.04% 5 99.73% 0.27% 63.10% 100.00% Fermanagh and South Tyrone 32.28% 21.60% 13.69% 24.23% 1.73% 0.97% 0.85% 0.96% 0.96% 0.62% 0.43% 0.23% 0.41% 0.39% 0.27% 0.25% 0.07% 0.05% 5 99.56% 0.44% 75.89% 100.00% Foyle 10.08% 44.26% 11.19% 25.71% 1.75% 0.72% 1.28% 1.10% 1.54% 1.20% 0.42% 0.20% 0.18% 0.14% 0.09% 0.05% 0.09% 5 99.73% 0.27% 68.03% 100.00% Lagan Valley 37.66% 9.21% 22.07% 2.60% 10.37% 5.18% 2.47% 6.92% 1.20% 0.33% 0.40% 0.89% 0.17% 0.38% 0.10% 0.01% 0.04% 5 99.94% 0.06% 62.08% 100.00% Mid Ulster 18.10% 28.49% 16.52% 29.65% 1.25% 0.99% 0.87% 0.86% 0.59% 0.62% 0.30% 0.27% 0.48% 0.60% 0.09% 0.21% 0.05% 0.05% 5 99.64% 0.36% 76.28% 100.00% Newry and Armagh 22.46% 34.11% 9.71% 25.59% 2.11% 0.96% 1.30% 0.52% 0.72% 0.53% 0.42% 0.27% 0.42% 0.35% 0.09% 0.23% 0.02% 0.06% 0.11% 5 99.67% 0.33% 70.61% 100.00% North Antrim 25.16% 16.15% 36.97% 5.80% 5.66% 2.66% 1.49% 1.73% 0.61% 0.42% 0.34% 0.58% 0.13% 0.38% 0.09% 0.26% 1.51% 0.03% 0.03% 5 99.84% 0.16% 62.06% 100.00% North Down 25.58% 4.96% 18.48% 0.76% 17.07% 20.91% 4.67% 1.80% 1.37% 0.47% 0.78% 1.22% 0.17% 0.14% 0.26% 0.92% 0.04% 0.27% 0.14% 5 99.93% 0.07% 57.75% 100.00% South Antrim 30.16% 15.14% 23.99% 5.40% 8.37% 5.30% 4.26% 2.51% 1.09% 0.59% 0.50% 0.62% 0.26% 0.22% 0.30% 0.26% 0.08% 0.01% 0.04% 0.88% 5 99.81% 0.19% 57.87% 100.00% South Down 22.20% 43.25% 10.82% 13.14% 3.60% 1.06% 0.86% 0.99% 1.98% 0.54% 0.42% 0.35% 0.28% 0.14% 0.25% 0.04% 0.06% 5 99.70% 0.30% 67.92% 100.00% Strangford 31.31% 7.30% 28.91% 1.77% 11.51% 7.77% 5.03% 2.70% 1.02% 0.50% 0.53% 0.95% 0.18% 0.14% 0.13% 0.03% 0.03% 0.16% 5 99.89% 0.11% 58.06% 100.00% Upper Bann 36.28% 21.53% 15.60% 12.29% 4.71% 1.94% 3.07% 0.88% 0.85% 1.12% 0.39% 0.68% 0.39% 0.08% 0.16% 0.01% 0.03% 5 99.89% 0.11% 65.47% 100.00% West Tyrone 17.90% 28.39% 16.43% 28.13% 2.64% 0.71% 0.58% 0.97% 0.45% 1.93% 0.39% 0.29% 0.41% 0.26% 0.32% 0.07% 0.11% 5 99.49% 0.51% 71.75% 100.00% Northern Ireland 24.16% 21.37% 18.79% 15.47% 6.54% 3.69% 3.47% 2.22% 1.03% 0.85% 0.48% 0.48% 0.47% 0.28% 0.16% 0.14% 0.12% 0.08% 0.05% 0.05% 0.05% 0.03% 0.01% 0.00% 110 99.75% 0.25% 64.69% 100.00%
Suspension, revival and abolition