Stormont: Edwin Poots becomes new Speaker

Former DUP leader Edwin Poots was elected Speaker on a historic day at Stormont.

Mr Poots takes over from Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey who stepped down on the day power-sharing returned to Northern Ireland.

Mr Maskey took up the post in 2020.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein MLA Caral Ni Chuilin, Alliance Party MLA John Blair and UUP MLA Steve Aiken have been elected as Deputy Speakers.

Earlier, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said it has been a "challenging journey" to the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive over the last two years.

"I believe that my party has delivered what many said we couldn't.

"We have brought about change that many said was not possible, and I believe that today is a good day for Northern Ireland, a day when once again our place in the United Kingdom and its internal market is respected and protected in our law and restored for all our people to enjoy the benefits of our membership of the union," he told media in the Great Hall.

"Its a day when we come together and we take on the responsibility of providing good government for the people of Northern Ireland, for addressing the many issues that confront us at this time.

"My party is determined to play its part working with others to make Northern Ireland work, to make this place the best that it can be, to realise our potential to invest in our people, to ensure that our public services have the resources that they need to provide the best health care, a great education system, prosperity in our economy, housing and jobs for all."

And UUP leader Doug Beattie said the people of Northern Ireland have "suffered greatly" during the two years that devolved government has been absent.

"We have many challenges going ahead, we all accept that.

"Getting Stormont up and running will not be the panacea but it gives us the platform to start fixing, and this is all about making Northern Ireland work," he said.

"I don't think the last two years of nonsense should have happened.

!I think we could have got to where we are today with a sitting Assembly, and I have made that point absolutely clear.

"But today is about looking forward, looking forward to an Executive where we can start to deliver and to make Northern Ireland work for all of its people."

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said she hopes the next few hours will see a move from "drama on this hill to delivery for the people".

She said she wants to see Northern Ireland become a more successful, fairer, more prosperous and shared society.

"We are willing, in whatever role comes today, to play our full part in making that happen," she told media in the Great Hall at Stormont ahead of the Assembly sitting.

"The people of Northern Ireland deserve a government that works for them, and today is the starting point for that."