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Subjects · Leaving Cert Politics & Society

Leaving Cert Politics & Society: Northern Ireland Executive

How often Northern Ireland Executive comes up on the Politics & Society papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 2 of the last 7 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2023.

OL Asked on 2 of the last 7 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2019.

Northern Ireland Executive, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Northern Ireland Executive.

(a)Which method allocates NI Executive ministries according to party strength?
  1. PR-STV
  2. The D'Hondt system
  3. First past the post
(b)What is special about the posts of First Minister and deputy First Minister?
  1. The First Minister can sack the deputy
  2. The deputy is chosen by the First Minister
  3. A joint office: neither holds it without the other
(c)Which agreement set up the current NI Assembly and power-sharing Executive?
  1. The Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement 1998
  2. The Downing Street Declaration 1993
  3. The Anglo-Irish Agreement 1985
Show the answers

(a) The D'Hondt system

(b) A joint office: neither holds it without the other

(c) The Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement 1998

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Northern Ireland Executive.

Higher Level

Asked on 2 of the last 7 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2023.

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Not asked
2024Not asked
2023Q1f
2022Q1l
2021Not asked
2019Not asked
2018Not asked

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Northern Ireland Executive questions

Northern Ireland Executive, 2 marks

Which body set up by the Good Friday Agreement brings NI and Irish government ministers together?

  1. The European Council of heads of government
  2. The Council of the European Union
  3. The North/South Ministerial Council
Show the answer

The North/South Ministerial Council

The North/South Ministerial Council (Strand Two) lets ministers from both jurisdictions co-operate on shared areas such as health, transport and tourism.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 2 of the last 7 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2019.

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Not asked
2024Not asked
2023Not asked
2022Not asked
2021Not asked
2019Q1t
2018Q1t

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Northern Ireland Executive questions

Northern Ireland Executive, 2 marks

How are most ministries in the Northern Ireland Executive shared out among parties?

  1. By a vote of the UK Parliament at Westminster
  2. By the First Minister alone, after each election
  3. By the D'Hondt system, based on Assembly seats
Show the answer

By the D'Hondt system, based on Assembly seats

Power-sharing under the Good Friday Agreement (1998) means ministries go to the larger parties in proportion to their Assembly seats, worked out with the D'Hondt formula.

Northern Ireland Executive, 3 marks

In Northern Ireland, what is special about the First Minister and deputy First Minister?

  1. The First Minister can sack the deputy
  2. They hold a joint office with equal power
  3. The deputy is chosen by the UK Prime Minister
Show the answer

They hold a joint office with equal power

They are nominated by the largest parties and must act together, which is the heart of power-sharing. If one resigns, the other also leaves office.

Northern Ireland Executive, 2 marks

Which agreement set up power-sharing in Northern Ireland?

  1. The Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, 1998
  2. The Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed in 1921
  3. The Treaty of Rome, which founded the EEC in 1957
Show the answer

The Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, 1998

The Agreement set up an Assembly elected by PR-STV and an Executive shared between unionist and nationalist parties. It was approved in referendums North and South.

Other Politics & Society topics

All of Leaving Cert Politics & Society