Privy Council of Northern Ireland

The Privy Council of Northern Ireland was a formal body of advisors to the Sovereign and was a vehicle for the monarch's prerogative powers in the province. It was modelled on the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.

The Council was created in 1922 as a result of the division of Ireland into the Irish Free State and the state of Northern Ireland, the latter of which remained part of the United Kingdom but with its own Parliament. The previous Privy Council of Ireland however was never formally abolished, remaining theoretically in existence though devoid of members other than the Lord Mayor of Dublin, who continues to be styled Right Honourable as a result.

The Privy Council of Northern Ireland consisted of senior members of the Northern Ireland government including the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, its members were appointed for life. The Council rarely met and was largely a ceremonial body with its responsibilities exercised by the cabinet. It became dormant in 1972 when the Parliament of Northern Ireland was suspended and its powers were transferred to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, a member of the British Cabinet. No appointments to the body have been made since its suspension and it was not revived when home rule was reinstated with the creation of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998.

Members are entitled to use the prefix The Rt. Hon., whilst peers who are members use the post-nominal letters PC (NI).

See also

• List of members of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland
• List of Northern Ireland members of the U.K. Privy Council