MLAs 'will still be paid'

NI's political institutions were suspended more than a year ago

The House of Lords has agreed that members of the suspended Northern Ireland Assembly will continue to receive a reduced salary of £31,817 a year.

Lords Leader Baroness Amos said they had "representative" duties and constituency offices to run.

Northern Ireland's political institutions were suspended more than a year ago and the parties went into the recent assembly election against the background of a deadlocked process.

The DUP overtook the Ulster Unionists to become the biggest party, taking 30 seats. Sinn Fein secured 24 seats.

The British and Irish Governments have promised to bring forward proposals in the new year for a review of the Good Friday Agreement.

Baroness Amos told peers on Tuesday night: "It's not unreasonable for them (MLAs) to ask for some degree of financial security for the purposes of running constituency offices and carrying out their duties."

The Northern Ireland Act (Modification) Order, which came into effect on 5 December, was later approved in the Lords without a vote.

Baroness Amos said MLAs needed a degree of financial security

Meanwhile, the deadline for election posters to be removed from public places runs out on Wednesday.

All candidates in last month's poll have until midnight to take down their posters.

Mary McIntyre, a principal planning officer with the Department of the Environment, said a large number of the posters had already been removed.

"However, anything remaining on display after midnight tonight will be in breach of the regulations," she said.

"We have written to all the parties to remind them of their responsibilities. I have every confidence that those candidates who have put themselves forward for public office will honour their responsibilities and remove the posters."

Alliance Party assembly member Seamus Close said the legal consequences which existed for those who did not take their election posters down on time should be applied equally to those who erect paramilitary flags and emblems.

"Now that most of the political parties have removed their posters within the legal time limits, I wonder will the same energy be displayed by way of phone calls, comment and threats of legal action by the respective departments to have illegal flags, emblems and graffiti removed from lampposts?

"Will authority pursue the wrong-doers with the same vigour and determination, or will they continue to turn a blind eye and permit paramilitary rule?" he asked.