Denis Arnold – Clerk, Bills Office, Northern Ireland Assembly
Denis Arnold is the Clerk of Bills in the Northern Ireland Assembly, responsible for dealing with primary legislation. He has had a long career in the Northern Ireland Civil Service in various management and policy role.
In 1996 he was transferred to the newly established Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue in 1996 during the "Talks Process" which led to the Belfast or "Good Friday" Agreement. He was one of a small team of officials instrumental in setting up the Northern Ireland Assembly following a referendum and succeeding elections. In 1998 he became Clerk to the first Assembly Committee - Committee of Standing Orders which included party leaders and other senior politicians, and later simultaneously first clerk to a newly established Standards Committee. He was responsible for main drafting of standing orders - key procedures - of the Assembly without which devolution could not have taken place.
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