Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland takes newborn baby to Stormont

There was a “very special guest” attending this week’s Stormont recall as one of the Assembly’s newest MLAs brought her four-week-old baby with her.

Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland was accompanied by her baby daughter as she took her seat in Parliament Buildings for the first time.

A councillor for eight years, Ms Mulholland was co-opted into the party’s North Antrim seat four months ago to replace Dr Patricia O’Lynn, who quit to take up an academic post.

Amid the continuing stalemate at Stormont, politicians has gathered at Parliament Buildings on Wednesday for the seventh recall of the assembly.

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Once again attempts to elect an assembly speaker were unsuccessful.

But amid the failure of the restoration of power-sharing, the hope that comes with new life was on display as Ms Mulholland brought her newborn baby with her for her Assembly debut.

The little girl, who was born on December 21, is her third child with her husband and former Sinn Féin councillor Kieran Mulholland.

The couple also have two sons Alfie and Cathal.

She posted on social media on Wednesday about her special guest at Stormont, despite the failure of politicians to agree to get power-sharing back up and running.

“I had a very special guest with me in Parliament Buildings as I took my seat in the chamber for the first time today,” she wrote.

“Frustratingly, no movement on restoration.

“The majority of people here want a functioning local government, it’s long past time we got the opportunity to deliver.”