[3] The election of the Speaker,[4] appointment of the Minister of Justice, any changes to the standing orders[5] and the adoption of certain money bills must all occur with cross-community support.
Under the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, it is one of the 'safeguards' in Strand One as a mechanism "to ensure key decisions [in the Assembly] are taken on cross-community basis".
However, if a "petition of concern" is raised successfully about proposed legislation or executive action, the speaker must call a cross-community vote.
(d) make provision for such steps to be taken during the consideration period as may be necessary for the purposes of fully implementing paragraph 2.2.7 of Annex B of Part 2 of The New Decade, New Approach Deal.
[6] This agreement was set in law through the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022.