TUV leader Jim Allister may be a one man band at Stormont but he has proved he is intent on making himself heard.

The unionist hardliner repeatedly tested the patience of re-elected Speaker William Hay on the first day of the new Assembly term and brought jeers from all sides of the house.

Having described Sinn Fein as "IRA/Sinn Fein" several times and on one occasion called north Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly "bomber Kelly", the party's Caral Ni Chuilin has asked the Speaker to review what she described as "unparliamentary" comments.

Earlier, Mr Allister told the reappointed Speaker he was a nominee of "IRA/Sinn Fein", and accused him of making pro-Sinn Fein decisions and suppressing freedom of speech in the chamber. "His elevation again is the consequence of another sordid deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein," he claimed.

He added: "Now we can look forward to new depravity in the arrangements of this house when in 2014 a member of IRA/Sinn Fein takes over the leadership of this house and I think it falls as a shame upon those who have facilitated that arrangement."

But when he objected to the election of Sinn Fein's Francie Molloy as deputy speaker, he failed to push the matter to a vote because as the only dissenter he was not able to provide the required two tellers to record any "No" votes.

The TUV leader, who became the sole member of his party to win a seat when he was elected without reaching the quota in north Antrim, provoked a stern reply when he again questioned the Speaker. "You are almost coming to a point of challenging the authority of the chair and I would not go there, I certainly would not go there," Mr Hay said.

But one of the most dramatic encounters unfolded outside the Assembly chamber when Mr Allister emerged to conduct a press conference and the DUP cut him short when party MLAs walked across him while he was still speaking to enable Peter Robinson to start his address to reporters.

The DUP leader went on to describe the TUV man as a "crank" and an "irritant". Mr Robinson added: "We are not going to be put off by the antics of somebody who is a fringe player, somebody who crept through the doors of Stormont on the ninth count on DUP surpluses without reaching the quota."

Later Martin McGuinness was equally dismissive, saying: "Jim Allister is not going to dictate or dominate proceedings in this assembly. He cuts a very isolated and very lonely figure and I think people will get fed up listening to his antics as time passes by."