Q&A: What happens now?

The IRA has begun to decommission weapons. This move triggers a sequence of events which are aimed at restoring devolution and finally implementating all of the Good Friday Agreement. BBC News Online explains what could happen in the coming days and weeks.

So what's the next stage?

The next stage of the sequence is re-establishing the Northern Ireland Assembly and other institutions.

The Ulster Unionist ministers resigned from the NI Executive in protest over a lack of action from the IRA over decommissioning.

But on Thursday party leader David Trimble confirmed that he had renominated his three ministers to government.

But will his party accept the IRA's move?

It has been deeply divided over whether or not to trust the republican movement and Sinn Fein. There will be questions over whether the IRA's move is a one-off or the first stage of a complete plan to decommission.

But Mr Trimble's swift decision to renominate ministers indicates that he wants to strike quickly to bolster the Agreement and warn off those within the party who would still oppose power-sharing. Mr Trimble is expected to go before the 120-strong UUP executive for formal approval for his actions, including his renomination to the post of First Minister.

What could this mean for Sinn Fein?

A return to government and power-sharing.

Sinn Fein ministers Martin McGuinness and Bairbre de Brun have been blocked from attending cross-border bodies because of the row over decommissioning.

Attempts by David Trimble to exclude will end as and when the Assembly returns to full and agreed work.

What other parts of the Agreement will then need to be implemented?

The crucial strand for republicans is moves by the UK Government to scale down the military presence in Northern Ireland and to introduce more civilian-style policing arrangements.

While Sinn Fein is still boycotting the incoming Police Service for Northern Ireland board, the UK Government has already pledged legislation to amend the current reforms package to take in nationalist concerns.

What about the presence of the British army?

There are two elements to this. Firstly, soldiers have been taking part in security operations in north Belfast for most of the year because of the rise in violence, predominantly from loyalist paramilitaries.

It is highly unlikely that the army would be taken off the streets because of the loyalist threat. The second issue is the British Army's bases throughout Northern Ireland and principally those in the border area of south Armagh, an IRA stronghold.

The UK Government has already pledged to scale back this presence as and when security conditions allow it do so - but it will make a start by removing two watchtowers and part of a security base at Newtownhamilton.

It is also dismantle a further base at Magherafelt in County Londonderry.

What about the loyalists?

The deal that has emerged has largely been constructed without the input of the loyalist paramilitaries.

The government has already stated that both the UDA/UFF and the LVF have abandoned their ceasefires but the UVF has not. The question is whether or not the IRA's arms move will encourage loyalist paramilitaries to put down their guns - as they did following the IRA 1994 ceasefire - or whether they will ignore it.

North Belfast is continuing to witness inter-communal violence and tensions and many people fear that this street-level tension, such as the clashes over the Holy Cross School, could still destablise the peace process.

While some IRA weapons may be permanently sealed in secret and remote arms dumps, there are many guns remaining in the heart of areas where loyalist and republican paramilitaries exist.

When and or even whether these can be removed from Northern Ireland remains to be seen