After only nine weeks, Northern Ireland's assembly and its executive has been suspended. Legislation which will re-impose direct rule was rushed through parliament and given Royal Assent. BBC NI's political editor Stephen Grimason answers your questions about the impact of the suspension of Northern Ireland's government.


Who will govern Northern Ireland while the assembly is suspended?

Northern Ireland will revert to the system known as direct rule. In essence, central government will control events in the province through a team of ministers in the Northern Ireland Office under the Secretary of State, Peter Mandelson.

Will the 12 ministers of the new executive still keep their jobs and salaries?

They will lose their jobs and their ministerial salaries. They will retain their pre-devolution salary of £29,000 which will be paid to all 108 MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly). The steepest drop in pay will be for First Minister David Trimble who will face a £73,000 pay cut. They will lose the trappings of office such as their chauffeur driven cars, and are likely to lose their security privileges. However, people such as Mr Trimble and Democratic Unionist Party ministers who were offered security privileges beforehand, will retain these.

What about other people working for the assembly?

Stenographers, people compiling reports for Hansard, researchers, political advisers and information officers may lose their jobs. There's also a question mark over the future of catering and security staff. However, the senior civil servants, who head the various departments will be kept on, to report back to the direct rule ministers.

What happens to the new cross-border bodies set up to strengthen relationships between Northern Ireland and the republic?

The cross border bodies come under the aegis of the North-South Ministerial Council which is made up of ministers from the Dail in Dublin and the assembly executive. As an institution of the Good Friday Agreement it too will fall along with the assembly. Any work the cross-border bodies are due to carry out will be returned to the responsibility of the direct rule ministers.

Will the early release of prisoners, which is part of the Good Friday Agreement, also be suspended?

No. The early release programme will continue as long as the government is satisfied the ceasefires of loyalist and republican groups are holding. Even, if for instance, the IRA ceasefire broke down those prisoners already released would remain free unless they individually were found to have been involved in acts of violence.

Will this have any effect on the implementation on the Patten report which recommends major changes to the RUC?

Not directly. Ministerial responsibility for the RUC was what is called a reserved matter. It continued to be exercised by central government after devolution as it is too sensitive an issue to be under the control of local ministers. There are, however, implications for the timing of the report's implementation as the secretary of state and the chief constable have said operation change would be in response to the level of threat from terrorism.

Can government be returned to Northern Ireland and when would this be likely to take place?

Yes. In technical terms it would be a straightforward process. In political terms, however, no one can say with any certainty if or when power will be returned to the assembly. As soon as possible seems to be the only answer on offer but the next big deadline coming up is in May. If devolution has not happened again by then the whole peace process will be seen to be in dire distress.

Is there likely to be a return to violence in the event of the suspension of the executive?

Security sources say the ceasefires are holding and there is nothing to suggest all those involved in the peace process will want to find a solution other than through pure politics. But the past has shown the danger of fresh violence is never greater than when there is a political vacuum.