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NI ministers start work
Broad welcome for local ministers to tackle local issues |
The appointment of local ministers to tackle local issues in Northern Ireland's first government in 25 years has been broadly welcomed across the community.
The 10 ministers appointed at the Assembly on Monday are spending their first day getting to know their portfolios in preparation for the devolution of power from Westminster to Northern Ireland's unique power-sharing executive on Thursday.
Members to the departmental committees will also be appointed in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Later, the peace process will take another crucial step forward when the UK Parliament backs a devolution order to end London's direct rule over the province after 27 years.
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Northern Ireland Secretary, Peter Mandelson, will put the measure before MPs late on Tuesday after it has been through the House of Lords.
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Northern Ireland's ministers |
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Martin McGuinness (Sinn Fein) - education |
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Sir Reg Empey (UUP) - enterprise, trade and investment |
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Sam Foster (UUP) - environment |
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Mark Durkan (SDLP) - finance and personnel |
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Sean Farren (SDLP) - higher and further education, training and employment |
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Peter Robinson (DUP) - regional development |
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Michael McGimpsey (UUP) - culture, arts and leisure |
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Nigel Dodds (DUP) - social development |
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Bairbre de Brun (Sinn Fein) - health |
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Brid Rodgers (SDLP) - agriculture |
The order is not expected to go to a vote unless the anti-Agreement Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) forces one.
The DUP has been the only party to object to the appointment of any of the Assembly ministers, reacting angrily to the appointment of Sinn Fein chief negotiator Martin McGuinness (who is widely viewed in political and security circles as having played a key role in the IRA) as Education Minister.
Ministers had previously been sent from Westminster to make decisions about health, education, agriculture, the environment and other areas in the absence of a local executive in Northern Ireland.
Specialist organisations have been reacting positively to the prospect of dealing with locally accountable ministers.
The British Medical Association welcomed the appointment of Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun as Health Minister.
Hope Bairbre de Brun will address "deficiencies" in NHS |
He said: "We hope that she will be able to address some of the major deficiencies which are present in our health service and we look forward to working with her to develop a quality equitable service with a minimum of bureaucracy."
The health union, Unison, also welcomed the local appointments.
Spokeswoman Patrician McKeown said Unison hoped local ministers would bring transparency to decision making in the Health Service.
She said: "I hope it will be a whole new world of public accountability. There hasn't been any before.
Mixed reaction to McGuinness appointment |
Tom McKee of the teachers' union, the NASUWT congratulated Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness and the SDLP's Sean Farren on their appointments as Education Minister and Minister for Higher Education, Training and Employment.
He said: "It's a challenge for us to deal with ministers whose seats are actually in Northern Ireland and we should get a greater degree of accountability."
Agriculture Minister Brid Rodgers |
Chairman of the Ulster Pork and Bacon Forum, Robert Overend, said it did not matter what the political affiliation of the minister was.
He said: "There is no division between the farming community. We are all suffering equally. It doesn't matter which political party we aspire to."
Assistant Director of the Rural Community Network Tony McAuley said: "We are looking forward to working with her and all of the new ministers for the benefit of rural communities across Northern Ireland."
On Thursday the Irish government is due to amend the Irish constitutional claim to Northern Ireland and devolve power to the cross-border bodies set up under the Agreement.
On the same day the IRA is due to appoint an intermediary to the International Commission on paramilitary arms decommissioning.
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See also: |
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29 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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NI's new Stormont ministers |
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29 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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Anger over SF executive nomination |
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30 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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Assembly to elect committees |
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29 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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Slow steps into shared future |
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29 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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Old foes share NI power |
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27 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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Timeline: Good Friday to agreement |
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28 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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Timetable: The road to devolution |
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27 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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Northern Ireland's hard road ahead |
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27 Nov 99 | Northern Ireland |
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Trimble's strategy - step by step |
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