18 Facts About Northern Ireland Executive

Northern Ireland Executive is the devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branch of the legislature – the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The executive is referred to in the legislation as the Northern Ireland Executive Committee of the assembly and is an example of consociationalist government.

The governing of Northern Ireland fell to civil servants in a caretaker capacity until January 2020, when the parties signed the New Decade, New Approach agreement and an Executive was established.

Executive were established in law by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 that followed the Good Friday Agreement and its basis was revised by the Northern Ireland Act 2006 that followed the St Andrews Agreement of that year.

In contrast with Westminster system cabinets, which generally need only be backed by a majority of legislators, ministerial positions in the Northern Ireland Executive are allocated to parties with significant representation in the Assembly.

Northern Ireland Executive is co-chaired by the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Northern Ireland Executive meetings are normally held fortnightly, compared to weekly meetings of the British Cabinet and Irish Government.

Good Friday Agreement states that the Northern Ireland Executive will "seek to agree each year, and review as necessary" a Programme for Government incorporating an agreed budget.

Under the St Andrews Agreement, the Northern Ireland Executive is obliged to adopt strategies on the following policy matters:.

Original Northern Ireland Executive was established on 1 January 1974, following the Sunningdale Agreement.

Current Northern Ireland Executive was provided for in the Belfast Agreement, signed on 10 April 1998.

Second Northern Ireland Executive formed in 2007 was led by the DUP and Sinn Fein, with the UUP and SDLP securing ministerial roles.

However, the Northern Ireland Executive did not meet between 19 June 2008 and 20 November 2008 due to a boycott by Sinn Fein.

Northern Ireland Executive subsequently resigned as DUP leader on 18 December 2015, being succeeded by Arlene Foster.

The SDLP, UUP and Alliance Party left the Northern Ireland Executive and formed the Official Opposition for the first time.

Northern Ireland Executive's resignation sparked a snap election as Sinn Fein refused to re-nominate a deputy First Minister.

Northern Ireland Act 2019 was passed by the UK parliament on 10 July 2019 and became law on 24 July.

On 11 January 2020, the Northern Ireland Executive was re-formed with Arlene Foster as First Minister and Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill as deputy First Minister following the New Decade, New Approach agreement.