The Northern Ireland Executive is the (currently suspended) executive body for Northern Ireland, answerable to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

It officially took power on December 2, 1999, but was suspended on various occasions, the last effective October 15, 2002,as Unionists refused to share power with Sinn Fein whose offices at Stormont had just been raided by Police investigating terrorist activity by members of their support staff. While it is suspended, the functions it exercised have reverted to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

The seats were allocated in a power-sharing formula and were proportional to the number of members in the Assembly.

Shortly before its final suspension, the executive consisted of

• David Trimble - First Minister (Ulster Unionist Party)
• Mark Durkan - Deputy First Minister (Social Democratic and Labour Party)
• Reg Empey - Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister (UUP)
• Seán Farren - Finance and Personnel (SDLP)
• Peter Robinson - Regional Development (Democratic Unionist Party) - had resigned on October 10
• Martin McGuinness - Education Minister (Sinn Féin)
• Dermot Nesbitt - Environment Minister (UUP)
• Carmel Hanna - Employment and Learning (SDLP)
• Nigel Dodds - Social Development (DUP)
• Michael McGimpsey - Culture, Arts and Leisure (UUP)
• Bairbre de Brún - Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Sinn Féin)
• Brid Rogers - Agriculture and Rural Development (SDLP)

Previous suspensions had lasted from February 11 to May 30, 2000, then on August 10-11, 2001, and September 22-23, 2001.

External Links

• NI Executive's Official Website