First Minister of Northern Ireland

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In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Assembly Acts: Acts Members: 1998 - 2003 - 2007 Elections: 1998 - 2003 - 2007 Northern Ireland Executive First & Deputy First Minister Departments and agencies Local Government Courts of Northern Ireland
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom Parliament Committees: Affairs - Grand Members: Commons - Lords Elections: 2005 United Kingdom Government Northern Ireland Office Secretary of State • Direct Rule
Organisations
British-Irish Council Electoral Commission North/South Ministerial Council
See also
Belfast Agreement (1998) St Andrews Agreement (2006) Elections in Northern Ireland Constituencies • Political parties
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The First Minister of Northern Ireland (Irish: Chéad-Aire Thuaisceart Éireann, Ulster Scots: Heid Männystèr o Norlin Airlann) and the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland ((Irish: LeasChéad-Aire Thuaisceart Éireann, Ulster Scots: Heid Männystèr Depute o Norlin Airlann) are the leaders of the Northern Ireland Executive, Northern Ireland's home rule government set up in the late 1990s as a result of the Belfast Agreement. The government department for which they are jointly responsible is the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) (Irish: Oifig an Chéad-Aire agus an LeasChéad-Aire, Ulster Scots: Offis o tha Heid Männystèr an tha Heid Männystèr Depute). The office and the executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly are currently suspended, although the Assembly itself is not.

1 Election
2 History
3 Ministers
- 3.1 First Ministers
- 3.2 Deputy First Ministers
4 See also
5 External links

The First Minister is elected by the Assembly on a joint ticket with the Deputy First Minister. Their joint nomination must obtain an overall majority in the Assembly along with a majority of both designated nationalists and unionists.

This dyarchy was created to enable the leaders of the main unionist and nationalist parties to work together as a team jointly representing both communities.

Until 2002, the First Minister's post was held by David Trimble leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. Initially his deputy was the deputy leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, Seamus Mallon. He was succeeded upon his retirement by the new SDLP leader, Mark Durkan. It is expected that, in line with the announcement made on 26 March 2007, Ian Paisley (leader of the Democratic Unionist Party) and Martin McGuinness (chief negotiator for Sinn Féin) will become, respectively, First Minister and Deputy First Minister on 8 May 2007.

Minister	Party	Took office	Left office
David Trimble	Ulster Unionist	1 July 1998	1 July 2001
Reg Empey (Acting)	Ulster Unionist	1 July 2001	1 November 2001
David Trimble	Ulster Unionist	1 November 2001	14 October 2002
(Executive suspended)		15 October 2002	7 May 2007
Ian Paisley^#	Democratic Unionist	(8 May 2007)

^# - First Minister-designate

Minister	Party	Took office	Left office
Seamus Mallon	Social Democratic and Labour	1 July 1998	15 July 1999
(Vacant)		15 July 1999	29 November 1999
Seamus Mallon	Social Democratic and Labour	29 November 1999	6 November 2001
Mark Durkan	Social Democratic and Labour	6 November 2001	14 October 2002
(Executive suspended)		15 October 2002	7 May 2007
Martin McGuinness^#	Sinn Féin	(8 May 2007)