A Return To Devolved Government In The North?

Sinn Féin And DUP Agree To Power Sharing From May 8th

Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party reached an agreement on Monday to restore a devolved power-sharing government in the North on May 8th.

Meeting the March 25th deadline, the two parties avoided the threat from both the British and Irish governments that the Assembly would be closed permanently.

At their first joint press conference at Stormont, both the DUP leader Rev. Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams confirmed that they had reached a power-sharing deal that will see the two parties take control of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mr. Paisley said: "Our goal has been to see devolution returned in a context where it can make a real, meaningful improvement in the lives of all the people of this part of the United Kingdom.

"On Saturday, the DUP executive overwhelmingly endorsed a motion committing our party to support and participate fully in government in May of this year - this is a binding resolution."

Mr. Adams responded positively to the DUP leader's statement, saying that it ushered in a "new era": "I believe the agreement reached between Sinn Fein and the DUP - including the unequivocal commitment made by their party executive and reiterated today - to the restoration of political institutions on 8 May marks the beginning of a new era of politics on this island."

Parliament To Rush Through New Legislation

The British Parliament will expedite changes in the law to give legal authority to the power-sharing deal.

The new power-sharing executive will have four DUP ministers, three Sinn Féin, two UUP and one SDLP.

Taoiseach Welcomes The Agreement

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also welcomed the historic agreement between the two adversaries, saying that it was an "unprecedented  and very positive development in Northern Ireland."

Looking forward to the future he said, "We move forward from today in an entirely new spirit and with every expectation of success

"I welcome the agreement between Sinn Fein and the DUP on the restoration of the devolved institutions on 8 May.

"This has the potential to transform the future of this island.

"This has been a period of intensive engagement involving parties and governments.

"In view of the absolute commitment to the restoration of the Good Friday Agreement institutions in six weeks time, and the intensive preparations for government that will now commence, the two Governments will accommodate this new date."

Blair Calls It Remarkable

The Prime Minister Tony Blair praised the coming together of political parties to restore devolved government to Norther Ireland, calling it a "very important day" for the "people and the history of these islands."

Speaking in the House of Commons Mr. Blair said: "In a sense, everything we have done over the last ten years has been a preparation for this moment, because the people of Northern Ireland have spoken through the election.

"They have said we want peace and power-sharing and the political leadership has then come in behind that and said we will deliver what people want."

Mr Blair said today's deal would not stop republicans or nationalists being republicans or nationalists, nor unionists remaining unionists.

"What it does mean is people can come together, respecting each other's point of view and share power and make sure politics is only expressed through peaceful and democratic means.

"And in that it will give the people of Northern Ireland the future they want and give heart to all of us who have wanted this process over the past few years."