Documents released by the Public Record of Northern Ireland (Proni) reveal the initial plans for direct rule after devolution's suspension in 2002. The minutes of early power-sharing executive meetings, including the first meeting in 1999, are also released, highlighting tensions and procedural matters.
Mist surrounds Stormont in May 2006 as the Northern Ireland Assembly meet for the first time since 2002. A lengthy return to direct rule from London was not envisaged when devolution was suspended in October 2002, files from the Public Record of Northern Ireland (Proni) have revealed. Power-sharing institutions were suspended after allegations of a republican spy ring at Stormont , which created tensions between the main political parties.
Dr Andrew McCormick, of the Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel, hoped the principles governing his department's relationship with the Treasury while devolution was suspended would 'only apply for a short time'.Direct rule lasted until May 2007.Northern Ireland's first power-sharing executive held its first meeting on 2 December 1999, but without its DUP ministers. The minutes of the first meeting of the new Northern Ireland Executive which was established under the Good Friday Agreement have also been released. Despite the agreement being signed in April 1998, the executive did not meet until 2 December 1999 due to Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) concerns at the lack of progress on IRA decommissioning. The two Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) ministers - Nigel Dodds in Social Development and Peter Robinson in Regional Development - refused to attend meetings. The minutes show that it was agreed they would still 'receive papers for, and minutes of, executive committee meetings'. This was reversed in June 2000 when it was decided that 'pending the receipt of satisfactory assurances from DUP ministers regarding the confidentiality and integrity of executive committee business', they would no longer receive such documents 'as of right'.The minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2001 reveal the executive 'held a minute's silence as a mark of respect to the victims of the terrorist atrocities carried out in the United States of America', two days previously
Northern Ireland Devolution Direct Rule Power-Sharing Stormont
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