The Northern Assembly will officially assume power from Westminster at midnight. The New Executive will hold its inaugural meeting tomorrow and end 25 years of direct rule. In Dublin the Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Andrews, and the Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson, will notify each other that the requirements for the implementation of the institutional aspects of the Good Friday Agreement are now complete. The Cabinet will then bring these into effect together with the new Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.
The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, told the Dáil today that the political settlement represented the strongest possible basis for permanent peace. He said that everyone is entitled to feel a great sense of pride in what has been achieved in Northern Ireland. The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, described the setting up of the Northern Executive as one huge giant step towards lasting peace.
Speaking on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, the Taoiseach recalled the contributions of former Taoisigh John Bruton, Albert Reynolds and Charles Haughey. He spoke of the bravery of David Trimble, welcomed the DUP decision to take their seats on the Executive, and said great courage and vision had been shown by the Republican Movement as a whole. But he warned those who might wish to destroy the Agreement that the Government, representing the Irish people, will not tolerate any paramilitary attack. He said the Government is determined that dissident organisations will be dissolved and disarmed if they will not do so voluntarily.
The Fine Gael Leader, John Bruton, said that all steps under the Agreement are essentially voluntary. Referring to decommissioning he said no political party should allow itself to get hung up on the issue of whether the steps it takes are voluntary or under pressure. He paid tribute to the Taoiseach, saying he had shown tremendous skill and sensitivity to unionists and was able to keep republicans and nationalists moving forward. Labour leader Ruairí Quinn spoke of those unionists who remain opposed to the Agreement and of the need to respect them. Speaking about decommissioning, Mr Quinn said that there can be no backtracking on the commitment given on Good Friday.
