Politicians descend on Belfast for launch of power-sharing

After more than a decade, Northern Ireland's peace process is due to reach a triumphant culmination in Belfast today when Unionists and republicans form a power-sharing government.

Tony Blair and the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will witness what is regarded as a milestone designed to provide political underpinning to the cessation of violence.

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News organisations from all over the world are in Belfast for the occasion, which will see installed at the Stormont Assembly an administration headed by the two largest parties, the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein. Mr Paisley and Martin McGuinness are to take office as First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

DUP ministers will head the departments of finance, the economy, the environment, and culture and leisure. Sinn Fein will have education, agriculture and regional development while smaller parties will handle employment, health and social development. An intricate array of checks and balances has been built into the new system. In addition, the work of each department will be scrutinised by a committee headed by Assembly members from parties different to that of the ministers. Powers over policing have yet to be transferred to Belfast, but may follow in the next few years.

Mr Paisley attempted to step up pressure on Gordon Brown to supply more money. He said in an interview: "There's no use having a nice vehicle sitting in your driveway if you haven't the fuel to put into it. It will not move an inch. It might be nicely polished. It might be beautiful looking but it is not going to do anything."

The First Minister-designate said the major difficulties included challenges in the economy, a crisis in education, tax issues and attracting new investment. He added: "There is great hype right now where everybody seems to think everything is wonderful. What I am trying to say as First Minister is this - look, we're not in paradise."

But using a notably constructive tone, he declared: "I would like to see a good hard-working parliament here, with good speeches and people dedicated to do what they have been sent here to do. There is talent in the Assembly and I want to see the talent of everybody used to the maximum for the good of Northern Ireland and all of its people."

Gerry Adams said: "There is huge goodwill for the return of the powersharing institutions in the North and growing support for our proposals to build an Ireland of equals."

The people who made it possible

* JOHN HUME

Nobel laureate and former head of Sinn Fein's nationalist rivals, the SDLP, he championed the idea that republicans could enter the political arena if the IRA abandoned violence.

* GERRY ADAMS

Head of Sinn Fein, he supported IRA violence but sought dialogue with a range of leading figures. While supporting the decommissioning of IRA weapons he has fashioned Sinn Fein into a major political force.

* FATHER ALEC REID

The Falls Road-based priest tried to persuade nationalist and religious leaders that secret talks with Sinn Fein might increase the chances of peace.

* ALBERT REYNOLDS

As Dublin prime minister he pushed the peace process. He persuaded John Major that the peace process could work, and was PM when the IRA declared its 1994 ceasefire.

* JOHN MAJOR

He explored the prospects of peace and the huge question of whether the IRA might be persuaded to abandon violence. He also sanctioned secret talks with the IRA.

* BILL CLINTON

Devoted more time to Northern Ireland than any other US president and caused a Washington-London rift by allowing Gerry Adams into the US.

* DAVID TRIMBLE

As leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, he took huge risks by going into government with Sinn Fein while the IRA retained its weapons. Has just joined the Tories.

* GEORGE MITCHELL

The ex-US senator was despatched by Mr Clinton as peace envoy to Belfast, where he spent five years chairing talks. He held the talks together during many crises.

* TONY BLAIR

Spent a decade on the details of the peace process, trying to coax republicans into power sharing. In effect he persuaded the IRA to go away. Will regard today's event as one of the successes of his time in office.

* BERTIE AHERN

As Irish PM spent 10 years working with Mr Blair and negotiating with republicans. He also built bridges with northern Unionists, culminating in last month's public handshake with Ian Paisley.