Nothern Ireland's history
Approximately 1.5 million people live in Northern Ireland (NI), a part of the United Kingdom.Northern Ireland was created in 1921 and had its own parliament at Stormont 
in Belfast until 1972.The political representation includes Assembly Members governing in Northern Ireland on a range of issues and Members of Parliament being elected to the United Kingdom House of Commons.During this period, unionists, representing the majority Protestant community, ran the regional government which had full responsibility for all local affairs.In 1972, and in the face of escalating violence, the British government dissolved the Northern Ireland government and imposed direct rule from Westminster.
Since 1972 the policy of successive British governments has been to establish, through negotiation with the parties, a locally accountable NI administration commanding widespread support from both Protestant and Catholic communities.The Sunningdale Agreement of 1973 led to a new Northern Ireland Assembly and power-sharing executive for Northern Ireland comprising unionist and nationalist parties. However, in the face of mass opposition from unionists, the assembly soon collapsed.In 1982, eight years after the first assembly was formed, another assembly was created. Nationalists boycotted this body, which fell four years later.
In 1991, talks between Northern Ireland’s four main parties, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP); the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP); the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Alliance Party concluded that any future agreement must address three sets of relationships.Those between the two communities in Northern Ireland, between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.A possible approach to this was drawn up and published by the British and Irish governments in February 1995 (Frameworks for the Future). However, this attracted heavy criticism from the unionists.
The Good Friday Agreement
At the beginning of 1996, agreement was reached on the basis for launching multi-party talks and establishing a forum for political dialogue. The talks, chaired by US Senator George Mitchell, led to the Belfast Agreement, also known as the Good Friday Agreement, on Good Friday, April 10, 1998 and a new power-sharing government between unionists and nationalists.As well as the establishment of the new 108 member Assembly the Agreement saw the formal transfer of powers from the British government to the Northern Ireland Executive.The Agreement was approved by the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic in separate referendums on May 22, 1998. In Northern Ireland, 71.1% of the population voted in favour of the agreement while in the Republic of Ireland, 94.4% were in favour.
In December 1999, the Northern Ireland Executive was formed on a basis of power-sharing between the parties including Sinn Fein. A First and Deputy First Minister were appointed along with ministers for the 10 departments and work got underway on an agreed programme for extensive reforms.
But a lack of trust between the main parties led to the assembly being suspended by the UK government in early 2000, twice in 2001 and again in October 2002.
Since 2002 the British and Irish governments and the pro-agreement parties have been working to restore devolution and tackle outstanding issues such as policing, equality and the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons.Following more than a year of suspension, fresh elections for the assembly were held in November 2003.Power was not restored immediately after the election but instead a review into the workings of the Good Friday Agreement and further negotiations began in early 2004.
In September 2004, intensive three day talks took place at Leeds Castle in Kent followed by more talks at St Andrews in Scotland in October 2006.
To find out more about the latest political developments, visit the Northern Ireland Office website.
