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The 'Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister' ('OFMDFM') (Irish: ''Oifig an Chéad-Aire agus an LeasChéad-Aire'', Ulster Scots: ''Offis o tha Heid Männystèr an tha Heid Männystèr Depute'') is the Northern Ireland government department with overall responsibility for the running of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Contents

Election

History

Ministers

First Ministers

Deputy First Ministers

See also

External links

Election

The First Minister is elected by the Assembly on a joint ticket with the Deputy First Minister. Their joint nomination must obtain an overall majority in the Assembly along with a majority of both designated nationalists and unionists.
This dyarchy was created to enable the leaders of the main unionist and nationalist parties to work together as a team jointly representing both communities.

History

Until 2002, the First Minister's post was held by David Trimble leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. Initially the Deputy First Minister was the deputy leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, Seamus Mallon. He was succeeded upon his retirement by the new SDLP leader, Mark Durkan. Ian Paisley (leader of the Democratic Unionist Party) and Martin McGuinness (chief negotiator for Sinn Féin) became respectively, First Minister and Deputy First Minister on 8 May 2007 in line with the announcement made on 26th March 2007.

Ministers

First Ministers

'First Minister of Northern Ireland' (Irish: ''Céad-Aire Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster Scots: ''Heid Männystèr o Norlin Airlann'')

	Minister	Party	Took office	Left office
	'David Trimble'		1 July 1998	1 July 2001
	(Executive suspended)		11 February 2000	30 May 2000
	'Reg Empey ' (Acting)		1 July 2001	1 November 2001
	(Executive suspended)		10 August 2001	11 August 2001
	(Executive suspended)		22 September 2001	23 September 2001
	'David Trimble'		1 November 2001	14 October 2002
	(Executive suspended)		15 October 2002	7 May 2007
	'Ian Paisley'		8 May 2007

Deputy First Ministers

'Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland' (Irish: ''LeasChéad-Aire Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster Scots: ''Heid Männystèr Depute o Norlin Airlann'')

	Minister	Party	Took office	Left office
	'Seamus Mallon'		1 July 1998	15 July 1999
	(Vacant)		15 July 1999	29 November 1999
	'Seamus Mallon'		29 November 1999	6 November 2001
	(Executive suspended)		11 February 2000	30 May 2000
	(Executive suspended)		10 August 2001	11 August 2001
	(Executive suspended)		22 September 2001	23 September 2001
	'Mark Durkan'		6 November 2001	14 October 2002
	(Executive suspended)		15 October 2002	7 May 2007
	'Martin McGuinness'		8 May 2007

See also

★ Prime Minister of Northern Ireland

★ List of Government departments and agencies in Northern Ireland

External links

★ Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (official website)