The Northern Ireland Assembly will resume once again after its previous coalition collapsed three years ago. The DUP and Sinn Fein have now restarted their mandatory coalition, following lengthy talks over the last year.
Both parties have now agreed to a wide-ranging deal, breaking the three-year deadlock.
The Parliament Buildings in Belfast, known as Stormont for their location on the city’s Stormont estate, saw the return of parties on Saturday.
Along with the DUP and Sinn Fein, the Ulster Unionist Party and the Alliance Party will also be entering the new executive.
Arlene Foster of the DUP has been elected first minister, and Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill has been elected deputy first minister.
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What is devolution?
Under the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, the UK parliament transferred some legislative and executive powers over to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The transfer of power meant the Assembly and its Executive Committee of Ministers have the power to govern over local matters.
This includes issues such as health, education, roads and housing, and ministers undertake the Northern Ireland Government Departments.
Cross-community power sharing at an executive level is one of the key features of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Ms Foster had set up the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, which offered long-term financial assistance for those who replaced their fossil fuel heat generators for generators powered by renewable energy.
However, once the scheme was put into place, the cost of these fuels cost much less than the subsidy claimants could receive from the Government, meaning users could earn more money if they burned more fuel.
The scheme ran significantly over budget, threatening to cost the taxpayers up to £490 million, and an inquiry was launched into the scheme.
DUP leader Arlene Foster refused to step down as First Minister during the inquiry, and since the coalition breakdown Stormont had remained vacant.
