Northern Ireland's peace dividend  | | The Good Friday agreement was approved in referendums in Northern Ireland and Ireland |
The 1998 Good Friday peace agreement set up an elected assembly and power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland. Led by a first minister and deputy, the institutions, designed to be cross-community, can create new laws in the areas for which they are responsible. But their work has been hampered by several suspensions, when the UK's Northern Ireland Secretary takes over assembly and executive functions. The suspensions were triggered mainly by rows over paramilitary activity.
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