Institutions of the Belfast Agreement

1. Northern Ireland Assembly comprising 108 members.

1. Northern Ireland Assembly comprising 108 members.

2. NI Executive, comprising Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister plus 10 governmental departments headed by 10 ministers.

3. Ten departmental statutory committees, which have a scrutiny, policy development and consultation role.

4. The North-South Ministerial Council, involving ministers from the Dail and Assembly, designed to develop consultation, co-operation and action on an all-island and cross-Border basis on matters of mutual interest.

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5. The North-South Implementation Bodies, funded by the two governments and staffed by civil servants from North and South as well as directly recruited staff, carrying out functions agreed by the North-South Ministerial Council:

(i) Waterways Ireland

(ii) The Food Safety Promotion Board

(iii) The Trade and Business Development Body

(iv) The Special European Union Programmes Body

(v) The Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission

(vi) The North-South Language Body(to promote Irish and Ulster-Scots)

6. The British-Irish Council, comprising representatives from British and Irish governments, to promote the "harmonious and mutually beneficial development of relationships among the peoples of the United Kingdom and Ireland".

7. British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, replacing the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council and the Intergovernmental Council established under 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement. Its function to promote bilateral co-operation on matters of mutual interest, particularly in relation to Northern Ireland issues.

8. The Civic Forum. Yet to be established. It will have consultative role in relation to the Assembly on social, economic and cultural matters. It will have 60 members drawn from business, trade union, voluntary and other sectors of Northern society.