The Rev Ian Paisley's first public handshake with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern this morning is another important piece of history, Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness claimed today.
Mr McGuinness, who will be Deputy First Minister in the power-sharing executive when it is formed on May 8th, welcomed the meeting between Mr Ahern and the Democratic Unionist leader in Dublin.
"I understand this was the first public handshake," the Mid-Ulster MP said. "That is another important moment in history. It is very, very welcome.
"Certainly, from the contacts I have had with Dr Paisley - the most recent one being yesterday - I am more and more convinced that he is willing to enter into the political institutions in the right spirit."
Mr McGuinness announced that the three senior cabinet portfolios of education, regional development and agriculture would go to Catriona Ruane, Conor Murphy and Michelle Gildernew.
North Belfast Assembly member, Gerry Kelly, was also named a junior minister to work alongside Mr McGuinness in the Office of First and Deputy First Minister.
The new Sinn Féin ministers today met the permanent secretaries in the departments that they will head up and began the process of getting to know the civil servants they will be working with.