This afternoon, Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill were appointed as First and deputy First Ministers. Gordon Lyons and Declan Kearney were nominated as Junior Ministers.

The Alliance Party’s Naomi Long was nominated as Justice Minister.

Ministerial picks followed the d’Hondt method and ministers to head up departments were named and appointed in the following order:

Economy – Diane Dodds (DUP)

Finance – Conor Murphy (SF)

Education – Peter Weir (DUP)

Communities – Deirdre Hargey (SF)

Infrastructure – Nichola Mallon (SDLP)

Health – Robin Swann (UUP)

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs – Edwin Poots (DUP)

Eyebrows may be raised that the two largest parties, and the SDLP, did not pick the Department of Health.

Six women and six men form the new Executive, with a party spread of DUP (5), SF (4), SDLP (1), UUP (1), Alliance (1).

Before appointing the NI Executive, the all-male Speaker’s Office was elected with Alex Maskey (SF) taking the chair as the new Speaker of the NI Assembly, with Christopher Stalford (DUP), Roy Beggs (UUP) and Patsy McGlone (SDLP).

Photo credit: Kelvin Boyes