Role of the Executive
Strand 1 of the Good Friday Agreement provides for executive authority to be discharged on behalf of the Assembly by an executive committee comprising a First Minister, Deputy First Minister and up to ten Ministers with departmental responsibilities.
The Executive (effectively Northern Ireland’s Cabinet) provides a forum for the discussion of issues which cut across the responsibilities of two or more Ministers, prioritising executive and legislative proposals and recommending a common position where necessary in dealing with external relationships. Ministers hold full executive authority in their respective areas of responsibility within any broad programme agreed by the Executive and endorsed by the Assembly as a whole.
