Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive committee runs the devolved government in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Assembly.
It is made up of the First Minister and deputy First Minister who are joint Chairs and eight other ministers, seven of which are nominated by the political parties in the Assembly through a procedure known as d’Hondt and the Minister of Justice who is appointed through a cross-community vote in the Assembly.
The First Minister and deputy First Minister may jointly act and appoint a number of junior ministers whose role is to assist them in carrying out their functions.
The number of ministerial posts any party can have is determined by the number of MLAs they have in the Assembly. Each minister is nominated to take charge of a particular department.
Based: Stormont Castle, Belfast
First Minister and Deputy First Minister
Michelle O’Neill (SF) and Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP)
Minister of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs
Andrew Muir (AP)
Minister for Communities
Gordon Lyons (DUP)
Minister of Education
Paul Givan (DUP)
Minister for the Economy
Caoimhe Archibald (SF)
Minister of Finance
John O’Dowd (SF)
Minister of Health
Mike Nesbitt (UUP)
Minister for Infrastructure
Liz Kimmins (SF)
Minister of Justice
Naomi Long (AP)
Junior Ministers
Aisiling Reilly (SF) and
Pam Cameron (DUP)