The 10 ministers to head the first Northern Ireland government for 25 years were nominated on November 29 during a meeting of the multi-party assembly in Belfast.

It is a key step towards the establishment of a devolved,power- sharing executive in the province with Sinn Fein and Ulster Unionists sitting side by side.

The Ulster Unionists paved the way for Monday's historic events, after backing party leader David Trimble on Saturday over a deal on decommissioning and devolution. The deal emerged from a 10-week review of the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

The executive includes three from the Ulster Unionists, three from the Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP) and two from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and two from Sinn Fein.

The biggest surprise was the nomination of Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness,a one-time IRA leader, to the education portfolio, and his nomination sparked outrage from the DUP.

Earlier, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister was reinstalled, despite publicly resigning in July.

Seamus Mallon, deputy leader of the SDLP, was reinstated following a motion by the leader of the Alliance Party Sean Neeson.

The motion was carried by 71 votes to 28 votes following more than three hours of heated debate in the chamber.

Before the assembly met, Ulster Unionist deputy leader John Taylor confirmed to the BBC that he did not want to be a minister in the new executive. He said he wrote to party leader David Trimble last week informing him of his decision.

The executive will take over the running of Northern Ireland's affairs -- except for taxation and security matters --the first time since 1974 that the volatile province has experienced home- rule government.

It will become fully operational on Thursday when the national parliament in London transfers "devolution" powers.

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is expected to announce its representative to the International Decommissioning Body on Thursday, when direct rule is expected to end and power is devolved to the assembly.