By Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI Political Correspondent
Devolved government in Northern Ireland has been restored after a 24-month hiatus, following a decision by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
It had been blocking the working of an assembly and executive over concerns about post-Brexit trade arrangements.
But the DUP agreed to re-enter the institutions after a deal which saw the government pass new legislation at Westminster.
On Saturday, assembly members gathered at Stormont to form a new Northern Ireland Executive, with Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill becoming Northern Ireland’s first nationalist first minister.
Here’s everything you need to know about the return of power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.
What is Stormont?
Stormont is the commonly used name to refer to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which is based in the Stormont Estate, in east Belfast.
The assembly is where laws are made and scrutinised by 90 elected representatives.
It was created in 1998, after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, which helped end 30 years of armed conflict known as the Troubles.
Stormont uses a system of government known as power sharing.
This has allowed nationalist and unionist political parties to share power together for the first time in an executive (or government).
Nationalists favour unity with the Republic of Ireland, while unionists want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK.
When it is sitting, Stormont exercises powers over most matters, including the economy; education; health; policing and justice; and agriculture.
But certain areas – including international relations and defence – remain reserved for the government in London.
Are the parties back yet?
After two years of stasis, they arrived back to work on Saturday after the assembly was recalled.
The government published the deal in full on Wednesday, and legislation to implement it was passed at Westminster on Thursday afternoon.
The first order of business for members (MLAs) when they enter the assembly chamber will be to elect a new Speaker – this must happen before anything else.
The election of a Speaker requires cross-community support, so a majority of unionists and nationalists must vote in favour.
In 2020, Sinn Féin’s Alex Maskey took on the role.
It has traditionally rotated between unionists and nationalists, and this time former DUP leader Edwin Poots was voted into the post.
What about the first and deputy first ministers?
Once the Speaker is elected, the parties entitled to jointly lead the executive – the body that makes decisions and policy in Northern Ireland – make their nominations.
For the first time, Sinn Féin nominated a first minister because it won the most seats in the assembly election in May 2022., with Michelle O’Neill taking up the role.
The DUP, as the largest unionist party, nominated a deputy first minister for the first time.
When Sir Jeffrey became leader he said he would lead the party from Stormont and stood for election in May 2022.
He won a seat, but with Stormont down he remained at Westminster and Emma Little-Pengelly was co-opted into his Lagan Valley assembly seat.
She was nominated to take the post of deputy first minister.
The DUP previously held the first minister post from 2007 to 2017 and again from 2020 until 2022.
Although the titles are different, both offices hold equal weight and one minister cannot act without the other.
How are other ministers appointed?
There are nine Stormont departments.
They are shared around the parties based on how many MLAs they have using the d’Hondt mechanism.
But one department – justice – is decided differently.
Policing and justice powers were not devolved until 2010, but the DUP did not want a Sinn Féin minister to be able to hold the post.
Instead it was agreed any justice minister required a cross-community vote.
Alliance has held the portfolio for every year of devolution bar the 2016-2017 mandate, when independent unionist Claire Sugden was asked to take on the role after Alliance decided not to be part of the executive.
Who will be part of the executive?
Sinn Féin and the DUP will jointly lead the executive and are also entitled to several other ministerial posts each.
Alliance saw its number of MLAs rise to 17 in 2022’s assembly election and has indicated it would be willing to take on the justice portfolio again.
It is also expected to be eligible for a second ministry.
The Ulster Unionists are also entitled to a ministerial position, and on Friday said they would also re-enter the executive.
The SDLP, which as the fifth-largest party has eight MLAs and does not qualify to be be part of the next executive, is instead going into opposition.
And then is it back to business?
Yes, and there’s already a long list of things to do after 24 months of political paralysis.
Civil servants who have been minding the shop at Stormont for nearly two years will meet their new ministers to provide them with their day-one departmental briefs.
It is thought a meeting of the newly-formed executive will also take place relatively soon.
At the top of the to-do list will be sorting public sector pay.
Just a few weeks ago more than 100,000 public sector workers in Northern Ireland staged a mass walkout.
The new finance minister will need to set a budget for the new financial year in April and settle those disputes.
The next health minister will also face a plethora of problems – not least grappling with pay – Northern Ireland’s health and social care staff remain the lowest paid in the UK.
Waiting lists for elective care have been steadily worsening for the last 10 years – a substantial, sustained, and recurrent funding package is needed to tackle the backlog.