Direct British rule in the North of Ireland is to end from midnight after nearly 25 years. The formal devolution of power from their parliament at Westminster to the Belfast Assembly, the Executive and the new institutions set out under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement will be completed after Queen Elizabeth signs the devolution order.

 Devolution triggers the removal of Articles 2 and 3 from the Irish Constitution and the formal establishment of the all-Ireland and  British-Irish institutions.

 IRA ALARM AT UUP STANCE ON ARMS

 The first full meeting of the Six County Executive is expected to take place tomorrow, followed by the appointment of the IRA's interlocutor to liaise with General John de Chastelain's decommissioning body.

 But an IRA source last night said the organisation has reservations about UUP leader David Trimble's February ultimatum for the start of decommissioning.

 A statement released to the media by a senior IRA source said it still intended to appoint a representative to meet the IICD arms commission  but it was disturbed by the UUP's warning that it would resign from the Executive if no decommissioning took place.  The said it would "take its own counsel on this development".

 The statement read, in full:

 "On 17th November the IRA leadership announced that they would appoint a representative to enter into discussions with General John De Chastelain and the IICD following the establishment of the institutions created by the Good Friday Agreement.

 "The IRA were persuaded to take this step on the basis that it would  enhance the peace process.

 "The context in which the IRA agreed this was the clear understanding that the announcement and appointment would be part of a series of  events which would move the political process beyond the impasse in which it has been stuck for the past 18 months.

 "The subsequent setting of preconditions for future progress towards the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement by David Trimble was not part of this context and, in our view, represents a clear departure from the terms of the Mitchell Review.

 "The IRA will take its own counsel on the implications of this development.

 "As agreed by the IRA leadership, the appointment of a representative to meet the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning will go ahead."

 The confirmation of the appointment of a representative was welcomed by the British and Irish governments, who sought to play down the  IRA's concerns.

 BROAD WELCOME FOR DEVOLUTION

 The devolution process proper got under way in the House of Commons last night. Secretary of State Peter Mandelson said that the North of  Ireland stood on the threshold of a "new stability, new prosperity and new hope."

 He declared that sufficient progress had been made in implementing the agreement for him to back legislation for the devolution of powers to  Belfast. The Norther Ireland Act 1998 was overwhelmingly approved by 318 votes to 10 in the House of Commons. The House of Lords approved  the order enabling the transfer of powers without a vote.

 First Minister David Trimble welcomed the ending of direct rule.

 "We should never have had the debasement of democracy that direct rule was - we are ending that tonight," he said.
 Making a formal statement to the Dublin parliament today about the past week's developments, Mr Ahern declared: "Everyone in this house and every Irish person is entitled to feel a great sense of pride today in what we have been able to achieve together to bring about  peace in Northern Ireland.

 "The peace process has been enormously successful because it has the momentum of the people's will behind it."

 Mr Ahern said the Irish government had been closely involved in every stage of the peace process. Direct rule of the Six Counties, described  by at least one Northern Secretary of State as "quasi-colonial", was now coming to an end.

 "For the first time in 25 years we have a democratically elected devolved government in Northern Ireland," he said.

 "But this time it is on a fully inclusive basis -- something that never happened before. All the eligible parties are present in the new  administration -- from the Democratic Unionist Party through to Sinn Fein.

 "Though some may find it strange to hear me saying it, I am glad the DUP have taken up their positions in the executive, and it was a very human sight to see the new DUP ministers being congratulated by the families and friends."

 Speaking in the same debate, Sinn Fein TD Caoimhghin O Caolain said that Sinn Fein had entered the new Executive "in a spirit of partnership, extending the hand of friendship to our unionist neighbours.

 "I believe that by working together our common interest as an island people will come to the fore and that we can embrace a new sense of  Irishness in a new millennium. This can be and, I hope, is thebeginning of a new era for all of Ireland."

 He said it had been a momentous week in the history of the Irish people.

 The creation of a partnership administration involving republicans, nationalists and unionists was "a truly historic achievement" and credit went to the pro-Agreement parties who finally made it happen.

 "Despite all the delays in getting to this point no-one should underestimate the scale of this achievement. For republicans it has been a very difficult path to follow, and there will be further difficulties ahead, but we carry with us our belief in the ability of all the people of this island, of diverse political opinion, to work together for the common good."

 He said that as a member of the Dublin parliament representing a border constituency, he looked forward to working with the Sinn Fein Ministers, and with the other new Ministers and Committee members of all parties, in ensuring thatthe potential of the Agreement is fulfilled to bring "real and tangible" benefits to the people of the border counties and of the entire country.

 "We have the opportunity to put behind us decades of failed partitionist politics which saw a stunted economy and regions such as the border region marginalised and underdeveloped.

 "For the people of the border counties partition has been a daily  reality, thwarting their efforts to progress economically and socially. It has lasted for most of this century. For them, therefore, the All-Ireland nature of the Agreement is vital. It has potential to develop the island economy and to rebuild  communities across the artificial boundary. That potential must be fulfilled and the Irish government has a huge responsibility to ensure that it is fulfilled."

 He warned that there would be continuing resistance to change, not only from some political parties, but from vested interests. He mentioned in particular the RUC. He said there must be no "shirking" from the task of creating an acceptable policing service on the part of the British government "in an effort to mollify the rejectionist wing of unionism".