The Assembly met briefly yesterday to ratify members to the 10 statutory committees that will liase with the Executive's 10 departments.
The committees will have an important watchdog function within the governmental system. Each committee will have 11 members, including a chairman and deputy chairman.
The committees will provide a system of checks and balances to ensure that ministers don't stray beyond their remit, or exceed their areas of responsibilities.
The appointments were made without any disruption or division in the Assembly chamber. However, the allocation of positions prompted a further split in the ranks of the small Northern Ireland Unionist Party (NIUP), which previously split from the UK Unionist Party.
The four-member NIUP and Mr Robert McCartney of the single-member UK Unionist Party separately refused to accept posts on the committees. They hold an anti-agreement stance and argue that joining committees would be tantamount to endorsing the agreement.
Mr Roger Hutchinson, an East Antrim Assembly member, yesterday defied NIUP instructions by accepting positions on the Regional Development, and Higher and Further Education, Training and Development Committees.
The issue has for some time caused division within the NIUP because Mr Hutchinson signalled previously that he wanted to serve in the committee system. Because of his decision, the NIUP leader, Mr Cedric Wilson, removed the whip from Mr Hutchinson.
Mr Hutchinson has accepted the DUP whip but said he is not joining the party. He would take some time to reflect on his next move.
There was an expectation that the necessity for "political horse-trading" in sharing out the positions could delay the establishment of the committees.
The Assembly adjourned at 10.30 a.m. to allow the parties time to agree the memberships. It met again at 4 p.m., and within minutes all the positions were allocated.
Mr Conor Murphy of Sinn Fein praised the "constructive" manner in which the parties sorted out the positions yesterday.
Mr Eddie McGrady of the SDLP and Mr Jim Wilson of the UUP also praised the manner in which the appointments were completed.
The committees, as well as liasing with and scrutinising the work of the respective departmental Ministers, will be involved in drafting legislation. All of the parties, apart from the NIUP and UK Unionist Party, which did not want to be represented, have places in the committee system.
