January
Parties consulted on draft Departments Order establishing 10 Northern Ireland departments as agreed on 18 December.
Parties consulted on detail of functions for each department, to be reflected in a Transfer of Functions Order.
Parliament debates draft Departments Order.
February
Departments Order made.
Transfer of Functions Order made.
Parties consulted on draft Order to amend existing enactments to be consistent with new structure. Parliament debates draft Order.
10 March
Order made. Preparations for department restructuring complete.
Strand 2 and 3 Bodies
January
British and Irish Governments prepare draft Treaties, for consultation with the parties, covering establishment of:
North-South Ministerial Council
British-Irish Council
British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference
the six North-South implementation bodies, as agreed on 18 December.
Departments, North and South, prepare detailed memorandums, for consultation with the parties, on the structure and operation of each of the six implementation bodies.
February
Treaties and memorandums finalised.
Parties consulted on six draft Orders, conferring functions, powers etc. on each of the implementation bodies. Parliament debates draft Orders.
10 March
Six Orders for implementation bodies made. Preparations complete.
Other preparations
18 January
Assembly debates 18 December Agreement, and progress on Civic Forum, British-Irish Council etc.
Prior to transfer of powers:
Assembly approves, with cross-community support, determination by First and deputy First Minister on number of Ministers and functions of each.
Shadow Ministers appointed by d'Hondt procedure.
Assembly agrees standing orders.
Parliament debates draft Devolution Order, appointing a day for transfer of powers.
"Appointed Day"
Simultaneously, on the appointed day:
powers transferred to Northern Ireland Ministers and the Assembly
the British-Irish Agreement (annexed to the Belfast Agreement) comes into force
changes to Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution, and the British constitutional changes in sections 1 and 2 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, take effect the North-South Ministerial Council, the British-Irish Council and the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference are established
the six implementation bodies agreed on 18 December are established
the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, and its Intergovernmental Conference, cease to have effect.