Power will be restored to the institutions of government set up under the Belfast Agreement at midnight tonight, but controversies over policing, flags and other issues may hinder a smooth return to devolution.
There was some concern in nationalist and republican circles over the reported claim by Mr John Taylor MP, at the Ulster Unionist Council meeting in Belfast on Saturday, that he had obtained concessions on policing. The UUC voted to support the proposal by the party leader, Mr David Trimble, to rejoin the Northern Ireland Executive by 459 votes to 403, or 53 per cent for and 47 per cent against.
Mr Seamus Mallon of the SDLP said he had spoken to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, on Saturday about claims that Mr Taylor had won concessions from London and Dublin. Mr Ahern told the incoming Deputy First Minister he had made no concessions to Mr Taylor.
Mr Mallon said he would "wait and see what transpires". The SDLP had already prepared 44 amendments to the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill which is to be introduced in the House of Commons on June 6th.
The Northern Ireland Office said the British government's position was as outlined by Mr Peter Mandelson in the Commons on May 17th, indicating there would be "a legal description in the Bill which incorporates the Royal Ulster Constabulary, in effect the title deeds of the new service, while introducing a new name that will be used for all working and operational purposes".
There has been concern among republicans that Mr Taylor might have achieved the Unionist objective of a "double-barrelled" name for the police, so the RUC title would remain in use.
Mr Mallon commented: "Have you discovered yet what the title deeds of a Bill are, because I haven't?"
Mr Mallon said he would be assuming office again tomorrow. "It's my third time going back, so I am under no illusions as to what the difficulties will be."
There is provision this week for hoisting the Union flag on government buildings in Northern Ireland, which may see the outbreak of further controversy on this sensitive issue.
The first meeting of the restored Executive is scheduled for Thursday. Although the former DUP ministers, Mr Peter Robinson and Mr Nigel Dodds, did not attend meetings of the Executive prior to suspension, they nevertheless took up their respective portfolios of Regional Development and Social Development.
It was understood that while a majority on the DUP Assembly team favoured taking their ministries, the position of the broader party was unknown. The DUP has been conducting a fundamental review of strategy. There may be a DUP news conference tomorrow morning to clarify the situation. If the DUP resigned its ministries, the Ulster Unionists and the Alliance Party would be entitled to take their places.
Mr Taylor waved the letter from Mr Mandelson about at the private UUC meeting in Belfast's Waterfront Hall. Mr Jeffrey Donaldson called to him to "read it out" but the Strangford MP said it was private between himself, the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister. Senior political sources said the Bill would state that the force was the Police Service of Northern Ireland (incorporating the RUC) but for operational purposes it would be known only as the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
There have been persistent but unconfirmed reports that a form of words was worked out at a high political level to ensure the origin of the new service in the RUC would be legally recognised while at the same time ensuring the working title would not contain the letters "RUC". Official sources in Dublin said they knew nothing of the assurances alleged to have been given to Mr Taylor.