The academic selection debate has shown the Democratic Unionists have delivered a more accountable form of devolved government in Northern Ireland, the party’s leader in waiting Peter Robinson has claimed.
The Stormont Finance Minister, who will take over from the Rev Ian Paisley when he stands down as First Minister and DUP leader after next week's power sharing executive sponsored investment conference in Belfast, said the row over Education Minister Caitriona Ruane's shake-up of post primary education demonstrated Stormont ministers could no longer ignore the Executive and pursue their own agendas.
The East Belfast MP told the annual dinner of the Queen's University Democratic Unionist Association in Belfast last night: "Prior to the DUP becoming the largest political party in Northern Ireland and consequently negotiating for unionists, we were told there were only two options available for the province: Belfast Agreement devolution or direct rule.
"Neither of these prospects were to unionism's advantage. Since 2003 the DUP has crafted, pursued and delivered a third way.
"We have always believed devolution was important but an executive couldn't include parties associated with still armed and active paramilitary organisations, or unaccountable and uncontrollable ministers. Equally direct
rule with an expanding role for Dublin was entirely unacceptable to unionists.
"It was bad enough in 1985, without becoming even greener. Those who imagine direct rule is the way forward for Northern Ireland are naive in the extreme. It was imperative that unionists secured control over the province's affairs.
"Recent developments regarding academic selection are further evidence that devolution today is fundamentally different to the failed Trimble-Empey version attempted intermittently between 1999 and 2002.
"Slowly but surely it is dawning on those who resisted it most that now it is the Executive which is in charge not disparate ministers acting to their own narrow party political agenda."
The future of academic selection has unquestionably been the most controversial issue handled by the Stormont Executive and Assembly since the return of power sharing last May.
Sinn Fein minister Caitriona Ruane announced last December she will scrap the 11-Plus in Northern Ireland after this year and replace academic selection with a system of post primary education which would see children, parents and teachers taking key decisions about their future at the age of 14.
The minister's plans would see more comprehensive schools emerge in Northern Ireland.
However opponents have accused Ms Ruane of undermining the grammar school sector and have told her there will need to be academic selection for grammar schools.
She has repeatedly clashed with DUP and Ulster Unionist MLAs on her Assembly scrutiny committee who have advocated entrance exams.