Northern Ireland timeline

Northern Ireland's politicians have struggled for a torturous five years to try to restore devolution.After three failed bids to revive power sharing, the province faces on May 8 what was unimaginable for many people - the Rev Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness heading up a power-sharing government.These are the highs and lows the province's politicians encountered as they plotted their way back to devolved government:*October 14 2002* The Northern Ireland Assembly and power-sharing executive is suspended by John Reid after the arrest of Sinn Fein's head of administration Denis Donaldson and three others for intelligence gathering at Stormont.*October 17 2002* Prime Minister Tony Blair travels to Belfast and warns republicans that they cannot continue the twin track of politics and power sharing.*May 1 2003* As the British and Irish Governments unveil their latest blueprint for reviving power-sharing, Tony Blair postpones Assembly Elections to buy more time for David Trimble's Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein to strike a power-sharing deal.*September 4 2003* The Independent Monitoring Commission is set up to monitor the activities of paramilitary groups in the face of Sinn Fein opposition.*October 23 2003* Peace process choreography involving the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein goes spectacularly wrong when David Trimble claims there was not enough transparency around the IRA's third act disarmament for him to deliver his end of the deal.*November 26 2003* The Democratic Unionists emerge for the first time as the largest party in new Assembly Elections, with Sinn Fein becoming the major voice of nationalism. However the Rev Ian Paisley warns he will not sit in government with republicans until the IRA disarms and disbands.*January 5 2004* Assembly members Jeffrey Donaldson, Arlene Foster and Norah Beare defect from the Ulster Unionists to the DUP after years of feuding with David Trimble over party policy.*April 20 2004* Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy imposes financial sanctions on Sinn Fein and the loyalist Progressive Unionist Party in response to IRA and Ulster Volunteer Force actions.*September 18 2004* After three days of intense negotiations involving Tony Blair, Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the Northern Ireland parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein resolve to keep talking.*October 4 2004* The Rev Ian Paisley holds landmark discussions with Bertie Ahern in Government Buildings in Dublin.*December 8 2004* After the DUP and Sinn Fein fail to strike a devolution deal following a row over photographic or video evidence of the final act of IRA weapons decommissioning, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern travel to Belfast to publish their proposals for restoring power-sharing.*December 21 2004* The IRA is accused of carrying out the biggest bank robbery in UK history after £26.5 million is taken by a gang during a raid on the Northern Bank in Belfast city centre.*January 30 2005* The Provisionals come under huge pressure after the organisation is accused of trying to cover up the murder of Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney outside a city centre bar.*April 6 2005* Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams makes a public appeal to the IRA to revitalise the political process, by abandoning its armed campaign and pursuing its objectives through democratic means.*May 6 2005* The DUP annihilates David Trimble's Ulster Unionists in the General Election who are reduced to one Westminster seat. Sinn Fein makes modest gains, picking up one seat but losing out to SDLP leader Mark Durkan who manages to comfortably hold on to his party's seat in Foyle.*May 7 2005* David Trimble quits as Ulster Unionist leader.*June 24 2005* Sir Reg Empey becomes UUP leader in a close contest.*July 28 2005* The IRA announces a formal end to its armed campaign, ordering its units to dump all arms and pursue their goals through exclusively peaceful means.*August 19 2005* The Labour Government's first Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam dies.*September 26 2005* General de Chastelain and two clergymen acting as independent witnesses announce the IRA has completed its disarmament process.*December 8 2005* The Stormont spy ring case against three men including Denis Donaldson collapses, with the prosecution refusing to state the reason why.*December 16 2005* Gerry Adams stuns republicans by expelling Denis Donaldson for confessing to being a British spy. Mr Donaldson later appears on Irish television, reading a prepared statement.*April 4 2006* Just days after it emerges he has been living in a remote cottage in Co Donegal, Denis Donaldson is shot dead. The IRA strenuously denies any involvement.*April 6 2006* Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Premier Bertie Ahern travel to Armagh and give the parties a deadline of November 24 to set up a power-sharing executive.*October 13 2006* After three days of intensive talks in St Andrews in Scotland, the Rev Ian Paisley agrees to a road map to devolution. However he makes power sharing by March 26 with Sinn Fein dependent on them signing up to policing.*January 12 2007* Gerry Adams and former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds are among the mourners at an extraordinary funeral service in the heart of loyalist east Belfast for Progressive Unionist leader David Ervine.*January 28 2007* Sinn Fein members overwhelmingly back at a special party conference their leadership's proposal to get involved in policing in Northern Ireland if power-sharing returns.*March 9 2007* The DUP and Sinn Fein further strengthen their holds on the Assembly at the expense of the Ulster Unionists and SDLP in a new Stormont election. The cross-community Alliance Party's Anna Lo becomes the first Chinese representative in any European Parliament. The Green Party's Brian Wilson captures his party's first-ever seat.*March 26 2007* The Rev Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams hold a groundbreaking meeting at Stormont between their parties and announce on camera they have struck a deal to revive power-sharing on May 8.*March 27 2007* Disgruntled MEP Jim Allister quits the DUP over its power sharing deal.*April 2 2007* At a 40-minute meeting of party leaders at Stormont, it is decided the DUP will take the finance, economy, environment and culture ministries. Sinn Fein opts for education, regional development and agriculture. The Ulster Unionists choose health and employment and learning while the SDLP claims the social development portfolio.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

ITN | May 8, 2007

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