the Prime Minister, but the office was abolished in March 1972, on suspension of the Parliament of Northern Ireland and introduction of direct rule. The Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 transferred the powers of the Prime Minister to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland within the British Government. A Chief Executive of Northern Ireland briefly held office in the 1974 Northern Ireland Executive. The Secretary of State was supported by the Northern Ireland Office, which was responsible for security and political affairs during the Troubles. Following a referendum on the Belfast Agreement on 23 May 1998 and the granting of royal assent to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on 19 November 1998, a Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive were established by the United Kingdom Government under Prime Minister Tony Blair. The process was known as devolution and was set up to return devolved legislative powers to Northern Ireland. OFMDFM was one of five new devolved Northern Ireland departments created in December 1999 by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and The Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. The First Minister and Deputy First Minister first took office on 2 December 1999. Devolution was suspended for four periods, during which the department came under the responsibility of direct rule ministers from the Northern Ireland Office: between 12 February 2000 and 30 May 2000; on 11 August 2001; on 22 September 2001; between 15 October 2002 and 8 May 2007. See also First Minister and deputy First Minister Committee for the Executive Office Northern Ireland Bureau Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland References External links Executive Office NIDirect Northern Ireland Executive 1999 establishments in Northern Ireland