<Table> <Tr> <Th colspan="5"> First Minister of Northern Ireland </Th> <Th colspan="5"> deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland </Th> <Th> Government </Th> <Th> Elections </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th colspan="2"> Name ( Birth -- Death ) Constituency </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Term of office </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Name ( Birth -- Death ) Constituency </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Term of office </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> David Trimble ( 1944 -- ) Upper Bann </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1 July 1998 </Td> <Td> 1 July 2001 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Seamus Mallon ( 1936 -- ) Newry and Armagh </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1 July 1998 </Td> <Td> 6 November 2001 </Td> <Td> First Executive </Td> <Td> 1998 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> Reg Empey was acting First Minister during this interval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 November 2001 </Td> <Td> 14 October 2002 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Mark Durkan ( born 1960 ) Foyle </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 6 November 2001 </Td> <Td> 14 October 2002 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="11"> Office vacant </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2003 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Ian Paisley ( 1926 -- 2014 ) North Antrim </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 8 May 2007 </Td> <Td> 5 June 2008 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Martin McGuinness ( 1950 -- 2017 ) Mid Ulster </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 8 May 2007 </Td> <Td> 20 September 2011 </Td> <Td> Second Executive </Td> <Td> 2007 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Peter Robinson ( 1948 -- ) Belfast East </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5 June 2008 </Td> <Td> 11 January 2010 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> Arlene Foster was acting First Minister during this interval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 3 February 2010 </Td> <Td> 10 September 2015 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Third Executive </Td> <Td> 2011 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> John O'Dowd was acting deputy First Minister during this interval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 31 October 2011 </Td> <Td> 9 January 2017 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> Arlene Foster was acting First Minister during this interval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 20 October 2015 </Td> <Td> 11 January 2016 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Arlene Foster ( 1970 -- ) Fermanagh and South Tyrone </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 11 January 2016 </Td> <Td> 9 January 2017 </Td> <Td> Fourth Executive </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="11"> Office vacant </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2017 </Td> </Tr> </Table>
<Table> <Tr> <Th colspan="5"> First Minister of Northern Ireland </Th> <Th colspan="5"> deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland </Th> <Th> Government </Th> <Th> Elections </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th colspan="2"> Name ( Birth -- Death ) Constituency </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Term of office </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Name ( Birth -- Death ) Constituency </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Term of office </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> David Trimble ( 1944 -- ) Upper Bann </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1 July 1998 </Td> <Td> 1 July 2001 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Seamus Mallon ( 1936 -- ) Newry and Armagh </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1 July 1998 </Td> <Td> 6 November 2001 </Td> <Td> First Executive </Td> <Td> 1998 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> Reg Empey was acting First Minister during this interval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 November 2001 </Td> <Td> 14 October 2002 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Mark Durkan ( born 1960 ) Foyle </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 6 November 2001 </Td> <Td> 14 October 2002 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="11"> Office vacant </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2003 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Ian Paisley ( 1926 -- 2014 ) North Antrim </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 8 May 2007 </Td> <Td> 5 June 2008 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Martin McGuinness ( 1950 -- 2017 ) Mid Ulster </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 8 May 2007 </Td> <Td> 20 September 2011 </Td> <Td> Second Executive </Td> <Td> 2007 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Peter Robinson ( 1948 -- ) Belfast East </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5 June 2008 </Td> <Td> 11 January 2010 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> Arlene Foster was acting First Minister during this interval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 3 February 2010 </Td> <Td> 10 September 2015 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Third Executive </Td> <Td> 2011 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> John O'Dowd was acting deputy First Minister during this interval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 31 October 2011 </Td> <Td> 9 January 2017 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> Arlene Foster was acting First Minister during this interval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 20 October 2015 </Td> <Td> 11 January 2016 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Arlene Foster ( 1970 -- ) Fermanagh and South Tyrone </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 11 January 2016 </Td> <Td> 9 January 2017 </Td> <Td> Fourth Executive </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="11"> Office vacant </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2017 </Td> </Tr> </Table>
who was the first minister of northern ireland
who was the first minister of northern ireland
David Trimble Ian Paisley Peter Robinson Arlene Foster
David Trimble Ian Paisley Peter Robinson Arlene Foster