| Cabinet Name: | Direct Rule (2002-2007) Executive of the 2nd Northern Ireland Assembly |
| Date Formed: | 14 October 2002 |
| Date Dissolved: | 8 May 2007 (under the St Andrews Agreement[1]) |
| Government Head: | Secretary of State John Reid (Oct 2002) [2] Paul Murphy (Oct 2002 - May 2005) [3] Peter Hain (May 2005 - May 2007) [4] |
| Deputy Government Head: | None |
| State Head: | Elizabeth II |
| Current Number: | None |
| Political Party: | None |
| Legislature Status: | Direct Rule [5] |
| Election: | 2003 assembly election |
| Legislature Term: | 2nd Assembly (never convened) |
| Previous: | 1st Executive of Northern Ireland |
| Successor: | 3rd Executive of Northern Ireland |
Following the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2002 a new election was called in November 2003 in hope of restoring devolution, the election saw the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin emerge as the largest parties in the Assembly.[6] The DUP refused to go into government with Sinn Féin meaning that direct rule would stay in place for another 5 years.
Northern Ireland had 3 Secretaries of States during the period of direct rule:[7]
The assembly was officially dissolved in 2007 following the St Andrews Agreement.[11]
| Office | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Minister | Vacant [12] | 2002–07 | |
| Deputy First Minister | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister of Education | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister for Employment and Learning | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister of the Environment | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister of Finance and Personnel | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister for Regional Development | Vacant | 2002–07 | |
| Minister for Social Development | Vacant | 2002–07 |