section_path: Politics/Devolution/Northern Ireland
section_name: Northern Ireland
paragraph_text: Northern Ireland
  
  The devolved form of government in Northern Ireland is based on the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought to an end a 30-year period of unionist - nationalist communal conflict known as The Troubles. The Agreement was confirmed by referendum and implemented later that year. It established power sharing arrangements for a devolved government and legislature, referred to as the Executive and Assembly respectively. Elections to the Assembly use the single transferable vote system. The Executive and Assembly have powers similar to those devolved to Scotland. The Executive is led by a diarchy representing unionist and nationalist members of the Assembly. The First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland are the joint heads of government of Northern Ireland. Local government in Northern Ireland since 2015 has been divided between 11 councils with limited responsibilities.