02/07/2001
EMPEY TAKES OVER FIRST MINISTER DUTIES
DAVID Trimble, who resigned as first minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly at the weekend, has appointed fellow Ulster Unionist party member and Assembly Member Sir Reg Empey, to fulfil the functions of first minister.
Sir Reg, who is currently Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, will step into the vacuum created by Mr Trimble’s resignation to act as first minister for six weeks, after which a new first and deputy first minister will be appointed.
However, Mr Trimble could still be reinstated if a move is made on decommissioning.
A former lord mayor of Belfast, Sir Reg was instrumental during the delicate talks leading up to the Good Friday Agreement. Now a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, he was recently re-elected as the MP for East Belfast.
The leading UUP figure was also an original member of the party's negotiating team in the Brooke-Mayhew peace talks in 1991.
Sir Reg has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions since 1994 and vice president of the Ulster Unionist Council since 1996.
(MB)
Sir Reg, who is currently Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, will step into the vacuum created by Mr Trimble’s resignation to act as first minister for six weeks, after which a new first and deputy first minister will be appointed.
However, Mr Trimble could still be reinstated if a move is made on decommissioning.
A former lord mayor of Belfast, Sir Reg was instrumental during the delicate talks leading up to the Good Friday Agreement. Now a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, he was recently re-elected as the MP for East Belfast.
The leading UUP figure was also an original member of the party's negotiating team in the Brooke-Mayhew peace talks in 1991.
Sir Reg has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions since 1994 and vice president of the Ulster Unionist Council since 1996.
(MB)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.