The Assembly's Preparation for Government Committee has finally met following intervention by the Northern Secretary in the protracted dispute over its chairmanship.
Peter Hain has appointed the two deputy speakers, Sinn Féin's Francie Molloy and Jim Wells of the DUP, following a week of rancorous disagreement. The DUP had insisted Assembly speaker Eileen Bell chair the body, but she resisted. Mr Hain finally stepped in yesterday to appoint the joint chairmen.
"The deadlock must not be allowed to stand in the way of the important work that needs to be done," he said.
The 14-member committee will outline or "scope" the obstacles to the return of devolution in time for a visit by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair at the end of the month. It will meet again today at Stormont to begin work on its agenda. Sources suggested yesterday the two premiers could meet at Hillsborough where they will host brief meetings with the parties and deliver take-it-or-leave-it speeches on devolution.
The DUP was privately pleased the disagreement over chairmanship of the committee had been resolved and was emphasising the speaker's office was providing the joint chairmen who would not be presiding over deliberations in their capacity as party representatives.
Sinn Féin declined opportunities to criticise the DUP over appearing to accept an arrangement yesterday which it had railed against last week. Martin McGuinness insisted he was looking to the future rather than dwelling on a difficult week.
"We have made a start," he said. "The real test will come for the DUP in the time ahead and it will be around whether the DUP are prepared to engage in the vitally-important work of preparing for government.
"We will know in a short time whether parties are really up for this."
Ulster Unionist chief negotiator Alan McFarland described the first full meeting of the committee as "civilised".
"The silly thing is we could have had this two weeks ago because we have ended up under the chairmanship of the two deputy speakers and that was one of the first suggestions that was made."