Devolution will be here to stay when it returns to Northern Ireland, Peter Hain predicted today.
As he prepared to sign the restoration order allowing the Rev Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness to head up a new devolved administration at Stormont on Tuesday, the Northern Ireland Secretary was confident once they assumed power there would be no return to direct rule from Westminster.
"I really believe that after devolution day it would be as unthinkable for direct rule to be re-imposed on Northern Ireland as it would be for Scotland and Wales," he told PA.
"I believe the transformation is now so firm and the preparations for government by the DUP and Sinn Fein are so deep and practical that Northern Ireland is set for permanent devolved government.
"I'm not saying there will not be the odd bump and hiccup after Tuesday. That is to be expected. It is the meat and drink of any government in any part of the world.
"However I'm convinced that the foundations have been laid and the concrete is set. I'm confident about the prospect of permanent devolution."
Mr Hain is due to sign the restoration order tomorrow for a new era of power sharing between unionists and nationalists at Stormont.
On a personal level he will be proud and exhilarated, racking up another achievement on his watch. During his tenure the Northern Ireland secretary has witnessed the IRA announce an end of its armed campaign, complete its disarmament programme, Sinn Fein signing up to supporting the police, a deal between Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams on power sharing and the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force in recent days announce it was also abandoning paramilitarism and criminality.
"This is everything that the Labour Government and the Prime Minister have been working to achieve in Northern Ireland for 10 years," he said.
"It is everything I have worked for in the two years I have been involved in the process.
"During that time I was always optimistic we could get to this point but I have to say what has happened has actually exceeded my expectations.
"In the last few weeks I have had the privilege of observing Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness working together at close quarters.
"The extent of the practical no nonsense down to earth approach they have adopted to the job has been really striking. What has also struck me is the cordiality they have shown and the fact that here are two human beings who for generations were divided into warring camps but who have found a way of putting the people of Northern Ireland first.
"Watching the personal chemistry it is clear that here are two key players who, whatever their past disagreements and difficulties, are treating each other as human beings and putting their obligation to fulfil their mandates first."
During his two years at the helm of the Northern Ireland Office, Mr Hain and his ministerial team have been prepared to roll out controversial initiatives in the absence of devolution. The introduction of controversial water charges, domestic rates increases, plans to slash the number of local councils from 26 to 7, the ban on academic selection and strict rural planning regulations have been introduced in the face of fierce criticism from some Northern Ireland's politicians.
Devolved ministers will have the opportunity to stop some of those policies. Mr Hain has no regrets. "Obviously I think the Assembly members and ministers will need time to bed themselves in and show devolution can make a difference," he said.
"Looking back over the period of direct rule from Westminster, I believe I won the argument on economic reform in Northern Ireland — particularly on the need to restructure the province's economy, dropping the bloated layers of public bureaucracy.
"I think we won the argument on the need to have a schools system which produces not just excellence at the top but skills all the way down the ladder.
"We've driven waiting times in hospitals down from years and years to weeks and weeks. It's important the Assembly continues the pace of reform but they should do it their way.
"That is what devolution is all about. I have always said they should do it their way."
PA