Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain will tell the Labour Party conference today that restoring devolution to Northern Ireland remains his "overarching goal".
But, following the announcement of final IRA weapons decommissioning, he will add that Northern Ireland cannot afford to tread water - politically or economically - until devolution is restored.
The challenges of the new millennium will be as great as the threat to the prosperity of Northern Ireland from a broken community, will be his theme.
"The challenges of a rapidly changing global economy will not wait for divisions in society to be healed," he will tell the conference .
In his keynote address he will also list a range of policy measures he and his team of ministers will press ahead with in the coming weeks.
Many have been in the pipeline for some years but are no longer being held back. They include:
Plans for "much fewer, but more powerful" local councils to replace the 26 currently operating.
Plans to "radically simplify" the structures delivering health to ensure value for money and shorter waiting lists.
Education reforms to deliver better standards and the end of 11- plus selection will be pressed ahead with.
The upcoming budget for the next two years will see a redirection of resources to new policies - all focused on enhancing the life chances of the next generation.
Mr Hain is due to announce a boost to investment in children, with a new ring-fenced fund to deliver quality childcare, as well as before- and after-school clubs.
At the same time protecting the environment will be pushed to the top of the political agenda with a new drive to promote renewable and other clean energy.
He is billing his policies as those for the next generation "because our children deserve to enjoy the same quality of life in the future that we take for granted today".