The chairman of the British Unionist Party, Robert McCartney, reportedly rejected the power-sharing agreements in the new agreement, which were deemed undemocratic. [3] In 2005, the political situation was even more polarized, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein becoming the main parties in Northern Ireland. Another pioneering peace agreement, the 2006 St Andrews Agreement, would be needed to bring them together and restore decentralisation in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Assembly was revoked on 15 May 2006 and was given until November to elect an executive. However, Paisley, the leader of the Unionist assembly and a likely candidate for prime minister, remained stubborn that he would never share power with Sinn Fein. In the summer of 2006, at a meeting of the Order of Oraniers, he declared: the Provisional IRA proclaims the end of its armed campaign (2005) Blair and the Ahern Agreement for the Restoration of Decentralization (2006) The St Andrews Agreement (2006) The Journey (2016 film) If, However, there is no agreement until 24 November, and the agreement makes it clear that the British and Irish governments will cooperate to implement a „Plan B“ over the heads of politicians Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 provides that, following an election to the Assembly on 7 March 2007, ministerial functions under the Hondt system will be filled on 26 March 2007. If ministerial duties could not be filled at that time, the law required the Minister of Northern Ireland to have an order to dissolve the Assembly and the St Andrews agreement to fall. The St Andrews Agreement also mentions the difficult issues on which the two major parties must agree to meet this timetable.

Northern Ireland Minister Peter Hain called the deal an „amazing breakthrough“ on BBC Five Live. Key elements of the agreement included Sinn Féin`s full acceptance of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the commitment of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to share power with Irish Republicans in the Northern Ireland executive.