Northern Ireland departments.

1 Subject to subsection (2), the Northern Ireland departments existing on the appointed day shall be the Northern Ireland departments for the purposes of this Act. 2 Provision may be made by Act of the Assembly for establishing new Northern Ireland departments or dissolving existing ones. 3 If an Act of the Assembly which establishes a new Northern Ireland department provides for it to be in the charge of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister acting jointly— a the department shall not be regarded as a Northern Ireland department for the purposes of subsection (2) or (3) of section 17; and b the office held by those Ministers as the head of the department shall not be regarded as a Ministerial office for the purposes of subsection (4) of that section or section 18.