Northern Ireland has taken charge of its own political affairs once more after 30 years of bloody sectarian violence.

The Reverend Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness - former enemies on opposing sides of the sectarian and political divide - were this morning sworn in as the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister respectively of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Tony Blair, along with his Irish counterpart, Bertie Ahern, and Edward Kennedy, the veteran US senator, were present in the ornate parliament building at Stormont as Mr Paisley and Mr McGuinness stood in turn to take their oaths of office, as power-sharing devolved government was restored.

Part of the pledge was a promise to uphold the authority of the police. Overcoming Sinn Fein's refusal to co-operate with the Police Service of Northern Ireland was the turning point in bringing about today's historic settlement.

Afterwards Mr Paisley reached out to all sides of Ulster society with a speech of conciliation. He quoted the words of King Solomon from the Bible, that to everything there was a season. "From the depths of my heart I can say to you today that I believe Northern Ireland has come to a time of peace, a time when hate will no longer rule," he said. "How good it will be to be part of a wonderful healing in this province."

The radical preacher once dubbed 'Doctor No' for his refusal to deal with Republicans admitted that if he had been told a few years ago that he would be the leader of a coalition government at Stormont, with Catholic Republicans in his Cabinet, he would have found it incredible.

"But let me say very strongly: that was yesterday. This is today; and tomorrow will be tomorrow," the 80-year-old elder statesman of Northern Ireland politics told a packed assembly of Ireland's great and good, and visitors from all around the world.

"We are making together a declaration, we are aiming to become a Northern Ireland in which all can live together in peace, being equal under the law and all equally subject to the law. I welcome that pledge we have taken to that effect, for that is the rock foundation on which we must build.

"We are starting upon the road that leads to lasting peace. I have sensed a great sense of relief amongst all our people, who want the hostility to be replaced by neighbourliness."

Mr McGuinness, a former chief-of-staff of the Provisional IRA, also struck a conciliatory note, saying that work must begin to transform Northern Ireland from a divided community to one determined to provide a better future for all of its people.

"We know it will not be easy, and the road will have many twists and turns," said Mr McGuinness. "It is however a road we have chosen, and which is supported by the vast majority of our people."

Ten years ago Mr Blair and Mr Ahern were largely responsible for putting in motion the peace process that made today possible.

Mr Blair received a warm and lengthy round of applause for his part in solving the Irish question that has dogged British prime ministers for centuries. He spoke of his hope that the cycle of conflict in Ireland could finally be broken.

"Northern Ireland was a society disfigured by ancient suspicions that had shaped its character. Look back, and we see centuries pockmarked by hatred and conflict," said Mr Blair.

"Look forward today, and we see the chance, at least, to escape those heavy chains of history."

Mr Blair is known to regard his diplomacy in Ulster as perhaps the finest achievement of his decade as Prime Minister. He concluded, with pride: "Northern Ireland was synonymous with conflict. It was felt to be intractable. The Troubles.. people felt that it could not be done, even that it should not be done, that the compromises involved were too great.

"But in the end it was done, and this shows lessons for conflict everywhere."

The geniality spilled over into a reception after the oath-taking ceremony, when Mr Paisley and Mr McGuiness entertained Mr Blair and Mr Ahern to tea.

Holding court in the best armchair while the two prime ministers perched uncomfortably on the sofa, Mr Paisley joked that Mr Blair would miss his chats when he resigns as Prime Minister later this week. He went on: "Here's me, an old man, just starting work when you're going out." Mr Blair replied that he probably ought to learn a lesson from Mr Paisley and delay his political career until he was 80.

Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland Secretary, who yesterday signed the order restoring devolved government, said: "What is really inspiring now is that the politicians are leading the people out of that history of sectarianism and bigotry, instead of encouraging them in it."

Earlier Mr Ahern had paid tribute to Mr Blair's efforts for peace in the province. "He has been the most successful politician, from an Irish point of view, ever," said Mr Ahern.

"He has given it more time, probably, than any other issue. Tony Blair has delivered on that and shown a very strong sense of fairness and justice to get a just solution."

Outside Stormont, three peace protesters were arrested and three police officers hurt in scuffles. Television pictures showed what seemed to be dozens of demonstrators with placards against the Iraq war being pushed back from the building. One policeman was taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose while another was treated for concussion, police said.

Mr Kennedy, who was part of the US delegation to the Assembly meeting, said afterwards: "Today will live in the history of freedom-loving people all over the world.

"It was a very special moment today that took place at Stormont, a very special, magical moment, a real reflection of the great courage of the people of Northern Ireland who have witnessed the bomb and the bullet and experienced so many disappointments in the recent past.

Gerry Adams, the leader of Sinn Fein, paid tribute to the victims of Northern Ireland's 30 years of troubles. He went on: "This is a good day for Ireland, a good day for all the people of this island... It is a day to be hopeful, to be sure that a new start is being made."

Asked if he thought there could ever be a return to the violence, Mr Adams said: "I'm satisfied we are not going to get into the same difficulties. The political landscape is different, the chemistry is different. We are going to succeed."

Government at Stormont was suspended in the late 1960s and Ulster was returned to home rule from Westminster when violence broke out in the province. More than 3,000 people died in the Troubles.

After Mr Blair and Mr Ahern brokered the Good Friday agreement of 1998, devolved government was briefly restored, but it was suspended in October 2002 amid revelations that Republicans were involved in bugging Stormont. Efforts to restore it quickly were dashed when it emerged that the Provisional IRA had been involved in a £40 million bank raid.

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