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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| No agreement on powers transfer | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Stormont committee which examined progress on devolution of policing and justice powers has failed to reach agreement on when it should happen. | |
| The Assembly and Executive Review Committee said the government's May target for transferring the powers cannot be met. | |
| "The committee recommends political parties commit to further discussions," their report said. | |
| The DUP and UUP said more time was needed to build public confidence. | |
| Both have called for the IRA's army council to disband before the transferral takes place. | |
| Although the committee members were unable to agree on a timeframe, they did agree any future department should be responsible for 26 bodies. | |
| These include the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Policing Board, the Prison Service, Court Service and Public Prosecution Service. | |
| Sinn Féin Policing Board member Alex Maskey said unionist opposition to the transfer of powers by May had nothing to do with policing and justice, but was purely political. | |
| "Any unionist opposition to the transfer of policing and justice powers is not based on a desire for proper policing," he said. | |
| Speaking earlier, the DUP's Nigel Dodds said many issues still needed to be dealt with. | |
| "Policing and justice are particularly sensitive," he said. | "Policing and justice are particularly sensitive," he said. |
| "When it comes to policing there is a special set of rules. We don't believe that terrorists, or criminals, should have anything to do with policing - whether it's as members of the police force or running the police force." | "When it comes to policing there is a special set of rules. We don't believe that terrorists, or criminals, should have anything to do with policing - whether it's as members of the police force or running the police force." |
| The government has drawn up legislation to transfer powers when asked to do so. | The government has drawn up legislation to transfer powers when asked to do so. |
| It is up to the assembly to ask it. | It is up to the assembly to ask it. |
| The government has made it clear that it wants devolution of the powers to be completed as quickly as possible. | The government has made it clear that it wants devolution of the powers to be completed as quickly as possible. |
| Sinn Féin and the SDLP have said they believe public confidence in the criminal justice system will suffer if devolution is delayed. | |