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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| SF and DUP closer to justice deal | SF and DUP closer to justice deal |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The DUP and Sinn Fein have signalled they are moving towards a deal on devolving policing and justice powers from Westminster to the NI Assembly. | The DUP and Sinn Fein have signalled they are moving towards a deal on devolving policing and justice powers from Westminster to the NI Assembly. |
| The parties have agreed there will be a single department of justice with a minister needing cross-community support to be elected. | The parties have agreed there will be a single department of justice with a minister needing cross-community support to be elected. |
| The two parties have said they will not nominate candidates themselves. | The two parties have said they will not nominate candidates themselves. |
| But Alliance, the party most likely to supply a minister, has said it is not interested in taking on the post. | But Alliance, the party most likely to supply a minister, has said it is not interested in taking on the post. |
| Transferring policing and justice has been one of the most contentious issues since devolution was restored to Northern Ireland. | Transferring policing and justice has been one of the most contentious issues since devolution was restored to Northern Ireland. |
| The failure of Sinn Fein and DUP to agree on the issue has been a key factor in what some have described as a deadlock at Stormont. | The failure of Sinn Fein and DUP to agree on the issue has been a key factor in what some have described as a deadlock at Stormont. |
| However, the parties have written a letter to the Assembly Executive Review committee outlining common areas of agreement. | However, the parties have written a letter to the Assembly Executive Review committee outlining common areas of agreement. |
| But there is still no agreement on when transfer of powers would take place. | But there is still no agreement on when transfer of powers would take place. |
| The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson said: "No decision has been made on timing of devolution and other areas such as financing are still to be worked through. | The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson said: "No decision has been made on timing of devolution and other areas such as financing are still to be worked through. |
| "We continue to work on the basis that sufficient community confidence is required before devolution can take place." | "We continue to work on the basis that sufficient community confidence is required before devolution can take place." |
| Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said the transfer should have happened in May, under the terms of the 2006 St Andrews Agreement. | Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said the transfer should have happened in May, under the terms of the 2006 St Andrews Agreement. |
| "Sinn Fein want to see it happen in the short time ahead," he said. | "Sinn Fein want to see it happen in the short time ahead," he said. |
| "We have agreed with the DUP that powers would be transferred to a single department, with a single minister elected by cross community support and that initially neither ourselves nor the DUP would take on that ministry. This is a significant development." | "We have agreed with the DUP that powers would be transferred to a single department, with a single minister elected by cross community support and that initially neither ourselves nor the DUP would take on that ministry. This is a significant development." |
| Refusal | Refusal |
| The Alliance Party, widely touted as a possible compromise to fill the ministry, has said it will not take the post. | The Alliance Party, widely touted as a possible compromise to fill the ministry, has said it will not take the post. |
| "This executive is incompetent, it's time they got with doing the job that they were set up to do," party leader David Ford said. | "This executive is incompetent, it's time they got with doing the job that they were set up to do," party leader David Ford said. |
| "It's a very definite and a very emphatic no." | "It's a very definite and a very emphatic no." |
| Meanwhile, the SDLP has said it would "pursue its democratic entitlement" to hold the justice post. | Meanwhile, the SDLP has said it would "pursue its democratic entitlement" to hold the justice post. |
| "As the party which delivered the new beginning to policing, we are best qualified to take on the task of a devolved justice ministry. | "As the party which delivered the new beginning to policing, we are best qualified to take on the task of a devolved justice ministry. |
| "For the SDLP, this is natural territory," the party's Alban Maginness said. | "For the SDLP, this is natural territory," the party's Alban Maginness said. |
| Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said the Alliance Party was right to reject the post. | |
| "They were effectively being ambushed with the DUP and Sinn Fein trying to gerrymander the system," he said. | |
| "This would've meant leapfrogging the SDLP, which was the party next in line for the role. | |
| "That is because Sinn Fein can't tolerate the idea of the SDLP being in charge." |