A fresh start to N.I. politics?

Brian Donaldson • Published 11 Mar 2010 09:00 0 Comments

In the end, the vote on devolving policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly was a foregone conclusion with only the Ulster Unionist MLAs "spoiling the party" by voting against.

Nevertheless, the Assembly's vote this week was an historic one, returning these controversial powers to Northern Ireland from Westminster after an absence of almost 30 years.

The vote now paves the way for the appointment of a Justice Minister in a month's time and beyond that a fully operational Assembly.

It will be the Ulster Unionists who will have to monitor events as they unfold. The party appeared to be in disarray as they approached the vote and stated that while they agreed in principle to the devolution of policing and justice, they felt the time was not yet right for it to happen.

But the Hillsborough Castle Agreement did lay down a timetable and this week's vote was one of the milestones along the way.

Of course the future will not be easy for the Assembly nor for the new Justice Minister, tipped to be the Alliance Party leader, David Ford. There are some thorny issues to be dealt with including funding for the PSNI, deciding which killers can walk free and creating new laws to tackle issues such as anti-social behaviour, and road traffic offences. The issue of overcrowding prisons will also have to be tackled.

Of course with the vote now taken, there is the not so small matter of £800 million funding coming to Northern Ireland from the Treasury for the operation of the new department at the Assembly and for the work it will implement in the community.

As we enter this new era in local politics, it appears to be reflected immediately in the way local political parties view the approaching Westminster election expected on May 6. Yesterday, former TV presenter and reporter, Fearghal McKinney said he would be seeking selection by the SDLP to contest the Fermanagh and South Tyrone seat. It's another example of fresh faces and fresh ideas on our political landscape.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 11 Mar 10

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