Devolution of Policing. A step closer.

[Denn Forever]

The devolution of policing to NI is getting closer as Brown publishes budget.

A good day for NI?

Brown publishes NI police budget 

Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson have held a series of meetings
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has published the budget for the devolution of policing and justice in NI.

The move comes after he met the first and deputy first minister in Downing Street on Tuesday.

Peter Robinson said he would discuss the financial deal with his political colleagues and other interested parties once the budget was made public.

Martin McGuinness described the talks as "a good night's work". He said devolution was achievable by Christmas.

Mr McGuinness said he believed the proposed budget deal, thought to be about £800m, represents an "incredible achievement against the backdrop of recession."

However, the DUP have again emphasised that they see community confidence as a key element of any devolution deal.

Mr Robinson said: "We see getting public confidence as being an essential ingredient - it was a commitment in our manifesto, and part of the confidence-building is having confidence in the financial arrangements.

"I think any fool can produce a wants list but the proposals that are presented by the prime minister have to be viewed by all of us."

'Tory proof'

Martin McGuinness warned that his party would not accept any unnecessary delays.

"I think it would be a mistake for anyone to try and inject further issues into the process which would mean that we would have further hurdles to cross," he said.

BBC Northern Ireland political reporter Stephen Walker said the DUP also wanted to make sure any budget was "Tory-proof."

"Once Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness are happy that it can be signed off then Mr Robinson will go and speak to David Cameron and ask him if he will stand over the figures if he becomes prime minister," our reporter said.

It is understood that Mr McGuinness will also consult with Mr Cameron.

Mr Robinson will also seek meetings with the Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey, the Chief Constable Matt Baggott and senior figures in the judicial system.

Last week, Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness briefed other parties on outline proposals for the transfer, however they were unhappy at the lack of detail the two men provided.

[ziggysego]

DUP will drag it out longer with confident building measures.

[Zapatista]

It can only be a good thing as the alternative is a disaster. I'd say Christmas is optimistic though. Confidence building measures is another term for 'give us more money'. It will be a big failure for Brown if this isn't sorted before the next election. Practically the only thing he has to do regarding the peace process is implement st. andrews. If he can't do that he will look like a fool.

[Hardy]

Not that his electorate will take a blind bit of notice.

[Hereiam]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8329110.stm

Well it looks like the DUP is doing its bit for all that is being a prod. Looks like we are going to see them marching anywhere they want now.

[ziggysego]

Told you so!

DUP will drag it out longer with confident building measures.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8329110.stm

Well it looks like the DUP is doing its bit for all that is being a prod. Looks like we are going to see them marching anywhere they want now.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

DUP stalling and changing the goalposts again.

The best cráic is that they are stalling and stalling until after the Westminister election (all because of their fear of Jim Allister), which if the Tories win will mean all the extra money dragged out of Brown will be lost, infact Owen Patterson did say that Tories would not guarantee any funding approved by Labour.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8257938.stm

Also that wee poisoned dwarf Jeffrey Donaldson was on radio this morning talking about how much the policing of parades costs and then blaming it on the Parades Comm. and  that getting rid of the Parades Comm. would save this money and lead to a resolution of contentious parades! Sweet mother of God what planet do these idiots live on?

[Denn Forever]

This is a good sign?  Not ready for this year but its a start.

Orange Order welcomes parades progress
Saturday, 6 March 2010 16:53
The Orange Order has signalled its backing for proposals on parades legislation as part of a landmark deal to devolve policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont.

An overwhelming majority at the Grand Lodge quarterly meeting in Co Tyrone welcomed progress made through the joint plan from a DUP and Sinn Féin working group.

After a meeting of 120 members of the Order's Grand Lodge near Dungannon, Grand Master Robert Saulters said 95% voted to give the working group the space to continue working on the legislation.

AdvertisementHowever, it will not be in place for this year's marching season.

'We welcome the progress that has been made to bring legislation forward and publish a Bill and will make final comment when we see the Bill,' Mr Saulters said.

He added: 'We reaffirm our concerns on civil and religious liberties for all and regret the campaign to deprive people of the right to freedom of assembly.'

The Central Committee, which met on Monday, recommended that the order should give its tacit support for the proposed framework to resolve contentious marches. The proposal was passed without amendment.

The new framework for marches was devised by a six-man Sinn Féin/DUP working group that was set up as part of the Hillsborough Castle agreement last month. That group delivered its report to the office of the First and Deputy First Minister on 24 February.

The document is not due to be made public, which has concerned the loyal orders and residents' groups who oppose a number of marches in contentious areas.

The DUP's three representatives in the working group briefed the Order's Central Committee on Monday and it is understood the senior Orange representatives backed their proposals.

While details of the new management structures have not been made public, it is understood they are heavily influenced by a recent review of parades carried out by former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown.

Central to those was the axing of the current Parades Commission adjudication panel, with more emphasis placed on achieving localised resolutions. The parades settlement is a key tenet of the Hillsborough Agreement.

The Grand Lodge meeting comes ahead of next Tuesday's crucial vote in the Assembly on the proposed timetable for law and order transfer.

[longrunsthefox]

Interesting Willie McCrea was not there as apparently he was at a funeral... remembering the recent revelations about him, he has kept  a very low profile since. 
Sounds like his political funeral is also taking place.... hopefully...

Devolution of policing has arrived

Members of the assembly have voted in support of a motion to devolve policing and justice powers to Northern Ireland.
As expected the Ulster Unionist Party did not support the move, however, the motion received the necessary cross-community consent to be passed.
Eighty eight of the assembly's 108 members voted in favour of the move, while 17 MLAs did not support it.
All 44 of the nationalist MLAs supported the vote, with 35 out of 52 unionists also supporting it.
Nine other members also voted in support of the powers being devolved.
Policing and justice powers will now be devolved on 12 April.

Thirty-four out of 36 DUP MLAs voted in favour of devolving justice. The only exceptions were the Speaker Willie Hay, who does not vote in this instance, and South Antrim MLA William McCrea who, according to the DUP, is attending a funeral.
Disagreement on the timing of the devolution of the justice powers had threatened to collapse Northern Ireland's power-sharing administration.
However, in February, Northern Ireland's two main parties made the agreement which, if the powers are devolved as expected, will see a justice minister elected.

The Hillsborough Agreement allows for the first and deputy first ministers to identify a candidate who would command cross-community support in the assembly.
Alliance leader David Ford is favourite to take the post.
The two smaller parties in Northern Ireland's mandatory coalition - the UUP and the SDLP - have insisted Alliance has no right to the post under the d'Hondt system for selecting ministers, which was agreed in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

The UUP also said they could not back the Hillsborough deal on policing and justice because it failed to address matters such as education, parading and "the dysfunctional nature of the current executive".

[bennydorano]

Interesting Willie McCrea was not there as apparently he was at a funeral... remembering the recent revelations about him, he has kept  a very low profile since. 
Sounds like his political funeral is also taking place.... hopefully...

Devolution of policing has arrived

Members of the assembly have voted in support of a motion to devolve policing and justice powers to Northern Ireland.
As expected the Ulster Unionist Party did not support the move, however, the motion received the necessary cross-community consent to be passed.
Eighty eight of the assembly's 108 members voted in favour of the move, while 17 MLAs did not support it.
All 44 of the nationalist MLAs supported the vote, with 35 out of 52 unionists also supporting it.
Nine other members also voted in support of the powers being devolved.
Policing and justice powers will now be devolved on 12 April.

Thirty-four out of 36 DUP MLAs voted in favour of devolving justice. The only exceptions were the Speaker Willie Hay, who does not vote in this instance, and South Antrim MLA William McCrea who, according to the DUP, is attending a funeral.
Disagreement on the timing of the devolution of the justice powers had threatened to collapse Northern Ireland's power-sharing administration.
However, in February, Northern Ireland's two main parties made the agreement which, if the powers are devolved as expected, will see a justice minister elected.

The Hillsborough Agreement allows for the first and deputy first ministers to identify a candidate who would command cross-community support in the assembly.
Alliance leader David Ford is favourite to take the post.
The two smaller parties in Northern Ireland's mandatory coalition - the UUP and the SDLP - have insisted Alliance has no right to the post under the d'Hondt system for selecting ministers, which was agreed in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

The UUP also said they could not back the Hillsborough deal on policing and justice because it failed to address matters such as education, parading and "the dysfunctional nature of the current executive".

Did I miss something, what has Willie allegedly been up to?

I'm suprised there has been a thread devoted to Reg Empy, seems a shockingly bad error of political judgement on his part.  Suppose he can act the tough guy at the next elections thou.

[Orior]

Is it

   dee-vol-oo-shinn?

or

  dev-ill-oo-shinn?

[Orior]

or all just a load of crap?

[Orior]

You bastard - I told you not to post that.

[Orior]

You and who's army?

[Orior]

Its "whose", asshole