The Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, is to meet with the North's political parties this week to tie down how the review of the Belfast Agreement should be conducted. Gerry Moriarty, Northern Editor, reports.
A target date of January 29th has been set for the beginning of the review, but Mr Murphy wants more detail from the parties on how the process should be structured. The review will be co-chaired by the British and Irish governments.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has rejected an Ulster Unionist Party proposal to establish special shadow Assembly committees to scrutinise the work of the North's four direct-rule ministers, including Mr Murphy.
Mr David McNarry, an Ulster Unionist MLA for Strangford, welcomed the reallocation of offices at Stormont to Assembly members and political parties, but said the British government should go further by setting up 10 committees in shadow form.
"This, I believe, is vital because just look at the issues which the Northern Ireland Office Ministers are dealing with at present - racism, sectarianism, unemployment, hospital trolley waits and, in my own constituency European decisions affecting fishing and agriculture.
"It is frustrating not to have a debating chamber to consider these issues. I realise that my proposal does not bestow any power to the committees, but apart from opening dialogue the potential is for serious recommendations to be brought to the attention of the government."
Sinn Féin's Assembly team leader Mr Conor Murphy said the proposal was "shallow", and would "provide no real accountability and indeed would provide cover for NIO Ministers".
He said: "We need to get the real Assembly committee structures in place that can hold Ministers fully to account."