The Alliance Party today announced that it has agreed to nominate its leader David Ford to Northern Ireland’s new justice ministry.
Party leader David Ford had been favourite to take the justice portfolio when security powers are transferred from London to Belfast after Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists said they would not fill the role.
However, he had said his party would only nominate if there were progress on agreeing a “cohesion, sharing and integration” strategy for the North. He also sought more clarity on how the Department of Justice would operate.
Mr Ford announced today that his party’s conditions for putting itself forward had been met.
Alliance had been pressing for a new strategy to combat sectarianism in the North and welcomed news earlier this week that a policy had been agreed by the DUP and Sinn Féin after a two-year delay.
On Tuesday First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness agreed a consultation paper on a “shared future” for Northern Ireland that will be put to the public in the coming months.
Alliance had also sought further details on how the justice ministry will operate, but said progress was being made on that front as well. The party’s ruling council met in Antrim last night and a decision was taken to back the plans.
“This has not been an easy decision to make but a decision has finally been reached,” Mr Ford said today. “We have had much discussion within our party on this and now that our two conditions have been met, we can nominate for the post of Justice Minister.”
The new minister of justice is due to be nominated in the Assembly on March 9th with formal appointment on April 12th. The only other nomination so far is North Belfast SDLP Assembly member and lawyer Alban Maginness.
The Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP have objected to the Alliance Party assuming the ministry.
Meanwhile, a parades working group of six senior DUP and Sinn Féin assembly members has also reported back to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
There is expected to be a public consultation on the new measures to overseecontroversial marches, which also forms part of the Hillsborough deal.
“There is now agreement on the community relations strategy and real progress on agreeing a justice policy programme,” Mr Ford said. “On Tuesday, the DUP and Sinn Fein announced that they had agreed the cohesion, sharing and integration policy after a two- and-a-half-year delay.
“This is the first ever community relations strategy agreed in any period of devolution we have had in Northern Ireland. This did not happen when the UUP and SDLP were in charge. I believe that progress this week is due to Alliance pressure,” he said.
“Yesterday, we received assurances on the proposals that Alliance has put forward for the devolution of justice. It is important that, when devolution takes place, there is agreement on policies, so that devolution is seen to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.”