THE AGREEMENT between the two biggest parties in the North on the allocation of the new post of minister for justice was a “distortion of democracy”, newly-elected SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie told the leaders of Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party in Dublin yesterday.
She pointed out that, under the d’Hondt voting system applied at Stormont up to now, the position would have gone to SDLP nominee Alban Maginness.
However the position is now expected to go to Alliance Party leader David Ford.
“We want to see the full devolution of policing and justice but we perceive the actual allocation or appointment of the minister as a distortion of democracy,” Ms Ritchie told The Irish Times after yesterday’s meetings.
“What we currently see is a gerrymander, through the allocation of the ministry by the exercise of the Democratic Unionist Party veto with the assistance of Sinn Féin and the acquiescence of the British and Irish governments.
“The nationalist community in the North are being denied a ministerial place at the Executive table and we find that unacceptable.
“We are mustering all the assistance we possibly can to highlight that particular case on behalf of the people,” she added.
SDLP MLA for Upper Bann Dolores Kelly briefed the party leaders on the Bill of Rights, which is one of the outstanding matters under the 1998 Belfast Agreement.
“The British government have delayed bringing forward a legislative framework for a Bill of Rights,” Ms Kelly said.
Ms Ritchie also met British ambassador Julian King as well as the Conservative Party spokesman on the North Owen Patterson, who was also visiting the British embassy at the time.
“I was very pleased to meet the shadow secretary of state on Irish soil,” she said.
The SDLP delegation headed by Ms Ritchie also included the party’s deputy leader Patsy McGlone MLA, Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP, MLA and Alban Maginness MLA.
Last week the SDLP paid a courtesy call on Taoiseach Brian Cowen and held discussions with Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin.