Executive Deadlock Ends In The North

According to reports on Tuesday morning, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin have brokered an agreement to end the deadlock at Stormont.

The agreement, coming 152 days after the Executive last met, sets out the steps that will be needed in order to restore 'policing and justice' in the North.

The Executive is set to meet on Thursday, with weekly meetings planned to work on reducing the backlog of official business.

Announcing the deal, First Minister Peter Robinson MP, MLA said: "The agreement we have reached represents a very satisfactory resolution of the most difficult issues relating to the modalities of transferring power and meets all of the publicly expressed concerns.

"We believe these agreements are capable of gaining the confidence of the community and we look to the Prime Minister to make good his commitment of helping to resolve the financial arrangements relating to the devolution of these powers.

"We both want devolution to happen without undue delay."

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP, MLA said: "Following discussions we have agreed a number of arrangements for the discharge of policing and justice functions by the Assembly.

"We are both agreed that Policing and Justice functions should be devolved.

"Every leading politician in our community is committed to this outcome. In the past the differences have been about the structures, who would exercise authority and when the powers would be transferred.

"We have agreed a tranche of measures which, along with our agreement in July, will assist the AERC in completing its modalities report and, we contend, resolves all the publicly expressed concerns about the structures and who would be the Justice Minister.

"Significant progress has been made in resolving these matters. We both want devolution to happen without undue delay."

The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen T.D., welcomed the announcement, saying, "It is of great importance that devolution of policing and justice powers proceed.  Its successful completion will be the final piece of the jigsaw of the peace process.

"It has become increasingly clear in recent weeks that the public wants and needs the Executive and all of the institutions to address the pressing economic and social issues that are being faced by all governments at this period of unprecedented difficulty in the global economy.  Northern Ireland is not immune from these global economic developments and I know that the Executive is acutely aware of this.

"I look forward to the effective implementation of their proposals and to the restoration to full capacity of all of the political institutions.

"The Government, along with the British Government, will continue to offer our support to the parties in Northern Ireland. 

"We also look forward to working energetically with them, including through the North/South Ministerial Council, to tackle the enormous economic challenges now faced by everyone who lives on this island.

"I commend the hard work and leadership shown by Peter Robinson, Martin McGuinness and their colleagues in coming to an agreement on these difficult issues. 

"They have once again shown that democratic politics works."