The focus in advance of the British Irish Association’s meeting in Cambridge last night was on the Deputy First Minister’s comments, but as Gerry Moriarty reports in the Irish Times [subs req] others were focussing on a more familiar topic.
The Northern [Ireland] Secretary Shaun Woodward and the [Republic of Ireland] Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan made clear that their preferred wish is to see the transfer of these powers from Westminster to Stormont by the St Andrews Agreement target date of next May, without specifically insisting on it.
That would be because it’s a target date.. not a deadline.And from the Irish Times report
Transferring justice powers is the main challenge facing the new Northern Secretary, Mr Woodward said.
He realised that if not managed carefully it could open up divisions within the DUP, and within the Executive.
He said that work is under way to ensure the effective creation of an Executive department of justice “when local politicians decide the time is right”.
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