Interesting report on the BBC. According to their home affairs correspondent, Vincent Kearney – “Ian Paisley Jnr says the party will raise the issue at the next meeting of the British Irish Council in December”. The issue is one of the hot pursuit of suspects by police across the border and, since neither the UK nor the Republic of Ireland have fully implemented the Schengen Agreement, such hot pursuit by police between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can’t legally happen at the minute. Except.. surely, being a ‘policing and justice’ area, that’s a reserved matter and, as such, comes under the authority of the NIO Security Minister Paul Goggins? And even if it was a devolved matter, surely the Executive would have to discuss it first, and the Assembly might have a say, before it could be proposed at the British-Irish Council? And let’s not forget, as well, that it was an Alliance Party proposal to begin with. Or is the junior minister just attempting to distract attention from other matters.. [No wonder the Irish Justice minister wasn’t available to comment directly on the suggestion – Ed]
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