He may have been standing up for Newry at the recent North-South Ministerial meetings noted yesterday [Did the rest of the Executive know? – Ed], but Northern Ireland Regional Development Minister, Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, MP, MLA, seems surprised that the NI Executive apparently didn’t get around to agreeing the draft legislation on policing and justice powers today. Didn’t he know they were only “to be shown” the draft? Still, there’s always next time.. and a few more steps to take. He does, though, describe how that mandatory coalition semi-detached polit-bureau works in practice. Or doesn’t work. From the Sinn Féin statement
Speaking following this afternoons Executive meeting Mr Murphy said; “Sinn Féin and the DUP agreed the wording of this legislation, to create a new department. It was ready for agreement at the Executive this afternoon. It is now up to the DUP to explain to the people why this didnt happen.”