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| Live: Northern Ireland deal | Live: Northern Ireland deal |
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| By Greg McKevitt LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times GMT) | By Greg McKevitt LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times GMT) |
| Hello and welcome to our live coverage of reaction to the DUP reaching a deal with Sinn Fein over the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Northern Ireland. | Hello and welcome to our live coverage of reaction to the DUP reaching a deal with Sinn Fein over the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Northern Ireland. |
| 1016Gordon Brown is asked if Northern Ireland politics had the maturity to deal with difficulties. He says: "The detail of the agreement shows that we have not avoided the issues that are controversial." | |
| 1015 Here's a bit more from the agreement on parading: It emphasises local solutions and says the Executive will promote direct dialogue with representatives of the Loyal Orders, band parade organisers and local residents. The Executive will also encourage the participation of local elected representatives in the process of resolution. | |
| 1013 Gordon Brown says the agreement ensures new investment will come to Northern Ireland "when people see the stability it brings". | |
| 1010 Peter Robinson: "The issues that we are dealing with are life and death issues. We are dealing with everybody's safety and security in Northern Ireland." | |
| 1009 Martin McGuinness gets epic: "This might just be the day when the political process in the north came of age." | |
| 1009 The parading consultation is intended to lead to new legislation which is timetabled to come into force by the end of 2010. Royal Assent is pencilled in for the week commencing 13 December. | 1009 The parading consultation is intended to lead to new legislation which is timetabled to come into force by the end of 2010. Royal Assent is pencilled in for the week commencing 13 December. |
| 1008 On parading, the agreement says a working group comprising of six members will be appointed by the First and Deputy First Ministers. It will bring forward proposals which they believe are capable of achieving cross-community support for a new and improved parading framework. This work will begin immediately and will be completed within three weeks. | 1008 On parading, the agreement says a working group comprising of six members will be appointed by the First and Deputy First Ministers. It will bring forward proposals which they believe are capable of achieving cross-community support for a new and improved parading framework. This work will begin immediately and will be completed within three weeks. |
| 1005 If you fancy joining in the fun and going through the agreement yourself, it's now up online. | 1005 If you fancy joining in the fun and going through the agreement yourself, it's now up online. |
| 1003 Amid the hilarity, we are continuing to speed-read the agreement. It states that the justice minister will be able to bring forward proposals detailing how normal Executive procedures could be amended to allow them to make decisions in urgent or confidential or matters which would normally require consideration by the Executive. Pending any amendments, the arrangement would be that the Executive would "normally" grant retrospective approval to any such solo decision making in which the Minister had acted "reasonably." | 1003 Amid the hilarity, we are continuing to speed-read the agreement. It states that the justice minister will be able to bring forward proposals detailing how normal Executive procedures could be amended to allow them to make decisions in urgent or confidential or matters which would normally require consideration by the Executive. Pending any amendments, the arrangement would be that the Executive would "normally" grant retrospective approval to any such solo decision making in which the Minister had acted "reasonably." |
| 1001 Mr Robinson says Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams told him at the start of the latest round of talks that they could "crunch it in a few hours". He adds: "After 120 hours, I questioned his definition of "a few". | 1001 Mr Robinson says Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams told him at the start of the latest round of talks that they could "crunch it in a few hours". He adds: "After 120 hours, I questioned his definition of "a few". |
| 1001 Here's a bit more from Martin McGuinness: "We are dealing with centuries old difficulties here. If we are to succeed as a government, we have to show people at grassroots level that we can work together.The last thing that we want to do, while the eyes of the world are on us, is to fail." | 1001 Here's a bit more from Martin McGuinness: "We are dealing with centuries old difficulties here. If we are to succeed as a government, we have to show people at grassroots level that we can work together.The last thing that we want to do, while the eyes of the world are on us, is to fail." |
| 0958 Brian Cowen jumps on Robbo's 2012 bandwagon and says NI should win the event as the parties have "broken the world record" for negotiations. | 0958 Brian Cowen jumps on Robbo's 2012 bandwagon and says NI should win the event as the parties have "broken the world record" for negotiations. |
| 0957 The leaders are asked if they would shake hands in public. Peter Robinson says: "We're not into the business of stunts." | 0957 The leaders are asked if they would shake hands in public. Peter Robinson says: "We're not into the business of stunts." |
| 0954 The agreement adds that when it comes to what are called "quasi-judicial decisions" the justice minister won't have to get the collective agreement of the Executive. It says such decisions "shall be made by the justice minister without recourse to the Executive." | 0954 The agreement adds that when it comes to what are called "quasi-judicial decisions" the justice minister won't have to get the collective agreement of the Executive. It says such decisions "shall be made by the justice minister without recourse to the Executive." |
| 0952 Martin McGuinness: "To quote Sammy Wilson, this was an agreement "made in Ulster" - albeit that he looks at it from a six-county point of view while I look at it from nine counties." | 0952 Martin McGuinness: "To quote Sammy Wilson, this was an agreement "made in Ulster" - albeit that he looks at it from a six-county point of view while I look at it from nine counties." |
| 0951 The agreement lays out a proposed work plan for the justice minister. It includes things like the establishment of a sentencing guidelines council, a review of management and oversight of all prisons and the development of a Victims Code of Practice setting out a minimum standard of service that criminal justice agencies will be expected to provide to victims of crime | 0951 The agreement lays out a proposed work plan for the justice minister. It includes things like the establishment of a sentencing guidelines council, a review of management and oversight of all prisons and the development of a Victims Code of Practice setting out a minimum standard of service that criminal justice agencies will be expected to provide to victims of crime |
| 0950 The leaders are asked about why the Ulster Unionists are not at Hillsborough. Peter Robinson says he would "have liked them to be here", while Gordon Brown says he hopes they will "be able to continue their long-standing support for policing and justice devolution". | 0950 The leaders are asked about why the Ulster Unionists are not at Hillsborough. Peter Robinson says he would "have liked them to be here", while Gordon Brown says he hopes they will "be able to continue their long-standing support for policing and justice devolution". |
| 0947 As the leaders continue speaking in Hillsborough, we're frantically reading through the agreement in the newsroom in Belfast. It tells us that the justice minister will have the same status in the Executive as other ministers. | 0947 As the leaders continue speaking in Hillsborough, we're frantically reading through the agreement in the newsroom in Belfast. It tells us that the justice minister will have the same status in the Executive as other ministers. |
| 0944 Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein says he is "a minister for all citizens". He adds: "We need to confront and defeat all kinds of hatred." | 0944 Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein says he is "a minister for all citizens". He adds: "We need to confront and defeat all kinds of hatred." |
| 0943 Peter Robinson is telling jokes. He says if negotiations become an Olympic sport in London 2012, NI will enter a team and lift the gold medal, and then enter negotiations about which anthem should be played and which flag should be raised. | 0943 Peter Robinson is telling jokes. He says if negotiations become an Olympic sport in London 2012, NI will enter a team and lift the gold medal, and then enter negotiations about which anthem should be played and which flag should be raised. |
| 0942 OK here we go: "On Monday 8 February 2010 the First Minister and deputy First Minister will convene a meeting of party leaders to consider applications of interest for the post of Justice Minister. The purpose of this meeting will be to allow the First Minister and deputy First Minister to identify which candidate they believe is best able to command cross-community support in the Assembly." | 0942 OK here we go: "On Monday 8 February 2010 the First Minister and deputy First Minister will convene a meeting of party leaders to consider applications of interest for the post of Justice Minister. The purpose of this meeting will be to allow the First Minister and deputy First Minister to identify which candidate they believe is best able to command cross-community support in the Assembly." |
| 0939 The agreement has just dropped in the BBC's email inbox... stay tuned! | 0939 The agreement has just dropped in the BBC's email inbox... stay tuned! |
| 0937 DUP leader Peter Robinson is up now. He says it's "a good day for Northern Ireland", adding: "We have laid the foundations for a better future for us all." | 0937 DUP leader Peter Robinson is up now. He says it's "a good day for Northern Ireland", adding: "We have laid the foundations for a better future for us all." |
| 0936 Mr Cowen pays tribute to his Foreign Minister Micheal Martin and NI Secretray of State Shaun Woodward, who chaired the marathon talks. | 0936 Mr Cowen pays tribute to his Foreign Minister Micheal Martin and NI Secretray of State Shaun Woodward, who chaired the marathon talks. |
| 0935 The BBC's William Crawley tweets: "We're expecting a statement of 'contentment' from the Orange Order any time soon." The Orange Order is Northern Ireland's largest Protestant parading organisation, and the issue was at the heart of the discussions. | 0935 The BBC's William Crawley tweets: "We're expecting a statement of 'contentment' from the Orange Order any time soon." The Orange Order is Northern Ireland's largest Protestant parading organisation, and the issue was at the heart of the discussions. |
| 0932 Brian Cowen, the Irish PM, says the deal "closes the circle" in Northern Ireland. | 0932 Brian Cowen, the Irish PM, says the deal "closes the circle" in Northern Ireland. |
| 0930 Prime Minister Gordon Brown says "this is the day we have secured the future". | 0930 Prime Minister Gordon Brown says "this is the day we have secured the future". |