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| Stormont parties to discuss Department of Justice future | Stormont parties to discuss Department of Justice future |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The political parties are due to meet at Stormont to discuss the future direction of the Department of Justice. | The political parties are due to meet at Stormont to discuss the future direction of the Department of Justice. |
| Alliance leader David Ford was appointed justice minister following the 2010 Hillsborough Castle agreement. | |
| At that time, Sinn Fein and the DUP agreed that neither would seek the ministry. | |
| The department will cease to exist in May unless agreement can be found, due to a so-called sunset clause. | |
| Mr Ford's appointment was a compromise to ensure justice powers could be transferred to Stormont from Westminster in April 2010. | Mr Ford's appointment was a compromise to ensure justice powers could be transferred to Stormont from Westminster in April 2010. |
| With the May expiry date in sight, politicians must now decide what to do next. | |
| BBC Northern Ireland political correspondent Martina Purdy said: "The DUP and Sinn Fein forged a deal whereby both parties agreed neither would seek the justice ministry. | |
| "They also agreed at Hillsborough Castle that the d'Hondt formula for appointing ministers applied under the Good Friday Agreement should be set aside. | "They also agreed at Hillsborough Castle that the d'Hondt formula for appointing ministers applied under the Good Friday Agreement should be set aside. |
| "The result was that the SDLP lost out on a second ministry under d'Hondt and the Alliance Party was able to gain one. Alliance leader David Ford was elected justice minister on a cross-community assembly vote. With arrangements set to expire, parties must decide if they want to continue with the arrangements." | "The result was that the SDLP lost out on a second ministry under d'Hondt and the Alliance Party was able to gain one. Alliance leader David Ford was elected justice minister on a cross-community assembly vote. With arrangements set to expire, parties must decide if they want to continue with the arrangements." |
| Conal McDevitt, SDLP, said: "What we want is what the people voted for in 1998, we are defending the voice of the people here. | |
| "50,000 people voted for Alliance and they have two seats (in the Executive): 100,000 voted for my party and we have one seat. So they have twice as many Executive members and only half of the votes. It is not about the parties, it is about the system, it is against the spirit of the agreement." | |
| Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs said: "There is an issue about fairness and lack of proportionality - it is something that should be looked at. | |
| "We are not looking out of narrow self interest but we want better, smaller, more efficient government." | |
| Mr Beggs said Sinn Fein and the DUP had "created the problem" and it was up to them to solve it. | |
| Other issues up for discussion relate to reducing the number of departments at Stormont. | Other issues up for discussion relate to reducing the number of departments at Stormont. |