A Blind Date With The Justice Department
So we are over another hump, and without having to fly off to an English country home. Result.
The DUP is pointing to the fact that the process paper published today contains no date for devolving justice as proof of their victory. It makes for strange reading with its groups of activities, bereft of a timescale by which they should be achieved. We shall have to wait for Cilla to pull back a curtain on a date to be determined before we know exactly who our new Justice Minister might turn out to be.
Helpfully, however, informed sources reckon the whole business should play out over a matter of months, not years. That points to the Minister taking office sometime next year.
The only date in the document published today was May 2012 (the "sunset clause" for the cross community appointment procedure). Although the arrangement would then be brought to an end there is nothing in the document to suggest a new Justice Minister will be appointed then, meaning that a candidate chosen by cross community vote will probably occupy the position until the Assembly election after next, which takes us to 2015.
The date which isn't in the document but which undoubtedly has significance is June next year - the next European election. The calculation the DUP will have to make is - is it better to have a Justice Minister either identified or in post before their contest with Jim Allister or afterwards?
The Traditional Unionist MEP has renewed his onslaught on the DUP pointing to the role of Martin McGuinness in appointing a new Attorney General and, should vacancies arise, appointing members of the Judicial Appointments Commission who in turn will select our judges.
However this is likely to have less resonance with voters than the simple message: Gerry Kelly = Maze escaper = Justice Minister. It's arguable that if the public is exposed to the notion of, say, David Ford, Naomi Long or Stephen Farry as Justice Minister they will increasingly shrug their shoulders and wonder what all the fuss was about.
Sinn Fein were less visible than the DUP today in spinning the deal (and in the spirit of open government which pervades the Executive neither the FM nor the DFM hung around for questions after their announcement). Was that because republicans are sheepish about failing to get a definite date? They may take solace in the thought that the transfer of powers would never have been advanced so far by now without their pressure tactics.
Shaun Woodward warned on "Stormont Live" that just because a local politician asks for more cash after doing a deal does not mean they are going to get it. However tonight came the first sweetie with the news that the shortfall in the Historical Enquiries Team is to be made up (it was handy that shortfall was advertised so close to the point of the agreement).
The HET required only £1.5 million, whereas other Executive demands will be far more expensive. Making up for a civil service equal pay claim stretching back decades and compensating for the continued failure to introduce water charges will cost hundreds of millions of pounds. Still we are now in an era of tax cuts and massive government borrowing. Let's just get the banks to print some more money and worry about the consequences later. If Gordon can do it for the UK, why not for Northern Ireland?
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