Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The last issue raised by the Deputy is a funding matter for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. As he will be aware, funds have been made available in the past. The Minister indicated that this could not continue on an ongoing basis without any reference to the budgetary realities with which he must deal. The issue has been dealt with by the Department as best it can in the circumstances in which it finds itself.

On some of the other issues raised by the Deputy, the Hillsborough agreement sets out the various issues that are referred to. The First Minister and Deputy First Deputy oversee the exercise of examining the St. Andrews Agreement and identifying all matters contained within it which have not been faithfully implemented or actioned. There are a number of such issues. In the Hillsborough agreement, arrangements are put in place whereby those working for the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, their junior Ministers, chair a working group which will make an initial report on the outstanding matters, with recommendations on how progress can be made. The matters which have not been actioned include some of the issues referred to by the Deputy. That is a matter within the remit of the Hillsborough agreement that is being proceeded with by the Executive.

The problem, as we know, is that there are areas on which little or no progress has been made. What the Hillsborough agreement has provided in these cases is a process by which an agreement between the First and Deputy First Ministers has been reached to enable these issues to be progressed. Regarding the question of devolution of policing and powers, I agree with the Deputy that this is a very significant development.

I warmly welcome the completion of the process of devolving policing and justice powers to Northern Ireland and the appointment of Mr. David Ford as Minister for Justice. Building on the Good Friday Agreement and consistent with the spirit and recommendations of the Patten Report, authority and responsibility for policing and justice is now with the people of Northern Ireland for the first time in 40 years. We will continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Executive to address all the challenges we face at this difficult time.

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