No Unionist Opposition to McGuinness Judicial Powers
10 March 2008
"Having seen a copy of the report of the Assembly Committee on Policing & Justice, to be published tomorrow, I am gravely disappointed that neither unionist party took the opportunity to address what should be a huge obstacle for any unionist to such devolution, the powers over the Judiciary which it would give Martin McGuinness.
It is not just the matter of creating a policing and justice ministry, or ministries, with IRA/Sinn Fein, its the fact that outside of that ministry and within OFMDFM would be devolved the powers to recommend who should be Lord Chief Justice, Lord Justices of Appeal, the Attorney General and also the power of involvement in removal of Judges. The thought that McGuinness, as the unrepentant godfather of the organisation which murdered several members of the Judiciary, including Lord & Lady Gibson, should be allowed any powers over the Judiciary, is utterly repulsive. I am disappointed that the two unionist parties didn't raise a squeak of protest about this obscenity on the committee and have signed up to promote and accept this monstrous suggestion.
The report is also revealing about the nature of the Office of First and deputy First Minister. A letter from the committee chair, Jeffery Donaldson, rising questions about how the department was preparing for the impact of policing and justice being devolved went unanswered for almost two months. When the reply finally arrived it failed to address any of the issues raised by the committee.
As a result, the committee clerk wrote requesting a meeting with OFMDFM officials on 8th January. In a reply dated 7th January – the day before the meeting was due to take place – the meeting was declined because Ministers believed it would be “inappropriate” for the department to comment.
Finally, an “urgent meeting” between the Special Advisors to the First and deputy First Ministers and the chair and deputy chair of the committee was held on 14th January. The results of the meeting were discussed by the committee in private session on 15th January.
The report makes it clear that OFMDFM was – in spite of all the smiles and laughter – dysfunctional due it being a two headed monster. Such disagreements and the bad government it results in will continue when Paisley is replaced by Robinson.”
ENDS
