Northern Ireland power sharing rescued at midnight
Gordon Brown today hailed a new chapter in Northern Ireland's history after a power-sharing agreement was reached.
The Prime Minister flew to Belfast after the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein reached a deal at midnight, which will see policing and justice powers devolved from London.
The agreement, which came after nearly two weeks of round-the-clock talks, also includes new plans for the overseeing of Loyalist parades.
It ended fears that Northern Ireland's power-sharing government could collapse in a stand-off on those issues.
Speaking at Hillsborough Castle, outside Belfast, Mr Brown said: "We are closing the last chapter of a long and troubled story and we are opening a new chapter for Northern Ireland."
He confirmed that the administration would take on policing and justice powers from 12 April. The justice minister will have the same status as all other ministers in the power-sharing cabinet but will have the ability to take urgent decisions without recourse to executive colleagues.
A six member working group will formulate a framework for new parade management procedures. It will place emphasis on allowing local people to find solutions to parading problems, with the rights of marchers and residents taken into account. Another executive working group will try to progress the stalled restructuring of the education system.
Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson, of the DUP, said: "There are some who will play politics with this agreement but the focus in the months to come must be on building an administration that our whole community identifies with and supports."
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, of Sinn Fein, said that as an Irish republican he wanted to see a united Ireland but recognised that Unionists wanted to maintain links with Britain.
He insisted both communities could and should live together in mutual respect. "We need to make life better for our children and grandchildren," he said.
Ireland's Taoiseach Brian Cowen added: "A better future must be built on mutual respect for people of different traditions, equality and tolerance and respect for each other's aspirations."
