The North’s First and Deputy First Ministers are to appear before Assembly members to explain the political logjam surrounding the transfer of policing powers to Stormont, it was revealed today.

The political deadlock that has prevented the Northern Ireland Executive meeting for four months is now hitting other Assembly business, critics claimed today.

Divisions deepened today at the heart of the North's government as Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists clashed over the selection of a future Minister of Justice.

There were further signs of division in the North's government today when unionists and republicans clashed over plans for creating a Stormont justice minister.

Sinn Féin boycotting the North’s ministerial Executive would leave them adopting old unionist tactics linked to the Government’s collapse, the Assembly heard today.

First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have been called before a Stormont committee to explain their plans for a new justice ministry.

The Democratic Unionist Party was tonight urged by Gerry Adams to calm down after a Northern Ireland Assembly committee failed to reach agreement on a date for the transfer of policing and justice powers to Stormont.

The actions of dissident republicans must not be allowed to block the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont, Northern Ireland Assembly members were told today.

The North's most senior policeman Hugh Orde will brief an Assembly committee today on the proposed transfer of policing and justice powers.

Sinn Féin would favour two ministers of equal standing taking charge of any future Department of Justice at Stormont, a senior figure in its Assembly team revealed today.