Robinson and McGuinness called to explain justice plans to committee

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.

In August the two leaders wrote to the Assembly and Executive Review Committee revealing they had agreed on forming a single ministry held by someone outside Sinn Fein or the DUP.

Today however the committee tasked to examine the proposal called for Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness to appear before it to explain their plan for the way forward.

It was unclear tonight if or when the first and deputy first minister will agree to the committee’s request, but the move comes as the DUP and Sinn Féin are involved in sensitive behind the scenes talks on stabilising the Executive.

It has been speculated that Alliance would take on the new ministry as an agreed third party, after a cross community vote in the Assembly, but Alliance has ruled itself out.

However, the SDLP argued that regardless of the Alliance position, under Stormont’s d’Hondt system, it is next in line for a ministry.

Today the SDLP’s Alex Attwood, who sits on the committee and proposed calling the first ministers, said his party would be putting the DUP/SF proposals ’through the mincer’.

“The proposal to elect by cross-community vote is anti-democratic and stinks of exclusion politics,” said Mr Attwood.

“It abandons d’Hondt, an essential mechanism which guarantees that Assembly parties receive their proper and fair share of ministerial office.

“How Sinn Féin allowed the DUP to so casually undermine democratic rights of parties begs many questions.

“It creates a deep breach in the power-sharing architecture of the Good Friday Agreement.

“It will be used by the DUP over time to further weaken that architecture.

“The SDLP made it clear that the SDLP will work to dissuade one or both of Sinn Féin and the DUP to turn back from this dangerous path.”

Mr Attwood said any new justice ministry should have the full status and independence of any other ministry.

He accused the Sinn Féin and DUP proposals of intending to exclude his party.

“Sinn Féin have caved into the DUP, damaged nationalism and let the DUP pick off d’Hondt. This appalling scenario requires a quick rethink.”