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Deal brokered to end Northern Ireland deadlock

by Dave Keating | November 18, 2008 at 05:22 am

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A deadlock that has grinded government in Northern Ireland to a halt for 152 days appears to have come to an end. the BBC is reporting that the DUP and Sinn Fein have reached a compromise that will allow the government to begin functioning normally again.

The DUP and Sinn Féin have come to an agreement on the devolution of policing and justice powers designed to bring a 152-day deadlock at Stormont to an end.

Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers have set out a series of steps to be taken before policing and justice can be devolved.

The executive will meet on Thursday 20 November and on a weekly basis until business is up-to-date, they said.

There is no timetable but both parties are committed to completing the process

Under a special clause, temporary arrangements for electing a justice minister will be replaced by permanent rules by May 2012