SDLP and SF clash over justice minister plans

[Young Ned]

From the Telegraph:
SDLP and SF clash over justice minister plans - Politics, News - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

I think this is an interesting dilemma that really highlights the problems/benefits of compromise. SF wants devolution (of course), and is willing to play ball to get it, even though it would mean handing it to an Alliance member (as opposed to SDLP). They say it's temporary, but unionists say lots of things. Anyone remember when devolution was actually supposed to have happened by? Is there any reason to believe that a nationalists would ever get their hands on that seat, once it was given to a unionist? Would unionist controlled justice be better for nationalists than non-devolved justice?

[JCSkinner]

This should be the SDLP's ministry. PSF are a howling disgrace for not insisting on the proper implementation of the GFA on this issue.
Let the unionist backwoodsmen pull down Stormont again if they refuse. At this point, Northern Nationalists are well prepared to move to joint administration.

[mothball]

Who cares who gets the title? That's all it is; a title.
What powers will the justice minister actually have? All decisions of “national security” will remain in Westminster. Who will control MI5? Who will have access to informers or even their identities?
Whoever it is, it won't be a justice minister or any minister in Stormont.

[JCSkinner]

It's no less or more a title than the other Stormont ministries.
They're all aggrandised local council positions.

[mothball]

Exactly; they're not worth fighting over.

[Young Ned]

Exactly; they're not worth fighting over.

Well do you feel that devolution of policing and justice wasn't an issue worth fighting over, either?

[Ryan_Mac]

Someone from sinn fein hit the nail on the head when they said they had to keep moving, the alternative being the SDLP whingeing on the sidelines for 10 years

[Dunny]

This Ministry belongd to the SDLP. Either you use the D'Hondt system or you dont. The next Ministry is to go to the SDLP.

Once again, it shows SF's true colours.

[Rocky]

From the Telegraph:
SDLP and SF clash over justice minister plans - Politics, News - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

I think this is an interesting dilemma that really highlights the problems/benefits of compromise. SF wants devolution (of course), and is willing to play ball to get it, even though it would mean handing it to an Alliance member (as opposed to SDLP). They say it's temporary, but unionists say lots of things. Anyone remember when devolution was actually supposed to have happened by? Is there any reason to believe that a nationalists would ever get their hands on that seat, once it was given to a unionist? Would unionist controlled justice be better for nationalists than non-devolved justice?

The SDLP are right that they should get it. If everything was right in the world, the SDLP would get it and Mark Durkan would become Northern Ireland Minister for Justice. He's the best man for the job and working by the system Northern Irish Ministries are given it's their job.

However despite what they might say, I'd be very surprised if SF really want them and I'd say they would far prefer if the Alliance got it as they aren't in direct competition for votes with SF as the SDLP are.

Another issue is in the long-term if the position is given out according to the normal power sharing rules, then the odds are strongly in favour of the DUP having the next Minister for Justice, as odds are they will be the largest party and so will have first choice of Ministry and I would be surprised if they did not pick Justice.

Finally in no way, should anything like this ever bring about the collapse of power-sharing. To even think that all that work for about 40 years, should come to nothing over something like this is madness. The idea is that the parties have to work together and in the end if SF and the DUP agree on something, then that will happen as they have the votes and that’s democracy.

[JCSkinner]

Nail on head.
This is PSF playing party politics to the detriment of their own community and the community at large.
By the dogs they lie down with shall ye know them. PSF are taking their orders from Robinson on this.