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STORMONT CHALLENGE AFTER AGREEMENT

ABOVE: Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness are to consider who will become justice minister

8th February 2010

Northern Ireland's political leaders will face the first challenge in implementing the landmark agreement to save the region's power-sharing government.

Democratic Unionist First Minister Peter Robinson and Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are due to meet to consider who will become Stormont's first justice minister in 38 years.

But that process already looks like being far from straightforward after the politician tipped to take on the role cast doubt on whether he would accept the post.

Leader of the Alliance Party David Ford said the ruling DUP/Sinn Fein coalition would have to do more to tackle sectarian divisions before he would put his name forward.

As part of the broad-ranging deal on law and order devolution and parade management announced on Friday, Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness are scheduled to hold talks with the leaders of the Assembly's minor parties to examine applications for the new ministry.

Both main parties have agreed not to nominate candidates from within their own ranks.

And while the Ulster Unionists and SDLP have greater electoral strength within the Assembly, the non-aligned Alliance Party is considered the only one that could achieve the necessary cross-community backing of both the DUP and Sinn Fein in a vote.

But Mr Ford has insisted his party is not yet in a position to apply for the post, claiming policies for the new ministry have not been properly outlined.

He is also unhappy that Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness have still not published a long-delayed strategy to tackle division in Northern Ireland society.

"If things change then things may change. But the current position is that we have not seen enough movement around a community relations strategy and around getting all the policies that we believe should be implemented by a department of justice," he said.