Northern Ireland Office

The time is right for Northern Ireland’s politicians to complete devolution and take over responsibility for policing and justice powers, Secretary of State Shaun Woodward MP will tell a New York audience later today.

In the United States for the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Secretary of State and Chief Constable Hugh Orde will speak at the Citizens Crime Commission Forum on the theme ‘Politics and Policing in Northern Ireland’.

Shaun Woodward will say: “Northern Ireland has made remarkable progress. The continued support and active engagement of successive American administrations and politicians remains crucial in completing devolution and securing a better future for Northern Ireland.

“We know that the public feels increasingly confident, not only with the power-sharing Executive but also in their desire for politicians in Northern Ireland to take responsibility for law and order.

“We will be ready to transfer these powers when the Assembly accepts responsibility for completing devolution.

“Progress is being made and the publication of the Assembly report this week brings the devolution of these powers closer.

“But no-one should be under any illusion that the completion of devolution is crucial for the long term stability and prosperity of Northern Ireland.  

“When it happens, it will send out a clear signal around the world that Northern Ireland is a sound investment for the future.”

The Secretary of State will tell the audience that policing has been fundamentally transformed in Northern Ireland over the past decade.

He will say: “Before any agreement could be reached, it was important to get the complex relationship between policing and politics right.

“The new beginning to policing, as set out in the Patten Report, was radical, sometimes painful but ultimately central to achieving the political settlement.

“Today, Northern Ireland has a police service the envy of the world. It commands growing support from across the communities and is on target to achieve 30 per cent Catholic composition by 2011.”