MINISTER FOR Justice Dermot Ahern and the newly-appointed Northern Ireland Minister for Justice David Ford are planning a “security summit” soon to discuss the threat from dissident republicans and other issues.
Alliance leader Mr Ford, with the support of the DUP and Sinn Féin, was yesterday appointed the North’s first Minister to have local justice powers since the unionist Stormont administration was prorogued 38 years ago.
Mr Ford’s appointment, which marked the formal completion of devolution to the Northern Executive and Assembly, was partially overshadowed by a Real IRA car-bomb explosion in Holywood, Co Down, at 12.24am yesterday.
The bomb exploded close to the perimeter of the British army Palace Barracks, which also houses the MI5 headquarters in Northern Ireland. One man suffered minor injuries.
A taxi driver was held hostage for two hours on Sunday night before being forced to drive the car bomb close to the barracks and abandon it there. The bomb exploded just minutes after policing and justice powers were officially devolved at midnight on Sunday.
Politicians and the PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott were in no doubt that the bombing was designed to weaken the political impact of Mr Ford’s appointment and to demonstrate that dissident republicans still posed a considerable threat.
Condemnation was led by the new Minister for Justice, while First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness insisted it would not threaten the powersharing administration. Mr McGuinness said the peace process was “rock solid” while Taoiseach Brian Cowen also condemned the attack.
Mr Ahern rang Mr Ford to say his appointment was a “good day for Ireland”. It is hoped that the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and Mr Baggot will attend what one source has described as an important “security summit”. Mr Ahern said the people of Northern Ireland would “not be distracted by the efforts of a small minority who offer nothing but violence and hopelessness to the people of this island”.
Mr Ford said the bombing was a “cynical attack” but that those responsible would “not be allowed to succeed in sowing dissension, distrust and disharmony”.
Mr Ford has political responsibility for the police, criminal justice and the prison service. His department has a budget of £1.4 billion.
“Today I believe we have seen another significant step forward in the peace, and political process, as we see a further entrenching of the institutions that were agreed on Good Friday,” he said.
The Ulster Unionist Party proposed its deputy leader Danny Kennedy for the post while the SDLP proposed its North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness. However, neither could win the necessary cross-community support to be elected.