Northern Ireland's politicians could have wielded a wide range of policing and justice powers within the lifetime of the next Assembly, the Irish and British governments' blueprint revealed tonight.
Up until now, Westminster has had responsibility for tackling crime, security and justice.
But under the joint declaration, those powers would have been transferred to Stormont once parties had agreed how they should be devolved.
Among the powers ministers could initially have had were those dealing with the prevention and detection of crime, powers of arrest, detention and the surrender of fugitive offenders between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
Further devolution would have covered parades, public order, firearms and compensation for the victims of crime.
The power-sharing executive would also have taken the place of the British government in "the tripartite arrangement" governing policing, working alongside the Police Service of Northern Ireland and on the Policing Board.
In a direct appeal to Sinn Féin to support the new policing arrangements, the document urged all politicians to encourage their communities to join the PSNI.
Significantly, the British government would have retained responsibility for the British army, defence and issues of national security.
The document set out five options for devolving justice and policing powers.
These were:
:: A single justice department headed by one minister and possibly a junior minister from a different political tradition.
:: A justice department headed by two ministers of equal standing with decisions requiring the agreement of both.
:: Responsibility being assumed by the First and Deputy First Minister in the Northern Ireland executive, supported by their junior ministers.
:: The creation of two separate government departments - one for policing and one for justice - with a unionist occupying one of the posts and a nationalist the other.
:: A re-examination of the functions of the 10 existing Stormont departments in order to free up ministers who could take over the policing and justice functions.
The parties would also have to consider how the Assembly could scrutinise those ministers with policing and justice powers and the extent of co-operation with Dublin.
PA