The names of the nine independent members of the North's new police board have emerged although they are not expected to be confirmed for some days, due to internal wrangles on who should be its chairman.
The board is expected to be chaired by Prof Des Rea, a prominent figure in public-sector economics. A former economics professor at the Ulster Polytechnic and the University of Ulster, he left his academic career to join the North's Labour Relations Agency. He is, however, still heavily involved with local business as a senior advisor to the First Trust Bank business review. He is also a former board member of the North's school curriculum board. Known to be a liberal, Prof Rea is involved in the voluntary sector with Co-operation Ireland as well as with a number of other reconciliation projects.
Another high-profile appointment will be Mr Denis Bradley. The former Derry priest who administered the last rites to three men on Bloody Sunday.
He also performed the marriage ceremony of Mr Martin McGuinness and Ms Bernie Canning in Buncrana, Co Donegal, while Mr McGuinness was on the run. Between 1972 and 1996, Mr Bradley served as an interlocutor between the Provisional IRA and the British government. Now a film producer and political commentator, he is married with three children.
A prominent member on the board from the unionist community will be Lord Brookeborough. The grandson of a former Northern Ireland prime minister, Sir Basil Brooke, Lord Brookeborough is the president of the Fermanagh Ulster Unionist Association.
An appointment from the communications field will be Mr Tom Kelly. A former SDLP official and the party's communications advisor, he was election agent for Dr Joe Hendron in West Belfast. He is the managing director of Drury Communications.
Mr Suneil Sharma, an accountant, is Commissioner for Racial Equality and current chairman of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities as well as the vice-president of the North's Indian Community Centre.
Mr Barry Gilligan will represent the business community. A former director of the cross-Border property developers Dunloe Ewart, he held the position for three years before resigning from the board earlier this year.
Mr Brian Doherty, a Protestant community worker at Derry's troubled Tullyally estate, has extensive experience in cross-community and reconciliation projects.
Another business representative is Ms Pauline McCabe. English-born, she has 25 years experience in human resources management both. She has worked in senior positions in the National Health Service in England and is also involved with Newry Hospice. Ms McCabe lives near Rostrevor, Co Down, where her husband was born, and has four children.
Ms Rosaleen Moore has been the Director of Mental Health and Disability at Craigavon and Banbridge Health Trust for seven years. A social worker, she was the first chairperson of the Craigavon Peace and Reconciliation Partnership Board and is actively involved in the trade union movement.