Department of Justice (Northern Ireland)
Encyclopedia
The Department of Justice is a devolved Northern Ireland
government department in the Northern Ireland Executive
. The current Minister of Justice is David Ford
, who is a member of the Northern Ireland Executive
. The department was established on 12 April 2010 as part of the devolution of justice matters to the Northern Ireland Assembly
.
in the Northern Ireland Assembly
, unlike all other Northern Ireland Executive
posts, which are allocated by the d'Hondt method
; the exception was made to resolve a dispute between the Democratic Unionist Party
and Sinn Fein
.
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland successfully nominated its party leader, David Ford
, on 12 April 2012. Ford was re-elected to the position on 16 May 2010 and is the incumbent Minister.
the risk, and fear, of crime; to ensure that everyone in Northern Ireland has access to
justice, without undue delay; to protect the public by reducing offending and managing
offenders; and to contribute to the Shared Future strategy (now known as the Cohesion, Sharing and Integration strategy) for Northern Ireland through the operation of the justice system and assist in "enhancing decision-making and strategic resource management".
in Belfast
.
Its remit includes the following executive agencies:
The Probation Board for Northern Ireland
is responsible to it as a non-departmental public body
. The Police Service of Northern Ireland
is operationally independent and accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board
; the Minister of Justice has overall responsibility.
These include:
Some policing and justice powers remain reserved
to Westminster:
A limited number of justice matters remain excepted and were not considered for devolution.
These include:
The Department of Justice’s main counterparts in the United Kingdom Government are:
In the Irish Government
, its main counterpart is the Department of Justice and Equality.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
government department in the Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
. The current Minister of Justice is David Ford
David Ford
David Ford is a politician who is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Ford has been leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland since 2001 and has been Northern Ireland Minister of Justice since April 2010.- Early life :...
, who is a member of the Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
. The department was established on 12 April 2010 as part of the devolution of justice matters to the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
.
Minister
The Minister of Justice is elected by a cross-community voteCross-community vote
A cross-community vote or cross-community support is a form of voting used in the Northern Ireland Assembly according to the provisions of the 1998 Belfast Agreement. It requires the support of both communities in Northern Ireland, in other words majority of unionists and the majority of...
in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
, unlike all other Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
posts, which are allocated by the d'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
; the exception was made to resolve a dispute between the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
and Sinn Fein
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
.
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland successfully nominated its party leader, David Ford
David Ford
David Ford is a politician who is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Ford has been leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland since 2001 and has been Northern Ireland Minister of Justice since April 2010.- Early life :...
, on 12 April 2012. Ford was re-elected to the position on 16 May 2010 and is the incumbent Minister.
Aim
The department supports the Minister of Justice in "building a fair, just and safer society". It has four stated objectives: to "work in partnership" to produce a safer society and reducethe risk, and fear, of crime; to ensure that everyone in Northern Ireland has access to
justice, without undue delay; to protect the public by reducing offending and managing
offenders; and to contribute to the Shared Future strategy (now known as the Cohesion, Sharing and Integration strategy) for Northern Ireland through the operation of the justice system and assist in "enhancing decision-making and strategic resource management".
Structure
The Department of Justice's headquarters is located in Castle BuildingsCastle Buildings
Castle Buildings is the name given to a group of Northern Ireland Executive buildings in the Stormont Estate in Belfast. They are the headquarters for Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the proposed headquarters...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
Its remit includes the following executive agencies:
- the Compensation Agency for Northern Ireland
- the Forensic Science Northern Ireland
- the Northern Ireland Prison ServiceNorthern Ireland Prison ServiceThe Northern Ireland Prison Service is an executive agency of the Department of Justice, the headquarters of which are in Dundonald House in the Stormont Estate in Belfast....
- the Youth Justice Agency
- the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service
The Probation Board for Northern Ireland
Probation Board for Northern Ireland
The Probation Board for Northern Ireland is a non-departmental public body responsible to the Northern Ireland Department of Justice for the Probation Service in Northern Ireland....
is responsible to it as a non-departmental public body
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
. The Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
is operationally independent and accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board
Northern Ireland Policing Board
The Northern Ireland Policing Board is the police authority for Northern Ireland, charged with supervising the activities of the Police Service of Northern Ireland...
; the Minister of Justice has overall responsibility.
Responsibilities
The Department of Justice is responsible for most everyday policing and justice powers in Northern Ireland.These include:
- criminal lawNorthern Ireland lawNorthern Ireland law refers to the legal system of statute and common law operating in Northern Ireland since Northern Ireland was established as a separate jurisdiction within the United Kingdom in 1921.-Background:...
- policingPolice Service of Northern IrelandThe Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
- prosecution
- public order
- courtsCourts of Northern IrelandThe courts of Northern Ireland are the civil and criminal courts responsible for the administration of justice in Northern Ireland: they are constituted and governed by Northern Ireland law....
- prisonsNorthern Ireland Prison ServiceThe Northern Ireland Prison Service is an executive agency of the Department of Justice, the headquarters of which are in Dundonald House in the Stormont Estate in Belfast....
and probationProbationProbation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer... - Criminal history disclosureDisclosureDisclosure may refer to:Philosophy*World disclosure, a term referring to the way that humans make sense of the world*Reflective disclosure, a term coined by philosopher Nikolas KompridisComputers...
service (AccessNI)
Some policing and justice powers remain reserved
to Westminster:
- the prerogative of mercyPrerogative of MercyIn the British tradition the Prerogative of Mercy is one of the historic Royal Prerogatives of the British monarch in which he or she can grant pardons to convicted persons...
in terrorism cases - drug classificationMisuse of Drugs Act 1971The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is an Act of Parliament which represents UK action in line with treaty commitments under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic...
- the Serious Organised Crime AgencySerious Organised Crime AgencyThe Serious Organised Crime Agency is a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom under Home Office sponsorship...
- accommodation of prisonersNorthern Ireland Prison ServiceThe Northern Ireland Prison Service is an executive agency of the Department of Justice, the headquarters of which are in Dundonald House in the Stormont Estate in Belfast....
in separated conditions - paradesParades in Northern IrelandParades are an important part of Northern Irish culture. Although the majority of parades are held ostensibly by Protestant, unionist or Ulster loyalist groups, nationalist, republican and non-political groups also parade. Parading is often considered to be an assertion of a group's control over a...
- security of explosives
A limited number of justice matters remain excepted and were not considered for devolution.
These include:
- extraditionExtraditionExtradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
(as an international relationsForeign relations of the United KingdomThe diplomatic foreign relations of the United Kingdom are implemented by the United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The UK was the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Throughout history it has wielded significant influence upon other nations via the British...
matter) - military justiceMilitary Courts of the United KingdomThe Military Courts of the United Kingdom are now governed by the Armed Forces Act 2006. The system set up under the Act applies to all three armed services, the Royal Navy , the Army and the Royal Air Force , and replaces the three parallel systems that were previously in existence.The military...
(as a defenceBritish Armed ForcesThe British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
matter) - immigrationBritish nationality lawBritish nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom that concerns citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex because of the United Kingdom's former status as an imperial power.-History:...
- national securityNational securityNational security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
(including intelligenceUK security servicesIn the United Kingdom, the umbrella term security services refers to the UK government agencies collectively responsible for espionage, counterespionage, counterterrorism and other covert activities.This typically means:...
services)
The Department of Justice’s main counterparts in the United Kingdom Government are:
- the Home OfficeHome OfficeThe Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
(on policing, drugs and public order); - the Ministry of JusticeMinistry of Justice (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...
(on criminal law, courts, prisons, probation); - the Northern Ireland OfficeNorthern Ireland OfficeThe Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
(on national security in Northern Ireland).
In the Irish Government
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
, its main counterpart is the Department of Justice and Equality.
Ministers of Justice
| Minister | Party | Took office | Left office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office created | ||||
| David Ford David Ford David Ford is a politician who is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Ford has been leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland since 2001 and has been Northern Ireland Minister of Justice since April 2010.- Early life :... |
12 April 2010 | |||
See also
- Northern Ireland ExecutiveNorthern Ireland ExecutiveThe Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
- List of government departments and agencies in Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland lawNorthern Ireland lawNorthern Ireland law refers to the legal system of statute and common law operating in Northern Ireland since Northern Ireland was established as a separate jurisdiction within the United Kingdom in 1921.-Background:...