Published Tuesday, 07 July 2009
The discussion of the enabling legislation should take place on Thursday and would represent a further stage in the process of transferring the powers, though crucially politicians have yet to agree a financial package or a date for the completion of devolution.
The development emerged after First Minister Peter Robinson met Prime Minister Gordon Brown for talks in London on Tuesday.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will lead a party delegation for a meeting in Dublin on Wednesday with Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
'Steps'
The enabling legislation would have to be considered by the Assembly, which is in recess, but the latest development forms part of the choreography set out in a plan to devolve the powers and create a new Justice Minister at Stormont.
Mr Robinson, however, said: "There are a number of steps that have to be taken.
"First of all I would hope that by Thursday we are in a position to bring the (legislation) to our Executive colleagues to let them see it and that then allows it to come to the Assembly in September.
"The Committee will want to look at that Bill and make any recommendations for change they have in mind.
"There is a process of identifying who the justice minister might be. There is the financial provisions that have to be put in place as soon as we have an agreement with the Treasury but there is a Bill that will be required in the Assembly as well.
"There is then the issue of determining whether there is sufficient community confidence and I will want to talk to other party leaders in the Assembly to ensure that they are satisfied that the necessary level of confidence is there."
He said that finalising the financial package would be crucial to moving forward and said he expected to meet the Prime Minister again within the next two weeks alongside the deputy First Minister.
The DUP and Sinn Fein agreed a process last November that would lead to the devolution of the powers.
The deal ended a five month stand-off that blocked meetings of the Northern Ireland Executive.
The agreement did not include a completion date for the process, but it has been suggested that devolution could be completed in the autumn.
The Sinn Fein and DUP leaderships have agreed they will not take the new Justice Ministry when it is created, with the Alliance Party favourites to hold the post.