Devolving policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly moved a step closer on Tuesday after the legislation received its first proper hearing.
The Department of Justice Bill establishes the department and allows for the appointment of a minister of justice, who will not be part of Sinn Fein or the DUP.
Sinn Fein wants to see responsibilities transfer to Stormont as soon as possible while the DUP has pledged to ensure sufficient funding and community confidence exists, despite opposition from hard-line unionists.
First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness met Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London on Monday night and hope to make more progress during talks in New York later this week.
Sinn Fein MLA Alex Maskey said: "It is simply not good enough that members of the public have no role in how the criminal justice system works effectively.
"They don't have a local minister to whom they can hold accountable for this, the rights or wrongs of the system or how that system may change to the benefit of the community.
"Once there is an agreement all this legislation does is provide that that can actually happen. I believe the vast majority of the public out there will not only welcome this but want to see it happening sooner rather than later."
Mr Maskey said they could re-examine arrangements in May 2012.
First Minister Robinson introduced the legislation in the house.
He said: "This enabling bill gives legislative authority to put in place the arrangements the Assembly has already agreed is necessary for the future devolution of policing and justice.
"It's passage will enable us to act decisively once this Assembly resolves that the time is right to request the transfer of these powers."
Reaction
The DUP has been criticised by Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice for sharing power at Stormont with Sinn Fein.
Ulster Unionist Party deputy leader Danny Kennedy said: "We are not opposed to the principle of the Northern Ireland Assembly having charge of the powers planned.
"We oppose the bill because we don't believe that (there is) the level of public confidence for the powers to be delivered at this point. In a situation where this Executive can't sort out the mess in education and other issues how on earth can it be expected to deal effectively and efficiently with policing and justice?"
He pointed to recent dissident republican activity.
"Community confidence has been shaken by recent events in terms of the ongoing serious threat from dissident republicans," he added.
Stephen Farry, whose Alliance Party is a candidate to nominate the justice minister, said Mr Kennedy's concerns played into the hands of republican gunmen.
Nationalist SDLP MLA Alban Maginnis attacked the bill, although it was agreed by the Executive of the four largest parties in the Assembly.
"This bill is defective and flawed because it doesn't permit a stable and inclusive method by which justice and policing can in fact be transferred here," he said.
© Press Association