DEPUTY FIRST Minister Martin McGuinness has warned that the powersharing institutions will prove “unsustainable” unless they are based on equality.
The DUP/Sinn Féin stand-off over policing and justice must be resolved quickly, he added.
Mr McGuinness repeated that a date for devolving policing and justice must be set before Christmas, with the full transfer of powers happening early in the new year.
Mr McGuinness and DUP First Minister Peter Robinson met yesterday and agreed to write to Assembly members on how a potential Northern Ireland minister for justice would be selected.
It is expected that the position will go to an Alliance MLA, with party leader David Ford favourite to be appointed.
“I think the vast majority of people want to see policing and justice in the hands of local people,” Mr McGuinness said.
Meanwhile, Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward said that Northern Ireland, despite setbacks, is moving to the completion of devolution.
He told Harvard University’s school of government in Massachusetts yesterday that the British and Irish governments, with the support of the US administration, remained committed to working towards a successful conclusion.
“We stand now on the edge of completing devolution,” he said.
He added the British government was committed to providing almost £1 billion (€1.1 billion) if policing and justice is devolved.