Overview

The Northern Ireland Act 2009 reformed the policing and justice systems in Northern Ireland, primarily by establishing a new department responsible for these functions and changing the process for appointing and removing judges.

Description

The Act made significant changes to the governance of policing and justice in Northern Ireland. Key aspects include:

Departmental Changes

A new Northern Ireland department was created to handle policing and justice functions. The Act detailed the process for appointing a minister to lead this department, requiring cross-community support in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Judicial Appointments and Removals

The Act significantly altered the processes for appointing and removing judges in Northern Ireland. It established specific procedures for appointing the Lord Chief Justice, Lords Justices of Appeal, and High Court judges, emphasizing the role of the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission. It also outlined the process for removing judges for misbehavior, involving tribunals and parliamentary approval.

Miscellaneous Amendments

The Act included several other amendments to existing legislation, clarifying responsibilities, such as defining the Director of Public Prosecutions as a corporation sole and modifying jury selection processes.

Function Transfers

The Act transferred various appointment and related functions from the Lord Chancellor to the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission. This affected several Acts and Orders relating to judicial appointments across multiple areas.

Government Spending

The Act did not specify any direct figures for increased or decreased government spending. However, the creation of a new department and the changes to judicial appointment and removal processes likely incurred costs related to administration, staffing, and tribunal proceedings. Conversely, some cost savings may have resulted from the transfer of functions.

Groups Affected

• Northern Ireland Executive: The Act significantly altered the executive's role in overseeing policing and justice.
• Northern Ireland Assembly: The Assembly's role in approving the policing and justice minister and the future of the department is substantially increased.
• Judges and Judicial Office Holders: The appointment and removal processes for judges were significantly altered.
• Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission: The Commission's powers and responsibilities were expanded.
• Police and Justice Officials: The operational structures within policing and justice were changed.
• The Public: The changes to the justice system will impact public access to justice and the accountability of the system.

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