Justice Minister Says Blocking NCA Is 'A Mistake'

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has been blocked from operating in NI as it will in the UK.

Sinn Féin and the SDLP have stopped a move to give the new policing agency, described as the ‘British FBI’, the powers to carry out police operations and recruit agents.

The NI justice minister said blocking the NCA, which will target crime gangs across local, national and international borders, was a mistake.

Many of the policing powers being given to the NCA have been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly – therefore it has to agree to give Westminster authority to exercise those powers.

These include NCA officers being given:

• the powers of a police constable in Northern Ireland;

• the authority to carry out searches and make arrests;

• the ability to conduct surveillance operations;

• the ability to recruit and run informers and agents.

However, these powers will not extend to NI as Sinn Féin and the SDLP have refused to support the move.

Justice Minister David Ford said he believed blocking the legislation is a mistake that could have serious implications for the police.

"There is a real danger if it does not go ahead there will be very significant costs to the police both in terms of time and finances and that we will have an inferior response to the serious organised crime that we face," he said.

But Sinn Féin said approving the legislation would undermine devolved policing and justice powers.

(H)