Northern Ireland's Executive ministers and Assembly members today returned from the summer recess vowing to progress more legislation.

Topping the Stormont agenda this term is surely the devolution of policing and justice powers to the local administration.

Currently the Province's courts, prisons and police service fall under the remit of Westminster ministers, working from the Northern Ireland Office.

This autumn it is expected further steps will be taken to hand over those powers to a locally elected Executive member.

Budgeting for the new department has still to be agreed, as has the appointment of a new minister, who must have cross-party support.

Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists have ruled themselves out of nominating internal party members to head-up the new joint ministry.

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has hinted at a possible Christmas deadline for the devolution of policing and justice powers.

His ministerial colleagues are still awaiting a report detailing financial arrangements, being drafted by Downing Street.

Other monetary concerns also look set to dominate committee and chamber debates, as the Assembly nears the ends of its 'budgetary cycle'.

Meanwhile, contentious issues, such as the school transfer system, an Irish language bill, civil service cutbacks and the future of the Maze prison site are expected to rumble on.

MLA Naomi Long, incumbent Belfast Lord Mayor, said she will be pushing for community relations legislation - promised last year - to be tabled as a priority.

Ms Long had expected progress on the Cohesion Sharing and Integration Strategy in June, which never happened.

The East Belfast Assemblywoman, who sit on the Committee of the First and Deputy First Minister, said it was time for the DUP and Sinn Fein to deliver.

Today, Environment Minister Edwin Poots said his department would increase policy work and reform, particularly on the reshuffle of local government.

"I would expect over the next two years that there will be considerably more legislation brought forward," he said.

(PR/GK)