Video interview with Martin McGuinness, deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, by Noel Thompson for BBC Northern Ireland Hearts and Minds on 20 November 2008. The St. Andrew’s Agreement established a target date of May 2008 for the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland administration. By the beginning of November no agreement had been reached and the work of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly had been slowed to a virtual standstill. Finally on 18 November agreement was reached between the DUP and Sinn Féin on a roadmap for the implementation of devolved policing and justice powers in Northern Ireland. In this interview McGuinness discusses these negotiations. This is the first part of a two part interview. Hearts and Minds was a current affairs programme on BBC Northern Ireland between 1996 and 2012.
Date of Release/Broadcast: 20 November 2008
Name of First Interviewee: Martin McGuinness
Role at time of Interview: Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
Interviewer: Noel Thompson
Purpose: News
Media: Audiovisual
Copyright: BBC © 2013
Link: Watch the interview
Programme/Book/Article: BBC Northern Ireland Hearts and Minds
Time Period covered: 2006-2008
Key Individuals: Martin McGuinness, Peter Robinson, Jim Allister
Key Words: Sinn Féin, DUP, policing, justice, Maze prison, dissident republican