Sinn Fein to chair Windsor Framework committee

​Declan Kearney will chair the Windsor Framework democratic scrutiny committee – with the DUP’s David Brooks as deputy chair.

The committee was set up under the Windsor deal arrangements to provide some democratic input for local politicians into the EU regulations which will apply here.

But in an apparent mistake by the first minister, Sinn Fein ended up with one less post than they were entitled to. Parties pick roles in turn under the d’Hondt mechanism.

The DUP chose to shadow Justice Minister Naomi Long with the East Belfast MLA Joanne Bunting taking the chair of the justice committee.

The party will also lead scrutiny of Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy with Philip Brett taking the chairmanship of the economy committee – and party colleague Gary Middleton is in the deputy chair role.

Fermanagh MLA Deborah Erskine will shadow Mr Murphy’s colleague John O’Dowd at infrastructure.

Diane Forsythe was appointed as the vice chair of the finance committee – which will be led by the SDLP’s Matthew O’Toole.

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott will lead the Daera committee – with new Alliance minister Andrew Muir placing a greater emphasis on environmental matters than some of his predecessors.

Sinn Fein hold the chairmanships of health and communities, where the ministers are the UUP’s Robin Swann and the DUP’s Gordon Lyons.

Scrutiny of the Executive Office – Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly’s department – will be led by the South Belfast Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw. Her colleague Connie Egan will be vice chair.

The public accounts committee – which examines public spending, value for money and recommends improvements to the stewardship of taxpayers’ money – will be chaired by the SDLP’s Daniel McCrossan. The deputy chair is Cheryl Brownlee, DUP MLA for East Antrim.