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The Alliance leader David Ford has been elected as Northern Ireland's new Justice Minister.He is the first local politician to take responsibility for justice and policing in 38 years.
David Ford was confirmed in the post after securing cross community backing from DUP and Sinn Fein MLA's.
He did not get the backing of the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP, who both put forward members from their own parties for the justice job.
The Ulster Unionists, who had voted against the devolution of justice powers, put forward deputy leader, Danny Kennedy for the post.
The SDLP, who have consistently said the ministry should be theirs under the D'Hondt system, nominated the North Belfast MLA and barrister Alban Maginness.
Before appointing a new minister, MLAs passed a vote to increase the number of devolved ministries at Stormont, to include the new Justice department.
Mr Ford will be in charge of a department with more than 4,000 employees and a budget of nearly one and a half billion pounds.
He's the first Northern Ireland Justice minister since Westminster took policing powers away from the old Stormont government in 1972. Back then, the job was held by the Ulster Unionist MP, John Taylor, now Lord Kilclooney
Mr Ford was elected leader of the Alliance party in 2001 after Sean Neeson, who succeeded Lord Alderdice, resigned in the face of poor election results.
Last month he met the families of Bloody Sunday victims to apologise after he was criticised for calling the Saville Inquiry "pointless".
Mr Ford made the comment last November in a briefing note which was leaked to the BBC.
"It's clear in that e-mail I used a clumsy and inappropriate phrase which caused significant offence," he said.
"I have told the families that I regret I caused offence."This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.