The Northern Ireland Assembly has voted in favour of devolving policing and justice powers, despite opposition from the Ulster Unionists.
The Assembly decision followed an acrimonious debate in which the UUP resisted pressure to support the move, which will now lead to the creation of a Department of Justice for Northern Ireland after the powers are devolved by April 12th.
Out of the 105 votes cast, a total of 88 were in support of the move, with only the UUP voting against.
The UUP had insisted the Stormont Executive was not operating effectively enough to warrant taking on the additional powers.
The UUP claimed the executive must sort out other outstanding matters - such as the long-standing row over post-primary school transfer arrangements - before it can take on law and order functions.
Earlier, Democratic Unionist leader and Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson attacked the UUP decision to vote against the devolution plans. "I believe it is time for us all to move forward. There must be no going back to the bad old days of the past.
"Throughout history there are times of challenge and defining moments. This is such a time. This is such a moment."
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness accused the UUP of opposing a deal for cynical party political reasons. "The UUP are on record as stating that they will not support the election of a local minister to oversee the administration of policing and justice until there is agreement to test 10 and 11-year-old children to determine which school they will attend," he said.
“I have to say that these are the most dysfunctional political positions I have ever come across,” he said. “I acknowledge that this is a challenge to us all but it is one to which we all must rise. We need to put aside party political posturing and to begin an era of joint and equal working.”
In a joint statement tonight, Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the result of the vote.
"This is a significant step forward for the people of Northern Ireland, with overwhelming support from all sections of the community," they said. "It sends a clear message of confidence in the future, and commitment to build on the gains of the peace process that have been achieved over the last 12 years.
"We congratulate all those who contributed to this important decision. We look forward to the completion of the devolution of policing and justice powers on April 12th. For its part the British government will now introduce the necessary transfer orders in Westminster to facilitate this timetable."
President McAleese also welcomed today’s vote in the Assembly saying it represented "an eloquent statement of confidence in the political institutions established under the Good Friday agreement."
During the Assembly debate, UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy attacked the deal’s plan to devolve policing and justice powers and alleged a government side deal with republicans to see the British army removed from Northern Ireland would emerge before October. He challenged DUP members who were sceptical over the blueprint to voice their concerns but reserved his strongest criticisms for Sinn Féin and Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward.
He said Mr Woodward’s attempts to persuade the party to back the deal had amounted to undue pressure. “The Secretary of State, in my view, has behaved disgracefully, particularly over recent days, and his attempts to bully and to bribe and to blackmail this party, I think, has abused the high political office that he holds,” Mr Kennedy said. “He should pack his bags well in advance of the forthcoming general election.”
The UUP had been under international pressure to back the deal. Former US president George Bush phoned Conservative leader David Cameron asking him to intervene, given the Tory Party's electoral pact with the UUP.
Mr Cameron said Mr Bush had stressed in their conversation how crucial it was for everyone to back devolution. But he added: "The one thing we cannot do is force people to vote a particular way."