THE NORTH'S First Minister Peter Robinson has questioned the role of the ministerial body that examines all-Ireland issues.
In his New Year message, the DUP leader questioned the use of the North-South Ministerial Council, which is strongly supported by Sinn Féin and the SDLP.
The council was established under the Belfast Agreement and modified by the St Andrews Agreement which paved the way to devolution in 2007.
"After St Andrews the NorthSouth Ministerial Council may be politically benign," Mr Robinson said. "But is it really the most effective use of our time and resources? This is not a comment on the value of North-South co-operation for in all of the economic difficulties that we face one vital boost has been the stimulus to our economy from the Border, the value of euro against sterling and lower UK VAT rates."
He also called for progress on the devolution of policing and justice in the year ahead.
"I hope that in 2009 we can also see further progress in the area of the devolution of policing and justice, but we also have a responsibility to ensure that the powers that we already have are exercised as efficiently and effectively as possible" he said.
His statement represents a strong defence of devolution from Westminster, a theme which may figure large in June's European election. The DUP is keen to recapture the seat held by MEP Jim Allister who quit the DUP after it decided to enter a Stormont Executive with Sinn Féin.
Mr Allister has been a persistent critic of powersharing with republicans and of the Stormont institutions including the council.
In his New Year message, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams referred to the all-Ireland dimensions of the agreement, claiming Irish unity was closer to reality.
He said "2008 was a significant year that saw further progress made in bedding down the all-Ireland political institutions including governmental institutions in the North.
"The agreement between Sinn Féin and the DUP was a crucial development in maintaining forward political momentum and restoring faith in the political process."
He criticised the Irish Government's response to the global economic downturn and vowed to oppose the planned referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if the same text were resubmitted to the electorate.
"Over the course of next year as Sinn Féin president I will be conducting a tour of constituencies in the 26 counties alongside town hall meetings in the North," he said.
"It is now clear that the year ahead will see a rerun of the Lisbon Treaty referendum. The way that the Irish Government and the EU has dealt with last June's No vote has been deeply insulting to Irish voters."
He said his party would "campaign for the issues of the EU's democratic deficit . . . and Ireland's influence in the EU institutions to be properly addressed".
Referring to the 90th anniversary this year of the sitting of the first Dáil, Mr Adams said unity remains "a live political project".
"Sinn Féin is pursuing a political strategy to achieve this," he said.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan used his New Year message to criticise Sinn Féin and the DUP. He said: "Opportunities were missed last year as parties indulged in power posturing. Problems were missed in the hyped-up budget . . . during the five months of stalemate."