▁The ▁Minister ▁of ▁Home ▁Affairs ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Priv y ▁Council ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁( C ab inet ) ▁in ▁the ▁Parliament ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁which ▁govern ed ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁The ▁Minister ▁of ▁Home ▁Affairs ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁non - e conom ic ▁domestic ▁matters , ▁although ▁for ▁a ▁few ▁months ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁the ▁office ▁was ▁combined ▁with ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Fin ance . ▁▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁Civil ▁Author ities ▁( Special ▁Pow ers ) ▁Act ▁( N or thern ▁Ireland ) ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁the ▁Minister ▁was ▁enabled ▁to ▁make ▁any ▁reg ulation ▁necessary ▁to ▁preserve ▁or ▁re - est ab lish ▁law ▁and ▁order ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁The ▁act ▁specifically ▁entitled ▁him ▁to ▁ban ▁par ades , ▁meet ings , ▁and ▁publications , ▁and ▁to ▁forb id ▁in quest s . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁position ' s ▁more ▁problem atic ▁duties ▁was ▁responsibility ▁for ▁par ades ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁under ▁the ▁Special ▁Pow ers ▁Act ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁the ▁Public ▁Order ▁Act . ▁Par ading ▁was ▁( and ▁is ) ▁extremely ▁content ious ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁and ▁so ▁the ▁Minister ▁was ▁bound ▁to ▁anger ▁one ▁community ▁or ▁other ▁regardless ▁of ▁what ▁decision ▁he ▁made . ▁Minister s ▁generally ▁allowed ▁par ades ▁by ▁the ▁Orange ▁Order ▁and ▁other ▁Protest ant ▁groups ▁to ▁go ▁where