Unease evident at police move

THERE is still clear unease within sections of Sinn Féin over the party’s decision to endorse the police in Northern Ireland.

A number of motions expressed concern or outright opposition to the move.

One cumann, or branch, called on the party to state unequivocally that “any Six County police is unacceptable” and that support for the PSNI would be withheld until such time as there was “a united, free and independent Ireland”.

Another cumann called on the party to refrain from participation in policing structures until “a clearly defined transition to a united Ireland is underway”.

Yet another cumann suggested Sinn Féin should not go on the policing boards until all loyalist paramilitaries had decommissioned.

There were also motions demanding that the party call for the disbandment of the gardaí or sections of it.

One motion called for the party to demand “the immediate disbandment of the PSNI/RUC in the occupied six counties and the disbandment of An Garda Síochána in the 26 Counties, to be replaced by an All-Ireland Police Service that is tolerant of all races and religions on the island.”

But the party leadership expressed its opposition to these motions, saying they would hinder progress and give political opponents a platform to attack SF.