Ireland and Britain join forces to help North agree policing deal

DUBLIN and London joined forces last night to try and stop power-sharing in the North unravelling in the wake of the sex and money scandals rocking Stormont.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen will meet British Premier Gordon Brown for a crisis summit in Downing Street tomorrow to build momentum for a deal.

Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin held talks with Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward in an attempt to end the crisis in Belfast.

“There needs to be serious progress in the coming days on devolution of justice and policing powers,” Mr Martin said.

Mr Woodard refused to comment on allegations surrounding Iris and Peter Robinson and insisted the DUP leader should be given time and space to respond to the allegations made against him.

Dublin and London were alarmed that the swirl of allegations surrounding Mr Robinson’s wife Iris could collapse the power-sharing executive if it led to further delay on the justice issue.

However, in a positive sign, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the negotiations with the DUP had reached a “sensitive” stage.

The Belfast Assembly’s committee on standards and privileges is to investigate the Robinsons after Ms Robinson admitted she secured £50,000 (€56,000) from two developers to help her then teenage lover set up a restaurant business. She too is under investigation after failing to declare her interest.

Mr Robinson has stressed he will remain in charge of the DUP negotiations with Sinn Féin on policing, despite stepping aside as First Minister and allowing DUP colleague Arlene Foster to take over his day-to-day duties for six weeks.

Ms Foster refused to say whether she trusted Sinn Féin, but insisted the DUP remained committed to the devolution of justice powers.

The matter has reached a crucial stage as agreement must be reached in the next few weeks if the necessary legislation is to get through Westminster before the expected British general election in May.

Mr Woodward said the extraordinary events of recent days could spur both sides on to an agreement.

“Out of all this, there is a very real opportunity to make very substantial progress.

“My sense is that there are many politicians who have actually faced over the precipice, seen the consequences of not fully engaging and are now really engaging with the issues,” he said.

Mr Martin said an early agreement on policing was achievable despite turbulence within the DUP.