Republicans close to ending police boycott

Republicans are close to making the historic move of supporting Northern Ireland’s police service, Sinn Fein leaders confirmed today.

With Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair set to reveal their take-it-or-leave-it blueprint for rescuing the peace process in the next fortnight, party chairman Mitchel McLaughlin claimed months of negotiations had paid off.

He said: “We are bringing the British government ever closer to the minimum threshold laid down in the Patten (police) reforms.

“We hope by April 10 when the Taoiseach and Prime Minister return we will be in a position to announce our concerns have been addressed.”

Sinn Fein has boycotted the Northern Ireland Policing Board, claiming Chief Constable Hugh Orde and Secretary of State Paul Murphy retain too much power to veto its decisions.

Mr McLaughlin rejected suggestions that party chiefs have briefed their rank and file that any decision to join the policing arrangements would be an infiltration.

“If we can do this it will be with full participation,” the Foyle MLA insisted.

“It’s the Full Monty as far as we are concerned; you can’t be almost pregnant.”

Even though Mr Blair’s energies have been consumed by the war in Iraq, he has pledged to return to Northern Ireland with Mr Ahern in a fresh bid to restore devolution.

The two premiers spent two intensive days negotiating with the pro-Good Friday Agreement parties at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down earlier this month without achieving a breakthrough.

Their package to end the political crisis is also set to include demands for a huge disarmament move by the IRA and some form of sanctions against parties breaking the rules of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

But Mr McLaughlin stressed the deal must also include improved strands around transferring policing and justice powers to the Stormont regime and making the chief constable more accountable before republicans agree to back the police service.

If Sinn Fein is satisfied its demands have finally been reached, then it will consult with party activists before calling a special conference, or Ard Fheis, “very quickly“.

“The actual call about whether to join will be made at the Ard Fheis,” said Mr McLaughlin.