'Temporary' devolution to break NI deadlock

A plan for a temporary form of devolution in the North to break the political impasse was put to the British and Irish governments in Belfast today.

It has been draw up by the nationalist SDLP as a stop-gap measure to end direct rule.

Under the scheme, the Assembly would return but without ministers drawn from the political parties.

Instead of 10 ministers sitting in an Executive, their place would be taken by government appointees, probably unelected professionals, who’s selection would be subject to Assembly approval.

Two of the appointees would take on the roles of co-chairmen – and carry out the duties of a First and Deputy First Minister.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan put the scheme to Mr Murphy and John O’Donoghue, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism at the latest session of the review talks being held by the governments at Stormont in a bid to break the political impasse.

Mr Durkan said: “Our proposals mean the two governments appointing civil administrators to run departments here until we can get Northern Ireland ministers back.

“They mean ending suspension. They mean ending direct rule and sending direct rule ministers back to Westminster where they belong. They mean getting the north-south agenda up and running again.”

He said the suspension of the devolved administration had gone on for 18 months and the two crux issues of ending paramilitarism and getting unionist politicians to work the Good Friday Agreement remained.

The reality was that despite five months of talks a solution was no nearer.

“If we don’t do something now there is every reason to fear this stalemate will drag on until after next year’s Westminster elections,” said Mr Durkan.

The SDLP proposals – to be fully revealed to public scrutiny tomorrow – were not about excluding anybody or leaving any party behind, he said.

“They are not about departing from the Agreement in any way. They are about getting as much of the Agreement now as we can – and still working to get all of it,” he added.

Sinn Féin was clearly unimpressed with the scheme – drawn up as a way around unionist refusal to share power with the republicans while IRA activity continues.

Assembly member Bairbre de Brún, Health Minister prior to the suspension of the Assembly, said the plan was “clearly outside the terms of the Agreement”.

It would “provide succour for the rejectionists who were seeking to renegotiate,” she said.

Ms de Brún added: “In particular, the plan to allow the British Secretary of State to hand pick ministers runs entirely against any democratic norm and runs entirely against the expressed wishes of the electorate.”

The British and Irish ministers made no comment on the SDLP proposals following a round of talks with parties – the Ulster Unionists again boycotted the discussions.

The review meeting was the last formal session before the European elections.

The ministers said in a statement they looked forward to continuing contact with the parties during May and “a period of intensive political dialogue after the European elections”.