'UUP have become irrelevant to Stormont deal'

David Trimble’s Ulster Unionists have become increasingly irrelevant to the political process during negotiations to revive power-sharing in Northern Ireland, one of its former MPs claimed tonight.

In a stinging rebuke of the party he quit earlier this year, Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson criticised his former colleagues recent comments on efforts to secure a lasting settlement in the province.

And he also told members of Bertie Ahern’s Fianna Fáil in Co Cavan that the DUP had made very significant progress in recent days in the talks.

“One thing that is clear from the position that we find ourselves in today is that very significant progress has been made towards a lasting political resolution,” he said.

“Obviously I am not in a position to make any detailed comments about the contents of the paper given to us by the (British) government but people will know from our published documents and stated manifesto positions what we require.

“The DUP has gone to the electorate on this basis and is happy to be judged by it at the next election.

“Whilst the Ulster Unionist leadership has gone back on its word in the past, the DUP will honour our commitments.

“Indeed by its comments in recent days, all the UUP has done is to signal and highlight its irrelevance to the political process.

“There is only a creeping realisation and recognition that we could be on the verge of an historic breakthrough – far in advance of anything achieved by David Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party.”

Mr Donaldson left the Ulster Unionist in January after years of feuding with Mr Trimble and his supporters over their peace process tactics.

Assembly members Arlene Foster and Norah Beare also joined Mr Donaldson in defecting to the DUP.

There were also grass roots defections from the Ulster Unionist Party in the wake of last November’s Assembly election, where the DUP overtook the Ulster Unionists as the largest party in Northern Ireland.

DUP negotiators have been locked in recent months in an intense series of negotiations aimed at bringing back devolution to Northern Ireland and removing the gun forever from republicanism.

Talks sources have said the negotiations are at their most critical phase, with Sinn Féin and the DUP focusing on proposals put to them by the British and Irish governments.

The Ulster Unionists, the nationalist SDLP and other parties have not had sight of the document although some have been briefed about its contents by both governments.

Mr Donaldson, who was addressing the youth wing of Fianna Fáil at their annual conference also tonight criticised senators from the Democratic Party in the US who had been critical of his party’s handling of the negotiations.

He accused them of trying to blame the DUP for the lack of a final agreement and accused them of adopting a one-sided analysis of the political situation in Northern Ireland.

“Despite the fact that they have played no part in the current talks process or spoken to anyone in the DUP, they present opinions as facts and seem content to allocate blame fo the lack of agreement,” he observed.

“They suggest that the obstacle presenting parties from reaching agreement is the refusal of the DUP to share power with Sinn Féin despite the fact that our policy and manifesto commitments make it quite clear that we would do so in the event that they are committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means.

“It is clear from the International Monitoring Commission report that the IRA continues to be active and it is clear from the attitude of politicians in the Republic of Ireland that they do not believe that Sinn Féin are presently fit to play any part in a southern administration.

He added: “President Bush has taken a strong stand on the issue.

“The DUP refuses to share power with an organisation which is not committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means – the IRA continues to be involved in paramilitarism and criminality.”