Hain promises 'hands-on' approach

New Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain insisted today he would have a direct, hands-on role in trying to bring devolution back permanently to the province and cement the peace process.

New Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain insisted today he would have a direct, hands-on role in trying to bring devolution back permanently and cement the peace process.

After his first walkabout around Belfast City Centre since taking over the job from Paul Murphy, Mr Hain, who is also the Secretary of State for Wales, insisted the post had not been downgraded.

He said: “The (British) Prime Minister made it clear that he will keep a very hands-on approach to the whole process for securing peace and building the institutions.

“It is very, very important to him and it is important to the whole of the (British) government.

“It’s an absolute priority, he told me when he appointed me on Friday night.

“(The Prime Minister’s chief of staff) Jonathan Powell’s involvement is also crucial to that, but I intend to take myself a very direct, leading role in this alongside the Prime Minister and we will work together in partnership.”

Mr Hain met several shoppers in the city centre who wished him good luck in his new role.

He said it was clear from their reaction that people wanted Northern Ireland society to continue to move on.

“We have had seven years of peace and stability and increasing prosperity in Northern Ireland as a result of the events which followed the Good Friday Agreement,” he said.

“We now intend to take that forward. The people of Northern Ireland, and we have heard on the streets of Belfast here today, want peace, want stability, want self-government and that is something which we are going to take forward.”

Her insisted all criminal and paramilitary activity needed to end in Northern Ireland if it was to continue to make political progress.

“I think we have a window of opportunity which we must open and walk through as soon as we can,” he said.