Hain hits back at Assembly members

UK Northern Secretary Peter Hain tonight condemned Stormont Assembly members for failing to find someone to chair a new committee tasked with preparing for devolution.

After the Preparation for Government Committee failed to elect a chairman at its inaugural meeting, Mr Hain said the parties’ behaviour had raised doubts about their willingness to get back to work.

He also ruled out unionist suggestions that the Irish and British governments’ November 24 deadline for the restoration of power sharing should be extended by a fortnight.

“The Preparation for Government Committee has a crucial role to play if devolution is to be restored to the people of Northern Ireland,” said Hain.

“It has to identify the key issues that have to be resolved and debated by the Assembly to prepare for government.

“The fact that the parties have not even been able to agree on who will chair the Committee must cause those who elected them to question their commitment to getting back to work.”

With Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair due to travel to Belfast at the end of the month to spearhead two days of talks with the parties, Mr Hain set up the Preparation for Government Committee to identify issues which will need to be addressed if power sharing is to return.

However the inaugural meeting ended in acrimony as unionists, nationalists and cross community MLAs clashed over who would chair the new committee.

Mr Hain tonight revealed he had asked Assembly Speaker Mrs Eileen Bell to talk to the parties urgently to resolve the stalemate.

“The Committee will reconvene tomorrow,” he confirmed.

“In the meantime, the Assembly will meet tomorrow as planned to discuss industrial rating and I will want to see what progress the Preparation for Government committee makes before deciding on future Assembly business.

“There is no question of further Government legislation to amend the deadline of November 24 which is set in statute.”

Sin Féin’s Martin McGuinness, who led a delegation which included fellow MPs Michelle Gildernew and Conor Murphy, accused the DUP of not being serious about re-establishing the political institutions.

Mid Ulster MP McGuinness said: “Peter Hain needs to make it clear that if the DUP are unwilling to engage then he is prepared to call time on the Assembly.

“The DUP appear content to have debates in the Hain Assembly that will have no impact on policy.

“Instead of getting on with the business of the Assembly and setting up the executive, the DUP appear happy to let British direct rule ministers remain in charge and continue with policies on rates increases, water charges, industrial de-rating and rural planning that are hugely damaging.

“While the DUP run away from responsibility they have no credibility in complaining about direct rule. Participation in these sham debates merely provides a fig leaf for DUP attempt to create a Shadow Assembly.”