Delay over policing may derail devolution

A Sinn Féin conference on policing in the New Year will have a knock-on effect for delays in Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair's timetable for power-sharing in Northern Ireland, they were warned today.

Following suggestions that Sinn Féin may not be in a position to hold a special conference to consider changes to its policing policy until next January, Democratic Unionist Policing Board member Arlene Foster claimed that could result in slippages in some of the deadlines set by the two leaders.