Sinn Féin leaders to meet Orde

Sinn Féin leaders will meet Northern Ireland’s most senior policeman today in a bid to resolve the deadlock over policing which is impeding the return of power sharing.

Gerry Adams will come face to face again with Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde as pressure continues to mount on his party to recognise the police.

Mr Adams will raise the need for MI5 to have no role in civic policing, the need for clear proof that there will be no political policing in future and an end to the use of plastic bullets in riot situations.

The party, whose delegation will also include policing spokesperson Gerry Kelly, Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Michelle Gildernew and South Down MLA Caitriona Ruane, is also expected to discuss concerns about security force collusion with loyalist paramilitaries.

The meeting at Stormont follows recent warnings from the police to Mr Adams and Mr Kelly that dissident republicans have been planning to attack them.

The British, Irish and US governments as well as the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists want Sinn Fein to change its policing policy in return for power sharing government next March.

Mr Adams said in the build-up to today’s meeting with Sir Hugh that he was prepared to call a meeting of his national executive with the purpose of convening a party conference on policing once a number of issues were sorted out.

“Very few nationalists or republicans trust the agencies of the Northern state,” the West Belfast MP said.

“The PSNI will have to do a lot to earn the confidence of most nationalists.

“Among the issues that need resolved are: a definitive date for the transfer of power, the departmental model into which power will be transferred and the role of MI5.”

Mr Paisley’s DUP has warned Mr Adams in recent weeks that there will be no transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont without republicans moving first to publicly endorse the police, encourage their supporters to co-operate with officers, recognise the courts and uphold the rule of law.

Some of the DUP’s negotiators have insisted even then there will be no transfer of powers for a political generation because republicans will need to build up unionist confidence before they can countenance the idea.

Last Friday Gerry Kelly said there was little point in the DUP demanding support for policing while at the same time ruling out the prospect of republicans having any real say over the issue through a devolved government.

A new policing and justice sub-group working to the Programme for Government Committee at Stormont has been formed involving the DUP and Sinn Féin in a bid to break the deadlock.

The PSNI said ahead of today’s meeting Sir Hugh had always indicated he was prepared to talk to anyone willing or able to make a positive contribution to policing.

“There are a number of matters which Sinn Féin wants to raise at the meeting and there are a number of matters which the Chief Constable will raise including the need for Sinn Féin to engage at all levels with the police,” the PSNI said.