DUP rejects timetable for transfer of policing powers

The May 2008 target date set by the British government for the transfer of policing and justice powers to Stormont carries no weight, according to the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

The DUP's Nigel Dodds said despite what date the Northern Secretary named, he would not have the final decision on when the powers would be devolved from Westminster.

As Sinn Féin held internal meetings to decide whether it should call a meeting of its national executive to advance efforts to revive power sharing, the North Belfast MP insisted: "The Secretary of State may speculate and pontificate all he likes about the timing of the devolution of policing and justice, but thankfully he does not have the final say.

"The target date of May 2008 is entirely one set by Government.

"It has never been agreed by the DUP nor will it be. So Hain's comments on this issue amount to hot air.

"Hain may be attempting to bring some kind of comfort to Sinn Féin, but he speaks only for the Government and on this issue the Government cannot deliver.

"The DUP has made it clear repeatedly that there will be no timetable for devolution of policing and justice agreed by us.

"Such a timetable is a republican demand only. No other party ever made this a precondition for doing the right thing on policing and justice."

Mr Dodds was responding to recent claims by Mr Hain that May 2008 was a target date for achieving the transfer of powers.

The comments come after a week of intense talks involving Sinn Féin, the DUP and the two governments to find a way through the impasse over policing before Christmas.

The purpose was to persuade Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams to set in motion his party's process for changing its policy on publicly supporting the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Both governments, the DUP and other parties want Sinn Féin to join them in supporting the PSNI if devolved government is to be restored next March.

Mr Adams has warned if he is to summon the Sinn Féin national executive he will need certainty about a timeframe for the transfer of policing and justice powers.

However, the DUP has warned it can only give a date once Sinn Féin has supported the police and proven it is cooperating and urging its community to work with PSNI officers on the ground.

All eyes were on Sinn Féin today to see if Mr Adams was prepared to call this weekend a meeting of his national executive.

If the executive is to approve a special conference next month on policing, Mr Adams will have to secure a two-thirds majority.

Mr Dodds said it was up to Sinn Féin to deliver on support for the police, the courts and the rule of law without conditions and without concessions.

The former Stormont Social Development Minister said: "They were supposed to do that weeks ago so as to allow their words to be proved over a credible period of testing. They have failed to do so.

"People in Northern Ireland will be rightly concerned that the Government appears to be bending over backwards in order to soften the clear unequivocal requirements laid on Sinn Féin.

"Government should tell Sinn Féin only to come back when they have delivered instead of indulging them by pandering to their unrealistic and unrealisable demands."

Mr Dodds said Mr Hain needed to spend a bit of time on the issues on which unionists must be satisfied.

These included the removal of all paramilitary structures, addressing continuing republican criminality, introducing legislation for a sanctions mechanism to punish any republican defaults during devolution and a range of equality issues for the unionist community.

"All of these matters need to be addressed as a matter of urgency," he insisted.

Mr Dodds was commenting after his DUP colleague the Rev William McCrea warned that because of Sinn Féin's prevarication over policing the timetable for devolution by March was almost impossible to meet.

A Sinn Féin spokesperson tonight contradicted claims that the discussions on policing had ended.

“The discussions are continuing and at this stage it is still impossible to say when they will end,” he said.