Adams denies pandering to DUP on policing

Gerry Adams today denied Sinn Féin was dancing to the Democratic Unionist Party’s tune on policing.

After a meeting in Downing Street with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Sinn Féin leader rejected claims by former party member Gerry McGeough that Sinn Féin’s move to endorse Hugh Orde’s Police Service of Northern Ireland had left the party open to capitulating to the insatiable demands of Ian Paisley.

The West Belfast MP also accused the DUP of juvenile posturing since his party’s historic endorsement of policing at a special conference in Dublin last Sunday.

“That is exactly what it is,” he said.

“The DUP will further undermine confidence in politics within unionism if they continue.

“Sinn Féin did what we did for republican reasons and for democratic reasons, not for the DUP.

“We did what was for the common good and what was in the national interest.

“The implications of our decision are twofold. We need to get genuine civic democratically accountable policing and the other is around the issue of political policing, where we need to address the fact that people involved in collusion may still be in the PSNI.

“The DUP, I think, are just play-acting around some of these matters. I think that thinking republicans and nationalists will not be unfocused by what is plaintive posturing.”

In recent days, Mr Adams has said, in response to DUP queries, that republicans should go to the police if they have information about the murder two years ago of Belfast father of two Robert McCartney, crimes such as rape, car theft, aggravated burglary and attacks on the elderly.

He also said Sinn Féin would not stand in the way of any republican who wanted to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

His party’s decision to endorse policing was backed by over 90% of the delegates who attended last Sunday’s special conference and was welcomed by the Irish and British governments, who believe it could pave the way towards power-sharing.

DUP leader Ian Paisley and his colleagues have been more cautious, recognising republicans have undergone a significant shift in their ideology.

However, the DUP has insisted it still needs to be convinced by actions on the ground that Sinn Féin’s public support for policing is being matched by actions within republican districts.

Senior DUP negotiator Nigel Dodds has also expressed concern that there is still some equivocation by Sinn Féin on certain policing issues like the passing on of information about imminent attacks on the security forces carried out by hardline republicans.

Sinn Féin’s move has also been criticised by former comrades now outside the Provisional movement in parties like Republican Sinn Féin and groups like Concerned Republicans.

Former IRA gun-runner and ex-Sinn Féin executive member Gerry McGeough, who last night launched his bid for a Northern Ireland Assembly seat in the March 7 election in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency, claimed Mr Adams’ party had now abandoned its goal of a united Ireland.

He also said: “I actually feel vindicated by everything which has been said since last Sunday’s ard fheis.

“I said no matter what Sinn Féin did it would not satisfy the insatiable demands of the DUP.

“What we are witnessing now is the ongoing capitulation of Sinn Féin, who have no option but to keep dancing to the tune of the DUP and the British government.”

Mr Adams hoped the DUP would not go into the election campaign reciting what he called a mindless mantra on policing.

“Let’s talk about the future,” he said.

“Let’s deal with issues that are pressing down on people at this time.

“Our position is very straightforward. There are two contexts being set out by the two governments.

“The first is power-sharing arrangements on March 26, or, if the DUP fails to sign up for that, we go into a continuum of change in the form of partnership arrangements from the two governments.

“I think it is obvious the best option for the North is the first. It is accountable local ministers dealing with issues such as hospitals, schools, poverty and rural regeneration.

“But it is important that the process of change and other political institutions are not held up if the DUP is not prepared to work the power-sharing arrangements on March 26.”