Sinn Féin calls for talks with DUP

Sinn Féin tonight called for urgent talks with the Democratic Unionists to resolve the political crisis that has engulfed the North's powersharing institutions.

The party was responding to a warning from DUP First Minister Peter Robinson that there would be “serious consequences” if republicans continued to block meetings of the executive.

Stormont lurched closer to meltdown at the weekend when Sinn Féin threatened to collapse the administration if the DUP failed to agree a timetable to devolve policing powers from Westminster.

The heated debate about the transfer of security responsibilities comes against the backdrop of ongoing attacks against police officers in the region.

Dissident republicans have attempted to kill 10 officers in the last year and today officers escaped injury when they were targeted by petrol bombers in Craigavon, Co Armagh.

While the partners in the power-sharing administration are also at loggerheads over education reform, plans for a multi-sports stadium and an Irish Language act, it is the issue of policing that has triggered the latest row.

Cabinet ministers have not met since June and on Sunday Caoimhghín O’Caolain, a Sinn Féin TD, warned that his party would pull out of the executive if the DUP continued to stall on devolving the powers.

Tonight Sinn Féin South Belfast MLA Alex Maskey accused the DUP of not properly engaging with his party to overcome the problems.

However he stressed that the difficulties facing the government were not insurmountable.

“It is well known that there are a number of outstanding issues arising from the St Andrews’ Agreement which need to be resolved,” he said.

“In June this year in Downing Street the DUP committed themselves to entering into a period of intensive dialogue with Sinn Féin to resolve these issues.

“This process of intensive engagement has not materialised satisfactorily. Now that Mr Robinson has returned from his holidays it is vital that he brings a focus to the DUP approach and that the process necessary to resolve outstanding issues now finally gets under way in a serious way.

“If this happens and the necessary political will is demonstrated then I am convinced that progress can be achieved and outstanding issues effectively addressed.”

Earlier today Mr Robinson claimed Sinn Féin were breaking their legal obligations by refusing to let the power-sharing government’s cabinet convene.

The next scheduled meeting is on September 18, but there has yet been no signal from republican leadership whether they intend to let that proceed.

The East Belfast MP said his party had not agreed to any devolution date and would only support such a move when there was significant community confidence and proof the IRA Army council had been disbanded.

A report from the Independent Monitoring Commission on the status of the army council is due to the handed to the British and Irish governments next week.

“When ministers were appointed they made public and legally-binding pledges which are not being fulfilled,” said Mr Robinson.

“This cannot continue. A meeting of the executive has been scheduled for September 18.

“If this meeting were not to take place it is self-evident that there would be serious consequences for the good government of Northern Ireland and indeed potentially for those who refuse to fulfil their legal obligations.”

Following the St Andrews’ Agreement republicans made the historic step to support the police in Northern Ireland for the first time.

However, Mr Robinson claimed the May 2008 devolution date set out in Scotland was only agreed between the British and Irish governments.

He added that his party would not bow to any threats from Sinn Féin.

“Let me make it clear the DUP will not respond to threats such as that which Sinn Féin has made,” he said.

“If we were to do so on this issue we would be vulnerable to having the republican threat of bringing the institutions down used again and again in order that we would comply with other Sinn Féin demands.

“Nor indeed will we make political concessions in order to encourage any party to do that which it pledged to do and carry out duties which it is legally required to perform.”

Mr Robinson said other issues such as the fall out from the recent floods and the ongoing economic downturn could not be addressed fully until the executive met.

Ulster Unionist party Euro MP Jim Nicholson said Mr O’Caolain’s comments were immature and childish.

“Firstly it should be said that a politician from the Republic has no business making threats relating to the parliament of another country,” he said.

“Mr O’Caolain’s views are provocative to say the least. If his view is shared by the Deputy First Minister then the people of Northern Ireland have a right to know that a crisis is coming.”

Mr Nicholson said there was no public appetite for devolution of policing, especially when it was clear the DUP and Sinn Féin could not agree on so many other issues.

SDLP Leader Mark Durkan accused the DUP and Sinn Féin of playing chicken with the future of the Stormont institutions.

“They are threatening each other with ’collapse’ or ’consequences’ while failing to convene the executive to address the consequences of the collapse in economic confidence,” said the Foyle MP.

“Rather than playing tug-of-war over the timing and terms for devolving policing and justice, all parties should be pulling together to maximise democratic responsibility. All parties should unite to confound the sinister agenda of republican dissidents.”

Leader of the cross-community Alliance party David Ford, who has been mooted as a possible new security minister if and when policing powers are devolved, said both Sinn Féin and the DUP were exposing their lack of political maturity.