Sinn Féin issues warning over devolution delays

Sinn Féin today warned its patience will eventually run out over the delay in the devolution of policing and justice in the North.

Divisions deepened this week as Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists clashed over the selection of a future Minister of Justice.

Republicans deny claims by First Minister Peter Robinson that they had signed up to a voting system ensuring unionists have a permanent veto over who holds the sensitive job.

Alex Maskey, Sinn Féin MLA for south Belfast, said both the party’s and the public’s patience was limited on the issue, which has prevented the Stormont executive meeting since June.

“I know, my party knows, the DUP knows ... that the public patience will run out on this, as our own party’s patience will run out on this,” he told the BBC.

Mr Maskey added that he did not know whether the issue could be resolved.

The public clash between the political parties came as they spearheaded private talks between their parties aimed at ending the deadlock that has prevented the Executive meeting for four months.

The latest row centres on the wording of a letter sent to a Stormont committee plotting the future creation of a new justice ministry.

The letter confirms the selection process will step outside the normal power-sharing system for allocating ministries in line with party strength and will instead require a cross-community vote of Assembly members.

The letter said the arrangement would be required “at all times”, but Mr McGuinness has rejected claims this meant the arrangement was permanent.

Critics in the SDLP said the voting system could allow unionists to prevent a nationalist ever taking the job.

SDLP West Belfast MLA Alex Attwood said today: “We’re in a harder place at the end of this week than we were at the beginning of this week.

“(This letter) unpicks the basis of inclusive government and unpicks the guarantees that no one party or one group has a veto over who can get into government.”