Brown unveils policing devolution plan for North

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today unveiled a plan of nearly £1bn (€1.1bn) to devolve policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly, promising further aid if paramilitary violence erupts.

Mr Brown has held lengthy talks with First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on a deal to see unionists and republicans share responsibility for the North's justice system.

While the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has raised continuing concerns, Mr Brown's £800m (€884.5m) offer was aimed at removing financial hurdles to a final political agreement.

The complex blueprint offers millions in additional funds, deals with major costs hanging-over from the Troubles and paves the way for signature projects including a new police training college.

"Our aim is a peaceful, more secure and more prosperous Northern Ireland," Mr Brown told the House of Commons.

After the DUP said public confidence in the shake-up was key to closing an overall deal, Mr Brown today spelt out that the British government would help tackle any future upsurge in violence by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process.

DUP leader Peter Robinson said: "Setting aside how he intends to assist in dealing with the foreseeable but inescapable pressures, would the Prime Minister give us his view in how the [British] government will assist if unforeseeable emergency circumstances arise, so that the Northern Ireland Executive will not have to raid its budget for health, education and housing and other critical elements of our funding?"

Mr Brown replied: "I have made provision for the reserve to be available if there are exceptional security needs that arise in any one year.

"We have done so this year because of what happened with the killing of soldiers and the killing of Pc (Stephen) Carroll (by dissident republicans).

"We will do it in future years if such an emergency or difficulty arises."

Mr Brown added: "A secure Northern Ireland is the key to a more prosperous Northern Ireland and we will take no risks with the security of Northern Ireland."

The document released today set out a complex, multi-million pound strategy to fund the transfer of the powers from Westminster to Stormont, including the creation of a new Department of Justice at the Assembly.

The letter pledged:

* The Executive will have access to reserve funds to support policing and justice in an emergency, while the British Treasury will offer up to £37.4m (€41.3m) extra in 2010/11.

:: Money will be made available to provide a new police training college.

:: An additional £20m (€22.1m) per year to the end of 2012/13 will help overcome a huge backlog in legal aid payments being faced by the court service. A one-off payment of £12m (€13.26m) will ease pressure on the courts, with an extra £39m (€43.1m) available if needed.

:: The British government is to gift four military sites to the Stormont administration, including land in Omagh where there are plans for a cross-community schools campus.

:: Sale of the sites will help meet the cost of equal pay claims facing the civil service.

:: There will be relief on the £101m (€111.6m) pressure facing police pensions.

:: Police officers hearing loss claims will be met by the Executive funding the first £12m (€13.26m) per year, with British government helping with further costs. British Treasury will allow access to financial reserves and may also buy-off Executive assets to help it raise further finances up to a level of £60m (€66.3m).

Northern Secretary of State Shaun Woodward will also meet the North's chief constable for talks to ensure frontline policing is protected.

The Northern Ireland Policing Board tonight announced plans for a special meeting on Friday where the watchdog will review Mr Brown's offer.

Sinn Féin's West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty hoped former military land in his constituency would now house a project bringing Protestant and Catholic schools on to a single site in a bid to heal community divisions.

"This transfer offer creates a golden opportunity for progress on the educational campus in Lisanelly," he said.

Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey said his party reserved its position on the financial deal.

But he raised concerns that the wider agreement that Sinn Féin and the DUP have brokered on devolving justice powers has a sunset clause and could lapse in 2012.

"I have said previously that the UUP agrees with the devolution of policing and justice but we want to see it built to last, not just shift the problem 18 months down the track," he said.

Alliance Leader David Ford said he believed that Mr Brown's financial plan represented a reasonable offer.

Leader of the loyalist Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) Dawn Purvis welcomed Mr Brown's offer and called on party leaders to complete devolution.

SDLP Leader Mark Durkan welcomed the offer, but said: "We are still mindful of the fact the DUP will use the fact of the proximity to agreement to extract further concessions."

Leader of the hardline Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) Jim Allister said he opposed giving republicans any role in overseeing policing and justice.

"As Republicans have repeatedly made clear, they see the ending of British control of policing and justice and the transfer of those powers into an Executive where they hold sway as a key part of their strategy," he said.