We won't be rushed into policing deal, insists DUP

The North’s political leaders continued to strive for a breakthrough in crunch talks over devolving policing powers to Stormont tonight.

Though hopes of an imminent deal between the DUP and Sinn Féin have been mounting over the last week, a senior DUP figure insisted today his party would not be rushed.

East Derry MP Gregory Campbell, who is considered a hardliner, said a timescale was less important than securing community confidence in the move.

“It doesn’t matter what the time is, it doesn’t matter if it’s tomorrow or in a decade – the important thing is to get the conditions,” he said.

Over the weekend both parties expressed optimism that an agreement could be struck that would see law and order responsibilities transferred from Westminster to the power-sharing government.

After another day of exchanges at Stormont Castle, party negotiators are due to resume talks in the morning.

According to the DUP, there remain three issues to resolve – who will be the new justice minister, how he or she will work with Executive colleagues, and how controversial parades will be managed in the future.

Acting First Minister Arlene Foster, who has taken on troubled DUP leader Peter Robinson’s duties as he copes with the fall-out from the sex-and-money scandal involving his wife Iris, assured the other parties in the Assembly today that they would be involved in negotiations.

Alliance leader David Ford, tipped to fill the new role of justice minister after the eventual completion of devolution, welcomed Mrs Foster’s comments.

“I welcome the assurances from Arlene Foster that she and Martin McGuinness will engage with the other Assembly parties in seeking to resolve the difficulties surrounding the devolution of justice,” he said.

“I emphasised to the Minister that there must be the widest possible agreement on policies for the Department of Justice. This is essential if devolution is to deliver for all of the people of Northern Ireland.

“I also told the Minister that progress on clearing the logjam of outstanding issues would be the best way of building confidence in the Assembly and the Executive.”

The SDLP’s Alex Attwood asked the DUP and Sinn Féin to spell out their plans for the future of Orange Order parades.

Proposals for replacing the Parades Commission were formed by a review body, with the new blueprint focusing on local accommodation over marches.

Mr Attwood said the Parades Commission had successfully reduced tension over parades at flashpoint locations.

“Sinn Féin has to explain if they are for or against Ashdown. Are they backing down on their December position? Are Sinn Féin going to allow negative elements in unionism to undo the anchor of stability in recent years?” he asked.

“The SDLP met the acting First Minister last week and explained that Ashdown or any relative to it would not be acceptable to nationalism and has the potential to lead to a new phase of parading disputes.

“Devolution needs stability not fresh levels of uncertainty.”

The sense of improving relations between the rowing partners in the mandatory coalition administration was underlined yesterday when it was revealed that Mr Robinson shook hands with Mr McGuinness for the first time.

McGuinness offered his hand to commiserate with him over his personal troubles.

Mr Robinson has stood down as First Minister for six weeks to deal with the revelations that destroyed his wife’s political career and threaten his.

He is facing a series of official investigations after claims that he did not alert the authorities to Mrs Robinson’s failure to declare £50,000 (€55,600) she obtained from two wealthy developers to set her teenage lover up in business - allegations he vehemently denies.

The deeply symbolic moment between the effective head of unionism in the North and a self-confessed former IRA commander would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

Sinn Féin has its own problems – president Gerry Adams is facing tough questions over his handling of sex charges against his brother Liam, who is on the run from police on suspicion of abusing his daughter.

The Sinn Féin president vehemently denied he was part of any alleged cover-up to protect his brother.