Adams: Deal cannot be held hostage to parades resolution

Devolving policing and justice powers to the North cannot be held hostage to a resolution on controversial loyalist parades, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams warned today.

But Democratic Unionists accused him of living in “cloud cuckoo land” if he thought he could determine local outcomes for marches during the current round of intensive talks at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, to save the power-sharing administration from collapse.

There are less than 24 hours left before the British and Irish Governments publish proposals to break the stalemate following the intervention of Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen earlier this week to chair negotiations.

Mr Adams said: “Anybody who thinks that the price of policing and justice is a walk down the Garvaghy Road (Drumcree) or through Ardoyne (north Belfast), it is just ridiculous.”

“Let’s deal with the issues sensibly, let’s do our best to make sure the outstanding matters of this agreement are implemented.”

If there is no deal Sinn Féin could walk out of the power-sharing government, triggering fresh elections.

The DUP has linked setting a date for transferring security powers from London to Belfast to fresh efforts to resolve flashpoint parades through nationalist areas.

Parades like Drumcree in Portadown, Co Armagh, have been barred by the Parades Commission from marching down the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road.

Residents have warned they won’t accept a package which allows a procession.

A plenary session is being held at Hillsborough between all parties to try to determine details of a deal.

These could include a date for transferring security powers before the next general elections and a replacement for the Parades Commission, which rules on Orange Order demonstrations, to include more local engagement.

For Sinn Féin outstanding matters include Irish language rights and north/south co-operation and the unfinished bill of rights.

Mr Adams briefed party officers today ahead of a plenary session with other parties at Hillsborough.

“Nothing is going to be sorted out if it is talked up as absolute.

“We still don’t have an agreement but it isn’t over until it is over,” he added.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Finance Minister Sammy Wilson said his party was in the “mindset” to do a deal. He added they were capable of making a sustainable agreement which members could stand by.

“I would rather have a ’Made in Ulster’ deal than something which is brought here and imposed on us, whether a suggestion or a proposal from London or Dublin,” he said.

A “Made in Ulster” deal will stick, a proposal from London or Dublin will mean that in some way we are seen as incapable of dealing with these things.“

Mr Wilson was asked about parades. “As far as individual marches are concerned I don’t think that’s the job of negotiators,” he said. He added that required working at a local level.

“To think politicians guarantee outcomes I think is really living in cloud cuckoo land,” he added.

Nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan said there were papers being exchanged and people were focused on the issues.

“I still think the parties can get there,” he added.

“There is a bit more perspective being shown today, people have a bigger sense of the importance of individual issues but also the importance of the overall picture here, making sure we have devolution, that it is stable and it goes forward.

“Stalemate, stand-off and recrimination coming out of here is not going to do anything for the reputation of politics in general.”