North power-sharing - Sinn Féin can unlock the peace process

Sinn Féin has within its gift the clout to make considerable progress in the peace process if the meeting of the national executive called for this weekend by president Gerry Adams, as expected, is satisfied over the controversial issue of policing.

That meeting of the ard comhairle, should it decide that the party’s concerns and worries have been assuaged on policing and law and order, has the authority to summon its ard fheis which can only make the ultimate decision.

From their perspective, it was important that the timeframe of the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont be spelled out to their satisfaction because the movement that Sinn Féin can precipitate cannot, and should not, be underestimated.

The peace process has been stalled because Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will not commit to sharing power with Sinn Féin until it commits itself unreservedly to supporting policing and law and order, and urging the community to work with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Yesterday Sinn Féin met to consider talks which had taken place secretly between it, the DUP and the British Government representatives, and monitored very closely by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The objective of those talks was to convince Mr Adams to set in motion the process which would culminate in the ardfheis and, hopefully, acceptance that it could take an historic step.

Gerry Adams headed up a party delegation which earlier this month had talks with Chief Constable Hugh Orde, the first since the PSNI was formed, and included Sinn Féin’s spokesman on policing, Gerry Kelly.

This was after the Taoiseach had urged the party to call the special ardfheis so that the issue of support for the PSNI could be addressed.

He recognised that the issue was sensitive for Sinn Féin but said it was linked to the prospect of a power-sharing government at Stormont.

Power-sharing has been suspended at Stormont since 2002, but late March of next year has been set as a deadline for its restoration by both governments.

The intervention yesterday by the DUP MP, hardliner Rev Willie McCrea, was entirely unhelpful, if not downright mischievous, when he said that that timetable for restoration of power-sharing was impossible to achieve.

His claim that Sinn Féin procrastination was responsible for the current impasse can only be interpreted as an indication of his scepticism to power-sharing, timed as the leadership of the party was meeting to discuss the sensitive question of policing.

The question of policing is a delicate one and the formula under which it might, or might not, be accepted by all parties, but especially Sinn Féin, was one which occupied the talks which took place recently.

It has emerged that a cross-community vote, which could potentially mean the exclusion of the main biggest representative parties, from holding the portfolio of policing and justice.

It would appear that Sinn Féin may deliver a belated Christmas present if the ard chomhairle votes today by a majority to convene the ard fheis, which could happen before the end of January.