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04/11/2009
Dublin Appeals To DUP Over Justice
The Irish Republic's Foreign Affairs Minister has urged that policing and justice powers should be devolved from London without delay.
As two leading republicans head to New York this week to underline their commitment to taking the powers to the Stormont Assembly, the senior Irish Cabinet Minister Micheal Martin said that all elements of the Good Friday Agreement should be "respected and implemented".
He called on the Democratic Unionists (DUP) to finalise the devolution of policing and judiciary powers.
He told the Séanad that DUP demands for the dissolution of the Parades Commission could not be laid down as a prerequisite for progress in other areas.
He noted that a budget reportedly in the region of £1bn has been sanctioned by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to facilitate the transfer and Sinn Féin accepted the deal, and has continued to push for the establishment of a Stormont Policing and Justice department as soon as possible.
But, First Minister Peter Robinson, Leader of the DUP, has sought a number of reassurances before his party commits to the devolution.
He has insisted there must be confidence within the unionist community before a local Policing Minister is appointed.
Mr Robinson earlier told the House of Commons that issues over contentious parades must be dealt with before justice powers are handed over to the Assembly.
He said the abolition of the Parades Commission would "increase confidence in devolved policing and justice powers".
But, as he flew out this week to the USA, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams slammed the DUP leader's comments as "unacceptable".
Mr Adams and party colleague, Martin McGuinness, Deputy First Minister at the Stormont Assembly, will be the main speakers at the annual Friends of Sinn Féin dinner at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, New York, tonight (Wednesday).
They will be giving an update on the progress of the Peace Process and what they said are "mounting difficulties" in securing the transfer of Policing and Justice powers away from London.
(PR/BMcc)
As two leading republicans head to New York this week to underline their commitment to taking the powers to the Stormont Assembly, the senior Irish Cabinet Minister Micheal Martin said that all elements of the Good Friday Agreement should be "respected and implemented".
He called on the Democratic Unionists (DUP) to finalise the devolution of policing and judiciary powers.
He told the Séanad that DUP demands for the dissolution of the Parades Commission could not be laid down as a prerequisite for progress in other areas.
He noted that a budget reportedly in the region of £1bn has been sanctioned by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to facilitate the transfer and Sinn Féin accepted the deal, and has continued to push for the establishment of a Stormont Policing and Justice department as soon as possible.
But, First Minister Peter Robinson, Leader of the DUP, has sought a number of reassurances before his party commits to the devolution.
He has insisted there must be confidence within the unionist community before a local Policing Minister is appointed.
Mr Robinson earlier told the House of Commons that issues over contentious parades must be dealt with before justice powers are handed over to the Assembly.
He said the abolition of the Parades Commission would "increase confidence in devolved policing and justice powers".
But, as he flew out this week to the USA, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams slammed the DUP leader's comments as "unacceptable".
Mr Adams and party colleague, Martin McGuinness, Deputy First Minister at the Stormont Assembly, will be the main speakers at the annual Friends of Sinn Féin dinner at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, New York, tonight (Wednesday).
They will be giving an update on the progress of the Peace Process and what they said are "mounting difficulties" in securing the transfer of Policing and Justice powers away from London.
(PR/BMcc)
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