Sinn Féin forecast collapse of assembly

The Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has predicted that political institutions in the North are going to collapse in a very short time if a solution isn’t found to end the current deadlock.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday August 8, Mr Adams revealed his party had sent their formal response to the governments on their proposals to break the political impasse the previous day.

The package of proposals delivered to all pro-Agreement parties on August 1, labelled ‘The Way Forward’, covers all four outstanding issues – policing, normalisation, the stability of the institutions and disarmament.

Mr Adams said: “In my view all these issues can be resolved. They can be sorted out through a process of dialogue and commitment to the Good Friday Agreement.

“I don’t think any of us should underestimate the intensity of the crisis which is opening up. The reality is that the institutions are going to collapse in a very short time, given the management of the process at this point.”

In their detailed response to the document Sinn Féin stated they could not nominate representatives to sit on the new policing board or more importantly, call upon people to join the new service. They also called on the British Government to publish its revised implementation plan which sets out how the new policing arrangement would be put in place. On the issue of demilitarisation Sinn Féin added that military installations in south Armagh should be closed.

With the August 11 midnight deadline looming the parties are now rapidly running out of time to indicate whether they will accept the package and re-appoint a new First Minister and deputy First Minister.

It looks increasingly likely that Northern Ireland Secretary of State Dr John Reid will be faced with a tough decision on Thursday evening whether to suspend the institutions ahead of the August 11 midnight deadline, or attempt to call fresh elections.

Either way all the political parties must be informed of any decision and be given 24 hours notice to attend an emergency meeting, if the circumstances arise, called during the summer recess. (AMcE)