Premiers set November 24 deadline for devolution

Northern Ireland Assembly members have been given a November 24 deadline to set up an all-party, power sharing executive or face the axe.

Speaking during their visit to Armagh, the British and Irish Premiers today announced that they would recall the local Assembly on May 15 to give it six weeks to form an executive.

If this fails, then the 108 assembly members would be given a further 12 weeks, after the summer recess, to try to form multi-party devolved government.

However, if this also fails then the MLA's salaries would be stopped and British and Irish governments would jointly work towards a means of implementing the Good Friday Agreement.

The Prime Minister and the Taoiseach added that they would facilitate discussions between the political parties to discuss the reforming the executive.

In a joint statement, the two Prime Ministers said that it would be open to the Assembly to prepare for government by considering issues, which the executive will have to deal with, such as future economic strategy, water rates, public administration and education.

The statement said: "While it is reasonable to give the Assembly a little more time, there must be a clear limit. We said in January that a power-sharing Executive must be formed this year. If by 24 November the Assembly has failed to achieve this, we do not believe that any purpose would be served by a further election at that point or a few months later in May 2007. We do not think that the people of Northern Ireland should be asked to participate in elections to a deadlocked Assembly. There would be no choice but to cancel salaries and allowances for MLAs and to defer restoration of the Assembly and Executive until there is a clear political willingness to exercise devolved power. The Governments would, of course, stand ready to facilitate full restoration when all parties indicate such willingness."

The British Government has also said that they will introduce emergency legislation to facilitate this way forward and set out a limited timescale for the Assembly to reach agreement.

The statement continued: "In parallel with the recalling of the Assembly, we will engage intensively with the parties to establish the trust necessary to allow the institutions not only to function, but to flourish. There is a great deal of work to be done. The Governments will do all in their power to restore the institutions and return devolved Government to those elected by the people of Northern Ireland."

Mr Blair and Mr Ahern concluded by saying that the final decisions are for the parties and that they hoped they would seize the opportunity to move forward.

The Northern Ireland assembly was suspended in 2002 following allegations of a Republican spy ring at Stormont, and although charges were brought against three people they failed to produce prosecutions.

(EF/SP)