TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen and British prime minister Gordon Brown are to hold a new round of talks in coming weeks with Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party in an attempt to break the impasse over the devolution of justice and policing to Stormont.
However, the two, who held over two hours of talks in Number 10 Downing Street last night, repeatedly refused to set a deadline for an agreement and, instead, focused on progress made. The two interrupted their meeting so that Mr Brown could take part in a joint video press conference with United States president Barack Obama, but resumed for nearly an hour more once it was over.
Relations between Democratic Unionist First Minister Peter Robinson and Sinn Féin’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have deteriorated sharply over Mr Robinson’s refusal to set a timetable for devolution.
Mr Brown appeared to give Mr Robinson, who insists more must be done to build unionist confidence about the devolution of security and justice to Stormont, hope that he can secure the abolition of the Parades Commission.
“I know there are still challenges to be met . . . and there are still outstanding issues that people want to raise as part of these discussions, but I do say I’m optimistic that we can see a way forward,” Mr Brown said. “I am optimistic that we can bring people to the point where there is a transfer of justice and policing powers.”
Pressed to say if the governments are ready to impose a deadline, Mr Brown said people had said it would have been difficult to get an agreement on the £1 billion extra for Northern Ireland’s police and courts system but this was done. “We found a way forward on that. We have to name a (Northern Ireland) Minister of Justice as soon as possible. But I am confident that . . . we can actually get progress on that. Let us see how the next few days bring things forward.” Saying that devolution is “necessary”, Mr Cowen went on: “We will continue to work with all the parties in the coming days.”
The transfer of justice and policing powers is “an integral part” of the St Andrews’ Agreement and the two governments will “work the parties” in coming days to finalise a deal.
The Taoiseach and prime minister both praised the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda Síochána for their efforts to combat dissident republican groups in recent months.
Such groups are “a tiny minority”, said Mr Brown, while Mr Cowen, accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin, said they were “small but minor factions who are trying to drive people back into the past”.
Tension mounted over the weekend as Sinn Féin claimed the DUP was pursuing policies that will create a political train wreck in Northern Ireland.
Mr McGuinness, after holding talks with Mr Cowen in Tullamore on Saturday, said Sinn Féin required a commitment from Mr Robinson before Christmas to see policing and justice powers transferred early in the new year.
Sinn Féin chairman Declan Kearney has accused the DUP of pursuing a “train wreck political strategy” which would have inevitable “political consequences”.