Bush plea over Northern govt
US President George Bush has urged the North's political leaders to grasp a major new chance to restore a devolved government.
After British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern warned the parties that Dublin’s influence would grow unless they got the Stormont Assembly working properly again by November, the White House declared it an opportunity to bring the political process to a successful completion this year.
A statement said: “President Bush calls on all parties to demonstrate leadership and seize this opportunity to work together to restore the power-sharing government and resolve outstanding issues.
“In particular, we urge full support for civilian policing throughout Northern Ireland and an unequivocal commitment to the rule of law and the renunciation of all paramilitary and criminal activities.
“We remain steadfast in our support of the peace process and the efforts of the British and Irish Governments to achieve a lasting peace under the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.”
Earlier yesterday, the two premiers were in Armagh to reveal that work was already under way to heighten North-South co-operation in case all sides failed to agree to get a devolved government in the North up and running.
As they unveiled their blueprint for restoring power-sharing at Stormont, the pair set two deadlines for the formation of a multi-party executive.
The first attempt to form a government in the North will take place six weeks after the Assembly is recalled on May 15.
But with unionists, nationalists and republicans believing there is virtually no chance of an executive before the summer, realists believe the second deadline of November 24 will ultimately test whether politicians in Northern Ireland are up for reviving devolution.
Although Mr Blair and Mr Ahern did not outline how they would expand cross-border co-operation in the event of there being no power-sharing executive by November, it is understood both Governments have been looking at increasing the amount of cross- border bodies and areas of co-operation.
That could mean new, more dynamic bodies tackling health, the economy and education.
Stormont’s 108 Assembly members were also warned today that if they did not reach agreement on the setting up of a government by November 24, their salaries and allowances would be stopped and there would be no Assembly election to a body which had not properly functioned since October 2002.
“We have today set out a framework, beginning with the recall of the Assembly on May 15 and running up to November of this year, for that ultimate decision to be made,” Mr Blair said.
“At that point we close the chapter… or we close the book.”
Mr Ahern said the two governments were giving the parties a reasonable but finite time to restore power-sharing.
He also stressed that he wanted to see politicians at Stormont take responsibility for the running of the North and that he had no great desire to have to put London and Dublin’s Plan B into operation.
“I have given some of the best years of my political life to this process,” he said.
“It is an investment that I would happily make over and over again in the interests of peace and agreement on this island.
“The challenge now is to finish the job. We believe that this is possible and that is why we are here today.
“Our joint strategy represents the best opportunity to pave the way for the restoration of devolved government this year.”
Devolution in the North has been suspended since October 2002 following allegations that republicans ran a spy ring at the heart of the British government’s offices at Stormont.
Three people were arrested following the claims, including Sinn Féin’s then head of administration at Stormont, Denis Donaldson.
Last December, the charges against the three men were sensationally dropped by the Public Prosecution Service.
In another twist, Sinn Féin outed Mr Donaldson before Christmas as a British agent who had been spying on colleagues for more than two decades.
On Tuesday, Mr Donaldson was shot dead in an isolated cottage in Glenties, Co Donegal, in the Irish Republic – a murder which sent fresh shockwaves through the political process.
Since the IRA’s declaration last year that it had ended its armed campaign, it was assumed the 56-year-old was untouchable even though he was ostracised by former republican comrades.
It is unclear as to who exactly murdered Mr Donaldson – the IRA has denied the killing.
There have also been theories that disgruntled individual Provisional IRA members, dissident republicans outside the organisation or British agents may have been involved.
