Northern Ireland Bill clears first Lords hurdle
The Northern Ireland Bill, restoring devolution and setting a deadline for creation of a new power-sharing executive, was given an unopposed second reading in the British House of Lords tonight.
It opens the way for the North’s Assembly to meet on May 15, for the first time in nearly four years.
Northern Ireland Minister Lord Rooker said: “Its key task will be to elect a new executive, opening the way to devolution in Northern Ireland.
“November 24 is the deadline in the Bill to restore devolution. It is fixed and unchangeable. We need politicians to take responsibility, engage with each other and show leadership to their communities. The (British) government will help but there are limits to what we can do.
“The biggest obstacle is lack of trust on both sides. For unionists to be willing to share power with republicans they can reasonably ask to be confident that republicans have turned completely away from paramilitary activity and will not accept, either overtly or with a nod and a wink, criminal activity.
“Unionists can properly ask to know, before criminal justice and policing powers are devolved, that support for the criminal justice system and the Police Service of Northern Ireland is absolutely unequivocal.”
Republicans and nationalists “want to know that unionists are serious about sharing power with them. Power-sharing must not be an ever-receding target.
“If we don’t get an executive by November 24, the Bill is clear and unconditional. The May 2007 elections will not take place and the Assembly members will go home and not get any allowances or salaries.”
