McGuinness calls for Stormont action plan
Republicans urged the British and Irish governments today to come up with a plan of action to get the suspended Northern Ireland Assembly up and running.
With all sides in Belfast under pressure to reach agreement by the Downing Street deadline of November 24, Sinn Féin’s chief negotiator Martin McGuinness said London and Dublin would need to outline the plan if they were serious in restoring the institutions.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taioseach Bertie Ahern are expected to meet next month as part of the process to quicken the pace of negotiations.
Justice minister Michael McDowell and Northern Ireland security minister Paul Goggins had talks with police chiefs today, and next week is likely to signal the start of some serious debate at Stormont.
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain’s so-called preparation-for-government committee involving all the main parties has been in discussion since May. But there has been no notable progress amid fears in London and Dublin that November 24 will pass without a deal.
Sinn Féin is seeking urgent talks with British and Irish officials and warned today the party expected to see some indication by Friday of the governments’ plan of action.
Mr McGuinness, the MP for Mid Ulster, said: “Public confidence requires a serious effort from the two governments in the coming weeks. Sinn Féin is committed to being part of any genuine effort which will see the institutions put back in place. But the one outstanding issue to be resolved remains the DUP attitude to power sharing. That needs to be the focus of the two governments over the next 12 weeks.”
Meanwhile Mr Blair believes “genuine progress” has been made in bringing the North’s political parties together to prepare for government again, Downing Street said.
The British Prime Minister’s official spokesman stressed the drive to get the Stormont administration back up and running would be a “very important part of the agenda this autumn”.
He said: “We have seen some genuine progress in terms of the parties taking the preparation-for-government committee seriously.
“We now need to take that co-operation to a new phase and a very important part of that will be two Independent Monitoring Commission reports – one on the normalisation process, which will come probably before too long (Wednesday), and its report on paramilitary activity, which is due in October.
“We have approached this in a methodical, patient and painstaking way and I think that does allow a basis for moving forward this autumn – but that will be for the parties to decide.
“This is one of the most important periods in Northern Ireland that we have seen for some time and this autumn will reflect that and the level of the meetings we have will reflect that.”
