SF 'could contaminate justice if given control'
Sinn Féin could contaminate policing and justice if the party gets control over it in a devolved government, a hardline Democratic Unionist said tonight.
As Assembly members discussed policing and justice powers being transferred from Westminster to a future power-sharing government, Northern MEP Jim Allister said the first anniversary of the dropping of spying charges against three people including republican turned British agent Denis Donaldson served as a reminder of why unionists should be concerned about Sinn Féin having any say.
“Firstly, Stormontgate itself graphically illustrated the folly of admitting Sinn Féin to government without an enforceable mechanism to exclude only them upon default by them,” he argued.
“The St Andrews Act does not address this deficiency, which properly is a requirement of the DUP. Thus a workable legislative default mechanism remains a key outstanding issue.
“Secondly, it underscores the deep-seated concerns that any possibility of control over policing and justice by a party, such as Sinn Féin, would increase the prospect of this most vital of subjects being contaminated and corrupted by political tampering.
“Little wonder there is a prevailing determination that if devolution should occur, the transfer of policing and justice is impossible during the currency of this generation of highly tainted Sinn Féin politicians.”
Mr Allister was commenting after his colleague Arlene Foster told Sinn Féin after today’s meeting at Stormont it was up to them to deliver political progress by publicly declaring support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the courts and the rule of law.
The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said: “I listen to people talking about us stopping the devolution of policing and justice.
“The people that are stopping the devolution of policing and justice are Sinn Féin by not giving the delivery that is needed to bring that about.”
The new sub-group met after it emerged Sinn Féin’s policing spokesman Gerry Kelly had been warned two days ago by police of another death threat by hardline republicans.
Mr Kelly and the party’s Foyle MLA Raymond McCartney faced Mrs Foster and her fellow DUP Policing Board member William Hay across the committee table.
Ulster Unionist Policing Board member Fred Cobain and nationalist SDLP Policing Board member Alex Attwood also took part.
Policing and justice is seen as a key issue which could determine whether there is a power-sharing government next March in Northern Ireland.
The DUP wants Sinn Féin to join with other parties in publicly endorsing the PSNI before it will form a power sharing government featuring Mr Kelly’s party.
However, Mr Kelly insisted agreement on a date for the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont and on the type of government department were needed before any move from his party.
The North Belfast MLA said: “The DUP cannot demand of nationalists that policing and justice be supported and then say: however, you will have no influence over it.
“They cannot have it as their own private arena.
“Let us get the timing sorted out. You cannot move without the timing. It just simply cannot be done. You cannot talk about generations of doubt, you cannot talk about no control or no influence.
“If a police service and justice ministry is representative of all of the people of the North (of Ireland) and indeed only island, then that involves everybody.”
