Assembly in spring if deal is struck
Devolved government could be back in Northern Ireland by next spring if a deal involving Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists is struck within days, it emerged tonight.
DUP sources said the British and Irish governments would try to roll out a deal to get power sharing back by next March.
However, they added a lot would depend on whether the IRA was prepared to become an “old boys association” as DUP leader, the Reverend Ian Paisley, suggested after talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in London today.
A party source said: “The talks at this stage are inching forward but I am not in a position where I can say that a deal will definitely happen.
“I think we are all coming to the point where the parties will soon have to make a judgment about what’s on offer but right now the ball is in the court of the two governments.
“They have received specific points about their recent proposals for a deal which require clarification and I would expect them to come back to us within the next 24 hours. When we receive those, we will be in a better position to say whether this will float or not.”
It is understood the Reverend Ian Paisley has given Mr Blair and MrAhern a six-page document, seeking clarification on 40 points in the proposals they put to the DUP and Sinn Féin last week to revive power sharing.
DUP sources stressed people shouldn’t read too much into the size of the document.
But they insisted the party regarded its demand that there should be a visible aspect to any future acts of IRA disarmament as a deal breaker.
It has been suggested Catholic and Protestant clergy could witness future IRA weapons decommissioning acts.
However, the DUP has been pressing for a more visual aspect to decommissioning in the form of photographic or video evidence.
The party also regards institutional issues such as greater cabinet collective responsibility in the power sharing executive as essential.
After his meeting with Mr Ahern, the Rev Ian Paisley signalled if a deal was struck, his party would like to test the bona fides of republicans over a five-month period.
The British and Irish governments, however, are arguing for a more shorter timeframe for the rolling out of a deal, with the IRA completing disarmament by next March when power sharing would be resumed.
Other talks sources noted while the DUP leader had called for the IRA to complete weapons decommissioning and end all criminality, he appeared to concede that the organisation could continue in some form.
The North Antrim MP said: “They have nothing to do but to be an old boys’ association.”
A talks source said: “I think the use of that phrase is quite interesting.
“He is no longer talking about the IRA vanishing. It could still be around as an old boys’ association.”
