SF-DUP deadlock blocking work, say Ministers

SDLP AND Ulster Unionist Ministers have complained a stand-off between Sinn Féin and the DUP, which forced the cancellation of yesterday's scheduled meeting of the Northern Executive, is hampering the work of the Stormont administration.

While SDLP and Alliance leaders Mark Durkan and David Ford have warned of a growing crisis in the Executive, Sinn Féin and the DUP continue to insist that such talk is "premature".

Nonetheless, this week there was evidence of considerable tensions and difficulties between the two main parties, with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness travelling to London to meet British prime minister Gordon Brown yesterday.

These talks dealt with the outstanding issues between the two main parties - which include the devolution of policing and justice, the Irish language, a proposed stadium at the Maze and a replacement for the Eleven Plus school transfer test.

Mr Brown's talks with the Sinn Féin leaders followed talks he had on Tuesday with DUP First Minister Peter Robinson and DUP Culture Minister Gregory Campbell, although the DUP characterised this as a routine meeting.

The impasse over policing and justice and the other issues forced the cancellation of today's Executive meeting, as was predicted earlier this week in The Irish Times. The Executive, which normally meets on a weekly basis, has not met since mid-June, and there are no plans for it to meet this month or next month.

The DUP implicitly accused Sinn Féin of blocking the Executive meetings to try to force movement on policing and justice and the other matters. DUP sources said such pressure would not work. Sinn Féin has said there is little point holding an Executive meeting until outstanding issues were resolved.

There is a general consensus that, as DUP junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson said this week, "talk of a crisis is premature". However, if the stalemate is not ended by mid-September, there is a concern among the parties that the work of the Executive and Assembly could grind to a halt.

Ulster Unionist leader and Employment and Learning Minister Sir Reg Empey said "bread and butter" issues were not being addressed as Sinn Féin and the DUP remained deadlocked.

SDLP Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie said she was unable to deliver affordable housing because of the impasse.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times