THERE WAS a cautious sense of fresh political impetus in Northern Ireland last night as DUP and Sinn Féin senior negotiating teams engaged in what both parties said were “serious and sensitive” negotiations on policing and justice.
In Dublin it was announced that Taoiseach Brian Cowen will meet British prime minister Gordon Brown at Downing Street tomorrow.
In Belfast DUP leader Peter Robinson, who temporarily stood down as First Minister on Monday, absented himself from the talks yesterday to address personal issues relating to his wife Iris, but is due to re-engage in the negotiations later this week.
British, Irish, Sinn Féin and DUP sources viewed as significant that DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds has decided to take a central involvement in the negotiations with Sinn Féin. “Nigel is key to these discussions,” said a senior DUP source.
Well-placed sources were keen to stress, however, there were still difficult hurdles to overcome in attempts to finalise a deal that would lead to the speedy transfer of policing and justice powers to the Northern Executive.
This was compounded by repeated comments from hardline DUP MP Gregory Campbell that there could be no movement on policing until the party decided unionist community confidence existed for such a move. Last week DUP chairman Lord Morrow said the transfer of policing powers would not happen in the lifetime of the current Assembly, which is due to end in May 2011.
Dublin and London, however, believe there is a possibility that Mr Dodds, who is viewed as being a member of the hardline DUP camp, could bring the party behind a deal if he felt it was acceptable, now that he is further engaged in the talks.
But a governmental concern remains that regardless of the more positive mood at Stormont, this could be another lost opportunity.
“There needs to be movement within days. This can’t be strung out for weeks,” said a senior source.
“Nigel Dodds’s engagement is significant and important. But what’s crucial is that the DUP delivers on the positive words we’ve been hearing,” he added.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was anxious not to make any comments that would indicate he was laying down a deadline for a deal. “Least said, soonest mended,” he said.
But Sinn Féin sources are also adamant that discussions can’t go much beyond this week. Privately Sinn Féin has indicated that failure to forge an agreement on policing would lead to the collapse of the Executive and Assembly, which under the St Andrews legislation would trigger fresh Assembly elections.
Nonetheless, there was a guarded sense of potential for a breakthrough yesterday. “I have set out the Sinn Féin stall that our resolve is to see beyond the current difficulties and we believe that with political will these difficulties will be resolved. We are looking to the future,” said Mr Adams.
DUP Minister for Finance Sammy Wilson also saw opportunity. “I’m glad to see there is now a positive engagement between the parties. I hope that we will be able to engage all the parties in those discussions and work our way through this,” he said.
The DUP team comprises Mr Dodds, acting First Minister Arlene Foster and Mr Wilson, with Mr Robinson being kept abreast of developments before he engages directly in talks.
The Sinn Féin negotiators are Mr Adams, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Minister for Agriculture Michelle Gildernew and junior minister Gerry Kelly.
Meanwhile, one of the Belfast property developers who helped finance the cafe business run by Mrs Robinson’s teenage lover has confirmed he gave a personal donation to the DUP several years ago. It emerged last night that Ken Campbell, who lent £25,000 to Kirk McCambley, had donated between £4,000 and £5,000 to the DUP, but not directly to Mrs Robinson or to her husband.