The Minister for Foreign Affairs last night forcefully backed SDLP and Sinn Fein demands for changes to the Northern Ireland Police Bill, amid growing nationalist concern that the Patten report has been seriously diluted.
During a 3 1/2-hour meeting at Iveagh House with the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, Mr Cowen gave a nationalist critique of the Police Bill, which the SDLP, Sinn Fein and some British Labour backbenchers believe fails to implement key recommendations of Patten. The Taoiseach also raised the Government's concerns at an earlier half-hour meeting at Government Buildings with Mr Mandelson.
Differences over police reform have now emerged as a major hurdle, which sources in both governments acknowledged yesterday would be difficult to overcome. While Irish and British spokesmen last night played down reports of tensions between them on the issue, the Police Bill dominated last night's meeting.
"Our opinion is that the Bill should comply with Patten," a spokesman for Mr Cowen said.
Nationalist concerns include the powers of the regional police boards proposed by Patten. Government sources maintained yesterday that the Bill allows many of the powers that were supposed to be devolved to the new boards to remain with the Chief Constable of the new police force.
Controversy over the name and badge of the new force has obscured differences over other issues including the powers to be given to the proposed new police ombudsman, as well as the strength of measures to be taken to increase the proportion of Catholics in the force.
According to one source, the Government's political message to Mr Mandelson last night was "that at the end of this we want to be able to ask the SDLP and Sinn Fein to go out and recommend that young Catholics join this force". Patten was already a compromise barely acceptable to Sinn Fein, the source said. A dilution would put the whole purpose of police reform in jeopardy.
Going into last night's meeting, Mr Mandelson insisted that he and the British government wanted to implement the Patten report. However, he refused to give assurances on the final content of the Bill, saying: "What is in the Bill when it emerges from its legislative process in what will be the autumn will be, and I'm sure that you can wait for that.
"I'm absolutely determined and the entire British government is determined to implement the Patten report. It is absolutely essential, if we are going to get a new beginning in policing that people want right across the community, it has to be implemented, it will be implemented and I will see that it will."
Irish and British officials will continue detailed discussions over the coming days in an attempt to close the gap between nationalist opinion and the British proposals. The SDLP has already tabled a large number of amendments to the Bill, and Mr Mandelson said he expected many more as the Bill goes through the British legislative process.
Mr Cowen and Mr Mandelson talked alone for 20 minutes last night before being joined by the Minister of State, Ms Liz O'Donnell. The Ministers and officials then had a dinner in Iveagh House.