TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen is due to meet Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness today as the British and Irish governments continue efforts to resolve a standoff between the DUP and Sinn Féin that is threatening the powersharing Executive and Assembly.
The Taoiseach is also using today’s North-South Ministerial Council meeting in Limavady, Co Derry, to discuss cross-Border economic co-operation and the implications of the National Assets Management Agency (Nama) for Northern Ireland.
While Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has warned of a “full-blown crisis” if there is not agreement by Christmas on devolving policing and justice powers, Mr Cowen and British prime minister Gordon Brown are trying to identify a compromise in the dispute.
Mr Cowen is meeting DUP First Minister Mr Robinson and Deputy First Minister Mr McGuinness at the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC) today, while in Copenhagen later this week the Taoiseach and British prime minister will again consider how to end the deadlock.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin is due to meet Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward on the issue tomorrow.
Much of the NSMC meeting is being taken up with economic issues of mutual interest such as the effects of Nama, cross-Border roads, the economic downturn and the strategy for recovery and developing co-operation on the “smart” economy.
Mr Cowen, however, is expected to discuss the political impasse on the margins of the meeting.
Notwithstanding Mr McGuinness’s Christmas deadline warning, there is a general consensus in London and Dublin that Mr Robinson is unlikely to make any specific commitment before Christmas on policing and justice.
Nonetheless, according to senior sources, there is very cautious hope that there could be serious movement in the new year following the efforts of the governments to break the logjam.
In Boston recently Mr Woodward said political progress was being made despite the “perplexing rhetoric”.
Ahead of today’s NSMC meeting, Mr Cowen said the scale of the economic challenge “facing everyone on this island” was now fully recognised by all.
“Meeting that challenge has called for resolute leadership in taking difficult decisions, as we build towards economic recovery,” he added.
“Resolute leadership has also been at the heart of the peace process and the transformation in relationships on this island in recent years. The North-South Ministerial Council has its 10th anniversary this month and meeting is an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved in those 10 years,” said Mr Cowen.
“But, more importantly, it is a time to work together to make the most of our transformed relationship to help all of our people through this recession, to build a successful smart economy on this island and to provide better, more joined-up and more cost-effective public services,” he added.