The former Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Peter Mandelson was "completely out of his depth" in Ulster politics, Sinn Féin claimed today.
The Northern Ireland education minister Mr Martin McGuinness also claimed Mr Mandelson made "a mess" of RUC reform legislation.
The reforms were drafted by dissident "militarists and securicrats" who disagreed with the Patten report under Mr Mandelson, he claimed.
Mr McGuinness said limited progress had been made in talks with the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair over the last week to repair the damage done by Mr Mandelson.
It was now the responsibility of Mr Blair to implement the recommendations of the Patten report, he told The Sunday Programmeon Britain's GMTV channel.
Mr McGuinness also accused Mr Blair of taking his eye off the ball by giving Mr Mandelson free rein in Northern Ireland policing reform, but said he was now back on track.
PA
