McGuinness opposes 'punishment' shootings

Sinn Féin minister Mr Martin McGuinness today said he is against "punishment" shootings and believes they are "counter-productive".

Sinn Féin minister Mr Martin McGuinness: need a new beginning to policing as quickly as possible

Speaking following a North-South ministerial meeting in Dublin Castle this morning with Mr Martin and Dr Woods and attended by fellow Sinn Féin minister Ms Bairbre de Brún, Mr McGuinness said he had not heard about RUC figures which show punishment shootings have increased by 40 per cent this year.

RUC statistics released yesterday show a total of 73 "punishment" shootings were carried out from January 1st to May 20th this year - up from 51 for the same period in 2000.

Outlining his stance on such incidents Mr McGuinness said: "Our position on punishment beatings and shootings, and mine in particular for over 15 years is very, very, clear. I am very much against them and I actually think they are counter-productive," he said.

Mr McGuinness continued: "From our perspective what we need to do is bring about a new beginning to policing in place as quickly as possible. This is one of the issues that is going to be dealt with in the course of any negotiation, and I stress, there will be a negotiation after the election. There will not be a renegotiation."

It was the duty of elected representatives to put in place a "new beginning to policing as quickly as possible because it is only through that that we can bring about a situation where we can convince people all over our community that the sensible way to go is through the provision of a proper policing service," he said.

Nationalist paramilitaries are considered responsible for 25 incidents with loyalists responsible for 48.

There were 136 gun attacks last year - the highest annual figure since 1975.