The North's First Minister Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams have clashed over the devolution of policing and justice powers scheduled for May.
Contradicting comments from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Gordon Brown at the weekend, DUP leader Dr Paisley insisted yesterday there was insufficient unionist confidence in the idea of a local justice minister with policing powers.
"As First Minister I have absolutely no intention of bringing such a proposal to the Assembly as the necessary conditions do not exist," he said.
"I do not sense any desire amongst the electorate for the devolution of policing and justice. Therefore I do not foresee a proposal being brought to the Assembly in the near future."
However, Mr Ahern yesterday reiterated his strong view that the May 1st deadline for devolution of policing and justice in Northern Ireland would be met.
He said that during the course of his meeting with Mr Brown on Sunday, he had made the point forcibly that finality was needed and there was no point in it being dragged out. "It's going to be a tight deadline but I'm not prepared to get into saying we are putting it back," he said.
"From our point of view it's a very important issue that has to be dealt with. It is the last building block in the overall agreement."
Dr Paisley yesterday repeated his party's call for a standing down of the IRA "army council" and for relief on the finances of the police service to be addressed. "These are deal-breakers. There is a triple lock on this issue, which gives me the responsibility of proposing to the assembly that this happens - and under the present circumstances this would be impossible."
Insisting his party held a veto on devolution, he said: "I have asked the prime minister for an urgent meeting to discuss this issue."
Mr Ahern there was an issue for the IRA "of the long-term merits of having an army council when they themselves have stated that there is no intention of going back to any kind of force or violence. Therefore, why have an army council?"
Outside the Northern Assembly at Stormont yesterday, Mr Adams insisted the transfer of justice powers was inevitable, but admitted there were still some issues to be sorted out with the DUP. "The DUP claim that there is not sufficient public confidence - that the time is not right. I disagree," he said. "I believe that the majority of people, nationalist and unionist, want these powers devolved now. They want local accountable politicians dealing with issues as diverse as police call- out times for emergencies and the PSNI's response to anti-social behaviour and sex crime.
"The time is now right, the public confidence exists; especially on the back of the agreed programme for government, budget and investment package, to move ahead with the transfer of powers on policing and justice issues. What is needed is political will and political leadership by the DUP," Mr Adams said.
Ulster Unionist chief whip David McNarry said in a statement that the DUP was stealing his party's policy and he demanded to know if the DUP regarded Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as being "a member of a private army".
DUP MP William McCrea said there was no question of a transfer of powers by May. He added that dismantling the IRA "army council", adequate security force financing and an end to attacks on Orange halls and loyal order parades were needed.