BRITISH PRIME minister Gordon Brown is to present the leaders of the Stormont Executive with a plan to finance devolved policing and justice powers in September.
The plan emerged after talks between Mr Brown, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness at Downing Street.
The Deputy First Minister said he was now confident the powers would be transferred before the end of the year, a development that will please Sinn Féin, which has pressed for it since devolution.
“By September we expect a firm offer in terms of how to deal with outstanding legacy issues that we believe the British government have a responsibility to deal with,” he said.
Mr Robinson said: “There are additional inescapable pressures which must be funded in order that the functions to be devolved are properly carried out and the Executive does not have to use a penny of its own resources.”
The DUP leader, mindful of harsh criticism of the devolution plans yesterday by Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister, said he would await the British government’s funding plan before deciding if he could recommend acceptance to the unionist electorate.
Consultation would be carried out, he promised, to ensure unionists knew what would be involved.
The talks at Downing Street, which involved officials from the treasury and Stormont, also addressed the plight of savers with the crisis-stricken Presbyterian Mutual Society.
Justice devolution, which is particularly sensitive for unionists, could be completed within six months of a Westminster election. Mr Robinson must tread carefully to avoid handing the TUV any advantage, especially in the North Antrim constituency, which Mr Allister will contest.
Mindful of this Mr Robinson promised everyone would be kept informed and that “progress will be based on people being comfortable in moving forward”.
“I want the whole process to be entirely open and transparent,” he added. “That is why at every stage I have placed in the public domain any and all agreements I have reached.” Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey believes the transfer of policing powers is being rushed and has argued for the Executive to bed down before it is handed the challenge of the administration of justice.
The difficulties inherent in policing were evident with a third consecutive night of rioting in Ardoyne following Monday’s Orange Order parades.
Two teenagers were arrested following the trouble, which saw police officers attacked with bricks and at least one petrol bomb.
Sinn Féin has said dissident republicans, many outside Ardoyne, are responsible for orchestrating what has been the most serious street rioting since 2005.
Some 21 police officers and 11 civilians have been hurt, while 18 plastic bullets have been fired and four water canon deployed.
However republicans opposed to the Stormont institutions have denied any involvement. Spokesmen for Éirígí, the socialist republican organisation and key critic of Sinn Féin, said the only ones responsible for the trouble were the Orange Order and the PSNI.
The Irish Times was told that Sinn Féin was hypocritical for using the trouble to attack its republican critics. Éirígí sources said they opposed the disturbances and its members had no involvement.
North Belfast Assembly member and Sinn Féin junior minister Gerry Kelly revealed yesterday he had been told by the PSNI that he faced death threats.
Mr Kelly said: “They basically said I needed to watch my back. I have to take it seriously but I also have to emphasise that it will make no difference to me or other representatives who have been intimidated.”