SINN FÉIN has warned the DUP against new preconditions on the transfer of policing and justice powers after DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson yesterday said the devolution of these powers could not happen if the police full-time reserve was abolished.
Two weeks ago First Minister Peter Robinson triggered British, Irish and Sinn Féin concern when he made the abolition of the Parades Commission a precondition to the DUP agreeing to the transfer of justice powers to the Northern Executive.
Lagan Valley MP Mr Donaldson further upped the ante yesterday by demanding that the new PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott retreat from his decision, announced last week, to phase out the full-time reserve by 2011.
This will affect some 440 full-time reserve officers, quite a number of whom have accepted the redundancy package on offer under the Patten police reform proposals.
Mr Donaldson issued this latest precondition when under pressure yesterday morning on BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show from presenter Stephen Nolan and Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party which opposes powersharing with Sinn Féin.
Mr Donaldson held to this position when speaking to The Irish Times yesterday evening. He said the element of the full-time reserve which wished to remain in the force should be retained.
Asked was this a precondition he said, “We believe that in the absence of resolving this matter and some other issues like parades and PPWs [personal protection weapons for retired and off-duty police officers] that the public confidence simply isn’t there to allow devolution to proceed.
“The precondition is building public confidence and these are the issues that help to build public confidence. So the whole package is a precondition because building public confidence is a precondition,” he said.
