Talks make progress despite DUP doubts

THE TALKS between the DUP and Sinn Féin are continuing to make steady progress on policing and justice, according to senior sources, notwithstanding comments by DUP MP Gregory Campbell that the negotiators were “not on the cusp” of a deal.

Acting First Minister Arlene Foster, who has temporarily taken over from Peter Robinson as he leads his party in the talks and deals with personal issues, told the Assembly yesterday that the Scottish parliament had control over justice matters without there being a “threat to the union” and the Welsh Assembly was moving in the same direction.

“I think policing and justice when the outstanding issues are dealt with will be good for all of the people of Northern Ireland,” she said.

The DUP and Sinn Féin talks teams led respectively by Mr Robinson and Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness are not only trying to agree a date for devolving policing and justice but also to devise a blueprint that will demonstrate that the often dysfunctional Northern Executive can work, talks source added.

Both senior DUP and Sinn Féin figures appeared unperturbed by comments from East Derry MP Gregory Campbell to BBC Radio Foyle and to reporters at Stormont yesterday that set an indefinite timescale for agreement.

Mr Campbell nonetheless allowed that progress was being made but reiterated that the DUP would “not be bound by a timescale”. He repeated that devolution of policing would happen when the DUP was satisfied there was full community “confidence” for such a move.

That could take “six weeks, six months or six years”, he said, adding that he believed the talks teams “were not on the cusp” of a deal. “It doesn’t matter what the time is, it doesn’t matter if it’s tomorrow or in a decade, the important thing is to get the conditions,” he said.

A Sinn Féin source said while Mr Campbell was viewed as generally antipathetic to a move on policing whether that move would happen essentially was for the DUP leadership.

A DUP source said that both sides were genuinely engaged. “People are continuing to work on the issues to get them resolved,” he said.

The DUP and Sinn Féin talks teams after holding further talks at Stormont Castle last night are due to resume negotiations today. Talks sources, with the usual caveats, agreed there was a real potential for a deal, and that it could happen this week.

Sources also said as well as policing and justice and parading that there was also an effort to produce a more “expansive” document after the talks that would “help demonstrate that the Northern Executive could function properly”.

There were also suggestions last night that any deal that is struck will be conditional in that the DUP will then take some time to establish whether there is unionist confidence to proceed with the agreement. Sinn Féin could be amenable to this if the time is relatively short.

The DUP and Sinn Féin are also expected to shortly start providing more information about their negotiations to the Ulster Unionist Party, the SDLP and Alliance.

Alliance leader David Ford, who is likely to get the justice portfolio if policing and justice matters are devolved, said he welcomed assurances from acting First Minister Ms Foster that other parties would be included in the talks.

“This is essential if devolution is to deliver for all of the people of Northern Ireland. I also told the Minister that progress on clearing the logjam of outstanding issues would be the best way of building confidence in the Assembly and the Executive,” added Mr Ford.

SDLP Assembly member Alex Attwood said the Parades Commission, whose tenure was extended for a year at Christmas, must not be abolished as part of a deal.

Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister, who is campaigning against a deal, predicted that the “great and the good will all be wheeled out as salesmen and spin merchants” for a DUP/Sinn Féin agreement.