THE TRANSFER of policing and justice powers to the Northern Executive would help to consolidate political stability in Northern Ireland, but it would require political courage to make that happen, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works Dr Martin Mansergh, has told the British-Irish Association.
Early progress must be made to resolve the outstanding issues that are blocking the final moves to complete devolution in Northern Ireland, Dr Mansergh said at the conference in Oxford.
Dr Mansergh was delivering last night’s keynote speech at the association’s annual conference, the body that meets in Oxford and Cambridge to discuss matters relevant to the Irish peace process.
The association, which attracts politicians, academics, business people, clergy, journalists and others, discusses a wide range of political, economic and general matters. It is held under the Chatham House rule, which requires that discussions remain private to encourage a frank exchange of views.
Dr Mansergh, who was happy that extracts from his speech be published, said that the “broad elements” of an agreement were in place to settle outstanding matters such as policing and justice, promotion of the Irish language, educational reform and a future use for the Maze prison site.
While the DUP says its supports devolving policing and justice only when there is sufficient unionist confidence for such a move, and when it is satisfied that the IRA is “out of the equation”, Dr Mansergh said he believed there was sufficient public confidence to transfer policing and justice powers. “Further political courage is needed to take this important step which would help consolidate the real and positive changes made in the North,” he said.
He suggested that this week’s Independent Monitoring Commission’s finding that the IRA and its army council was no longer “functional or operational” should be the spur for progress.
“It is legitimate to strive for the bottom line of a completely paramilitary-free political environment in Northern Ireland, but some pragmatism may be needed as to how that will be achieved in a climate of political co-operation,” said Dr Mansergh.
Referring to dissident republican groups, he said there were organisations that wanted the peace process to collapse. “Though utterly discredited by the Omagh bomb tragedy of 10 years ago, they have been about their despicable work over the summer, in Derry, in Castlederg, in Lisnaskea, and elsewhere.
“They do not want to see effective policing in the North. They ignore the voice of the people, and cling to anachronistic majoritarian thinking that everyone knows leads only down a cul-de-sac. They are trying to undermine the new dispensation, but they will find in Irish democracy, which they deny exists, a resolute and insuperable obstacle,” added the Minister.
On the Irish language, Dr Mansergh said: “The Irish Government has worked consistently to secure implementation of the agreement made at St Andrews, including the commitment to an Irish language Act. We recognise that progress in this regard requires direct engagement by the parties, and a readiness to find mutually acceptable solutions.”
Referring to talks between the DUP and Sinn Féin addressing the outstanding issues, Dr Mansergh said that “taking hard decisions is what . . . normal politics is or should be about”.
He said that, with the necessary skill and will, “the parties in the Executive and the Assembly can work together to craft acceptable, and if necessary composite, solutions to even the most challenging issues”,