DUP in 'no mood' to share power

As efforts continue to kick-start the stalled Northern Ireland political process, BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport assesses the key issues concerning the Democratic Unionists.

Northern Ireland's biggest party, the DUP, came close to doing a deal with Sinn Fein in December 2004.

But now it appears in no mood to share power with republicans in the near or medium-term future.

Ian Paisley said the IMC report "justified" doubts over IRA arms

The DUP was dissatisfied with last year's IRA decommissioning because of the absence of photographic proof.

Now DUP MPs say the recent report from the Independent Monitoring Commission "justified" their doubts about IRA disarmament and whether republicans have ended paramilitary activity.

The DUP highlighted the sections of the IMC report which dealt with IRA involvement in intelligence gathering and organised crime and which suggested that IRA members might have held on to some of their guns.

Instead of a return to a power-sharing executive including Sinn Fein, the DUP has suggested a variety of "halfway house" options which would see the Stormont assembly return with fewer powers.

They say the assembly could be purely consultative or could make laws in conjunction with Northern Ireland Office ministers.

Another option would be to let senior civil servants run government departments but be answerable to the assembly.

The party's latest position paper "Facing Reality" doesn't opt for any one of these options - instead it says they are all models that can be considered.

The DUP does not object in principle to the transfer of policing and justice powers to local politicians, but insists that this cannot occur until there is sufficient community confidence.

The DUP is unhappy with many aspects of direct rule, including Peter Hain's proposed reforms of local government and education

It says the precise departmental structure must be agreed between the parties in negotiations.

The DUP has welcomed the reconstitution of the Policing Board from April which should increase its representation from three to four.

It wants Sinn Fein excluded from the board, and has warned that if republicans join in the current circumstances it would withdraw from the board.

The DUP wants an end to the police's current policy of 50/50 recruitment of Protestants and Catholics.

The DUP is unhappy with many aspects of direct rule, including Peter Hain's proposed reforms of local government and education.

It has been demanding what it calls "confidence building measures" for unionists.

In particular, it has been talking to the Defence Ministry about financial compensation for Royal Irish Regiment soldiers who will be laid off as the Army cuts its numbers in Northern Ireland.