'Deadline' over NI policing impasse

New recruits could be on the street by next spring

The SDLP's deputy leader has said next weekend is the deadline for a deal to break the impasse on the Northern Ireland policing issue.

The nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party is holding back its endorsement of the new service, hoping to gain promises of further police reforms from the government.

Seamus Mallon said there was no new thinking on how to break the logjam.

Speaking on BBC NI's Inside Politics programme, he said next week's round table talks involving the two governments, would be decision time.

Mr Mallon said: "The object of the exercise would be to draw things to a close, wherever that close leads us rather than to let the whole process bleed away as it is at present.

"I think anybody involved or looking at this would recognise that we have now come to a stage.

"There's nothing new to be said about any of these issues."

These discussions will follow weeks of intensive talks between the parties and the two governments aimed at breaking the political deadlock in Northern Ireland over decommissioning, demilitarisation and policing reform.

Seamus Mallon: Decision time next weekend

On Thursday, the Ulster Unionist leader and First Minister David Trimble said the failure of the republican movement to keep its promises was the "sole cause of the problem" in the peace process.

He said Ulster Unionists went back into the executive last year following promises made by republicans on decommissioning, but these were not kept.

On Friday, a recruitment campaign got under way for the new Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The service will replace the Royal Ulster Constabulary, under the provisions of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Sinn Fein has urged nationalists not to apply to the service and has claimed the recruitment, coming ahead of resolution of the policing issue, is illegal.

It is expected that Protestants and Catholics would be recruited on a 50/50 basis.

Protestants currently make up 92% of the RUC.

The new officers will wear a uniform different to that of the RUC and bearing different emblems. As yet neither has been decided on.

About 500 police officers are expected to quit the RUC next month as part of the severance arrangements negotiated after the Patten report on the future of policing in Northern Ireland.

Financial provisions are in place for a further 750 officers to leave over the next 12 months.

The beginning to recruitment now could see the new officers on the streets by next spring.

The SDLP and Sinn Fein say there is still a "gap" between what was proposed in the Patten report and what the British Government has put forward and have so far refused to put forward nominees to the new Police Board.

Their concerns include:

plans for the phasing out of the full-time reserve

future of the RUC Special Branch

name of the new service

police badge

flags over police stations

independent inquiries into controversial killings.