Trimble warning on police control

Lack of trust remains an issue for David Trimble

The government must not consider the devolution of justice and policing in Northern Ireland in the near future, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has warned.

Mr Trimble said that even in the context of "acts of completion" by republicans, there would still be insufficient confidence among unionists to sustain devolving justice.

Before the suspension of the assembly on 14 October, the UUP leader and former first minister had argued for bringing policing and justice issues under the control of the power-sharing executive.

But since then, there has been a breakdown of trust between unionists and republicans over allegations of IRA spying at Stormont.

The control of policing concerns unionists

Speaking in Strabane, County Tyrone, on Thursday night, Mr Trimble said it would take time for that confidence to be restored.

"Republicans must realise that the immediate post-Agreement optimism cannot be easily rekindled.

"After the events and revelations of the last year, it will never be glad morning again."

'Public safety issues'

He described new legislation which will allow former paramilitary prisoners to join the district policing partnerships as a "sop to Sinn Fein".

The legislation is due to be introduced in Parliament next week.

"Persons who have had a custodial sentence for their criminal activities do not have a contribution to make on public safety issues," said the Ulster Unionist leader.

Bringing Sinn Fein on to the Policing Board would cause more problems than it would solve

David Trimble
UUP leader

The party has warned it could withdraw from the Northern Ireland Policing Board if Sinn Fein takes its seats without total decommissioning by the IRA.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Friday, Mr Trimble denied he had done a u-turn on the issue.

"In principle, we are in favour of the devolution of policing and justice and it will be the mark of the coming of age of our institutions here," he said.

"But who thinks our institutions are about to come of age when we have just had one of the participants in it discovered not to be playing the game but to be involved in a huge spy ring."

'Pushed progress back'

The UUP leader said he was concerned that some people thought the move "could be parachuted in within the next few months".

He said he had been optimistic in March, but that had waned since allegations of IRA activity in Colombia, street violence, the Castlereagh break-in and the police raids on Sinn Fein's offices at Stormont.

We need to recognise that we are playing for big stakes here. This is about the future prosperity of our country

Martin McGuinness
Sinn Fein

"That is a mark of the extent to which the republican movement has let everybody in Northern Ireland down.

"They, by their criminality, have pushed progress back."

He added: "The first challenge is for republicans to reform, to do that speedily, and then perhaps we can get back on track."

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said Mr Trimble had made "an unfortunate and unhelpful contribution".

He said all issues could be discussed over the next 10 weeks.

"These 10 weeks will be critical for the future of this entire process.

"We need to recognise that we are playing for big stakes here. This is about the future prosperity of our country."

'No mechanism'

The Mid Ulster MP said he found Mr Trimble's statement very surprising.

SDLP Policing Board member Alex Attwood said Mr Trimble and his party were well aware of what had been agreed on the devolution of policing and justice.

"Everybody knew about it, and in recent times the British Government are about to table legislation that will substantially legislate for the Weston Park deal," he said.

"Even those issues over which there are some uncertainties, we believe that they will be rectified before that new legislation comes into enactment."

The Ulster Unionists have insisted they will not return to power-sharing with Sinn Fein until there is absolute certainty the IRA will cease all paramilitary activity.

Martin McGuinness: "Big stakes"

Following the collapse of power-sharing at Stormont, current legislation dictates that the British and Irish Governments must review the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement on which devolution was based.

But unless some common ground can be found between the parties on how to proceed, there is no mechanism for reinstating the power-sharing executive.

Both the governments have stressed that there will be no re-negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement.