DUP sanctions 'may be illegal'

DUP ministers unfazed by pro-agreement offensive

Two Democratic Unionist Party ministers on Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive have said the refusal to provide them with cabinet papers may be illegal.

Executive committee papers will not be released to social development minister Nigel Dodds and the minister for regional development, Peter Robinson, pending assurances they will not breach confidentiality rules.

The decision to impose sanctions was announced following Thursday's executive meeting and has been defended by higher and further education minister Dr Sean Farren of the Social Democratic and Labour Party.

The two anti-agreement DUP ministers said their intention to disrupt power-sharing, because of their objections to Sinn Fein ministers, would not affect the general public.

What authority does anybody have, or what kind of world do we live in where, before you do anything wrong, they punish you

Peter Robinson

They asked why Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble appeared anxious to take action against the DUP while Sinn Fein ministers took part in executive meetings - despite allegations that the IRA was involved in the murder of Edmund McCoy.

Mr McCoy was shot dead in Dunmurry, outside Belfast, 12 days ago.

Mr Robinson said Mr Trimble's priority "was to attempt to punish those who refused to endorse his shabby surrender".

Mr Robinson asked: "What authority does anybody have, or what kind of world do we live in where, before you do anything wrong, they punish you?"

Threat of court challenge

Both Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds said they resented any implication they would breach cabinet confidentiality and challenged Mr Trimble to attempt to expel them from the executive.

Mr Robinson said: "If he was to withhold all cabinet papers from us then clearly there would be a number of documents relating to finance, for instance, that would not be made available to us.

"I don't think he can legally do that. I think he would be challenged in court if he denied to a minister matters that are relevant and necessary for the functioning of a department.

"And I know he would be legally challenged if he attempted to do that," the regional development minister said.

The two DUP ministers have refused to take their seats in executive meetings because of the presence of Sinn Fein ministers.

DUP tables motion to exclude Sinn Fein

They have also indicated their intention to rotate the posts around other party members to stop pro-agreement parties taking them.

But Ulster Unionist minister Michael McGimpsey described the threat of legal action as the "latest step in the sham fight".

He said he would welcome the attempt to bring the issue to court.

Denies 'games' accusation

Earlier on Friday, SDLP minister Sean Farren said the executive could not regard the stance of the DUP ministers as a "minor inconvenience".

"It is a stand which can adversely affect the delivery of good government - not just in the departments in which they have a responsibility, but in terms of the collective responsibility that we all have, in different departments relating to each other."

The SDLP minister denied the executive was playing "silly games" and stressed the cabinet was discharging its responsibility effectively.

He said Mr Dodds and Mr Robinson needed to provided assurances that they would adhere to cabinet confidentiality before the provision of executive committee papers could be resumed.

Announcing the sanction on Thursday, First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon said the two DUP ministers would still receive executive papers deemed relevant to their departments, but would not receive any other material.

Mr Trimble added that the two DUP ministers would not be invited to attend the UK-wide British-Irish Ministerial Council, also set up under the agreement.