Paisley pressed to devolve police

Mr Woodward was speaking at Belfast's Criminal Justice Week

The government has put fresh pressure on Ian Paisley to agree to devolve policing and justice powers to the Stormont Executive.

Both London and Dublin want the final piece of the devolution jigsaw to be completed by May.

Speaking in Belfast, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Shaun Woodward urged a change of heart.

He said he hoped that sooner rather than later local politicians "will embrace the final part of devolution".

Mr Woodward said real leadership would enable the executive "to get on with actually running policing and criminal justice for themselves."

Responding to a call for action by Gordon Brown and Bertie Ahern, Mr Paisley last week told the Stormont Assembly that as First Minister he had "absolutely no intention" of bringing such a proposal to the Assembly.

The DUP says there is insufficient community confidence in Sinn Fein's commitment to the rule of law for the transfer of the powers yet.

UUP leader Sir Reg Empey recently told the BBC's Inside Politics programme: "I don't believe at the moment that there is an appetite out there for any devolution of policing and justice."

While Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, is pressing for devolution of policing and justice powers, Mr Paisley said the move could only happen with the necessary support within communities.