Dissident groups 'are lunatics'

Shaun Woodward was speaking at a meeting of the British-Irish Inter-parliamentary body.

He said the dissidents had no support within the community.

What was now significant was the response of Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness both calling on people to support the police, he said.

Mr Woodward also said that the devolution of policing and justice powers was a matter for the assembly and could not be imposed.

He said the government was ready to hand over such powers next May.

The British-Irish Inter-parliamentary body was meeting in Oxfordshire on Monday.