Stormont crisis talks expected all week
Second day of crisis talks on future of devolved Northern Ireland government take place at Hillsborough Castle
Tuesday, 26, Jan 2010 12:12
By Matthew Champion.
Crisis talks to avert a breakdown of the devolved Northern Ireland government are expected to drag on for the rest of the week.
As the British and Irish premiers Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen prepared to rejoin discussions after flying to Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, for emergency talks last night, first minister Peter Robinson said an agreement on policing and justice was a long way off.
The full devolution of powers from Westminster to the coalition at the Northern Ireland assembly has been delayed by disagreements over policing and justice, which Sinn Fein wants transferred to Stormont immediately.
The DUP, led by Mr Robinson, insists there is not sufficient "community confidence" to devolve the powers, however, and says it never agreed to a set timetable for the transfer.
Mr Robinson, who is technically temporarily stood down following allegations about his wife Iris' private and financial dealings, said talks on a "wide range of issues" concluded at 03:10 GMT last night.
"I can't say whether there's going to be a deal. But we are going to sit at the table and talk to other people until we can [get one]," he said, dubbing policing and justice a "life and death issue".
"The processes of government are such that the [policing and justice department] cannot be dysfunctional," he continued. "It's a critical matter for us and we're not there yet in terms of being satisfied."
Another bone of contention between the DUP and Sinn Fein, represented at talks by Gerry Adams and deputy first minister Martin McGuinness, is the Parades Commission, which can place conditions on some of Ulster's most contentious marches. The DUP want it to be scrapped, however.
Downing St has admitted that talks at Hillsborough Castle have been "hard going".
"There was frank discussion across a range of issues," a spokesperson said.
"The prime minister and taoiseach remain determined that progress can be made, so discussions will continue on Tuesday morning."
Sinn Fein minister Conor Murphy has hinted that if talks stall, US negotiators could get involved, with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton watching events.
"Certainly the Americans are keeping a very close watching brief on this," he said. "I know [Mrs Clinton] has spoken to people involved."
Mr Brown, who has delayed a Cabinet meeting to stay in Belfast, has meanwhile privately expressed his astonishment at the recent Conservative approach to the crisis.
It has emerged that senior Tories held secret talks with unionists at an English country estate earlier this month in an apparent bid to limit or sidestep the influence of Sinn Fein or the SDLP.