Northern Ireland could still have a Sinn Féin policing and justice minister in the future, party leader Gerry Adams insisted today.
The West Belfast MP said an agreement struck between his party and the Democratic Unionist Party that neither of them would take on the new executive department when security powers are devolved to Stormont was not permanent.
He said the deal announced yesterday represented a sensible way of allaying unionist and republican concerns that the other would be given the responsibility.
However he said his party would reserve the right to take the ministry at a future date.
"The term used in the letter (outlining the agreement) is 'initially' and certainly there's absolutely no reason - if Sinn Fein have the mandate - why, leaving aside this arrangement, that as a principle we have the entitlement, if we have the mandate, to any departmental responsibility," he said.
"What we were trying to do in a sensible way was to deal with what are expressed as unionist concerns. There are also nationalist and republican concerns, I mean can you image a DUP justice minister?
"So there's a trade-off here in a sensible way trying to deal with the sensitivities of the issue."
Mr Adams was commenting at his party's Falls Road headquarters at the launch of his party's new 'text
to join' initiative. It will enable people to join Sinn Féin by texting a five-digit number.
DUP Economy minister Arlene Foster tonight denied her party had shifted its position on the issue.
"The Democratic Unionist Party position on the devolution of Policing and Justice Powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly remains utterly unchanged despite some of the spinning going on by other parties," said the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA.
"In 2006 at the Preparation for Government Committee, the position of the Democratic Unionist Party was that we wanted a single ministry.
"That remains our position and that is what has been agreed. Similarly, we stated that we wanted to see a single minister holding the Policing and Justice brief. That remains our position today and that is what has been agreed."
While the lead partners in the powersharing administration have still to agree a timetable for devolution, yesterday they did announce an agreement on the form of the new ministry.
The parties have proposed one Policing and Justice department with one minister. With neither nominating anyone for the position, the way has been left open for one of the region's other main parties to assume the role.
But as any new minister is to be appointed by the Assembly on the basis of a cross-community vote, it is unlikely there would be agreement on an Ulster Unionist or SDLP nomination, leaving the Alliance Party as the likely option.
However, Alliance leader David Ford yesterday his party had no desire to take the position.
With the Ulster Unionists also ruling out the possibility of assuming the role, only the SDLP have stated a desire to take up the ministry.
PA