The British and Irish governments hope that a statement today by British prime minister Tony Blair on MI5's relationship with the PSNI will provide the additional reassurance to persuade Sinn Féin to press ahead with an ardfheis on policing this month.
The Sinn Féin officer board yesterday called an ardchomhairle meeting for Saturday which is expected to decide whether to proceed with the ardfheis. Ultimately, it is for Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams to recommend if the ardfheis should take place and last night there was a guarded sense of optimism in Dublin and London that he would take that decision.
This was bolstered by an initial positive response from Sinn Féin to a Downing Street announcement that Mr Blair will today issue a statement pledging that MI5 will be kept separate from civic policing.
Mr Blair decided on this statement following negotiations with Mr Adams over recent days. "We believe that that is a positive outcome from a very, very intensive engagement," said Sinn Féin general secretary Mitchel McLaughlin yesterday.
DUP hardliners may oppose this move on MI5. However, if the party leadership takes a benign or neutral view, then that could enhance the prospects of an ardfheis, said senior sources in London and Dublin.
"I think we are edging forward towards a deal," said a senior London source last night. This was echoed by a Dublin talks insider who hoped that the move on MI5 would make it easier for Mr Adams to push ahead with the ardfheis.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern appeared reconciled to the prevailing opinion in London and Belfast that DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley, while promising reciprocation if Sinn Féin first moves on policing, will not issue a guaranteed commitment to share power with Sinn Féin by the St Andrews deadline of March 26th, or indicate acceptance of devolution of policing powers by the target date of May next year.
In Dublin last night Mr Ahern said that regardless of whether such a commitment was forthcoming, "policing should be dealt with anyway".
Mr Ahern said that Ian Paisley jnr's appearance on RTÉ's Questions and Answers on Monday night, where he said the DUP would not be found wanting if Sinn Féin delivered on policing, was designed to be "helpful". A DUP spokesman in a statement last night also repeated Dr Paisley's comment on New Year's Day that "when Sinn Féin delivers on its obligations the DUP will not be found wanting".