Dissident republican groups could be boosted by a failure to stabilise Northern Ireland’s power-sharing Assembly, it was claimed today.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan warned that the deadlock over the devolution of policing and justice powers risked undermining the political institutions.
His comments came as Sinn Fein said the British and Irish governments had failed to deliver on commitments made in the St Andrews Agreement that laid the foundations for the power-sharing government.
The DUP and Sinn Fein are divided over the timing of the transfer of the policing powers from Westminster, with republicans warning that failure to agree a deal by Christmas risked sparking a crisis in the new year.
With a deal yet to be agreed, Mr Durkan said: “While dissidents have been widening their threat and intimidation not just on police officers but their families and the wider community we must send a clear message to those providing policing services they have our total support.
“We take the dissident threat seriously but the challenge is how we ensure that they take our resolve seriously. Our resolve must be much greater than their malice.
“Any threat to the stability of our political institutions feeds into the warped thinking of dissident groups.
“The sooner we agree the devolution of policing and justice, avoid the threat of collapsing our institutions and reject any speculation that Sinn Fein may be planning to withdraw from policing arrangements such as district policing partnerships, the sooner we will defy the agenda of dissident groups.
“This year we need to see greater determination, better decisions and truer democratic accountability. Economic uncertainty should not be compounded by political uncertainty. Next year devolution must be seen to deliver not dither.”
A Sinn Fein spokesman dismissed the claims the party planned to withdraw from policing structures, and in a statement issued by party president Gerry Adams, republicans focused on the need to overcome the political stand-off.
Mr Adams said: “We have continued to show leadership through trying and difficult political circumstances.
“The two governments have failed to deliver on commitments made. Sections of political unionism continue to resist the need for power sharing on the basis of equality and partnership impossible.
“Through all of this our focus has been on ensuring that the all Ireland political institutions are stable and that citizens’ rights and entitlements are guaranteed.”
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness had said a deal on devolution was needed by Christmas, with an early date in 2010 for devolution of the powers.
Mr Adams said: “A Westminster election will take place in 2010. In advance of this a sustained effort to see the implementation of the outstanding aspects of the Good Friday and St Andrews Agreements, including the transfer of powers on policing and justice will take place.
“Republicans will do all in our power to ensure that this is successful. It is the interests of all citizens that we have institutions which can deliver.
“That means institutions operated on the basis of partnership and equality and on the basis that political agreements entered into are implemented.”
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Sir Reg Empey said the political dispute had to end. “Sinn Fein need to stop making threats — we do not want to talk ourselves into a crisis and the DUP need to stop voicing their contradictory message where they are in denial that they are in government with Sinn Fein,” he said.
But leader of the hardline Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) Jim Allister argued against a deal.
“Sinn Fein’s purpose and goal is plain: the ending of British control of policing and justice. It is central to their ‘Brits Out’ strategy, which is why it is such a seminal issue for them.
“Unionists who seek not to thwart but facilitate that goal are utterly misguided,” he said.
PA