It will take years before policing and justice powers are transferred to a devolved Northern government if Sinn Féin continues to delay endorsing the police, the DUP said today.
After the first meeting of the programme for government committee at Stormont, deputy leader Peter Robinson insisted Sinn Fein needed to create community confidence in policing and justice being handled by power-sharing ministers.
The East Belfast MP said: "At the rate Sinn Féin are going at the present time it will be several political lifetimes. They really have to get down to it.
"They have to create the political confidence with the community that these issues can be dealt with."
Mr Robinson's comments were a stark reminder of the main obstacle to power sharing government being restored next March.
The main hindrance to progress remains Sinn Féin's position on policing and justice, with the DUP insisting it will not share power with a party that fails to declare support for the PSNI and other policing and justice arrangements contained in the Belfast Agreement.
Mr Robinson headed the DUP's delegation at the inaugural meeting of the committee today which was tasked with preparing a programme for a new power-sharing government.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said after the meeting that progress had been made. "It's inch by inch. But given that some people used to say 'not an inch' that's, I think, quite appropriate."
Mr Adams said the party did not discuss the transfer of policing and justice powers.
"The parties had discussed economic issues and also procedural issues about how the committee would work. We have agreed to at least look at sub-committees to look at economic issues but also policing, rural regeneration, to bring forward an anti-poverty strategy," the Sinn Fein leader said.
London is planning to enact emergency legislation tomorrow giving effect to the two government's power-sharing plan. And a "transitional" Assembly is due to convene of Friday when the DUP and Sinn Féin are due to indicate who will they will nominate as shadow first minister and deputy shadow first minister respectively.
Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey described today's meeting as a gathering of the virtual shadow executive but said it was unclear what type of meeting had been held.
The East Belfast Assembly member said his party had also asked the Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain to explain why the cross-community Alliance Party was being excluded from discussions.
"It's not clear how this is going to settle down," the former Stormont Economy Minister said.
"The one thing that is clear are the things that matter to people. There are things like water charges that are coming down the road very fast. There are things concerning the Chancellor of the Exchequer's financial package.
The meeting was chaired by the Assembly's Deputy Speaker, Francie Molloy of Sinn Fein.
PA