THE DUP will actively seek unionist support for the devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont when acceptable structures have been agreed with Sinn Féin, party leader Peter Robinson has promised.
The First Minister has also announced he has agreed to the use of "urgent procedure" to clear Executive papers which will help facilitate the presence of both him and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at tomorrow's meeting of the British-Irish Council (BIC) meeting in Scotland.
Their attendance at the BIC, set up under the Belfast Agreement to facilitate east-west links, has been in doubt because the Executive has not met in three months.
Addressing the Northern Ireland branch of the Confederation of British Industry yesterday, Mr Robinson referred to the impasse that has stalled the Executive since June.
"There is no political, logical, moral or legal justification for blocking Executive meetings," he said. "I am ready to convene a meeting at any time. The sooner the better."
Linking this to ongoing talks on the transfer of justice powers, a key Sinn Féin demand, Mr Robinson said: "Failure to have a properly functioning Executive is stalling progress on policing and justice.
"Not unreasonably, I want to ensure there is community confidence for these powers being devolved and when structures are agreed which meet the proper and understandable concerns of the public on this matter, then I and my colleagues will actively seek that community support."
The DUP leader believes devolution depends on an acceptable agreement being reached with Sinn Féin on how any new justice department is to be run.
Sinn Féin, meanwhile, is holding to its demand for a timetable for devolution.
Mr Robinson also hoped he and Mr McGuinness would be able to attend the BIC meeting which convenes in Edinburgh tomorrow.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen has confirmed his attendance at the meeting, which will be chaired by Scottish first minister Alex Salmond.
"There is an urgent procedure that can be used - indeed it can only be used in circumstances where there is not an Executive meeting scheduled," Mr Robinson said.
"There is no further meeting of the Executive scheduled before the BIC meeting. On that basis I have been willing to approve of the urgent procedure being used and I believe that Martin McGuinness has equally approved, but there is a process to be gone through. Hopefully we will both be present at the BIC meeting."
The Irish Times understands the next Executive meeting is scheduled for Thursday October 2nd.
A meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council is also planned for late next week, but it remained unclear last night if this was going to proceed as planned.
Mr Robinson said that in the absence of formal meetings of the Executive, "then written procedure is one mechanism that can be used to ensure that the whole business of government does not get clogged up".
This course of action depended on the agreement of Mr McGuinness, he added.
The First Minister said this did represent a measure of progress but cautioned: "I still think it is not the answer. The answer to the difficulty we have is to have proper functioning Executive meetings."
Talks between Sinn Féin and the DUP have continued to try to find a way out of the impasse between the two parties which has prevented Executive meetings.
One unionist source said yesterday talks have been held on the vexed issue of education reform, one of the key areas of division between the two sides.
It is further understood that expansion of the BIC and the establishment of a permanent secretariat to handle the increased workload are being sought by unionists.