Nationalist communities in Northern Ireland want Sinn Féin to move ahead and support the police, a senior Government minister insisted today.
As Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams launched an attempt to persuade his party to change its policy towards the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Minister for Foreign Affairs Demot Ahern pointed to the findings of a recent survey in the province which showed 79 per cent of Catholics had confidence in the police.
"We have been very much picking up that people want them to move on policing," the minister said.
"You saw the (Northern Ireland Policing Board) survey. You are never going to get 100 per cent (support).
"Even in the Republic, you get people here giving out about the Gardaí. So you will never get 100 per cent.
"But, by and large, I think people accept the PSNI is a reformed police service and probably the most oversighted police service and will continue to be in the future.
"I think people accept now that they have to move on and they have to try and put the past behind them as much as possible for the betterment of the younger people coming on."
Mr Ahern said it was essential Sinn Féin and the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists continued to move together to advance the political process in Northern Ireland in the coming months.
But with the Irish and British governments keeping on standby an alternative plan should their bid to revive power sharing by March fail, Mr Ahern moved to dispel any unionist fears that the Government would prefer Plan B.
"Some people, to some extent, might see it preferable that there is no devolved government in place in the North, that from an Government point of view we would have a better connection and a better communication with the British government dealing over the heads, in effect, of people on cross-border issues," he said.
"But the Taoiseach has been clear that he would far rather deal with people who were elected politicians from both communities, dealing with them on a one-to-one basis."
Mr Ahern insisted if the two governments had to turn to Plan B, it should not spook unionists.
"I do not think unionists should have anything to fear from Plan B," he said.
PA