Northern Ireland is not ready to take over crucial policing powers which could salvage the power-sharing government, the Alliance Party claimed today.
The budget for justice was inadequate and people needed to see stability in the ministerial Executive before policing and justice was devolved, leader David Ford told his annual conference in Bangor, Co Down.
Mr Ford’s party is one of the candidates to take the new ministerial post.
Coalition partners Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) are locked in negotiations to break an impasse preventing the Executive from meeting for three months.
Mr Ford said: “We have seen a much more peaceful atmosphere on the streets but instability in the Executive.
“The condition is now reserved, the people need to see stability in the Executive before there could be devolution of justice to deal with issues on the streets.”
Under an outline deal announced earlier this the DUP and Sinn Fein agreed their parties would not take up the powerful justice role. The Alliance party has been touted as a possible candidate but the UUP and SDLP have also staked a claim for the post.
Sinn Féin has been pressing for speedy devolution but the DUP wants to take more time to ensure the conditions are right.
DUP leader Peter Robinson today told police chief constable Sir Hugh Orde to stay out of politics.
Sir Hugh said the Executive’s failure to meet, after another official meeting was cancelled on Thursday, left a vacuum which dissident republicans opposed to the peace process were exploiting with attacks on police.
Mr Ford added: “To those of you who are hungry to see Alliance taking power, I can assure you that we will be in power soon, when the conditions are right.
“They are not right at the moment. Fundamental changes need to be made across government. We are not interested in being thrown a few sweeties.
“Our demands are much higher, because we care about the future of this community".
Mr Ford added his party would not throw away trust over policing and justice.
"We will not be used to apply a sticking plaster over a serious fault line within the Executive. There must be fundamental reform.
"I care too deeply about the future of this society to prop up a failing sectarian and sectional Executive," he said.