The North's four largest parties have begun discussions on the possible framework for devolution of policing and justice to Stormont. The issue remains the largest unresolved concern blocking the path to powersharing between the DUP and Sinn Féin.
Under the British and Irish governments' timetable, the parties have until January 3rd to complete their report. The Assembly will be formally dissolved at the end of January when campaigning begins for the March 7th elections to a new Assembly.
The first meeting of the policing group, a sub-committee of the Programme for Government Committee envisaged at St Andrews in October, was held in camera yesterday and no official transcripts are being published.
Papers were submitted by the SDLP, Sinn Féin and the DUP. The Ulster Unionists will not be putting its written ideas to the committee. One party source said last night the production of position papers was pointless without the participation of party leaders on the committee.
The committee is "not making enough progress in the issue of policing and justice", he said. "We have still had no debate on the three main issues - DUP backing for powersharing, SF support for the police, and the devolution of justice powers."
DUP sources were tight-lipped yesterday, but The Irish Times understands it favours any appointment of a policing and justice minister to be made on a 70 per cent cross-community basis. This would ensure that a nominee deemed hostile to unionist interests could be blocked by sheer force of unionist numbers.
However, others present expressed opposition to another DUP idea that a policing minister should not have a vote at the Executive table.
The SDLP and Sinn Féin are arguing for retention of the d'Hondt process for the nomination of ministers to departments. The SDLP is also floating the idea of delayed transfer of full powers to facilitate the building of trust between the DUP and Sinn Féin. The party wants major transfer of powers to begin with, and completion of devolution in six months.
Republicans are continuing to press for a time-tabled devolution of powers to prove DUP good intent on the issue of devolution and powersharing.
The DUP was represented yesterday by deputy leader Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster. The Sinn Féin delegation comprised policing spokesman Gerry Kelly and Raymond McCartney.
Alex Attwood represented the SDLP, while the Ulster Unionist members were Fred Cobain and Alan McFarland. The Alliance party is not represented on the committee.
Sources indicated last night that the DUP chairman, Derry Assembly member William Hay, adopted a positive approach to the discussions.
The committee is due to meet again next Tuesday at Stormont.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has instructed his solicitor to request that Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan investigate a gun attack on him in 1984.
His move follows a report in the Andersonstown News which claimed that intelligence sources were told by a loyalist double agent a week before the attack that it was to take place.