THE NORTH'S First Minister, Peter Robinson, has warned of "serious consequences" if the Northern Executive, which has not met over the summer, is not convened by mid-September.
Mr Robinson set his three-week deadline yesterday in response to a warning by Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin that Sinn Féin would walk out of the Executive if policing and justice powers were not transferred to the Executive.
Mr Robinson said he could only conclude from Mr Ó Caoláin's remarks that Sinn Féin had "the intention of collapsing the Assembly if everyone does not concede to their demand for the immediate devolution of policing and justice powers".
He said the DUP would not be "blackmailed or threatened" by Sinn Féin. "When Ministers were appointed they made public and legally-binding pledges, which are not being fulfilled. This cannot continue," said Mr Robinson.
"A meeting of the Executive has been scheduled for September 18th. If this meeting were not to take place it is self-evident that there would be serious consequences for the good government of Northern Ireland and, indeed, potentially for those who refuse to fulfil their legal obligations," added the First Minister.
He refused to spell out what those consequences would be, but his remarks about pledges of office appeared to signal that he would take legal action against Sinn Féin Ministers if they continued to use their veto to block meetings of the Executive, which has not met since mid-June.
This could include charging the Independent Monitoring Commission to decide whether Sinn Féin Ministers were in breach of their ministerial commitments.
Mr Robinson said the failure to call Executive meetings was hindering the work of the Stormont administration. While Ministers could work at departmental level "no new policy or direction can be given without Executive approval".
"Flooding, energy costs, the credit crunch, the safety of our citizens from attack and many other matters would have been raised if the Executive had been meeting," added the First Minister.
Mr Robinson said the days were gone when Sinn Féin could "rely on weak unionists to roll over and work to a republican agenda".
He said there was a basis for making progress on the unresolved issues, which include policing and justice, the Irish language, the Maze stadium and a replacement for the Eleven-Plus education test.
Sinn Féin, while not repudiating Mr Ó Caoláin's comments, struck a more conciliatory note yesterday. Sinn Féin Assembly member Alex Maskey said the DUP must now observe its June commitment to enter into intensive dialogue with Sinn Féin to resolve the outstanding issues.
"This process of intensive engagement has not materialised satisfactorily. Now that Mr Robinson has returned from his holidays, it is vital that he brings a focus to the DUP approach and that the process necessary to resolve outstanding issues now finally gets under way in a serious way," he said.
"If this happens and the necessary political will is demonstrated then I am convinced that progress, can be achieved and outstanding issues effectively addressed," added Mr Maskey.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan said the leaders of Sinn Féin and the DUP were playing a dangerous game of "chicken" with the devolved institutions, which could "only encourage republican dissident groups".
Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson, said that Sinn Féin was threatening the devolved bodies by engaging in "immature and childish tantrums".
Republican Sinn Féin, which is linked to the Continuity IRA, said that Mr Ó Caoláin's threat lacked any credibility.
