The Taoiseach Brian Cowen and his British counterpart Gordon Brown stressed the importance of the early completion of the devolution of justice and policing powers to the democratic institutions in Northern Ireland following a meeting in London today.
A joint statement released this evening said both leaders “fully recognised the achievements of the devolved institutions to date” and they reaffirmed “the template for further progress remains the full implementation of the commitments outlined in the Good Friday and St Andrews Agreements.”
The statement read: “In this regard, the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach stressed the importance of the early completion of the devolution of justice and policing powers, now that the enabling financial package was in place. They agreed that this was necessary both to consolidate the functioning of the devolved institutions and to complete the transformation of policing in Northern Ireland.
“The Prime Minister and Taoiseach congratulated the PSNI and the Garda Síochána on the ongoing high level of co-operation to meet the challenge of the destructive efforts of a tiny minority who are seeking, through violence, to destroy the political progress of recent years.
“The Prime Minister and Taoiseach agreed to work closely together, and with the parties, in the next few weeks to overcome the remaining obstacles to finding an agreed basis on which the devolution of justice and policing powers can take place at an early date,” the statement concluded.
Sinn Féin has accused the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of delaying the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster to the Stormont Assembly.
But while republicans have said that failure to secure a deal by Christmas will spark a crisis for the power-sharing government, the DUP has said it will not agree to a deal in the face of Sinn Féin demands, and has called for confidence building measures for unionists ahead of agreement.
Tension mounted over the weekend as Sinn Féin claimed the DUP is pursuing policies that will create a political train wreck in Northern Ireland.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, after holding talks with Mr Cowen in Tullamore on Saturday, said Sinn Féin required a commitment from DUP leader Peter Robinson before Christmas to see policing and justice powers transferred early in the new year.
Sinn Féin chairman Declan Kearney yesterday accused the DUP of pursuing a “train wreck political strategy” which would have inevitable “political consequences” – a comment the British and Irish governments fear means Sinn Féin would walk out of the Assembly and Executive if policing and justice powers are not speedily devolved.