26/08/2008

NI's Good Governance At Stake: Robinson

There would be serious consequences for the good governance of Northern Ireland if a scheduled meeting of the NI Executive fails to take place next month.

Further increasing tensions over controversial Assembly plans to devolve policing and justice powers, the DUP Leader and NI First Minister Peter Robinson (pictured) has said Sinn Féin's weekend threat, to pull out of the Executive in the absence of progress on devolving policing powers, has endangered the process.

He said DUP movement on such issues would not be hastened by the issuing of threats.

Mr Robinson returned from holidays yesterday to find a new row between his party and Sinn Féin over the policing issue with Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin warning the party would "pull its ministers out of the Executive" if the issue was not resolved.

He said today that in the absence of any statement of correction by Sinn Féin he had to assume this was the party's official position.

But he said he would be pleased if it proved otherwise as he said the 18 September NI Executive meeting must go ahead as scheduled.

Mr Robinson said: "We have a legal responsibility, under our pledge of office, to support the good governance of NI.

"The Executive meetings should be called, there have been important issues raised that should have been dealt with at the Executive... if that were not to take place, there would be very serious consequences, not only for the good governance of Northern Ireland but for those who would stop Northern Ireland being governed properly."

See: Policing Powers Crisis Looming?

(BMcC)

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