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Christmas deadline for policing and justice powers is unfeasible: Peter Robinson

By Noel McAdam

Sinn Fein is aware a date for the transfer of policing and justice powers to Stormont could not “logistically” be given before Christmas, First Minister Peter Robinson has insisted.

In an article for the Belfast Telegraph, the DUP leader also argues it is foolish to suggest Sinn Fein should be rewarded for supporting policing by “coming up to the same basic standards as everyone else”.

Mr Robinson was responding to an article written for the Belfast Telegraph earlier this month by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, who warned power-sharing would become “unsustainable” unless agreement on the handover of responsibility for courts, prisons and the police was reached soon.

Mr Robinson’s counter-attack came after tensions between the Stormont ‘top two’ spilled into the public arena for the first time at the latest North South Ministerial Council meeting yesterday, with a spat over the DUP’s insistence that the Parades Commission should be axed.

Asked if he planned to resign if a date for the devolution of justice is not agreed in the next fortnight, Mr McGuinness said he had an agreement with Mr Robinson but it did not contain pre-conditions on going off on “solo runs” to the Prime Minister.

Belfast Telegraph

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