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MAGINNESS: NO REASON FOR DELAYING JUSTICE DEVOLUTION SDLP Justice Spokesperson Alban Maginness said there is no excuse for the DUP delaying the devolution of policing and justice and no excuse for Sinn Fein boycotting Executive meetings. He said: “Our position is clear and simple – devolution is long overdue and should proceed without further delay and the Minister should be appointed using the d’Hondt formula specified in the Good Friday Agreement. “The DUP argument about a lack of confidence in devolution is self-serving nonsense which is refuted by opinion polls. How can anyone claim that the weekly debacle and failure to hold Executive meetings is inspiring confidence in anything? “Sinn Fein has blocked Executive meetings for nearly four months using a shifting range of excuses. The latest dishonest diversion by Martin McGuinness is to point to delays in meetings of the previous Executive between June of 1998 and the winter of 1999. “At that time there was no devolution and no Executive. And of course Martin McGuinness neglected to mention that the hold up was due to a stand off between Sinn Fein and the Ulster Unionist Party over decommissioning of Provisional IRA weapons, which the Provisional movement delayed for another six years. “Last month the SDLP tabled a motion in the Assembly which called on the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to bring forward a paper on the devolution of justice and policing. It was backed unanimously. So who in the DUP and Sinn Fein are blocking this now? Who is refusing to discuss these issues within the Executive? “Devolution
of policing and justice is the final element of the Good Friday
Agreement and the SDLP wants it to happen now. It is right and
proper that our legislative assembly should be responsible for
criminal law and help fend off the threat of dissident violence.
Sinn Fein got themselves into this position because of their negotiating
incompetence and boycotting the Executive will not get them out
of it.” |
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