Allister remarks on 'testing period'
07 November 2006
Statement from Jim Allister MEP:
“Quite apart from other necessary changes, central to any possibility of St Andrews producing workable devolution is the key issue of full endorsement and support for policing and the rule of law, tested over a credible period, by all would-be participants in government.
With Sinn Fein having failed to take any step towards unequivocal support for the PSNI, as the only lawful police service in Northern Ireland, or support for the rule of law and the courts, and with such commitment being the trigger to mark the start of any meaningful testing period, it is clear that the timeframe for devolution envisaged at St Andrews is fast becoming unattainable. The longer Sinn Fein stalls the further back they push the potential start date for devolution. They cannot delay their policing commitment and at the same time expect office on 26 March 2007.
If the Governments’ St Andrews Agreement permits them to delay and bowl short on this crucial issue, then it is flawed beyond repair.”
