TUV Putting the Brakes on Concessions
11 March 2008
Responding to today’s debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly on the devolution of policing and justice, Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister said:
“It is not very often that Sinn Fein/IRA comes anywhere near the truth. However, when Gerry Adams says that the DUP’s attitude to the devolution of policing and justice is “to do with the Dromore by-election” I think he has hit the nail on the head.
Having fought just one by-election, Traditional Unionists have been able to put the brakes on the stream of concessions to republicans – not bad for a bunch of “flat earthers”! The Maze terrordome is likely to be the next casualty.
It is, however, evident that the DUP have agreed to the devolution of these powers sometime in the future. As several MLAs stated, there is broad agreement about how the powers should be devolved. Shamefully, no Unionists seem to have any difficulty with Martin McGuinness having a say in the appointment of Northern Ireland’s judiciary.
And there is a fundamental contradiction in the DUP’s position. If it is wrong to be in government with IRA/Sinn Fein over policing and justice - and it is - how can it be right to have them as partners in government at all?"
ENDS
