“and when the Ard Chomhairle is satisfied that the policing and justice powers will be transferred.”
Sinn Féin have published the text of the motion to be put to the Ard Fheis on January 28th, and the conditions under which the Ard Chomhairle will be authorised to implement it... leaving a question for the Secretary of State to answer..From the Sinn Féin text
The Ard Chomhairle recommends:
That this Ard Fheis endorses the Ard Chomhairle motion. That the Ard Chomhairle is mandated to implement this motion only when the power-sharing institutions are established and when the Ard Chomhairle is satisfied that the policing and justice powers will be transferred. Or if this does not happen within the St Andrews timeframe, only when acceptable new partnership arrangements to implement the Good Friday Agreement are in place. [added emphasis]
That would seem to answer one question..
and it would indicate that SF intend to campaign for an election whilst futuring..
The question now is can the election go ahead on that basis?
Adds Does, for example, what is being suggested fit with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s previous description – “[Sinn Féin] now know that the path to shared government in Northern Ireland passes through a Sinn Fein Ard Fheis at which the policing issue is definitively and successfully addressed.”
We all know where this is going.
Why doesn’t everyone stop dancing on the head of pin and get on with it?
Looks like a lot of wee opt-outs that can be used by SF to get out of this if the DUP/HMG/Whoever don’t play ball. Which they won’t, since they have their own agendas. But it may be too late by then to back out – Rubicon having been crossed, the dice cast etc.
Still, it is the right thing to do; and should be supported by all. After all, where did republicans think that the GFA changes to the police were going to lead!
imo, the DUP have been very clear that actions are needed from SF as well as the words of support.
This “agreement” was always going to boil down to one thing.
Would SF back policing before devolution and any possible transfer of powers? Or would they engage in policing thereby satisfying the actions requirement of the DUP.
This boils down to who won the “war”. If SF can get devolution and a firm timetable on the transfer of P&J to an Irish assembly before they engage in policing then they will have won the battle of ideologies. If they sign up to and engage in policing before devolution and before any possible transfer of P&J, then they will have accepted the entire legitimacy of British rule in Ireland.
Stalin would feel very comfortable with the SF ard comhairle,