“There has to be sharing of information in principle.”
While Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness has been grandstanding in Dublin Tullamore, the Alliance Party’s David Ford’s comments in the Observer indicate what has still to be agreed before policing and justice powers can be devolved. From the Observer article.
In an interview with the Observer, Ford said his only precondition for becoming minister was that all four main parties in the coalition agree to a set departmental programme. He said that “intellectually at least” the first minister, Peter Robinson, had already accepted that policing and justice powers should be transferred from Westminster to Stormont.Referring to the Omagh bomb investigation, which revealed that MI5 had not shared intelligence on dissidents with the RUC, he said: “There is clearly the need, as Omagh showed, to ensure that intelligence is joined up. I would expect the justice minister to be informed in a general sense but [not?] on specific security details.”
“grandstanding in Dublin”
I thought the 60 minute meeting took place in Tullymore, Co Offaly?
Offaly the new Capital of the Republic of Ireland?
Ah they probably took in the match yesterday at Croke Park where Ireland beat the world Champions South Africa.
Amended.
“ensure that intelligence is joined up”
David mentions MI5 but leaves out its Irish counterpart. Why? London and Dublin are both playing the intelligence card.
Why exactly does *everything* need to be agreed before devolution? “Devolution is a process and not an event”. An actual minister is far more likely to start to get to grips with these things than a hypothetical one. Stick to picking over the bones of announcements, Pete.
“intellectually at least”
Shouldn’t that read “intellectually at most”?
A tryer that ford fellow!