We’ll have to wait for the latest issue of An Phoblacht to check the detail of the interview with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, as reported by RTÉ, who state that he will say the party is now fully supporting the police and the criminal justice system and will continue to do so. After all, the Ard Fheis motion did contain some conditionality on that support, unless the Ard Chomhairle has already decided that they are “satisfied that the policing and justice powers will be transferred.” If true, those hypotheticals should be answerable now.. And does that include all areas of policing? In the meantime we can look at what he said to RTÉ before meeting with the Taoiseach and Finance Minister Brian Cowen – “He said all the outstanding issues had been dealt with and, more importantly, the people had spoken.” It’s an echo of what the Taoiseach had to say in Washington.. But all outstanding issues? Even the latest wrinkle? Updated belowAccording to the RTÉ report
In an interview to be published on Thursday in this week’s An Phoblacht magazine, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams says the party is now fully supporting the police and the criminal justice system and will continue to do so.
He also states that the IRA has removed itself from the picture, and that there is no reason or excuse for armed actions.
The comments are pitched to bolster those in the DUP who want to form a power-sharing government at Stormont next Monday.
On policing, Mr Adams says Sinn Féin ministers will sign the ministerial pledge supporting the PSNI.
He says the party will take its seats on the policing board and the district policing partnerships.
The Process™, on the other hand, continues..
As SuperSoupy has pointed out in the comments, the Irish Examiner has more detail from that interview.. it would appear that the conditionality remains
Sinn Féin would participate fully in policing structures, including the Policing Board once reconstituted and the District Policing Partnerships, and he would propose that to the party’s Ard Chomhairle as soon as the institutions were re-established.
He added that this becomes possible in the context of the restoration of the political institutions and the Ard Chomhairle’s satisfaction that policing and justice powers will be transferred away from London.
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