“I want to know what your plan B is..”

Spotted by Newshound. There are a couple of points to note from the Derry Journal‘s report on the recent Sinn Féin public meeting in Strabane – where the local SF councillors failed to take up all of their alloted posts on the Strabane DPP. One point is the reported response of Martina Anderson, MLA, to a question from Aodhán Harkin, Secretary of Strabane Sigersons GAA club, about those councillors.

Foyle MLA Martina Anderson told the packed out hall that Sinn Fein members who had not taken up their seats on the policing board would be dealt with locally.

Or not dealt with since it was, according to Sinn Féin at the time, a matter of “individual choice”. The second point is Gerry Adams’ response to a question about the devolution of policing and justice powers – since we’re now in May.

Paddy Devlin told the panel that people in Strabane and Castlederg who have had undesirable experiences with the police in the past, were reluctant to join in the support for police until the hand over of policing powers was complete. He said: “I want to know what your plan B is, if this doesn’t happen in May?”

Here’s the response reported from the meeting.

Mr. Adams responded by saying that he was well aware of the difficulties in the past people have encountered with the police.

“I have no problem with people being against us on policing…My house had to be demolished on the Falls Road because it was subjected to so many raids over the years.”

He said that it was as “emotionally difficult” for him to engage with policing as anyone else however he stressed that the difference now is that “we are holding them to account.”

Which sounds like Plan A again.