Following our thread on Sinn Fein’s position viz viz the completion of the Patten Report, one of our readers points us in the direction of a comprehensive statement by Gerry Kelly at a conference earlier this year, in which he clearly lays out the party’s position beyond Patten:
In December 2004 – just over a year ago we had agreement on a sequence of events including the transfer of powers on policing and justice from London to Belfast. But it fell apart because the DUP reneged at the last moment.
Essentially we agreed that in the context of:
– Agreement between the parties on the departmental model and the powers to be transferred;
– The enactment by the British government of the legislation to give full expression to this transfer of powers; and
– A DUP commitment to a short timeframe for the actual transfer of powers on policing and justice.
Then the party president would propose to the Ard Comhairle that it calls a special Ard Fheis to decide Sinn Féins position on new policing arrangements.
That situation has not changed. It is not Sinn Féin but others who are delaying progress.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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