“The DUP has been in favour of devolving Policing and Justice for years, the problem was (and remains) ensuring that community confidence is instilled to allow it to occur. We have been pressing on a number of issues to ensure that the confidence emerges which will allow it to proceed.
Over recent weeks and months our Party has been negotiating to get a better financial package that has been obtained which obviously helps confidence. Other important matters have also been secured such as;
- ensuring there will be no Sinn Fein Minister for Justice,
- ensuring there will be no Sinn Fein role in the appointment of Judges,
- a £20million package for the part-time reserve many of whom served during the worst of the troubles,
- making successful representations for many of those who have been trying to obtain personal protection weapons,
- preventing further North South Bodies and
- again preventing any Irish language Act.
As the gap between the two Parties narrowed in the final days we were insistent that it had to close.
One of the long running sores has been the protests against parades. Sinn Fein continuously refused to align themselves with the twin track strategy which we have outlined, that the parading issue must be resolved as well as Policing & Justice. One of the problems throughout the negotiations was SF’s reluctance to commit to guarantees on one side while demanding them on the other.
Their walking out of the talks on the final week has meant that the DUP, keen to secure all of the matters we had negotiated with the Government has now taken action to ensure that our twin track strategy delivers.
We will ensure, both at the outset of the Assembly process on parading and Policing & Justice, and then throughout the process a decision rests with us over which SF have no control, that ensures the direct linkage of the two matters.
This decision will ensure that for one issue to conclude the other must do likewise.”
