The Five Demands

DUP e Sinn Fein hanno invitato gli altri partiti a partecipare alle discussioni sulla devolution

UUP, SDLP e Alliance Party si sono uniti alle due maggiori parti in causa (DUP e Sinn Fein) per discutere sulla fattibilità e la tempestica del trasferimento dei poteri di polizia e giustizia da Westminster a Stormont. Alcuni disappori sono trapelati dalle file dell’Ulster Unionist Party i cui membri hanno accusato di essere venuti a conoscenza del meeting, solo dai media.
Sembra intanto rivelarsi una bufala l’indiscrezione secondo la quale Democratic Unionist Party e Sinn Fein fossero prossimi ad un accordo. Il maggior partito unionista infatti ha fatto sapere che non c’è alcuna fretta.
“Non importa quando sarà il momento, non importa se sarà domani o in un decennio – la cosa importante è ottenere le condizioni”, ha detto Gregory Campbell.
L’unica volontà che pare certa è quella di voler giungere ad un accordo prima delle elezioni di Westminster, che si terranno il maggio prossimo.

All parties join devolution discussions (BBC News Northern Ireland)
The UUP, the SDLP, and the Alliance Party have joined discussions over the devolution of policing and justice in what is being seen as a significant development.
Sinn Fein and the DUP have asked the other political parties to join them on Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to hammer out a deal.
Though hopes of an agreement to end the two-year wrangle over the contentious issue have been mounting over the last week, a senior DUP figure has insisted that his party would not be rushed.
East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell, who is considered to be on the hard-line wing of his party, said a timescale was less important than securing community confidence in the move.
“It doesn’t matter what the time is, it doesn’t matter if it’s tomorrow or in a decade – the important thing is to get the conditions,” he said.
According to the DUP, there remain three issues to resolve – who will be the new justice minister, how he or she will work with Executive colleagues, and how controversial parades will be managed in the future.
UTV’s Political Editor Ken Reid said the negotiations were “likely to continue until Wednesday at least, and perhaps longer”.
“Most of the negotiations seemed well advanced,” he said.
“It all started with a demand for a date for the devolution of policing and justice, and for a deal to stick it seems to me that date will have to be before the Westminster election which is due in May.”