The effort to restore the Northern Ireland executive and assembly will collapse in coming days unless a deal is reached on policing between Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party, Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has warned. Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent, reports
The DUP leader, Dr Ian Paisley, last week welcomed a statement on policing from British prime minister, Tony Blair, which outlined both parties' positions on the issue and subsequent Stormont control over justice and policing.
Though welcome, Dr Paisley's comments "do not give us all that we need to move forward", and do not offer enough "clarity" that the DUP would share power with Sinn Féin, the Taoiseach told RTÉ's This Week programme.
Dr Paisley is "a man simple in his words", said Mr Ahern, and if "he speaks clearly" and makes it abundantly clear that he has "no more problems about moving to power-sharing" then the executive and assembly could be back in action on March 26th, as planned.
He said he believed Dr Paisley had given the necessary clarifications to Mr Blair in private conversations over the last week, but he must now give them in public to provide Sinn Féin with the necessary clarity.
Meanwhile, Mr Ahern, who acknowledged that he has had no recent contact with Dr Paisley, is also not speaking to Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams - a fact that was the subject of sharp criticism yesterday from Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness.
In his RTÉ interview the Taoiseach acknowledged the efforts that were being made by Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness to persuade Sinn Féin members of the need to support the PSNI, but also to maintain a united organisation.
"SF has to have an ardfheis to get the clear agreement of the party to join policing.
"The DUP are in a position to move to a power-sharing executive in March if that happens. There is a tension about one moving first.
"I understand that. In this situation we need clarity. Tony Blair tried to get clarity this week. The parties have to be responsible, they have to act responsibly.
"It is a time for steady leadership. For Sinn Féin it is very difficult what they are trying to do. It is the right thing to do.
"It isn't easy for him [ Gerry Adams] to do it. He needs to know on the other side before he brings the party to that stage that there is certainty about power-sharing. He has to carry his party with him to get a decision. He wants to carry his party with them.
"They have worked for 10 years to keep Sinn Féin united and together. They have fairly well done that, with some stresses and difficulties.
"The DUP wants to make sure that they are not in any way undermined. Both parties have the same end-game. But they are nervous. They have internal pressures and critics," said Mr Ahern.