The British government has indicated that it is ready to concede Democratic Unionist Party demands for extra seats on the Northern Ireland Policing Board in spite of Irish Government and SDLP objections.
The DUP push for control over the 19-strong body, which is chaired by Sir Desmond Rea, was rebuffed "only with the greatest difficulty" before the summer, following pressure from the Irish Government, sources in Dublin have told The Irish Times.
In early August, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain went so far as to declare that the current membership would stay in place for another year - until October 2006.
However, according to reliable sources, Mr Hain has begun to waver in recent weeks in the face of DUP pressure. "He feels that he hasn't got anything else to offer them and that he must offer them something," one usually well-informed source, speaking on condition on anonymity, said last night.
Describing the DUP's move as a "power grab", SDLP leader Mark Durkan said: "It is clear that the DUP is not just looking for extra seats on the board. They also want to control the independents, to stuff the board with their own people and get one in as chair."
In addition, Mr Durkan suggested that the DUP would put the chief constable of the PSNI, Sir Hugh Orde, "in its sights" if it won control of the body.
Currently, the DUP has three places on the board, which was first appointed in November 2001 under legislation designed to implement the Patten recommendations.
If its demands are met, the DUP will, under the D'Hondt system used to share out seats proportionally, get five members on to the board, which sets the agenda for and monitors the work of the PSNI. Its number of seats would drop to four in the event of Sinn Féin joining the board, although there is little likelihood of that happening now.
The DUP leader, accompanied by senior party figures, made his demands known to the SDLP at a meeting this week.
Besides extra numbers, the DUP is seeking to exert control over the choice of chairman and to influence the selection of the 10 independent board members required by legislation.
"They are saying they want to put forward names for the independent posts. How independent will they be then? Up to now, the independents have been exactly that," one source said.
The SDLP leader raised the matter during 90 minutes of talks with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who acknowledged that he expects to hear a formal proposal from the British shortly.
Speaking after this meeting, Mr Durkan said: "The IRA failure to decommission gave unionists a veto over re-establishment of the Good Friday institutions. The IRA has decommissioned, and that unionist veto must now be gone. That was our message to the Taoiseach, and it is the message both governments must give to the DUP.
"The DUP talk about the need to build confidence. They must realise that the rest of us need confidence in them. We doubt their commitment to the lawful society after their behaviour over the Whiterock parade. And we doubt their commitment to inclusive democracy when they seek to undermine the Good Friday agreement."
Criticising the DUP's decision to draft a 68-page list of demands, Mr Durkan added: "Given their behaviour, the DUP should not be rewarded. They have the right to get their democratic entitlements inside the institutions, but they have no right to demand concessions outside them.
"If we get on the usual merry-go-round of side deals, there will only be more demands and more delay. Tony Blair needs to tell the DUP where to go - back into the institutions."
