DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson has stated he could not foresee a time when Sinn Féin could be part of a power-sharing administration in Northern Ireland, although he did not totally rule out a return to devolution that would involve Sinn Féin.
Mr Robinson, introducing the DUP manifesto in Magheralin in David Trimble's Upper Bann constituency yesterday, also suggested the SDLP could be persuaded to abandon its policy of not entering any power-sharing executive that excluded Sinn Féin.
Mr Robinson denied he ever said devolution could not return for a generation, as was recently suggested, but equally indicated he did not believe Sinn Féin would meet the requirements to allow for full power-sharing.
"We have not excluded any party. Sinn Féin has excluded itself. The DUP cannot foresee when, if ever, republicans will genuinely and fully measure up to the entry conditions we agreed with government. We are adamant that we will never participate in setting up any government with a party which is unable to meet the agreed entry standards," he insisted.
"We have made this firm commitment in our manifesto and equally we have insisted we are not prepared to stand still. Northern Ireland needs good government and we will seek progress immediately after the election with those who completely embrace peaceful and democratic politics," he added.
Mr Robinson elaborated: "We will not share power with gunmen or gangsters and we will not hang around waiting for them to reform. If you ask us, 'What if, at some later stage, republicans meet your requirements and do become involved in exclusively democratic politics; will you join them in government?' We say to respond to that question would require us to contemplate an hypothesis which is not simply suspect and implausible but quite frankly requires us to suspend intellect, judgment and logic.
"The DUP says come back and ask us if ever it happens. It is up to republicans to convince our community, over an extensive and sustained period, all the republican movement's illegal activity is ended. For our part we do not suppose it will happen. They are too entangled with, and imprisoned by, paramilitarism and criminality. It is not up to us to defy common sense and spend our time entertaining far-flung and off-the-wall propositions and chasing moonbeams - we will keep our feet on the ground and work towards sound and realistic goals."
Mr Robinson also suggested that while SDLP leader Mark Durkan had set his face against a voluntary coalition excluding Sinn Féin, he might yet change his mind. "The option of a voluntary coalition is open to the SDLP and while they are playing coy now, perhaps after the election, when their bravado is tempered by the electorate's response, a higher level of reality might cause a rethink," he said.
"If, however, Mark Durkan wants to force terrorists and criminals into government there will be no devolution. That deal is dead, Mark, and you know it. Follow that strategy, Mark, and you will deprive a whole community of devolved government.
"You will also be ensuring that the only achievable and attainable strategy for unionists to follow will be to improve the accountability and acceptability of direct rule by integrating Northern Ireland more closely and seamlessly into the Westminster structures," added Mr Robinson.
DUP leader Ian Paisley said that for the first time Sinn Féin and the IRA were totally wrong-footed. He also said that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern must keep his "dirty hands of interference off the internal affairs of Northern Ireland".
"The only way IRA/Sinn Féin can recover is by becoming the largest party in Northern Ireland is this election. That is the issue in this election. It is not a battle between the unionist parties. It is a battle between victory and defeat for the IRA and the salvation of the union. The only way that IRA/Sinn Féin is to be defeated is for the DUP to be declared by the majority of voters to be Ulster's largest party," said Dr Paisley.
DUP manifesto: main proposals
