THE STORMONT Executive is failing to function properly because of difficulties between Sinn Féin and the DUP, Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey has alleged.
Sir Reg claims this week’s meeting of the Executive was cancelled with just four hours’ notice, alleging serious disagreements between republicans and the DUP as key policies were to blame.
The SDLP is supporting Sir Reg, adding that it has been prevented from bringing important issues to the Executive table for discussion because of its failure to meet.
Sir Reg told The Irish Times last night that he believed the Executive led by Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness “has no strategic vision at the minute”.
He added: “When there is a failure to meet, discussions are postponed, leading the public to question the Executive’s maturity to take on additional responsibilities such as policing and justice.
“If people don’t feel that we have done enough on bread and butter issues then how can we take [policing and justice powers] on?”
Sir Reg said there was “huge pressure” from the Irish and British governments and from Sinn Féin for devolution of justice. But he added there had been what he called “a pattern of uncertainty” involving Sinn Féin and the DUP for some weeks.
“This was not the first Executive meeting to have been pulled,” he said, alleging that other discussions had also not taken place.
“The development of the Maze prison site is off the table,” he continued, “we don’t know where we are on water charges, we don’t know about policing and justice either.”
A reliable SDLP source said: “Reg is absolutely right, it’s actually much worse than that. What’s more, things have worsened under the new [DUP] leadership.
“Issues have not been progressed, leading to a build-up of non-contentious stuff.”
“The DUP and Sinn Féin are in total control of the Executive’s agenda, The Irish Times was told.
“It seems that Sinn Féin is fighting back against the DUP’s ‘triple lock’ veto on policing and justice.”
It is understood the SDLP’s sole Stormont Minister, Margaret Ritchie, has written to the office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister asking if the cancelled Executive meeting will be rescheduled before the summer recess and seeking confirmation that the next meeting will go ahead as planned on July 24th.
Responding to the claims by the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP, a reliable Stormont source said last Thursday’s Executive meeting was cancelled because “there wasn’t really a need for a meeting” on the grounds that not enough needed to be discussed.
“In general terms,” the sources added, “difficult issues are being discussed at the minute” involving Sinn Féin and the DUP.
A DUP spokesman denied the Executive was hampered by policy differences between republicans and the DUP.
“More than 200 decisions have been made by the Executive and the DUP is delivering for all the people of Northern Ireland. When there are issues to be discussed OFMDFM will bring them to the Executive for discussion,” he said.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said: “Sinn Féin and the DUP are involved in discussions as people know . . . They are aimed at resolving a range of outstanding issues, issues both inside and outside the Executive including the transfer of powers on policing and justice. Those discussions are ongoing.”