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Brown and Cowen in London meeting Justice devolution 'years away'
(about 2 hours later)
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to meet his Irish counterpart Brian Cowen in Downing Street on Monday. Policing and justice powers in Northern Ireland may not be devolved for years, the DUP's Gregory Campbell has said.
It follows another weekend of wrangling between the DUP and Sinn Fein over the transfer of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The East Londonderry MP said there was no prospect of a date for devolution being given before Christmas.
Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness has said a date must be set by Christmas and the powers transferred early in 2010. At the weekend, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said a date must be set by then and the powers transferred early in 2010.
The DUP have said the move will only happen when there is "sufficient community confidence". The issue is set to be discussed when Prime Minister Gordon Brown meets his Irish counterpart Brian Cowen later.
The DUP and Sinn Fein have been arguing for months about policing and justice, often referred to as the "last piece of the devolution jigsaw".
Speaking on Monday morning, Mr Campbell said: "It will take years, for not only my colleagues and myself, but for many in the unionist community to see Sinn Fein continuing to work the Northern Ireland Assembly and not using it as some sort of battering ram, because that's where we are now.
"It appears we're moving into the position where their speeches - and Martin McGuinness again and Brian Cowen before him were indicating if policing and justice doesn't happen and there's no date by Christmas then we're in for this train wreck.
"Well if that's the case let them spell it out."
Train-wreck strategyTrain-wreck strategy
Speaking at a republican event at the weekend Sinn Fein National Chairperson Declan Kearney said the DUP had to "make its mind up now". Speaking at a republican event at the weekend Sinn Fein national chairperson Declan Kearney said the DUP had to "make its mind up now".
Gregory Campbell said a date for devolution would not be set soon
"In recent weeks all the evidence indicates the DUP have no intention to support the transfer of policing and justice powers," he said."In recent weeks all the evidence indicates the DUP have no intention to support the transfer of policing and justice powers," he said.
"Absolutely nothing suggests this position will change. Their continued intransigence is a serious political mistake. It is a train-wreck political strategy and political consequences will be inevitable.""Absolutely nothing suggests this position will change. Their continued intransigence is a serious political mistake. It is a train-wreck political strategy and political consequences will be inevitable."
The DUP and Sinn Fein have been arguing for months over the issue, often referred to as the "last piece of the devolution jigsaw". Mr McGuinness, who is NI's deputy first minister, met Taoiseach Cowen over the weekend and said that "ongoing attacks" by DUP First Minister Peter Robinson on the decision-making processes were of concern.
Mr McGuinness, who is NI's Deputy First Minister, met Taoiseach Cowen over the weekend and said that "ongoing attacks" by DUP First Minister Peter Robinson on the decision-making processes were of concern.
"I see these attacks as a very clear example of the failure on the part of the DUP to embrace the equality, partnership and power-sharing arrangements which lie at the heart of these agreements," he said."I see these attacks as a very clear example of the failure on the part of the DUP to embrace the equality, partnership and power-sharing arrangements which lie at the heart of these agreements," he said.
'Long-term survival''Long-term survival'
Mr Robinson has said that he wants community designation replaced by a 65% weighted majority system to "ensure widespread support" but which would stop any single party having "a veto on progress". Mr Robinson has said that he wants community designation at the assembly replaced by a 65% weighted majority system to "ensure widespread support" but which would stop any single party having "a veto on progress".
"It would encourage co-operation and compromise and end the potential of blackmail by stalemate," he told a DUP meeting in Foyle last week."It would encourage co-operation and compromise and end the potential of blackmail by stalemate," he told a DUP meeting in Foyle last week.
He said that much had been achieved by the Executive, but the "areas of disagreement" undermined the administration's credibility.He said that much had been achieved by the Executive, but the "areas of disagreement" undermined the administration's credibility.
"The continual inability to agree on a range of issues drains credibility from the operation of devolution and if it continues over a long period of time will undoubtedly threaten its long-term survival," he said."The continual inability to agree on a range of issues drains credibility from the operation of devolution and if it continues over a long period of time will undoubtedly threaten its long-term survival," he said.
"I do not believe that this is in anyone's best interests.""I do not believe that this is in anyone's best interests."