THE Alliance Party has denied reports it is preparing for talks with the DUP over taking up the proposed position of Justice Minister if policing and justice powers are devolved to the Stormont Executive.
Following reports at the weekend of potential talks between the two parties in September, which indicated the party was leaning towards accepting the offer if the right conditions were in place, the Alliance Party yesterday told the News Letter it ha
d not changed its stance on the issue.
Party leader David Ford is understood to be on holiday and was unavailable for comment, but an Alliance spokesman, said: “Our position is the same as it was two weeks ago on this issue, and at that time David said we wouldn’t be taking the ministry.”
But in a Sunday Times article last weekend, it was reported Mr Ford had “indicated he is open to negotiations and has set out his stall, which includes full Executive powers for an Alliance minister and more collective responsibility in the Executive. Alliance also wants movement towards a cross-community power-sharing model that does not automatically include all parties”.
Mr Ford is also quoted as saying: “Alliance will continue to play a constructive role in solving Northern Ireland’s problems, reforming the institutions and building a genuinely shared future.
“I think ministers are aware of the conditions that we consider necessary to make the executive and other institutions function properly.”
Junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson yesterday seemed surprised by the apparent reversal in the Alliance Party’s position, but said he hadn’t given up hope they could come to some agreement.
He said: “We hope to have discussions with the Alliance Party, and other parties, over the next few weeks over the issue of policing and justice powers.
“I would simply ask they (the Alliance Party) keep an open mind on this issue in advance of having an opportunity to air what their issues and concerns are, and also to discuss in more detail the matter of the proposal they are likely to engage in due course.”
Devolution has been one of the hot topics of the Northern Ireland Assembly since it formed last year, particularly since there has so far been no agreements made on the issue. The DUP has refused to support devolution of policing and justice until it was proven the IRA army council has been disbanded.
This means all eyes will be on the Independent Monitoring Commission’s report on the state of the IRA ceasefire at the start of next month.
Negotiations involving all parties, led by Secretary of State Shaun Woodward, will begin immediately after the report is issued.
It is thought Gordon Brown may take part in the talks at a later stage.
The full article contains 467 words and appears in News Letter newspaper.
