'On the runs' deal not on the cards
THE DUP have moved to dismiss Ulster Unionist fears that Sinn Fein secured a side deal on 'on the run' republican prisoners.
In an interview with the News Letter, Sir Reg Empey said that Sinn Fein had had on the run prisoners "on the agenda for years".
"There is a list of people. (Shaun] Woodward did not deny this was happening."
He said he expected "more activity" on that front, perhaps in payment for an unpublicised "side deal" at Hillsborough.
But DUP Nigel Dodds said: "That has already been dismissed. The issue of on the runs was stopped in the House of Commons by the DUP and other parties two or three years ago."
"There was no support on any side in the Commons for an amnesty or pardon.
"It would require legislation. We will never accept it."
Sir Reg had said that he thought the matter might be brought before Westminster before the end of this parliament, because Sinn Fein knew a future Tory government would not accept it.
But Mr Dodds said that would require legislation to be brought forward in the next couple of weeks, which would not happen.
In response to the suggestion that a side deal had been done on the matter, an NIO spokesman said: "That is absolutely untrue."
In other unionist reaction to the outworkings of the yes vote, Jim Allister said that in two years Sinn Fein would be seeking the justice ministry.
"It is fundamentally a terrible deal for unionism. It gifts control of policing and justice into a terrorist inclusive executive."
He added: "In Sinn Fein's 2005 manifesto their goal is all-Ireland policing and justice structures, and this cannot be achieved without first the transfer of policing and justice from London to Belfast."
He said that Sinn Fein had only suspended for two years their claim to the justice post. In two years time, they might be the largest party and would create a crisis to ensure the Sinn Fein could get the post.
Mr Allister said they "will keep bringing the process to brink if delivery not to their satisfaction".
He also expressed concerns about section 5 of Hillsborough, which would allow a review of "outstanding issues from St Andrews" such as the Irish language and the scope of the north-south bodies.
"The DUP is on a conveyor belt of delivering concessions to Sinn Fein to keep them on board.
"They were prepared to pay whatever price it took to avoid an Assembly election."
But Mr Dodds said this was nonsense.
"We made clear cannot be a Sinn Fein minister unless there is unionist support in the Assembly."
The DUP would never agree to this, he said.
The day after the vote, the DUP pushed for unionist unity.
Peter Robinson, who had commended Hillsborough as the best deal for unionism, said:
"Only 41 days remain to give unionists what they clearly want – agreed candidates in constituencies where a unionist can re-take a seat from Sinn Fein or the SDLP."
He added: "There is a groundswell of grassroots support for unionist co-operation.
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Monday 13 February 2012
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