DUP leader Peter Robinson has warned of "serious consequences" for those who are preventing good governance of Northern Ireland should the Executive meeting scheduled for September 18 not take place.

The News Letter understands the First Minister is prepared to see a case filed against Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Sinn Fein ministerial colleagues.

They would stand accused of breaching their legal responsibilities to the people of the Province, in stopping ministerial gatherings.

Any doubts about the gravity of the situation at Stormont, were swept away in a hard-hitting statement from Mr Robinson.

It was issued in response to recent republican threats to pull down the political institutions, if policing and justice powers are not transferred from Whitehall.

Sinn Fein last night called for immediate intensive talks, on the developing crisis.

In forthright terms, Mr Robinson said the DUP will not respond to such threats.

The party will not be drawn into a situation where Sinn Fein can use its dire warnings over the administration and blocking government meetings, to try to get its way.

And, in a clear hint that it is getting to the stage where power-sharing is just not working, he said: "I have consistently argued that the system of government operating at Stormont is far from perfect. In the DUP's 2007 manifesto we referred to it as representing a fair deal but not our final destination. Sinn Fein behaviour is re-enforcing this argument."

The DUP leader also forcefully noted that it was a lie to say - as republicans have - that his party had agreed, at St Andrews in October 2006, to devolve policing and justice by May 8 2008.

Mr Robinson's party negotiated a veto over policing and justice devolution - until such times as unionists had confidence in the move - and Sinn Fein knew it.

Tough in tone, though stopping just short of all-out confrontation, the DUP leader said it had got to the point were Gerry Adams and his party were halting "important outstanding business" of government and it was backing-up.

"There are many issues from all ministers which need to be considered by the Executive and indeed wider matters which traverse individual departmental responsibility and which need to be aired," he explained.

"Flooding, energy costs, the credit crunch, the safety of our citizens from attack and many other matters would have been raised if the Executive had been meeting.

"When Ministers were appointed they made public and legally-binding pledges which are not being fulfilled. This cannot continue. A meeting of the Executive has been scheduled for September 18.

"If this meeting were not to take place it is self-evident that there would be serious consequences for the good government of Northern Ireland and indeed potentially for those who refuse to fulfil their legal obligations."

Sinn Fein has been preventing meetings of the Executive since mid June.
Mr Robinson did not detail what the consequences would be, for not meeting next time, but taking Sinn Fein ministers to court would be the likely course of action - that is if the ministers have not withdrawn from the Executive before September 18.

There is already a precedent as Sinn Fein did the same with former First Minister David Trimble, under the previous adminstration, when he blocked North-South Ministerial meetings. Republicans argued he was stopping good governance and won their case in the High Court.

Before a court battle looms over the governing of the country, however, the September 18 date leaves 22 days for talking over the issues which divide the parties.