Sinn Fein to ponder an assembly withdrawal
By Noel McAdam
29 June 2006
Sinn Fein could pull out of the Assembly in the autumn, senior figures have warned.
The party yesterday launched an internal review which could result in a decision to pull the plug on the Assembly when it returns in September.
As party officers met in Dundalk, a senior source said withdrawal was an option.
The review on July 15 could shift its focus to the next election in the Republic if it calculates a devolution deal is unlikely by the November 24 deadline.
As Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness prepared to meet Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern this afternoon, the source said they would tell the PMs: “We don’t want a pep talk.
“We don’t want to be patronised to have the usual assertions and we don’t want all parties to be tarred with the same brush.”
Mr Adams will tell the PMs the “optimum way” to achieve “proper engagement” from the DUP is to continue to implement the Good Friday Agreement.
The party also expects Mr Blair and Mr Ahern will spell out their ‘Plan B’ - a greater role for the Republic - in more detail.
“There can be no guarantee that Sinn Fein is going to be there in the autumn,” the source said. “An awful lot is going to be influenced by what the Government does - or what they persuade us they are going to do.”
The SDLP, meanwhile, warned that both the DUP and Sinn Fein might be hoping for a balance of power situation at Westminster and the Dail respectively.
Party leader Mark Durkan said the governments needed to make clear that they are not going to indulge preconditions, accept vetoes or hand out side deals.
