Stone held after Stormont bomb alert
By Noel McAdam and Gary Fennelly
24 November 2006
Loyalist Michael Stone has been arrested after entering Stormont builidings during a key debate on Assembly nominations.
Witnesses said loyalist Michael Stone walked into the building shortly after 11am, threw a bag at security staff and claimed there was a bomb in it.
He shouted “no surrender” before being tackled to the ground by security staff.
Police said the building was evacuated following reports of a live device. The meeting was being held to hear if the DUP and Sinn Fein would indicate candidates for first and deputy first minister posts.
During the debate DUP leader Ian Paisley carried out his threat not to fully nominate a First Minister as he accused Sinn Fein of failing to fulfil its obligation to accept policing.
Mr Paisley said that the St Andrews Agreement was built on the twin pillars of DUP acceptance of power-sharing and Sinn Fein’s acceptance of policing. However, he said that since Sinn Fein was not ready to take the next step his “party was under no obligation” to make a nomination.
During a stormy meeting which was disrupted when MLAs were forced to evacuate the chamber following a fire alarm, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams nominated Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister. Earlier, Secretary of State Peter Hain had threatened to dissolve the Assembly if Sinn Fein and the DUP failed to find a compromise to move towards devolution.
Behind the scenes discussions continued, however, to find a form of words to allow the Government to argue the political process - and the prospect of a power-sharing Executive by next March remains on track.
This week, in what Downing Street characterised as a “critical moment” for Northern Ireland, the Assembly met in its first major test since the St Andrews Agreement last month.
The Agreement, carved out over three days of negotiations, had envisaged today as a major symbolic act which could inject confidence into the political process and demonstrate Mr Paisley and Mr McGuinness could potentially share office.
But today’s moves will involve pain for both parties.
The DUP is facing unease within its core support base, particularly the Free Presbyterian Church.
And there is disquiet in republican ranks also, as pressure increases on Sinn Fein to move towards a definitive verdict - involving a meeting of its ard fheis - on policing.
And shortly before the meeting, Secretary of State Peter Hain warned he could still shut the Assembly down, even via a second meeting later today.
“I have got a dissolution order - we’re prepared to use it if it looks at any time as if there’s no prospect at all of devolving power on 26 March, after an election,” he said.
And he insisted the parties had signed up to the St Andrews framework and current timetable, including a new Assembly election on March 7.
“And what’s important about today - and all the parties signed up to the process today, to give an indication that on 26 March, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness would be First and Deputy First minister respectively - they all signed up to that process and they now need to indicate whether they’re going to fulfil that agreement.”
Mr Paisley and Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams addressed Assembly members, along with Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey and SDLP boss Mark Durkan.
Sinn Fein had said, however, it would not repeat its action earlier this year when Mr Adams nominated Mr Paisley for First Minister.
“It is different standing orders,” a spokesman said.
When Mr Adams proposed Mr Paisley and Mr McGuinness for the First and Deputy First Ministers’ positions, the suggestion was angrily rejected by the DUP leader
Hoping for a better outcome today, Mr Hain added: “What is important today is that there is a fresh dose of confidence injected into the process.
“We had a Programme for Government earlier this week, with all the parties at most senior levels represented, and we took the St Andrews legislation through Parliament.
“We as a Government, together with the Irish Government, have done our bit. It is up to the parties to play their part. I cannot be certain what the outcome will be today.”
The Irish Government also warned that the so-called ‘plan B’, an enhanced role for Dublin in the day-to-day administration of Northern Ireland, could still be put into effect if the devolution blueprint collapses.
Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said: “It is the case that if we fall at any hurdle, then we will go to plan B, but it is not the preferred option of the Irish Government or the British Government.
“We want to see devolved government restored to Northern Ireland and we believe leadership is needed from the DUP and Sinn Fein to achieve this.”
Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy said: “We expect to play our part in moving the process forward.”
Sinn Fein to treat nominee as deputy minister
By Noel McAdam, Political Correspondent
Sinn Fein plans to garland prospective Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness with the trappings of office from today.
According to senior republican sources, the party will begin to treat the Mid Ulster MP as if he already is in office as Deputy First Minister.
The party plans to appoint a number of advisers to Mr McGuinness, who was formally nominated by the party president Gerry Adams in the Assembly today.
And a series of meetings and photo-opportunities will be arranged and publicly presented as Mr McGuinness in his role as Deputy First Minister.
From next week, the party also intends to attempt to work more closely with officials in the Office of First and Deputy First Minister, the sources said.
“From this point we intend to treat Martin McGuinness as if he already is Deputy First Minister,” a senior source said.
The plan will, however, enrage the other parties, particularly the DUP, who are believed to have sought assurances that the roles of First and Deputy First Ministers designate are totally unofficial.
Mr Adams also warned last night, however, that his party could “walk away” today if the DUP fails to come up to the mark on designations.
The West Belfast MP said if the DUP did not meet the “minimum requirement” the Government should pull down the shutters on the Assembly.
“At the very, very minimum, at the very least, there has to be the nomination of the First and Deputy First Ministers. At the very least,” he said.
“But if that doesn’t happen, the governments need to move smartly into the partnership arrangements which they signalled up in Scotland.”
But Dublin Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern reminded Sinn Fein it still has work to do on the vexed policing issue.
Addressing Sinn Fein TD Aengus O Snodaigh in the Dail, he said: “There is a need for movement from Sinn Fein on policing. We would like to see the colour of your money in that respect.
“We would like to see Sinn Fein propose an ard fheis (party conference) so that they can discuss this among themselves and hopefully move positively towards policing. So the sooner that happens, the better.”
Mr Ahern also warned, however, that the British and Irish governments could still resort to ‘Plan B’, an enhanced role for Dublin in administering Northern Ireland, if the devolution blueprint falters.
“It is the case that if we fall at any hurdle, then we will go to Plan B, but it is not the preferred option of the Irish Government or the British Government,” he said.
“We want to see devolved government restored to Northern Ireland and we believe leadership is needed from the DUP and Sinn Fein to achieve this.”
